Dozens of people held a vigil outside the Attorney General’s Office in Caracas on Wednesday, calling for the release of political prisoners—one day after Amnesty International (AI) reported a “surge” in enforced disappearances following Venezuela’s presidential elections nearly a year ago.

In 2024, protests erupted after President Nicolás Maduro’s controversial re-election on July 28, amid widespread allegations of fraud. Official figures reported 27 deaths and 2,400 arrests during the unrest.

With balloons, prayers, candles, and photos, families of the detainees demanded a review of the cases—some still under trial—and called for their release, as has occurred with about 1,900 previously detained individuals. Prosecutors have promised to meet with families next Tuesday.

“We need to keep the pressure on (…) and get a more concrete and secure response, because if there is no answer by Tuesday, we will gather again,” said Sorangel Arguinzones, whose 25-year-old son Jesús Jiménez was arrested in Mérida (west) 11 months ago. He is being held in Tocorón prison, one of the facilities designated for protesters, and is accused of “terrorism.” Jiménez, a former scientific police officer, is described by his mother as innocent.

“We have to stay in prayer and ask for our boys’ freedom (…) it’s been almost a year now,” added Karina Martínez, whose brother Daniel has been detained since January, following Maduro’s swearing-in.

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“My brother says: I’ve never been involved in politics,” she said.

Maduro was declared re-elected by the pro-government electoral authority without presenting the detailed vote count, as required by law.

In its report released Tuesday, Amnesty International warned of a “surge” in enforced disappearances over the past year. Of the 15 cases recorded, 11 people remain missing with their whereabouts and conditions still unknown.

Mexican marines seized half a ton of cocaine off the coast of the southern state of Oaxaca and arrested four people transporting it on a boat, authorities reported Wednesday.

The Mexican government has increased drug seizures and arrests amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to curb the flow of illicit substances into the United States, especially the deadly fentanyl.

The Secretariat of Public Security said in a statement that the drugs, packed in 14 bundles, were confiscated during a maritime surveillance operation, although the exact date was not disclosed. The shipment was valued at 130 million pesos (about 6.9 million dollars).

Since October 1, 2024, when President Claudia Sheinbaum took office, 45 tons of cocaine have been seized at sea, the Secretariat indicated.

On July 12, Trump threatened to impose 30% tariffs on Mexico starting August 1, accusing the country of failing to stop cartels “that try to turn all of North America into a drug trafficking playground.”

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At least three people have died and around one thousand were evacuated due to torrential rains in South Korea, authorities reported Thursday.

The three fatalities occurred in South Chungcheong Province, in the western part of the country, government sources said.

A driver died in Osan, about 50 kilometers south of the capital Seoul, when a 10-meter-high wall collapsed onto the road, crushing his vehicle.

The other two victims were elderly men — one swept away by the current and another found dead in a flooded apartment.

South Korea usually experiences heavy rains in July, but this time, three areas in the province recorded historically high rainfall volumes, according to official meteorological data.

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In the Seosan region, south of Seoul, precipitation reached 114.9 millimeters per hour, the highest level since 1904, a meteorological agency official told AFP.