International

Biden refutes Trump’s speech “trapped at home” and with “desire to return to the campaign”

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, refuted the speech given on Thursday night by his electoral opponent Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention (CNR) and regretted being “trapped at home with covid” while a spokesman reiterated his “desire to return to the campaign.”

Biden, apparently ignoring the pressures of the Democratic Party to reconsider his aspirations to repeat a mandate, wrote in his X account: “I’m stuck at home with covid, so I had the particular bad luck of seeing Donald Trump’s speech in the CNR. What the hell was he talking about?”

A thread followed in which he responded to the statements of the Republican candidate, in some cases with more sly than political content, such as “Donald, Hannibal Lecter is not real,” and repeatedly pointing out “his 2025 project,” a program developed by ultra-conservative groups from which Trump has tried to distance himself.

The Democratic candidate cited Trump’s presidency (2017-2021) to warn that, contrary to what he said on Thursday, he will make cuts to Social Security and Medicare, raise middle-class taxes, worsen debt and inflation or put immigrants “in mass detention camps.”

Shortly before those messages, his campaign spokesman, Kevin Munoz, sent an email to the media entitled “a week, two very different visions,” in which he lashed out at the “anonymous sources” that have leaked doubts in the Democratic Party about Biden’s ability to win the elections these days.

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After highlighting the campaign events of the Biden-Harris binomial and its support gathered this week, Munoz pointed out that next week both have “more than twenty press events” and reiterated: “As we have said before, President Biden is eager to return to the campaign as soon as he can.”

Biden is isolated in his home in Delaware after last Wednesday he tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms and has experienced a “significant” improvement, according to his doctor.

On the date, thirteen Democratic legislators expressed their dissatisfaction with Biden’s candidacy, one more sign that the patience of a large part of the party is running out to “pass the baton,” as they ask him, after losing the support of several Democratic leaders, important donors and with the polls against.

With these thirteen democrats, the number of members of Congress who ask for Biden’s withdrawal rises to 38, which constitutes more than 14% of the members of the party bench in both chambers. Of the 38 who are the protagonists of the revolt, 34 are representatives of the Lower House and 4 are senators.

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International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

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While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.