International
Maduro announces resumption of talks with opposition
AFP
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the resumption of talks with the opposition, which were halted five months ago after the extradition of a presidential ally.
In October, Maduro suspended the negotiations in retaliation for the extradition to the United States by Cape Verde of Alex Saab — a Colombian national accused of acting as a money launderer for the Venezuelan socialist leader.
“The dialogue in Mexico received a tremendous blow as you know, but if we are asking for dialogue for the world we must set an example in the country,” Maduro said Monday in an address broadcast on state television.
The government had conditioned its return to the table on Saab’s release.
Maduro called for a “more inclusive, more comprehensive, broader dialogue… for the meeting of all sectors, for the peace of Venezuela, for the recovery of Venezuela.”
The announcement comes after Maduro’s weekend meeting with a US government delegation that included a discussion of energy supplies, as Washington seeks to reduce its imports of Russian oil.
Venezuela’s opposition also said it held a “sustained meeting” with the US delegation.
The United States is one of almost 60 countries to have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s acting president, having rejected Maduro’s 2018 re-election in a poll widely viewed as fraudulent.
Washington signaled last month it would be willing to review its sanctions policy toward Venezuela if talks between Maduro’s government and the opposition moved forward.
On Monday, Maduro also called for peace negotiations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to avoid a “third world war.”
“We are ringing the warning bell… to the whole world,” said Maduro, who called for the “humanitarian corridors” in Ukraine to be respected.
“We are gravely concerned about the possibility of a war in Europe and an extension… of this armed confrontation, it seems to fester, a public media campaign of hatred and a set of economic measures aimed at aggravating the conditions and extending the scenario of war,” added Maduro.
Last week, Maduro was among the few international figures to assure Russian President Vladimir Putin of his “strong support,” as he condemned “destabilizing actions of the United States and NATO.”
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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