International
Anti-chavismo denounces the arrest of two members of Machado’s security team
The Venezuelan opposition denounced this Sunday the arrest of two members of the security team of the anti-Chavista leader María Corina Machado, among them, her “protection leader”, Milciades Ávila, who had already been imprisoned on July 17 and released 36 hours later, with precautionary measures.
“Milciades Ávila and Edwin Moya, members of María Corina Machado’s security team, were kidnapped this weekend by members of the regime’s repressive forces,” said the Human Rights Committee of the Vente Venezuela (VV) party, a formation led by Machado, on the social network X.
The committee indicated that it does not know the whereabouts of Ávila and Moya, so it demanded to know where they are and their “immediate freedom.”
Alleged escape of María Corina Machado
“This new attack is part of the false file set up by the ruling party against all political dissidence and occurs just after recent statements by the regime’s own spokesmen about Machado’s alleged flight from the country,” he added.
He maintained that it is, “once again, a scenario of disinformation to further fence the leader and demoralize the country.”
Machado’s reaction
Meanwhile, Machado said, on the same social network, that he will not rest until he achieves the release of Ávila and Moya.
“I reiterate to their children and partners that they must feel very proud of them and I assure them that we will not rest until we bring them back free,” said the former deputy.
He also said that “(Nicolás) Maduro is wrong if he believes that with this persecution of innocent Venezuelans” he will arrest her.
For her part, the president of the political party Primero Justicia (PJ), María Beatriz Martínez, said that these arrests do not change “the truth they intend to silence.”
“Two months ago we won the elections cleanly, the world knows it and with repression and persecution, (Nicolás) Maduro only manages to sink further,” he added in X, despite the fact that the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed the president as the winner of the presidential elections of July 28.
Juan Guanipa, 36 hours detained
Likewise, former deputy Juan Pablo Guanipa indicated, on the same social network, that Ávila and Moya are “two Venezuelans committed to their country who should not be under kidnapping for a second.”
On July 17, Ávila was arrested when he was in his home, according to Vente Venezuela at the time.
Machado’s security chief released him after more than 36 hours of detention, with a “precautionary measure of presentation in court” every 30 days, according to the information of the former deputy.
On Saturday, Maduro assured that Machado is preparing to leave the Caribbean nation, because – he said – the anti-Chavistas “are cowards.”
“Today I tell you, the supposed queen bee ran out of bee and is preparing Gucci suitcases (…) she knows what I am saying and ‘La Sayona’ (in allusion to Machado) is preparing to leave, compadre, I am also saying it, they are cowards,” said the president at the demonstration called to celebrate his controversial re-election in the state of La Guaira (north).
International
Meta Says Russia Seeks to Ban WhatsApp for Defending Secure Communication
U.S. tech giant Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, said that Russia is seeking to ban the messaging app because it “challenges government attempts to violate people’s right to secure communication.”
Russian authorities have encouraged citizens to switch to state-backed applications, and in August they already blocked WhatsApp’s calling feature.
On Friday, the communications regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that the platform was being used to “organize and carry out terrorist acts in the country, recruit perpetrators, and facilitate fraud and other crimes.”
“If the messaging service does not comply with Russian law, it will be completely blocked,” the regulator warned.
WhatsApp remains one of Russia’s most widely used messaging services, alongside Telegram.
Moscow is pressuring both platforms to grant authorities access to user data upon request for investigations into fraud and activities the government labels as “terrorist.”
Human rights advocates fear the demand could be used to target critics of the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin, or the war in Ukraine.
International
Archbishop Wenski criticizes Trump’s deportation policies, calls for stronger push for reform
The Archbishop of Miami, Thomas Wenski, has called for increased pressure on the U.S. Congress to advance comprehensive immigration reform and criticized President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies, arguing that they “do nothing to help.”
“We need to apply more pressure on Congress so lawmakers can make the necessary changes. It is also important for the Administration to listen to our voice. We do not want to be anyone’s enemy—we are Americans,” Wenski said in an interview with EFE.
The religious leader, who heads one of the dioceses with the largest Latino and Haitian populations in the United States, issued a call to defend the rights of migrants. He also emphasized that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has maintained a strong and public stance in favor of migrants for decades.
International
Trump relaunches diplomatic push to finalize U.S.-Backed peace plan for Ukraine War
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that his diplomatic team will resume meetings with delegations from Russia and Ukraine in an effort to pressure both sides to accept the peace plan proposed by Washington to end the war in Ukraine.
As part of this new round of talks, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will hold discussions with Ukrainian representatives to narrow differences on the remaining points of the agreement.
Trump also confirmed his intention to meet personally with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and with Putin, though he emphasized that such meetings will only take place “when the agreement is fully finalized or in its final stage.”
The president claimed that his administration has made “tremendous progress” toward resolving the conflict and reiterated that the war “never would have started” if he had been in the White House at the onset of the crisis.
The U.S.-backed peace plan consists of 28 points and has been revised following feedback from both sides. According to Trump, only “a few points of disagreement” remain under active discussion.
One of the most controversial aspects of the proposal is the suggestion that Ukraine cede parts of the Donbas region to Russia and limit the size of its armed forces. Kyiv is working closely with Washington to soften these clauses in search of an arrangement that does not compromise its sovereignty or security.
With this diplomatic push, Trump aims to solidify his role as the main mediator in the conflict and steer the war toward a political resolution after years of devastation, humanitarian crisis, and rising global geopolitical tensions.
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