Latin American Publications!

BBC Mundo, which is covering the issue after monitoring and examining its most relevant aspects, notes that after more than 25 years of negotiations, the Council of the European Union approved an agreement with the Southern Common Market, Mercosur.

The agreement includes several clauses designed to appease the concerns of European farmers.

The 27 member states of the European trade bloc achieved a majority, despite the opposition announced by countries such as France, Poland, and Ireland.

With this result, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is scheduled to fly to Paraguay and sign the agreement with Mercosur.

Once the agreement is finalized by both parties, it will pave the way for the creation of the world’s largest free trade zone. However, one more step is needed for the agreement to take effect. Following the signing of the document in Paraguay, the European Parliament’s approval is also required, and it is expected to vote on it in the coming weeks.

jdt/arm/mem/rfc

The post European agreement with Mercosur in the spotlight first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

The meeting, which will run until January 30, will bring together ambassadors from member states accredited to the AU, as well as officials from the Commission and other bodies of the continental organization, to deliberate on their agenda items.

Among the reports to be analyzed are the implementation of last year’s theme: “Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations,” and the 2026 roadmap for ensuring the sustainable availability of water and safe sanitation.

They will also discuss humanitarian issues, the free movement of people, the activities of the China Subcommittees, the Specialized Technical Committees, the AU Commission, and other specialized bodies and agencies.

Thee meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives kicks off the events leading up to the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for February 14-15.

Prior to this, the Executive Council will hold its 48th Ordinary Session on February 11-12, bringing together African foreign ministers and other designated officials to discuss referred issues and oversee the implementation of policies formulated by the Assembly.

BThey will be tasked with preparing the agendas for their sessions and drafting decisions for consideration.

jdt/jav/ro/nmr

The post The AU Committee of Permanent Representatives will meet in Ethiopia first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

By Maria Páez Victor  –  Jan 10, 2026

“I don’t need international law.” Trump

(NYT interview, The Guardian, 9/01/26)

Caesar crossed the Rubicon and by so doing, killed the Roman Republic.

A warning etched in history forever.

The attack on Venezuela was today’s Rubicon.

Take heed.

In carrying out a mindless and unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting nation and kidnapping its head of state and his wife, Trump has crossed a political, diplomatic, and even military line that has in one swoop dealt a lethal blow to the United States republic and to the foundations of international law.

A peaceful nation, which was not a security threat to the US, not having even a quarter of their military might, was brutally bombed, 100 killed in the attack, among the targets being civilian dwellings, a large medical depot, a library, and a university campus. The unimaginable view of 150 planes, many helicopters and missiles exploding over Caracas and other cities was horrific to Venezuelans who had never been to war with any nation since its bid for independence in the early 19th century.

The US, Europe, Canada, and other Western allies did not like Venezuela’s version of socialism, did not believe it is a democracy, did not like President Nicolás Maduro, and did not believe the US’s hostility was essentially about oil.

For years they fully backed Washington’s illegal sanctions and cared not one whit that 100,000 Venezuelans died because of them. They lavished support, media coverage, and millions of dollars on the bunch of self-appointed “leaders” of the Venezuelan opposition who live in Miami and Madrid. They even gave one of them a Nobel Peace prize despite that person being a publicly known warmonger, even having begged Washington and Israel to invade her own country. They fully backed Trump’s demonization of a country, a people, and their leader.

However, the blatant attack has spurred many spontaneous protests by the people on the streets within the US, as well as many anti-US protests around the world, especially in the Global South. But the elites, politicians, media, pundits, bought “influencers,” and social media have been guarded, nit-picking, when they should have been determinedly against this act of war and kidnapping. As to Europe, including the UK, to their peril, there has not been a serious enough condemnation by most of its leaders of the violation of international law. (Janina Dill, Oxford university)

This in itself is horrifying: a tacit acceptance of Trump’s patched-up lies and his vile use of military killings to get economic gain. These events have to be called for what they are: unlawful use of military power, piracy on oil tankers, extra-judicial, abhorrent murders of 115 innocent people in tiny boats at sea, an unprovoked act of war, and the criminal kidnapping of a standing president.

Trump declared to the New York Times that the only limit to his power he recognizes is himself: “My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.” This is from a man who is a convicted felon 34 times over, a sexual predator, friend of pedophiles, and a serial liar that has been caught in 30,573 documented falsehoods during his terms of office. His sense of morality is seriously deformed. He is drunk with power and disregard for any law, domestic or international. This should horrify the United States and the world. (The Guardian) (CBC News)

The charges against Nicolás Maduro and his wife are sheer nonsense: drug peddling and having a stash of arms. The Department of Justice just dropped the accusation against President Maduro of being the leader of “the cartel de los soles” because they had to admit that the cartel did not exist. It was an invention of the CIA, as Venezuelans had repeatedly said but were not believed.

The inescapable truth is the US attacked a sovereign nation without any legal justification. It was not acting in self-defense, nor did it have the approval of the UN Security Council, the only two legal reasons that could have made it valid. “The US committed multiple acts of war against a state that posed no immediate threat to it, without even the flimsiest attempt to establish a casus belli or secure UN authorisation.” (Tony Wood) This attack brings a fearful omen of the future: there was a clear violation of the rules that govern the relationships between nations, from the Westphalian principle of sovereignty of 1648, the Geneva Convention, the Vienna Conventions, The Statute of Rome, the Declaration of Universal Human Rights, to the United Nations Charter (Art. 2). On what basis will nations now relate to each other? On what basis will war be declared, waged, controlled, prevented? What country will be next invaded?

