International
Chavismo proclaims Nicolás Maduro as a presidential candidate for a third term
The ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) proclaimed this Saturday President Nicolás Maduro as its candidate for the elections of next July 28, in which he will seek his third term in power, which he arrived in 2013.
The first vice president of the PSUV, Diosdado Cabello, considered the number two of Chavismo, delivered the banner of the formation to Maduro, after the speeches of six supporters that resulted in praise for the president.
“Despite all the adversities, (Maduro) has managed to maintain peace in this country, doing politics, defeating the oligarchy, not once but many times,” said Cabello, who recalled that a total of 4,240,032 PSUV militants supported, in previous assemblies, that the head of state seek a second consecutive re-election.
The thousands of supporters who gathered in the Polyhedro of Caracas, the largest covered capacity in the country, responded in the affirmative when asked if they approved to nominate Maduro “as a candidate of the PSUV and the Bolivarian revolution” for the July elections.
After that, Cabello said that the president had been ratified by acclamation as the presidential candidate, so they will register him as such before the National Electoral Council (CNE), which opened a period, between March 21 and 25, to present these candidacies.
When he took the microphone, after flying the PSUV flag, Maduro thanked the support and promised to fight to win the elections.
“There is only one destination: the popular victory. Whatever they do, what they say, they have never been able and will never be able to with us,” he said.
The head of state – who won his first re-election in 2018 with 6.2 million votes, in elections questioned by the international community – will compete, now at the age of 61, without it being clear who his opponents will be.
On the part of the majority opposition, former deputy María Corina Machado, who won a primary last October, expects to compete despite being disqualified from holding public positions, by opinion of the Office of the Comptroller General, which will prevent her from registering her candidacy with the CNE.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Panama’s president accuses U.S. Embassy official of visa threats amid China tensions
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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