International
The presidential elections of Venezuela, under the critical gaze of the international community
Venezuela has been in the spotlight of the international community, especially since March, when the majority opposition denounced obstacles to register its presidential candidate of July 28, Corina Yoris.
This raised a swell of criticism to which leftist leaders close to the Government were joined, such as the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, or the Brazilian, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Petro described the disqualifications of opponents as an “anti-democratic coup,” and Lula described as “serious” and without explanation “political or legal” the impediments to register Yoris, chosen by the alliance in the face of the sanction that weighs on María Corina Machado – winner of the anti-Chavista primaries-, which prevents her from occupying public positions of popular election until 2036.
Likewise, former Uruguayan President José ‘Pepe’ Mujica recently expressed that the situation in Venezuela is “unfortunate”, where “it seems that they play democracy, but they do not play democracy.”
Meanwhile, the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in a kinder, but, above all, more ambiguous tone, asked that Venezuela be allowed to vote “in freedom,” a reaction that was well received by both the Government and the opposition.
According to internationalist Félix Arellano, these positions show an “important change” in that “Latin American left” that, to a large extent, has supported the Caribbean country with a “mechanical and uncritical solidarity.”
“These statements by Pepe Mujica, Petro and Lula have a new look at the Venezuelan situation,” Arellano said.
These questions, he said, mark “more distances” from the Government “from the left-wing parties and governments in the world.”
For the expert, the “conjuncture is not proving favorable” to the Executive, because “there is an increasingly strong crusade of the international community in favor of competitive conditions” for the presidential elections.
“At this moment, it seems that only Cuba, Nicaragua and, to some extent, Mexico, are more committed to the Venezuelan Government and, obviously, actors of world geopolitics, such as Russia and China,” he said.
Arellano believes that a new distancing would play against Venezuela, which “has shown interest in maintaining some minimum of negotiation with the international community, particularly with the United States” due to “the issue of sanctions,” whose relief allowed to expand its cooperation with energy companies around the world.
The extension of a few hours to the deadline to register candidates granted by the National Electoral Council (CNE) to the PUD, which presented to the internationalist Edmundo González Urrutia, could, according to Arellano, show that “there is concern about the position of the international community.”
In addition to Colombia and Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and the United States. The United States, as well as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union (EU), expressed their concern about the development of the electoral process.
For Chavista deputy Roy Daza, there is “disinformation from some government spokespersons” and “personalities from the Latin American and European political world.”
According to he told EFE, “an attempt is made to manipulate, with lies and falsehoods, what is happening in Venezuela,” where the process of applying candidates “was fulfilled,” with the registration of 13 candidates and the participation of 37 parties.
In his opinion, Lula has a “biased information,” while Petro has lent himself “to a hoax.”
However, Daza is confident that this situation will not affect Venezuela’s relations with Latin American countries, which “are maintained and developed very efficiently.”
He announced that the commission will send communications to regional parliaments and the US Congress, in defense of the electoral system and in rejection of “interference.”
President Nicolás Maduro criticized that “right-wing” and “cowardly left” governments try to “intervene in Venezuela’s internal affairs.”
Meanwhile, the head of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, urged Petro, Lula and Mujica to put “their opinions wherever they fit.”
Arellano warned that, with these reactions, “a favorable environment is not created” and distances can be increased, which has consequences, he added, on economic relations and political support.
International
Police investigate deaths of Rob Reiner and wife as apparent homicide
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reinerand his wife as an “apparent homicide,” amid a wave of tributes to the director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally.
According to U.S. media reports on Sunday, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds.
Several political figures shared messages of condolence following the reported deaths of the director of A Few Good Menand his wife.
While the LAPD did not officially confirm the identities of the victims, it stated that homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiner residence.
“At this time, no additional details are available and the investigation into an apparent homicide is ongoing,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement posted on social media.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that no arrests have been made and that no individuals are currently being questioned as suspects.
“I’m not going to confirm whether anyone is being questioned at this moment or not. We are going to try to speak with as many family members as we can,” Hamilton said.
CNN reported that a family spokesperson confirmed the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Kamala Harrisissued statements expressing their condolences.
International
U.S. and Mexico Reach Deal to Address Water Deficit Under 1944 Treaty
The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement to comply with current water obligations affecting U.S. farmers and ranchers and for Mexico to cover its water deficit to Texas under the 1944 Water Treaty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
The department уточified that the agreement applies to both the current cycle and the water deficit from the previous cycle.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Mexico of failing to comply with the water-sharing treaty between the two countries, which requires the United States to deliver 1.85 billion cubic meters of water from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply 432 million cubic meters from the Rio Grande.
Mexico is behind on its commitments. According to Washington, the country has accumulated a deficit of more than one billion cubic meters of water over the past five years.
“This violation is severely harming our beautiful crops and our livestock in Texas,” Trump wrote on Monday.
The Department of Agriculture said on Friday that Mexico had agreed to supply 250 million cubic meters of water starting next week and to work toward closing the shortfall.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, quoted in the statement, said Mexico delivered more water in a single year than it had over the previous four years combined.
Trump has said that if Mexico continues to fall short of its obligations, the United States reserves the right to impose 5% tariffs on imported Mexican products.
Mexico’s Deputy Foreign Minister for North America, Roberto Velasco, said that a severe drought in 2022 and 2023prevented the country from meeting its commitments.
International
Several people shot in attack on Brown University campus
Several people were shot on Saturday in an attack on the campus of Brown University, in the northeastern United States, local police reported.
“Shelter in place and avoid the area until further notice,” the Providence Police Department urged in a post on X. Brown University is located in Providence, the capital of the state of Rhode Island.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he had been briefed on the situation and that the FBI was on the scene.
At 5:52 p.m. local time (11:52 p.m. GMT), Brown University said the situation was still “ongoing” and instructed students to remain sheltered until further notice.
After initially stating that the suspect had been taken into custody, Trump later posted a second message clarifying that local police had walked back that information. “The suspect has NOT been apprehended,” the U.S. president said.
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