International
Biden reaffirms support for Venezuela opposition leader
AFP/Editor
President Joe Biden reaffirmed US support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido in a letter Monday even in the midst of efforts to resume negotiations with President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
“Under your leadership and in coalition with civil society leaders you are preserving those ideals of freedom democracy and sovereignty,” Biden wrote in a letter addressed to Guaido and sent through the Office of Venezuelan Affairs in neighboring Colombia, an official in that office told AFP.
The letter was sent on the occasion of the anniversary of Venezuela’s independence, on July 5, 1811.
Biden said that Guaido is guiding his country “through a peaceful democratic transition of power.”
Guaido is recognized by some 50 countries as Venezuela’s interim leader as head of the National Assembly after Maduro declared victory in 2018 elections widely decried as fraudulent.
The administration of former US president Donald Trump imposed severe financial sanctions on Venezuela and its national oil company PDVSA in an unsuccessful effort to oust the leftist as Venezuela has plunged deeper into political, economic and humanitarian crisis.
The United States and the European Union said in June, however, that they would be willing to renegotiate certain sanctions if the Venezuelans made strides toward “credible elections.”
Guaido on Monday led rallies calling for new elections, after the main opposition parties boycotted the 2018 presidential election and the 2020 legislative elections.
Maduro is totally opposed to the idea as gubernatorial and mayoral elections are coming up in November.
Maduro on Friday accused the United States of plotting to assassinate him, rhetorically asking if Biden had approved a plan.
“Has Joe Biden signed off on Donald Trump’s orders to bring a civil war to Venezuela and to kill us? Yes or no? I’m asking,” he said, referring to a visit by CIA director William Burns and SouthCom chief Craig Faller to Colombia and Brazil.
Washington and Caracas broke off diplomatic relations in 2019 after the White House’s recognition of Guaido’s mandate.
The US embassy in Caracas is closed, with matters relating to the countries’ relationship now handled at an office in Bogota.
International
Brazil’s Bolsonaro Returns to Prison After Supreme Court Denies House Arrest
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro left a hospital in Brasília on Thursday after spending more than a week admitted and returned to prison, after the Supreme Court denied his request for house arrest, an AFP journalist reported.
Bolsonaro, 70, departed the DF Star Hospital under a police motorcycle escort and was transferred back to a small room at a police facility, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to stage a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The nine-day hospitalization marked Bolsonaro’s first time outside custody since his imprisonment. His legal team had requested house arrest on health grounds following surgery last week for an inguinal hernia, arguing there was a “concrete risk of sudden deterioration” in his condition. He was also treated for recurring bouts of hiccups.
However, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes rejected the request, stating that, contrary to the defense’s claims, there had been no worsening of Bolsonaro’s health condition. The former right-wing leader was admitted to the hospital on December 24 and underwent surgery the following day.
International
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera
Regional Mexican music is mourning the death of Giovanni Vera, lead vocalist of the band Banda Gota de Oro, who was among the victims of an armed attack that occurred on Sunday, December 28, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
The incident took place inside a residence located in the Los Presidentes neighborhood, in the municipality of Irapuato.
According to preliminary reports, several people were gathered at the house when armed men burst in and opened fire on those present. The attack left five people dead, including the singer.
Hours after the shooting, Banda Gota de Oro confirmed Vera’s death through its official Instagram account. In one of the posts, the group expressed its grief with an emotional message: “Today, the sky is dressed for a celebration because you are singing up there. Your voice and your joy will live on forever within us.”
Messages of support and condolences from fans and fellow musicians quickly flooded social media, paying tribute to the artist and expressing solidarity with his family and bandmates.
International
One Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting reported early Tuesday in the Big Island Lake Cree Nation, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, according to local media.
Police said they were alerted to the incident in a remote area located approximately 392 kilometers northwest of the city of Saskatoon. Authorities issued a dangerous persons alert for two suspects, who were described as armed.
Saskatchewan police urged residents to seek shelter immediately, lock their doors, and avoid the area while the situation remains under investigation. Officers are working to determine whether the shooting was a targeted attack or a random act of violence.
As a precautionary measure, seven health-care facilities in the surrounding area were placed under lockdown, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a post on X.
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