International

Anti-chavismo denounces the arrest of two members of Machado’s security team

The Venezuelan opposition denounced this Sunday the arrest of two members of the security team of the anti-Chavista leader María Corina Machado, among them, her “protection leader”, Milciades Ávila, who had already been imprisoned on July 17 and released 36 hours later, with precautionary measures.

“Milciades Ávila and Edwin Moya, members of María Corina Machado’s security team, were kidnapped this weekend by members of the regime’s repressive forces,” said the Human Rights Committee of the Vente Venezuela (VV) party, a formation led by Machado, on the social network X.

The committee indicated that it does not know the whereabouts of Ávila and Moya, so it demanded to know where they are and their “immediate freedom.”

Alleged escape of María Corina Machado

“This new attack is part of the false file set up by the ruling party against all political dissidence and occurs just after recent statements by the regime’s own spokesmen about Machado’s alleged flight from the country,” he added.

He maintained that it is, “once again, a scenario of disinformation to further fence the leader and demoralize the country.”

Machado’s reaction

Meanwhile, Machado said, on the same social network, that he will not rest until he achieves the release of Ávila and Moya.

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“I reiterate to their children and partners that they must feel very proud of them and I assure them that we will not rest until we bring them back free,” said the former deputy.

He also said that “(Nicolás) Maduro is wrong if he believes that with this persecution of innocent Venezuelans” he will arrest her.

For her part, the president of the political party Primero Justicia (PJ), María Beatriz Martínez, said that these arrests do not change “the truth they intend to silence.”

“Two months ago we won the elections cleanly, the world knows it and with repression and persecution, (Nicolás) Maduro only manages to sink further,” he added in X, despite the fact that the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed the president as the winner of the presidential elections of July 28.

Juan Guanipa, 36 hours detained

Likewise, former deputy Juan Pablo Guanipa indicated, on the same social network, that Ávila and Moya are “two Venezuelans committed to their country who should not be under kidnapping for a second.”

On July 17, Ávila was arrested when he was in his home, according to Vente Venezuela at the time.

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Machado’s security chief released him after more than 36 hours of detention, with a “precautionary measure of presentation in court” every 30 days, according to the information of the former deputy.

On Saturday, Maduro assured that Machado is preparing to leave the Caribbean nation, because – he said – the anti-Chavistas “are cowards.”

“Today I tell you, the supposed queen bee ran out of bee and is preparing Gucci suitcases (…) she knows what I am saying and ‘La Sayona’ (in allusion to Machado) is preparing to leave, compadre, I am also saying it, they are cowards,” said the president at the demonstration called to celebrate his controversial re-election in the state of La Guaira (north).

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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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.