International
EU prioritises Venezuela elections over Guaido ties
AFP
The EU on Friday made clear it is prioritising its approach towards regional elections in Venezuela next month over its stance towards opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is against the polls.
Brussels plans to send an election observer mission to Venezuela to monitor the November 21 vote in the impoverished South American country.
Guaido — whom more than 50 countries, including the United States and much of Latin America regard as the acting president of Venezuela — has come out against both the elections and the EU observer mission, along with another high-profile opposition figure, Leopoldo Lopez.
But, said an EU official on condition of anonymity, “you have to look at what influence Guaido and Lopez have”.
The official noted that most of Venezuela’s opposition parties have opted to compete in the regional polls, breaking with their past strategy of boycotting elections called by Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s government.
That, despite the opposition accusing Maduro of fraudulent re-election in 2018.
“We respect their (Guaido and Lopez’s) point of view, but their own party is in favour of participating in the elections and the mission,” the official said.
The EU mission is headed by a Portuguese MEP, Isabel Santos, and counts around 100 election experts who are to start arriving in Caracas over the coming days.
On Wednesday, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement that the elections were “unprecedented”, involving “the majority of political forces for the first time in recent years”.
No EU member states has raised objections to the mission, though some have voiced worries that it could be used by Maduro’s regime to assert legitimacy.
The EU official said that “even in the US there is a pragmatic tilt. The atmosphere has changed. The aim is to find a negotiated solution to the crisis in that country (Venezuela).”
The EU, US and Canada have said they would be prepared to review their sanctions against Maduro’s government if there is “significant progress” in political talks between it and the opposition taking place in Mexico City.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
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