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In recent hours, the National Electoral Council (CNE) rejected by majority vote a proposal from two of the three main political parties to conduct a recount of all 19,167 presidential ballots.

The CNE is comprised of the three major political forces in this Central American country: the right-wing National Party (PN) and Liberal Party (PL), which embody the century-old two-party system, and the ruling Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre, left-wing), of current President Xiomara Castro.

During their most recent plenary session, PL party magistrates Ana Hall and Cossette López challenged the request by Libre party council member Marlon Ochoa for a recount of all ballots in the presidential election, citing numerous irregularities detected in the voting records.

According to preliminary results released by the electoral authority, whose process has been suspended for several days, PN party presidential candidate Nasry Asfura, supported by US President Donald Trump, leads with 40.54 percent of the vote. Salvador Nasralla of the PL party trails closely with 39.19 percent. Like Libre, Nasralla has requested a recount of all ballots nationwide and accused the National Party of attempting to steal the election through fraud. Favored by most polls prior to the November 30 elections, Libre candidate Rixi Moncada is in third place with 19.29 percent of the vote. jdt/rc/edu

The post Honduras sees no end in sight to the post-election crisis first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Several Caribbean nations offer citizenship to foreign investors under the CBI program.

On Wednesday, the governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica expressed surprise at the partial travel restrictions imposed by the United States, which “unfairly” affect the citizens in legitimate programs.

RELATED:

Antigua and Barbuda Demands Peace, Justice and International Cooperation at UN Assembly

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne stated that his country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program has historically operated without a residency requirement but now requires 30 days of physical residency, which contradicts the U.S. proclamation.

Under the program, several Caribbean nations offer citizenship to foreign investors in exchange for a substantial contribution to the “socio-economic development” of these countries.

Browne denounced that the United States’ claims “do not reflect the current reality” and noted that his country has worked closely with Washington to strengthen CBI safeguards and prevent risks to U.S. national security.

Browne, who has criticized the U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, added that the Parliament passed comprehensive legislation that introduces strict residency requirements and reinforces the program’s transparency.

The Donald Trump administration has banned people with Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents from entering the United States.

Other countries added in the travel ban are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania,… pic.twitter.com/SFwtwcZRgf

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 17, 2025

Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit stated that he held productive talks with the United States regarding the CBI program, and attributed the decision to a possible lack of communication between the White House and branches of the U.S. government.

Skerrit announced that Dominica will send formal notes requesting clarification and a review of the measure. He confirmed that he is in contact with Browne and asked that the error be acknowledged and the decision revoked.

On Monday, Skerrit offered to mediate between the United States and Venezuela amid growing tensions in the Caribbean, and emphasized that Dominica maintains friendly relations with both countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s proclamation expanded the list of countries with total travel bans to 19 and added partial restrictions to another 19. He justified the measure by citing a lack of sufficient information about the risks posed by travelers.

The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, declared before parliament that Antigua and Barbuda will not use its military assets for any country, as they support the region being considered a zone of peace.#AntiguaandBarbuda #USA #SoutherCommand #Caribbean #teleSUR pic.twitter.com/iHVduMiS6V

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 17, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Sovereignty, non-intervention, and the UN’s peace principles collide with Washington’s bid to choke Venezuela’s oil shipments through a naval blockade.

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The latest threat from United States President Donald Trump against Venezuela, a country on which he has unilaterally decreed a naval military blockade to impede oil exports, blatantly violates a series of international legal instruments.

Related:

Venezuela and China Discuss Regional Security After Trump Threatens Oil Blockade

Trump’s actions, disregarding the very norms governing international coexistence, portray him as an omnipotent leader capable of ordering extraterritorial operations worldwide.

This aggression against Venezuela, a sovereign nation possessing the largest oil reserves globally, undermines every organism, statute, convention, and resolution within the United Nations system.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how Trump’s imperialist actions against Venezuela contravene international law:

Undermining the UN Charter: A Direct Challenge to Sovereignty

The United Nations Charter stands as the foundational document of international relations, establishing principles for peaceful coexistence and respect among sovereign states.

Article 2, in particular, outlines critical tenets that Trump’s policies directly contravene:

• Article 2.1: Sovereign Equality of All Members The UN Charter is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members. Venezuela, as a member state, is entitled to the same respect for its sovereignty as any other nation.

• The imposition of a naval blockade by the US, a foreign power, disregards this fundamental principle, treating Venezuela not as an equal but as a subordinate entity subject to external dictates. This action fundamentally challenges the notion that all states possess equal legal standing and are free from external interference in their internal affairs.

• Article 2.3: Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes Members of the Organization shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.

• The US’s declaration of a naval blockade, a hostile and coercive measure, is a stark deviation from the peaceful resolution of disputes. It introduces an element of force and intimidation, escalating tensions rather than seeking diplomatic or mediated solutions, thereby endangering international peace and security.

• Article 2.4: Prohibition of the Threat or Use of Force Members of the Organization shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

• A naval military blockade unequivocally constitutes a threat and use of force. Its explicit aim to prevent oil exports directly impacts Venezuela’s economic lifeblood, threatening its political independence and territorial integrity by dictating its trade and maritime access.

• This action is a clear violation of one of the most sacrosanct principles of international law, established to prevent aggression and ensure state autonomy.

