International
Machado urges international justice to “act” against the Maduro Government
The leader of the Venezuelan opposition María Corina Machado made this Friday a call on the international justice to “act” and “dissuade” the Government of President Nicolás Maduro, as well as to stop the “persecution of citizens” and negotiate with the opposition.
“Maduro is going to sit down to negotiate the day when the cost of clinging to force in power is higher than the cost of accepting a negotiation for the transition. And we’re not there yet,” Machado said during his remote participation in the Free America Forum, held in Mexico City.
In view of January 10, when the winner of the presidential elections is scheduled to take office, as established by the Venezuelan Constitution, Machado said that he will continue to fight “to the end” and asked for the support of the countries of the world.
Machado asks for support for international justice against Maduro
The opposition leader said that “Maduro feels today that he can commit all kinds of abuses and crimes against humanity, and the reaction of the international community will be zero,” although she acknowledged that there have been “important statements and reports from Human Rights organizations.”
“But international justice has to act, because it is the way to dissuade those who today are being pressured by Maduro to continue persecuting, torturing and murdering Venezuelans,” he said.
“By raising this cost of repression, we, Venezuelans, can exert much more internal pressure without the costs we have assumed so far,” he added, referring to the arrests that have taken place after the elections, which the Venezuelan opposition describes as “political prisoners.”
Gonzalez Urrutia asks for recognition
Likewise, at the diplomatic level, Machado asked to recognize the opposition Edmundo González Urrutia as the elected president of Venezuela, despite the fact that Maduro was proclaimed winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE) in the elections of last July 28.
“We must be able to pressure Nicolás Maduro to understand that the international community is not going to turn the page. July 28 is a before and after that will never leave us, and like us, this fight has a single destiny, the freedom of Venezuela and the return of our children home,” he insisted.
Machado also thanked the countries that have recognized González Urrutia, including Argentina, Chile and Ecuador.
In its second edition this year, the Free America Forum brought together representatives of 70 countries in the Mexican capital from November 6 to 9, seeking to be a counterweight to the Sao Paulo Forum, which brings together the Latin American left.
International
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.
Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.
“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.
“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.
Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.
The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.
“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.
France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.
International
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.
The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.
“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.
A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.
International
Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.
The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.
The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.
One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.
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