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The Brussels summit seeks political decision to secure Kiev’s funding for 2026-27.

On Thursday, leaders of the European Union began a summit in Brussels aimed at advancing the use of income generated by immobilized Russian assets.

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Russia Backs Iran’s Efforts to Settle Crisis in Ties With IAEA

They opened the meeting shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time, about an hour and a half later than initially scheduled, after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa met with representatives of European farmers who were protesting in Brussels.

Upon arriving at the summit, European leaders underscored the importance of the meeting and the urgency of reaching a decision to ensure that the Ukrainian government can continue to finance itself as the war drags on.

The European Council president said the EU would take a “political decision” to ensure Ukraine’s “financial needs” for 2026 and 2027, allowing the country to “continue fighting toward a just and lasting peace.”

So, when you hear about the EU using "Russian frozen assets" for Ukraine

What does it actually mean?

It means stealing. Plain and simple. Stealing to flush one of the world's most glaringly corrupt, dysfunctional countries with more cash. pic.twitter.com/KQvirNoOeF

— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) December 12, 2025

French President Emmanuel Macron said he would seek “a calm negotiation” to try to persuade hesitant European counterparts of the merits of granting Ukraine a reparations loan backed by Russian sovereign assets frozen in the EU.

“We have secured the mobilization of these assets. That is a very good thing; it has already been done. Now we must secure financing through a loan. We will find the technical solution, and therefore we must not divide ourselves over technical modalities. Everyone needs to be respected,” he said in Brussels ahead of the European Council meeting.

Macron said he would pursue “a calm negotiation” with reluctant European counterparts, including Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who views the initiative as highly risky from a legal and diplomatic standpoint. Belgium is home to Euroclear, the firm that holds most of the Russian assets frozen by the EU.

“The European Commission, in line with its role, has made several technical proposals. I want to say here that we must seek an agreement in a climate of calm and mutual respect. The good thing is that we all share the same objective. And that is the most important thing,” Macron said, adding that he was “confident in finding a solution.”

The so-called “Reparations Loan” referenced by Macron would provide 210 billion euros to Ukraine through the use of frozen Russian sovereign assets.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: An apartment building was damaged after a nighttime drone attack in the province of Tver, less than 200 kilometers northwest of Moscow. pic.twitter.com/CfTYyz5KSl

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Russia and Iran announce a joint initiative to create a global group against unilateral sanctions, calling them a violation of international law.

Russia and Iran announced a joint initiative to establish a global group against unilateral sanctions, which they label a violation of international law.

The proposal was presented by Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Abbas Araghchi during a press conference in Moscow, as part of their commitment to strengthening bilateral strategic cooperation.

RELATED: Russian Military to Liberate Historic Territories in Ukraine if Diplomacy Fails

Lavrov further highlighted the active cooperation between both countries on strategic projects, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and expressed Russia’s willingness to join mediation efforts if requested by Tehran.

The Russian foreign minister also expressed concern over the Pentagon’s actions in the Caribbean, including “threats of military action and the sinking of civilian vessels,” criticizing the European Union’s lack of reaction to such acts.

For his part, Araghchi emphasized the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor, a key route to mitigate the effects of unilateral sanctions and strengthen regional connectivity.

He reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to international nuclear agreements, without renouncing its sovereign rights, and warned that the U.S. approach of alleged “peace through force” represents a global threat.

Iran and Russia have further cemented their upward trend in cooperation, signing a new agreement that outlines practical implementation steps for some clauses of the strategic partnership treaty they signed earlier this year.https://t.co/5LH2Y90x0z

— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) December 18, 2025

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The Brazilian Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee approved a bill on Wednesday that could significantly reduce prison sentences for those involved in the 2022-2023 coup attempt, including former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The bill, which passed the committee with 48 votes in favor and 25 against after clearing the Chamber of Deputies last week, offers a direct benefit—effectively a virtual amnesty—to Bolsonaro and other coup plotters who sought to overturn the popular will and prevent the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

RELATED: Brazil’s Supreme Court Resumes Trial in 2022 Coup Conspiracy

Key Provisions of the Bill

The legislation aims to drastically shorten effective prison time for those convicted of crimes against the Democratic Rule of Law. Its main mechanisms include:

Reduced Sentences: Prison terms for participants who acted “in a crowd context” and are not considered leaders or financiers would be cut by one- to two-thirds.

Easier Access to Semi-Open Regime: The bill lowers the requirement to become eligible for a semi-open regime from serving 25% of a sentence to just 16%.

Non-Cumulative Sentences: In cases of simultaneous convictions for coup attempt and attempted abolition of the state, sentences would not be added together; only the most severe penalty would apply.

Direct Impact on Bolsonaro

Convicted to 27 years and three months for coordinating the attack on the constitutional order, Bolsonaro stands to gain the most. The new rules would extinguish his separate conviction for abolishing the democratic state, reducing his total sentence to just over two years.

Combined with the new 16% threshold, this could see him released from full imprisonment within two to three years, transferring to a regime where he would only sleep and spend weekends in jail—instead of remaining incarcerated until 2033 under current law.

The committee’s decision has been condemned by broad social, judicial, and progressive sectors as a “concealed amnesty” and a “political coup within the failed coup.”

