International

Venezuela says eight civilians killed by armed groups

AFP

Eight civilians were killed by armed groups in recent days in Venezuela’s restive southwest region that borders Colombia, the country’s defense minister said Friday.

Vladimir Padrino also said that nine “terrorists” had been killed and 56 captured in military operations in Apure state without the loss of “one single” soldier.

“Unfortunately, last week we received news of eight civilian deaths,” Padrino said in a press conference.

He also played a video denouncing the use of “improvised” land mines by armed groups, but did not say if they were the cause of the civilian deaths.

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The military operations were aimed at expelling Colombian gangs the government describes as “armed drug-trafficking terrorists.”

Left-wing Colombian rebels freely cross the porous 2,000-kilometer border between the two countries.

Bogota accuses Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro of providing shelter for dissidents of the disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and militants belonging to the National Liberation Army (ELN).

The two groups are among numerous armed militants battling for control of drug-trafficking routes through Colombia.

Caracas denies the accusations.

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Padrino said authorities seized 1,200 kilograms of cocaine and 800 kilograms of marihuana, dismantled 16 camps and confiscated three airplanes and numerous assault rifles in the operations.

In March 2021, 16 soldiers died in clashes between the Venezuelan military and Colombian rebels that also left thousands of civilians displaced.

Javier Tarazona, a Venezuelan activist from an NGO that reports on such clashes and accuses the government of links to FARC dissidents, has been held since July 2021.

On Thursday, Colombian authorities said four people traveling in a truck close to the border were killed by attackers on motorcycles.

The victims were themselves armed but seemingly did not have time to react to the attack. Authorities are yet to determine who were the perpetrators and victims of the attack.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.