International
Lula and Petro meet in Colombia’s presidential palace with the environment in the background
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrived at the Casa de Nariño in Bogotá to meet with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, with whom he will talk about environmental cooperation, economic issues and also the Venezuelan situation.
Lula, accompanied by the First Lady of Brazil, Rosângela ‘Janja’ Lula da Silva, was received with military honors in the Plaza de Armas of the Colombian presidential palace.
However, he was not received by Petro in the outside courtyard of the palace, as usually happens, but the Colombian president waited for him at the door, next to the first lady, Verónica Alcocer.
The Brazilian and the Colombian, who have established themselves as the main South American leaders who defend the environment, will address “bilateral strategic issues, among others, the protection of the Amazon,” the Colombian Presidency reported.
Thus, on the table are issues of trade and investment, sustainable development and Amazon cooperation, social programs, human rights and family agriculture, among others.
“The delegations of the two governments will hold meetings to discuss specific issues of binational interest, such as the implementation of the Belém do Pará Declaration of 2023, pharmaceutical regulation, biooceanic corridors, tourism, homologation of university degrees and electrical interconnection,” said the Casa de Nariño.
It is expected that they will also combine visions about Venezuela since both countries have expressed their “concern” about the obstacles imposed for the registration of some opposition presidential candidacies in the face of the elections on July 28, but they do not consider that “isolating” that country is the answer.
“The regional situation is a mandatory issue” and the electoral process in Venezuela is “of interest to both countries,” said last week the director of the South American department of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, João Queiroz.
Likewise, a road infrastructure plan proposed by Brazil to the countries of South America will be discussed, which aims at the construction of a wide road network and which has the endorsement of the main regional financial agencies.
The two presidents will also analyze commercial alternatives, both bilaterally and at the regional level, which include a push for the integration of South American production chains.
Brazil is today Colombia’s third largest trading partner, behind the United States and China, so the two governments intend to expand that exchange.
After the meeting and an official statement, both leaders will address a Brazil-Colombia Economic Forum, which will bring together 300 businessmen from both countries.
They will also inaugurate the XXXVI International Book Fair of Bogotá, one of the most relevant cultural events in Colombia and which is dedicated this year to Brazil.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
International
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
The United States may soon carry out airstrikes on military facilities inside Venezuela as part of an escalating offensive against Nicolás Maduro’s regime, according to reports Friday from the Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the Trump administration.
Airstrikes could take place “within days or even hours,” the Herald reported. The Journal noted that while the option is under serious consideration, President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision on authorizing strikes on Venezuelan soil.
Potential targets allegedly include military-controlled ports and airports used in drug trafficking operations, such as naval installations and airstrips, officials told the Journal.
The Herald also quoted a source saying that “Maduro’s time is running out”, suggesting that more than one Venezuelan general may be ready to detain and hand him over. However, officials declined to confirm whether the Venezuelan leader would be among the military targets.
Trump has repeatedly vowed to block the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, following nearly two months of airstrikes against vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean. Those operations have destroyed 15 boats and left 61 people dead and three survivors since September 1.
“We are finally waging a war against the cartels — a war like they’ve never seen before — and we are going to win that battle. We are already winning at sea,” Trump told U.S. troops during a speech in Japan.
The reports on possible airstrikes come on the same day the United Nations accused the U.S. of violating international law with its maritime operations, saying those killed at sea may have been victims of extrajudicial executions.
International
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Pope Leo XIV announced on Friday that he will revive and update the Global Compact on Education, an initiative launched by the late Pope Francis aimed at deeply transforming global culture through education.
The announcement was made during an audience in St. Peter’s Square, held on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Educational World, which this week gathers more than 20,000 participants from 124 countries in Rome.
During his address, the pontiff — who is of U.S. origin and Peruvian nationality — emphasized the importance of restoring the value of educators and reinforcing the principles that support the pact.
“We must be careful: damaging the social and cultural role of educators means mortgaging our own future,” he warned before thousands in attendance. “A crisis in the transmission of knowledge leads to a crisis of hope.”
The Global Compact on Education, launched by Pope Francis, seeks an integral and long-term cultural transformation. It is structured around five pillars: dignity and human rights; fraternity and cooperation; technology and integral ecology; education for peace and citizenship; and culture and religions. To date, the initiative has been joined by over 553 schools and nearly 410,000 students, according to Catholic Schools data.
Pope Leo XIV also expressed concern over the widespread inner fragility affecting both students and teachers — many of whom feel overwhelmed by bureaucratic burdens.
He additionally addressed the role of artificial intelligence in education, warning that it may worsen emotional isolation among learners: “It can further isolate students who are already isolated, giving them the illusion that they do not need others — or worse, the feeling that they are unworthy of them,” he said.
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
Pope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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