Critics argue this represents a strategic victory for the far right, potentially reactivating Bolsonaro’s political career in the medium term.

Brazil’s Senate approves bill to reduce former president Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence to just over two years in prison, despite expected resistance from Supreme Court and President Lula da Silva pic.twitter.com/m7fMdE2exP

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) December 18, 2025

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The United States has transferred 22 Cuban migrants to the Guantánamo Bay naval base this week, resuming a controversial Trump-era immigration policy for the first time since January.

The United States Government transferred 22 Cuban immigrants this week to the Guantanamo Bay naval base, a move that marks the first transfer of those nationals to the facility since January 2025, when President Donald Trump ordered the creation of an immigration detention center at the base with a capacity for approximately 30,000 people.

RELATED: NY Mayor-Elect Mamdani Vows to Protect Immigrants After ICE Raid Attempt

The 22 men were transferred from Louisiana on a charter flight by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite a federal court ruling.

According to an anonymous Department of War official, five of them are considered “high-risk illegal aliens” and will likely remain in an area previously used to detain Al Qaeda suspects.

Official data shows that ICE has arrested nearly 75,000 people without criminal records between January 20 and October 15, 2025, more than one-third of the 220,000 arrests reported in that period.

US sends 22 Cuban migrants to Guantanamo Bay despite court ruling
——
The US has transferred 22 Cuban migrants to its naval base at Guantanamo Bay, defying a recent federal court decision that ruled the administration exceeded its authority by holding migrants at the facility,… pic.twitter.com/PTIhVJOOSb

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) December 17, 2025

By May, the Trump Administration had spent $21 million on flights to transfer only a few hundred migrants to Guantánamo, many of them Venezuelans.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Argentinian police used water cannons & riot gear in a new repression against pensioners protesting outside Congress during a budget debate.

Argentinian security forces repressed a weekly pensioners’ march outside Congress on Wednesday for approximately 40 minutes using riot gear and water cannons, as lawmakers inside debated the government’s contentious 2026 budget.

Medical volunteers from the Corps of Evacuation and First Aid (CEPA, in Spanish) treated at least five individuals for injuries. Two were affected by pepper spray, while others were hit by high-pressure water jets. In one severe incident, a young woman was knocked to the ground by a water cannon blast, sustaining a serious knee injury.

RELATED: Argentina’s Environmental Rollback Through Law and Budget

The incident occurred during the retirees’ weekly march, as deputies inside the legislative palace held extraordinary sessions convened by far-right President Javier Milei to debate the Fiscal Innocence Principle law, and the National Commitment for Fiscal and Monetary Balance law.

For her part, Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva promoted the narrative of a violent breach of public order, which she attributed to an “Antifascist Club.” A force of between 700 and 800 officers encircled the building with barriers, transport trucks, and water cannons—equipment that was subsequently turned on the elderly demonstrators.

ARGENTINA | así fue la represión de la policía contra jubilados que protestaron (hoy) frente al Congreso
video compartido por @gisoleok pic.twitter.com/ZOLcqytAEn

— PIENSAPRENSA 357 mil Seguidores (@PiensaPrensa) December 18, 2025

Text reads: ARGENTINA | It was the police repression against pensioners who protested (today) in front of the Congress”.

The Labour Reform Project

The Provincial Commission for Memory also denounced the repression. Acting as the Local Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, the body highlighted the direct responsibility of Minister Monteoliva, who publicly stated she would apply the same anti-picket protocol at the major mobilization called by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT, in Spanish) against Milei’s neoliberal labour reform.

The CGT argues that the labour reform bill under debate in the Senate embodies “austerity and the precarization of work.” Key provisions include drastically reduced severance pay and the option for employers to pay wages in goods instead of currency.

The reform also aims to remove mandatory union dues collection by companies and create a new category of “independent delivery workers” for platform-based jobs. According to the union, these measures systematically undermine job security and workers’ rights.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace Diosdado Cabello accused the United States of a long-standing campaign to seize his country’s natural resources, citing a message shared by U.S. President Donald Trump as proof that Washington’s stated concerns over democracy and drug trafficking are a pretext for controlling Venezuela’s energy wealth.

Cabello recalled that for 17 months, the White House has commited “psychological terrorism” against Venezuela, using media campaigns and false narratives to justify sanctions and blockades.

RELATED: Venezuela Condemns Trump’s Threat of Military and Naval Blockade

In his live TV address, “Con el Mazo Dando“, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) leader also lashed out against opposition sectors that act as “lackeys of the empire.” Cabello pointed directly at far-right figure Maria Corina Machado, whom has promoted narratives that seek to justify a military intervention.

“Only a person with a profoundly rotten soul like Maria Corina Machado and all those lousy followers who play along can claim that 60% of Venezuelans are drug traffickers,” he said, rejecting the U.S. smear campaign against the nation and its citizens.

Venezuela’s Right Wing Accused as Foreign Pawn

Cabello further linked Maria Corina Machado to foreign business interests, stating that she is a pawn of corporations like ExxonMobil and U.S. political figures like Marco Rubio who seek to plunder Venezuelan resources.

