International

Venezuela and St. Lucia sign cooperation agreement

Photo: @PresidencialVen

October 8 |

The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J. Pierre, on an official visit to the South American country, signed on Friday three documents to strengthen strategic relations, which will allow progress in the construction of a new region.

The signing of the documents took place after the president received the Saint Lucian premier at the Miraflores Palace, who has had a busy work agenda since his arrival in Venezuela in the morning.

“I think it is important to explain to our people how we are moving forward in the construction of a new Latin America, a new Caribbean, a new region, based on a fundamental principle: mutual respect, love among peoples, active solidarity, cooperation for mutual benefit, win-win”, said the Venezuelan president.

In this sense, he explained that the documents signed on this day include a Road Map for the Development of Cooperation between both countries, in areas such as education, tourism, fishing, food sovereignty, air transportation, infrastructure, among others.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“In the conversation we had for more than an hour, we have reached great agreements on all these issues”, the Venezuelan President stressed, and assured that a concrete action plan has been established to promote the roadmap that will allow for shared food production in Saint Lucia and Venezuela and to increase trade.

Likewise, an agreement on air services and a Joint Declaration were signed between the Venezuelan president and the premier of Saint Lucia, ratifying the ties of brotherhood and cooperation between the countries they represent.

According to the Venezuelan dignitary, the Air Services Agreement, which will be active as from next November, will allow “opening air operations and connecting Saint Lucia with Venezuela, Venezuela with Saint Lucia”.

In this regard, the Head of State said he was “sure that these flights will be very successful and will increase the exchange of our peoples for tourism and to strengthen relations”.

With respect to the Joint Declaration, President Maduro indicated that with it both governments ratify “the principles of self-determination of the peoples, of Latin America and the Caribbean as a territory of the principles of cooperation, solidarity, brotherhood, mutual benefit, progressive and upward development of relations, the founding principles of our peoples”.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“We have proposed to turn the cooperative relationship of joint work and brotherhood of Saint Lucia and Venezuela into a model to follow for relations with the entire Caribbean and with other peoples, a relationship that is brilliant, that gives concrete results, that raises the quality of life of our people,” the Venezuelan dignitary emphasized.

For his part, the premier of Saint Lucia rejected and described as unjust the coercive and unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States (U.S.) against Venezuela.

“We consider that any sanction applied to a country, due to its political system, is unjust. We also believe that sanctions are very painful for countries, and as we have requested on several occasions, we have demanded that the sanctions applied to the people of Venezuela be lifted,” he said.

Philip J. Pierre assured that both governments will work to strengthen bilateral relations, and underlined his hope that “Venezuela will be liberated so that it can develop its people and, by extension, its friends within the Caribbean Community (Caricom)”.

The premier of Saint Lucia arrived in Caracas (capital of Venezuela) in the morning hours, and was received by Foreign Minister Yván Gil. Throughout the day he has had a busy work agenda, which has included meetings with senior leaders of the Venezuelan Government.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Bilateral relations between Venezuela and Saint Lucia began in 1979, and since then they have shared similar ideals regarding freedom and self-determination of the peoples.

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.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

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.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

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.”