International
Palestine’s path to full membership in the UN will be long
Palestine’s request to become the 194th State of the United Nations could follow the relatively rapid steps of other States that have joined the UN throughout the 21st century, but in its case it faces the probable veto of the United States in the Security Council.
The most recent State to take a seat at the UN as a full member was South Sudan, which in 2011 separated from Sudan after a friendly agreement. His incorporation into the UN was made by acclamation on July 14 of that year, just a week after his declaration of independence.
In 2006, Montenegro, another state that emerged from the dismemberment of the former Yugoslavia, separated after a popular referendum from the last remaining remnant of that federation and proclaimed its independence from Serbia. The referendum took place on June 3 and on the 28th of that same month the state was admitted to the UN.
And 2002 was a very special year because the UN welcomed two members: Switzerland did so in September, thus putting an end to an anomaly that made it welcome numerous international organizations but did not sit at the UN for the sake of a principle of neutrality inscribed in its DNA.
Much more traumatic was the chaos of Timor Leste, which was also admitted in September 2002. The new Asian country, a former Portuguese colony, lived 24 years of occupation and resistance against Indonesia and then almost three years of supervised administration of the UN, but its entry into the United Nations was unanimously approved by the Assembly.
In 2011, Palestine first presented its formal request to enter the United Nations, but the procedure ran aground in its first stage: it did not get the support of 9 of the 15 members of the Security Council (that is, the qualified majority), so that request did not reach the General Assembly, the second stage of the process.
Palestine had to settle for acquiring the status of “observer state,” an anomaly that only the Vatican has in the United Nations, which is not even considered a country with its own attributes.
Palestine obtained 138 votes in the General Assembly in favor of its new observer status, while 9 voted against (including Israel, the United States and Canada) and 41 abstained.
It is foreseeable that Palestine will not have it as easy as South Sudan, Montenegro or Switzerland had, and all observers assume that Washington will use the veto tool in the Security Council, which is the instance where the incorporation process begins and ends.
According to the UN letter, the request for a new State necessarily goes through the following stages: it is formulated before the Security Council, which appoints an ad hoc committee to study it formed by the fifteen members, and if the committee approves it, the Council then assesses whether it is “a peace-loving state” (article 60), in which case it sends the issue to the General Assembly.
In the Assembly, the votes of two-thirds of the Member States are needed to move forward, and if this happens, the final decision returns to the Security Council.
The United States, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has the right to veto the process at any time – in 2011 it threatened to do so, but did not need it – and few doubt that he will also use it on this occasion.
If this happens, the dream of Palestine will have fallen by the wayside.
But something has changed since 2011: now, every time a permanent member uses the right of veto, the question comes to the General Assembly, where that country must explain its position and submit to a non-binding vote.
At the current juncture, the United States will once again be evident in the face of a very large majority of states that are expected to support Palestinian membership.
International
HRW Warns Trump’s Influence Has Weakened Human Rights in Latin America
Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that the political influence and rhetoric of U.S. President Donald Trump have contributed to a deterioration of human rights conditions across Latin America and the Caribbean. In its World Report 2026, the organization stated that several governments in the region have committed abuses against migrants and citizens, or have used U.S. policies as justification to impose harsher repressive measures.
During the first year of Trump’s new term, HRW observed that multiple countries violated the rights of foreign nationals under direct pressure from Washington. Other governments deepened security strategies based on militarization, mass detentions and excessive use of force, according to the report.
“The impact of the Trump administration has undoubtedly been negative in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Juanita Goebertus, HRW’s Americas director. However, she emphasized that “governments in the region remain responsible for defending democracy and fundamental rights, regardless of who is in power in Washington.”
HRW also reported that the United States significantly reduced cooperation funding for human rights organizations and independent media. At the same time, countries such as El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador passed laws allowing the arbitrary closure of civil society organizations and media outlets, weakening democratic systems and institutional checks and balances.
The organization further criticized what it described as a “double standard” in U.S. foreign policy, which condemns human rights violations in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua while overlooking serious abuses committed by allies such as El Salvador, Peru and Ecuador. The report also included criticism of the U.S. military attack against Venezuela in early 2026, warning that it could strengthen Nicolás Maduro’s regime and respond primarily to U.S. political and commercial interests.