• The blockade is not merely an economic sanction but a coercive military action designed to cripple the nation and force a change in its political course, a blatant infringement upon its self-determination.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responds to Tuesday's statements by United States President Donald Trump regarding Venezuela, reiterating Mexico's constitutional position of non-intervention, non-interference in foreign affairs, the self-determination of peoples, and the… pic.twitter.com/UCm1ATlc0z

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 17, 2025

The Right to Self-Determination: A Pillar of Human Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by numerous nations, affirms the inherent right of all peoples to self-determination.

This right is pivotal for a nation’s development and autonomy.

• Article 1.1: Free Determination of Political Status and Development

• All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

• The US blockade, aimed at disrupting Venezuela’s economic activities and destabilizing its government, directly impedes the Venezuelan people’s ability to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic and social development.

• By targeting the nation’s primary source of income, the blockade seeks to undermine the existing political order and dictate the terms of Venezuela’s future, thereby denying its people their fundamental right to choose their own path without external coercion.

• Article 1.2: Free Disposal of Natural Wealth and Resources For the attainment of their ends, all peoples may freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law.

• In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, which are its primary natural wealth.

• The naval blockade, designed to prevent the export of this oil, directly deprives the Venezuelan people of their means of subsistence.

• This act is a severe violation of their economic self-determination, stripping them of the ability to utilize their resources for national development and the welfare of their population. It is an economic warfare tactic that directly threatens the survival and well-being of millions, contravening the core principle that no people should be deprived of their essential resources.

Freedom of the High Seas: A Universal Right

The 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas establishes the principle that the high seas are open to all nations, ensuring freedom of navigation.

Article 2: No State May Subject the High Seas to its Sovereignty

The high seas being open to all nations, no State may validly purport to subject any part of them to its sovereignty.

The freedom of the high seas is exercised under the conditions laid down in these articles and by other rules of international law.

It comprises, inter alia, both for coastal and non-coastal States:

• 1. Freedom of navigation. By imposing a naval blockade, the US attempts to exert sovereign control over international waters to prevent Venezuelan vessels and those trading with Venezuela from navigating freely.

This action is a direct challenge to the principle of the high seas as a global common, accessible to all.

It represents an illicit extension of power beyond national jurisdiction, infringing upon the rights of Venezuela and other nations to engage in legitimate maritime activities without interference.

• Article 4: Right to Flag for All States Every State, whether coastal or not, has the right to sail ships under its flag on the high seas.
• The US blockade directly interferes with Venezuela’s right, and the right of any vessel flying its flag or doing business with it, to navigate the high seas.
• This act disrupts international trade, poses a threat to maritime security, and undermines the established norms of global commerce and navigation.
• It creates a dangerous precedent where a powerful nation can unilaterally dictate access to international waters based on political disagreements, an action that threatens the stability of the entire maritime legal framework.

Permanent Sovereignty Over Natural Resources:

A Development Imperative UN General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XVII) of December 14, 1962, titled “Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources,” reaffirms the inalienable right of nations to control and utilize their natural wealth for national development.

• Resolution 1803 (XVII), Paragraph 1:

Exercise of Sovereignty for National Development and Welfare

The right of peoples and nations to permanent sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources must be exercised in the interest of their national development and of the well-being of the people of the State concerned.

The US naval blockade on Venezuela’s oil exports directly obstructs Venezuela’s ability to exercise this fundamental right.

By preventing the sale of its oil, the US effectively undermines Venezuela’s national development efforts and directly impacts the well-being of its population, which relies on oil revenues for essential services and economic stability.

This is not merely an economic sanction but an attempt to control and undermine the sovereign management of a nation’s vital resources.

• Resolution 1803 (XVII), Paragraph 7:

Violation of Sovereign Rights and International Cooperation

The violation of the sovereign rights of peoples and nations over their natural wealth and resources is contrary to the spirit and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and hinders the development of international co-operation and the maintenance of peace.

The blockade represents a clear violation of Venezuela’s sovereign rights over its natural resources.

Such an aggressive act not only contravenes the spirit of the UN Charter but also significantly impedes international cooperation, fostering an environment of mistrust and antagonism.

By disrupting Venezuela’s ability to engage in international trade of its primary resource, the US action directly threatens regional and global peace, creating economic instability and humanitarian concerns.

Broader Context and Implications

The Trump administration’s aggressive stance against Venezuela is part of a broader pattern of applying unilateral coercive measures, often termed “sanctions,” which have been widely criticized for their extraterritorial reach and their devastating impact on civilian populations.

These actions are consistently condemned by many international bodies and human rights organizations as collective punishment.

The declaration of a naval military blockade escalates these measures to an unprecedented level, moving from economic pressure to direct military coercion.

This imperialistic approach, where one nation presumes the right to dictate the economic and political future of another, not only erodes the foundations of international law but also fuels geopolitical tensions.

It sets a dangerous precedent, demonstrating a disregard for multilateralism and the principles of state sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference that underpin the international order.

The international community, especially the nations of the Global South, views these actions with grave concern, recognizing them as an assault on the fundamental rights of all sovereign nations to pursue their development free from external meddling.

In summary, the US naval military blockade against Venezuela is not merely a policy decision but a comprehensive attack on international legal norms.

