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The parlamentarians expressed their disagreement with the recent act of piracy and maritime terrorism carried out by the US government in international waters, as well as the decision to impose a naval blockade against the Bolivarian nation in order to prevent the free trade of hydrocarbons. These events “constitute a very serious violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, while disrupting peace in the region,” said the statement.

The actions are in keeping with provocations and aggressions against the South American nation, which have escalated with a disproportionate and unjustified military deployment in the Caribbean, acts which also violate the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.

They also create a negative precedent for free international trade and freedom of navigation.

“The seizure of the ship, the theft of its cargo and the pretexts used to block oil shipments reveal the true objective that Washington pursues in its action, which is no other than taking control of its immense natural resources, through an increase in the military presence of the United States in the region and with the use of instruments of force, as part of its new strategy of National Security and the Trump Corollary that claims the disastrous Monroe Doctrine”, dictates the document.

Parliament remembered the declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, proclaiming that it is still in force and should be respected.

They also called on the peoples of the world to join this condemnation, since it is a duty to mobilize against the threat and use of force against Venezuela in defense of the peace, security and stability of Our America.

abo/mem/bbb

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The Government reached preliminary approval for the 2026 Budget, the first of the Milei era, but suffered a key defeat: the opposition managed to completely overturn Chapter 11, which revoked university funding and the disability emergency declaration, two laws that the ruling party insists on violating.

After a session that began at 2:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday and concluded early this morning, the executive’s allied leaders offered concessions of all kinds to governors and allied blocs to protect the entire chapter.

However, at the time of the vote, they only garnered 117 affirmative votes, while the opposition obtained 123 rejections and also added two abstentions.

This is the third time in six months that the government has lost on university funding and the disability emergency, counting the original passage of the laws, the legislative revocation of the presidential veto, and now the attempted repeal via the budget.

A majority of deputies also rejected eliminating the automatic adjustments to the Universal Child Allowance and other family allowances.

Deputy Cecilia Moreu celebrated this opposition victory on X. “They tried to play dirty, and it backfired.”

jdt/arm/mem/mh

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The session is monitored by videoconference by the leader of the Revolution, Raul Castro, and more than 470 members of parliament in their respective provinces.

The agenda of the meeting includes the evaluation of the achievement of the measures of the Government Program to correct distortions and give a new boost to the economy, as well as the election of new members of the State Council.

The deputies will analyze the bills: General of Science, Technology and Innovation and Exceptional Reduction of the Current Term of Delegates to the Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power.

During the day will also be submitted the goals and targets for the economy of 2026; the bill of the State Budget for next year, among other issues.

Yesterday, President Miguel Diaz-Canel urged deputies to discuss the country’s problems transparently during the regular session.

“We continue to encourage the open, frank and constant debate, from the point of view of revolutionary ethics, to build among all the country that we dream,” said the head of state on social network X.

abo/mem/mks

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The news website El 19 published a statement from the Ministry of Health (MINSA), which highlights that a total of 1,865,213 people, including children, adolescents, and young adults, received care during this period.

MINSA specified that 50,215 of these individuals were identified as having risk factors, such as obesity and a family history of diabetes.

It added that, as a result of the evaluations carried out, 128 cases of children with the disease were confirmed, and these children are guaranteed timely medical attention and specialized follow-up for disease management.

The institution emphasized that the campaign’s fundamental objective is the early detection of diabetes and its risk factors, as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits from an early age.

“With firm commitment, we will continue developing the National Diabetes-Free Campaign to guarantee early detection and provide comprehensive healthcare for our people,” it stressed.

The Ministry of Health’s campaign aims to reach 2.5 million children and adolescents up to 20 years of age, as part of the Sandinista government’s commitment to preventive healthcare and the well-being of future generations.

jdt/arm/mem/ybv

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Industry showed little interest, citing sanctions and political risk tied to regime-change strategy.

Politico reported that President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated direct contacts with major U.S. oil companies to explore a possible return to Venezuela once President Nicolas Maduro is removed from power.

RELATED:

Russia Warns Trump Against ‘Fatal Mistake’ in Venezuela

The Trump administration has sounded out companies such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips about their willingness to resume operations in Venezuelan territory in a “post-Maduro” scenario. However, the industry’s response has been negative, due to low crude prices, instability created by sanctions and the political risk associated with Washington’s regime-change strategy.

Led by the State Department, the initiative constitutes new evidence that the escalation of diplomatic, military, and economic pressure against Venezuela is directly linked to control of the world’s largest proven oil reserves.

Currently, low crude prices give Trump unusual leeway to intensify pressure on Caracas without immediate fear of higher fuel prices in the U.S. market. At the same time, those prices discourage companies from investing in a Venezuelan industry battered by years of sanctions and financial blockade.

