International
Anti-chavista Enrique Capriles resigns from his party’s board for “lack” of transparency
The opposition leader of Venezuela Henrique Capriles announced on Monday his resignation from the national board of directors of the First Justice (PJ) party for “lack of internal unity”, “irreconcilable” differences and “lack of transparency and accountability of the administrators.”
These and other factors, which he detailed in a letter he published today on his Instagram account, “all they do is weaken the party, make the militancy feel the loss of it and, therefore, every day increase the disconnection with the feeling and longings for change of Venezuelans.”
The two-time presidential candidate also pointed out that “some militants” have been “exposed” to “lowness” by former deputy Julio Borges -exiled in Spain-, vice president of Communication and International Relations of PJ, who, according to Capriles, prioritizes “his particular interests” and has a “long history in the paid use of networks and portals to attack and discredit” opponents, “even members of this party.”
He assured that the board “does not have a clear plan or a proposal” in “times of so much turbulence and uncertainty,” especially after the elections of July 28 and “the theft of popular sovereignty by those in power,” in reference to the proclaimed re-election of Nicolás Maduro, pointed out as “fraudulent” by the majority opposition, which claims the “victory” of Edmundo González Urrutia.
Capriles explained that the board of directors, with “some exceptions, decides everything without respecting the vast majority of the members” of the board and that “huge majority of grassroots militants who are in the country fighting for a change.”
“We have unfortunately fallen into a practice in which a small bud in some positions wants to impose their interests, interests that, in addition, are not clear with the reason for being of this political organization. It is already customary that the message that is transmitted on behalf of the party does not respond to collective values, but to the ‘agenda’ of a kind of caudillo, who, with his collaborators, believes himself as a master and lord,” he said.
He clarified that he will continue to “fight” in Venezuela along with the regional and local “militancy and leadership” of PJ, and added that he hopes that “the decomposition and decadence in which it fell” the national junta “will not end up destroying” the party in “the states, municipalities and parishes” of the Caribbean country.
International
Winter storm disrupts holiday travel, forcing 1,500 flight cancellations in the U.S.
Airlines canceled around 1,500 flights across the United States during the peak Christmas travel season after warnings of a severe winter storm and forecasts of heavy snowfall in the Midwest and Northeast. An additional 5,900 flights were delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
More than 40 million Americans were under snowstorm warnings or weather advisories one day after Christmas. Meanwhile, another 30 million people faced flood or storm alerts in California, where an atmospheric river triggered intense rainfall.
New York City was bracing for up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) of snow overnight, which would mark its heaviest snowfall in four years. Cold weather was expected to persist through the weekend in the nation’s largest city. According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, airports in the New York area recorded about 850 flight cancellations.
International
At Least Eight Dead and 19 Injured in Deadly Bus Crash in Veracruz, Mexico
A tragic bus accident in the eastern state of Veracruz left at least eight people dead and 19 others injured on Wednesday afternoon, according to local authorities.
The vehicle was traveling through the town of Zontecomatlán when it crashed near a ravine, state Civil Protection officials reported late Wednesday night. “Regrettably, the prosecutor’s office has confirmed eight fatalities,” the agency stated in an official release.
Emergency Response and Medical Care Rescue teams worked into the night to assist the survivors. The 19 injured passengers were stabilized at the scene before being transported to hospitals in the nearby municipalities of Chicontepec and Huayacocotla. While the identities of the victims have not yet been released, Mexican press reports indicate the bus was en route from Mexico City to Chicontepec.
A Recurring Issue on Mexican Highways Road accidents involving long-haul passenger buses and freight transport are a frequent occurrence in Mexico. Experts often cite excessive speed, mechanical failure, or driver fatigue as the primary catalysts for these tragedies.
This latest incident follows another major disaster in late November, where 10 people were killed and 20 injured in a similar bus crash in the western state of Michoacán. The recurring nature of these accidents continues to spark national debate regarding the enforcement of stricter safety regulations for commercial transport units.
International
Jair Bolsonaro Hospitalized for Inguinal Hernia Surgery While Serving Sentence for Attempted Coup
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup, underwent surgery this Thursday for an inguinal hernia. The procedure took place at the DF Star Hospital in Brasilia, according to his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro.
The 70-year-old former leader left prison on Wednesday for the first time since his incarceration in late November to prepare for the operation. “My love has just gone to the surgical center,” Michelle Bolsonaro posted on Instagram, where she has been documenting her accompaniment during his hospitalization.
Surgical Expectations and Health History Medical professionals treating the far-right ex-president (2019-2022) anticipate the operation will last approximately four hours. His recovery period in the hospital is expected to extend between five and seven days.
Dr. Claudio Birolini explained on Wednesday that while the surgery is standardized, it remains complex due to the patient’s history. Bolsonaro continues to suffer from the long-term effects of a 2018 campaign rally stabbing, an injury that required several major abdominal surgeries in the years following the attack.
“There is no such thing as a simple surgery. However, this is a scheduled and standardized procedure, so we expect it to be carried out without major complications,” Dr. Birolini stated.
Potential Additional Procedures Following the hernia repair, the medical team will evaluate whether Bolsonaro can undergo a second procedure: an anesthetic block of the phrenic nerve. This nerve controls the diaphragm, and the intervention would aim to resolve a chronic case of recurrent hiccups that has plagued the former president for years.
Bolsonaro remains under heavy security at the medical facility as he serves his lengthy sentence related to the events surrounding the January 2023 institutional crisis in Brazil.
Winter storm disrupts holiday travel, forcing 1,500 flight cancellations in the U.S.
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International19 hours agoWinter storm disrupts holiday travel, forcing 1,500 flight cancellations in the U.S.