International

The US will recognize in Syria a government that comes out of a process without “external interference”

The United States will recognize and support a Syrian government that results from an inclusive transition process without external interference, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday.

“The Syrian people will decide the future of Syria. All nations must commit to supporting an inclusive and transparent process, and refrain from any external interference,” he said in a statement.

In addition, the head of US diplomacy added that his country “will fully recognize and support the future Syrian government that emerges from this process.”

“We are willing to provide all the necessary support to the various communities and sectors of the population of Syria,” stressed Blinken, who called for “credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance that meets international standards.”

The US sees minority rights as key for the transition in Syria

The transition process and the new government, Blinken said, must respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from becoming a base for terrorism and safely destroy chemical weapons.

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Joe Biden’s Administration has celebrated the fall of Bashar Al Asad as a defeat for Iran and Russia, but fears that the struggle for power within the rebel ranks will fragment the country or that a void will be generated that will be exploited by the Islamic State, which in 2014 came to control vast areas of Syria and Iraq.

On Tuesday, rebel forces appointed Mohamed al Bashir, linked to the Islamist group Levante Liberation Agency (Hayat Tahrir al Sham or HTS, in Arabic), who led the offensive against Al Asad and which Washington considers a terrorist organization, as acting prime minister.

The United States is not considering lifting the sanctions on the HTS for now, but it is “watching” what the Islamist group does, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.

Likewise, Kirby said that the fall of the Al Asad government is an “opportunity” to gather more information about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, an American journalist kidnapped in 2012 while covering the Syrian war.

Prevent the conflict from escalating in Syria

The United States also expressed on Tuesday its rejection of any action that aggravates the conflict and hinders the transition in Syria, after Israel bombed several military facilities.

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Asked at a press conference by the Israeli operative, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the United States will discuss this matter “privately” with Israel before giving a public opinion.

“I would say that, in general terms, of course, we do not want to see any action that hinders the process led by Syria and, ultimately, we want there to be a peaceful process, not an escalation of the conflict,” he added.

The Israeli Army estimates that it has destroyed more than 70% of the military capabilities of the already overthrown Al-Assad regime in Syria after having attacked in recent days some 320 “strategic targets” from Damascus to Tartus.

Targets destroyed in the attacks include Syrian air defense systems, missile depots, drones, helicopters, fighter jets, tanks, radars and warships.

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International

Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.

The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).

“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.

Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”

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International

Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.

Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.

A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”

According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.

International

Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.

Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.

“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.

“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.