It's pathetic. Only 3 Republicans–Massie, Bacon and MTG–dared to vote with the Constitution to stop Trump's unauthorized attacks on Venezuela. 70% of Americans don't want war w/ Venezuela. So who are these 213 members representing? Trump? Oil companies? Weapons industry? pic.twitter.com/pQaCJQkuD2

— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) December 17, 2025

“There isn’t much interest from the industry,” a source cited by the U.S. outlet acknowledged, noting that there are more profitable and less risky options in other countries, while Venezuela remains the target of an aggressive policy of containment and threats.

In late November, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other officials also facilitated a meeting in Washington with the participation of representatives of U.S. oil companies and sectors of the Venezuelan far-right opposition, aimed at discussing a possible corporate return under new political conditions.

In parallel with these contacts, Trump publicly announced a naval blockade against vessels transporting Venezuelan oil, stating that the United States “will not allow a hostile regime to keep our oil,” a declaration that Caracas and various countries have described as a direct threat to sovereignty and an act of modern piracy.

The timing of the tanker blockade, U.S. military operations in regional waters and contacts with energy corporations reinforces the thesis that policy toward Venezuela reflects a comprehensive pressure strategy designed to force a change of government favorable to Washington’s energy interests.

Donald Trump imposed a naval blockade on Venezuela and admitted that he wants to take the country's oil and give it to US corporations:

"They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. They threw our companies out, and we want it back". pic.twitter.com/JQhJRNFeIy

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 18, 2025

Although companies such as Chevron maintain limited operations under special licenses, most U.S. oil companies recall the expropriations that occurred during the government of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. They express caution about reinvesting in a country subject to sanctions, military threats and a persistent narrative of destabilization.

Experts cited by the U.S. outlet warn that there is a significant gap between the White House’s desires and economic and geopolitical reality.

From Caracas, the Venezuelan government has repeatedly denounced the blockade and sanctions as part of a strategy to seize its natural resources, while reiterating its decision to maintain crude exports, defend freedom of navigation and uphold international law.

The disclosure of these corporate contacts adds to recent international condemnations, including those from Russia and other countries, warning of the danger of a broader escalation in Latin America.

It's not just US piracy against Venezuela that has people in South America worried. The Trump administration's announcement that it's bringing back the bloody Monroe Doctrine has set off alarms across the continent. My story @telesurenglish pic.twitter.com/wudMYrzvdM

— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) December 18, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Politico – teleSUR

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There is no longer any room for interpretation. Recent events have confirmed, beyond doubt, that the United States intends to dominate Latin America and the Caribbean and to crush opposition, even by using military means.

Honduras offers a clear example. Days before the November 30 vote, US President Trump’s flagrant intervention indisputably altered the outcome, leaving the election unresolved weeks later. My colleague Kurt Hackbarth aptly coined the term “preemptive fraud.”

“The method?” writes Hackbarth. “Blackmailing voters at their weakest points — debt, migration, violence — to force the desired electoral outcome. Cleaner, without the need to get one’s hands dirty with ballot stuffers, armies or clandestine operations.”

Given its success in Honduras and Argentina and the lack of any serious regional or institutional pushback, rest assured that, moving forward, Washington will deploy this tactic widely.

The best way to inoculate a population against Washington’s latest method of deception is through deep, widespread political consciousness — so that the people will recognize attempts to deny their right to choose their own destiny and reject those attempts forthright.

But even a conscious and mobilized population doesn’t guarantee a country’s sovereignty. US imperialism has repeatedly shown that it won’t tolerate counter-hegemonic governments winning at the ballot box, which brings us to Venezuela.

For decades, the US has sought to oust Venezuela’s leftist Bolivarian Revolution, using every tactic in the playbook — from coups, illegal sanctions, and now to outright piracy on the high seas. This week, the US seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast carrying roughly $78 million in crude oil, a wanton act of piracy. Furthermore, Trump threatened to impose a de facto US Navy-backed oil blockade on Venezuela.

Make no mistake, a blockade not sanctioned by the UN Security Council or imposed outside an armed conflict is illegal under international law, as are the executions through drone strikes on small boats carried out by the US. Washington openly flouts international law, aided by US media efforts to manufacture consent through barefaced lies, claiming that unilateral US coercive measures constitute “international sanctions.”

A US naval blockade on Venezuela would constitute collective punishment, another crime against humanity. Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodríguez warns a blockade would trigger another massive economic crisis. Venezuela already has to jump through US-imposed hurdles to sell its most important export, oil. Following Wednesday’s seizure, Asian buyers are demanding deeper discounts on Venezuelan crude. By cutting off oil revenues, Trump is increasing pressure to remove elected President Nicolás Maduro from office.

Washington loves to label countries that defy it as “rogue states,” but the country posing a threat to its neighbors is the United States — and the danger is rising. The National Security Strategy for 2025, published earlier this month, confirms a renewed US focus on the so-called Western Hemisphere, aimed at rebuilding US capacity to contest global hegemony amid its rivalry with China. Read in tandem with the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, the strategy represents a massive threat to the sovereignty of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The US, this “rogue state,” has used every possible means to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American countries and now threatens direct land invasions. Yet, the region remains woefully unprepared. Time is running out to forge a coherent regional response to the threat the US poses to all.

