International
Milei, willing to convince other countries to adopt sanctions against Venezuela
“I would have no problem” in adopting diplomatic sanctions against Venezuela, the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, said in an interview with CNN, who would even be willing to convince other countries to support that same measure.
“Yes, I would be willing to do it, because the carnage that is Venezuela is truly unheard of; the same as the prison island of Cuba,” said the Argentine head of state during an interview with journalist Andrés Oppenheimer, whose first part was broadcast in full this Sunday.
“Then there are other cases that are on the way, such as the case of Colombia, with Mr. (Gustavo) Petro. Well, you can’t expect much from someone who was a terrorist killer, a communist,” Milei added in a part of that interview that was already anticipated last Wednesday.
As a result of those statements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia issued a statement reporting that the expulsion of diplomats from the Embassy of Argentina in that country was ordered.
“The expressions of the Argentine president have deteriorated the confidence of our nation, in addition to offending the dignity of President Petro, who was democratically elected,” said the Colombian Foreign Ministry, which communicated its decision to the Argentine diplomatic representation through “institutional channels.”
Last Monday, the governments of Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay issued a joint statement in which they expressed their “serious concern” about the allegations of the Venezuelan opposition about the obstacles to registering their candidate.
Buenos Aires’ support for that statement represents “a step forward,” according to Milei, because “the previous Government (presided over by the Peronist Alberto Fernández) would not have condemned any of those dictatorships,” he said.
Asked about the critical opinions of him of the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and the ruling and favorite candidate in the polls, Claudia Sheinbaum, the Argentine president responded: “It is a compliment that an ignorant like López Obrador speaks ill of me, exalts me.”
And he added: “It is a problem of Mexicans if they choose socialists (…), I feel sorry for the one who has to suffer a socialist regime.”
Regarding an eventual trip of Pope Francis to Argentina, Javier Milei considered that “we should not be pressuring him,” and pointed out that it is a decision that is up to the Supreme Pontiff.
“I offered to accompany him and be by his side, I would almost tell him like a human cane (…), but he is the one who must make that decision to face so much physical burden,” he added.
After asserting that “the left in its different versions is the cancer of humanity,” Milei considered that, in fact, the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, and the Brazilian, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, were democratically elected, but added that “every day they advance more on individuals towards more collectivist solutions.”
The Argentine ruler maintained that the desire he conveyed to former United States president Donald Trump (2017 -2021) to return to the White House “in protocol terms does not count,” because it took place in a casual meeting during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), held a month ago in Maryland (USA).
“I am more affioy to the ideas of the Republican Party (…), it is true and that is known, but my priority is to be an ally of the United States. That is, my international allies are the United States and Israel and I am absolutely consistent in that,” he emphasized.
Regarding the criticisms of the presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Chile that Israel’s military response to the terrorist attack in Hamas is a genocide, Milei said: “I find it condemnable that they make such condemnations.”
“Israel received a brutal attack and this kind of thing requires exemplary responses. And in fact, Israel is doing everything he is doing within the rules of the game. In other words, Israel is not committing a single excess,” he concluded.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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