International
Lavrov says that Russia is willing to work with Trump if there is “mutual respect”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that his country is willing to work with an eventual US government of Donald Trump as long as there is “an equitable and mutually respectful dialogue.”
Asked at a press conference at the UN about Trump’s possible victory in the November U.S. presidential election (which the polls consider certain), Lavrov replied that Russia is “ready to work with any leader the American people chooses,” but stressed that it must be on the basis of mutual respect.
He also recalled that during the previous Trump administration (2017-21) “there was a constant dialogue despite the very serious sanctions” that the United States imposed against Russia, and stressed that this dialogue “is useful in all cases,” but it has completely disappeared since the war in Ukraine began.
There were also questions about Donald Trump’s vice president candidate, J.D. Vance, who has been very critical of his country’s full support for Ukraine and has suggested that the US should neglect that conflict.
“He is in favor of peace, in favor of ending the assistance that is being provided, and we can only applaud him because it is exactly what we need: stop supplying weapons to Ukraine without stopping, and so the war will end and we can start looking for solutions,” Lavrov said.
About possible negotiations between Russia and Ukraine at the end of the war, the minister made it clear what the red lines are: all the territories that had unilateral referendums for their incorporation into Russia are now a “non-negotiable issue, there is no discussion about it.”
“Now they are part of the Federation and it is enshrined in our constitution, we cannot leave them alone,” he said, referring to the four regions – Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporiya and Kherson – that in 2022 voted for their annexation to Russia, although they were not internationally recognized votes.
But he regretted that every gasmp of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is stumbled upon the refusal of what he called the West and the European Union, which he criticized for marginalizing those who, as is the case of Viktor Orban’s Hungarian government, advocate seeking a negotiated way out of the war right now.
In this regard, he completely ruled out the 10-point peace plan of the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, which he described as “extremely arrogant,” and contrasted it with what he called “China’s plan,” which according to him was improved with certain proposals from Brazil and that could serve as a negotiating base.
In a press conference in which he reviewed international politics in its entirety – including his thesis that the third world must work together for a “de-dollarization,” or less dependence on the dollar – he also referred to the Palestinian conflict and criticized the numerous Security Council resolutions breached by Israel with the connivance of its main partner, the United States.
He referred to Iran’s role in the region and the statements of the new president-elect in that country, Masud Pezeshkian, who according to Lavrov has “a very responsible position (which indicates) that Iran is not interested in an escalation” in the region, and particularly in Lebanon through its ally, the Lebanese Shiite movement Hizbulah, embroked in fighting with Israel.
For Lavrov, “it is Israel that is interested in escalation, while Hezbollah is being very restrusive in its actions”; unfortunately, he continued, “the impression is that there is an attempt to provoke them (…) so that they reach a direct participation with their armed force in this conflict.”
He assured that his country is “doing everything possible to calm the tension” on that Lebanese front, and said he hoped that “the West will also do everything in its power to ensure that this provocative trend of Israel is forgotten.”
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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