José Luis Granados Ceja is a journalist and political analyst based in Mexico City. He is co-host of the Mexican public television show Sin Muros, was staff writer with Venezuela Analysis, contributor to Drop Site News, and writes a monthly opinion column for the Mexico Solidarity Project and also co-hosts the Mexico Solidarity Project’s weekly podcast, Soberanía.

• 

  Culture | News Briefs

  Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office

  December 18, 2025

  Mexican cinema represented 35 percent of the total films shown and accounted for 16 percent of annual attendance last year.

• 

  Analysis

  Rogue States & Pirates

  December 18, 2025December 18, 2025

  The US has used every possible means to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American countries & now threatens direct land invasions. Yet, the region remains woefully unprepared. Time is running out to forge a coherent regional response.

• 

  News Briefs

  FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits

  December 18, 2025

  The international criminal consortium FIFA, which debased itself even further by awarding genocide manager Donald Trump a “peace prize”, is expected to make upwards of $11 to $14 billion from the trinational spectacle, whose matches are priced beyond the means of most Mexicans.

The post Rogue States & Pirates appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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This article by Jorge Caballero originally appeared in the December 18, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Led by the Ministry of Culture of the Mexican government, the press conference for the 2025 Film Balance was held yesterday, where the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE), National Film Archive, Center for Cinematographic Training (CCC) and Studios Churubusco shared the achievements and progress of each agency in this past year, as well as the plans for the immediate future that have been projected to improve domestic cinematography.

With a positive assessment, the announcement by the Secretary of Culture, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, that the new Federal Film Law will be presented to the Congress of the Union next February, was highlighted. Curiel de Icaza mentioned that “it is a priority law, which has been lobbied for and will be enacted in February.” She also emphasized the figures showing an increase in box office revenue for Mexican films, the increased support for the film industry through education, creation, exhibition, and preservation of Mexican cinema, among other topics.

It is worth mentioning that for the first time in a decade, the amounts for Eficine increased; in August, the Chapultepec National Film Archive fully reopened; the CCC signed an agreement with the SEP to achieve certification of its entire academic offering; Studios Churubusco strengthened and generated new collaborative relationships, for example.

Stop-motion film, Soy Frankelda

Changing Narratives

When asked directly about the transformation of narratives in the Mexican film industry and the discontent among some sectors regarding how things have been done, Curiel de Icaza responded: “It’s too early to say whether there’s a complete change in the film narrative… not everyone will ever be happy. But we’re here to talk and to say that support has been expanded, that the law is coming, that work is underway to democratize and improve the application process. There’s still work to be done, and everything can be improved…” She emphasized: “We know there’s a long road ahead, but there is support and political will that begins with President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.”

For her part, Marina Stavenhagen, head of the National Film Archive, reaffirmed her commitment to the promotion, preservation, and expansion of film culture. She stated that 31,321 screenings were held, attracting 1,351,116 attendees. A total of 218 films premiered, 77 of which were Mexican, strengthening the presence of Mexican cinema within a diverse and international program.

It should be emphasized that Mexican cinema represented 35 percent of the total films shown and accounted for 16 percent of annual attendance.

Estudios Churubusco

Among the titles with the largest audience, Soy Frankelda, by brothers Arturo and Rodolfo Ambriz, stood out, becoming the most watched Mexican film, with 45,742 attendees.

Daniela Alatorre, head of the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), stated that for the first time in a decade, the amounts for the Tax Incentive for Investment Projects for National Film Production and Distribution (EFICINE) have increased. For the 2026 call for proposals, an increase in the maximum amounts per project was approved: from 20 to 25 million pesos for production and from two to three million pesos for distribution.

He also mentioned that “support for filmmaking by indigenous and Afro-descendant communities was maintained through the Incentive for Audiovisual Creation in Mexico and Central America for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Communities (ECAMC). In 2025, the highest number of projects received support since the incentive’s inception.”

The director of the CCC, Dinorah Ramírez, highlighted that 50 years after its founding, the film school has consolidated itself as the space for training new perspectives on Mexican cinema, since “in 2025 an agreement was signed with the Ministry of Public Education to achieve the certification of the entire academic offering; online training was increased, with the objective that learning and making films is an accessible right for all communities in the country.”

Finally, Cristian Calónico, director of Estudios Churubusco, highlighted the unveiling of a commemorative National Lottery ticket; the cancellation of a postage stamp; three live musical concerts with the support of the Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico (SACM); the publication of two books dedicated to the memory and history of the workers of Estudios Churubusco; and the Coral of Honor awarded by the 46th edition of the Havana Film Festival in Cuba.

