International
Vance pays a claim to Trump and affirms in his first speech that they are united to win
The Ohio senator J.D. Vance, elected by Donald Trump to be his vice president in case of returning to power, gave him a plea in his first speech, during the Republican National Convention, and thanked him for not taking the easy path because although “he did not need politics, politics needed him.”
“The man I have personally met in recent years is tough, but he cares about people. He can be defiant to a murderer in one moment, and urge national recovery in the next,” he said in Milwaukee, where he stressed that both “they love the country and are united to win.”
“I will never take for granted the trust you have placed in me. What an honor to help you capture the extraordinary vision you have for the country. I promise all Americans, whatever party it is, that I will give everything at their service,” he added.
Vance, 39 years old and whose intervention had been preceded by that of his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, said that this Wednesday night was “a night of hope, a celebration of what the United States once was.”
“And with the grace of God it will be again,” he said, recalling that it cannot be forgotten that this moment could have been very different, if Thomas Matthew Crooks had missed his shot on Saturday during a rally in Pennsylvania and the bullet would have killed Trump instead of touching his ear.
With a slow tone, he stressed that Trump represents the last hope of something that has been lost and may not be found again: “A country where a working-class boy, far from the corridors of power, can be in this scenario as the next vice president of the United States.”
“But this moment is not about me, but about all of us and who we are fighting for. This is an automotive sector worker in Michigan who wonders why politicians are destroying their jobs. This is the worker of a Wisconsin factory who does things with his hands and is proud of American craftsmanship.”
Vance alluded to his humble origins and gave part of the prominence to his mother, acclaimed by those present at the Fiserv stadium. “A single mother who had a hard time with money and addictions but never gave up: I am proud to say that my mother has been sober for ten years.”
The senator stressed that Trump created “the best economy in history for workers” and asked the public to imagine what he will achieve if he gets another four years in the White House in case of winning on November 5.
Trump commissioned him by announcing that it would be his “number two” to focus “strongly on the people he fought for so brilliantly, American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota,” all of them key states, and “much beyond.”
“We are going to build factories again, put people to make real products for American families, made by American workers. We will protect the salaries of Americans and stop China from raising its middle class at the expense of Americans,” he concluded.
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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