International

Venezuelans behind Taller Neo, a recycling success story in Caracas

Photo: VOA

August 16|

Four months ago, Venezuelans Gabriel Santana and Alberto Alfonso decided to crystallize a business idea they had been studying for some time, the purpose of which was to contribute to environmental protection. Thus was born Taller Neo, a space in Caracas that transforms waste into objects of value and then put them on sale.

“The idea was born first of all out of a concern or a sensitivity that Alberto and I had for the environment (…) We saw that there were these workshops that work with recycled plastic in various parts of the planet, especially in Europe and the United States, more than in Latin America, where there are already some interesting cases,” Santana explained to the Voice of America.

He added that they then began “to see how to set up one of those workshops, what things could be made in those workshops that could be sold so that it could be a business”.

“So we started to look at the objects, the things that are created and everything around them.”

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Since formally opening on April 15, Taller Neo has been very well received. It currently offers an item created from waste: the materos, plant pots, which have become a trademark of the project.

“Our materos have been a success that we never imagined and have exceeded our expectations,” noted Alfonso.

“It has been very exciting because we have had a great receptivity from the people, from the community, from people who are involved in the environment in Venezuela and have received us very well, in social networks we have done very well. We are very happy with what we have been building and happy because we know that when we start to release the other products there will also be a good receptivity in that sense,” said Gabriel Santana.

Taller Neo is open every day from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Two people work in the space along with the founders and two online interns, although they are always open to receive more help.

In addition to recycling and creating objects from waste, Gabriel Santana and Alberto Alfonso also receive students, scouts and environmental groups at the site and give them a talk and a tour of the facilities. For both of them, these activities are crucial because they help raise awareness about environmental care and the importance of recycling in the future.

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“Young people are very important in this project because in the end it is these young minds, motivated and enthusiastic about the future, who best receive this message, and therefore become lifelong advocates and promoters of the cause,” said Alfonso.

International

Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.

The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).

“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.

Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”

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International

Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.

Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.

A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”

According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.

International

Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.

Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.

“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.

“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.