• 

  Culture | News Briefs

  Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office

  December 18, 2025

  Mexican cinema represented 35 percent of the total films shown and accounted for 16 percent of annual attendance last year.

• 

  Analysis

  Rogue States & Pirates

  December 18, 2025December 18, 2025

  The US has used every possible means to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American countries & now threatens direct land invasions. Yet, the region remains woefully unprepared. Time is running out to forge a coherent regional response.

• 

  News Briefs

  FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits

  December 18, 2025

  The international criminal consortium FIFA, which debased itself even further by awarding genocide manager Donald Trump a “peace prize”, is expected to make upwards of $11 to $14 billion from the trinational spectacle, whose matches are priced beyond the means of most Mexicans.

The post Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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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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In this year-end episode of Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast, co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth close out the year with an in-depth analysis of Mexico’s newly announced tariff package, examining the policy debate behind it and the pros and cons of this strategy.

The conversation then turns to the U.S. move to frame fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction,” exploring what that designation could mean for bilateral relations and why Mexico has reason to be wary given how similar declarations have been used in the past.

In the third segment, the hosts look ahead to 2026. What’s in store for Sheinbaum’s government? The episode wraps up with the return of Losers and Haters, where this week’s target is—once again—the New York Times.

Support Soberanía’s Holiday Fundraising Drive

• 

  Analysis

  Tariffs & Industrial Sabotage

  December 16, 2025December 16, 2025

  The government’s stated reasoning for anti-China tariffs rings hollow when considering the flood of cheap US imports destroying the Mexican countryside and production dominated by US corporations exploiting Mexican labour.

• 

  News Briefs

  China Calls on Mexico to Reconsider Tariffs on its Products

  December 11, 2025December 11, 2025

  Under Article 32.10 of the USMCA, Mexico can only pursue a free trade agreement with a non-market economy like the People’s Republic of China if the US government approves.

• 

  News Briefs

  Mexico’s Tariff Hikes on China Will Cause Major Disruptions for Key Mexican Industries

  December 11, 2025

  Manufacturers reliant on Chinese inputs warned of rising costs, and lawmakers, including some from Morena, sought to avoid a dispute with a nation many consider crucial to Mexico’s trade diversification.

The post To Tariff or Not to Tariff? Soberanía 89 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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This article by Erendira Palma Hernández originally appeared in the December 18, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. A record $727 million will be distributed as part of the prize money for the 2026 World Cup. Each team is guaranteed at least $10.5 million just for participating in the first round, while the champion will receive $50 million. The announcement comes on the heels of a wave of criticism against FIFA from fans due to the high cost of tickets for the first 48-team tournament.

While FIFA boasts of the record-breaking prize money, the figures are far from the $11 to $14 billion that the organization expects to generate from the World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada – which the organization will retain almost entirely – double the $5.7 billion it earned in Qatar 2022, according to reports from the organization itself.

The projected profits of the organization led by Gianni Infantino are based on payments for television rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales, which have been noted for their high costs, ranging from $60 (1,077 pesos) for the group stage to $6,730 (125,960 pesos) for the final, although these figures have changed due to dynamic pricing.

Despite the record figure, the amount of prizes to be awarded in the 2026 Cup falls short of what was awarded in the 2025 Club World Cup, where one billion dollars were distributed and Chelsea took home 125 million as champion of the tournament.

However, the amount to be awarded next year is much higher than the $110 million that was distributed at the 2023 Australia-New Zealand Women’s World Cup.

The governing body of football detailed that of the $727 million approved by the FIFA Council, $655 million will be distributed as prize money among the 48 participating teams. This figure represents a 50 percent increase compared to the $440 million awarded at Qatar 2022, where champions Argentina took home $42 million, while $9 million was given to the teams in the group stage, plus $10,000 for each player per day.

Now, just for qualifying for the World Cup, FIFA will give each federation $1.5 million to cover preparation costs, while countries finishing between 33rd and 48th place will receive $9 million. This means that all participating federations are guaranteed at least $10.5 million.

Teams finishing between 17th and 32nd place will receive $11 million, while those finishing 9th through 16th will earn $15 million. FIFA, the world governing body of football, will also award $19 million to teams finishing between 5th and 8th place.

The semifinalists will receive $27 million, while third place will take $29 million, and the runner-up will get $33 million.

The Mexican national team will seek a minimum of 19 million dollars

Thus, if the Mexican national team reaches at least the round of 16, their previous best before the last World Cup where they were eliminated in the group stage, they could receive at least $15 million. If they advance to the quarterfinals, the round that has been El Tri’s goal since 1986, they could earn around $19 million.

“Hopefully the national team will have a good showing and invest the resources it earns in its youth academy, looking towards the future,” said Rafael Lebrija, former Mexican soccer executive.

“With the prices they are charging, at least the teams benefit a little; the important thing is that this money is used wisely and invested in youth development, facilities, and good salaries for the coaches,” added Emilio Maurer, a former member of the Mexican Football Federation.