According to the Venezuelan Minister, the extreme right in his Venezuela has even gone so far as to discuss plans with mercenaries to execute violent actions in embassies and generate incidents that provoke international reactions against Caracas.

Cabello insisted that no agreement or external pressure can be above the Venezuelan Constitution, and that any attempt to justify foreign claims on land or resources will be rejected.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Gaza’s healthcare authorities reported a surge in victims of both renewed Israeli military operations and a severe winter storm, pushing the total death toll past 400 since the ceasefire agreement began to unravel on October 11, 2025, and overwhelming a decimated medical system.

This figure now includes victims of a punishing winter storm that has collapsed damaged buildings and exposed displaced people to extreme cold, killing at least 12.

RELATED: Gaza to Restart Search Operations for Bodies Under Rubble

In the last 24 hours alone, one civilian was killed and another wounded by direct Israeli fire, according to the Health Ministry’s daily report. The broader collapse of infrastructure, however, is proving just as deadly.

Israel Has Violated the Gaza Ceasefire More Than 800 Times

Since the US-brokered ceasefire came into effect in October, Israel has carried out near-daily violations across the Gaza Strip.

⭕️Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad stated that Israel has committed more than 813 ceasefire… pic.twitter.com/jLP90kh7xi

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 18, 2025

Gaza’s Healthcare System in Crisis

Beyond the immediate trauma, a severe public health disaster is accelerating. Khalil al-Daqran, a ministry spokesperson, warned that the healthcare system is facing “unprecedented pressure.”

He stated that patient numbers have quadrupled available hospital capacity, with a significant surge in infectious diseases—particularly respiratory and digestive illnesses—rapidly spreading among children.

Health officials stress that the convergence of continued aggression, devastated infrastructure, and extreme weather has created a perfect storm, deepening the humanitarian crisis and crippling the enclave’s remaining medical response capabilities.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

US boat strikes have killed four more people as part of a deadly Pacific campaign, with Washington escalating pressure on Venezuela.

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US lawmakers in the House of Representatives vote against bids to rein in President Donald Trump's aggressive campaign against Venezuela.

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The Cuban Central Bank (BCC, in Spanish) announced Wednesday the implementation of a new exchange market structure, introducing a daily floating exchange rate segment for currencies, alongside two existing fixed rates.

The Central Bank’s President, Juana Lilia Delgado Portal stated that the current coexistence of different foreign exchange rates “generates distortions, incentivizes informality, and complicates the banking and fiscal traceability of economic activity”, so authorities have the objective of create the conditions to initiate transformations in the foreign exchange market, under principles of graduality and temporality.

RELATED: Cuba Rejects EU Extension of Sanctions Against Venezuela

A new three-segment structure was designed as a transitional scheme to avoid a sharp, disruptive devaluation:

• Segment I: Maintains a fixed rate of 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) to 1 unit.
• Segment II: Maintains a fixed rate of 120 CUP to 1.
• Segment III: A newly created segment featuring a daily floating exchange rate, to be published by the BCC. This rate is intended to reflect “the objective existence of differences between the official exchange rates and the real value that reflects the scarcity of foreign currency”, explained the official. The BCC will daily update  this rate on its official website.

The first two segments will be maintained to prevent sharp devaluations of the exchange rate and, consequently, the value of the national currency, trying to protect the population in basic and sensitive transactions, preserving stability and predictability in the prices of essential goods and services.

The third segment, based on a daily floating rate, will allow exporters and other foreign currency suppliers to sell at a competitive price determined by supply and demand, in a way to incentivize the inflow of foreign currency into the exchange market, which will serve as a source for its operations and reduce the pressures and irregularities of the informal market.

The reform aims to gradually recover the convertibility of the Cuban peso and move toward monetary convergence in an economy plagued by multiple, disjointed exchange rates.

🗣️💵|| Anuncian transformación del mercado cambiario de divisas

🗣️ @BancoCentralCub, en la persona de su ministra presidenta @JlDelgadoPortal anunció, una transformación de su mercado cambiario de divisas, que entrará en vigor a partir de este 18 de diciembre.#ACNreporta pic.twitter.com/1ZedHIA030

— Agencia Cubana de Noticias (@ACN_Cuba) December 18, 2025

Text reads: “Currency exchange market transformation announced @BancoCentralCub, in the person of its Minister-President @JlDelgadoPortal announced a change in its foreign exchange market, which will take effect on 18 December.”

Addressing the MLC

On the other hand, Delgado explicitly denied rumors about the elimination of accounts in the so-called “freely convertible currency” (MLC, in Spanish), asserting the goal is to “strengthen the purchasing power of the MLC and its use value.”

“An immediate unification of the exchange rate, without a transition stage, could cause a sharp devaluation, with greater inflationary effects than current ones and a deepening of the loss of purchasing power of the national currency,” Delgado warned, citing international experience with economies facing accumulated imbalances.

The strategy, aimed at recovering the purchasing power of the national currency, is to concentrate and orient the foreign exchange market by connecting the various economic actors -state and non-state- in the production, export and marketing of goods and services at competitive prices.

