International

Venezuelan President welcomes support from leaders calling for lifting of coercive measures

October 24 |

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, thanked on Monday the support that Latin American and Caribbean leaders gave to the demands for the lifting of the unilateral coercive measures of the United States against his country, at the Palenque Meeting, in Mexico.

During his intervention in the television program Con Maduro Más, the dignitary highlighted that he shared with presidents and prime ministers and heads of delegation of 10 nations that met to dialogue on vital issues for the development of the nations involved.

“We are deeply grateful to the Government of Mexico, to the people of Mexico, for all the attentions, all the affection we have received in this summit of good neighborliness and for the well-being of our America”, he said.

In this sense, the dignitary assured that the Palenque Meeting was impregnated with the history of the ancestral Mayan culture, which invites us to think about the accumulated struggles and the current generations as a result.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

“From all the cosmovision of these centuries of struggle, of life, of resistance, we are here. We are the result of those causes, of that life, of a whole grandiose history,” he said.

The Venezuelan president assured that the Palenque Meeting: For a fraternal neighborhood with well-being ratifies that the Venezuelan people are on the right side of history.

Nicolás Maduro refers to the agreements signed with the opposition in Barbados
The head of state specified that with the signing of the agreements with the opposition in Barbados, his government is once again betting on peace, respect and tolerance , following the postulates of the Venezuelan Constitution and laws.

“If it is necessary to sign with the devils for the peace and progress of Venezuela, we sign, in the name of God, the people and our homeland”, he stressed.

The President urged the opposition to enter the lane of respect and tolerance within the framework of the Constitution, and stop conspiring and asking for sanctions against the country.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

He assured that the Barbados agreements are expected to have good results, and specified that, on the part of the Government, nothing will be done to damage it.

“This agreement allowed the activation of a set of agreements that have been discussed with the Government of the United States, as it is already known. A Return to the Homeland plan was then activated with two airplanes”, he said.

Maduro detailed that last Wednesday and Monday two planes arrived in Venezuela with nationals from the United States, who were mistreated in prisons of that country as if they were criminals or terrorists.

He denounced the networks of coyotes led by some members of the Venezuelan opposition, who incite people to emigrate to the U.S. and, when they arrive, they are imprisoned in subhuman conditions.

“Do not believe in false tales of the American dream. How many compatriots are enslaved abroad? The first Return to the Homeland flight urgently requested by the U.S. Government was activated”, he said.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

He commented that in the context of the dialogues with the opposition in Barbados, the United States announced the beginning of a path that must be permanent and sustained that must lead to the total lifting of the unilateral coercive sanctions on Venezuela.

President Maduro welcomes the approval of the questions of the referendum on the Essequibo
The Venezuelan president also welcomed the questions to be included in the referendum on the Essequibo, after they were unanimously approved this Monday by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

Maduro emphasized that in the South American country, major issues of national interest are consulted to the people, and affirmed that Venezuela is the protagonist of true participative democracy.

Previously, in his social network account X, he had called Venezuelans to vote five times yes next December 3.

“We greet with great satisfaction the authorities of the National Electoral Council for the approval of the five questions that will be asked to Venezuelans in the Consultative Referendum in defense of Essequiba Guyana,” he wrote.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

Head of State sends solidarity to the Palestinian people
Nicolás Maduro also sent his solidarity to the Palestinian people and called for a halt to Israel’s genocide against the population of Gaza.

Likewise, he insisted on the need to establish a world conference that would allow the establishment of a negotiation to return the rights to peace, territory, independence and a state of their own to the Palestinian people.

“From Venezuela we demand that, and we are going to achieve it with the peoples of the world”, he assured.

International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.