• 

  News Briefs

  FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits

  December 18, 2025

  The international criminal consortium FIFA, which debased itself even further by awarding genocide manager Donald Trump a “peace prize”, is expected to make upwards of $11 to $14 billion from the trinational spectacle, whose matches are priced beyond the means of most Mexicans.

• 

  Soberanía

  To Tariff or Not to Tariff? Soberanía 89

  December 17, 2025December 18, 2025

  An in-depth analysis of Mexico’s newly announced tariff package, examining the policy debate behind it and the pros and cons of this strategy.

• 

  News Briefs

  President Sheinbaum Calls for “Non-intervention” in Face of Trump’s Aggression Against Venezuela

  December 17, 2025December 17, 2025

  The Mexican President criticized the United Nations for its “absence”, calling on the international organization to assume its role in preventing conflict and bloodshed.

The post FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates denounced, in a statement, a Knesset (Parliament) initiative that would cut off electricity and water to the facilities owned or operated by UNRWA in the occupied territories.

The new legislation would also allow the Government to confiscate properties in East Jerusalem leased to the agency “without the need to initiate legal or administrative proceedings.”

The Ministry warned that this measure is a direct attack on a UN humanitarian agency that enjoys international legal immunity and whose vital and irreplaceable role is internationally recognized.

The diplomatic institution recalled that Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, nor over UNRWA.

The Foreign Ministry affirmed that the continued attacks on the institution not only affect it but also are a serious blow to the entire international humanitarian system and a deliberate attempt to criminalize aid to the Palestinians.

The Ministry called on the world to take urgent measures to protect UNRWA and its staff.

jdt/iff/npg/rob

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“We are preparing certain contacts with our American colleagues to obtain information on the results of the work that the Americans have carried out with the Europeans and with Ukraine,” Peskov told reporters.

Previously, the newspaper Politico, citing sources, reported that Russian and American representatives could hold talks in Miami this weekend on a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

On December 14, talks were held in Berlin involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and businessman Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, with the aim of reaching an agreement on the conflict in Ukraine.

A 20-point plan was debated for five hours, and Witkoff later reported that some progress had been made.

On December 2, Witkoff and Kushner visited Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting covered several topics, but primarily the conflict in Ukraine, focusing on a proposal promoted by the US since mid-November.

Days earlier, on November 30, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Witkoff met in Florida with Zelensky’s envoys to discuss a possible end to hostilities.

jdt/arm/mem/gfa

The post Russia to contact US regarding results of work with Ukraine first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Hezbollah warned that it will not disarm under any circumstances and denounced its dwindling patience in the face of repeated ceasefire violations by Israel, which maintains forces in Lebanese territory despite the agreement of November 27, 2024.

Mahmoud Qamati, vice president of the political council of the Lebanese resistance movement, reiterated that Hezbollah will not relinquish its role as a deterrent force against Israeli aggression.

RELATED:

Resistance Unites Against Israeli Aggression and Calls for National Unity

“If the resistance group loses patience, it will no longer negotiate with anyone,” Qamati stated, emphasizing that Lebanon’s survival is at risk due to the escalating tensions.

The high-ranking official insisted that Hezbollah will maintain its presence south of the Litani River, thus failing to meet the expectations of full deployment required by the ceasefire agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. In his view, these measures are necessary to preserve national sovereignty in the face of constant Israeli incursions.

The statements come amid a new wave of Israeli attacks that have left at least three dead in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israel has violated the ceasefire almost daily since it came into effect on November 27, maintaining troops at five locations in southern Lebanon and conducting constant airstrikes and overflights.

The Israeli military has launched a series of strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, saying it targeted training and weapons sites used by Hezbollah. Despite a ceasefire since last year, Israel has carried out near-daily strikes on the country. pic.twitter.com/XUvo0NesmW

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 18, 2025

These actions have been denounced by Lebanese authorities and international organizations, including the United Nations, as flagrant violations of Lebanese sovereignty and international law.

According to reports from Israel’s Channel 12, the Israeli Defense Forces are compiling a list of strategic targets for Hezbollah, including infrastructure, party members—both high- and low-ranking—missile units, and weapons depots.

77 years ago today, the UN adopted the Genocide Convention – a treaty to ensure mass atrocities such as the Holocaust never happened again.

Tragically, this has not been the reality.

Nearly 2 months after the so-called ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza, Palestinians are still enduring… pic.twitter.com/4ayAaKUNNa

— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) December 9, 2025

The Israeli media outlet noted that Tel Aviv seeks to limit the group’s capabilities, acknowledging that Hezbollah still possesses long-range missiles and continues to strengthen its deterrent power. Faced with pressure from the United States and Israel to disarm Hezbollah, some within the Arab world argue that these demands ignore ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanese territory.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah remains the only credible military force capable of countering the Israeli occupation, according to regional analysts.

