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Cuba and Venezuela reject U.S. Human Rights Report

Cuba and Venezuela reject U.S. Human Rights Report
Photo: Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores

March 21 |

Cuba and Venezuela rejected on Tuesday the most recent report on Human Rights of the United States Department of State (US) while denouncing that Washington uses the issue of human rights as a tool for political expediency.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said through a statement that the U.S. nation “despite maintaining a permanent aggression against the rights of the Venezuelan people, seeks to qualify the actions of other governments”.

The document denounces that the White House “exactly 20 years ago launched one of the most brutal wars in the history of humanity against the Iraqi people, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths, implementing torture methods and using weapons of war against civilians”.

“This only goes to show that, for the U.S. government, human rights are simply a tool it uses for its political expediency, based on distorted narratives.”

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In turn, Venezuelan diplomacy affirmed that “once again this report is published to attack sovereign countries, whose decisions are not made with Washington’s consent, while the United States, internally, fails to contain the growing poverty”, among other issues that Caracas denounced.

Likewise, the ministry highlighted that the U.S. has not signed or ratified important agreements such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Rome Statute; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; among others.

Finally, the communiqué concludes by expressing that Venezuela, despite the aggressions of the US and its accomplices “continues to defend the economic, political and social rights of the entire population and will continue to comply with its multilateral commitments to guarantee a dignified life for all its citizens”.

For his part, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced the unacceptable slander against his country in the U.S. government’s Human Rights 2022 report.

He added on his Twitter account that with the shameful record of violations and abuses to its own citizens, the northern nation should refrain from stigmatizing others.

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“It tries in vain to disguise its interventionist and interfering behavior,” the Caribbean country’s foreign minister added.

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International

Mexico City prepares for 13 million pilgrims at Basilica of Guadalupe

The Mexico City government is expecting at least 13 million pilgrims to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the December 12 celebrations honoring Mexico’s patron saint. To ensure the safety and care of visitors, authorities have launched the “Basilica Operation,” mobilizing more than 105,000 public servants.

Mayor Clara Brugada stated that the operation began on December 5 and will continue until December 14, covering the peak of visits to the basilica, located in the Gustavo A. Madero borough in the north of the city.

Key measures include reinforcement of the Metro public transport system, particularly at stations near the sanctuary, the installation of three helipads for medical emergencies, and the involvement of Civil Protection brigades, health ministry personnel, and public safety officers.

Secretary of Public Security Pablo Vázquez explained that the deployment also includes 255 patrol units and numerous specialized teams to manage crowds, traffic, and emergency situations, aiming to guarantee a secure experience for all pilgrims.

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Central America

Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack

The Government of Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has strengthened coordination with Guatemala following an armed confrontation in the community of Agua Zarca, in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango department, where a soldier was wounded in an attack attributed to organized-crime groups operating on both sides of the border.

The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that Mexico is exchanging information with Guatemalan authorities and that Mexican Army units have been deployed along the border to reinforce surveillance and assist in reconnaissance operations.

The attack, Guatemala’s Defense Ministry stated, reflects the “criminal dynamics” dominating that border region, where different groups compete for drug and arms trafficking routes.

According to Guatemala’s Defense Ministry, the clash left a soldier wounded in the leg after suspected criminals crossed from Mexico and opened fire. The wounded soldier is reportedly in stable condition. Authorities also seized high-caliber weapons, explosives, tactical gear and drones, which were handed over for forensic analysis.

Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced that a coordinated plan of operations will be launched involving both Mexican and Guatemalan forces along the border to counter these criminal networks.

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Harfuch emphasized that the violence is not isolated but symptomatic of the ongoing struggle between criminal organizations for territorial control, and reiterated Mexico’s commitment to bilateral security cooperation and its intention to strengthen institutional presence in vulnerable border zones.

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International

Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV in Italy, after pledging to deliver a response to the United States regarding the proposed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.

The meeting with the pontiff took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, where Leo XIV “reiterated the need to continue dialogue and renewed his urgent hope that the ongoing diplomatic initiatives may lead to a just and lasting peace,” the Vatican said in a statement.

His visit to Italy follows Monday’s meetings with European leaders in London and Brussels, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a peace plan that Zelensky said he is still reviewing.

According to Zelensky, the plan presented by Washington—originally consisting of 28 points—was reduced to 20 after discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives over the weekend. “We are going to work on those 20 points. We are not completely satisfied with the proposals from our partners,” Zelensky said during an online press conference on Monday.

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