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
Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint
The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.
In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.
Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.
The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.
International
U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning
The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.
However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.
The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.
Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.
International
EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images
Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.
The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”
Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”
The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.
The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.
Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.
The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.
In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.
Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint
U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning
EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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