It undermines the UN Charter’s principles of sovereign equality and non-aggression, violates the fundamental human right to self-determination and access to subsistence, disregards the universally recognized freedom of navigation on the high seas, and infringes upon Venezuela’s permanent sovereignty over its natural resources.

These actions, far from promoting stability, serve only to destabilize the region and threaten the fragile edifice of international law.

The global community must reaffirm its commitment to these foundational principles to prevent a return to an era where might makes right and international law is merely an optional guideline for powerful nations.

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A cross-border rural alliance challenges a neoliberal deal that boosts corporate power, accelerates deindustrialization, and undermines democratic control over food systems.

From Paris to Brussels, a growing “street coalition” of farmers is denouncing what they call a “stab in the back” and a “death sentence” for family farming: the EU – MERCOSUR Partnership Agreement.

RELATED:
EU Advances Trade Agreements With MERCOSUR and Mexico

This is more than a trade dispute; it exposes a failing neoliberal model in which European elites seek to turn Latin America into a “Green Fortress”, a supplier of cheap raw materials and a captive market for high-tech cars, laying down the rural working class on both continents to protect multinational profits.

Behind a green discourse of environmental protection, the agreement advances a classic extractivist agenda that treats Latin American sovereignty and the livelihoods of small European farmers as collateral damage.​

French farmers blocked a highway near Paris with tractors, warning that the EU-Mercosur trade deal will devastate European agriculture.

Follow: https://t.co/7Dg3b41hTx pic.twitter.com/sxGYjv7Aur

— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) December 17, 2025

From Brussels to Montevideo

To understand today’s anger on the streets, it is necessary to look at the long and unequal history of these negotiations. The process has two key milestones that reveal the EU’s persistent drive for dominance.​

The first is the June 2019 “Agreement in Principle”: after 20 years of intermittent, often opaque talks, a political deal was announced in Brussels to coincide with the G20 summit in Osaka, and leaders celebrated what they framed as “the end of the road” despite growing warnings from social movements.

The second is the “Final Conclusion” of December 6, 2024, in Montevideo, when the European Commission president and MERCOSUR leaders declared the technical talks closed and unveiled new sustainability annexes—the so-called “Green Annex”—which had kept the pact frozen since 2019.​

The delay was about making the deal politically acceptable in Europe. Researchers and farmers alike argue that the new sustainability requirements are mostly cosmetic and fail to guarantee that South American producers will be held to the same strict environmental rules imposed on Europeans.

'Hope Macron, Meloni aren't afraid to lose competitiveness with Brazil!' – Lula urges EU states to ratify Mercosur-EU deal worth $22 trillion in global GDP

The free trade zone faces French opposition over 'unfair competition,' with lobbying focused on Italy as the dealbreaker. pic.twitter.com/tHi6ogvuHD

— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) December 17, 2025

Three pillars of asymmetry

The EU – MERCOSUR it is a broad Partnership Agreement meant to reshape intercontinental relations across three pillars:

At its core lies the Commercial Pillar, designed to create one of the largest free trade areas in the world, covering some 780 million people.​

The plan is to eliminate tariffs on 92% of MERCOSUR exports to the EU and 91% of EU exports to MERCOSUR. Europe seeks to flood South American markets with high-value machinery, automobiles, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals freed from today’s high tariffs.

While MERCOSUR countries gain “preferential access” above all for raw materials and agro‑exports such as beef, poultry, sugar, ethanol, and wine.

This arrangement risks locking Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay into a renewed cycle of deindustrialization, where local SMEs cannot compete with the technological and financial power of German or Spanish industrial champions.​

Farmers to block Brussels on Thursday, protesting the EU-Mercosur trade deal they say endangers European agriculture and local markets. Authorities warn of major disruptions.#BrusselsMorning #BrusselsProtest #FarmersUnite #EUMercosur

Read More: https://t.co/OYhFODGPjK pic.twitter.com/evCWByAqWu

— Brussels Morning Newspaper (@BrusselsMorning) December 17, 2025

Green Annex and regulatory power

Within the so‑called Sustainable Development pillar, the controversial “Green Annex” has become a central fault line.

On paper, it obliges both parties to honor the Paris Agreement and adopt commitments against deforestation, especially in the Amazon, which EU officials present as proof of their climate leadership.​

European farmers, however, describe these clauses as purely cosmetic because they do not prevent “unfair competition” from imports produced under looser rules than those enforced within the EU.

On the other side of the Atlantic, MERCOSUR governments denounce what they call “regulatory imperialism”: a framework that allows Europe to impose its standards extraterritorially and use environmental criteria as a disguised trade barrier.

A “democratic coup” in slow motion

As opposition grows in the streets of Paris and inside the French Senate, the European Commission is exploring a legal maneuver that critics describe as a “democratic coup”: the so‑called “splitting” strategy.

Under the original “mixed agreement” model, the treaty requires unanimous approval in the EU Council and ratification by all 27 national parliaments, which gives any member state, such as France, the power to block the deal.​

To neutralize this veto power, Brussels proposes dividing the text into two separate instruments. A political component would still require unanimous backing, but the trade component would be reclassified as falling under the EU’s “exclusive competence” and therefore could pass with a qualified majority in the Council.​

A qualified majority needs at least 15 of 27 countries representing 65% of the EU population, which means that if Germany, Spain, and Italy vote “yes”, France alone cannot bring down the trade deal.

