In this press conference, González Urrutía and Machado, in addition to the parties that make up the PUD, signed a document in which they pledged to begin a process of “democratization” of the country in case the elections win.
International
Edmundo González Urrutia, convinced of his “triumph” in the presidential elections of Venezuela
The candidate for the Presidency of Venezuela’s main opposition coalition, Edmundo González Urrutia, said on Thursday, when the electoral campaign closes, that he is convinced of his “triumph” in Sunday’s elections, in which he will compete against President Nicolás Maduro and eight other candidates.
“We are convinced of our triumph (…) all the measures of opinion that we know give us a comfortable and broad victory, and not even that they make some triws until July 27 will be able to reach the gap, the gap that exists between our candidacy and the ruling party candidacy. It is not possible for them to take away that triumph from us,” González Urrutia said at a press conference.
He also expressed his confidence that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) – which will deploy thousands of soldiers for a security and custody operation in the voting centers – “will remain attached” to the Constitution, which defines it as an institution “without political militancy” that is “at the exclusive service of the nation and in no case that of any political person or bias.”
For her part, the anti-chavista leader María Corina Machado, who supports the candidacy of the former ambassador, assured that “the regime (of Nicolás Maduro) has never been as weak as it is today,” since “they lost their entire social base.”
“We are here with open arms and open hearts because, in this transition process, we are all necessary to push this country (for) forward, and because fear was lost, the threat of violence, the threat of persecution no longer works,” he said.
According to Machado, “everyone knows that the next president is Edmundo González,” in whose government,” he said, “there will be no persecution.”
In this sense, he expressed the willingness of this opposition sector to begin “immediately” a negotiation “once Edmundo González’s victory takes place, to advance in a transition process” that, in his opinion, will be “ordered,” but also “complex and delicate.”
“We are confident that the regime itself will understand, Nicolás Maduro himself, that it is in his own interest to facilitate an orderly transition process,” Machado added.
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International
Florida officials warn against raw milk after dozens sickened
Unprocessed milk from a farm in Florida has sickened at least 21 people, prompting state authorities to issue a public health alert, U.S. media reported Monday.
The 21 cases include six children under the age of 10, all diagnosed with infections caused by E. coli and Campylobacterbacteria linked to raw milk from the farm in the southeastern U.S. state. Local authorities have also warned about the dangers of drinking unpasteurized milk.
Seven people have been hospitalized, two of whom have suffered complications, according to multiple reports.
The Florida Department of Health has urged the public to avoid raw milk consumption and blamed the outbreak on the farm involved—without naming it directly—citing poor sanitary practices.
Florida law prohibits the sale of unprocessed milk for human consumption, although it can be sold if labeled for pets. Pasteurization, which involves heating milk to kill harmful bacteria, is required under U.S. federal regulations for any dairy products sold across states.
Despite these regulations, sales of raw milk have been increasing in recent years, fueled by online promotion from wellness influencers and advocates of unprocessed foods.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that raw milk can contain potentially deadly bacteria such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Listeria, or Salmonella, which can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion to severe complications like kidney failure.
International
Massive wildfire in Southern France kills one, injures nine
Hundreds of firefighters battled on Wednesday to contain a massive wildfire in southern France that has left one person dead and nine others injured.
The blaze, which broke out Tuesday in the Aude department, is the largest recorded in France during the current summer season. Authorities have deployed 1,800 firefighters in an effort to bring it under control.
An elderly woman died in her home in the town of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, while two others were injured—one in serious condition due to burns—according to the local prefecture. Seven firefighters suffered smoke inhalation injuries, and one person remains missing. The wildfire has already scorched an estimated 12,000 hectares of land.
“The fire is spreading very quickly due to unfavorable weather conditions. This is one of the driest areas of the department, and strong winds are fueling the flames,” said Lucie Roesch, secretary general of the Aude prefecture. Rémi Recio, subprefect for the city of Narbonne, added, “The fire is still spreading and is far from being contained or under control.”
The A9 motorway, which runs along the Mediterranean coast between France and Spain, has been closed in both directions between Narbonne and Perpignan, along with numerous secondary roads.
In Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, the smell of smoke lingers over the charred hectares. A helicopter was seen drawing water from the river below the village and dropping it several kilometers away, AFP reporters observed.
A campsite and at least one village were partially evacuated, with 25 houses and around 35 vehicles damaged, according to a preliminary assessment.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced he will visit the affected area on Wednesday.
International
Japan marks 80 years since Hiroshima bombing with call for nuclear disarmament
Japan observed a minute of silence on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a solemn reminder to the world of the horror it unleashed, amid heightened tensions between nuclear powers the United States and Russia.
At exactly 8:15 a.m. local time (23:15 GMT), the moment when the U.S. bomber Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, the city paused to remember.
The bombing claimed an estimated 140,000 lives, not only from the devastating blast and fireball but also from the deadly radiation that followed. Three days later, another bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed 74,000 more. Japan’s surrender on August 15 marked the end of World War II.
On a sweltering morning, hundreds of students, survivors, and officials dressed in black laid flowers at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, warned of “an accelerating trend toward military buildup worldwide,” citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that Japan has a mission “to take the lead toward a world without nuclear weapons.”
Today, Hiroshima is a thriving metropolis of 1.2 million people, yet the skeletal remains of one building still stand at its center as a powerful reminder of the tragedy.
Wednesday’s ceremony was attended by representatives from around 120 countries and regions, including delegates from Taiwan and Palestine for the first time.
Among the attendees was 96-year-old Yoshie Yokoyama, who arrived in a wheelchair accompanied by her grandson. She told reporters that her parents and grandparents were victims of the bombing.
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