International

Venezuelan TSJ suspends the entire primary event process

Photo: VTV

October 31 |

The Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) of Venezuela suspended this Monday all effects of the process of the primary event of a sector of the opposition and demanded the delivery of several documents related to the vote.

“All the effects of the different phases of the electoral process conducted by the national primary commission are suspended,” said the ruling on a writ of amparo against the primary process introduced last week.

In a joint report, it admitted the contentious electoral appeal with precautionary protection filed by the aspiring candidate, José Brito, and ordered to suspend the effects of the phases of the primary process carried out by a sector of the opposition on October 22.

The injunction is against the unconstitutional and illegal acts of the National Primary Commission, which carried out the process to elect the unitary presidential candidate for the presidential elections of 2024.

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The instance also requested the minutes of the event held on October 22, 2023, including: the minutes of the constitution of the electoral tables, the voting notebooks, the voting ballots, and the minutes of the scrutiny.

Likewise, the minutes of regional totalization, the minutes of final totalization, the minutes of adjudication and the minutes of proclamation.

“It must also send a report on the aspects of fact and law, indicating the mechanism used for the safekeeping of the electoral material and the place destined to such effect; all of this related to the claim”, reads the communiqué.

Denunciation of fraud
Subsequently, Brito reiterated to the media that he has pointed out several irregularities occurred in the primary event, in which the registration of disqualified persons was allowed.

“I have pointed out that in the accumulation of irregularities, the registration of disqualified persons was allowed there. For example, they made a tailor-made suit for Mrs. María Corina Machado; well, she is disqualified, but Venezuela is not disqualified. I want to make that very clear”, he stated.

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He also emphasized that there can be no confrontation or train wreck, and to prevent this from happening, “I have denounced what in my opinion is a fraud, a swindle and a continuous crime that has been committed (…) There are many intricacies that will come out in the next few days that occurred” in the event.

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.”