International
María Corina Machado: González Urrutia will be sworn in as president in January 2025
The opposition leader of Venezuela María Corina Machado is convinced that Edmundo González Urrutia will take the oath as the new head of state on January 10, 2025, when the new period of government begins, despite the official proclamation of Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the July 28 elections, a triumph questioned inside and outside the country.
In an interview with EFE, the former liberal deputy reiterated that the standard-bearer of the opposition Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) won “in an overwhelming way” the elections, the official result of which has been rejected by numerous countries, while the Carter Center, which participated as an observer in the contest, pointed out that the electoral process “cannot be considered as democratic.”
“Edmundo González will be the new head of state and the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and that depends on what we all do, all Venezuelans inside and outside the country (…) I trust the people of Venezuela and that’s why I know that on January 10 we will have a new president,” he said.
While it remains under guard due to threats against it, the anti-Chavista reproaches that the National Electoral Council (CNE) has not yet published the disaggregated results of the elections – contrary to its own schedule -, despite the numerous requests for transparency by the international community.
Taking the electoral minutes that the PUD published on a website as true, Machado assuresthat the “whole world knows” that Maduro, in power since 2013, lost the elections and tries to concretize “the greatest fraud in history” by insisting on his victory, with the help of the institutions and the military leadership.
Maduro “today has zero legitimacy, no legitimacy and, therefore, it is a time when the international community has to leave a very clear red line linked to respect for popular sovereignty,” he continued.
He also hopes that foreign governments, “firmly and unequivocally, make Maduro understand that what he is doing is unacceptable, using repressive forces against innocent citizens,” alluding to the balance left by the post-election crisis, with more than 2,400 arrested and 24 deaths, – according to several NGOs – some of them in citizen protests.
The former deputy also predicts that, in the coming days, critical voices against Chavismo will continue to grow because, as she said, it is about applying “all the necessary pressure for Maduro to understand that his best option is to accept the terms of a negotiation,” something that the president has already publicly rejected, since he insists on having won the elections.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
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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