International

Venezuela asks the youth to be alert to imperial onslaughts

Photo: Vicepridencia

August 14|

The executive vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, called this Saturday on the youth of Venezuela to be alert to the constant threats that are promoted from the United States (US) and that have the backing of the country’s extreme right wing.

“We call on you to be alert, to take care of Venezuela, of our people (…) That project for the youth for inclusion and social equality no one can touch it even though we know it has suffered. You have shown what you are capable of, as working youth, who build, for the defense. In the face of imperial aggressions there is the Venezuelan youth”, he expressed.

“Despite the financial and economic blockade against Venezuela, the Government of the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, takes care of the youth as its most precious jewel,” said the executive vice president.

Rodríguez accompanied this Saturday the march for the Revolution and in rejection of the blockade against Venezuela, and highlighted the support shown by the working youth for the defense of the country.

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The statements were made during a mobilization that took place in Caracas, within the framework of the International Youth Day.

In this sense, he highlighted the social programs and plans aimed at the Venezuelan youth that, despite the economic blockade, have remained present generating stability and benefits for the sector.

This, said Rodriguez, unlike the youth of the US and Europe who, according to different surveys, feel hopelessness and uncertainty about the future of this sector in their countries.

In this regard, he stressed that the Venezuelan youth “is in constant movement, and in the context of this economic situation caused by the North, has asked for the extremists of Venezuela, despite this, our president (Nicolas Maduro) has said ‘Let’s go with the youth!

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International

Argentina detects first local cases of Influenza A (H3N2) Subclade K

Argentina’s National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán” has confirmed the detection of three cases of influenza A (H3N2) corresponding to subclade K in the country. These are the first locally recorded cases of this variant, which has become predominant in several countries in the Northern Hemisphere in recent months and is associated with higher transmissibility.

The cases were identified through the National Network of Laboratories and Sentinel Units and confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory of INEI-ANLIS using genomic sequencing techniques. According to health authorities, the cases involve two adolescents from the province of Santa Cruz, detected as part of the Ambulatory Monitoring Strategy for Acute Respiratory Infections, and a child who had been hospitalized in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

In all three cases, patients experienced mild illness and recovered without complications. Officials did not specify whether any of the affected individuals had a recent travel history.

The jurisdictions involved have already launched the corresponding epidemiological investigations and are responsible for ensuring timely medical care for the detected cases. According to the latest integrated surveillance report, the circulation of influenza and other respiratory viruses in Argentina remains within expected levels for this time of year.

International

Pentagon confirms Trump pick for SouthCom as U.S. military pressure grows

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated a Marine Corps lieutenant general to lead U.S. Southern Command (SouthCom), the Pentagon announced on Friday, as Trump said he does not rule out the possibility of a war with Venezuela.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Francis L. Donovan would replace an admiral who, according to media reports, criticized recent attacks on vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking off the Venezuelan coast.

Washington has deployed a significant military presence in both the Caribbean and the Pacific, where it has carried out airstrikes against boats it claims were used by suspected drug traffickers. According to an AFP tally based on official information, the attacks have left more than 100 people dead.

The Venezuelan government has denounced what it describes as a plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro and seize the country’s oil resources.

In a statement published Friday on the Pentagon’s website, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Trump had nominated Lieutenant General Donovan to serve as commander of U.S. Southern Command.

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SouthCom is responsible for U.S. military operations in Central and South America, as well as parts of the Caribbean.

According to the Department of Defense, Donovan currently serves as deputy commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

International

Trump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance

Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous addictive substance, a move aimed at encouraging medical research without immediately opening the door to federal-level decriminalization.

Trump said that “people were begging” him to make the decision, particularly individuals suffering from chronic pain. He stressed, however, that the measure “is not at all a decriminalization” of marijuana for non-medical use.

“I’ve always told my children: don’t use drugs, don’t drink, don’t smoke,” Trump added. He is a well-known teetotaler.

A senior government official described the decision as “common sense” during a briefing with reporters, noting that marijuana and CBD-based products — a compound derived from cannabis known for its relaxing properties — are already widely used in the United States by patients dealing with chronic pain.

Most U.S. states currently allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes, and more than 20 states, along with the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., have also legalized recreational use.