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.”

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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

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.