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
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
Central America
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday criminal charges against three Guatemalan citizens accused of using false information to sponsor migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian.
According to an indictment filed in Ohio, Maritza Cahuec Coc allegedly submitted at least 12 sponsorship applications, several of which were filed under aliases or contained materially false statements intended to secure custody of the minors.
Under U.S. procedures, unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for their care until they can be released to a qualified sponsor, such as a parent or relative living in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Cahuec Coc, who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2018, received payments between late 2020 and 2023 for helping bring 12 migrant minors into the country. Authorities claim she submitted fraudulent documents and misleading information to obtain approval for the sponsorship requests.
The case was announced during a joint press conference led by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, officials provided limited details about the investigation and instead focused much of their remarks on criticizing immigration policies implemented under the previous administration.
Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials have frequently pointed to the increase in unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s term, arguing that the government failed to adequately oversee their care and placement.
During Thursday’s briefing, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, alleged that Cahuec Coc used the identities of other individuals and falsely claimed family relationships in order to obtain custody of the children.
“Maritza submitted sponsorship applications using other people’s identities and falsely represented that the minors were the children of close relatives in order to secure their release,” Duva said.
The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities have not yet disclosed additional information regarding the other two Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
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