Trump has signaled his interest in controlling México, Colombia, Greenland, and Canada. Will “might” be de facto “right”? Certainly, countries will be increasing their arms spending to defend themselves. There also could be a run on developing nuclear weapons to avoid the fate of Venezuela.

For once Trump said something truthful by openly admitting that the attack on Venezuela was to control its oil: not “democracy,” not drugs. However, he went so far in his delusions to assert that the land and oil belong to the USA and Venezuela had stolen it from them. The absurdity of this mendacious statement has made Trump a laughingstock in the Global South. In fact, 24 foreign oil companies were compensated at the market price of US$1,000 million for the expropriation of their installations. They never owned either the land or the oil; they only worked under limited contracts. Venezuela never handed over ownership of land or natural resources to foreign companies at any time of the history of the oil industry, only working concessions and contracts. Venezuela owes the oil companies nothing for 60 years of blatant exploitation at the risible return of 1% of profits on billions of barrels of oil, before nationalization.

There is a lot of fear too as Trump’s lackeys follow his lead, giving fascism a wider foothold than just their leader: Trump’s most powerful adviser, Stephen Miller, stated that “the real world should be ruled by force” (Jason Stanley, Toronto Star, 9 January 2026) Trump is opening the door to true fascism, and unless the Western nations stop trying to cover this up with lame excuses about Venezuela, “dictator,” “failed nation,” “drug cartels,” etc., they will not be able to stop the next victims of Trump’s megalomaniacal lust for power and territory. He has dealt a direct blow to democracy in his own country, violating the US Constitution by not seeking Congressional approval to wage war, and to international law, which he is arrogant enough to say he does not “need.”

The kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro and his visibly brutalized wife, Cilia, who, as a lawyer, is a foremost champion of women’s rights in the country, has been widely condemned especially on the streets of the Global South, where it is said President Maduro is a victim of “the Washington cartel.” Supporters of US interventionism are justifying this act of war under the guise of the deplorable Monroe Doctrine, which has been aggrandized even more by Trump’s new National Security Strategy. This document clearly states the US intent to dominate the Hemisphere: “After years of neglect, the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American pre-eminence in the Western hemisphere…we will deny non-hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our hemisphere.” Obviously, this is to stop China, Russia, or Iran from doing business in Latin America and the Caribbean. Perhaps he intends to build a wall around the continent?

US leaders criticizing the attack have largely ignored the moral implications. There is no moral excuse for a nation with nuclear capacity to wage such unequal and deadly force, that ended in killing and devastation, upon an unsuspecting population that did not even merit a declaration of war as a warning. As Interim President Rodríguez has said, “the Venezuelan people did not deserve this.”

However, it did not all go to plan for Trump. While the military “defense shield” of Venezuela obviously failed due to an overpowering cyber technology, even despite heroic attempts to fight the invaders, the socio-political shield held fast. There was no “regime change,” the nation’s institutions seamlessly continued to function, the Constitution was followed meticulously, and Dr. Delcy Rodríguez was duly sworn in as Interim President by both the Supreme Court and the National Congress. There was no civil war. There was no break in the top echelons of the government party. There were no riots. Indeed, for those who swore the opposition parties were the majority, they were not in the street celebrating. All opposition party leaders (the real ones not the Miami/Madrid imposters), were appalled by these events and wholeheartedly rejected the US attack and kidnapping. In fact, the war attack had the consequence of not only strengthening the governing Chavismo party, but also uniting Venezuelans of every political stripe against the US and creating a widespread surge of anti-US attitude among Venezuelans due to this outrage.

The Dark Time of the Leviathans

This act of war has had profound geopolitical consequences too: enter China, Russia, and Iran. Washington, seeking to break Venezuela with more than 1,000 illegal sanctions, cut it out of the international financial system. It impeded it from producing and selling its oil, its main source of revenue. Venezuela could not get loans, could not buy or sell, could not get dollars; its funds in foreign banks were all outright stolen, including 31 tons of gold in the Bank of England (directed by Mark Carney), and the CITGO oil company in the US. Even Covid-19 vaccines were denied to Venezuela. Some of those billions were actually given to the supposed opposition in Miami/Madrid, who proceeded to use them to finance sabotage and coups, and plenty of luxurious living. Washington shunned, beggared, and demonized Venezuela, and it became a political pariah and economically wounded.

How was Venezuela to feed its people? It diversified its economy, it accelerated agricultural plans for food security, and it obtained new friends and allies who were willing to help it and do business with it, despite the sanctions. There was plenty of humanitarian help from other nations such as China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Cuba, and regional nations, and solid bilateral commercial agreements and contracts. Venezuela received loans, outlets for its petroleum and non-petroleum products, and best of all, social, cultural, and political solidarity from these countries. Washington kicked Venezuela out, but Venezuela picked itself up and now has one of the fastest growing economies in the region, with a GDP growth of 6% this year.

Meanwhile, in the US, oil experts told Trump late December 2025 that the oil reserves were dangerously low because both the Biden and Trump’s administration had been using that reserve to keep the price of gasoline down. Gasoline prices being a bellwether in US voting politics and mid-term elections are looming. Suddenly, Trump realized that contrary to what he had previously boasted, that the US did not need Venezuelan oil, in fact it was absolutely not true.