Lebanese authorities have warned that persistent Israeli aggression threatens national stability, amidst escalating border tensions and potential scenarios for large-scale confrontation.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

WikiLeaks founder alleges war crimes facilitation tied to prize granted to Maria Corina Machado.

On Wednesday, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a criminal complaint in Stockholm against the Nobel Foundation, accusing it of facilitating the commission of war crimes by awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to far-right Venezuelan activist Maria Corina Machado.

RELATED:

Mexico Rejects Machado’s Calls for Foreign Intervention in Venezuela

The complaint alleges that 30 individuals linked to the Nobel Foundation committed crimes including aggravated misappropriation of funds, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and financing the crime of aggression.

By honoring Machado, the Nobel Foundation — including its chair, Astrid Soderbergh Widding, and its chief executive officer, Hanna Stjarne — has turned “an instrument of peace into an instrument of war,” Assange said.

The Nobel Foundation’s decision runs counter to the binding provisions of Alfred Nobel’s will, which stipulates that the prize should be awarded to the person who has done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations.

JULIAN ASSANGE FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST NOBEL FOUNDATION OVER “INSTRUMENT OF WAR” PEACE PRIZE

WikiLeaks Founder Alleges 2025 Award to María Corina Machado Constitutes Misappropriation, Facilitation of War Crimes Under Swedish Law, Seeks Freeze of 11 million SEK ($1.18… pic.twitter.com/OAH4mmvsph

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) December 17, 2025

By contrast, Machado’s “incitement” of what Assange described as the largest U.S. military buildup since the Iraq war makes her “categorically ineligible” for the Nobel Peace Prize, he argued.

“Machado has continued to incite the Trump administration to stay on its path of escalation. By using her elevated position as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Machado may well have tipped the balance in favor of war, facilitated by the named suspects,” Assange stated, referring to members of the Nobel Foundation.

The complaint includes as evidence statements in which Machado encouraged Washington to intervene militarily in Venezuela and justified U.S. attacks on civilian ships off the coast of the Caribbean nation.

For 50 years, the Nobel committee has rejected the candidacies of dissidents from the Western world. Julian Assange and Edward Snowden have worked for peace in a different way from Machado. But they possess one flaw: they expose our own dirty secrets. https://t.co/mPFnxVED4y

— Le Monde diplomatique in English (@LMdiplo) October 29, 2025

In this context, awarding the prize to the Venezuelan opposition figure — including the pending disbursement of 1 million euros — would constitute the crime of aggravated misappropriation of funds.

The complaint also warns of a “real risk” that the funds could be diverted in ways that indirectly contribute to financing U.S. war crimes, thereby violating Sweden’s state obligations under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Assange is therefore asking Swedish authorities to freeze the transfer of the prize money to Machado, demand the return of the medal, and investigate the Nobel Foundation for the alleged crimes.

Machado is currently in Norway, where she arrived on Dec. 11 after a trip that prevented her from arriving in time for the award ceremony. She nonetheless took part in several official events in Oslo accompanied by her family and other far-right activists.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Nobel Peace Prize winner, Adolf Perez Esquivel, questioned the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Corina Machado, an extremist who calls for a military invasion of her own. pic.twitter.com/GS3P7KANNd

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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At the night TV program, “Con el Mazo Dando” (With the Sledgehammer), the PSUV Secretary General emphasized that the declaration made by U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday night “provoked indignation among Chavistas and non-Chavistas alike.”

He said this indignation came from people associated with businesses and ordinary citizens, public and private sector workers, women and men, young and old.

He stressed that this indignation is a response to the offensive that the Americans “have been accelerating for the past 17 weeks, turning their cannons on Venezuela in a war of psychological terrorism against the people, solely to steal our oil; it is nothing else,” he asserted.

The Venezuelan political leader denounced as aberrant the pronouncements by the White House chief regarding the desire to seize oil, assets, and other natural resources, thus revealing the true intention of imperialism to plunder Venezuela’s wealth.

“What, Venezuela is stealing land from the United States? What, Venezuela is stealing oil and other assets? For God’s sake! Review history, Mr. President,” Cabello declared.

jdt/jav/npg/jcd

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“We have been fighting this militarization for two years,” Estefania Garzon, spokesperson for the Alliance of Relatives of Incarcerated Individuals, told Prensa Latina.

She went to the Legislative Assembly to recount the horrors in the prisons and request supervision.

In her conversation with this news agency, the young woman explained that the presence of uniformed personnel in the penitentiaries, since President Daniel Noboa’s decree of internal armed conflict in January 2024, “has only demonstrated its cruelty toward those deprived of their liberty” and their families.

Garzon explained that the Alliance was born “out of the pain of the families, from the lack of answers from this indifferent state,” and denounced isolation, lack of food, and deaths in prison.

“They shouldn’t have to die from beatings, torture, or starvation, which is what we’re seeing today,” she emphasized.

According to the spokesperson, there was a time when the government didn’t provide food for the inmates, and it was their families who had to feed their loved ones.

