International
Venezuela’s Maduro says Mexico to host talks with opposition
AFP
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that Mexico will host talks between his government and the opposition, but insisted he will only take part if international sanctions are lifted and he is protected from any plots to oust him.
Maduro’s re-election in 2018 has not been recognized by either the opposition at home or by around 60 other countries — including the European Union and the United States.
Washington in particular has ramped up sanctions against Venezuela and its regime, putting huge pressure on a country that has plunged deeper into political, economic and humanitarian crisis.
“Norway has been promoting an international dialogue based in Mexico, and very well, we agree,” Maduro said at a meeting with lawmakers at the presidential palace in Caracas.
“What we do not agree with is that some people who say they want to participate in the dialogue are preparing coups, financing criminals, terrorist attacks, and are planning assassinations,” added the president.
Maduro’s comments come after the arrest of opposition leader Freddy Guevara, who was detained Monday by the secret police and will be charged with terrorism and treason, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Guevara has been accused in the past of encouraging violence in protests that called for Maduro’s departure, although the lawmaker was pardoned by the president last year.
Without referring to Guevara directly, Maduro said on Monday that some of those who have been pardoned “go free and immediately join in looking for criminals, paying for violent groups and preparing assassinations.”
The US and EU have said they are willing to review sanctions if negotiations in favor of “credible” elections advance.
Maduro insisted his participation in Mexico depended on whether the measures, which include an oil embargo by the US, were lifted.
“We have proposed three conditions to go to Mexico,” Maduro told lawmakers. “One, that the United States and the European Union lift all sanctions.
“Two, that all political sectors, by sitting down, recognize the validity and functioning of public powers and constitutionality of the country and its legitimate authorities.
“Three, that all sectors renounce violent plans with criminals, coups, assassination and other avenues of violence.”
Regional elections are taking place in Venezuela in November, and Maduro has promised to respect the results should his opponents triumph in the mayoral and gubernatorial contests.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
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