International
Maduro and Petro meet for the fourth time in just a few months
March 24 |
The presidents of Venezuela and Colombia, Nicolás Maduro and Gustavo Petro, met on Thursday in Caracas where they addressed issues of economic, commercial, financial, political and cultural cooperation, according to official sources.
“Productive and warm working meeting with the President of the Republic of Colombia, Gustavo Petro. We set out to deepen the alliances between Venezuela and Colombia, and we are achieving it with union and commitment. Always welcome to this sister land!”, Maduro simply wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday night.
Shortly after, through the official account of the Presidency of Colombia, it was reported that the leaders discussed issues related to the “joint fight against drug trafficking, the opening of consulates and the Summit of countries of the region to be held within the framework of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO)”.
The meeting, in which several high-ranking officials participated, among them the Colombian Foreign Minister, Alvaro Leyva; the president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez; the Colombian ambassador in Venezuela, Armando Benedetti, took place at the Aquiles Nazoa Cultural House, former presidential residence, and ended without a public statement.
Petro’s visit was scheduled for Monday, but was cancelled amid a corruption scandal in the state-owned oil industry, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), for which several high-ranking public officials have been arrested.
Following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in August last year, after Petro took office, the leaders have already held three bilateral meetings in Caracas and one at the Atanasio Girardot International Bridge, which links the state of Táchira with the Department of Norte de Santander.
On that occasion, in February of this year, they signed a partial scope agreement of a commercial nature and Petro said he hoped that the bridges “will be filled with trade” and “people” on both sides of the border.
Consulted by Voice of America, Juan Francisco Contreras, internationalist and president of the College of Internationalists of Venezuela (CODEIV), exposes that the absence of details of the agenda generates “many speculations” and considers that one of the topics that has caused Petro’s frequent visits to Caracas are the peace negotiations of his government with the National Liberation Army (ELN).
For the internationalist with studies in security and defense, both Venezuela and Colombia are interested in the demobilization of the groups that are “outside the law on both sides of the border”.
However, he considers that there is a “rush” on the part of Petro to achieve results and believes that the priority should focus on establishing “objectives and guidelines” so that the process “does not end badly” as in the case of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
In his opinion, Colombia is also interested in a democratic solution to the Venezuelan political crisis, which, he believes, would allow the return of many Venezuelans in the neighboring country.
Contreras does not see, so far, that there has been a real “normalization” in trade relations.
“The way in which the economic policy has been designed in our country has affected Venezuelan businessmen, there is practically no credit, the transportation issue is very complicated, there are many situations that make our businessmen to be in difficult conditions to be able to compete with other businessmen. Changes must be made so that our businessmen can be competitive”, he explains.
In 2015, after a diplomatic crisis with the Colombian government, Maduro ordered to close the passage of vehicles on the border with Colombia and in 2018 the Venezuelan government expelled consular officials.
Relations between Maduro and former President Iván Duque, who recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela, were marked by constant mutual accusations, especially since 2019 when humanitarian aid was attempted to enter through the border.
International
U.S. Sanctions Network Linked to Fentanyl Trafficking Across India, Guatemala and Mexico
The United States Department of State announced sanctions on Thursday against 23 individuals and companies allegedly linked to an international fentanyl production and smuggling network operating in India, Guatemala and Mexico.
According to the State Department, the network supplied precursor chemicals to the Sinaloa Cartel, which the United States has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Washington declared fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, a weapon of mass destruction last year due to its role in the ongoing overdose crisis in the United States.
“By targeting the entire supply chain — from chemical suppliers in Asia to logistical intermediaries in Central America and cartel-linked networks in Mexico — the Trump Administration is dismantling networks that destabilize governance across our hemisphere and threaten U.S. security,” the State Department said.
In a separate statement, the Office of Foreign Assets Control detailed sanctions against three Indian chemical and pharmaceutical companies: Sutaria, Agrat and SR Chemicals, along with a sales executive accused of supplying precursor chemicals to contacts in Guatemala and Mexico.
In Guatemala, authorities sanctioned J and C Import and Central Logística de Servicios, as well as intermediary Jaime Augusto Barrientos.
The OFAC also designated several intermediaries and import companies operating in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.
As part of the investigation, U.S. authorities identified Ramiro Baltazar Félix as a member of Los Mayos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Alejandro Reynoso, accused of operating clandestine drug laboratories in Guadalajara.
International
Pope Leo XIV Says Countries Have Border Rights but Migrants Deserve Respect
Pope Leo XIV said Thursday that migrants must be treated with dignity as he addressed the global migration crisis during a press conference aboard the plane returning from his tour of Africa.
The pontiff answered questions from journalists regarding his upcoming trip to Spain, which will include a visit to the Canary Islands, a region heavily affected by migration flows and growing political polarization surrounding the issue.
“Obviously, migration is a very complex issue and affects many countries — not only Spain, not only Europe, but also the United States. It is a global phenomenon,” the pope said.
Pope Leo XIV also questioned the role of developed nations in addressing the crisis.
“My response begins with a question: What is the Global North doing to help the Global South and those countries where young people no longer see a future and dream of going north, even when the North sometimes has no answers to offer?” he asked.
While acknowledging that “a state has the right to establish rules for its borders,” the pope insisted that the debate must go beyond border control and address the structural causes that force people to leave their home countries.
International
Authorities Say Teotihuacán Gunman Was Obsessed With Mass Shootings and Extremist Symbolism
Julio César Jasso Ramírez, identified by authorities as the gunman behind the armed attack at the archaeological site of Teotihuacán, had allegedly spent years building a personal narrative shaped by an obsession with historical mass shootings, extremist symbolism, and an increasing detachment from reality.
According to preliminary findings from the Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de México, the 27-year-old suspect, originally from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, acted alone and appeared to have carefully planned the attack.
Investigators also pointed to signs of a severe psychological or psychiatric disorder. One official involved in the case stated that the suspect seemed to live in “his own reality,” disconnected from the world around him.
“I would not speak of a motive; I would speak of psychopathy, a condition, an illness,” the official said while discussing the ongoing investigation.
Authorities reported that Jasso Ramírez was allegedly fixated on mass violence incidents that occurred outside Mexico, particularly in the United States.
Among the items found in his possession were writings, images, and materials reportedly linked to the Columbine High School massacre, the school shooting that took place on April 20, 1999.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue analyzing evidence connected to the suspect’s background and mental state.
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