International
Anti-chavista candidate promises a Venezuela with a president who “does not insult” if he wins the elections
The presidential candidate of the main anti-Chavista bloc, Edmundo González Urrutia, promised this Saturday that, in case of winning the elections of July 28, a president who will not insult his political adversaries will govern in Venezuela.
“Let’s imagine for a moment the coming country: a country in which the president does not insult or see his adversaries as enemies,” the former ambassador said in front of hundreds of supporters in the state of Aragua, where he held his first mass act since he assumed the candidacy, representing the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD).
He also pointed out that in that Venezuela governed by him “there will be electricity” and “there will be water,” in reference to the constant electrical and drinking water supply failures that are recorded almost daily throughout the country.
“A country in which health is not sick and education educates, a country without political prisoners (…), in which our airports and borders will be filled with our children returning home,” he said.
He also assured, “to those who still believe in the Government,” that he guarantees “an alternation in peace in which all political forces will be able to exercise their rights within the framework of the Constitution.”
“To the National Armed Forces, you play a fundamental role in the safety of all, I will be the guarantor of your institutionality,” the anti-Chavista continued in his brief speech, which he read pausing among the applause of his followers.
The PUD candidate, during his speech, remarked that Chavismo will not take away the “hope” of political change from Venezuelans, something that – he considered – “today lives thanks to the primaries of October 22 that recognized the brave struggle of María Corina Machado.”
“I never thought of looking for a popularly elected position, but, at this crossroads (…), we made the family decision to take a step forward for Venezuela and that step must all be taken to conquer and take care of our votes on July 28,” he stressed.
González Urrutia asked the international community to accompany “closely” the elections of next July 28, since he believes that they will be decisive in terms of the behavior of the migratory flow.
“To the international community, (I ask) to accompany us closely in this process because it will be decisive to reduce migration and make Venezuela a reliable partner,” said the former ambassador in front of hundreds of supporters in the state of Aragua, in the first mass act he has led since he assumed the candidacy.
Nearly 7.8 million Venezuelans have left their country in the last decade, mainly to Latin American countries, due to the economic and socio-political crisis, according to data from several governments and United Nations (UN) agencies.
González Urrutia was chosen as a candidate of the PUD in view of the disqualification that prevents former liberal deputy María Corina Machado from competing for public positions, despite having been elected in primaries as the contender of the largest opposition bloc.
At this Saturday’s event, Machado presented the former ambassador as “the next president of Venezuela” and asked his supporters to support this option with votes on July 28, when Nicolás Maduro, in power since 2013, will seek his second consecutive re-election.
International
German Authorities Investigate More Than 100 New Cases Against Convicted Nurse
German authorities announced Monday that they are investigating more than 100 additional cases involving a nurse who was sentenced to life in prison in November for the murder of 10 patients.
The man, who was 44 at the time of his conviction, worked in palliative care at a hospital in Würselen, near Aachen. He was also found guilty of 27 attempted murders.
Aachen prosecutors are now examining 121 new cases, a spokesperson for the office said.
Prosecutors leading the investigation are preparing a new indictment that could be filed next year. Nearly 40 bodies have so far been exhumed as part of the investigation, which covers alleged incidents dating back to September 2022.
Meanwhile, prosecutors in the city of Cologne are investigating 18 additional cases. According to a spokesperson, the oldest case dates back to 2010.
Before working at the Würselen hospital, the nurse is believed to have worked at a clinic in eastern Cologne, according to local media reports.
At the time of his November conviction, the court ruled that the severity of his crimes was particularly serious, a finding that would make it difficult for him to obtain early release after 15 years in prison.
Between December 2023 and May 2024, the nurse administered overdoses of sedatives or painkillers to terminally ill patients, most of them elderly, according to the indictment in the original case.
His alleged motive was to sedate patients who required care so that he could minimize his workload during night shifts, prosecutors said.
According to the indictment, the nurse worked «without enthusiasm» and «without motivation». When faced with patients requiring extensive care, he allegedly became «irritated» and showed a lack of empathy.
The case has revived painful memories in Germany of Niels Högel, a former nurse and serial killer who was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2019 for the murders of at least 85 patients.
International
Venezuela Raises Earthquake Death Toll to 6,301
The death toll from the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 6,301, while relatives continue searching for missing people among the rubble of collapsed buildings, parliamentary leader Jorge Rodríguez said Monday.
So far, the Venezuelan government has not released an official figure for the number of people missing after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, which caused around 190 buildings to collapse, most of them in the coastal state of La Guaira, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Caracas.
The latest figure represents an increase from the 6,125 deaths reported by Venezuelan authorities on August 3.
According to statements made to local media by La Guaira Governor José Alejandro Terán, around 1,400 people were still missing just over a week ago.
Thousands of homes remain at risk
In addition to buildings that completely collapsed, authorities have classified another 9,567 structures as being at «high risk». Meanwhile, 12,411 homes remain under a «restricted» classification.
As a result, many families who lived in these properties have been relocated to temporary shelters or have sought accommodation with relatives and friends.
Nearly 24,000 people left homeless by the disaster are currently living in camps in Caracas and La Guaira, a popular tourist destination whose economy has been severely affected by the earthquakes.
The situation sparked renewed concern among Venezuelans on Monday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, with its epicenter in Colombia, was felt across several regions of Venezuela.
The earthquake in Colombia left at least 111 people dead and dozens injured, according to preliminary figures released by authorities in that country.
International
CEAPI Backs Colombia’s New Government and Calls for Greater Public-Private Cooperation
The Ibero-American Business Alliance Council (CEAPI), led by its president, Núria Vilanova, participated in the inauguration ceremony of Abelardo de la Espriella as Colombia’s new president. The events were held on August 7 in Cali and brought together heads of state and institutional representatives from numerous countries.
CEAPI maintains a strong relationship with Colombia as part of its mission to serve as a meeting point between Ibero-American business leaders and the region’s main institutions and governments. The organization has more than 25 members in Colombia, including Jaime Gilinski, Luis Carlos Sarmiento, Omar González and Diego Urrea. In addition, Colombia hosted the seventh CEAPI Ibero-American Congress, held in Cartagena de Indias in 2024.
During his inauguration speech, President De la Espriella identified confidence and economic stability as key pillars of his administration and emphasized the role of private enterprise in Colombia’s future.
He also reaffirmed his intention to govern for all Colombians and strengthen institutional dialogue, while referring to Spain’s democratic transition and the leadership of former Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez.
Vilanova said she has seen this commitment firsthand during meetings with members of the new government, who have expressed their willingness to work closely with business leaders and the private sector to promote economic growth.
According to CEAPI, the government is considering measures aimed at strengthening legal certainty and business confidence, encouraging investment and promoting formal employment.
For Vilanova, Colombia’s new political and economic stage represents an opportunity to demonstrate that «when the public and private sectors are aligned, they can achieve more».
«Colombia has everything it needs to make it happen. And Ibero-American business leaders are ready to support it», she said, adding that CEAPI is already working with the government to organize a future investment delegation to the country.
The organization said the planned visit would seek to strengthen business ties and identify new investment opportunities in Colombia, reinforcing the role of the private sector in the country’s economic development.
German Authorities Investigate More Than 100 New Cases Against Convicted Nurse
Venezuela Raises Earthquake Death Toll to 6,301
CEAPI Backs Colombia’s New Government and Calls for Greater Public-Private Cooperation
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