Paris would have to assemble a “blocking minority” representing at least 35% of the population—an uphill battle that would force it to win over partners such as Poland or Italy.

🌫️💥 Enough smoke and mirrors! EU-Mercosur Agreement remains unacceptable!

Two days before the large-scale farmers protest on the streets of Brussels, Copa-Cogeca, supported by @AvecPoultry @SugarBeetEurope @SugarEurope @ePURE_ethanol, SELMA, iEthanol, EUWEP and @CEPM_maize… pic.twitter.com/wu1ZeHQdKj

— COPA-COGECA (@COPACOGECA) December 16, 2025

Mirror clauses or green imperialism?

At the heart of the current deadlock are the so-called mirror clauses (clauses mirrors), which have become the banner of French resistance and the central knot of trade diplomacy between Brussels and MERCOSUR.

In essence, these clauses would require all imported products to be produced under the same environmental, health, and animal‑welfare standards enforced on European farmers.​

International reports highlight three critical elements.​

• Pesticide bans: if a chemical is prohibited in the EU for being carcinogenic or harmful to biodiversity, mirror clauses would require that imported products not only arrive without residues, but also never have been treated with that substance at any stage of production.​
• Animal welfare: South American meat would have to come from cattle never treated with growth hormones or antibiotics used as growth promoters, practices that remain common in parts of MERCOSUR but are banned in the EU.​
• No deforestation: every kilogram of beef or soy would need digital traceability to prove it does not originate from land deforested after a set cut‑off date.​

Rural class war in Europe

This December 2025, the protest map across the EU shows a coalition of farmers determined to force Brussels to abandon the pact.

France remains the epicenter of resistance. Unions such as the FNSEA and the Confédération Paysanne have blocked roads and highways around Paris, Lyon, and Toulouse, denouncing the agreement and forcing President Emmanuel Macron to harden his public stance against the current text.​

Discontent, however, has spread far beyond French borders.​

• In Poland, farmers already hit by Ukrainian grain imports now call the EU–MERCOSUR deal “morally unacceptable” and warn of a flood of cheap agricultural products.​
• In Italy, farmers have marched in Rome to defend dairy and meat producers, with political backing from the Meloni government.​
• In Spain, despite the Sánchez government’s support for the pact, organizations such as COAG and ASAJA have mobilized in Madrid, accusing officials of sacrificing small producers to the interests of multinationals.​
• In Ireland and Belgium, protests focus on beef, with farmers recently surrounding the European Commission in Brussels ahead of key December 2025 summits.​

Their core demands are clear. They want an end to “unfair competition” and refuse to comply with the costly rules of the European Green Deal if they must compete with imports that do not follow the same standards.

They demand laws that prohibit buying their production below cost and automatic safeguards that would immediately halt imports if MERCOSUR goods crash prices in EU markets.

Next week, leaders could seal the #EUMercosur deal — fueling animal cruelty, deforestation & climate destruction.

This would undermine Europe’s sustainable food ambitions.

📢 Member states must block it until EU welfare standards apply to all imported products.#StopEUMercosur pic.twitter.com/qvqOwWmTS6

— Compassion in World Farming EU (@CIWF_EU) December 12, 2025

Economic and environmental fallout

For MERCOSUR, the pact promises a short-term agro‑export boom but also a wave of deindustrialization: industrial unions in Argentina and Brazil warn that competition from cheaper and more advanced European manufactures could bankrupt local SMEs.​

For the EU, the deal is an industrial victory but a structural threat to its peasant and family‑farming model; projected savings of around 4 billion euros a year in tariffs benefit corporations, while rural regions dependent on livestock and sugar face an existential crisis.​

Environmentally, critics warn of “imported deforestation”. Higher export quotas for meat and soy are likely to expand the agricultural frontier into critical biomes such as the Amazon and the Cerrado, despite formal bans on products from recently deforested land.

Towards people-centered integration

In its current form, the EU–MERCOSUR agreement functions as an instrument of extractive neocolonialism and regulatory imperialism that entrenches a neoliberal order favoring transnational corporations.

The voices of the rural working class and small‑scale producers on both sides of the Atlantic are heard only when tractors block highways and capitals.​

Any fair integration project would require a massive transfer of technology and funds so that small farmers can adapt to environmental challenges without going bankrupt, along with strong, enforceable protections for labor and ecosystems.

Sources: Al Jazeera – teleSUR – Página 12 – European Parliament – Celag – TRT World – San Francisco Chronicle – France 24

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Speaking at a meeting with senior NATO officials, the minister noted that NATO’s military budget currently stands at $1.6 trillion and is gradually increasing to five percent of the national gross domestic product.

“All of this points out that NATO is preparing for a military confrontation with Russia. The alliance’s plans require us to be prepared for such action in the 2030s. NATO officials have stated this repeatedly and openly,” Belousov emphasized.

The policies of Europe and Kyiv create the necessary conditions for military actions in Ukraine to continue into 2026, the Russian Defense Minister asserted.

“We clearly see the attempts by European leaders and the Kyiv regime to avoid resolving this problem. They are prolonging the conflict in the hope of weakening our country as much as possible,” Belousov declared.

The Russian Minister also denounced the “speedy deployment of Alliance troops on the eastern flank, for which the so-called military Schengen zone is being planned.”

