International

Trump and Harris fight the final battle for decisive states, two days before the elections

The Republican candidate for the presidency, former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, continued to fight a marathon battle for a handful of decisive ‘hinge’ states, two days before the presidential elections, with polls that present a very tight scenario.

Trump focused on sowing doubts about the voting system in some key states, something that could lead, as in 2020, to a new questioning of the results, while Harris said that in the coming days “they will put us to the test.”

This close pulse means that both political rivals have turned these final days in the seven ‘bisagra’ states: Pennsylvania, the one with the most electoral votes (19); North Carolina (16), Georgia (16), Michigan (15), Arizona (11), Wisconsin (10) and Nevada (6).

Trump: he shouldn’t have left the White House

Trump’s marathon of rallies began in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, territory of the religious, pacifist and traditionalist group of the Amish, to ask for the vote in a community that does not usually participate in elections, but that the Republican hopes will go to the polls and thus obtain the necessary margin to win this key state.

At his rally in Lititz, Trump also reiterated his doubts, so far unfounded, that the electoral process is not being fraudulent, and assured that there will be problems about the legitimacy of the electoral results if the ballot is not known on Tuesday night.

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The Republican candidate said he should not “have left” the White House after losing the 2020 elections, a defeat that he never recognized.

He also criticized the media and their “fake news,” as well as the voting system in the United States, complaining that in some parts of the country you do not have to show an identification document before voting and the time it takes to count the votes.

“The world laughs at our electoral system,” the tycoon noted in his campaign act in the most crucial state of these presidential elections next Tuesday.

Harris: the next few days they will put us to the test

For his part, Harris traveled to Michigan, where he warned that in two days the fate of the nation will be decided, and expressed his conviction that the country is ready to “turn the page” and “write the next chapter of our history.”

In an African-American church in Detroit, Harris, who already voted by mail, said that “the road ahead will not be easy” in the coming days and that “we will be put to the test,” but that the nation “is ready to bend the arc of history towards justice.”

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For his part, former President Barack Obama stopped in Milwakee (Wisconsin) to ask the Latin, black, Jewish and Arab minorities to vote, and questioned them: “Why think that the answer is to vote for a person who has a long history of despising and ignoring their communities?”, in reference to Trump.

The average of surveys collected by FiveThirtyEight show technical ties and within the margin of error between Trump and Harris, so the victory could be determined by very narrow margins or require counts.

The former president had this Sunday, according to that electoral portal, an advantage within the margins of error in North Carolina (1%) and Georgia (1%), while Harris has a slight advantage in Michigan (1%) and Wisconsin (1%). In Pennsylvania and Nevada, they are tied. In Arizona, Trump’s advantage today is 2.5%.

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.