International

Capriles believes that calling Venezuelan migrants criminals is Dantesque

Former Venezuelan governor Henrique Capriles said on Friday that calling Venezuelan migrants criminals is Dantesic, after the United States Government sent more than 100 migrants from the Caribbean country to the Guantánamo naval base in Cuba, according to US media.

“Continuing to affirm that all Venezuelan migrants are criminals of the Aragua Train, is one of the most Dantesque and unfair things that our Venezuelan brothers have to suffer abroad,” said the two-time presidential candidate in X.

Likewise, Capriles said that not all migrants are criminals, “more when most went looking for a better future, because of the crisis generated by the ruling party in more than 25 years.”

“Organizations and family members continue to denounce arbitrariness and abuses. What have been the crimes? What has been the verification criterion? It’s a very delicate situation,” he added.

Capriles indicated that Guantánamo is a high-security military prison, “denounced many times for inhumane treatment,” so he demanded respect for the human rights of Venezuelans.

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“It is unacceptable to qualify all migrants as criminals,” he reiterated.

The United States Government has sent more than 100 migrants, all of them of Venezuelan nationality, to the naval base of Guantánamo, in Cuba, US media reported.

Donald Trump’s Administration has highlighted the sending of these migrants to the island – which began on February 4 – as an example of the US president’s tough-handed policy against irregular migration, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, has described them as “the worst of the worst.”

The White House has not given details about the detainees, beyond calling them “criminals” and linking them to the transnational gang of Venezuelan origin Tren de Aragua.

Half of these people, 53 men, are detained in a prison inside the military base, according to The New York Times, which published a list with the names of the migrants.

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EFE contacted the families of four of the migrants who are on the list published by the newspaper, who defend the innocence of their loved ones and denounce that they have not been able to communicate with them for several days now.

Three of them were arrested after presenting to an appointment with the immigration authorities at the southern border, which they got in the CBP ONE application. The fourth went into detention after crossing into the United States irregularly and surrendering to Border Patrol agents.

International

Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza

Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.

Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.

“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.

Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”

Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..

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“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”

She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.

Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.

International

Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions

Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.

“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.

The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.

Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.

The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.

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International

Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.

Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.

“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”

The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.

He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.

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“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.

So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.

Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.

Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.