Trump could have very easily strengthened the contract of Chevron, because Venezuela has never refused to sell oil to the US. It in fact sells about 27% of its exported oil through Chevron to the US. The US oil company Chevron has been working in Venezuela for 100 years and still does. Any restriction on Chevron has come from Trump’s own sanctions and licenses, not Venezuela. But he decided to use military force to “own” Venezuela.

After the military act of war, the psychological war against Rodríguez and the governing Chavista party has gone into full force. The rumor machine is belittling her, accusing her of betraying Maduro, that all this was a “pact’ with Trump and other slanderous accusations. They seriously underestimate the ability, the experience, and the revolutionary dedication of Rodríguez. Washington just cannot believe it did not get regime change nor social chaos as it hoped. Rodríguez is an expert negotiator; she is in a dangerous position trying above all to ensure the life of President Maduro and his wife, safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and at the same time avoiding another military attack.

Nevertheless, living his fantasy, Trump assures he now “controls” the Venezuelan government, that he will own 30 to 50 million Venezuelan oil barrels which he himself would keep, sell, and distribute the money as he wills. He threatened Rodríguez that if she did not obey him, there would be another attack and she would have a fate worse than Maduro’s. He said that he “owns” Venezuela and that the Venezuelan government must do as he says. Furthermore, he has demanded Venezuela stop selling oil to Russia, China, Cuba, and Iran and must buy all its products from US companies. In other words, Venezuela must become a colony. This will never happen. Most emphatically, Rodríguez has unequivocally stated that Venezuela will never be a colony. For these absurd Trump demands to take place he would have to invade and kill most of the country’s inhabitants. It would be Vietnam redux.

There is also the reality of the reduced Venezuelan oil producing capacity. More than a decade of devastating sanctions has seriously impeded its production, reducing it from about 3 million barrels a day it once was capable of producing, to not nearly one million a day. Today it is not able to produce the 30 to 50 million barrels Trump is boasting about. Middle Eastern and Chinese oil experts have estimated that it would take an investment of $183 billion over 16 years to get the Venezuelan oil production to 3 million barrels a day. (Pepe Escobar)

Hence the reluctance of oil company executives to step in and try to “restructure” Venezuela’s industry as Trump proposed to them. Furthermore, with all the uncertainty that the military attack has provoked, the economic risks are very high. Trump will not rob Venezuela’s oil; he can get oil if he buys it in the normal commercial way.

The media is not eager to report what the Venezuelan government is actually saying: that only the people of Venezuela and its government will make decisions about its oil, that it is very willing to sell oil to the US, but also to any other country in commercial contracts. Rodríguez has said firmly that Venezuela will not turn its back on contracts with Russia, Cuba, China, Iran, or any other nation.

Trump does not realize that the contracts Venezuela has signed with China, Iran, and Russia are binding and legal, not just something that can simply be brushed away. Contracts, like private property, are a pillar of the economic system backed by serious laws. Venezuela has signed more than 600 bilateral contracts with China for projects such as airports, dams, roads, communications, etc., that are paid for in barrels of oil. This is a debt of perhaps around $6 billion. In other words, most of Venezuela’s oil is already “sold” to China under these binding, legal contractual arrangements. If Trump wants to steal Venezuela’s oil, in fact, he would be stealing from China, and China will not simply let that happen.

“Unless the peoples of the United States and of the world and their leaders, revolt and oppose these crimes of the US under this megalomaniacal leader, they are encouraging more atrocious acts, and against any other country.” This is how impunity functions. The more you feed it the hungrier it becomes.” (Craig Mokhiber)

The question now is: what is the UN, Europe, Canada, Japan, and all nations going to do about countering this deadly blow to international law? If restraint is not forced upon Trump and his lackeys, we will enter a time of impunity and lawlessness at a world scale that will lead to chaos and most deplorably, to war.

MPV/OT

From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond via This RSS Feed.

Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for crimes in Ukraine, told Izvestia newspape that those strikes went unreacted and uncondemned by Europeans because they were aware of the Ukrainian authorities’ plans.

The diplomat stated, “We have not heard any outrage or appropriate comments from Europeans regarding either the attempted attack on the state residence or the bloody terrorist attack in the Kherson region, so it is understood that they were aware.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on December 29 that Ukrainian authorities carried out a terrorist attack early December 29 using 91 long-range attack drones on Putin’s state residence in the Novgorod region.

Lavrov emphasized that all drones were destroyed by air defense systems. The minister noted that no injuries or damage from falling debris were reported.

Kherson Governor Vladimir Saldo informed on January 1 that the Ukrainian Army had conducted a targeted drone strike on a restaurant and hotel in the town of Khorly, where civilians were celebrating the New Year.

One of the drones was carrying an explosive device, which caused a fire at the site. Due to that, 29 people were killed, and at least 60 civilians were injured.

jdt/iff/ro/gfa

The post Europe was aware of Kyiv’s strikes on Russia first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

Throughout the Strip, humanitarian needs remain huge as conflict, displacement, and restrictions continue to dominate daily life, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) affirmed on its X profile.

However, it ensured that its teams remain on the ground, providing essential services under increasingly difficult conditions.

UNRWA Senior Communications Manager Jonathan Fowler warned on Sunday of the risks posed by the new restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on NGOs operating in the coastal enclave, which has been devastated after two years of aggression.

Fowler underscored that these measures further complicate the humanitarian response at a time when the population is in dire need of assistance.

