International

Venezuelan government promotes development of the state of La Guaira

Photo: @Gob_LaGuaira

August 24|

The Venezuelan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for Europe, Franklin Ramírez, led this Wednesday at the Foreign Ministry headquarters the inter-ministerial meeting in which the tourism potential of the state of La Guaira was evaluated and sectors such as the local Chamber of Construction proposed initiatives to expand it.

Among the proposals collected by the Ministry of Tourism, the investment in infrastructure and services for the attention of foreign tourists and an international cooperation project to twin La Guaira with European cities stand out.

La Guaira plans the construction of works of cultural interest such as the Marine Museum and the new headquarters of the nucleus of the System of Youth and Children Orchestras and Choirs. On the other hand, it has already inaugurated the Jorge Luis García Carneiro baseball stadium, also known as the Forum of La Guaira, with a capacity of 14,300 spectators.

Additionally, the possibility of exhibiting the tourist and port benefits of La Guaira during the Hamburg Fair, scheduled for September of this year in Germany, was discussed.

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The Ministry of Tourism informed that new air connections have been agreed with multiple operators, which will take international tourists directly from Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru and Poland to La Guaira, Barquisimeto and Margarita.

The Venezuelan Minister of Tourism, Alí Padrón, explained that thanks to the signing of new agreements, Venezuela will increase the number of foreign visitors to the levels it had ten years ago.

La Guaira is a coastal entity, located 30 minutes from the capital, Caracas, and is home to the main international airport and the second largest port in the country, for which reason the initiative contemplates turning it into an entry locality for tourist cruises and international cargo. According to estimates, this proposal would create some 8,000 new jobs, both direct and indirect.

Padrón stated last August 16 that he estimates an increase of more than 50 percent in the entry of international tourists with respect to 2022, when the figure exceeded 656,000 people. He detailed that an average of 2,740 people enter the country daily so far in 2023.

Despite the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States and the European Union on the Venezuelan economy, the country is making progress in the recovery of its infrastructure and its connectivity with the world.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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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.

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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.”