International

Electoral Power ratifies victory of the Yes in the referendum on the Essequibo

Photo:

December 7 |

The president of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela, Elvis Amoroso, offered to the public opinion new details on the voting during the consultative referendum on the Essequibo Guayana, held last December 3, and ratified the victory of the Yes vote in said democratic exercise.

He added that the new update corresponds to the transmission of 99.89 percent of the votes counted. On the other hand, he specified that there was a 51.01 percent participation of the electoral roll, which in concrete figures corresponds to 10,555,092 voters.

He then recalled the five questions of the referendum and offered the most recent figures computed:

1) Do you agree to reject, by all means, in accordance with the law, the line fraudulently imposed by the Paris Arbitration Award of 1899 that intends to dispossess us of our Essequiba Guyana? Yes – 10,315,445 votes (98 percent) / No – 210,329 (2 percent) / Valid votes – 10,525,814 / Void votes – 29,278 / Total votes – 10,555,092

20250407_mh_renta_728x90

20250301_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

2) Do you support the 1966 Geneva Agreement as the only valid legal instrument to reach a practical and satisfactory solution for Venezuela and Guyana, regarding the dispute over the territory of Guayana Esequiba? Yes – 10,322,718 votes (98.27 percent) / No – 181,725 (1.73 percent) / Valid votes – 10,504,443 / Null votes – 50,649 / Total votes – 10,555,092

3) Do you agree with Venezuela’s historical position of not recognizing the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice to resolve the territorial dispute over Guayana Esequiba? Yes – 10,132,099 votes (96.35 percent) / No – 384,321 (3.65 percent) / Valid Votes – 10,516,420 / Spoiled Votes – 38,672 / Total Votes – 10,555,092

4) Do you agree to oppose, by all means, in accordance with the law, Guyana’s claim to unilaterally dispose of a sea pending delimitation, illegally and in violation of International Law? Yes – 10,134,189 votes (96.37 percent) / No – 381,770 (3.63 percent) / Valid votes – 10,515,959 / Void votes – 39,133 / Total votes – 10,555,092

5) Do you agree with the creation of the state of Guayana Esequiba and the development of an accelerated plan for the integral attention of the current and future population of said territory, which includes, among others, the granting of Venezuelan citizenship and identity card, in accordance with the Geneva Agreement and International Law, consequently incorporating said state in the map of the Venezuelan territory? Yes – 10,070,255 votes (96.37 percent) / No – 379,397 (3.63 percent) / Valid votes – 10,449,652 / Null votes – 105,440 / Total votes – 10,555,092

Mr. Amoroso reiterated the CNE’s congratulations to voters for their participation in the historic referendum.

20250407_mh_renta_728x90

20250301_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

International

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Purse Stolen in D.C. Restaurant Heist

The purse of Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, was stolen on Sunday night at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., Fox News Digital confirmed through several agency sources.

The handbag, taken by a white male wearing a mask, reportedly contained $3,000 in cash along with personal documents, including her passport, keys, driver’s license, and DHS badge, according to an agency spokesperson.

“Her entire family was in town, including her children and grandchildren. She was celebrating her retirement by treating them to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,” the spokesperson added.

Crime continues to be a significant issue in the U.S. capital, particularly theft. However, violent crime reached its lowest level in 30 years last year, according to the Office of the Attorney General at the time.

International

Pope Francis: The Quiet Architect Behind the U.S.-Cuba Thaw

When then-U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in December 2014—after decades of hostility—there was a third figure present in both speeches: Pope Francis.

This thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations—later reversed by Donald Trump—was the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations personally encouraged by Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, just over a year after becoming head of the Catholic Church.

Upon learning the news of the breakthrough, the pontiff humbly stated, “This was made possible thanks to the ambassadors and to diplomacy,” which he called “a noble, very noble job.”

In 2015, months after the announcement, Raúl Castro visited the Vatican and met with the pope. Over time, Castro developed a fondness for Francis that he never had for his predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. “If the Pope continues talking like this, sooner or later I’ll start praying again and return to the Catholic Church—and I’m not joking,” said the younger Castro, who, like his brother Fidel (1926–2016), had been educated by Jesuits—the same order to which Pope Francis belonged.

Pope Francis visited Cuba later that year. Just days before his arrival, the Cuban government announced the pardon of 3,522 common prisoners as an act of clemency.

20250407_mh_renta_728x90

20250301_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

While in Havana, the pope met with Fidel Castro, who gave him a first edition of the book Fidel and Religion by Brazilian friar and liberation theologian Frei Betto.

Criticism from the Opposition

Francis’s diplomatic approach also drew criticism from parts of the Cuban opposition. In a 2022 interview with Univision, the pope revealed he had “a human relationship” with Raúl Castro.

International

Dominican Republic Declares Three Days of Mourning for Pope Francis

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has declared three days of national mourning starting Tuesday following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 in his residence at the Casa Santa Marta.

In an official decree, Abinader highlighted the pope’s legacy “as a global leader who promoted significant reforms within the Catholic Church and was known for his humility, openness to dialogue, and commitment to peace among nations.”

During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-staff at military facilities and public buildings.

According to a statement from the Office of the Presidency, although Pope Francis never visited the Dominican Republic during his papacy, he maintained a close relationship with the country. He expressed solidarity and empathy during difficult times, including offering prayers for the victims of the recent tragedy at a Santo Domingo nightclub on April 8, which claimed 232 lives and left more than 180 injured.