International
The debate is growing about whether student protests in the US are anti-Semitic or anti-war
Protests over the war in Gaza in dozens of universities in the United States continue this Tuesday to show their rejection of US policy towards Israel, while the rhetorical controversy grows over whether such demonstrations promote anti-Semitism or are simply anti-war and include Jewish students.
The president of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, called on Tuesday “anti-American” that the current US president, Joe Biden, “is incapable or does not want to” condemn what is happening in some American universities and pointed to a lack of leadership at a “critical moment.”
“It’s not about freedom of expression,” the Republican added at a press conference about the pro-Palestinian protests, and opined that the country “desperately” needs a clear moral authority in the face of what it considers an increase in anti-Semitism.
Conservative Senator Tom Cotton has gone so far as to call the protesters “pro-terrorist tword” and has asked for more tough hand against the students from the police.
The governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbot, considered last week that students participating in the pro-Palestinian peaceful protests in that southern state should go to jail for promoting hatred and anti-Semitism.
The White House has also stressed on several occasions that President Biden supports the right to “peaceful protest,” but that he is against “any violent rhetoric, threats of hatred (…) and anti-Semitism,” something that some students have denounced, but it is not being widespread and from the beginning it has allowed the participation of Jewish students opposed to the war.
Apart from criticizing US support for Israel during the Gaza War, another common denominator among these demonstrations is the demand of students to their educational centers to cease their investments in the Israeli private sector and promote greater transparency about those relations and their possible involvement with the military industry.
Progressive Jewish senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders rejected the parallel drawn by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, between the protests of these days and those that occurred during Nazi Germany against the Jews.
“Anti-Semitism is a vile and despicable form of intolerance, but please do not insult the intelligence of Americans, trying to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of their extremist and racist government,” Sanders said in an interview.
“The vast majority of people who protest (…) are tired and disgusted by this war,” said the senator.
Omer Bartov, a Jewish professor and expert on the Holocaust and Genocide at Brown University, has warned that the accusations of anti-Semitism against university protests in the United States, in which he has participated by leading assemblies and debates at the University of Pennsylvania, are dangerous because they are used as a weapon.
“There is politics and there are prejudices. And if we do not make a distinction between the two, then what we are really doing is imposing a silence on the policies of the Israeli government that have now culminated in the total destruction of Gaza,” Bartov said in a radio interview on Tuesday.
The College Democrats of America, the student organization of the Democratic Party, supported in a statement the protests on U.S. campuses for “seeing this war as what it is: destructive, genocidal and unjust,” while condemning police actions to evict the camps.
International
Marco Rubio warns Cuba could be Trump administration’s next target
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not rule out that Cuba’s communist government could become the next target of the Trump administration, just one day after the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
In an interview on Meet the Press, Rubio issued a warning to Havana, stating that Cuban authorities are “in a lot of trouble.”
“Is the Cuban government the next target of the Trump administration?” journalist Kristen Welker asked.
“Well, the Cuban government is a major problem. Yes,” Rubio replied.
“So that’s a yes?” Welker pressed.
“I think they’re in a lot of trouble, yes,” the Secretary of State added.
In a separate appearance, Rubio—who is the son of Cuban immigrants—claimed that Venezuela’s intelligence services were “full of Cubans” and said the island nation had effectively taken control of Venezuela.
“In some cases, one of the biggest challenges Venezuelans face is having to declare their independence from Cuba,” Rubio said from President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. “They basically tried to colonize the country from a security standpoint. So yes, if I were living in Havana and part of the government, I would at least be worried.”
During a press conference on Saturday, President Trump himself said the United States seeks to be surrounded by “good neighbors.”
“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people of Cuba, but we also want to help those who are forced to leave and live in this country,” Trump said. He also described the island as a “nation in decline” that is “not doing very well right now.”
The Cuban government has not yet responded to Rubio’s remarks. However, as a staunch ally of Maduro’s regime, Cuban authorities strongly condemned recent explosions and U.S. operations in Caracas.
“All nations in the region must remain alert, as the threat looms over everyone. In Cuba, our determination to fight is firm and unbreakable. The decision is one and only one: Homeland or Death,” Cuban officials said in a statement.
International
Trump signals possible expansion of U.S. regional policy beyond Venezuela
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Cuba could become a subject of discussion as part of a broader regional policy, highlighting the possibility that Washington may expand its focus beyond Venezuela amid rising tensions in Latin America.
The remarks suggest that the White House is considering a recalibration of its strategy toward the region, in a context shaped by recent actions and warnings related to political stability and hemispheric security.
International
World leaders react to U.S. attacks on Venezuela, sparking global divide
The following are international reactions to the U.S. attacks carried out on Saturday against Venezuela:
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
China said it was “deeply shocked” and strongly condemned the use of force by the United States against a sovereign country, as well as the use of force against the president of that nation.
“China firmly opposes this hegemonic behavior by the United States, which seriously violates international law, infringes upon Venezuela’s sovereignty, and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the ministry said. It urged Washington to comply with international law and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and to cease actions that violate the sovereignty and security of other countries.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot
Barrot stated that the military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro violates the principle of non-use of force, which underpins international law. He stressed that no lasting political solution can be imposed from outside and that only sovereign peoples can decide their own future.
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Russia said the United States had committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela, describing the move as deeply troubling and condemnable.
“The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded,” the ministry said, adding that ideological animosity had prevailed over pragmatism and the willingness to build relations based on trust and predictability.
Moscow emphasized the need to prevent further escalation and to focus on resolving the crisis through dialogue. It reiterated that Latin America should remain a zone of peace, as declared in 2014, and that Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without external — especially military — interference.
Russia also said it supports calls by Venezuelan authorities and Latin American leaders for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
United Nations
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said Secretary-General António Guterres continues to stress the importance of full respect for international law, including the UN Charter. He added that the secretary-general is deeply concerned that international legal norms were not respected.
Government of Argentina and President Javier Milei
Argentine President Javier Milei, a close regional ally of Donald Trump, posted on X: “FREEDOM MOVES FORWARD. LONG LIVE FREEDOM, DAMN IT,” alongside a video showing him at a summit describing Maduro as a threat to the region and supporting the pressure exerted by Trump on Caracas.
In a statement, the Argentine government praised “the decision and determination shown by the President of the United States and his administration in the recent actions taken in Venezuela that led to the capture of the dictator Nicolás Maduro, leader of the Cartel of the Suns.”
Argentina said it hopes these developments represent a decisive step forward in the fight against narcoterrorism in the region.
Mexican Foreign Ministry
Mexico strongly condemned and rejected the unilateral military actions carried out in recent hours by U.S. armed forces against targets in Venezuelan territory, calling them a clear violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.
The Mexican government reiterated that dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective means to resolve disputes and reaffirmed its willingness to support any effort aimed at facilitating dialogue, mediation, or accompaniment to preserve regional peace and prevent confrontation.
Marco Rubio warns Cuba could be Trump administration’s next target
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