International

Colombian Foreign Ministry calls ambassador to FAO Armando Benedetti for prosecution for sexist aggression

The Colombian Foreign Ministry called the country to the ambassador to the FAO, Armando Benedetti, to open a disciplinary process after his wife, Adelina Guerrero, denounced that she was the victim of an alleged sexist assault during a trip to Madrid.

Benedetti will have to present himself “in the term of the distance,” a figure provided for in the Law of Administrative Procedure taking into account that he resides in Rome, headquarters of the FAO, an official source told EFE on Tuesday.

According to Guerrero’s complaint, confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the aggression occurred on June 30 in the Spanish capital.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it was notified of the situation by the embassy in Spain, which is why it activated “the official mechanisms to know what happened and initiate the corresponding protocol.”

“This case is in the knowledge of our disciplinary internal control office, and when we have results we will act in accordance with the law,” said the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which later decided to call the ambassador.

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According to the Blu Radio station, the Spanish authorities were informed of a possible verbal assault by Benedetti against his wife in a private residence in Madrid that “may have escalated to a physical assault, although witnesses present prevented this from happening.”

The radio pointed out that when the police arrived at the scene, the ambassador invoked his diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested, but the police opened a file for Guerrero’s complaint before a special unit of cases of gender violence.

The Diplomatic and Consular Association of Colombia expressed in a statement its “refeal” of these facts and deeply regretted that an incident of a family and personal nature has become a state problem due to the possible misuse of diplomatic immunity to evade responsibilities” by Benedetti.

“These acts are unacceptable and even more so when it comes to senior State officials who carry the representation of Colombians and must maintain the good name of our country,” said the Diplomatic and Consular Association.

The entity recalled “that feminist politics” and “gender equality” govern the country’s foreign policy and therefore, “the negative impact on Colombia’s international image is regrettable.”

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“We emphasize that the chancellery has opened an investigation and we will be attentive to the delivery of the timely and forceful results that condemn the acts of mistreatment of women, ensuring that those responsible face the consequences of their actions because the State must have zero tolerance for such facts,” adds the statement of the Diplomatic Association.

Benedetti, for his part, said in his X account that “what has been said about an alleged aggression is not true and does not conform to the fact in Spain.”

“The truth will be proven in the Spanish court. At this moment I am in the middle of a divorce process that responds to the private and family sphere and, for the sake of my children, I will be cautious,” he added.

Armando Benedetti was one of the greatest supporters of the Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, during his electoral campaign and that is why he was appointed ambassador in Caracas in September 2022 but resigned in June last year when he was involved in a scandal of illegal eavesdropping in the presidential cabinet.

In a verbal confrontation with Laura Sarabia, then Petro’s chief of staff and current director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre), Benedetti threatened to reveal compromising information about the financing of the presidential campaign.

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After the resignation from the embassy in Caracas and the threats to Sarabia, the then Colombian foreign minister, Álvaro Leyva, said that Benedetti lacked credibility for being a “drug addict.”

However, in February of this year, Benedetti was appointed ambassador to FAO, for which the Government reopened that mission that had been closed since 1999, a designation that was denounced by the Diplomatic Association “for alleged irregularities that contravene the principles of our organization.”

Benedetti has four court cases open, one of them an investigation into the possible illegal financing of Petro’s campaign.

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.