The legal provisions enacting these changes will be published in Cuba’s Official Gazette and will enter on force on December 18, 2025.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

By Al-Akhbar’s Lebanon Desk  –  Dec 15, 2025

“We’ve never supplied our products to enemies. We proudly support the US government. I am proud that we are supporting Israel in every way we can.” – Palantir co-founder Alex Karp

Palantir Technologies has been involved in the Israeli military’s regional operations from Gaza to Lebanon and beyond, according to revelations in a new biography of CEO Alex Karp. In The Philosopher in the Valley: Alex Karp, Palantir, and the Rise of the Surveillance State, New York Times journalist Michael Steinberger details how the US-based company’s software played a direct role in the deadly operations following October 7th 2023, namely the Operation Grim Beeper in Lebanon in 2024.

On September 17th-18th 2024, Israel detonated booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies across homes, shops, and workplaces. Israel claimed the devices belonged exclusively to Hezbollah members, but the explosions largely struck civilians including children, killing at least 42 people and injuring more than 3,400. Survivors suffered severe and life-changing injuries to the hands, face, and eyes.

The Golden Pager: Netanyahu’s Necrophilous Gesture to Trump

“The company’s technology was deployed by the Israelis during military operations in Lebanon in 2024 that decimated Hezbollah’s top leadership. It was also used in Operation Grim Beeper,” confirmed Steinberger.

Following October 7, both the Shin Bet and Israeli army urgently sought Palantir’s tools. “The demand for Palantir’s assistance was so great that the company dispatched a team of engineers from London to help get Israeli users online,” Steinberger said, prompting the US-based AI company to “rent a second floor in the building that housed its Tel Aviv office to accommodate the intelligence analysts who needed tutorials.”

According to Steinberger, the company’s software was deployed by the Israeli military beyond Lebanon, notably in “several raids in Gaza” in which captives were freed. Palantir also leveraged the US military’s Project Maven to help repel “large-scale Iranian missile attacks on Israel in October 2024 and June 2025”.

The involvement of big tech companies in warfare has raised international alarm. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, has cited the Palantir as a collaborator in the Gaza genocide in a report released on July 2nd 2025. “Companies are no longer merely implicated in occupation – they may be embedded in an economy of genocide,” said the report.

(al-akhbar)

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange files a criminal complaint against the Nobel Foundation, seeking to halt the release of more than $1 million in prize money to controversial Venezuelan figure Maria Machado.

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The Permanent Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations denounced on December 17, 2025, a “serious aggression” by the United States government, which includes military threats, a unilateral naval blockade, and the designation of Venezuela as a foreign terrorist organization. In a letter addressed to the President of the Security Council, Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Venezuelan representative Samuel Reinaldo Moncada Acosta requested the immediate convening of an emergency meeting of the body to address the situation.

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President Maduro: “Venezuela Will Not Be a Colony of Anyone”

The denunciation is based on a series of statements made by US President Donald Trump the previous day on his social media platform, Truth Social, in which he asserted: “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest navy ever assembled in the history of South America” and announced a “total and complete blockade of all authorized oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.” Trump justified the measure by alleging the supposed “theft” of U.S. assets, as well as accusations of terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.

Furthermore, on December 17, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller declared that “the entire Venezuelan oil industry belongs to the United States of America,” referring to the world’s largest oil reserves.

The Venezuelan document emphasizes that these actions constitute “a flagrant violation of Article 2.4 of the Charter of the United Nations,” which prohibits the use or threat of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. It also points out that the naval blockade unilaterally imposed by the U.S. “is clearly defined in Article 3(c) of General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) as a crime of aggression.”

The letter recalls that on December 10, 2025, the United States had already resorted to the use of military force against a commercial vessel transporting Venezuelan oil, whose crew members remain missing. It also denounces the unilateral imposition of a “total closure of Venezuelan airspace,” announced by Trump on November 29, which jeopardizes the safety of international civil aviation.

Venezuela urges the Security Council to act urgently.

The Venezuelan government considers these measures to represent “a colossal act of extortion against a sovereign state” and an attempt to impose a policy of “gunboat diplomacy” incompatible with the 21st-century international order. Therefore, it requested the Security Council, pursuant to Article 39 of the UN Charter, to adopt “the necessary measures to restore international law.”

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the United States can “never” turn the Latin American country into its “colony.”

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said this Wednesday that there is an attempt to impose a puppet government and regime change in Venezuela to turn it into a colony, following statements by Donald Trump that reaffirm the intentions to seize Venezuelan oil, land, and other resources.

The president stated that “it is simply a warmongering and colonialist ambition. We have said it many times, the truth has been revealed: they intend a regime change to impose a puppet government that will come to hand over sovereignty and turn Venezuela into a colony.”

RELATED:

President Maduro Warns UN About Escalating US Threats Against Venezuela

President Maduro declared that Venezuela will continue to market all its products, its oil, and other natural resources that belong to its sole owner, the people, in the face of the clear threat in Trump’s statements.

“It is illegal, according to all agreements, to impede free maritime trade on the seas and oceans of the world. This is not a time for privateers. Venezuela will continue to trade all its products. The trade of our oil and our natural resources, which belong to their sole legitimate owner for centuries—the sovereign Venezuelan people—will continue. They are the absolute owners of all their wealth,” he said.