He emphasized that Gaza urgently needs increased humanitarian aid at this stage, not additional restrictions.

jdt/iff/ro/rob

The post UN agency affirms humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

Last week, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued an Executive Decree prohibiting the weighing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, one of the factors considered a catalyst for the vandalism of essential service structures such as electricity, water, and transportation.

In July 2024, the National Assembly approved a specific law that increased penalties for those who commit these types of crimes against public property, but its implementation did not stop the incidents.

Therefore, the government deemed it necessary to close these weighing facilities throughout the country.

Companies that are part of the National Electricity System suffered financial losses exceeding $50 million in 2025 due to damage to the national energy production, transmission, and distribution infrastructure, where stolen materials, in most cases, ended up at these facilities.

Paulo Filho, Deputy Director of Operations for the National Transmission Network (RNT), told Angola Press that vandalism negatively impacts the implementation of new projects in the sector, as well as meeting deadlines and ensuring the continuity of regular electricity supply.

Manuel Kandakanda, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Luanda Railway (CFL), commented that infrastructure and equipment belonging to that institution alone suffered damages totaling $5 million last year.

jdt/arm/mem/kmg

The post Angola seeks to curb vandalism against public infrastructure first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

At the closing of a working breakfast at Ateneo de Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares pointed out that if Denmark requests assistance as a NATO member, the European Union (EU) could respond positively.

“If there are currently elements or situations around Greenland or in the Arctic that could jeopardize Atlantic security, I am sure we could all analyze it, and if security needs to be reinforced, it would be,” Albares stated.

Clarifying that European security is not adequately protected, he affirmed that Spain and its European allies would be willing to “analyze it, study it, and strengthen it.”

On another note, as with the case of Ukraine, the Spanish Foreign Minister advocated for launching a “coalition of volunteers” with a view to advancing European integration and the common defense project.

“Europe has to stop talking and start acting and make it clear that it will have a seat at the table with the major powers,” he opined, referring to the case of Venezuela and other threatened countries. No mention of the US or US President Donald Trump.

jdt/arm/mem/ft

The post Spain suggests strengthening European security in Greenland first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

“The most difficult situation persists in some districts of Kyiv and on the left bank of the Kyiv region, particularly in the Boryspil district (east of the international airport) and Brovari district (northeast),” Sviridenko wrote on her Telegram channel.

Last Friday, authorities in the capital reported that the eastern bank of Kyiv was partially without power.

As a result, restrictions were imposed on metro service, and electric buses were used instead. Subsequently, heating supply problems were reported in nine districts of the city.

Water supply interruptions were also reported on both the eastern bank and the Pechersky district due to power outages at water infrastructure facilities.

jdt/arm/mem/gfa

The post Ukrainian government admits severe energy crisis in Kyiv first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

The collective response has been one of firmness, serenity, and determination to preserve peace, raise their voices for the release of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, and defend the constitutional order, which “is a guarantee of protection and social justice for our people,” she stated.

In a message on her Telegram account, the president expressed that “our strength comes from the struggles of those who never surrendered and is sustained by loyalty to a sovereign, inclusive, and humane national project.”

The keys to victory are unity, fortitude, and perseverance in the defense of national dignity, she affirmed.

He emphasized that, together, “we must move forward to consolidate economic stability, social justice, and the welfare state in which all Venezuelans of good will deserve to live.” jdt/arm/mem/jcd

The post President praises unity and historical awareness of Venezuelans first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

This was announced by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, at the opening of the 51st Ordinary Session of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, an event that will continue until January 30 and marks the beginning of preparations for the 39th Summit of the continental organization, to be held from February 14 to 16.

Youssouf emphasized that Africa will have the honor of hosting the 32nd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP32) in 2027, to be held in Ethiopia.

In that regard, he said that the host country, the United Nations, and the African Union are working to prepare for the major event.

Reflecting on the organization’s upcoming summit, he acknowledged the difficult context and the limited progress on peace and security.

“Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Libya, and the Sahel— the challenges continue. A new unconstitutional change has been added to the list: Madagascar, and Benin narrowly escaped it,” he emphasized.

On this issue, he reported that the Commission is working with the available resources to provide appropriate solutions through the actions of its commissioners, special envoys, panels of experts, and himself.

jdt/arm/mem/nmr

The post African Union designates water as the theme of the year 2026 first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained in a statement that the discovery warranted further investigation and caused the presidential motorcade to change its usual route.

She said that during inspections at the airport terminal, “the United States Secret Service discovered a suspicious object.

Further investigation was deemed necessary, and the presidential motorcade’s route was modified accordingly,” she emphasized, according to ABC News.

jdt/jav/ro/dfm

The post “Suspicious object” before Trump’s motorcade passes first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

Kanto is located in the eastern part of Honshu, Japan’s largest island, and includes Tokyo and its surrounding areas.

Ensuring the safety of residents was one of the priorities set by the Prime Minister after she expressed her solidarity with those forced to evacuate amid the extreme cold, as well as with the Japanese living in fear due to the threat of the fires.

Following government directives, the Self-Defense Forces are assisting in firefighting efforts, and an office has been established to centralize information regarding the fires.

BThe first fire broke out on January 8 in the city of Yamanashi, where winds are hampering the work of firefighters.

Approximately 74 hectares have already burned, and authorities have had to evacuate some 77 homes. Another fire broke out yesterday in Gunma and, although it remains confined to a mountainous area without houses, it also required military support to contain it.

jdt/jav/ro/msm

The post Japanese government strengthens efforts to contain forest fires first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

Minister Pedro Sanchez explained that the process will be carried out through direct contracting exclusively with companies backed by their respective governments, and will prioritize the highest technical, legal, and economic standards.

