French President Emmanuel Macron accused Elon Musk on Monday of “supporting a new reactionary international” and interfering in the elections of other countries, such as Germany.
“Ten years ago, if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new reactionary international and intervene directly in elections, including Germany, who would have imagined it?” he asked during a speech before the annual conference of French ambassadors.
Macron warned of the “uncertainty” that lives a world increasingly in “disorder”, marked by the return of imperial impulses, the questioning of information and knowledge and the “very violent” questioning of humanism.
He warned that there is “an international of reactionaries” that represents “great private financial interests”, which takes advantage of the fact that “our liberal democracies have not been sufficiently effective” in protecting the middle class.
“We must achieve an agenda for the defense of democracy”
“We must achieve an agenda for the defense of democracy,” with counter-powers, and he also warned that large technology companies, while offering new possibilities, are also making States feel threatened by their growing power.
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
Faced with this situation, he reached out to the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, assuring that the future tenant of the White House “kinds that he has a solid ally” in France.
He added that Trump, who will take office in two weeks, has “a lucid ambition about the transatlantic relationship” between the US and Europe, and recalled that France “knew how to work” with Trump during his first term in 2016-2020.
Macron also acknowledged that “if you are weak and defeatist, there is little chance of being respected by President Trump’s United States.”
The French head of state extended his criticism of Russia and Iran. Regarding Russia, he said that it “has changed” in the way it exerts its “aggressiveness towards Europeans,” and recalled its political and electoral interference last year in Romania, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia.
Macron on Ukraine: “There is no quick and easy solution”
He also accused Moscow of “de facto globalizing” the war in Ukraine, which in his opinion is one of the great strategic challenges for Europe.
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
Macron acknowledged that “there is no quick and easy solution to that conflict,” but also recalled that there will be no solution without the Ukrainians, something that Europe would not accept either.
And about Iran, he said that his ballistic program “threatens European territory” and that he has been involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as in the conflicts in the Middle East.
“The Iranian issue is one of the main ones that we will deal with with the new US Administration,” he summarized.
Macron also warned about the “very important” risk of “regression” in the international fight against climate change, for which he said he is responsible for the recent disasters in Spain and in the French department of Mayotte.
“There is no justification for the continuation of Israel’s military operations”
On Gaza, he said that “there is no justification for the continuation of Israel’s military operations” in that territory and said that this year must mark the progress for the materialization of Palestinian aspirations.
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
The French president also focused on international trade, which in his opinion must be “rethought”, because Europeans “have been too naive”, and gave as an example the dispute with China over electric cars.
“If there is no loyalty in trade, it is not possible to produce competitively in Europe,” he said, so he asked to “defend European production capacity at every step of the value chain.”
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.”
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
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.
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.
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
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
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.
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
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.
Advertisement
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
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.