Emphasizing that the South American nation is defending the right to exist of a Republic and an entire continent, Nicolás Maduro added that “Venezuela will not be a colony of anyone.”

“I have no doubt that our people, in perfect civic-military-police unity, will uphold our historical rights over our land, our wealth, minerals, and oil,” he asserted, emphasizing that “we will defend our Constitution.” “We are defending what is most sacred to a country: the right to life of its people,” he said.

The Venezuelan president pointed out that the vast majority of the American population opposes any aggression and military war, “the endless wars that have destroyed countries and a large part of their youth.”

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro: "We are victorious. We have defeated every criminal gang. We are consolidated." pic.twitter.com/1pROctIpIG

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) August 11, 2025

“All the peoples of Latin America are raising their voices,” he emphasized, and referring to his meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, he said, “I explained the escalation of aggression.”

“We have the strength, the reason, and the support of the peoples of the world in the face of this disproportionate, illegal, and warmongering escalation. It is time to respect international law,” he stressed.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected on Wednesday the European Union’s (EU) decision to extend until January 10, 2027, the sanctions imposed on the government of President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.

Through the social media platform X, the head of Cuban diplomacy described these measures as “contrary to International Law and the Charter of the United Nations (UN).”

RELATED:

Why the US Blockade of Venezuela Violates International Law

“We reject the extension of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures by the European Union against Venezuela… These actions seek to increase pressure against the government of the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution and serve the aggressive and neocolonialist interests of the United States,” Rodríguez wrote.

According to press reports, the sanctions affect 69 Venezuelan individuals, whose assets remain frozen and who are prohibited from traveling to European territory.

Rechazamos la prórroga de sanciones y medidas coercitivas unilaterales de la Unión Europea contra #Venezuela, que son contrarias al Derecho Internacional y la Carta de @ONU_es.

Estas acciones persiguen aumentar la presión contra el gobierno de la Revolución Bolivariana y… pic.twitter.com/Ds11DJdEwj

— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) December 17, 2025

The Venezuelan government has repeatedly denounced these “coercive measures” as illegitimate, illegal, and a violation of international law.

In a statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry criticized the European position, stating that the bloc “chose to accelerate its political decline” by maintaining an “erratic foreign policy, lacking autonomy and subservient to foreign interests.”

It also emphasized that after years of implementation, the sanctions have been “a resounding failure,” damaging diplomatic relations without producing any constructive results.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, inaugurated renovated spaces at the headquarters of the Bolivarian Society of Venezuela this Tuesday, as part of the commemoration of the 195th anniversary of the death of the Liberator Simón Bolívar.

“Today, we are inaugurating these spaces so that young people, community groups, and the people can come and visit the headquarters of the Bolivarian Society, and continue to cultivate the thought, legacy, and actions of our Liberator Simón Bolívar, and so that Bolívar may continue to reign victoriously, above imperial threats, today, tomorrow, and always,” declared the President from the emblematic building located next to the Liberator’s birthplace.

The head of state emphasized that this is one of the few buildings that survived the impact of the petrodollars, which, he noted, destroyed much of Caracas’s colonial and historic architecture.

The Minister of Public Works, Juan José Ramírez, explained that the restored facilities date back to the original founding of the Bolivarian Society, established in 1842 by General-in-Chief Rafael Urdaneta under the name “Great Bolivian Society of Caracas.”

The work carried out included the rehabilitation of the Rafael Urdaneta Hall, the immediate repair of the roof and walls, and the complete restructuring of the electrical, plumbing, and public utility systems.

The event was part of the official activities commemorating the 195th anniversary of the death of Simón Bolívar, which occurred on December 17, 1830, at 1:05 p.m. From the headquarters of the Bolivarian Society, Maduro paid fervent tribute to the Liberator, whom he described as “the most exalted man in history.”

Earlier, through his official Telegram channel, the president published a message in which he recalled that, “almost two centuries ago, the liberated peoples trembled upon hearing the news of his death,” and emphasized that “the Genius of America, who was born into a privileged life, gave everything—his body, his life, and his wealth—for the emancipation of the continent.”

The Venezuelan leader stressed that Bolívar’s “infinite greatness and incomparable magnitude” indelibly shaped the destiny of “our America,” and affirmed that “Bolívar did not perish; his spirit remains vigilant,” quoting the poet.

“Today, his ideal shines an inextinguishable light in its cradle: Bolivarian Venezuela. We, the heirs of the 21st century, the Bolivarian revolutionaries, feel how the Liberator becomes flesh within us as a historical, creative, and redeeming force,” he expressed.

He also emphasized that authentic Bolivarianism, revitalized by Commander Hugo Chávez, constitutes a fundamental axis of anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, and the profound unity among peoples, as a supreme inspiration in the face of any adversity.

The day concluded with the traditional cry of the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution: “Bolívar lives!”

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro stated this Wednesday that democracy in the country is facing serious difficulties, denouncing the electoral coup in the presidential elections and demanding a vote-by-vote recount during a massive public rally in Tegucigalpa against the fraud in the November 30 elections.

She emphasized that “I have called you here because the country is once again going through a crisis. Today, democracy in Honduras is in serious trouble; they want to manipulate our democracy and make decisions that only the people have the right to make in the only democratic opportunity they have to express themselves: the electoral process.”

