International
Nicolás Maduro asks for “respect for the popular will” after being proclaimed re-elected president of Venezuela
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, in power since 2013, asked for “respect for the popular will” after being proclaimed as re-elected president, after elections in which he competed against nine contenders, including the standard-bearer of the majority opposition, Edmundo González Urrutia.
“That’s what I paint as president, I respect the Constitution, the public powers and the sovereign life of Venezuela, I respect the popular will (…) I will defend our law and our longing,” the president remarked before dozens of sympathizers who gathered near the presidential palace to listen to his victory speech.
He promised that, with this triumph, he will give “his entire life to carry out all the changes that this homeland needs,” which experienced an intense economic crisis between 2014 and 2021, from which it has begun to recover slightly.
Maduro assured that he will work in his third term “to rescue all the rights violated by the economic war,” alluding to the economic sanctions imposed by numerous countries in recent years, especially by the United States.
He considered that his re-election “is the triumph of peace, stability, the republican ideal, the ideas of equality.”
Around midnight on Sunday, the National Electoral Council (CNE), announced that Maduro was re-elected for a third consecutive term, in elections in which he obtained 51.20% of the votes (5,150,092 supporters).
The president of the electoral body, Elvis Amoroso, who announced the data more than six hours after the closure of the centers, said that the result provided corresponds to the scrutiny of 80% of the votes cast in this Sunday’s elections, which had a massive influx of voters throughout the day.
According to the first report, the standard-bearer of the majority opposition, Edmundo González Urrutia, obtained 4,445,978 votes, which represents 44.2% of the votes.
He assured that “in the next few hours” the CNE will publish on its website the details of the results, table by table, and will deliver to the 38 political parties that competed a digital report on the outcome of the contest.
Before providing the results, the president of the CNE assured that the data transmission system suffered an attack, to be investigated, which is why, he explained, the winner’s announcement took longer than expected, although he did not give more details about it.
During the campaign, Maduro already confirmed that he would win the elections, considering that he is the “only” capable of maintaining peace and prosperity in the country, on which numerous economic sanctions weigh, especially imposed by the United States, which are, according to the president, the culprits of the crisis in the Caribbean nation.
From January 10, the date on which the new term begins, the president will face a third six-year term at the head of the country, governed by Chavismo for 25 years.
Central America
Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, representing the state of Maryland, held a meeting in El Salvador with deported MS-13 gang member Kilmar Ábrego García, a member of the criminal group classified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.
“Kilmar Ábrego García, miraculously resurrected from the ‘extermination camps’ and ‘torture chambers,’ now sipping margaritas with Senator Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” wrote President Nayib Bukeleon X (formerly Twitter), sharing photos of Van Hollen, Ábrego García, and a lawyer sitting together at a Salvadoran hotel.
The deported gang member is seen wearing a plaid shirt and a flat-brimmed cap, seated at a table with glasses and coffee cups. The senator also shared images of the meeting on his own social media accounts.
Bukele reaffirmed that Ábrego will remain in El Salvador and will not be returned to the United States.
“Now that his health has been confirmed, he has earned the honor of remaining under the custody of El Salvador,” Bukele added.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the senator’s meeting with Ábrego on Truth Social, calling Van Hollen “a fool” for advocating for Ábrego’s return to the U.S.
International
Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom
Pope Francis, still recovering from pneumonia, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Easter Sunday and, with a faint voice, wished a “Happy Easter” to the thousands of faithful gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.
A month after being discharged from a lengthy hospital stay, the presence of the 88-year-old pontiff had remained uncertain, with the Vatican not confirming his attendance ahead of time.
Eventually, the pope made a brief appearance in a wheelchair shortly after 12:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT) to deliver his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing (“to the city and to the world”).
Although no longer wearing an oxygen cannula, the Argentine Jesuit relied on a close aide to read his Easter message, which touched on major global conflicts.
Francis condemned the “dramatic and unworthy humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and called for a ceasefire, while also expressing concern over the “growing climate of antisemitism spreading across the globe.”
He further emphasized the importance of religious freedom and freedom of thought, stating that without mutual respect, “peace is not possible.”
International
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
Thousands of protesters gathered on Saturday (April 19, 2025) in major cities like New York and Washington, as well as in small communities across the United States, in a second wave of demonstrations against President Donald Trump. The crowds denounced what they view as growing threats to the country’s democratic ideals.
In New York City, demonstrators of all ages rallied in front of the Public Library near Trump Tower, holding signs accusing the president of undermining democratic institutions and judicial independence.
Many protesters also criticized Trump’s hardline immigration policies, including mass deportations and raids targeting undocumented migrants.
“Democracy is in grave danger,” said Kathy Valyi, 73, the daughter of Holocaust survivors. She told AFP that the stories her parents shared about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1930s Germany “are happening here now.”
In Washington, demonstrators voiced concern over what they see as Trump’s disregard for long-standing constitutional norms, such as the right to due process.
Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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