International
Chilean television advertising slots close ahead of the plebiscite
December 15 |
On Thursday ended in Chile the period conceived to display electoral propaganda regarding the constitutional proposal that will be submitted to plebiscite next Sunday, December 17, when Chileans will decide the future of the text drafted by the Constitutional Council.
On December 17, voters will receive a ballot with the following question: Are you for or against the text of the New Constitution? Two options will then appear, in favor of the proposal or against it, for voters to choose the one they prefer.
If the constitutional project is not accepted, the Law of Laws that came into force in 1980, conceived under the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), will remain in force.
In October 2022, a plebiscite was held on the proposed Magna Carta prepared by the Constitutional Convention, at which time the “Rejection” option won.
The process is organized by the Electoral Service of Chile (Servel). According to a pre-electoral report made public by the entity, the electoral roll is made up of 15,262,012 people at national level and 127,546 residents abroad.
The agency also detailed that 676,028 foreigners residing in Chile (with at least five years of residence, 18 years of age and without crimes) registered to participate.
On Saturday, December 16, the polling stations will be constituted and their spokespersons will be trained. The following day, the polling stations will open from 08H00 to 18H00 local time. These may be constituted with at least three members and, if they are to remain open beyond 18H00, they will do so until there are no voters left in line who wish to vote.
Voters only need their identity card to vote. This document must be valid, although ID cards that have expired after January 1, 2020 will be accepted. Voters with any type of disability will be able to access the assisted voting option.
According to the current law, voting is mandatory for those who are registered in the electoral roll and reside in Chile. For those who vote from abroad, it is voluntary.
Chileans who are more than 200 km away from their electoral domicile, are absent from the country or suffer from an illness are excluded from the obligation to vote. Those who are far from their electoral district must -among other requirements- go to the nearest Carabineros Police Station, obtain a certificate and then submit it to a judge when summoned.
Any other impediment for not voting can also be certified, but the seriousness of this cause will be certified by a judge according to the evidence presented by the citizen.
Those who do not vote may be fined from 0.5 to 3 monthly tax units (UTM), that is, from 32,108 pesos to 192,648 pesos (US$36-215).
Chile applies a dry law period. This will start on December 17 at 05H00 and will last until 20H00 local time (two hours after the electoral closing time).
In addition, those commercial establishments that are not attended by their owners will be closed, since election days are declared holidays for workers in this sector. Those who work providing essential services and do not have time off, will receive a two-hour leave to vote.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
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