RELATED:

Electoral Coup in Honduras: Libre Party Urgently Calls for a Gathering at the Vote Counting Center

The president urged the people to “defend the democracy of our country, to prevent the manipulation of the ballots,” and emphasized the importance of a “vote-by-vote” recount to ensure that the results are an “exact representation” of what was expressed at the ballot box. She also pointed out that “democracy is defended standing up, not in silence,” and called on those present to participate in a peaceful mobilization.

“We have changed the history of Honduras,” she said, adding that the history of a people who have marched in resistance has also been changed, and that this resistance “has allowed us to demonstrate the exercise of power.”

“What is needed is political will and commitment to you,” the president added. “Let us continue defending the people’s votes,” she affirmed, and called for waiting for the resolutions that are issued. “But the people,” she emphasized, “must demand a recount of every single vote. That is how we can build democracy.”

(Developing Story)

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

A new ship carrying solidarity aid from the Government of Venezuela and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA-TCP) arrived this Wednesday, December 17, at the Guillermón Moncada port in Santiago de Cuba, with the aim of supporting recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa.

The cargo includes several containers with materials and supplies primarily intended for the reconstruction of road infrastructure and other sectors severely affected by the storm. This shipment follows the arrival of the ship “Manuel Gual” on December 8, which delivered machinery and more than 7,110 tons of supplies for the affected population.

RELATED:

Venezuela Sends New Massive Humanitarian Shipment to Cuba Following Hurricane Damage

The arrival of the ship reinforces the solidarity alliance among the ALBA-TCP nations, in a context marked by external pressures seeking to hinder regional cooperation. Despite this, countries like Venezuela, Bolivia, and Mexico have contributed in a coordinated manner to mitigate material damage and accelerate the restoration of land communications in the eastern part of the archipelago.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez returned to Santiago de Cuba on Thursday to review the progress of recovery efforts in the provinces affected by Hurricane Melissa. This was the area most severely affected by the cyclone's winds. pic.twitter.com/q3ShsFACT9

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) November 13, 2025

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez has personally overseen recovery efforts in Santiago de Cuba, beginning his tour of the affected areas just one day after the hurricane passed.

ALBA-TCP: Summit of brotherhood between peoples

At the 25th ALBA-TCP Summit, held on December 14th as part of the centennial celebrations of Fidel Castro Ruz, Díaz-Canel reaffirmed the region’s commitment to “dignified resistance” and unity in the face of external aggression.

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“The unity of the bloc is the strategic response to guarantee sovereignty,” the president declared, invoking the ideals of Simón Bolívar, José Martí, Fidel Castro, and Hugo Chávez. This international support complements Cuba’s sovereign efforts, which operate under the limitations imposed by the United States’ economic blockade.

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This Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned that the US Senate will take action against any unauthorized aggression against Venezuela, in response to recent statements by President Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump does not have the authority to carry out his current plans to use military force in the Caribbean without congressional authorization. If he acts without congressional authorization, the Senate will advance a bipartisan resolution to prevent the unauthorized use of force,” Schumer stated on his Twitter account.

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Schumer Threatens ‘War Powers Vote’ to Block U.S. Military Action in Venezuela

The warning comes after Trump’s announcement on Tuesday, in which he declared the Venezuelan government a “foreign terrorist organization” and ordered a total embargo on all sanctioned oil tankers destined for or originating from Venezuela. The president justified the measure by claiming that Caracas is withholding “oil, land, and assets that belong to the US,” which, according to him, “must be returned.”

Tensions between the US and Venezuela have escalated in recent weeks due to the Pentagon’s sustained deployment in the region, which includes the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier. Although Washington justifies its military presence in the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, Trump had already asserted in November that “Maduro’s days are numbered,” though he later clarified that he had no plans to declare war.

Democratic members of Congress in the US reject the military blockade order against Venezuela

Democratic lawmakers in the United States expressed open rejection of President Donald Trump’s order to move toward a military and naval blockade against Venezuela, warning that it is a military escalation aimed at forcing regime change and seizing Venezuelan energy resources.

Deeply alarming. Donald Trump is preparing for a regime change war in Venezuela—a war that the American people don’t want and that Congress hasn’t authorized.

This is reckless and criminal. https://t.co/2mpoUdHo9I

— Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (@RepYassAnsari) December 17, 2025

Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari called the initiative “deeply alarming” and maintained that this is a war that “the American people do not want and that Congress has not authorized.”

Similarly, Senator Chris Van Hollen denounced the narrative of combating drug trafficking as a pretext, and pointed out that the true objective of the offensive against Caracas is “to seize Venezuela’s oil and gas reserves for the benefit of Trump’s billionaire allies.”

“This has nothing to do with stopping drug trafficking,” Van Hollen emphasized. The criticism comes amid growing internal erosion of the Trump administration’s economic and trade policies, damaging unity not only in Congress but also within the Republican Party itself. This is further fueling distrust in the current administration.

Health care costs are soaring. Housing costs are soaring. Grocery costs are soaring.

NO. We do not need Trump to take us into an illegal and unconstitutional war with Venezuela to deflect attention away from the crises our country faces.

