International
Guyana asks the ICJ to require Caracas to stop the elections and any action to annex its territory
Guyana asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue “urgently” precautionary measures to require Caracas “not to hold elections anywhere in Guyanese territory” and “to refrain from any action that intends to annex” the territory in dispute, including the incorporation of “Guyana Esequiba” as part of Venezuela.
The ICJ explained this Friday that Guyana argued its request in Venezuela’s announcement to hold elections on May 25 in the Esequibo region, a territory in dispute between the two, which, the Guyanese Government said, would violate “its sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.”
Guyana maintains that the adoption of precautionary measures is “urgent” because these actions by Venezuela would cause “irreparable damage”, in addition to violating the order of this UN tribunal of December 2023, which demanded that Caracas refrain from taking “unilateral actions” that would alter the current situation, where Guyana administers the region.
In this sense, he asked to require Venezuela to “not hold elections anywhere in the Guyanese territory defined by the 1899 Arbitration Award,” including: extending the right to vote to people residing in the disputed territory; distributing ballots, voting cards or other physical or electronic electoral materials in the area; or presenting, appointing or supporting Venezuelan candidates in elections in the territory.
It also asked him to prevent Caracas from establishing polling stations, counting centers or electoral venues in that territory; to create, elect or appoint governors, legislative councils or other government officials for the area in dispute; or to communicate with residents of the territory in relation to elections organized by Venezuela.
The second precautionary measure requested by Guyana requires Caracas to “restain from any action that intends to annex, de jure or de facto, the disputed territory, including the incorporation of ‘Guayana Esequiba’ as part of Venezuela.”
Finally, he wants the ICJ to order Venezuela to “refrain from changing the current situation in the disputed area, where Guyana administers and exercises control.”
Venezuela claims the Esequibo region, about 70% of Guyana’s territory, including offshore oil reserves, arguing that the arbitration award is null and void because it “fraudulently affected 159,500 square kilometers of the territory” of Esequiba Guayana, as the Venezuelan government calls it.
The Venezuelan government recognizes as the only legal instrument to resolve this controversy the Geneva Agreement, signed in 1966 with the United Kingdom (before Guyanese independence), and which establishes the basis for a negotiated solution, but the negotiations lasted for more than two decades without results.
In 2018, Guyana, a former British colony, filed a lawsuit against Caracas at the ICJ and in April 2023, the Court declared itself competent to rule on the case, which was in a coup to Caracas, which had tried to declare this case “inadmissible,” and stressed on numerous occasions that it does not consent to the jurisdiction of this Court over this controversy.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
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
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