International
Presidents of Venezuela and Guyana to address face-to-face Esequibo issue
December 11 |
Under the efforts of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the presidents of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and Guyana, Irfaan Alí, will meet next Thursday, December 14, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
In a letter, signed by the president pro tempore of Celac and prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, the leaders were urged to “the urgent need to de-escalate the conflict and institute an appropriate dialogue, face to face, between the presidents of Guyana and Venezuela”.
For this purpose, the aforementioned meeting, sponsored by Celac and Caricom, whose current president is the Commonwealth of Dominica, was scheduled to be held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
At the request of both dignitaries, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will also be present at this meeting.
Regarding the position of the heads of state, the letter states that “Both have agreed with this assessment in the search for peaceful coexistence, the application and respect for international law and the avoidance of the use or threat of force”.
“Both are publicly on record of their commitment to the Caribbean as a zone of peace and the maintenance of international law.”
The letter also proposes that the presidents suggest the modality of the dialogue and interlocutor, stating that both Gonsalves and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, president of Caricom, are willing to provide constructive support for this meeting.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yván Gil, thanked Celac and Caricom for the efforts made to promote the dialogue between Venezuela and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the first fruit of which will be the high level meeting to be held between Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Irfaan Ali.
In a message disseminated through his account on the social network X, Foreign Minister Gil thanked the diplomatic good offices.
“Venezuela appreciates the efforts on the part of Celac and Caricom to promote direct high-level dialogue with the Cooperative Republic of Guyana through the presidential meeting to be held next December 14.”
“The Government of President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan people are fully certain that the territorial dispute will only be resolved through dialogue, mutual respect and the commitment to preserve the region as a zone of peace and free of interference,” Gil wrote on the social network.
The meeting on Thursday, December 14 was announced on Saturday by the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, through a letter addressed to Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Irfaan Ali.
Previously, President Nicolás Maduro activated to the maximum the Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace to defend Venezuela’s historical rights in the dispute over the territory of Guayana Esequiba.
This was ratified through a message on the social network X addressed to the people of Venezuela: “Happy Saturday with the Venezuelan Family! I am activating to the maximum the Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace, always in defense of the historical rights of Venezuela. Once again we will defeat lies, provocations and threats against our people. Our Homeland will win!”.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
International
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
At least 23 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion at a supermarket in Hermosillo, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, local authorities reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 23 confirmed deaths and 11 injured, including minors,” said Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo in a video message. He added that the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city.
“I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and assign responsibility where appropriate,” Durazo said.
The explosion occurred at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was not an attack nor related to any violent act against civilians.
Meanwhile, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on X, offering sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
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