What happened to “America First?”

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 13, 2025

For several legislators, the escalation against Venezuela also serves as a distraction from domestic economic difficulties, while simultaneously opening the door to a military confrontation without legislative approval, in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

As the U.S. administration intensifies its pressure on Venezuela, politicians, citizens, and activists in the United States warn that a war in the Caribbean would not only be illegal but also politically costly and morally indefensible. They caution that the conflict could escalate uncontrollably, affecting both the region and the interests of the American people.

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The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, held a telephone conversation this Tuesday with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, to warn about the escalating threats against the country and their serious implications for regional peace and stability, the Venezuelan government reported in an official statement.

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Why the US Blockade of Venezuela Violates International Law

During the exchange, the head of state denounced to the highest representative of the multilateral system the recent public statements made by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, disseminated through social media, in which he openly stated in a colonial manner that Venezuelan oil, natural resources, and territory “belonged” to Washington. Maduro emphasized that these statements constitute a direct threat to national sovereignty, international law, and peaceful coexistence among nations.

The Venezuelan president also warned that these claims were echoed by high-ranking US officials, including Stephen Miller, who asserted that the Venezuelan oil industry also belonged to the United States, which—according to Caracas—confirms the existence of a doctrine of plunder and neocolonial domination against Venezuela. In this regard, Maduro emphasized that such positions must be categorically rejected by the United Nations system.

In his dialogue with Guterres, the Venezuelan president described the political, diplomatic, and economic siege the country faces, as well as the intensification of a campaign of falsehoods, military threats, and acts of force, which has included acts of modern piracy, such as the attack on a ship transporting legitimately traded Venezuelan oil. The president characterized these actions as part of a “diplomacy of barbarism,” contrary to the principles of international law.

President Maduro reiterated Venezuela’s unwavering commitment to upholding a dignified diplomacy based on dialogue, international law, and peace, while reaffirming the Venezuelan state’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the defense of its sovereignty.

For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed his commitment to international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, expressed his solidarity with the Venezuelan people, and stressed the need to avoid any escalation or confrontation, warning that an armed conflict in the region would be unjustified and would have serious consequences for the stability of Latin America and the Caribbean.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro: "We are victorious. We have defeated every criminal gang. We are consolidated." pic.twitter.com/1pROctIpIG

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) August 11, 2025

Guterres also reported that he will monitor the situation and that the issue will be addressed in the appropriate forums of the United Nations system, always prioritizing de-escalation, diplomacy, dialogue, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The official statement, dated December 17, 2025, in Caracas, comes amid growing international tension, marked by threats of blockades, maritime interdiction, and economic pressure against Venezuela—actions that the Bolivarian Government considers a flagrant violation of international law and a direct risk to regional peace.

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A serious crisis is rapidly unfolding inside UK prisons as eight Palestine Action-Affiliated activists held on remand continue a prolonged hunger strike (the biggest in the UK since 1981), that has already forced five of them into hospital. Lawyers warn that the group, detained under “terrorism charges,” are being left to face death while government officials remain silent.

Legal representatives from Imran Khan & Partners Solicitors have appealed directly to Justice Secretary David Lammy, urging an emergency meeting before the activists’ health “deteriorates beyond possible recovery.” With two prisoners now around day 40 without food, lawyers say they are suffering severe symptoms including shortness of breath, memory loss, blurred vision, and rapid physical decline. All eight are being held in prolonged pre-trial detention, which could stretch to two years due to court delays, despite none being convicted.

The hunger strikers have issued five demands they insist they will continue to pursue regardless of the risks. Three relate directly to their legal conditions: an end to the censorship of their communications, immediate bail, and the disclosure of documents detailing alleged Israeli state and corporate influence in their prosecutions. The remaining demands are: the de-proscription of Palestine Action, which the UK labelled a terrorist organization in July, and the complete shutdown of Elbit Systems’ UK operations. Elbit, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, supplies most of the drones used in Israel’s military campaigns; Palestine Action has long targeted its UK sites.

As the hunger strike enters a potentially fatal stage, pressure is mounting on the Justice Secretary and The Crown Prosecution Service to intervene.

Liberated Palestinian Prisoners Express Support for Hunger-Striking Prisoners in British Jails

Human rights organizations say the crisis stems from the UK’s extreme misuse of counter-terror legislation. Amnesty International UK warned the situation has reached “crisis point,” accusing prosecutors of stretching terrorism laws far beyond their intended purpose. Amnesty’s Kerry Moscogiuri described the activists as “victims of the UK’s excessively broad terrorism laws,” which she said have transformed ordinary protest actions into terrorism cases and threaten the rights to expression and assembly for all.

As the hunger strike enters a potentially fatal stage, pressure is mounting on the Justice Secretary and The Crown Prosecution Service to intervene. Without immediate action, Qesser Zuhrah, Amu Gib, Kamran Ahmed, Jon Cink, Teuta Hoxha, Heba Muraisi, Lewie Chiaramello, and Muhammad Umer Khalid continue to face the risk of death as per medical opinion. Any consequences of the prisoners’ mistreatment and neglect would rest squarely on the government’s refusal to engage with their demands or address the escalating concerns over political repression.