“NATO continues to reinforce its coalition forces. Active preparations are underway for the deployment of medium-range missiles. The list of nuclear munitions has been updated,” the Russian Minister warned.

jdt/arm/rc/gfa

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According to a statement from the ministry, the sabotage caused the falling of the 220 kV Cambambe-Ndala Cachibo and Gabela-Alto Chingo power transmission lines, producing disruptions to residents, businesses, and public institutions.

In total, five power transmission towers collapsed after being dismantled by unidentified individuals, representing losses exceeding 400 million kwanzas (more than $438,000).

According to the National Electricity Distribution Company (ENDE), the company has suffered losses exceeding $50 million this year due to vandalism against electrical equipment, which has also caused losses for businesses and inconvenienced the public.

ENDE assured that it is working to restore power as soon as possible. jdt/arm/mem/kmg

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), although this new variant is not included in current vaccines in the Northern Hemisphere, initial data indicate that existing vaccines continue to protect against severe illness and reduce the risk of hospitalization.

The organization warns that subclade K is spreading rapidly, with the influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere reaching its peak earlier than usual.

Therefore, the WHO emphasizes that vaccination remains the best protection against the most severe symptoms.

Today, 30 countries have reported cases after the new flu variant was first identified in Australia and New Zealand last August.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the United States and Canada are also experiencing a progressive increase in detections of subclade K, but to date, no similar circulation has been observed in South America.

The figures show that the circulation of this flu strain has grown rapidly in Europe and Asian countries, where it represents a significant proportion of the influenza A(H3N2) viruses analyzed, PAHO states.

jdt/arm/rc/dla

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During a meeting with his entire cabinet, Lula revealed that in his most recent telephone conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, he tried to persuade him that negotiation is a more effective and less costly path than military confrontation.

Although Lula did not explicitly mention Venezuela, the topic was present both in that call with Trump and in the call he held in early December with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as confirmed by the Brazilian government itself.

In that conversation, the former labor leader expressed his concern about the increased military and economic pressure from Washington on Caracas and offered to collaborate, discreetly, in the search for a negotiated solution.

Brazil’s position contrasts sharply with the current situation in Venezuela, where the blockade and international sanctions have intensified, directly impacting oil exports, the country’s main source of income.

The United States unilaterally maintains tight control over Venezuelan oil operations, restricts access to international markets, and reinforces measures that, according to Caracas, constitute deliberate economic strangulation.

Maduro government denounces these actions as exacerbating the social and economic crisis and warns that the blockade deepens the scarcity of resources needed to import food, medicine, and essential goods.

jdt/rc/ocs

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The military institution announced on its official Telegram channel that after intense fighting with Ukrainian troops, the East battlegroup advanced deep into enemy lines and captured the settlement of Gerasimovka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The Defense Ministry estimated Ukrainian casualties at more than 470 in the last 24 hours in the operation area of the Center battlegroup.

Additionally, the East battlegroup inflicted up to 235 enemy casualties, the West battlegroup suffered up to 230 casualties; the South battlegroup more than 200; and the Dnieper battlegroup, up to 45; while Ukrainian losses totaled 160 men in the Kharkiv area.

Since the beginning of the Russian military operation in February 2022, Ukraine has lost 669 warplanes, 283 helicopters, 103,542 unmanned aerial vehicles, 640 missile launchers, and 26,574 tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as 31,973 artillery pieces and mortars, and 49,280 specialized military vehicles.

abo/iff/mem/gfa

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“All our support to the brotherly Venezuelan people and their president, Nicolás Maduro.

The fascists will not prevail. Long live Bolivar. Long live Chavez,” the Minister wrote on his social media account.

The statement responds to the message published this Tuesday by the US president on the Truth Social network, in which he declared Venezuela a foreign terrorist organization and ordered a total blockade of all oil tankers entering or leaving the South American country.

The measure, adopted a few days after the seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, significantly increases Washington’s pressure on the Bolivarian government.

In his letter, Trump accused Caracas of drug trafficking, terrorism, and the illegal appropriation of U.S. assets, and asserted that Venezuela is “completely surrounded by the largest navy ever assembled in the history of South America.”

He also warned that he would intensify the military encirclement and promised “shocks like never before” until, according to his threat, oil, land, and other assets allegedly “stolen” from Venezuela are “returned”—allusions that the Venezuelan government has denounced as unfounded and colonialist.

abo/arm/mem/mml

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Several areas of the province are experiencing clashes between rebels of the Congo River Alliance-March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) and the Congolese Armed Forces and their allies. Humanitarian operations have been suspended for several days due to the insecurity.

“Since December 8, local authorities estimate that some 110,000 people have fled to other areas of South Kivu, while others have crossed into Burundi.

There are also reports of people continuing their journey toward Tanzania,” a report from the agency stated.

The report added that most displaced families are sheltering in public spaces without access to humanitarian assistance, while partners have begun delivering emergency aid in the cities of Uvira and Bukavu, with more aid expected to be sent in the coming days.

“OCHA continues to work with all parties to facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian teams and the resumption of aid operations,” the report emphasized.

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 78,000 Congolese have crossed into Burundi since December 5, and to date, some 15,000 people have been transferred to the Bweru and Makombe displacement and transition camps.

abo/arm/mem/kmg

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A replica of the Statue of Liberty outside a Havan megastore in southern Brazil collapsed after strong winds swept through the state of Rio Grande do Sul amid severe weather conditions, authorities and the company said.