International
Delcy Rodríguez Takes Control of Chavismo as Venezuela Enters a U.S.-Supervised Transition
With short speeches and an academic image, Delcy Rodríguez—the woman sworn in as Venezuela’s acting president—has taken the helm of Chavismo at a critical moment, as the movement seeks to ensure its survival while the country enters a phase of change overseen by the United States, putting the foundations of the revolution to the test.
Following the military operation on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the Chavista leadership moved quickly to fill the power vacuum and confront the new political dynamic from within the state apparatus. In this context, Rodríguez has emerged as the central figure tasked with steering the ruling movement through an uncertain transition.
Although she has held telephone conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rodríguez has publicly insisted on Venezuela’s independence and has sharply criticized an opposition that currently lacks meaningful influence within the political landscape.
“Enough of Washington’s orders over Venezuelan politicians. Venezuelan politics must be the one to resolve our differences and internal conflicts,” Rodríguez said on January 25, while defending her proposal for a “political dialogue” with both “like-minded” and “divergent” sectors, which she had presented two days earlier.
International
Epstein Denies Being ‘the Devil’ in Newly Released Video Interview
Jeffrey Epstein claims he was the least dangerous type of sex offender and denied being “the devil” in a video interview included in the latest batch of documents released over the weekend by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The roughly two-hour interview was conducted by Steve Bannon, a former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, and appears to have been recorded at the late financier’s New York residence on an unknown date.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors. Since December, the U.S. government has released millions of documents related to the case under transparency laws.
“Do you think you’re the devil incarnate?” Bannon asks Epstein in the video interview revealed in the latest release.
“No, but I do have a good mirror,” Epstein replies with a smile, wearing a black shirt and glasses. When pressed again, he adds, “I don’t know. Why would you say that?”
Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution, also appears to downplay the seriousness of his conviction.
He objects when Bannon refers to him as a “Level Three sexual predator,” a classification in the United States indicating a very serious threat to public safety.
“No, I’m the lowest,” Epstein says.
“But still an offender,” Bannon responds.
“Yes,” Epstein replies.
The exchange comes after Bannon asks Epstein whether he considers his wealth to be “dirty,” suggesting it was earned by advising “the worst people in the world.”
Epstein insists that he made his money legally, while acknowledging that “ethics is always a complicated issue.”
He claims he donated money to help eradicate polio in Pakistan and India, apparently in an attempt to justify the origins of his fortune.
The documents also show that Bannon maintained regular correspondence with Epstein, who offered to help the far-right political figure spread his conservative ideology in Europe.
Since Trump took office in January 2025, U.S. authorities have released millions of pages related to Epstein, along with photos and videos.
These materials have shed new light on Epstein’s ties to high-profile business executives such as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, celebrities including filmmaker Woody Allen, and academics and political figures, among them Trump and former President Bill Clinton.
HRW Warns Trump’s Influence Has Weakened Human Rights in Latin America
Delcy Rodríguez Takes Control of Chavismo as Venezuela Enters a U.S.-Supervised Transition
Epstein Denies Being ‘the Devil’ in Newly Released Video Interview
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International2 days agoEpstein Denies Being ‘the Devil’ in Newly Released Video Interview
-
International2 days agoSpain Seeks to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16
-
International2 days agoPetro Resumes Extraditions, Sends Top Criminal to U.S. Before White House Talks
-
International2 days agoMexico to Send Humanitarian Aid to Cuba Amid U.S. Threats Over Oil Shipments
-
International2 days agoHypothermia Linked to Most Deaths During New York’s Recent Cold Spell
-
International2 days agoMexico Arrests Suspect in Shooting of Sinaloa Lawmakers
-
International1 day agoDelcy Rodríguez Takes Control of Chavismo as Venezuela Enters a U.S.-Supervised Transition
-
Central America4 days agoCosta Rica Goes to the Polls as Voters Choose Continuity or Change
-
International1 day agoHRW Warns Trump’s Influence Has Weakened Human Rights in Latin America
-
Central America2 days agoLaura Fernández Says She Will ‘Never’ Allow Authoritarianism in Costa Rica
-
International2 days agoNFL Investigating Emails Linking Giants Executive to Jeffrey Epstein