International
Venezuelan opposition asks for the “alarming situation” in Argentine residence in Caracas to be resolved
Venezuela’s largest opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), asked the international community on Friday to “join efforts” to achieve a “prompt solution” for the five anti-Chavistas taken in the residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas, who have been denouncing the “police siege” since November 2024.
Through a statement, the ConVzla Command – the PUD’s organization team – reiterated its call for safe-conducts to be granted “as soon as possible” and for refugees to be able to leave Venezuela.
The asylum seers in the Argentine Embassy are Magalli Meda, Claudia Macero, Omar González, Pedro Urruchurtu and Humberto Villalobos, all collaborators of the opposition leader María Corina Machado and accused by the Prosecutor’s Office of the alleged crimes of conspiracy and treason.
Until last December 19, former minister Fernando Martínez Mottola, who was an advisor to the PUD, also remained in asylum, and, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, presented himself “voluntarily” at the main headquarters of the institution in Caracas, to testify about “serious violent, conspiratorial and destabilizing facts organized” from the residence “after the celebration of the presidential elections” in July.
The coalition denounced that “every day the conditions” of the asylum seekers are aggravated, who – according to the bloc – have remained for 83 days without electricity service, after the state electricity company – details the communication – took the fuses from the residence.
“These five people today depend on an electric generator enabled for emergency cases, and whose use they ration to be able to guarantee the minimum necessary connectivity, in view of the repeated refusal to restore the electricity service,” said the PUD.
Added to this, the anti-Thavista alliance continued, “restrictions on access to essential services and products”, among which he mentioned “water, medicines and food”.
The entry of these products,” he added, “depends on the arbitrary orders of the regime’s repressive bodies, whose troops have also been besieged in the diplomatic compound since November 23.”
The PUD indicated that, in the last two weeks, the entry of tanker trucks that supply drinking water to the residence, which no longer “has water” has been “continuously” refused.
On the other hand, the bloc denounced a “permanent immordation” to “any person” who brings “any product or food to the embassy.”
“Not satisfied with not authorizing entry, they detain them for up to two hours and then return them, not without first threatening them. This makes it very difficult to provide and feasible the supply of inputs, given the risk it implies for those who dare to approach,” he said.
Faced with this situation, the alliance said that they have sent private communications to “several members of the accredited diplomatic corps” in Venezuela, but – he admitted – “there has been no success.”
“Today, we reiterate the invitation to these diplomats to check the state in which the asylum seekers are, denying the versions of the regime with which they intend to minimize the situation that, under their own orders, they have created,” insisted the PUD.
Brazil assumed the protection of the Argentine Embassy in August 2024, after the Administration of Nicolás Maduro expelled the diplomatic corps from that country, but a month later Venezuela revoked this authorization.
However, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry reported that it will remain with the “custody and defense of the interests” of Argentina until the southern country “designates another acceptable state” for the Maduro Administration, in order to carry out those functions.
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
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
-
International3 days agoColombia sees deadliest surge in violence since FARC peace deal
-
International4 days agoNine dead after driver runs over crowd at Vancouver Street Festival
-
Central America3 days agoGuatemala sees road blockades amid protests against lawmaker pay hikes
-
International4 days agoKing Charles III expresses deep sadness after Vancouver festival tragedy that left nine dead
-
International3 days agoSpain’s PM calls for calm and patience amid ongoing blackout
-
International3 days agoConclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
-
International3 days agoMexican activist who exposed pornography ring found dead in Veracruz
-
International3 days agoMadrid carries out 286 elevator rescues amid massive blackout
-
International1 day agoVatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
-
International1 day agoKristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
-
Internacionales2 hours agoClashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
-
International2 hours agoMan arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka