International
Former venezuelan governor Henrique Capriles criticizes 11-year delay in Inter-American Court Ruling
Former Venezuelan governor Henrique Capriles expressed regret on Monday over the 11-year delay in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ (IACHR) ruling on a lawsuit he filed regarding the 2013 presidential elections. The court determined that the Venezuelan government violated the political rights of the opposition leader.
“Eleven years later (justice must not only uphold the truth but also be timely), we have received a ruling regarding the lawsuit we filed with the IACHR about the 2013 presidential election,” the two-time presidential candidate wrote on social media platform X.
Capriles stated that he has consistently sought constitutional means to “restore democracy and institutional order” in Venezuela.
“I hope the day comes when Venezuelans can peacefully exercise their sacred right to decide their future,” he added.
On Monday, the IACHR ruled that Venezuela violated Capriles’ political rights during the 2013 electoral process, including denying a vote audit and the “abusive use of state machinery” in favor of then “interim president” Nicolás Maduro.
Nancy Hernández, President of the IACHR, stated during the notification of the ruling that the Venezuelan government is responsible for violations of political rights, judicial guarantees, judicial protection, freedom of expression, and the right to defense.
In the 2013 presidential elections, Capriles garnered 49.12% of the vote, while Maduro received 50.61%, according to results announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE). The election followed the death of then-President Hugo Chávez on March 5, 2013, after which Maduro, the executive vice president, served as “interim president.”
“The Court found that the electoral process occurred amid a progressive deterioration of the separation of powers in Venezuela, as well as the independence of the National Electoral Council and the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ),” Judge Hernández affirmed.
The IACHR also determined that a fine imposed on Capriles after filing appeals for vote review constituted a violation of his rights to freedom of expression and thought.
The international court ordered the Venezuelan government to nullify the fine against Capriles and implement measures to ensure the integrity of electoral processes, including provisions to verify election results.
Additionally, the court instructed the government to “facilitate free and equitable access for candidates to public and mainstream media” and to take steps to guarantee the independence of the CNE and TSJ.
International
Italian tourist dies after jet ski collision in Colombian caribbean waters
The Colombian Navy recovered the lifeless body of an Italian national on Tuesday who had gone missing in the waters of Colombia’s Caribbean on Monday afternoon after a suspected maritime incident.
Nicholas Cudini, 26, was riding a jet ski near Cholón Island, located in Cartagena, when he collided with another artisanal vessel operating in the area. The collision reportedly caused him to fall off the jet ski, according to information gathered by the Colombian Navy.
“Apparently, the person accompanying the foreigner noticed that his companion did not resurface, so he called for help from other nearby boaters, who alerted authorities to the emergency,” stated the Navy in a press release.
According to Frigate Captain Juan Felipe Portilla, commander of the Cartagena Coast Guard Station, Cudini was driving the jet ski when the incident occurred.
The search for Cudini lasted 22 hours, even continuing overnight, with specialized divers and sailors from the Caribbean Naval Force combing the area where he was last seen.
The body was recovered and later transported to a dock in Cartagena for an autopsy, conducted by judicial police.
International
Liga de Quito expresses concern over former player’s alleged kidnapping in Esmeraldas
Ecuador’s police reported on Tuesday that they are investigating the involuntary disappearance of player Pedro Pablo Perlaza.
Meanwhile, the popular club Liga de Quito, where he played four years ago, expressed concern about what it referred to as the news of the athlete’s kidnapping.
On its X account (formerly known as Twitter), the police stated that “due to the alleged involuntary disappearance” of Perlaza and Juan M. in the city of Esmeraldas, and following the formal complaint filed by their families, authorities immediately began “investigative and operational work around the incident.”
The Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Police is handling the investigation, according to the statement.
Last weekend, 33-year-old Perlaza had finished the Ecuadorian first-division season with the Delfín club and traveled to the city of Esmeraldas, located 182 kilometers northwest of the capital. His whereabouts have been unknown since Sunday. He had been part of Delfín’s 2019 Ecuadorian Championship-winning team.
Liga de Quito, in a statement on X, expressed its “deep concern and solidarity over the news of the kidnapping of our former player” and extended its solidarity to the athlete’s family and friends. Perlaza played for Liga de Quito in 2020 and the team is set to play the first of two championship matches this weekend.
Esmeraldas province, whose capital bears the same name, is considered one of the regions where criminal groups have extended their control, engaging in activities such as extortion and kidnapping. Other provinces facing similar situations include Guayas and Manabí.
Since 2021, Ecuador has been experiencing a spiral of criminal violence driven by local groups linked to drug cartels from Colombia and Mexico, seeking to control trafficking routes and territories. One of the signs of conflict between local gangs is the frequent massacres in the country’s prisons.
International
Over 1,500 migrants face blockade by mexican authorities in Chiapas
A caravan of over 1,500 migrants that set out this week from Mexico’s southern border is facing a blockade by Mexican authorities, who are preventing them from leaving the state of Chiapas, which borders Central America.
Amid pressures from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for Mexico to control the flow of migration, the group departed at 5:00 a.m. (11:00 GMT) from the municipality of Huixtla, moving slowly, with some migrants on bicycles and tricycles, flanked by the National Guard and municipal police.
The undocumented migrants, mostly from Venezuela, told EFE that officials from the National Institute of Migration (INM) have been monitoring their movements since their arrival in Huixtla, following them along the road. On Tuesday, the authorities attempted to detain a family, but the migrants prevented it.
The migrants are calling for understanding from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who last week assured Trump in a phone call that caravans “no longer reach” the U.S. border. Meanwhile, Trump has promised to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican products if the country fails to stop the “invasion” of migrants and drugs.
“President Sheinbaum should support us in reaching Mexico City, where there are more job opportunities, so we can wait for our ‘CBP One’ appointment (to apply for asylum in the U.S.) peacefully, because other states are more dangerous,” explained Venezuelan Genaro Cárdenas.
Cárdenas, who is traveling by bicycle with a group of fellow Venezuelans, remains hopeful of reaching their destination despite the obstacles and the pressure from immigration officials to convince them to return to the southern border.
“We fear that we will be disbanded and sent back to Tapachula, but we will continue forward,” Cárdenas warned.
Italian tourist dies after jet ski collision in Colombian caribbean waters
Liga de Quito expresses concern over former player’s alleged kidnapping in Esmeraldas
Over 1,500 migrants face blockade by mexican authorities in Chiapas
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
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