International

Delcy Rodríguez, key figure in U.S.-Venezuela transition, remains under EU sanctions

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked with overseeing the new bilateral relationship and is positioned to lead the transition, is among 69 individuals sanctioned by the European Union for actions undermining democracy and the rule of law, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and political opposition in the country.

The EU first imposed sanctions in November 2017, with Rodríguez added to the list in June 2018. These measures include asset freezes, bans on receiving funds, and a prohibition on entering the European Union. On December 15, 2025, EU foreign ministers decided to extend these sanctions until January 10, 2027, citing “persistent actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law, as well as human rights violations and repression of civil society and democratic opposition.”

Other officials on the sanctions list include Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, former National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena, former National Guard Commander Antonio Benavides, Attorney General Tarek William Saab, and former Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno, the latter of whom was removed from the list following a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

On July 14, 2021, the CJEU rejected Rodríguez’s appeal, confirming her responsibility in Venezuela’s institutional erosion. Appeals from other senior officials were also dismissed, though the court accepted Moreno’s appeal, citing insufficient grounds from the European Council to sanction him.

Rodríguez was also involved in a diplomatic controversy in January 2020, when she made a stopover at Madrid Airportand met with then-Spanish Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos in the transit area, despite being barred from entering Europe. The encounter sparked debate in Spain and reached the European Parliament, which questioned whether the Spanish government had violated the sanctions regime. The European Commission clarified it has no authority to sanction member states, and Madrid prosecutors closed the case, ruling that Rodríguez had not attempted to enter Spanish territory.

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In 2025, the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee kept a request open to review whether Spain had breached the sanctions framework. However, Brussels reiterated that enforcement is solely the responsibility of EU member states.

International

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration is considering what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as Washington continues to increase pressure on the island’s communist government.

“The Cuban government is talking to us and they have very serious problems, as you know. They have no money, they have nothing at this moment, but they are talking to us and maybe we will see a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba needed a “radical change,” shortly after Washington eased restrictions on oil exports to the island for what officials described as “humanitarian reasons,” amid a deep economic crisis.

The United States has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba since January, citing what it calls an “extraordinary threat” posed by the communist-run island, located roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Florida, to U.S. national security.

International

Argentina’s Senate Reviews Milei-Backed Labor Overhaul

Argentina’s Senate on Friday began reviewing the Labor Modernization Law promoted by the administration of President Javier Milei, a proposal that would significantly reshape labor rules across the country.

The upper chamber opened its final discussion of the contentious initiative, which revises the method used to calculate severance payments — lowering the amounts owed in dismissal cases — and introduces an “hour bank” mechanism that allows overtime to be offset with paid leave rather than extra wages.

The legislation also broadens the classification of essential services, a change that would place new limits on the right to strike in designated sectors.

The bill was initially approved by the Senate on February 11 and then moved to the Chamber of Deputies, where lawmakers passed it with amendments. It has now returned to the Senate for definitive approval.

Outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires, workers, trade unions and left-wing organizations staged demonstrations beginning at midday. The gathering later thinned out amid reports of disturbances and a strong police presence. Security forces had secured the area surrounding the legislature since early morning hours.

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Union leaders contend that the reform weakens labor protections, while many business representatives back the measure but stress that sustainable formal employment will require economic expansion, improved credit conditions, greater investment and a more dynamic domestic market.

International

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Policy Allowing Deportations to Third Countries

A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the policy of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration allowing immigration authorities to deport foreign nationals to third countries without prior notice or the opportunity to object is unlawful. The decision marks another legal setback for the administration on immigration matters.

Judge Brian Murphy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts struck down the regulation issued last year, which stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was not required to notify migrants if they were to be sent to countries other than the one listed in their removal order, provided that receiving nations offered assurances they would not face persecution or torture.

Murphy ordered the measure vacated but granted a 15-day delay before the ruling takes effect, giving the Trump administration time to file an appeal.

In his decision, the judge concluded that the policy violates federal immigration law and migrants’ due process rights. He also questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the alleged assurances provided by receiving countries, stating that “no one really knows anything about these supposed ‘assurances.’” He added, “It is not right, and it is not lawful.”

The ruling follows several legal disputes involving deportations to third countries. Last year, the executive branch deported more than 200 Salvadorans to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, invoking an old wartime law. The White House also held talks with Costa Rica, Panama, and Rwanda about receiving migrants who are not citizens of those countries.

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In May, the same judge determined that the government violated a court order when it attempted to remove a group of immigrants with criminal records to South Sudan without prior notice or an opportunity to raise claims of fear of persecution.

Although President Donald Trump took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which temporarily allowed the deportations to resume while a final decision was pending, the White House is expected to again appeal to higher courts to overturn this latest judicial ruling.