International
María Corina Machado says that Nicolás Maduro is “cornered” inside and outside Venezuela
Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado said on Sunday that the president, Nicolás Maduro, is “cornered” inside and outside the country, and expressed that “the end” of the Chavista government is “much closer than many imagine,” despite the fact that the president insists that he will be sworn in as head of state in January, after his controversial re-election.
“Maduro is totally cornered. However, it still seems that there are some men of little faith who, in addition, believe they can convince Venezuelans that we are a defeated people, a people that must settle for humiliation, with the indignity of what those leftovers are left by that feast of the corrupt,” said the former deputy in an audio shared on social networks.
Machado assured that Chavismo “collapsed” in the presidential elections of July 28, with the “victory” – as he reiterated – of the candidate of the largest opposition alliance, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), Edmundo González Urrutia, after which the Maduro government reacted with “violence.”
“But what he reaffirmed was the will to change of us Venezuelans and isolated Maduro inside and outside the country,” said the opponent, the main endorse of the leader of the PUD.
The presidential inauguration
In his opinion, the Government “is aware of its weakness” and understands “the implications of the collapse of tyranny” in Syria, where President Bashar al Asad fell exactly a week ago due to an offensive by an insurgent coalition, after decades of a “regime of strength that sowed terror in the people,” Machado said.
“However, in a matter of days, that regime fell apart, it fell because it was hollow inside, isolated internationally, (…) and because many things were happening under the table without anyone noticing, but, above all, it fell because the vast majority of the population did not want them,” he said.
In Venezuela, Machado continued, we are “one step away from that long-awaited change,” so he called on citizens to be alert to “the signs” and to prepare “the heart, mind and body to do what needs to be done at the right time.”
“We have never been so close to the final triumph and that there is nothing that is impossible for those who put their heart, mind, will in that goal that we have set ourselves, and that is what we have shown,” he added.
Both Maduro and González Urrutia assure that they will take office as president on January 10.
Although Maduro’s re-election has received criticism from the international community, mainly for the lack of evidence to confirm his triumph at the polls, all the institutions of the Caribbean country – including the Armed Forces – support the Chavista leader and see the PUD as coup plotters who intend to take power by force.
International
Washington declares State of Emergency as atmospheric river brings severe flooding
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in response to severe flooding affecting several counties, where more than 75,000 people remain under evacuation alerts following heavy rainfall that has caused significant water accumulation.
An atmospheric river has battered the state since Monday, dropping several centimeters of rain and threatening serious flooding in communities near major rivers. More precipitation is expected in the coming days, and the National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast between 15 and 20 centimeters of rain from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon in communities along the far western region, worsening the emergency.
Rainfall totals in higher elevations near the Canadian border could exceed 20 centimeters, further increasing the risk.
“Lives will be at stake in the coming days,” Ferguson warned during a press conference.
The governor underscored the severity of the situation and said he will request an expedited federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump’s administration to access additional resources for the emergency response.
“I want to urge all Washington residents to pay close attention to alerts from their counties and emergency management departments. If you receive an evacuation order, please follow it,” he added.
Most rivers from the Canadian border down to southwestern Washington are in flood stage. Several are expected to reach record levels, including the Skagit River, which could exceed its 1990 flood peak when water levels rose 1.2 meters.
Around 75,000 people are at risk of flooding in Skagit County, where authorities continue to maintain an evacuation watch.
The Washington National Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been activated to assist with evacuations and response efforts in rural areas affected by flooding.
International
U.S. to require five-year social media history from tourists under Visa Waiver Program
Tourists from 42 countries covered by the U.S. Visa Waiver Program would be required to provide their social media history from the past five years in order to enter the United States, according to a new proposal released Wednesday by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The initiative, led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), aims to more thoroughly review the activity of travelers entering the country through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). When asked about the plan’s potential impact on tourism, Trump insisted that the United States is “doing very well.”
“We just want people to come here and be safe… We want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people into our country,” the president said during a press conference at the White House.
The proposal, published in the Federal Register, seeks to expand the information collected from visitors entering the U.S. for up to three months under the visa waiver program.
ESTA applies to travelers from 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, France, Japan, Israel and Qatar.
In addition to requiring a five-year social media history, the plan would increase the amount of personal data requested, such as phone numbers and email addresses used over the past ten years. It also calls for family details, including names, dates of birth and places of birth of the traveler’s relatives.
The proposal further includes a new mobile tool that would allow any foreign visitor to record their departure from the United States.
International
Six ecuadorian soldiers jailed pending trial for alleged extrajudicial execution
Six Ecuadorian soldiers were placed in pre-trial detention on Wednesday by a civilian court over an alleged extrajudicial execution, the Attorney General’s Office reported.
As part of his war on drug trafficking, President Daniel Noboa declared an internal armed conflict in 2024 and deployed the Armed Forces to the streets. Human rights organizations have since denounced military abuses and a rise in disappearances attributed to state agents.
A judge in the coastal province of Santa Elena ordered pre-trial detention for six soldiers for alleged extrajudicial execution, the prosecution stated on X. It added that the troops, now under investigation for the suspected crime, were in charge of an operation in the resort town of Salinas, during which one of the detainees died.
In a separate case involving alleged abuse of authority, a group of 17 soldiers is currently on trial for the forced disappearance of four minors whose bodies were found burned near an Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) base.
In December 2024, Saúl Arboleda, Steven Medina, and brothers Josué and Ismael Arroyo — aged 11 to 15 — were detained by a military patrol in southern Guayaquil.
According to Amnesty International, Ecuador’s Prosecutor’s Office has received reports of at least 43 possible cases of forced disappearance since 2023, the year Noboa took office pledging a tough stance against organized crime.
Washington declares State of Emergency as atmospheric river brings severe flooding
U.S. to require five-year social media history from tourists under Visa Waiver Program
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