International
Former opposition electoral rector registers as a candidate for the presidential elections of Venezuela
The former rector of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela Enrique Márquez, close to the opposition, registered this Monday – last day of applications – after 21:00 local time (1:00 GMT on Tuesday), as a candidate for the presidential elections of next July 28, outside the consensus of the main anti-Chavist coalition Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD).
Márquez, nominated by the political party Centrados, said at an event at the headquarters of the CNE that he wants to represent political change in Venezuela, so he will begin a tour of the country to convince citizens that the only instrument is the vote.
“We want to represent the Venezuelan people who suffer, the people outraged by corruption, decimated by migration, the people who dream of a better country,” he said.
He also criticized the opponents who have called for abstention in other past electoral processes because, in his opinion, that has deepened the problems in the Caribbean nation.
Márquez indicated that if any politician asks not to vote in the presidential elections, he is rejected by the citizenry, because he is an “accomplice of the country that we do not want, because only abstention guarantees the continuity of what we do not want to continue.”
In addition to Márquez, President Nicolás Maduro has registered to compete in the upcoming elections; deputies Luis Eduardo Martínez, Juan Alvarado, José Brito and Javier Bertucci; former mayors Claudio Fermín and Daniel Ceballos; Antonio Ecarri, Luis Ratti and comedian Benjamín Rausseo, dissidents from the broader sector of the opposition.
Meanwhile, the main opposition coalition, the Democratic United Platform (PUD), denounced impediments to accessing the system and registering its candidate, the historian Corina Yoris, chosen as such in the face of the disqualification that prevents María Corina Machado, winner of the October primaries, from competing for public positions in these and other elections until 2036.
Having failed to obtain the application, the PUD has asked the CNE to extend the period to apply for candidacies for three days, in order to “remedy the violations of fact and law that have occurred in the process.”
However, the electoral body did not extend the period or pronounce on the request for extension of registration by the PUD.
Yoris assured on Monday that the opposition he represents has exhausted all the means at his disposal “so that this can be resolved,” so he demanded that Maduro “respect the Constitution” and his political rights.
Machado, for his part, warned that if the candidate who will compete against Chavismo in the presidential elections is “chosen” by the Maduro Government, these cannot be considered elections.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
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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