International

Nicolás Maduro announces the closure of the Venezuelan Embassy and consulates in Ecuador

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, announced on Tuesday, at the virtual meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), the closure of the Embassy and consulates of the Caribbean nation in Ecuador, in support of Mexico, after the assault by the Ecuadorian Police on the diplomatic headquarters of this country.

“In the face of that aberrant act of arrogance of President (Daniel) Noboa (…) I have ordered the closure of our Embassy in Ecuador, the closure of the Consulate in Quito, the immediate closure of the Consulate in Guayaquil and that the diplomatic personnel return to Venezuela, immediately,” the president said at the meeting.

Maduro gave the order to the chargé d’affaires – head of Venezuela’s diplomatic mission in Ecuador -, Pedro Sassone, to return to the Caribbean nation “until international law is expressly restored.”

The Venezuelan president indicated that the assault by the Ecuadorian Police on the Embassy of Mexico was an “act of barbarism,” so he expressed his support for Mexico’s proposal to expel Ecuador from the United Nations (UN) “until he apologizes to the international community and restores the situation to its original legal status.”

“The (former) Vice President Jorge Glas must be returned to the Embassy of Mexico, recognize him political asylum, give him the approval and travel to recover his physical health from torture, in Mexico,” he added.

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The leaders of the Celac are meeting this Tuesday, virtually, to address this incident, for which Mexico filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which it asks to suspend Ecuador from the UN until it offers a public apology for indening its diplomatic headquarters.

The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, asked at the virtual summit to be in his complaint against Ecuador in the ICJ.

López Obrador reaffirmed that his complaint seeks “an expulsion from Ecuador from the United Nations, as long as there is no apology and an offer of non-repetition, never again to make a scoundrel” such as the raid on Mexico’s diplomatic headquarters on April 5.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”