International

Anti-chavista candidate promises a Venezuela with a president who “does not insult” if he wins the elections

The presidential candidate of the main anti-Chavista bloc, Edmundo González Urrutia, promised this Saturday that, in case of winning the elections of July 28, a president who will not insult his political adversaries will govern in Venezuela.

“Let’s imagine for a moment the coming country: a country in which the president does not insult or see his adversaries as enemies,” the former ambassador said in front of hundreds of supporters in the state of Aragua, where he held his first mass act since he assumed the candidacy, representing the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD).

He also pointed out that in that Venezuela governed by him “there will be electricity” and “there will be water,” in reference to the constant electrical and drinking water supply failures that are recorded almost daily throughout the country.

“A country in which health is not sick and education educates, a country without political prisoners (…), in which our airports and borders will be filled with our children returning home,” he said.

He also assured, “to those who still believe in the Government,” that he guarantees “an alternation in peace in which all political forces will be able to exercise their rights within the framework of the Constitution.”

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“To the National Armed Forces, you play a fundamental role in the safety of all, I will be the guarantor of your institutionality,” the anti-Chavista continued in his brief speech, which he read pausing among the applause of his followers.

The PUD candidate, during his speech, remarked that Chavismo will not take away the “hope” of political change from Venezuelans, something that – he considered – “today lives thanks to the primaries of October 22 that recognized the brave struggle of María Corina Machado.”

“I never thought of looking for a popularly elected position, but, at this crossroads (…), we made the family decision to take a step forward for Venezuela and that step must all be taken to conquer and take care of our votes on July 28,” he stressed.

González Urrutia asked the international community to accompany “closely” the elections of next July 28, since he believes that they will be decisive in terms of the behavior of the migratory flow.

“To the international community, (I ask) to accompany us closely in this process because it will be decisive to reduce migration and make Venezuela a reliable partner,” said the former ambassador in front of hundreds of supporters in the state of Aragua, in the first mass act he has led since he assumed the candidacy.

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Nearly 7.8 million Venezuelans have left their country in the last decade, mainly to Latin American countries, due to the economic and socio-political crisis, according to data from several governments and United Nations (UN) agencies.

González Urrutia was chosen as a candidate of the PUD in view of the disqualification that prevents former liberal deputy María Corina Machado from competing for public positions, despite having been elected in primaries as the contender of the largest opposition bloc.

At this Saturday’s event, Machado presented the former ambassador as “the next president of Venezuela” and asked his supporters to support this option with votes on July 28, when Nicolás Maduro, in power since 2013, will seek his second consecutive re-election.

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.