RELATED:

Brazilians Rally Against Legislation That Could Shorten Bolsonaro’s Sentence

The incident occurred on December 15 in the city of Guaíba, where a powerful storm hit following official warnings issued by Brazil’s civil defence authority, Defesa Civil. Wind speeds reached between 80 and 90 kilometres per hour, undermining the stability of the structure and causing it to fall completely.

No injuries or significant property damage were reported. Authorities confirmed that the area had been evacuated as a precaution, while eyewitnesses and store employees acted quickly to move parked vehicles away from the site, preventing potential losses.

🌪️ Strong wind gusts exceeding 90 km/h toppled a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Guaiba, in Brazil’s Porto Alegre metropolitan region

🏗️ The statue, installed in front of a Havan megastore, was knocked down during an intense storm that hit the area today pic.twitter.com/WBgstLSV5y

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) December 16, 2025

Guaíba Mayor Marcelo Maranata confirmed the collapse on social media and highlighted the intensity of the winds during the storm. The replica, installed in 2020, stood on an 11-metre concrete base, which remained intact after the structure fell.

Havan said the site was secured immediately after the incident. “The area was immediately isolated by the company, following all safety protocols,” the retailer said in a statement. It added that debris removal began within hours and that store operations continued uninterrupted.

According to Defesa Civil, the storm was triggered by a low-pressure system interacting with a cold front after several days of intense heat. Emergency alerts were sent to residents’ mobile phones, warning of strong winds, structural hazards and severe weather risks.

Strong winds TOPPLE giant Statue of Liberty replica in Guaíba, Brazil pic.twitter.com/mmkrBKGDky

— RT (@RT_com) December 15, 2025

The storm affected other municipalities across Rio Grande do Sul. Hail was reported in Tio Hugo, while roof damage occurred in Passo Fundo, Santa Cruz do Sul and Vera Cruz. Heavy rainfall caused localised flooding in Lajeado, although authorities reported no major disruptions to power or essential services.

The replica had served as a decorative attraction outside the shopping complex, part of a retail chain nationally known for its public support of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Images of the collapse circulated rapidly on social media, drawing widespread attention despite the absence of casualties.

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Announced at the Varadero resort, at the Plaza America fairgrounds, the catalog was immediately featured in various media outlets, including El Sol de Cuba (Mintur’s own publication), Mas Cuba magazine (Spain), and TTC (Italy), among many others that focus on the country.

Therefore, media outlets emphasize that from December 16, the date of the official presentation, and throughout the month, tour operators and travel agents will be focused on a wide array of events that position Cuba as an excellent MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination.

Specifically, the acronym MICE refers to four concepts in English: Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions, which encompass the activities (or some of them) that comprise this type of business tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism’s catalog, as well as those of events related to the Ministries of Culture, Education, and Science, Technology, and Environment, demonstrate that the island continues to be a well-established destination for the MICE segment, experts say.

This presentation was given by the head of the Ministry of Tourism’s events department, Yanet de Armas, who provided comprehensive information about the characteristics of each event, the venues where they will be held, and contact information for the committees, organizers, and destination management companies.

Cuba is scheduled to host 276 events by 2026, 41 more than those held in 2025, a year in which the island is a member of the Federation of Congress and Related Event Organizers of Latin America (COCAL) and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

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In a publication on its website, the United Nations (UN) warned that, in addition to attacks on schools, hospitals, and residential centers in Gaza, homes and refugee camps are being destroyed in the other occupied Palestinian territory.

The multilateral organization indicated that new orders from Tel Aviv will take effect this week, threatening the Nur Shams refugee center and some 25 other buildings, which will force hundreds of people into displacement.

According to Roland Friedrich, the representative of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, satellite images show that 48% of all buildings in the camp had already been damaged or destroyed before this latest directive.

“This new demolition order fits a pattern seen all too often this year, with Israeli forces destroying homes to enable their long-term control in the northern West Bank, permanently altering its topography,” he noted. Justified by a supposed “military necessity,” these actions do not make anyone safer, he added.

Friedrich said that the forced displacement of more than 32,000 Palestinian refugees in the northern West Bank must not become permanent and reiterated that people are anxiously waiting to return to their homes.

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Both regions are currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), following a paramilitary offensive in the last few weeks.

Yasser al-Atta, assistant commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces and a member of the Sovereign Council, affirmed in a speech broadcast by local television that the troops have been fully trained using advanced weaponry capable of turning the tide of the fighting.

The intensity of the clashes between the two sides in the Kordofan region has increased in the last few days, and several casualties were reported.

Since mid-April 2023, this nation has been embroiled in an internal war, following a power struggle between Army Chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

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A statement from the organization cited the new declaration by the US president ordering “a total and complete blockade against all oil tankers entering or leaving” the Bolivarian Republic.

It affirmed that the measure shows that the world is facing a criminal and unscrupulous state logic on the part of the Donald Trump administration.

“Far from being reduced to mere delusion, it is clear that imperialism, in its thirst for resources, seeks to exercise power without limits or regard for international law, diplomacy, or the sovereignty of other peoples,” the statement indicated.

The REDH (Network of Human Rights) pointed out that this is “an arbitrary imposition that no longer even attempts to disguise its actions as piracy.”

