International
Argentine prosecutor opens case for crimes against humanity in Venezuela
July 13 |
An Argentine prosecutor charged Venezuelan military officers who served as high commanders of the Bolivarian National Guard during the 2014 street protests with alleged crimes against humanity against opponents of the government of Nicolás Maduro.
The measure was ordered by federal prosecutor Carlos Stornelli, who resolved to push forward a criminal action “as allegedly responsible to, at least at the time, Major General Juan José Noguera Pietri, commander of the Bolivarian National Guard and Major General José Dionisio Goncálvez Mendoza, commander of the People’s Guard,” according to the provision released on Wednesday.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague reopened an investigation also for crimes against humanity for what happened during the demonstrations nine years ago.
The Argentine prosecutor also asked the United Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to send “copies of the reports of the international missions sent to Venezuela and all actions related to the dead demonstrators”.
The official of the Attorney General’s Office charged a dozen military officers of different ranks, including brigadier generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels and sergeants of the Carabobo and Tocuyito detachments.
Stornelli’s ruling, to which AP had access, was based on a complaint filed by the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), taking into account Argentina’s human rights jurisprudence.
This organization represents the families of two Venezuelan protesters killed nearly a decade ago.
The refusal of the Venezuelan justice system to investigate the leaders of the Bolivarian National Guard (only junior officers were tried as perpetrators) led the Clooney Foundation to bring a legal case before the Argentine courts, which have relied on the principle of universal jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity committed outside its territory.
It states that “the organized attack against the civilian population between February and May 2014 responded to a policy of the Venezuelan State” and that the murders of at least 25 demonstrators at the hands of security forces or collectives were part of a “systematic plan” of repression against opponents.
The complainants, based on the Rome Statute governing the International Criminal Court, argue that “the military commander shall be criminally responsible for crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court committed by forces under his command.”
In his ruling, Stornelli requested a series of measures that must be previously endorsed by a federal judge, among them the release of exhortations to the Venezuelan justice system to send copies of the judicial proceedings and to the hospitals where the victims were assisted in order to access medical records, a list of the professionals who attended them and death certificates.
International
Washington declares State of Emergency as atmospheric river brings severe flooding
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in response to severe flooding affecting several counties, where more than 75,000 people remain under evacuation alerts following heavy rainfall that has caused significant water accumulation.
An atmospheric river has battered the state since Monday, dropping several centimeters of rain and threatening serious flooding in communities near major rivers. More precipitation is expected in the coming days, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast between 15 and 20 centimeters of rain from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon in communities along the far western region, worsening the emergency.
Rainfall totals in higher elevations near the Canadian border could exceed 20 centimeters, further increasing the risk.
“Lives will be at stake in the coming days,” Ferguson warned during a press conference.
The governor underscored the severity of the situation and said he will request an expedited federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump’s administration to access additional resources for the emergency response.
“I want to urge all Washington residents to pay close attention to alerts from their counties and emergency management departments. If you receive an evacuation order, please follow it,” he added.
Most rivers from the Canadian border down to southwestern Washington are in flood stage. Several are expected to reach record levels, including the Skagit River, which could exceed its 1990 flood peak when water levels rose 1.2 meters.
Around 75,000 people are at risk of flooding in Skagit County, where authorities continue to maintain an evacuation watch.
The Washington National Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been activated to assist with evacuations and response efforts in rural areas affected by flooding.
International
U.S. to require five-year social media history from tourists under Visa Waiver Program
Tourists from 42 countries covered by the U.S. Visa Waiver Program would be required to provide their social media history from the past five years in order to enter the United States, according to a new proposal released Wednesday by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The initiative, led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), aims to more thoroughly review the activity of travelers entering the country through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). When asked about the plan’s potential impact on tourism, Trump insisted that the United States is “doing very well.”
“We just want people to come here and be safe… We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people into our country,” the president said during a press conference at the White House.
The proposal, published in the Federal Register, seeks to expand the information collected from visitors entering the U.S. for up to three months under the visa waiver program.
ESTA applies to travelers from 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Japan, Israel and Qatar.
In addition to requiring a five-year social media history, the plan would increase the amount of personal data requested, such as phone numbers and email addresses used over the past ten years. It also calls for family details, including names, dates of birth and places of birth of the traveler’s relatives.
The proposal further includes a new mobile tool that would allow any foreign visitor to record their departure from the United States.
International
Six ecuadorian soldiers jailed pending trial for alleged extrajudicial execution
Six Ecuadorian soldiers were placed in pre-trial detention on Wednesday by a civilian court over an alleged extrajudicial execution, the Attorney General’s Office reported.
As part of his war on drug trafficking, President Daniel Noboa declared an internal armed conflict in 2024 and deployed the Armed Forces to the streets. Human rights organizations have since denounced military abuses and a rise in disappearances attributed to state agents.
A judge in the coastal province of Santa Elena ordered pre-trial detention for six soldiers for alleged extrajudicial execution, the prosecution stated on X. It added that the troops, now under investigation for the suspected crime, were in charge of an operation in the resort town of Salinas, during which one of the detainees died.
In a separate case involving alleged abuse of authority, a group of 17 soldiers is currently on trial for the forced disappearance of four minors whose bodies were found burned near an Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) base.
In December 2024, Saúl Arboleda, Steven Medina, and brothers Josué and Ismael Arroyo — aged 11 to 15 — were detained by a military patrol in southern Guayaquil.
According to Amnesty International, Ecuador’s Prosecutor’s Office has received reports of at least 43 possible cases of forced disappearance since 2023, the year Noboa took office pledging a tough stance against organized crime.
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