“We are a group of working women, mothers, and senior citizens,” she said, stressing that the inmates “are not human waste; they are people.”

abo/jav/npg/avr

The post Relatives of prisoners denounce cruel treatment in Ecuadorian prisons first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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A report published by the press office of this international institution indicates that these allocations, aimed at “improving the management of agricultural landscapes,” primarily benefited India, with two projects, as well as Mexico, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Tanzania, and Ukraine.

The budget allocated to these nations also aims to “promote climate-friendly and biodiversity-positive livestock production and restore forest, coastal, and marine ecosystems,” the text adds.

Furthermore, these projects will mobilize approximately $429 million in co-financing to improve the management of 305,000 hectares of terrestrial and marine protected areas, which, according to the document, will benefit one million people.

They will also restore 314,000 hectares of landscapes, improve the management of 1.2 million hectares of productive land, and mitigate the emission of 84.5 million tons of greenhouse gases.

“We are ready to continue collaborating with countries to access crucial financing that will allow them to transform their agri-food systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said regarding this initiative.

abo/arm/mem/ort

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“There is no doubt that these elections are completely tainted,” stated former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya (2006-2009) during a massive rally at the Presidential Palace in Tegucigalpa, convened by President Xiomara Castro in defense of democracy.

According to Zelaya, who is also the general coordinator of Libre, one of the main reasons for demanding the annulment of the recent elections, as established by law, is that “the people, who are sovereign and must vote freely, were subjected to coercion, blackmail, and threats.”

Zelaya, who was ousted in a 2009 coup, lashed out at US President Donald Trump’s interference in the election, following Trump’s open support for the presidential candidate of the right-wing National Party (PN), Nasry Asfura.

The leader of the young left-wing party accused the local oligarchy of resorting to threats from the “empire” to intimidate citizens, to the detriment of Libre’s presidential candidate, Rixi Moncada, whom Trump labeled a “communist.”

She stated that the interference is so pervasive that even today “they continue to threaten us from the north,” referring to a message from the US State Department urging the National Electoral Council (CNE) to begin the special recount process “immediately.”

In his speech, Zelaya called on the election officials to open the ballot boxes and recount every vote, as demanded by three of the five parties participating in the November 30th election, in order to clarify the numerous allegations of irregularities. He emphasized that, “The final word on the elections in Honduras has not yet been spoken.”

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Iran’s Foreign Ministry has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the United States’ threats to unilaterally impose a maritime blockade on Venezuela.

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“We strongly reject the naval blockade of Venezuela by the US government,” declared Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in a message on X.

“We firmly support President Nicolas Maduro, the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution, and its Popular-Military Union,” added the head of state.

On the same social media platform, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez expressed “full support for the statement published by the Venezuelan government,” which denounces and challenges the US measure.

He also commented that “the naval blockade against Venezuela announced by the US government is a grave violation of international law and an escalation of aggression against the Bolivarian government.”

“Our full and unwavering support for the constitutional President Nicolas Maduro, the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution, and its Popular-Military Union,” proclaimed the Cuban Foreign Minister.

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Fighters from the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) began withdrawing from their positions in Uvira, a strategic city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this Wednesday.

RELATED:

M23 Rebels Seize Congolese City of Uvira

“The withdrawal of AFC/M23 forces from the city of Uvira is underway and will be completed by tomorrow,” said M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa on the social media platform X, urging local residents to remain calm.

Military vehicles and M23 members were seen leaving their main base in the city. Lawrence Kanyuka, a spokesman for the rebel group, confirmed the withdrawal but did not provide further details.

Tu #DRC 🇨🇩 After Uvira fell to M23 rebels backed by Rwanda’s army, Kinshasa is urging Washington to tighten sanctions on Kigali.
FM Thérèse @kayikwambaT Wagner says current measures are not enough as violence and displacement intensify in the East.#Congo #Uvira #M23 #Rwanda pic.twitter.com/7IUpbE82Oo

— Africa universal English (@Africa_Univers1) December 10, 2025

After declaring the capture of Uvira on December 10, the M23 announced on Monday its decision to “unilaterally withdraw its forces” at the request of US mediators.

Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a political-military coalition allied with the M23, emphasized a “conditional” withdrawal and demanded security guarantees, including the deployment of a neutral force.

In a statement, Nangaa said the decision came after recent progress in the Doha peace process, including the signing of the Doha Framework Agreement in November.

Uvira, located near the border with Burundi on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, served as the interim administrative center for South Kivu after the provincial capital, Bukavu, fell to the M23 in February.

Analysts and local sources have warned that the loss of Uvira could eventually open a corridor into southeastern DRC, including Haut-Katanga, a key economic region. Clashes have also been reported further south in the Baraka and Fizi territories of South Kivu.

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Economic data and public opinion polls contradict his statements.

