International
María Corina Machado denies Maduro and denies that he has fled to Spain: “I’m here in Venezuela”
The anti-Chavista leader María Corina Machado assured, in an interview with EVTV, that she is “in Venezuela,” with which she denies the Government of Nicolás Maduro, who had said shortly before that the former deputy “fled the country to Spain,” where the opponent Edmundo González Urrutia is exiled.
“Venezuelans know that I am here in Venezuela, people know it and Nicolás Maduro also knows it. What happens is that they are desperate to know where I am, and I am not going to give them that pleasure,” said Machado, who maintained that she and the citizens of the country are “here fighting and determined to advance to the end.”
On the other hand, the head of state, according to Machado, is in a “parallel universe surrounded by bodyguards” because “he knows that the people defeated him” in the presidential elections of July 28, in which the opponent asserts that González Urrutia was the “elected” candidate, despite the fact that the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Maduro the winner.
“María Corina Machado fled to Spain,” says the Government
Shortly before, the Government of Venezuela had assured that Machado “fled the country to Spain,” where the standard-bearer of the opposition coalition, Edmundo González Urrutia, considered the winner of the last presidential elections of July 28 by the Spanish Congress of Deputies, is exiled.
In a televised event, President Nicolás Maduro – proclaimed re-elected by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) – said that “the sayona” – as he usually refers to in a derogatory way to Machado – “also left” the country and “fled” to “a very good tavern there somewhere in Spain.”
Although the head of state did not mention the name of the opponent, the Minister of Communication, Freddy Ñáñez, collected these statements and assured on Telegram that, according to the president, “María Corina Machado fled the country to Spain.”
Specifically, Maduro said: “I have a secret from you, but I don’t know, do you know how to keep a secret? (…) Who likes gossip? (…) It turns out that the old man (in reference to González Urrutia) left a month ago, (…) and the sayona also left, fled, fled, (…) left until the end, a very good tavern there in a place in Spain, (…) that’s where he got. Please don’t tell this to anyone.”
The ‘Sayona’ is a character who, according to Venezuelan oral literature, appears in the form of a specter and punishes unfaithful men.
Machado and González Urrutia
Last Monday, the president, without giving names or direct references, said that “she” had left the country, despite the fact that she has been banned from leaving the national territory since June 2014.
“Don’t tell anyone, he left the country, my sources tell me that he fled (…) they are cowards, they are good at sending messages of hatred and intolerance, but he left, his Gucci suitcases arrived and he left,” he said then, once again, without giving any name.
González Urrutia, leader of the main opposition coalition – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – arrived in Madrid on September 8, after requesting asylum due to the political and judicial “persecution” that he denounced having suffered in his country after the elections.
After the departure of the opponent, Machado, who claims to be in “the clandestinity”, fearing for his “life” and “freedom”, reiterated that he will continue to fight from Venezuela, while González Urrutia will do so “from the outside.”
Likewise, on September 30, the former deputy, in her speech of gratitude by videoconference after having won the Václav Havel Human Rights Award, reiterated that she will “continue to fight alongside the Venezuelan people.”
International
Iran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’
Iran, already weakened by years of sanctions and a devastating military campaign by the United States and Israel, is facing another major challenge as President Donald Trump moves to intensify economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.
The United States is preparing a new package of measures that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as “the toughest sanctions in history.” The measures are expected to be unveiled at a news conference Monday, as negotiations aimed at ending the six-month war remain stalled and Iran continues to disrupt commercial shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, contributing to economic pressure around the world.
Iranian officials have acknowledged that the country is struggling under the combined impact of the conflict and economic restrictions.
“We regret that these problems exist, as we are caught up in a large-scale economic, military and security war,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, according to state media.
The Iranian president said his government was working to address inflation, public services, livelihoods, employment and the broader economic outlook.
“As a government, we are doing everything in our power to steer inflation, public problems, people’s livelihoods, jobs, the future and people’s lives toward dignity and pride,” Pezeshkian added.
Signs of the economic strain have also emerged in major Iranian cities. Videos shared on social media last week showed nearly empty markets in Tehran and Karaj, with vendors complaining that they were unable to sell fresh produce.
Residents and business owners told CNN that the economic pressure has become increasingly difficult to withstand.
Nima, a 36-year-old Tehran resident, said the cost of living has surged while access to essential goods has also become increasingly difficult.
“Not only is everything expensive, but some of the important things we need, such as certain medicines, are not even available,” she said.
The latest US measures could further deepen the economic challenges facing Iran, particularly as the conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global trade and energy markets.
International
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
The United States has revoked nearly 900 temporary visas as part of measures promoted by President Donald Trump’s administration against so-called “birth tourism,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
“Nearly 900 visas have already been revoked just since this task force was established. And that is in addition to the actions we have taken since the beginning of this administration to dismantle birth tourism networks around the world,” Pigott said in an interview with Newsmax.
The visa revocations are the result of coordinated efforts between the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify people who allegedly use tourist visas to enter the United States with the intention of giving birth there.
The measures are part of Trump’s broader immigration policies. In January, the president signed an executive order describing birth tourism as a practice that undermines the integrity of the U.S. immigration system in an effort to obtain what the administration considers permanent immigration benefits.
The directive stated that some people enter the country through temporary visas issued for tourism, education, cultural exchanges or temporary employment, and later seek to benefit from the U.S. citizenship their children acquire by being born on American soil.
Trump targets birthright citizenship
The latest actions are also part of Trump’s broader efforts to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States.
The country has traditionally followed the principle of jus soli, under which citizenship is generally granted based on birth within U.S. territory, rather than solely on parental nationality, as is the case in other legal systems.
The administrative measures come after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action, ruling that the policy raised constitutional issues involving the Fourteenth Amendment.
The visa crackdown represents another step by the administration to target practices it associates with the use of temporary immigration permits to obtain long-term immigration benefits.
International
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya returned to office on Friday after taking more than three months of leave while facing an investigation into allegations by the U.S. government that he has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Rocha has denied the accusations.
His return has drawn criticism from Mexico’s federal government and the ruling Morena party, which have accused the governor of putting personal interests ahead of the public good.
Although she did not mention Rocha by name, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the situation Saturday in a post on X, warning about the dangers of placing personal ambitions above the interests of the country.
“Power without principles becomes arrogance,” Sheinbaum wrote.
The president stressed that no personal interest should take precedence over the interests of the Mexican people and the nation, particularly when the objective is not public well-being but the pursuit of power for its own sake.
“Mexico deserves public servants who understand that positions are temporary, but responsibility before the nation is eternal,” Sheinbaum said.
She added that public officials should prioritize the dignity, future and hopes of the Mexican people over individual names, political groups or personal interests.
Later Saturday, while attending the inauguration of new agricultural services facilities in Mexico City, Sheinbaum told reporters that she learned of Rocha’s return through the governor’s social media post.
The president said she would provide further comments on the matter during her daily press conference on Monday.
Bukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
Iran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
Argentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
Virginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
Virginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
Argentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Bukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
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Central America5 days agoHonduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
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International5 days agoVirginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
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International4 days agoArgentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
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International4 days agoPilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
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International23 hours agoU.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
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Central America4 days agoPanama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
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International2 days agoSinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
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Central America1 hour agoBukele Announces Education Investment Exceeding 8% of El Salvador’s GDP
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International1 hour agoIran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’