International
Police detain dozens amid farewell to vavalny across Russia
Tension flared up once again in Port-au-Prince with shootouts erupting between the police and armed gangs, following a day of apparent calm in the Haitian capital after a violent previous day that saw at least five dead and scores injured.
According to the latest report from the Haitian Police Union, at least 56 individuals were detained in fourteen cities across the country during the farewell day for the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was buried two weeks after his death in an Arctic prison.
According to OVD-Info, an organization advocating for the rights of detainees, the cities with the highest number of detentions were Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Moscow, with 14, 10, and 6 arrests respectively.
Police also conducted arrests in Voronezh, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladikavkaz, St. Petersburg, Ulan-Ude, and Sochi, among others.
Among those detained was the vice president of the Moscow branch of the opposition party Yabloko, Andrey Morev, who was arrested by police in the Moscow metro after the burial, according to OVD-Info.
Morev, who was taken into custody along with a colleague at the Marino station near the cemetery, has not yet been charged, according to a statement he made to the Mozhem Obiasnit (We Can Explain) Telegram channel.
Two other individuals were arrested near the cemetery, according to journalist Alexander Plyuschev and the Avtozak Live Telegram channel, which reports on detentions.
One of them was reportedly detained after shouting, “Who killed Navalny?”
Multitudes gathered to bid farewell to Navalny, with lines extending for kilometers as people arrived with flowers in hand, chanting “Russia will be free,” “Russia without Putin,” “Navalny,” and “Liosha (a diminutive of Alexei), we are with you,” at the burial in the Borisovo cemetery in the Russian capital.
Yulia: Thank You for 26 Years of Absolute Happiness
Yulia, who bid farewell to her husband on Friday with a message on social media due to her inability to attend the funeral, thanked him for their “26 years of absolute happiness” together.
“I don’t know how to live without you, but I will try to make you happy and proud of me up there,” wrote Navalnaya from exile.
Yulia expressed confidence that she would see her husband again “one day.”
Politicians and Diplomats Attend the Funeral
Among the personalities who attended the funeral were Yevgeny Roizman, former mayor of Yekaterinburg, as well as some foreign diplomats, including the ambassadors of the United States, Germany, and France.
Boris Nadezhdin, a candidate for the Russian presidency recently banned by the Electoral Commission of the country, also attended the farewell ceremony.
“The people are afraid, but they want to overcome it,” said opposition politician Nadezhdin to EFE. He added that Navalny’s death is “a tragic event for millions of Russians who supported him.”
Stringent Security Measures
Navalny’s farewell took place under strict security measures and an unprecedented police deployment in the Marino neighborhood.
Both near the temple, where the funeral home was set up, and at the cemetery, metal barriers and a strong police presence were in place.
In addition, multiple surveillance cameras and other devices that can be used as internet and mobile phone signal jammers were installed on the cemetery lampposts.
Navalny supporters waited patiently with flowers in hand for the arrival of the coffin, and when the politician’s body was brought into the church, they began to chant his name.
After the wake at the church, which lasted just over half an hour without most of the attendees being able to enter the temple, Navalny’s body was taken to the Borisovo cemetery for burial.
Borisovo: A Discreet and Ancient Cemetery
The Borisovo cemetery, where Navalny will be buried, covers an area of 4 hectares and is one of the oldest cemeteries in Moscow, with a history dating back to 1550.
The cemetery is not home to many celebrities. Among the most famous graves are those of Soviet artist Yuri Sherstnev and scientist Gennady Arakelov.
The Troyekurovskoye cemetery in western Moscow was another location considered in the media to accommodate Navalny’s body. It is the final resting place of numerous Russian personalities, including military figures, artists, cosmonauts, and politicians, including Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated in 2015.
Kremlin Warnings
The Kremlin warned today that those who participate in unauthorized demonstrations in honor of the deceased opposition leader will be punished.
“We want to remind you that there is a law that must be followed: any unauthorized gathering will constitute a violation of the law,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at his daily press briefing.
Peskov’s statement came in response to a question about the intention of Navalny’s followers to organize events in his memory across the country and abroad.
The Kremlin spokesperson also declined to comment on Navalny’s figure as a politician or to send a message to the opposition leader’s family, something that journalists asked about during the press conference.
Navalny’s team published a list of cities worldwide where ceremonies for the Russian politician were scheduled to take place.
“We call on you to place flowers at memorials (for Navalny) worldwide,” said a message from Navalny’s team, accompanied by a list of cities participating in the farewell ceremonies, including Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, among others.
Navalny’s associates and supporters, awarded the 2021 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Conscience by the European Parliament, directly accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering what they consider the “assassination” of the opposition leader.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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