International
U.S. assumed “temporary custody” of Venezuelan diplomatic headquarters
February 10 |
The United States government assumed “temporary custody” of Venezuela’s diplomatic headquarters in that country on February 6 and will have under its control the real estate and assets until the Venezuelan mission “resumes operations”, confirmed a US State Department spokesperson.
“This action is consistent with the Department’s authorities under the Foreign Missions Act and with U.S. obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to ‘respect and protect’ the facilities and property of a diplomatic mission that has been suspended,” a State Department spokesperson responded to Voice of America.
The spokesperson recalled that the Venezuelan embassy in the United States announced the closure of the bilateral mission on January 5 of this year, the date on which Carlos Vecchio ceased to act as diplomatic representative of the interim government, after Parliament of 2015 decided to dissolve the interim that was presided by Juan Guaidó.
The U.S. official reiterated that the United States continues to recognize the 2015 Parliament as the “last” democratically elected institution left in Venezuela.
The opposition-majority Parliament, which for the third consecutive time extended its mandate, left in office a five-member Council of Administration and Protection of Assets, a body competent to protect all Venezuelan goods or assets abroad.
One of the members of the Council is Fernando Blasi, who was appointed as representative of the 2015 Parliament in the United States. At the moment it is not clear how he will exercise his functions in view of the taking of custody of the diplomatic offices in the United States.
However, Dinorah Figuera, president of the 2015 Parliament clarified that the action of the US government was “done in a coordinated manner” with Blasi, who, she said, “coordinated the whole process with the State Department”.
“It was not a surprise procedure. We were all officially informed (…) it was what corresponded according to the Vienna Convention. There was presence of members of the mission in the procedure”, states a press release of the NA.
Figuera denied that there were people working in the diplomatic offices and that they were not allowed to enter, as was reported by some media.
Neither the government nor the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry have reacted.
Venezuela has been going through a complex institutional crisis since 2019 when, arguing that the 2018 elections, in which President Nicolás Maduro was reelected were “fraudulent”, Guaidó, was sworn in as interim president of Venezuela and was recognized by dozens of countries that imposed sanctions and supported the strategy of “asset protection” abroad, but in practice, Maduro never ceased to exercise power.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
International
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
The United States may soon carry out airstrikes on military facilities inside Venezuela as part of an escalating offensive against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, according to reports Friday from the Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the Trump administration.
Airstrikes could take place “within days or even hours,” the Herald reported. The Journal noted that while the option is under serious consideration, President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on authorizing strikes on Venezuelan soil.
Potential targets allegedly include military-controlled ports and airports used in drug trafficking operations, such as naval installations and airstrips, officials told the Journal.
The Herald also quoted a source saying that “Maduro’s time is running out”, suggesting that more than one Venezuelan general may be ready to detain and hand him over. However, officials declined to confirm whether the Venezuelan leader would be among the military targets.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to block the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, following nearly two months of airstrikes against vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean. Those operations have destroyed 15 boats and left 61 people dead and three survivors since September 1.
“We are finally waging a war against the cartels — a war like they’ve never seen before — and we are going to win that battle. We are already winning at sea,” Trump told U.S. troops during a speech in Japan.
The reports on possible airstrikes come on the same day the United Nations accused the U.S. of violating international law with its maritime operations, saying those killed at sea may have been victims of extrajudicial executions.
International
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Pope Leo XIV announced on Friday that he will revive and update the Global Compact on Education, an initiative launched by the late Pope Francis aimed at deeply transforming global culture through education.
The announcement was made during an audience in St. Peter’s Square, held on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Educational World, which this week gathers more than 20,000 participants from 124 countries in Rome.
During his address, the pontiff — who is of U.S. origin and Peruvian nationality — emphasized the importance of restoring the value of educators and reinforcing the principles that support the pact.
“We must be careful: damaging the social and cultural role of educators means mortgaging our own future,” he warned before thousands in attendance. “A crisis in the transmission of knowledge leads to a crisis of hope.”
The Global Compact on Education, launched by Pope Francis, seeks an integral and long-term cultural transformation. It is structured around five pillars: dignity and human rights; fraternity and cooperation; technology and integral ecology; education for peace and citizenship; and culture and religions. To date, the initiative has been joined by over 553 schools and nearly 410,000 students, according to Catholic Schools data.
Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over the widespread inner fragility affecting both students and teachers — many of whom feel overwhelmed by bureaucratic burdens.
He additionally addressed the role of artificial intelligence in education, warning that it may worsen emotional isolation among learners: “It can further isolate students who are already isolated, giving them the illusion that they do not need others — or worse, the feeling that they are unworthy of them,” he said.
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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