“We are firmly committed to technology transfer and knowledge development that will allow us to move toward true strategic autonomy,” the minister stated on his social media account. He also explained that the bidding process will be overseen by the Ministry of Defense’s Transparency Group and a company specializing in government contracting, and will be based on at least a dozen fundamental criteria.

It is noteworthy that the dialogue between the different offers will be conducted with the Drones and Anti-Drones team, while ensuring the updating of the software and the training and qualification of instructors for both the operation and maintenance of the equipment, as well as the transfer of technology.

jdt/jav/ro/ifs

The post Colombian government to tender National Anti-Drone Shield Project first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

From the Manuel Galich Room, renowned experts will share their experiences on “Imperialist Aggression Against Venezuela, the Role of Law, and the Latin American and Caribbean Region as a Zone of Peace.”

Participants include Pavel Aleman, Master of Science and researcher at the Faculty of History and Philosophy of the University of Havana; PhD. Celeste Pino, Vice President of the Cuban Society of International Law, of the National Union of Jurists of Cuba (UNJC).

Also PhD. Yuri Perez, President of the Cuban Society of Constitutional Law of the UNJC; and writer and historian Ernesto Limia, a law graduate and member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC).

The meeting will address the complex scenario facing the Bolivarian nation and the world today, a situation that has generated rejection from the international community, artists, and intellectuals committed to just causes.

In this regard, the president of Casa de las Americas, Abel Prieto, stated exclusively to Prensa Latina that the events of January 3rd have “set a very serious precedent in terms of the imposition of the law of the strongest and total disregard for the norms of civilized coexistence among nations.”

jdt/jav/ro/amr

The post Cuba: Intellectuals to analyze the imperialist attack on Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

This article by Andrea Becerril originally appeared in the January 12, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico needs union leaders who understand the national and global landscape and the importance of international solidarity in order to unify strategies for fighting and defending common interests, or else there is a latent risk that they will try to eliminate these unions, warned the national leader of Los Mineros, Napoleón Gómez Urrutia.

In an interview, he detailed the results of his four-month working tour of Latin American and European nations “to position Mexico in global debates on labour, democracy and social justice,” and insisted that in the new geopolitical context, international worker solidarity is vital.

“This is something that those of us who lead unions in the country must reflect on: labour rights are no longer defined solely in national congresses, but also in international forums, in union networks and in globalized political spaces.”

To embark on this journey through Brazil, Spain, England, and France, he requested an indefinite leave of absence as a federal deputy for Morena, “but these were not months of rest, but rather of intense strategic work, of international dialogue to build labor alliances against models that harm workers.”

Gómez Urrutia added that in each country he shared recent achievements, such as wage recovery and union democracy resulting from progressive labor reforms promoted by the governments of the Fourth Transformation.

Latin America must act as a bloc

The leader commented that in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he participated in the Regional Meeting of IndustriALL Global Union, one of the most important industrial trade union federations in the world, where the defense of industrial employment was analyzed, the impact of automation was discussed, and the need for Latin America to act as a bloc to raise labor standards and avoid competition through low wages was reaffirmed.

Similarly, he met with members of the Metalworkers Union of ABC, one of the continent’s most emblematic organizations, of which the current president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was once general secretary. They discussed the importance of union leadership with a political vision, capable of transcending mere union concerns, as well as the defense of jobs against large transnational corporations.

Once in Europe, the first stop was Spain, where he met with high-level officials, including the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, with members of parliament from the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), as well as with the Secretary General of the General Union of Workers (UGT), Pepe Álvarez, with whom he agreed that 21st-century trade unionism must compete for political power.

Napoleón Gómez Urrutia with Jean Pascal of Confédération Générale du Travail in France.

With France’s most combative trade union federation, the Confédération Générale du Travail, “we agreed that trade unionism must defend the welfare state,” while in London, England, he held meetings with political, academic and economic actors, where it was reaffirmed that trade unionism must be present in these spaces and he debated the limits of progressive parties when they move away from workers’ demands.

Gómez Urrutia stressed that during that tour from September to December of last year, he attended to express invitations from trade union organizations and returned “with greater clarity and a clearer vision of where the labor agenda should go.”

In that regard, “I call upon my fellow Mexican union leaders to strengthen international alliances and thus halt these efforts to eliminate trade union organizations.”

He noted that Wall Street business groups were the ones who pushed for workers to decide whether or not to pay union dues, as a way to weaken the organizations.

He recalled that the Cananea miners managed to withstand a strike of more than 18 years, among other things, thanks to international solidarity.

The Mining Union itself, he said, overcame the attacks and the attempt to annihilate it undertaken by former presidents Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderón, along with Germán Larrea and other of the richest businessmen in the country, “with the support of the United Steel Workers, from the United States and Canada, and many other unions around the world.”

He added that he himself lived through a forced exile of 12 years, amidst great international solidarity that allowed him to remain in the leadership of the Mining Union and carry out a judicial process that acquitted him “of fabricated charges” from the then PAN governments.

• 

  News Briefs

  Mineros leader Gómez Urrutia says There are Those Who Want to Eliminate Unions

  January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

  The trade unionist, who lived in forced exile in Canada for 12 years, discussed the necessity of international working class solidarity in defense of unions.

• 

  News Briefs

  Supreme Court’s Aguilar: Reversing Judicial Reform is “just wishful thinking”

  January 12, 2026

  Mexico’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court indicated that the people of Mexico are unlikely to want to return to a “justice system behind closed doors.”

