International

Venezuelan government says it will defeat US “neocolonial claims” in elections

The Government of Venezuela said on Wednesday that it will defeat the “neocolonial claims” of the United States on Sunday, when the South American country will hold presidential elections, in response to a statement by Washington in which they considered that massive participation in these elections will favor the triumph of the opposition.

“The defeat that (US) has painted on his forehead, by the beating that his lackeys will take on July 28, is as great as the precariousness of his government management,” said in X the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, before the statements of the head of the Department of State for Latin America, Brian Nichols.

The Venezuelan minister asked the American official to take care of his own affairs, relax and contemplate “how a free, revolutionary and democratic people turns their neocolonial pretensions to cosmic dust through the popular vote.”

“All fascist plans to ignore the popular victory will fail again,” Gil added, just 20 days after the Governments of Venezuela and the United States resumed a process of dialogue that had been paralyzed for several months.

During an audience in the U.S. Congress, Nichols assured that participation will be a key factor for the majority opposition – with Edmundo González Urrutia as a candidate – to win the presidential elections, which according to Washington represent “an opportunity” for the country to return to “democracy.”

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Although Nichols acknowledged that there is “important evidence” that the government of Nicolás Maduro has interfered in the elections with arrests of opponents and disqualification of candidates, such as opposition leader María Corina Machado, the diplomat considered that the elections are “an opportunity for a better future” in the country.

Nichols also explained that the United States is in contact with its partners in the region to address the situation in Venezuela, among which he cited Brazil, whose president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Maduro’s historic ally, has criticized the recent statements of the Venezuelan president in which he predicted a “bloodbath” if he loses the elections.

Chavismo, which has governed since 1999, aspires to keep in power the current president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who has held the presidential seat since 2013.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.

International

Oil prices surge again as Middle East tensions persist

Oil prices climbed again on Friday for a second consecutive session, as markets remained concerned about a prolonged conflict in the Middle East with no tangible diplomatic progress.

North Sea Brent crude for May delivery rose 4.22% to close at $112.57 per barrel.

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) approached the $100 mark, settling at $99.64, up 5.46%.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to delay by ten days his ultimatum for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz failed to reassure market participants.

“It means there will be ten additional days of disruptions in the Middle East for crude and refined product flows,” said Andy Lipow, of Lipow Oil Associates.

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“For prices to come down, a resolution to the conflict is necessary,” Lipow added. “And even in the event of a ceasefire, it is not certain that Iran would allow oil shipments to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”

International

Young Spanish Woman Receives Euthanasia After Legal Battle, Sparking Debate

A 25-year-old Spanish woman, Noelia Castillo, received euthanasia on Thursday following a prolonged legal dispute with her father.

She passed away at a care center in Sant Pere de Ribes, about 40 kilometers from Barcelona, where she had been living for some time, according to Spanish media reports.

In an interview broadcast a day earlier on Antena 3, Castillo expressed her exhaustion after enduring prolonged suffering. She indicated that her decision was influenced by a combination of personal circumstances and health-related challenges, including family conflicts and a condition of paraplegia following a previous incident that left her with lasting physical consequences.

Spain legalized euthanasia in 2021, becoming one of the few countries that allow patients under strict conditions to seek medical assistance to end their lives in order to avoid what the law defines as unbearable suffering.

The case has reignited debate in Spain over the ethical, legal, and family dimensions surrounding euthanasia, as well as the broader issue of support for individuals in vulnerable situations.