In a prime-time national address Wednesday night, U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted the economic achievements of the first year of his second term even as economic data and polls painted a less rosy picture.

RELATED:

Venezuelan Interior Minister Accuses U.S. of Plot to Seize Resources, Citing Trump

In the roughly 20-minute speech, Trump lashed out at the previous administration’s policies and claimed that his leadership has restored U.S. strength and revitalized the economy.

“We are bringing our economy back from the brink of ruin. There are more people working today than at any time in American history, and 100 percent of all jobs created since I took office have been in the private sector,” Trump said, claiming that he is bringing high prices down “very fast.”

The Republican leader also defended his tariff policies, saying he has secured trillions of dollars in investment in the United States, and “much of this success has been accomplished by tariffs.” Trump also lauded the massive tax and spending bill approved by Congress in early July.

“Next year, you will also see the results of the largest tax cuts in American history that were really accomplished through our great, Big Beautiful Bill,” he said.

Analysis of Trump's Speech:

"It was one of the most, if not the most overtly authoritarian speeches ever delivered from the White House, in U.S. history.”

This was not an economic update. It was a propaganda-style address designed to replace reality with a loyalty narrative,… pic.twitter.com/eiEAwbfNJs

— ⚓️ 🇺🇸 Proud Navy Veteran (@naretevduorp) December 18, 2025

Despite Trump’s claims of success, economic data and public opinion polls suggest a less optimistic outlook. The jobless rate jumped to 4.6 percent in November, a four-year high, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This indicates that the Trump administration has “taken its eye off the most important goal, which is improving the economy,” said Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West.

“Unemployment is rising and inflation remains high. It is a bad combination for someone who campaigned on those issues and promised he would focus on them from day one,” he added.

Paul Krugman, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, wrote earlier Wednesday that “While it’s too soon to declare that we’re in a recession, the data are at least pre-recessionary: that is, the numbers are weak enough that we should be seriously worried that a recession is coming. And that’s a state of affairs completely at odds with Trump’s rose-colored — spray-tanned? — picture.”

WATCH: CNN’s Daniel Dale fact checks Trump's unhinged "presidential" address tonight as only he can.

Dale can barely get through all the nonsense Trump spewed this evening.

Spread this far and wide.#DonTheCon pic.twitter.com/modgBe7O5y

— Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) December 18, 2025

In a recent report, NBC News noted that Trump’s approval has inched down in 2025 amid concern about the economy as “Americans remain worried about inflation and costs after Trump’s campaign promises to ease those anxieties.”

American adults largely disapprove of Trump’s job performance, with his approval rating at 42 percent in the new poll, a drop of 3 points over the course of four polls since April.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll published Tuesday showed that Trump’s approval rating slips to 39 percent, down from 41 percent earlier in December and within a point of the 38 percent reading from mid-November, Trump’s lowest rating this year.

An opinion published on The Wall Street Journal argued that “Trump’s affordability failures will cost him,” as the economy has gone from one of the president’s best issues with American voters to one of his worst.

Despite the illegal actions taken by the #US against Venezuela's oil and mineral trade, #Venezuela will continue to trade its natural resources #legally, says Venezuelan President #NicolasMaduro. pic.twitter.com/0nZJ5tKckR

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 18, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

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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.”

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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.

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The Network of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity issued a statement on Tuesday, December 16, rejecting what it calls a “blatant threat of a total oil blockade against Venezuela.”

A new declaration by Donald Trump, ordering “a total and complete blockade against all oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela,” demonstrates that the world is facing a criminal and unscrupulous state logic on the part of the Donald Trump administration, the statement reads.

RELATED:

Venezuela Condemns Trump’s Threat of Military and Naval Blockade

Far from being dismissed as mere delusion, it is clear that imperialism, in its thirst for resources, seeks to wield power without limits or regard for international law, diplomacy, or the sovereignty of other nations. This is an arbitrary imposition that no longer even attempts to disguise its actions as piracy, the document adds.

With blatant disregard for humanity and the norms of international coexistence, these actions unambiguously reveal the intention to plunder Venezuelan oil, even going so far as to refer to it in the declaration as “THEIR” oil and offering the absurd and false excuse of “recovering” it. This discourse, the text states, not only exposes imperial voracity but also reveals the danger of a leadership that attempts to justify dispossession with implausible arguments.

The Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity maintains its firm stance in denouncing these actions before the international community. These actions will ultimately unleash an armed conflict in the region, and, as with every warmongering incursion by imperialism, will leave behind a scenario that will prove uncontrollable, with disastrous consequences for the entire planet.

An urgent call from the free peoples of the world is needed to demand, without delay, the neutralization of this common enemy of peace and justice. Our efforts today must result in an end to the impunity with which the United States has operated for the past 150 years, the intellectuals declared.

Likewise, the statement added, we send a message of solidarity to President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan people. Rest assured of our unwavering support and our recognition of the courage and determination with which you defend all of humanity from the most savage empire in history.

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