(Al Akhbar)

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Green movements reaffirm support for President Maduro and the Bolivarian Revolution.

On Wednesday, Venezuelan environmentalist, ecologist and ecosocialist movements publicly spoke out against new threats by U.S. President Donald Trump against the Bolivarian Revolution.

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Earlier, on Tuesday night, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a total blockade on the entry and exit of oil tankers, a measure that would remain in effect until Venezuelans “returns all the oil, land and other assets they previously stole” from the United States. In response to these unprecedented claims, Venezuelan ecologist activists issued the following statement:

“The ecosocialist, environmentalist, and ecologist movements, together with the Ecosocialism Councils of 5,336 Communal Government Halls, state our complete rejection of the insolent, crude, and arrogant message sent by the U.S. President Donal Trump.

His threatening message lays bare the U.S. empire’s true intentions: to steal our oil and mineral and natural wealth. These natural assets belong to Venezuelan women and men, and to no one else. We do not want to take anything from them, but we are also not willing to allow anything to be taken from us.

Venezuela Defense Minister: "The Armed Forces categorically reject the delusional statements made yesterday by Mr. Trump. He has claimed we have stolen the oil that lies under our land.

The truth has been revealed. It's not about 'narco-terrorism'.

It's all about the oil." pic.twitter.com/9BIloQkDKh

— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) December 17, 2025

International law, our Constitution and the free will of the Venezuelan people — who decided to be free and sovereign — are on our side. Venezuela’s national assets are meant to meet the needs of our people and to be freely exchanged with the rest of the world, in solidarity and in accordance with international trade rules.

The commander in chief and president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, is the legitimate president of our nation and the father of the Great Mother Earth Venezuela Mission, a beautiful policy aimed at addressing the capitalist-driven climate crisis in a scientific and organized way, with the participation of an entire people.

We stand ready to defend the homeland wherever, however, and whenever necessary. We only await your order, Commander. We will defend our homeland with all the strength used to defend Mother Earth.

Yankee go home!”

#OnThisDay we remember Simon Bolivar, the Liberator of South America, who passed away in 1830.

He was a soldier and statesman who played a central role in the South American independence movement. He is remembered worldwide as a champion of liberation and anti-colonial… pic.twitter.com/2ATJ57j4Qu

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 17, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Ecosocialist Movement

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A meeting on the scientific, historical and application development of tropical agriculture took place in the presence of experts and members of the community, said the statement on Wednesday.

The official document, distributed in Havana, describes that specialists and the community of the western territory of Santiago de Las Vegas promote the scientific and historical collection of INIFAT.

The meeting was organized by the Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical Alejandro de Humboldt (INIFAT), in collaboration with the International Committee for the Development of Peoples (CISP).

The workshop took place as part of the actions planned in the task Conservation and dissemination of scientific knowledge and results of basic research in tropical agriculture.

It also includes elements such as the energy component, which is inserted in the Green Line, Renewable Energy Communities and Food Security project in Pinar del Río, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

In addition to managers and specialists of the institution, the meeting was attended by officials from the Agro-Forestry Business Group (GAF), and students from the Information Sciences career, the Faculty of Communication of the University of Havana.

The purpose of the event was to disseminate the scientific, historical and heritage collection preserved in the INIFAT library and archive, and highlight its potential for academic and scientific use in the locality.

At the meeting, certain programmes were announced to promote agriculture, such as the digitization of the documentary heritage of Cuban agriculture, improvement of material conditions, strengthening of staff skills and new information services.

rc/rfc

The post Cuba strengthens programs on agriculture first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Their declared goal, the political organization said, is to cut off all oil revenues in order to force the illegal overthrow of an independent government.

“This siege is designed to provoke an economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis as a prelude to a total war by the United States,” he said.

The PSL emphasized that this aggression seeks to control Venezuelan oil and reverse the political independence of that country, following “a pattern of US intervention in Latin America, where governments that resist US control are targeted for regime changes”.

In its statement, the party recalled the attacks in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific by the US naval flotilla in the Caribbean on small vessels branded as drug trafficking and the recent illegal seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker.

Such facts “already show that the Trump administration is violently intensifying this conflict,” said the PSL. Trump has made clear his colonial intentions, it warned, by declaring the US plans to steal territory, oil and minerals from Venezuela.

The PSL, founded in 2004, reiterated that the US people have overwhelmingly opposed military intervention in Venezuela. “This war, like the war in Iraq, is based on false pretexts and imperial ambition”.

“We must organize and mobilize to stop this blockade and avoid a more extensive war. No to the war in Venezuela,” it concluded.

The activist Gloria La Riva, leader of that political force, warned that Trump and his administration continued to dangerously approach a military incursion in Venezuela, a war adventure in which they could enter and would not easily get out.

“It is evident what Trump said in his first term (2017-2021) that he was going to end Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, socialism in Latin America, is trying that,” added the also former presidential candidate for the PSL.

Yesterday the republican president ordered a total and complete blockade of oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela after the announcement of the designation of the Venezuelan government “as a terrorist organization”.

abo/rc/dfm

The post PSL condemned Trump’s naval blockade order against Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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