International
Venezuelan opposition in Argentine embassy urges Brazil to expedite safe passage
Venezuelan opposition figures who are seeking asylum at the Argentine embassy in Caracas and have denounced harassment by Venezuelan security forces urged Brazil, which is guarding the embassy, to accelerate efforts to secure safe passage for them to leave the country.
Having spent nine months in asylum at the diplomatic mission and with less than a month before the planned presidential inauguration in Venezuela on January 10, Pedro Urruchurtu, who was the coordinator of International Relations for opposition leader María Corina Machado during the campaign, called on Brazil to “urgently intensify efforts and coordination with the region, understanding that this situation could clearly worsen.”
Brazil agreed to guard the Argentine embassy in August, after the Venezuelan government expelled Argentine diplomatic personnel following President Javier Milei’s statements that he would not recognize another “fraud” in Venezuela after the controversial July 28 elections.
The Venezuelan electoral body declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of the elections without presenting electoral records, while the opposition claims that their candidate, Edmundo González, who is in asylum in Spain, won with a significant lead based on more than 80% of the voting records they say they collected that day.
In a press conference via teleconference, Urruchurtu mentioned that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva “is a democrat, who has expressed his concern about the situation in Venezuela,” and while the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the importance of maintaining state-to-state relations, “this situation is an emergency.”
Since late March, Urruchurtu, Magally Meda, Omar González, Claudia Macero, Humberto Villalobos, and Fernando Martínez Mottola, political leaders or campaign collaborators of Machado, entered the Argentine embassy in Caracas after the Venezuelan prosecutor’s office issued a detention order against them for alleged violent acts intended to destabilize Maduro’s government.
The opposition leader stated that it was not only the long duration of their stay at the embassy, but also that “we are experiencing an unprecedented siege in the last decade of the opposition’s struggle in Venezuela.”
“We will have been without electricity for three weeks, and we cannot go out to get water, medicine, or light,” said Meda, who added that the situation “has been very exhausting, especially in the early mornings when they show up with hoods on,” which she described as “psychological harassment.”
For his part, Omar González referred to the constant presence of armed men, whom he claimed they have seen aiming assault rifles with telescopic sights and laser pointers, hidden in the vegetation of nearby residences. They determined the type of weaponry through photographs, he said.
“We are six completely unarmed civilians,” Urruchurtu said.
International
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
A truck loaded with explosives exploded on Saturday near a police station in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, close to the Venezuelan border, leaving 14 people injured in an attack that occurred six days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration.
The blast took place in the early hours of the morning and was allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN), who detonated a vehicle packed with explosives. According to the latest report from the Colombian Army, the attack injured 11 police officers and three civilians.
The explosion involved around 15 explosive devices, and two of the wounded officers are in critical condition and “fighting for their lives,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, the region where the attack occurred.
The incident comes amid Colombia’s worst wave of violence in the past decade, with armed groups expanding their presence in several areas of the country.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out in Cúcuta against our National Police. Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security,” De la Espriella said in a post on X.
The conservative lawyer, who has been described as a far-right figure, will take office on August 7, replacing Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The inauguration ceremony will be held in Cali, the country’s third-largest city and a frequent target of attacks by armed groups.
The United Nations condemned what it described as an “indiscriminate attack” that caused not only injuries but also “fear and distress among the population.”
De la Espriella has repeatedly warned about an alleged plot against his life. Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro, who is currently visiting Cuba, has not commented on the attack. During his visit, Petro met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss what Havana describes as the United States’ “policy of suffocation” toward the island.
International
EU Faces Migration Crisis After 60,000 Migrants Arrive in Spain’s Ceuta Enclave
The arrival of around 60,000 migrants from Morocco to Spain’s Ceuta enclave triggered a major European Union crisis on Friday, after Madrid described the situation as an “attack” on its territorial integrity.
At least 34 people died while attempting to reach the Spanish territory, according to local authorities.
Hundreds of migrants had begun arriving in Ceuta earlier in the week, either by swimming across the border or climbing security fences. Most of those who entered were young men and teenagers.
However, the situation escalated dramatically early Thursday morning, when the number of arrivals surged within a few hours, reaching nearly 60,000 people. According to the Spanish government, the vast majority of them — around 48,000 migrants — had returned to Morocco by Friday evening.
The episode represents one of the most serious migration crises faced by the autonomous city of Ceuta, which has a population of around 84,000 residents, in recent years.
Several European countries responded strongly to the crisis, with Italy announcing the temporary suspension of the Schengen free movement agreement with Spain, a measure supported by Finland and Denmark.
“The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary decision to protect the security of our citizens and defend Europe’s borders,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X.
Italy’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the country had tightened controls on maritime and air entry points from Spain, but clarified that the measure would not affect Spanish or European citizens traveling to Italy.
The additional checks will specifically target non-European citizens arriving from Spain, according to the ministry.
The measure will remain in effect for one month starting Saturday, authorities said.
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares responded to the Italian announcement through a statement on X, as European governments continued discussions over the consequences of the migration crisis.
International
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday announced legislation to establish a federal anti-corruption office aimed at strengthening oversight of the executive branch and preventing future presidents from using the White House for personal financial gain.
Schumer said the proposal was prompted by what he described as President Donald Trump’s misuse of the presidencyto benefit his family’s business interests.
“In just 18 months, the Trump family has made more than $4 billion by exploiting the influence of the presidency,” Schumer alleged.
The New York senator also argued that the alleged corruption has had direct economic consequences for American households.
“The same corrupt practices Trump is using to pocket billions of dollars are also forcing Americans to pay, on average, $3,100 more each year because of the rising cost of living,” he said.
The legislation was introduced alongside Democratic Senators Alex Padilla, Jeff Merkley, and Andy Kim.
According to Schumer, the bill has two primary objectives: “First, to return money to the American people. Second, to ensure that no one can ever steal from them again.”
He added that the proposal would create legal mechanisms allowing citizens to seek the recovery of funds allegedly obtained through government corruption.
“The fact that Trump stole money from the American people does not make it his. Americans deserve to get that money back,” Schumer said.
Under the proposed legislation, any U.S. citizen—as well as state attorneys general acting on behalf of their residents—would be authorized to file civil lawsuits to recover funds allegedly acquired through corrupt practices by public officials.
“Our bill would empower any individual, including a state attorney general acting on behalf of the people of that state, to bring legal action to recover money stolen from the public through government corruption,” Schumer said.
The measure is expected to face debate in Congress, where Republicans and Democrats remain deeply divided over executive accountability and the scope of presidential powers.
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
EU Faces Migration Crisis After 60,000 Migrants Arrive in Spain’s Ceuta Enclave
Chuck Schumer Unveils Proposal to Strengthen Oversight of the U.S. Presidency
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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