International

María Corina Machado warns of “maneuver” to “prevent the registration” of her candidate

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado warned of the implementation of a “maneuver” that seeks to “prevent the registration” of the presidential candidacy of July 28 of Corina Yoris, chosen by the majority anti-Chavism as its candidate in the face of the disqualification that prevents the former liberal deputy from competing.

“I alert Venezuelans and the world of the maneuver underway to prevent the registration in the CNE (National Electoral Council) of the candidate of all the democratic unity of Venezuela, Corina Yoris,” Machado wrote on the social network X.

The registration period for presidential candidates, which began on Thursday, ends next Monday, March 25, according to the electoral schedule.

Previously, the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), denounced that they have not allowed “access to the (electoral) system to be able to apply” to Yoris.

However, he reiterated that “nothing and no one” will “take them off the electoral route to achieve, with the force of the majority vote, political change” in the country.

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During the day, several politicians and parties that are part of this anti-chavist coalition have rejected these alleged impediments, through messages published on social networks with the label ‘Let Corina register’.

In the opinion of Vente Venezuela (VV), the formation led by Machado, Yoris “does not allow her to be registered” for “only one reason: they are afraid of him.”

For its part, the La Causa R party said, through X, that “(President Nicolás) Maduro and his accomplices want to impose on the opposition candidate.”

Yoris – with a degree in Philosophy, Letters and a doctor in History – unanimously chosen within the PUD and has “all the support” of Machado, who assured that she will maintain her fight against the disqualification that prevents her from competing in elections for public office until 2036.

According to Machado, the decision is part of an agreed mechanism to “face this obstacle,” in reference to its disqualification, ratified in January by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ).

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Vente Venezuela clarified that Yoris will be registered as a “unitary representative” of the opposition in the presidential elections “while the irrita disqualification is resolved.”

Meanwhile, the head of state, Nicolás Maduro, confirmed that he will seek a second consecutive re-election, although it is not yet known what day he will go before the CNE to formalize his aspiration.

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.