International

Nearly 50 countries sign a declaration at the UN to “re-establish” democracy in Venezuela

A group of 49 countries plus the European Union (EU) signed this Thursday a joint declaration at the United Nations to ask for “re-establishment of democratic norms in Venezuela,” although it did not include a specific appeal to the UN to intervene in the crisis.

The declaration, prepared in the last few hours and read by the Panamanian Foreign Minister, Javier Martínez-Acha, had very notable absences such as those of Mexico, Colombia or Brazil, and it was not signed by great powers such as China or Russia or any African or Arab state, with the exception of Morocco.

“It’s time for Venezuelans to start constructive and inclusive discussions”

The signatories recall that “it is time for Venezuelans to begin constructive and inclusive discussions to resolve the electoral ‘impasse’,” in reference to the presidential elections of last July 28, whose official results have not been recognized by much of the international community, which insists on the need for the Venezuelan electoral entity to publish the disaggregated results to demonstrate victory and end the crisis, something that has not happened to date.

“Seriously concerned about the allegations of human rights violations”

Likewise, those countries say they are “seriously concerned about the allegations of human rights violations,” among which they detail “arbitrary arrests, arrests, deaths and denial of judicial guarantees, as well as tactics of intimidation against the democratic opposition.”

Edmundo acknowledges his interest in working for the recovery of democracy

For his part, the flag bearer of the majority opposition in Venezuela, Edmundo González Urrutia, who arrived in Madrid on Sunday on a Spanish Air Force plane to ask for political asylum after denouncing fraud in the elections, recognized this Thursday to the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, his interest in working for the recovery of democracy and respect for human rights in Venezuela, after being received by the head of the Spanish Executive.

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Despite the fact that the statement has been negotiated in the corridors of the UN and has been read at the entrance of the Security Council, the Panamanian foreign minister acknowledged that they are not working together on any resolution on Venezuela, and even added that the position of his country “is very different from that of other countries” although they share the general principle that “democracy” must be restored” in the Caribbean country.

The UN “is promoting democracy”

Asked what the United Nations agencies can do specifically to help overcome the crisis, Martínez-Acha did not answer the question and limited himself to stating that the UN “is promoting democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.”

Despite the fact that the Venezuelan crisis has already lasted six long weeks, the issue has not yet reached the UN Security Council – the highest executive body – and has only motivated statements by Secretary General António Guterres, who has demanded again and again the publication of the complete electoral records and the need for human rights to be respected, without entering into the legitimacy or not of the re-election of Nicolás Maduro

International

Peruvian presidential candidate proposes death penalty amid crime surge

Peru is facing an unprecedented surge in crime ahead of its presidential election scheduled for April 12, with violence fueled by extortion networks and a wave of contract killings linked to organized crime.

Police data show that 2,200 homicides tied to organized crime were recorded in 2025, while extortion complaints increased by 19%, underscoring the growing security crisis in the South American nation.

Amid this backdrop, presidential candidate Álvarez has proposed reinstating the death penalty if elected, arguing that extreme measures are needed to curb the violence.

To implement the proposal, Álvarez said Peru would withdraw from the American Convention on Human Rights—also known as the Pact of San José—which the country signed in 1978. The agreement prevents member states that have abolished capital punishment from reinstating it.

Currently, Peruvian law only allows the death penalty in cases of treason during wartime.

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“We have to leave the Pact of San José and apply the death penalty in Peru because those miserable criminals don’t deserve to live,” Álvarez told AFP during a campaign stop at a market in Callao, the port city neighboring Lima.

“An iron fist against those criminals,” he added, proposing to declare hitmen as military targets.

During the campaign event, Álvarez walked through stalls selling vegetables, groceries, and fish, greeting vendors while musicians played cumbia music nearby.

The 62-year-old candidate, who spent more than four decades working in television as a comedian, is a newcomer to politics and is running for president under the País para Todos party.

Polls place him fifth in voter preference with nearly 4% support in a fragmented race featuring 36 candidates.

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“I am an artist who has taken a step into politics to bring peace to my country,” Álvarez told reporters while surrounded by supporters.

International

FBI: Man who attacked Michigan synagogue died from self-inflicted gunshot

The man who died during Thursday’s attack on a synagogue in the United States suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the FBI.

FBI agent Jennifer Runyan told reporters that the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Lebanese citizen Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, shot himself at some point during the confrontation.

“At some point during the shooting, Ghazali suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” Runyan said during a press conference.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed the suspect’s identity.

Authorities said Ghazali drove a truck into the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, located in the state of Michigan, on Thursday.

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According to Michael Bouchard, sheriff of Oakland County, synagogue security personnel noticed the vehicle and confronted the suspect with gunfire.

Investigators said it would be premature to speculate about the motive for the attack, although reports indicate Ghazali recently lost relatives during Israeli strikes in Lebanon earlier this month.

“It would be irresponsible for me to speculate about his motive,” Runyan said.

Ghazali arrived in Detroit in 2011 on a spouse visa for U.S. citizens and obtained American citizenship in 2016, according to reporting by The New York Times.

He was the father of two teenagers, divorced from his wife in 2024, and had recently been working as a waiter.

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The newspaper also reported that Ghazali attended a memorial service in the nearby city of Dearborn for relatives killed in the recent conflict, alongside other grieving family members from the Lebanese town of Machghara.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the incident is being investigated as an act of violence targeting the Jewish community.

A source from Michigan’s Lebanese-American community told CBS News that several of Ghazali’s relatives had been killed roughly ten days before the attack, leaving him deeply devastated.

International

Mexican Navy Ships Deliver Third Shipment of Humanitarian Aid to Cuba

Two logistics support vessels from the Mexican Navy — the ARM Papaloapan and the ARM Huasteco — docked again on Friday in the bay of Havana carrying a third shipment of humanitarian aid for Cuba.

The vessels had previously arrived on the Caribbean island on February 28 with a second cargo that included 1,200 tons of food, sent to help alleviate the country’s ongoing crisis, which has worsened following the U.S. oil restrictions affecting fuel supplies to the island.

Cuba’s deputy foreign minister Josefina Vidal confirmed the new shipment in a social media post.

“Two ships carrying a third shipment of aid from the Government and the people of Mexico for the Cuban people are now arriving at the port of Havana. Thank you Mexico for your solidarity with Cuba,” she wrote.

Previous aid shipments

During the second shipment, the Papaloapan transported 1,078 tons of beans and powdered milk, while the Huastecocarried 92 tons of beans and 23 tons of assorted food products collected by social organizations with support from the government of Mexico City.

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In recent months, Mexico has become the largest provider of humanitarian aid to Cuba, sending around 2,000 tons of supplies, mostly staple foods and hygiene products, in the two shipments prior to Friday’s delivery.

The first shipment alone included 814 tons of food.

Cuba praises Mexico’s support

Hours before the ships arrived, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted Mexico’s support during a televised appearance, describing the country as “a friendly and brotherly nation that has shown tremendous solidarity,”particularly praising Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Díaz-Canel also addressed reports suggesting that Mexican donations were being resold in state-run stores, dismissing them as a “disinformation campaign” promoted by right-wing groups.