International
Almagro says that in the OAS “he delegitimized dictatorships” and “detaned himself from ideology”
The outgoing secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, defended this Friday that he “delegitimized dictatorships” and “detaned himself from ideologies” during his decade in office (2015-2025), which will end in 10 days.
“We have done a strong, intense work of delegitimization of each of the dictatorships of the continent. That has been our work, that is what the organization’s regulations required of us,” Almagro said at an event at the Cuban Diaspora Museum in Miami.
Almagro, who on May 25 will hand over the post to Surinamese Albert Ramdin, the first Caribbean to lead the organization, claimed his fight against the “dictatorships” of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, by maintaining that this transcends ideological positions, as his critics claim.
“I have the ability, we have had the ability to detach ourselves from ideology because the one who leaves (clings) and prefers to continue and die clinging to ideology instead of principles, that is a serious mistake,” he said.
The secretary, who held the position of foreign minister of Uruguay between 2010 and 2015 with the now deceased former president José Mujica, is about to end his mandate in the OAS, in which he received criticism from left-wing governments, such as Mexico, Bolivia and Colombia, in addition to the countries already mentioned.
In addition, the controversy was intensified by an external investigation in 2023 by the law firm Miller & Chevalier, which determined that he violated OAS ethical standards by maintaining a relationship with an official of the organization.
But the Uruguayan boasted of his legacy that includes “not allowing the normalization of dictatorships in the democratic community of the Americas”.
He also emphasized that he arrived under the presidency in the United States of Democrat Barack Obama, but he was also in the administrations of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, as well as in the course of left and right waves in Latin America.
“We knew how to navigate all those waters and we always navigate them attached to the fundamental principles and values of each of the conventions, but each of these these determinations of political dignity, which are fundamental freedoms and which is democracy,” he said.
The official made these statements at an event in which the exiled community in Florida of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela gave him recognition for considering him “a civil hero” who defended freedom and democracy in these countries.
Cuban activist Rosa María Payá, for example, considered that Almagro was characterized by being “the only secretary general who has called things by their name,” in reference to dictatorships, political prisoners and crimes against humanity.
The official remarked that the officials in Cuba and Venezuela do not have “any ideological elaboration”, because both “the left and the right must be able to generate rights for people.”
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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