International
María Corina Machado warns of “maneuver” to “prevent the registration” of her candidate
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado warned of the implementation of a “maneuver” that seeks to “prevent the registration” of the presidential candidacy of July 28 of Corina Yoris, chosen by the majority anti-Chavism as its candidate in the face of the disqualification that prevents the former liberal deputy from competing.
“I alert Venezuelans and the world of the maneuver underway to prevent the registration in the CNE (National Electoral Council) of the candidate of all the democratic unity of Venezuela, Corina Yoris,” Machado wrote on the social network X.
The registration period for presidential candidates, which began on Thursday, ends next Monday, March 25, according to the electoral schedule.
Previously, the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), denounced that they have not allowed “access to the (electoral) system to be able to apply” to Yoris.
However, he reiterated that “nothing and no one” will “take them off the electoral route to achieve, with the force of the majority vote, political change” in the country.
During the day, several politicians and parties that are part of this anti-chavist coalition have rejected these alleged impediments, through messages published on social networks with the label ‘Let Corina register’.
In the opinion of Vente Venezuela (VV), the formation led by Machado, Yoris “does not allow her to be registered” for “only one reason: they are afraid of him.”
For its part, the La Causa R party said, through X, that “(President Nicolás) Maduro and his accomplices want to impose on the opposition candidate.”
Yoris – with a degree in Philosophy, Letters and a doctor in History – unanimously chosen within the PUD and has “all the support” of Machado, who assured that she will maintain her fight against the disqualification that prevents her from competing in elections for public office until 2036.
According to Machado, the decision is part of an agreed mechanism to “face this obstacle,” in reference to its disqualification, ratified in January by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ).
Vente Venezuela clarified that Yoris will be registered as a “unitary representative” of the opposition in the presidential elections “while the irrita disqualification is resolved.”
Meanwhile, the head of state, Nicolás Maduro, confirmed that he will seek a second consecutive re-election, although it is not yet known what day he will go before the CNE to formalize his aspiration.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
International
Three salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
Three Salvadoran residents living in Orlando, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and wire fraud involving a scheme exceeding $146 million in the construction industry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The sentence was handed down by federal judge Timothy J. Corrigan on Tuesday, July 29.
Eduardo Aníbal Escobar (45) was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, Carlos Alberto Rodríguez (36) to 3 years and 4 months, and Adelmy Tejada (57) to 18 months in prison, followed by 6 months of house arrest. All three pled guilty on April 3, 2025.
In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered restitution payments totaling $36,957,616 to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes, and $397,895 to two insurers for workers’ compensation claims related to the scheme.
Escobar and Rodríguez are permanent legal residents originally from El Salvador, while Tejada is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Salvadoran origin.
International
Kremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
The Kremlin expressed relief that the earthquakes that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today —the first being the strongest since 1952— resulted in no casualties, and emphasized that the region is well prepared to face such natural disasters.
“Thank God, there were no victims,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during his daily press briefing.
The presidential representative stated that “all alert systems were activated in time, and evacuations were organized for residents in areas requiring it in response to tsunami threats.”
“Overall, the seismic resilience of the buildings proved effective (…) Therefore, we can say that the technological preparedness demonstrated a high level,” Peskov added.
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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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