International

Essequibo referendum campaign begins in Venezuela

Photo: @NicolasMaduro

November 7 |

The electoral campaign for the consultative referendum for El Esequibo began this Monday in Venezuela by organizations with political purposes, guilds, unions, universities, civil society, the Popular Power and indigenous communities.

For this purpose, this weekend, the regional, municipal and parochial campaign commands were sworn in, with the objective of joining wills and calling for the unity of all the people in defense of the territory of the Guayana Esequiba.

The consultative referendum is scheduled for December 3, in which the population will have to answer five questions, as informed by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

“I keep receiving photos of the formation of the ‘All Venezuela’ Campaign Commands, throughout the national territory. I am sure it will be a campaign of national pride, of union of Venezuelans in defense of our historical rights over the Essequiba Guyana”, wrote Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in his account in the social network X.

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Likewise, he highlighted that “there is strength in unity, therefore, Venezuelans are united for a single cause of national love: our Essequibo. On 3D we voted 5 times Yes!”.

Previously, the President responded to the statements made by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, who expressed himself against the historical rights of Venezuela over the Essequiba Guyana.

“Outrageous is the position of this gentleman against a free and independent nation, it is obvious, he is a despicable being who serves the vile interests of the transnationals that intend to dispossess our country of a part of its territory”, said President Maduro.

Meanwhile, he assured that “the Essequibo is part of the whole of Venezuela, it belongs to us because of the heritage and historical struggle of our Liberators and Liberators”. Likewise, he reiterated the firm position of the South American nation “for Peace, dialogue, diplomacy and Justice”.

On the other hand, she acknowledged the work of the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fanb) for acting quickly, denouncing and rejecting the attempt to disregard the historical right of the country.

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Venezuelan Vice-President: national sovereignty resides in the people
In the afternoon hours of this day, thousands of people took to the streets throughout the Venezuelan territory as a show of support to the referendum to be held on December 3.

In Caracas (capital), the march was attended by the Venezuelan Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, who made exclusive statements to the teleSUR news multiplatform in which she highlighted Venezuela’s will to defend the Essequiba Guyana.

“From very early, six in the morning, Venezuela dawned in tricolor, all Venezuela singing our Bolivarian National Anthem. All of Venezuela began with military marches and all the states of the country joined in, marching with a single purpose: to defend our Guayana Esequiba, to tell Guyana that it acts as an employee of Exxon Mobil. To tell Almagro. To tell the United States that they are not in charge here, that the people of Venezuela are in charge here”, he emphasized.

In view of the approval by the Guyanese Parliament of a motion ordering the Venezuelan people not to carry out the referendum, Rodriguez stated that sovereignty resides in the people.

“Here the people of Venezuela rule, national sovereignty resides in the people, and on December 3 we will all go out to vote five times yes to the five questions. Five times yes for the defense of our historical morality, for the defense of our legacy of the liberator Simón Bolívar, for the defense of what belongs to us, which is Essequiba Guyana”, he stressed.

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International

US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy

The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.

According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.

The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.

“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.

However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.

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“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.

When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.

International

Fed’s Waller warns of rising inflation risks amid Middle East conflict

Christopher Waller, a governor at the Federal Reserve, said Friday that he is increasingly concerned about the inflationary impact of the ongoing conflict involving United States and Israel against Iran, particularly due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Waller, who had supported interest rate cuts over the past year amid concerns about the labor market, said he has shifted his stance in recent weeks due to rising inflation risks.

“Since the Strait of Hormuz was closed, it suggests this conflict could be much more prolonged and that oil prices will remain elevated for longer,” Waller said in an interview with CNBC.

“Therefore, this indicates that inflation is a greater concern than I had previously assessed,” he added.

Waller also backed the Federal Reserve’s decision earlier this week to keep interest rates unchanged, signaling a more cautious approach as global geopolitical tensions continue to affect economic outlooks.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.