International

Millions of Venezuelans abroad will not be able to vote for government obstacles

Venezuela currently has a population of approximately 29.4 million people, of which 21.4 million can theoretically vote in the presidential elections on July 28, both inside and outside the country.

However, due to the various requirements imposed by the Government for electoral registration abroad, only 69,211 Venezuelans abroad are authorized to pay – less than in the previous Venezuelan elections, which were 110,000 -, which represents a small fraction of the approximately eight million Venezuelans who, according to UN data, have emigrated, a figure that the Executive of Nicolás Maduro reduces to two million.

And even if there were no obstacles, not all Venezuelans who are abroad could vote because a large part of them are minors and others, fundamentally those who emigrated many years ago, lack interest in these elections.

Of the eight million Venezuelans who live outside their country, about five million are of legal age and should be able to vote in the elections, but only 69,000 are authorized to do so, explains Estefanía Parra Anselmi, international coordinator of Voluntad Popular and member of the command that groups the opponents who reside in Spain, to EFE.

About three million Venezuelans currently live in Colombia, making it the country that has welcomed the most citizens of that nationality.

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This population arrived looking for better horizons due to the political, social and economic crisis in Venezuela.

According to the Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), there are 2.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia, which places this country as the regional epicenter of the Venezuelan exodus.

A good part of this population expects that the elections of July 28 will generate a change in their country, although many will not be able to vote due to difficulties in registering and the high cost of obtaining documents such as the valid passport, which allows you to vote abroad.

Spain is the European country that welcomes the most Venezuelan migrants, including many opposition leaders who left Venezuela in recent years.

Among them are Dinorah Figuera, Antonio Ledezma, Diego Arria and Leopoldo López, who are part of the Spanish campaign command of María Corina Machado.

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These opponents have worked in favor of the candidacy of Edmundo González Urrutia and hope to defeat Maduro at the polls.

However, they fear that Maduro will not accept the results or manipulate them, since they consider his regime as one that resorts to cheating and fraud.

Therefore, they have asked European governments to take measures to prevent fraud.

Parliamentarians from European and Latin American countries will travel to Venezuela to be present in the presidential elections, and the opposition abroad has called for several demonstrations in support of their candidate.

Venezuelans in Brazil will face difficulties voting, since they could only register at the Embassy in Brasilia and the Consulate General of São Paulo, the only places where they will be able to vote on July 28.

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Of the seven consulates that Venezuela had in Brazil, five were closed between 2019 and 2022 during the Government of Jair Bolsonaro, and did not reopen after the normalization of relations.

About 125,000 Venezuelans covered by Operation Reception live in Brazil, and it is estimated that in the last six years another 400,000 have entered, although many have continued to other countries. There are no clear figures on how many Venezuelans remain in Brazil in a position to vote.

About 1.5 million Venezuelans live in Peru, of which about 900,000 are of voting age.

Despite this, according to figures from the National Electoral Council (CNE) only 589 are authorized to vote.

Most have not been able to register due to the obstacles imposed by the authorities, which require permanent residence, a valid passport and identity card.

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On July 28, the Venezuelan Consulate in Buenos Aires will open its doors to vote on a day that will include a migrant fair and the reception of Argentine leaders who collaborated in the search for freedom in Venezuela.

Elisa Trotta, a human rights activist, explains that the accompaniment seeks to support Venezuelan voters in Argentina.

In Argentina, 2,638 Venezuelans will vote, a small figure compared to the nearly 250,000 Venezuelan residents in the country.

Trotta affirms that this vote has a special symbolism and that the authorized will do so to express their desire for political change.

In Italy it is difficult to establish the number of resident Venezuelans because the majority have dual nationality.

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According to the Venezuelan Embassy in Italy, there are 13,548 Venezuelans in the country, but the figures of the opposition command of María Corina Machado estimate between 300,000 and 350,000 Italian-Venezuelans.

The requirements imposed by the consulates have made it difficult for many to vote.

María Claudia López, president of the Italian-Venezuelan association and the opposition campaign, denounces that the consulates have asked for requirements that are impossible to meet, preventing many from voting.

International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

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While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.