International
Venezuela’s Maduro to resume talks with opposition Friday
| By AFP | Esteban Rojas with Lina Vanegas en Bogota |
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government will resume talks with the opposition Friday after more than a year in a bid to resolve a political crisis that has gripped the country since a contested 2018 election.
Formal negotiations between the two sides last took place in October 2021 in Mexico, and international efforts have mounted in recent months to get the talks back on track.
The opposition is seeking free and fair presidential elections, next due in 2024, while Caracas wants the international community to recognize Maduro as the rightful president and lift sanctions.
“Dialogue between Maduro’s government and the Venezuelan opposition will resume on the 25th and 26th of November,” Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro wrote on Twitter.
Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido’s office, however, tweeted that “information about a possible agreement and restart of the negotiations will be announced by official sources,” or by “the facilitating country, Norway.”
“Speculation hinders the possibility of a deal,” the office said.
While Colombia’s Petro did not specify where the talks would take place, a Venezuelan opposition source close to the negotiations told AFP the delegations would meet in Mexico City on Friday.
Venezuela was already facing a severe economic crisis and a brutal government crackdown on protests when a contested presidential election in 2018 plunged it into a political impasse.
Maduro declared himself the victor of the poll, which was widely seen as fraudulent, prompting massive protests.
Meanwhile, almost 60 countries, including the United States, recognized opposition leader Guaido as Venezuela’s acting president.
The US and the European Union imposed painful sanctions on Venezuela, worsening an economy that has seen roaring inflation in recent years, prompting millions to flee the country.
One measure prevented Venezuela from trading its crude oil — which accounted for 96 percent of the country’s revenues — on the US market.
Ukraine war sparks new impetus
After two prior negotiation efforts failed, the most recent round of talks between the government and opposition started in August 2021 in Mexico.
However, Maduro suspended the negotiations two months later in retaliation for the extradition to the United States by Cape Verde of Alex Saab, a Colombian national accused of acting as a money launderer for the Venezuelan socialist leader.
Earlier this month, negotiators for both sides met in Paris under the mediation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
International efforts to resolve the Venezuelan crisis have gained strength since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the pressure it has placed on global energy supplies.
US President Joe Biden’s administration announced in May it would ease some sanctions as energy prices surged due to the war.
At the same time, Guaido’s influence has ebbed, and he has lost key allies both at home and in the region, where many countries have since elected leftist presidents.
Colombia’s Petro has become a new actor in the talks since becoming his country’s first leftist president in August.
He has worked to improve his country’s relationship with Venezuela, resuming diplomatic ties for the first time since 2019, when former president Ivan Duque refused to recognize Maduro’s election.
Venezuela is now also hosting peace talks between the Colombian government and the last official rebel group in the country, the National Liberation Army.
International
Wildfires Burn Nearly 7,800 Hectares in France as Extreme Heat Fuels Fire Risk
Wildfires have burned approximately 7,800 hectares across France during the first eight days of July, already surpassing the more than 4,400 hectares destroyed throughout the entire month of July 2025, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) analyzed by AFP.
Authorities have maintained the highest wildfire alert across much of southern France as soaring temperatures and strengthening winds continue to increase the risk of new outbreaks.
Early-season fires in the departments of Pyrénées-Orientales, Drôme, and Hérault have prompted the deployment of significant firefighting personnel and equipment from across the country as emergency services work to contain the blazes.
Officials continue to monitor weather conditions closely, warning that persistent heat and strong winds could further complicate firefighting efforts in the coming days.
International
USAR El Salvador Helps Rescue Dogs Trapped for 12 Days Beneath Earthquake Rubble
Stories of survival continue to emerge from Venezuela following the powerful 7.5- and 7.2-magnitude earthquakes that struck the country on June 24. In recent days, social media has highlighted the rescue of several dogs that survived for nearly two weeks beneath collapsed buildings.
One of the rescues involved Milo, a small-breed dog that was spotted trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building. The operation was carried out jointly by members of USAR El Salvador, Topos Azteca, and Topos Azteca Nayarit, who safely brought the animal to the surface after 12 days.
Another dog, Draco, a black-and-tan Chihuahua, was rescued from the rubble of an apartment building in La Guaira. Relatives searching for missing pets were guided by the dog’s faint barking. After being rescued, Draco received first aid and hydration from a veterinary team before being transferred to a specialized clinic for further medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the Armed Force of El Salvador announced that another rescued dog, Fénix, has begun a new chapter in El Salvador. According to the institution, the mixed-breed dog was rescued by its Humanitarian Rescue Unit (UHR) and has since been adopted by the team.
The Armed Force said Fénix will be trained as a search-and-rescue dog and is expected to join the UHR in future emergency response missions, becoming part of the unit dedicated to saving lives.
International
UN Appeals for $296 Million in Emergency Aid Following Venezuela Earthquakes
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, is currently in Venezuela, where he has been meeting with government officials to assess the country’s humanitarian response following the recent earthquakes.
During a virtual meeting on Wednesday with ministers organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Fletcher issued an urgent appeal for $296 million to fund emergency relief operations.
“We have a clear plan. We need $296 million to address the socioeconomic needs of 1.3 million people over the next six months. It is a time-bound plan,” Fletcher said. He also acknowledged the support already received, adding, “Donors are stepping up, and I pay tribute to them and thank them.”
The emergency appeal comes in addition to the $632 million humanitarian response plan launched earlier this year for Venezuela, where nearly eight million people were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquakes.
According to UN officials, that plan had secured only $115 million in funding before the twin earthquakes struck. Following a new wave of international contributions, the total funding has now reached $300 million.
Wildfires Burn Nearly 7,800 Hectares in France as Extreme Heat Fuels Fire Risk
USAR El Salvador Helps Rescue Dogs Trapped for 12 Days Beneath Earthquake Rubble
UN Appeals for $296 Million in Emergency Aid Following Venezuela Earthquakes
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International14 hours agoWildfires Burn Nearly 7,800 Hectares in France as Extreme Heat Fuels Fire Risk
-
International15 hours agoUN Appeals for $296 Million in Emergency Aid Following Venezuela Earthquakes
-
Sports4 days agoFrance edge Paraguay 1–0 as Mbappé penalty sends Les Bleus into World Cup quarterfinals
-
International14 hours agoUSAR El Salvador Helps Rescue Dogs Trapped for 12 Days Beneath Earthquake Rubble
-
International15 hours agoGerman Doctor Sentenced to Life for Murdering 15 Patients in Serial Killing Case
-
International2 days agoVenezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 3,535 as Search for Victims Continues
-
Central America2 days agoViolent Killings of Women in Honduras Remain High During First Half of 2026