• 

  News Briefs

  Café Bienestar Supports Only 1% of Coffee Farmers

  January 12, 2026

  Coffee producers are hoping that 2026 will be a year where the government expands support for the industry and ensures fair prices.

The post Mineros leader Gómez Urrutia says There are Those Who Want to Eliminate Unions appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.

This article by Alejandro Páez Varela and Álvaro Delgado Gómez originally appeared in the January 11, 2026 edition of Sin Embargo.

Mexico City. Hugo Aguilar Ortiz , Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), believes it is unlikely that the Mexican people will want to reverse the Judicial Reform and return to the model that the country’s highest court previously had, in which justice was administered behind closed doors, rigid and indifferent to the reality outside the SCJN headquarters.

“I have no doubt that there are people who believe that justice should be reduced to a mathematical model, a model of exact sciences, and that sensitivity and interaction with people should be disregarded. But I believe that this is an outdated exercise, as we say in the Indigenous community, these are dreams, that has already happened and it is unlikely to return,” said the Chief Justice in an interview for the program Los Periodistas, which airs on Channel 11.

“I believe that the people of Mexico will hardly want to return to a rigid justice system, a justice system behind closed doors, with zero empathy for the citizens, a justice system that doesn’t even want to look at the reality that is here outside the main door of this Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation,” Aguilar Ortiz added.

“People support the Reform”

In this regard, he stated that he has received testimonials from many people who have expressed the positive change the Court has undergone since the approval of the Judicial Reform. These testimonials indicate that the Supreme Court is now closer to the people, and that 2027 will be an opportunity for the public to consolidate this new model that is being built. “I have testimonials from authorities who visit me, from people who send me messages, who feel the change in the Court,” said the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

“In the coming years, we will consolidate this vision. 2027 will be another very important year. To a large extent, we will see how the public reacts to this process. I think it’s the best thing that could have happened to the country. I say this because I was a direct witness to the injustices in communities, and today people like me, who lived in those conditions, can come here to talk about their needs, their aspirations, and their dreams, and together build a different model,” he added.

“We are in a vibrant, active court, deeply committed to delivering real justice, to delivering justice for ordinary people,” reiterated Aguilar Ortiz, who recalled the difficulties he faced a few years ago upon arriving at the Court and how he always considered ways to change the situation. “I was right here where we are now, I entered through this door many times to this Supreme Court, I submitted documents here at our Clerk’s Office, I sought audiences with the justices, I sought to speak with the secretaries, and it was difficult, very difficult,” he said.

“Everyone who comes to the Court, whether they bring a specific personal problem or come as a lawyer, as an advisor, which is how I first came to this building. We all bring dreams, we all perceive the treatment, the institutional design, the procedure that is followed, and we dream about how the system can be improved, and that was my situation for a long time, both individually and collectively,” he commented.

“We will not lose our footing in court.”

“With the lawyers, with whom we grouped together to support indigenous communities, farmers, and women, we thought about how to improve justice, and a fundamental aspect is the human touch, that the public servant, from the guard who receives the documents, to the Minister, does not lose focus and the human sense; they are procedures, they are laws, they are decisions, but it is still human,” he added.

Therefore, he emphasized that the new Judicial Reform changed that model, which was distant from the citizens, into one of open doors, in which the ministers are close to the reality experienced by ordinary citizens, whom he called upon to help them build a better system of justice.

“So, the Judicial Reform has meant that we are now at the head of the Court, ordinary citizens, citizens who are grounded, who know our human and intellectual limitations, and who know the challenge the country has to build a more just society, and we have made an open call to the citizens to help us build it day by day, in all spaces,” said Aguilar Ortiz.

“Clearly, we have the capacity, the knowledge, and the experience from working daily with the justice system to transform the institution, but, as I have pointed out, that is not everything. To build a just society, we need to go beyond the case files, beyond the building, to every corner, and the people of Mexico can be absolutely certain that this is now being led by someone who comes from humble beginnings, from a Mixtec community in the state of Oaxaca, convinced that we can achieve a new scenario for justice in Mexico,” he concluded.

• 

  News Briefs

  Mineros leader Gómez Urrutia says There are Those Who Want to Eliminate Unions

  January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

  The trade unionist, who lived in forced exile in Canada for 12 years, discussed the necessity of international working class solidarity in defense of unions.

• 

  News Briefs

  Supreme Court’s Aguilar: Reversing Judicial Reform is “just wishful thinking”

  January 12, 2026

  Mexico’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court indicated that the people of Mexico are unlikely to want to return to a “justice system behind closed doors.”

• 

  News Briefs

  Café Bienestar Supports Only 1% of Coffee Farmers

  January 12, 2026

  Coffee producers are hoping that 2026 will be a year where the government expands support for the industry and ensures fair prices.

The post Supreme Court’s Aguilar: Reversing Judicial Reform is “just wishful thinking” appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.

This article by Alexia Villaseñor was originally published in the January 12, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

The government programs Café Bienestar and Producción para el Bienestar represent minimal support for coffee producers, representatives of coffee growers pointed out.

According to official figures, there are just over 500,000 coffee producers in the country, but only 6,646 small coffee farmers from Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz and Guerrero are in Café Bienestar, which barely exceeds one percent.

Regarding the Production for Well-being program, which provides annual support of 6,200 pesos, “it only serves a little over 220,000 producers. Not even 50 percent of those nationwide. So, we propose that at least 400,000 should be supported,” stated Fernando Celis, a producer from the state of Veracruz.

