International
Six other congressional Democrats ask Biden to end his campaign
Six other congressional Democrats have urged US President Joe Biden this Friday to end his re-election campaign and “pass the baton” so that a younger leader can face former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) in the November elections.
With these six Democrats, the number of members of Congress calling for Biden’s withdrawal rises to 31, which constitutes almost 12% of the members of the Lower House and Senate that make up the Democratic bench. Of the 31 who are the protagonists of the revolt, 28 are legislators and 3 are senators.
The first to ask for Biden’s withdrawal this Friday was Sean Casten, from Illinois, who in an opinion column in the Chicago Tribune entitled “It’s time to pass the witness,” said that, although it “broken his heart to say it,” he had to declare that the president “is no longer up to the point.”
Shortly after, in a joint statement, four other Democrats also urged Biden to “pass the baton to a new generation of Democratic leaders.”
Although they express their “great admiration” for Biden, they argue that we must “face the reality” that there is concern among the public about his “age and ability” to govern for another four years and defeat Trump in November.
“We believe that the most responsible and patriotic thing he can do at this time is to retire as our candidate while continuing to lead our party from the White House,” they say in the statement.
Among the legislators who sign the statement is African-American Marc Veasey, representative of Texas and the first member of the African-American Caucus to turn his back on Biden, opening a crack in what has been the president’s most solid support block in Congress.
The letter is also signed by the Hispanic Jesús ‘Chuy’ García, born in Durango (Mexico) and a member of the Hispanic caucus, as well as Marc Pocan of Wisconsin and Jared Huffman of California, an ally of one of the legislators of that state, the influential Nancy Pelosi, former president of the House of Representatives.
Subsequently, Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico urged Biden to “pass the witness” to allow the party to unite around a candidate capable of beating Trump, thus becoming the third member of the Senate to call for the withdrawal of the president.
“This moment in the history of our nation demands a vision that goes beyond any individual. Donald Trump’s return to the White House poses an existential danger to our democracy. We must defeat him in November, and we need a candidate who can achieve it,” Heinrich said.
This trickle of legislators increases the pressure on Biden, who has seen in recent hours how his support among key figures of the party falters. As reported yesterday by The Washington Post, former President Barack Obama has told his close circle that Biden should “seriously reconsider” the future of his candidacy.
The call for Biden to retire arose after the June 27 debate against Trump, in which the president, who at 81 years old is the oldest president in the history of the United States, projected an aged image and had difficulty concluding some sentences.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
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