International

Maduro Announces Economic Emergency Decree Amid Growing Tensions with the U.S.

Nicolás Maduro, who swore in for a third term after his disputed reelection in Venezuela, announced on Monday that he will sign a decree for an economic emergency, following a proposal from Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez due to the “delicate moments” and “uncertainty the world is experiencing.”

“Tomorrow I will sign the constitutional economic emergency decree to protect and defend Venezuela’s economy, and I will explain it,” the Chavista leader stated in his weekly program ‘Con Maduro +.’

Maduro recalled that he has used this measure in previous years and explained that this decree allows him to assume “special, constitutional, extraordinary powers” for what he considered “the defense of the Venezuelan economy in its push, in its development.”

In the television segment, the vice president handed Maduro the document with the proposal for him to take the “reins of the economy” to “protect national industry, guarantee the provision of essential goods and services for the population, and ensure that the national economic life continues its course.”

Venezuela is facing a 15% tariff increase from the U.S., in addition to other measures such as a 25% additional tariff on buyers of Venezuelan oil or gas and the termination of licenses for oil companies to operate in the Caribbean nation, such as the U.S. company Chevron and the Spanish company Repsol.

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Last Friday, Maduro assured that Venezuela would be “the first country in the world to overcome the tariffs and the trade war declared by (U.S. President, Donald) Trump against the world.”

International

Venezuela accuses Guyana of “warlike intentions” after UK defense deal

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez denounced what she called “warlike intentions” from Guyana on Saturday (April 12, 2025), following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening bilateral defense cooperation.

“Guyana threatens Venezuela with its founding fathers. The UK and the U.S. are the architects behind the territorial dispossession of our Guayana Esequiba. These are the same actors who forged a fraudulent arbitration award in 1899 to strip Venezuela of its land,” Rodríguez stated via Telegram.

Rodríguez, who also serves as Venezuela’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, warned the region about “these drums of war, in clear violation of the CELAC declaration that recognizes Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace.”

“Venezuela will stand firm in defending its legitimate rights, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in all scenarios,” she added.

International

Nightclub Collapse in Dominican Republic Claims 226 Lives

The death toll from the collapse of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic has risen to 226, authorities confirmed on Saturday after completing the recovery and identification of the bodies.

The tragedy occurred in the early hours of April 8, when the roof of the venue collapsed during a concert by popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who also died at the scene.

“There were 221 victims found at ground zero and four more who died in hospitals,” said Health Minister Víctor Atallah during a press conference. Later, his office confirmed the death of a Costa Rican national on Saturday, bringing the total to 226.

Atallah added that the number of fatalities could still rise, as several people remain in critical condition.

International

Trump Authorizes Military to Take Control of Federal Land Along U.S.-Mexico Border

In a presidential memorandum issued Friday afternoon, Trump directed the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, Interior, and Agriculture to facilitate the transfer of designated public lands to allow for “military activities” under the jurisdiction of the Pentagon.

According to the document, the land transfer must begin within the next 45 days. The only area specifically named in the order is the so-called “Roosevelt Reservation”, a narrow strip of federally owned land—approximately 20 meters wide—that runs parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border for about 1,000 kilometers, stretching from New Mexico to California.

The memo does not clarify what specific military operations will take place on these lands or what their exact purpose will be.