Meanwhile, Arturo García, a producer from Guerrero, recalled that the coffee sector has been affected for decades by market behavior, as the price on the New York Stock Exchange has fallen at times to as low as $70 per 100 pounds, while at other times it reaches $400.

He added that “the aging of the farms and the producers is a reality; there is no generational replacement, and production is declining. Also contributing to this is the lack of an active role for governments and public policies to promote the development of coffee farming, along with the pests and diseases affecting the crops.”

In December of last year, the Law for Sustainable Development of Coffee Farming was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation to promote the production, marketing and processing of the bean.

However, García mentioned that “it does not address health and safety issues for imported coffee,” nor does it regulate the price at which the industry would have to buy the aromatic product.

“The industry, the buyers, are not paying the price that corresponds to the stock exchange, therefore, we demand that the government regulate that those reference prices that the stock exchange manages are met,” he demanded.

Furthermore, he argued that “the government, the production sector, and the industry have not been interested in promoting coffee production because more and more robusta coffee, which is inferior and of low quality, is being imported.” He mentioned that there is a high consumption of instant coffee in the country, “so we sell the good coffee we produce and consume the bad coffee that is imported.”

To strengthen the sector, he indicated that coffee production must be boosted, which requires financial support. He also mentioned the need for a campaign to promote the consumption of Arabica coffee beans.

“We cannot continue to protect instant coffee, which is made with colorings, sugar, flavorings and low-quality beans.”

At the same time, Celis specified that progress can be made this year to improve in this area, but it requires the government’s “will” to “increase the number of beneficiaries of production for well-being, fertilizer support, and the Sembrando Vida program.”

• 

  News Briefs

  Mineros leader Gómez Urrutia says There are Those Who Want to Eliminate Unions

  January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

  The trade unionist, who lived in forced exile in Canada for 12 years, discussed the necessity of international working class solidarity in defense of unions.

• 

  News Briefs

  Supreme Court’s Aguilar: Reversing Judicial Reform is “just wishful thinking”

  January 12, 2026

  Mexico’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court indicated that the people of Mexico are unlikely to want to return to a “justice system behind closed doors.”

• 

  News Briefs

  Café Bienestar Supports Only 1% of Coffee Farmers

  January 12, 2026

  Coffee producers are hoping that 2026 will be a year where the government expands support for the industry and ensures fair prices.

The post Café Bienestar Supports Only 1% of Coffee Farmers appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.

With a collage on social media showcasing important events in the relationship between the two nations in 2025, the Cuban diplomat recalled the anniversary and assured that current ties continue to progress in the economic and commercial spheres.

Marsan recently reflected, at the United Diplomatic Council (UDC) meeting held in New Delhi, on the momentum achieved last year when they approached the 65th anniversary of those ties.

Among the significant events of 2025 in India-Cuba relations, the diplomat stressed the meeting held in July in Brazil between President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, which marked a milestone in strengthening bilateral diplomatic ties.

One of the key activities held last year was the India-Cuba Business Conference, which served as a platform for business leaders, government officials, and diplomats to explore potential partnerships in sectors such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, education, and trade.

The visit to Cuba in November by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, was also noteworthy.

During his visit, Margherita met with the Cuban president, Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martinez, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Oscar Perez-Oliva, and Acting Foreign Minister Gerardo Penalver to exchange views on current cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration.

Also, the celebration of the Indian Film Festival in Cuba.

jdt/iff/ro/lrd

The post India and Cuba mark 66 years of respect and collaboration first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

According to the organizers, this twentieth edition commemorates the event held in Havana six decades ago and prioritizes the contributions of the Global South with the aim of stimulating important analyses of the event and its relevance to anticolonialism, antiimperialism, and decolonization.

The Centre for Research on Cuba and the Cuba Research Forum emerged from a collaboration between the University of Wolverhampton and the University of Havana (UH) in 1998, an agreement later adopted in 2003 by the University of Nottingham.

This year, 43 panels are scheduled with presentations by 170 speakers from nearly one hundred universities and research centers across all continents.

The international congress “60 Years After the Tricontinental Conference: Context, Impact, Legacy, and Future” will be held until Wednesday, January 14.

From its initial announcement to its current convening, it has taken on greater significance given the new landscape and current and unfolding regional and global events.

The Tricontinental Conference, held in Havana in January 1966, brought together more than 500 delegates from over 80 countries and colonies of the Third World, now called the Global South, as a response from the peoples of Africa, Asia, and the Americas to colonialism and imperialism. Leaders such as Salvador Allende, Amilcar Cabral, and Cheddi Jagan participated.

jdt/jav/ro/jqo

The post Cuba discusses state of Tricontinental on its 60th anniversary first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

According to the organizers, this twentieth edition commemorates the event held in Havana six decades ago and prioritizes the contributions of the Global South with the aim of stimulating important analyses of the event and its relevance to anticolonialism, antiimperialism, and decolonization.

The Centre for Research on Cuba and the Cuba Research Forum emerged from a collaboration between the University of Wolverhampton and the University of Havana (UH) in 1998, an agreement later adopted in 2003 by the University of Nottingham.

This year, 43 panels are scheduled with presentations by 170 speakers from nearly one hundred universities and research centers across all continents.

The international congress “60 Years After the Tricontinental Conference: Context, Impact, Legacy, and Future” will be held until Wednesday, January 14.

