International
Nicolás Maduro plans to talk to Lula, López Obrador and Petro to address the post-election crisis
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said on Friday that he foresees a conversation with the leaders of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and Colombia, Gustavo Petro, to address the crisis unleashed after the July 28 elections, whose result – which ratified the victory of the Chavista leader – is reported as fraudulent by the majority opposition.
“A conversation is pending with the 3 presidents, let’s hope it will take place,” said the president at the exit of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), where he appeared before the magistrates of the Electoral Chamber – controlled by judges related to Chavismo – as part of the judicial review of the election result, which Maduro himself requested.
He assured that, in recent days, without specifying when, this call was going to be made but it was canceled at the last minute due to problems with the agenda of one or some of the interlocutors, whose foreign ministries published yesterday a joint statement in which they asked the National Electoral Council (CNE) to publish the disaggregated results that certify Maduro’s victory.
“I deeply respect these three presidents and I will communicate with them at the right time,” continued the head of state, who assured that he was available “on the phone 24 hours a day” to talk to these leaders, considered their political allies in the region.
He insisted that he respects the sovereignty of each of these countries, so he will not comment on his governments, and that when the time comes he will explain in detail to his presidents the “difficult to understand situation” that Venezuela is going through.
“Everything that circulates in the media in those countries is manipulation, (but we) are experts in defeating that, we have the power to overcome the lie,” he added.
The CNE denounced having suffered a cyber attack on its system on voting day, which did not prevent Maduro’s proclamation without providing evidence, while the opposition presented thousands of voting minutes on a website that would give the overwhelming victory to its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia.
The complaint of fraud and the post-election protests – some turned into acts of violence that result in 24 civilians killed, according to the NGO Provea – are seen by the Executive as a “cyber coup d’état”, so it ordered extreme police and military control.
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said that the “only negotiation” with the opposition leader María Corina Machado is that she “delivers to Justice,” after the former deputy and the standard-bearer of the largest opposition coalition, Edmundo González Urrutia, offered rapprochements after insisting that the president did not win the presidential elections, as officially announced.
“The only one who has to negotiate in this country with Machado is the attorney general. Let him surrender to Justice and show his face, and answer for the crimes he committed. It is really the only negotiation that fits here,” said Maduro, who points out the former deputy and González Urrutia as responsible for generating “violence” during the post-election demonstrations in rejection of the official result that grants the triumph to Maduro.
Likewise, the president assured that he will convene a “political dialogue,” without specifying when, with the “38 political parties that are registered with the National Electoral Council (CNE)” from which he hopes that “instances for future understanding” will arise.
Last Wednesday, Machado said that Maduro must “understand that his best option” is to “enter into a negotiation,” while ratifying an “absolute willingness” by the majority opposition, Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), to negotiate a transition, as several countries have done, including Panama, which offered political asylum to the president to solve the post-election crisis.
International
Former South Korean President Yoon sentenced to five years in prison
Former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison for obstruction of justice and other charges, concluding the first in a series of trials stemming from his failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
The sentence is shorter than the 10-year prison term sought by prosecutors against the 65-year-old conservative former leader, whose move against Parliament triggered a major political crisis that ultimately led to his removal from office.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, is still facing seven additional trials. One of them, on charges of insurrection, could potentially result in the death penalty.
On Friday, the Seoul Central District Court ruled on one of the multiple secondary cases linked to the affair, which plunged the country into months of mass protests and political instability.
International
U.S. deportation flight returns venezuelans to Caracas after Maduro’s ouster
A new flight carrying 231 Venezuelans deported from the United States arrived on Friday at the airport serving Caracas, marking the first such arrival since the military operation that ousted and captured President Nicolás Maduro.
On January 3, U.S. forces bombed the Venezuelan capital during an incursion in which Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured. Both are now facing narcotrafficking charges in New York.
This was the first U.S.-flagged aircraft transporting migrants to land in Venezuela since the military action ordered by President Donald Trump, who has stated that he is now in charge of the country.
The aircraft departed from Phoenix, Arizona, and landed at Maiquetía International Airport, which serves the Venezuelan capital, at around 10:30 a.m. local time (14:30 GMT), according to AFP reporters on the ground.
The deportees arrived in Venezuela under a repatriation program that remained in place even during the height of the crisis between the two countries, when Maduro was still in power. U.S. planes carrying undocumented Venezuelan migrants continued to arrive throughout last year, despite the military deployment ordered by Trump.
International
Sheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday highlighted her government’s achievements in the fight against drug trafficking, after the United States said challenges remain in combating organized crime.
On Thursday, Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente held talks with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Following the meeting, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that “despite progress, challenges still exist” in addressing organized crime.
“There are very strong results from joint cooperation and from the work Mexico is doing: first, a 50% reduction in fentanyl seizures at the U.S. border,” Sheinbaum said during her regular morning press conference.
The president also said that authorities have seized nearly 320 tons of drugs and that there has been a “40% decrease in intentional homicides in Mexico” since the start of her administration on October 1, 2024.
Sheinbaum added that the United States should implement campaigns to reduce drug consumption within its territory and curb the flow of weapons into Mexico.
“There are many results and there will be more, but there must be mutual respect and shared responsibility, as well as respect for our sovereignties,” she said.
On Monday, Sheinbaum held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss security issues. She said she once again ruled out the presence of U.S. troops in Mexico to fight drug cartels.
Security has been a recurring issue used by Trump to threaten tariffs on Mexico and to pressure negotiations over the USMCA (T-MEC) free trade agreement, which are scheduled for 2026.
The agreement is crucial for Mexico’s economy, as about 80% of the country’s exports are destined for the United States.
Former South Korean President Yoon sentenced to five years in prison
U.S. deportation flight returns venezuelans to Caracas after Maduro’s ouster
Sheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
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
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