International
The German far-right approves an electoral program with promises of “remigration” and exit from the euro
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party approved this Sunday an electoral program that includes promises of border closure and “remigration”, as well as exit from the euro and reintroduction of compulsory military service, at a time when the polls give it its best results in a year and place it as the second force in the elections of February 23.
After long debates, the program was unanimously approved on the second day of the federal congress held this weekend in Riesa (east Germany), where on Saturday the AfD co-leader, Alice Weidel, was officially nominated as a candidate for the chancellor’s office.
“We are getting stronger,” Weidel exclaimed at the end of the congress, before the German national anthem sounded.
Unlike the initial draft, the program approved today includes the controversial term “remigration”, coined by right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis to denote the massive expulsion of migrants and people with foreign roots, after Weidel – who until now had avoided it – used it publicly yesterday.
AfD officially maintains that with “remigration” it alludes only to the expulsion by legal means of migrants in an irregular situation, but in its circles the use of the term in the first sense is frequent, together with racist iconography.
The programme promises, among other things, the closure of borders to migrants and asylum seekers, a large-scale “deportation offensive” of people in an irregular situation, the withdrawal from the European asylum system and the acquisition of German nationality only for children of German parents and extraordinary cases.
In addition, it contains the ban on the construction of minarets in Germany and the use of the Islamic veil in public buildings.
The AfD also maintains its project to abandon the euro, although it does not explicitly demand the exit from the EU, but proposes to transform it or replace it with an “alliance of European nations” with a common market and that in the long term represents an alternative to NATO for the defense of the continent.
The program also promises to lift sanctions on Russia and re-import gas from that country, while delegates rejected a motion to include a condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A motion to include the reintroduction of compulsory military service was also approved at the last minute, against the wishes of co-leader Tino Chrupalla, who strives to profile the AfD as a “peace party.”
Despite the fact that candidate Weidel has another woman as a partner, with whom she is a mother of two children, the delegates voted in favor of including in the program that the family composed of “father, mother and children” is the basic cell of society.
They also spoke out against the mandatory measles vaccination for school-age children in force in Germany.
Finally, the congress approved the foundation of a new youth organization integrated within the party, after tensions grew with the Alternative Youth (JA), which was classified as extremist by the German authorities in 2023.
Between 21 and 22%
According to the most recent polls, AfD enjoys its highest popularity in a year, with an increase of two points in the last month to 21-22% in voting intention.
The formation, which is receiving the explicit support of tycoon Elon Musk, an ally of US president-elect Donald Trump, would thus be the second force behind the Christian Democratic bloc of Friedrich Merz, which is at 30%.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s social democrats and his green government partners are currently competing for third place with values between 13 and 16%, while the Liberals and the populist left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) Alliance could stay below the 5% threshold for parliamentary representation.
International
Salvadoran National Arrested in New Jersey with Over 70 Machine Gun Conversion Devices
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of 21-year-old Salvadoran national Erick Márquez Cruz after authorities allegedly discovered more than 70 machine gun conversion devices and other firearm-related components during a search of his residence in North Bergen, New Jersey.
According to the Justice Department, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on June 25 at Cruz’s home, where they recovered a 3D printer that was allegedly being used to manufacture firearm components. Investigators also seized 17 3D-printed firearm frames, magazines, and more than 70 machine gun conversion devices (MCDs).
Federal authorities explained that the conversion devices, which are classified as machine guns under U.S. law, are designed to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
Cruz has been charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross financial gain resulting from the offense, whichever is greater.
International
Venezuela Earthquakes Spark Diplomatic Thaw With Former Critics
The devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela have triggered an unprecedented diplomatic thaw between Caracas and several governments that had maintained strained relations with the country, raising hopes that the humanitarian response could pave the way for broader international engagement under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The United States, Chile, Argentina, El Salvador and Israel were among the first countries to announce humanitarian assistance, deploy search-and-rescue teams or establish direct contact with acting President Delcy Rodríguez to coordinate relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
Canada also joined the international response by announcing humanitarian aid while opening a domestic debate over the importance of maintaining diplomatic representation in countries such as Venezuela to better respond to emergencies and assist its citizens abroad.
The wave of international cooperation marks a sharp contrast to the diplomatic tensions that followed Venezuela’s disputed presidential election on July 28, 2024, in which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner.
In the aftermath of that vote, the governments of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay publicly questioned the official election results, triggering one of the region’s most significant diplomatic crises in recent years.
The Venezuelan government responded by withdrawing its diplomatic personnel from several of those countries and demanding the departure of their representatives, further deepening the country’s international isolation.
The humanitarian emergency created by the twin earthquakes has now prompted renewed communication between Caracas and governments that had previously suspended or significantly reduced diplomatic engagement, underscoring how major natural disasters can temporarily reshape international relations despite longstanding political disagreements.
International
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 1,700 as Search for Survivors Continues
Venezuelan authorities have raised the death toll from last week’s twin earthquakes to more than 1,700, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors in the country’s hardest-hit coastal region.
According to the latest official report released on Sunday, the powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have claimed at least 1,719 lives. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez also reported that 5,034 people were injured, while 15,866 have been displaced and another 22,619 are receiving medical care.
The United Nations has expressed growing concern over the scale of the disaster, estimating that as many as 68,000 people could still be missing.
La Guaira bears the brunt of the disaster
The coastal state of La Guaira has suffered the greatest loss of life and the most extensive damage. The Venezuelan government has declared the area a disaster zone and placed it under military control as emergency operations continue.
Five days after the earthquakes struck, search-and-rescue teams remain on the ground, supported by additional heavy equipment and international rescue crews. However, hopes of finding more survivors beneath the rubble continue to diminish with each passing day.
One of the most dramatic rescue operations unfolded Monday in Catia La Mar, where emergency teams from El Salvador, Mexico, and Venezuela worked together to reach a 21-year-old man who has remained trapped inside a collapsed building since the earthquakes struck.
The twin earthquakes hit Venezuela on June 24, with the epicenter located between San Felipe and Yumare in the country’s northern region. The first quake, measuring magnitude 7.2, struck at 6:04 p.m. local time. Just 39 seconds later, a second and stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred farther to the southeast. Combined, the seismic activity lasted nearly three minutes, causing widespread devastation across several regions of the country.
Salvadoran National Arrested in New Jersey with Over 70 Machine Gun Conversion Devices
Venezuela Earthquakes Spark Diplomatic Thaw With Former Critics
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 1,700 as Search for Survivors Continues
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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International18 hours agoSalvadoran National Arrested in New Jersey with Over 70 Machine Gun Conversion Devices
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