International
Henrique Capriles is chosen as candidate for Venezuela’s internal opposition race
March 12 |
Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles was designated on Friday as his party’s representative for the primary elections proposed for October 22 in which, despite their divisions, the opponents of Nicolás Maduro’s government will choose a unitary candidate for the 2024 presidential elections.
“I am convinced that in 2024 this country has a chance,” Capriles said after being proclaimed candidate of the Primero Justicia party.
Capriles – who lost the 2013 presidential elections to Maduro and those of 2012 in which he faced the late President Hugo Chávez – has defended the idea that the opposition should participate electorally despite the stance of the main parties to promote boycotts in past national and regional elections arguing that conditions for free and democratic elections did not exist.
In April 2017 the Comptroller General’s Office, controlled by the ruling party, politically disqualified him from participating in electoral events for 15 years and in June of that year the Supreme Court, with a majority of magistrates sympathetic to the government, threatened him with arrest if he refused to contain the anti-government protests and road blockades he led that left at least 120 dead.
Capriles remains disqualified and it is unclear whether the ban will be lifted in a timely manner to allow his participation in an eventual run for the presidency.
The primaries organized by the opposition have not yet defined the infrastructure they will use, although they hope to count on the support of the National Electoral Council, which is in charge of carrying out national, state and municipal elections in the country. The commission in charge of coordinating the election has said that they will take place on October 22, but it is yet to be defined where, how and who will vote.
The primaries reflect the will to unify the opposition forces that have been deeply fragmented since 2020. In June of that year, the Supreme Court suspended the boards of directors of the Acción Democrática, Voluntad Popular and Primero Justicia parties and handed over their leadership, assets and symbols to dissident opponents.
In 2019 opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president while serving as head of the National Assembly arguing that Maduro had been reelected in 2018 in fraudulent elections.
International support for Guaidó, one of his main strengths to take on Maduro, diminished significantly over the years and his former allies terminated the interim government figure last December.
International
German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz
The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.
Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.
“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”
The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.
The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.
Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.
“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”
Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”
International
Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation
Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.
The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.
“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.
He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.
For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.
The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.
Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.
International
Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.
Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.
“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.
Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”
Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.
The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.
German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz
Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation
Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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