It emphasized that, with open contempt 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 alleging the absurd and false excuse of “recovering” it.

“This discourse,” it stated, “not only exposes imperial voracity but also reveals the danger of a leadership that seeks to justify the plunder with implausible arguments.”

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This was revealed during a meeting on Tuesday between Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermúdez and health experts and scientists, according to the Granma newspaper.

Dr. Julio Baldomero Hernandez, director of clinical research at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), indicated that one of the trials is being carried out at the Diez de Octubre Clinical Surgical Hospital in Havana, on patients with joint symptoms.

According to the CIGB director, the study has good adherence to the protocol and the drug has been well accepted by the 174 patients included.

He added that statistical and periodic reports on the clinical results will be available later.

Among the objectives set, he said, is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the drug in patients, as well as its durability over time, so that it does not progress to a chronic condition.

Another trial is being conducted at the Faustino Perez Clinical Surgical Hospital in Matanzas province, with 120 patients in the chronic stage of the disease.

Hernandez indicated that the drug has shown a good safety profile, and its clinical results will be evaluated gradually.

The essential purpose, he said, is to determine how the use of Jusvinza impacts the improvement of clinical symptoms.

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They denounce U.S. maritime blockade as illegal and imperialist.

On Tuesday, Venezuela’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) issued a statement confirming its commitment to the unrestricted defense of Venezuelan sovereignty in the face of U.S. military threats.

RELATED:

U.S. Lawmakers Reject Trump’s Push for Total Blockade of Venezuela

This occurred just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a total embargo on Venezuela to recover assets he claims belong to the United States. The following is the statement released by the PSUV’s national leadership:

“The United Socialist Party addresses the Venezuelan people, our party members, and the free peoples of the world to denounce and firmly reject the extremely serious and reckless threat issued by the U.S. President Donald Trump on the night of Dec. 16, 2025.

In a clear violation of international law, free trade and navigation freedom, Trump has made public his intention to carry out a total maritime blockade of Venezuela, with the absurd and unhinged warning that he will order such action ‘until they return to the U.S. all of the oil, land and other assets that they previously stole from us.’

We’re in Congress today delivering a simple message: the American people do not want another war.
Nearly 70% of the public opposes U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and is exhausted by endless wars that destroy lives and destabilize entire regions. pic.twitter.com/bavR4G47gy

— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) December 16, 2025

This statement, as implausible as it is irrational, nevertheless reveals the true imperial intentions to steal the wealth that legitimately belongs to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, birthplace of the Liberator Simon Bolivar.

The PSUV, as the vanguard of the Bolivarian Revolution, reaffirms its unbreakable commitment to the defense of national sovereignty.

In perfect popular, military and police unity, the people of Venezuela — forged in the struggle for independence — will know how to defend their historic rights and prevail along the path of peace and dignity. Venezuela will never again be a colony of an empire or of any foreign power whatsoever.

‘Our project aims for peace among free, rebellious, independent, and sovereign peoples. A colony? Never again. Slaves? Never. Free and independent forever. Bolivar is a people united in battle and in victory,’ President Nicolas Maduro stressed.”

Venezuela's permanent representative to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, calls on the #UN Security Council to immediately release the kidnapped crew, as well as the Venezuelan #oil illegally confiscated on the high seas, and to cease any interventionist action against the… pic.twitter.com/JYA1DycQd6

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 16, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: PSUV

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“We have not received it,” affirmed the spokesperson, to whom he was asked when the next round of talks with Russian participation could be expected.

“First, we need to familiarize ourselves with the outcome of the negotiations being conducted by US and Ukrainian representatives, with European participation, and then see what the result is,” Peskov clarified.

The meetings between the US and Ukrainian delegations regarding the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine were held in Berlin on December 14-15.

The December 14 meeting lasted approximately five hours, and the December 15 meeting lasted approximately two hours.

Several European leaders, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), analyzed on December 15 the progress of the negotiations.

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The First Chamber of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) resumed the trial on Tuesday, December 16, against the six defendants who comprise Group Two of the coup conspiracy that occurred after the 2022 elections. The session began with a vote by the presiding judge, Alexandre de Moraes.

According to the indictment from the Attorney General’s Office, the defendants, mostly military personnel with Special Forces training, face charges for their alleged participation in drafting coup plans, including one called “Green and Yellow Dagger.”

RELATED:

Brazil’s Supreme Court Deliberates on Temporary Framework for Indigenous Lands

This plan contemplated serious acts, including the assassination and neutralization of high-ranking state officials, such as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Judge De Moraes himself.

➡️ STF retoma nesta terça-feira (16/12) o julgamento do Núcleo 2 da tentativa de golpe de Estado. A sessão terá início às 9h com o voto do relator, ministro Alexandre de Moraes: https://t.co/TY6GQykiHx#PraTodosVerem: contém descrição da imagem pic.twitter.com/qvVUaF86jB

— STF (@STF_oficial) December 15, 2025

In addition to the assassination plots, the defendants are accused of coordinating the use of the Federal Highway Police (PRF) to sabotage the 2022 presidential runoff election.

The lightning operation, concentrated in the Northeast region and carried out in defiance of the Superior Electoral Court, aimed to block highways and prevent access to polling stations in order to reduce the votes of then-candidate Lula, who had won the majority in the first round.

