International
Guterres talks to Maduro and expresses his concern about post-electoral violence
The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, spoke this Friday by phone with the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, who expressed “his concern about post-electoral violence and accusations of human rights violations” in the Caribbean country.
The call was initiated by the Venezuelan president, Guterres’ spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, specified in his daily press conference.
In that call, Guterres insisted to Maduro that it is necessary to “resolve any political dispute peacefully through a genuine and inclusive dialogue.”
Maduro’s response to Guterres is not known
The spokesman did not explain what was the message that Maduro transmitted, but said that he “spoke very clearly and frankly about how he sees the situation,” before which Guterrres “took note.”
In previous pronouncements, Guterres has demanded that Venezuela communicate the detailed results of the electoral minutes of the July 28 elections, which has not happened, and has regretted the lack of transparency of the Venezuelan authorities.
However, he has also recently said that the economic sanctions imposed by the United States “do not help” to resolve the situation.
Despite those words, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized Guterres last week and said that the UN Secretary General “avoids condemning the application of unilateral coercive measures (and) sides with those who sanction illegally. It is an affront to the mandate that the States have given him, all to defend the aggressors of Venezuela,” Gil said.
Asked a few days ago about whether the electoral conflict will affect Venezuela’s recognition before the UN – since Maduro and Edmundo González are fighting for victory in the elections – Dujarric clarified that the representation of the States is the responsibility of the other member states and not the secretary general.
International
Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint
The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.
In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.
Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.
The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.
International
U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning
The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.
However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.
The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.
Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.
International
EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images
Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.
The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”
Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”
The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.
The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.
Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.
The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.
In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.
Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint
U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning
EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images
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