International

González Urrutia offers María Corina Machado the position “that she wants” in the eventual government

The presidential candidate of the majority opposition of Venezuela, Edmundo González Urrutia, offered the anti-chavista leader María Corina Machado the position she wants, in case of winning the elections, for which he appears as the contender to be defeated by the ruling party, according to most polls.

“I want to tell you that the position she wants will be occupied (by her) in the next government,” the standard-bearer of the Democratic United Platform (PUD), the largest opposition coalition, told journalists in the state of Zulia (west, border with Colombia).

The former ambassador thus responded to the question about the position that Machado would have in his eventual government, since the former deputy was elected as the original candidate of the PUD for these elections, but could not register with the National Electoral Council (CNE) due to a disqualification of the Comptroller’s Office.

González Urrutia made this brief statement minutes before leading a caravan in Maracaibo, capital of Zulia, where thousands of supporters filled several streets of the city to show their support for this candidacy, when there are two days of campaign left.

The candidate offered this press conference with Machado and, later, both led the caravan aboard a truck, from which they greeted the crowd that chanted slogans such as “this government is going to fall,” in reference to Chavismo, in power since 1999.

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CEL

In Sunday’s elections, González Urrutia will face the current ruler, Nicolás Maduro – who seeks his second re-election – and eight other contenders with no numerical possibility of triumph at the polls, according to opinion studies of traditional firms.

International

Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore

Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.

Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.

In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.

Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.

“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.

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CEL

He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.

International

Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking

Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.

Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.

The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.

“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.

International

Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing

Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.

“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.

He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.

A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.

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Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.