From its initial announcement to its current convening, it has taken on greater significance given the new landscape and current and unfolding regional and global events.

The Tricontinental Conference, held in Havana in January 1966, brought together more than 500 delegates from over 80 countries and colonies of the Third World, now called the Global South, as a response from the peoples of Africa, Asia, and the Americas to colonialism and imperialism. Leaders such as Salvador Allende, Amilcar Cabral, and Cheddi Jagan participated.

jdt/jav/ro/jqo

The post Cuba discusses state of Tricontinental on its 60th anniversary first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

The Communications and Multimedia Commission explained that the measure does not affect the use of X, a platform with some five million users in this Asian country, but only seeks to curb offensive content and protect users.

The Malaysian government had requested that Elon Musk’s company implement more effective technical controls, but considered the response based on user complaints insufficient.

VThe decision follows a similar measure adopted by Indonesia amid growing criticism of Grok’s use in generating offensive images, including depictions of women and minors.

The block comes after X restricted image editing on Grok to paying users.

Multiple complaints point at the alteration of photos to show people naked or in swimwear without authorization.

jdt/jav/ro/msm

The post Malaysia blocks Grok for generating manipulated and offensive images first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning underscored, responding to a question from Prensa Latina, her nation’s opposition to foreign interference in the affairs of the Caribbean island.

Mao stated, “We once again urge the United States to end the blockade, sanctions, and all forms of coercive measures against Cuba, as this would benefit regional peace and stability.”

In response to another question about US interference in Venezuela’s economic affairs following Washington’s military aggression against Caracas, the spokesperson underscored that Latin American nations are sovereign and independent states with the right to choose their partners independently.

She noted, “Regardless of how the situation develops, China will continue to deepen practical cooperation with Latin American countries, including Venezuela, to promote mutual benefit.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly urged the United States to lift the blockade as soon as possible and remove the island from Washington’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list.

Beijing and Havana celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025.

jdt/iff/ro/idm

The post China underscores support for Cuba after new US threats first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

Upon commemorating the 187th birthday of patriot Eugenio Maria de Hostos in Mayaguez, in western Puerto Rico, Rodriguez Leon affirmed that the MINH undertakes this task with great seriousness and pride.

“We are internationalists and Latin Americanists like Hostos, Betances, Marti and Bolivar; it is time to get united much more with our allies and be very clear about where the enemies are,” the Puerto Rican leftist leader stated, after arguing that President Donald Trump’s relaunch of the Monroe Doctrine is an attempt by the United States to recover some of its lost hegemony.

He asserted that, “2026 began with the US airstrike on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the kidnapping of its President, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a vile act that violates International Law and even US law.

This occurred after several months of provocations, with an intimidating display of military paraphernalia off the Venezuelan coast and the murder of dozens of people in the waters of the Caribbean and the Colombian Pacific.”

Rodriguez Leon remembered that, as part of these maneuvers, the Trump administration had also stolen an oil tanker.

The MINH leader noted, “After its aggression against Venezuela on January 3, the US government threatened Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, and Nicaragua as its next possible victims, when President Trump has resumed threats to seize Greenland, while the European Union makes only timid statements.”

jdt/iff/ro/nrm

The post Puerto Rico urges to strengthen solidarity in face of US aggression first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

US President Donald Trump has introduced himself in a post on Truth Social as “acting president of Venezuela,” days after a US attack that led to the abduction of the country’s President Nicolas Maduro.

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

On Saturday night, Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement after the @TravelGov account on X, which is administered by the US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, called on US citizens in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, and to be wary of “colectivos,” which, according to the US, “setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States.”

The statement released by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry on January 1o reads as follows:

The Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela notes that the security alert issued by the United States Department of State concerning our country is based on non-existent stories intended to fabricate a perception of risk that does not exist.

Venezuela is in absolute calm, peace, and stability. All population centers, communication routes, checkpoints, and security installations are operating normally. All of the Republic’s weapons are under the control of the Bolivarian government, the sole guarantor of the legitimate monopoly on force and the tranquility of the Venezuelan people.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to protecting peace, institutional stability, and the coexistence of the Venezuelan people.

Previously, the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs and the US Embassy in Venezuela issued the following advisory:

Venezuela: The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid. As international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately. Before departure, U.S. citizens should take precautions and be aware of their surroundings. There are reports of groups of armed militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence of U.S. citizenship or support for the United States. Remain vigilant and exercise caution when traveling by road. Monitor airlines’ communications and websites for updated information.

Venezuela has the highest Travel Advisory level – Level 4: Do Not Travel – due to severe risks to Americans, including wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at http://step.state.gov/ to receive security updates.

The ‘Donroe Doctrine’: When Sanctions Fail, US Imperialism Wages War on Venezuela

President Maduro sends message to the nation from US prison
On Saturday, Venezuelan National Assembly Deputy Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the son of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, announced at a meeting of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) that his father had sent a message through his lawyers, stating that he and his wife, Cilia Flores, are doing well.

“The lawyers have told us that he is strong; he told us not to be sad,” Maduro Guerra said. “‘We are fine, we are fighters,’ my father said.”

“My father is a man whom they could not defeat by any means and had to use disproportionate force against. They have not defeated him; he is strong,” he added.

The Venezuelan president and the first lady were abducted by the United States in the early morning of January 3, in Caracas, through a bloody military operation in which over one hundred people died, including civilians and soldiers, and a similar number of people were wounded.

(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/SC/SF

From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond via This RSS Feed.