The Federal Police stated at the time that the investigations suggest that “the criminal organization used a high level of technical and military expertise to plan, coordinate, and execute illicit actions in November and December 2022.”

The Charges and the Legal Progress

Those accused in this coup plot, which includes former advisors to former President Jair Bolsonaro, delegates, and high-ranking police officials, face charges including attempted violent overthrow of the democratic rule of law, coup d’état, participation in an armed criminal organization, aggravated damage, and destruction of protected property.

To date, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) has convicted 24 people involved in the conspiracy in its various phases. Of that total, eight belong to the first phase (comprised of Bolsonaro and seven former members of his government), seven are from phase four, and nine are from phase three.

Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced in September to 27 years in prison for leading the coup plot, whose aim was to prevent Lula da Silva from taking office. The STF justices determined that the far-right former president sought a rupture of the democratic order with the support of members of his government, intelligence agencies, and members of the Armed Forces.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that Japan’s actions reveal a persistent tendency to falsify facts, deny mistakes, and falsely portray itself as an innocent victim on the international stage.

Guo underscored that sectors of the Japanese right have downplayed war crimes, such as the looting of Nanjing, which they call the “Nanjing Incident,” and have whitewashed the atrocities of Unit 731 and the forced sexual and labor slavery during World War II.

The spokesperson added that, despite its rhetoric of “exclusive self-defense,” Japan has progressively expanded its military capabilities, relaxed restrictions on arms exports, and considered revising its anti-nuclear principles.

Guo indicated that the statements made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan have generated outrage in China and criticism both within Japan and in other countries.

Beijing considers any foreign interference in the Taiwan issue a violation of its sovereignty.

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FM Araghchi reiterated that a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear issue is completely attainable.

On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said if the United States launches attacks on Iran again, U.S. military bases in the Middle East will be targeted.

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

He made the remarks in an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera, while commenting on Iran’s retaliatory missile attack in June on a U.S. air base in Qatar after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

“We did not attack Qatar, but the U.S. base in Qatar. If a war erupts between us and the United States, and the Americans attack our nuclear facilities, they must definitely expect that we attack their military bases. It makes no difference where those bases are located,” Araghchi said.

“We live in utter friendship with our neighbors and have no problem with Qatar and other regional countries. However, the U.S. bases are located on certain countries’ territory,” he added.

Araghchi reiterated that a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear issue is completely attainable, provided that both sides respect one another’s rights and are ready to achieve an agreement based on mutual interests.

On June 22, U.S. forces bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, joining Israeli strikes on Iran which triggered a 12-day conflict.

It came as Iran and the United States had held five rounds of indirect talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and the removal of U.S. sanctions.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | India: Debates began in New Delhi for the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. pic.twitter.com/6cCdfMZRAO

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 12, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

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A release published on the Foreign Ministry’s official website states that the document, signed in the framework of the 18th Conference of Italian Ambassadors, held at that Ministry’s headquarters in Rome, reaffirms both nations’ support for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The text highlights the essential role of the United Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in an effective humanitarian response and announces the establishment of a joint platform to coordinate efforts.

The document establishes the importance of leveraging the possibilities offered by the United Nations base in the port city of Brindisi, in the southern Italian region of Apulia, as a strategic hub for the rapid delivery of essential aid.

The United Nations Logistics Base (UNLB), which has operated in this southern city since 1994, is part of the Logistics and Administration Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of that international organization.

The stresses the urgency of guaranteeing access to humanitarian aid for the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip during the winter season, in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which provides for the unimpeded resumption of such assistance.

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The high-ranking diplomat affirmed on his Telegram channel that there is a “worrying distancing of the UN system from the genuine defense of human rights.”

Gil pointed out that this aligns more with the interests of powerful nations that condition their funding on political favors, thus jeopardizing the fundamental principles established in the United Nations Charter.

The foreign minister stated that it is a moral obligation to strongly reject the actions made by the High Commissioner, who, while ignoring the United States’ attack on a Venezuelan oil tanker, “draws up a report riddled with falsehoods that adds to the attacks on our country.”

Gil noted that this situation not only undermines the credibility of the UN but also discredits its commitment to justice and equity in the international arena.

Addressing the forum in Geneva, Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Alexander Yanez, told Turk that “credibility is the fundamental key to defending human rights.”

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The sanctions and the blockade are instruments of collective punishment and have direct and painful consequences for the daily lives of the people, not due to natural disasters or mismanagement, but due to deliberate external aggression, Mafa emphasized in an article in Modern Ghana and regional media.

The professor stated that Cuba’s power grid, already under pressure due to decades of US blockade and restricted access to technology and finance, is further weakened by these hostile actions.

The boarding and seizure of the oil tanker in international waters of the Caribbean Sea on December 10 marks a dangerous and revealing escalation in the prolonged economic war waged against the Caribbean nation.

The use of military force to interfere in sovereign exchanges between Cuba and Venezuela reveals Washington’s true nature: not a policy of law enforcement or regional stability, but one of domination and economic strangulation.

The moral dimension of this aggression cannot be ignored. For more than six decades, Cuba has suffered an economic blockade that the overwhelming majority of the world’s countries condemn year after year in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

However, Mafa stated, history also teaches that Cuba’s resistance is based on a profound sense of dignity and sovereignty, in defense of the right to self-determination, social justice, and international solidarity.

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