By Gloria Guillo  –  Dec 9, 2025

Every voting tech hack that Washington claims was “invented in Venezuela” was discovered, demonstrated, and documented in the United States years — sometimes decades —before Smartmatic even existed. Full Stop.

With President Trump’s false narco-trafficking claim boomeranging back and re-exposing the U.S. governments longstanding involvement through its military and CIA in cocaine and heroin trade, its state department is running out of excuses that justify stealing Venezuela’s crude oil to prevent higher prices that could result in the dreaded 1973 event of “dropping trucks off the road.”

Consider that while the U.S. has plenty of oil, it’s short 1.5–2 million barrels per day of heavy crude. Heavy crude keeps diesel production (and thus trucking/freight costs) at optimum levels.

That’s exactly why Venezuelan heavy oil — when sanctions allow — is highly valued: every 200,000–300,000 b/d from Venezuela directly plugs part of that diesel-critical gap at the lowest cost.

Latest Tale to Justify War on VenezuelaSo, first, war on Venezuela was to promote “democracy”—when that narrative flopped along with Juan Guaido—it became drug trafficking, and now it’s using longstanding U.S. election woes to justify “taking” Venezuela’s crude oil, like Trump admitted to doing in Syria. This latest ruse is more pathetic than an unprepared sixth grader blaming the family dog for “eating his homework.”

The longstanding lack of U.S. voting equipment integrity is provable in court, reproducible in any high-school computer lab, and archived in publicly available files that have sat untouched on BlackBoxVoting.org since 2003.

The proof was produced by Bev Harris, a grandmother, from Renton, Washington, more than twenty years ago.

Below is the side-by-side timeline that no intelligence briefer, no Trump lawyer, and no prime-time host has ever dared put on screen—because once you see it, the Venezuelan election-theft myth collapses like a house of cards in a hurricane.

The Timeline: CIA Myth vs. Bev Harris Reality

Year

CIA / Berntsen / Powell / Lindell Claim (Venezuela did it)

Bev Harris / Black Box Voting Reality (USA did it first — with receipts)

2000
Hugo Chávez is still consolidating power

Florida punch-card crisis: 175,000 undervotes decide the presidency. ES&S machines already subtracting votes in real time (Allegheny County, PA)

2002
Chávez “beginning to plan fraud software”

Harris discovers “rob-georgia.zip” on Diebold servers — a patch that overwrites vote databases. Two years before the Venezuelan recall referendum

Jan 2003
Smartmatic doesn’t even have a Venezuelan contract yet

Harris downloads 40,000 unrestricted Diebold files, including full GEMS source code. Johns Hopkins & Rice confirm buffer overflows and remote access

Aug 2004
Chávez supposedly “steals” recall referendum → orders secret fraud code

Harris’s book Black Box Voting is published documenting 100+ U.S. miscounts using the exact same GEMS code Washington later blames on Caracas

Dec 2005
Venezuela “perfecting the memory-card hacks”

Harris films the Leon County, Florida hack for HBO: 7-1 vote flip in eight minutes using only a $20 memory card on a Diebold AccuVote-TS

2006
Smartmatic still running tiny pilots in Venezuela

HBO’s Hacking Democracy airs to 20 million Americans showing every trick the Washington later attributes to Chávez

2016
“Venezuelans invent Fraction Magic”

Harris releases 8-part Fraction Magic report + live video using only U.S.-made GEMS 1.18.19 — votes split to the thousandth and moved invisibly across precincts

2017
Venezuela drops Smartmatic after the company refuses to disable audits

Smartmatic publicly accuses the Maduro regime of manipulating results — the exact opposite of the CIA story

2020
“Venezuela flips Georgia, Arizona, Michigan”

Georgia hand-recounts 5 million paper ballots — machine tally within 0.1 %. No foreign code ever found

2023
“Venezuelan code still inside Dominion”

Delaware Superior Court rules the claim false on its face. Fox pays $787 million. Smartmatic lawsuits ongoing

2024–2025
Berntsen promises “source code proof” to DOJ

Zero lines of code produced. DOJ quietly shelves case after internal review

Unmasking Imperial Hypocrisy: Trump’s 2025 Venezuela Escalation Is a Sham for Oil

The Mechanisms Themselves — All Born in the USA

1 Fractional Vote Weighting CIA: “Invented in Caracas to steal elections invisibly.” Harris: Demonstrated in 2003 Diebold source code (publicly posted). GEMS field labeled “Weighted Race” lets one voter’s ballot count as 0.10, 1.00, or 10.00 depending on precinct. Feature existed since at least 1998.

2 Real-Time Database Overwriting CIA: “Venezuelan backdoor.” Harris: 2002 “rob-georgia.zip” patch and 2003 GEMS duplicate-database feature — both archived and downloadable since Harris’s leak.

3 Memory-Card Swaps CIA: “Venezuelan engineers perfected this.” Harris: Filmed in Leon County, Florida, December 2005 — eight-minute hack on live machine.

4 Central Tabulator Remote Access CIA: “Huawei and Serbian servers.” Harris: 2003 Diebold files show default modem passwords and open ports. No foreign hardware required.

The Companies — All American When the Flaws Were Created

• Diebold (now Premier) — Canton, Ohio

• ES&S — Omaha, Nebraska

• Sequoia — Oakland, California (sold to Smartmatic in 2005 after the vulnerabilities were already in the code)

• Dominion — founded in Canada in 2003, bought Sequoia in 2010 with no Smartmatic code transfer (confirmed in multiple lawsuits)

Smartmatic’s only U.S. appearance was a single 2006 Chicago pilot with 100 machines. It has never been used in a swing state.

The Paper Trail That Kills the MythThe single most devastating document is the 2016 Fraction Magic report by Bev Harris and Bennie Smith. It is 80 pages of screenshots, flowcharts, and live video using only software that was sold in the United States from 1998 to 2008.

No Venezuelan engineer is mentioned, because none was needed. The report was sent to every secretary of state, every major news outlet, and every member of Congress. None of them disputed the findings—because they were reproducible on American hardware in American counties.

The Fixes That Already Exist — and Are Being IgnoredWhile the CIA chases ghosts in Caracas, Harris handed America the solutions twenty years ago:

• Ballot Images (mandated by federal law since HAVA 2002) — release them publicly and any citizen can verify the count. Colorado and Rhode Island do it; no “Venezuelan interference” has ever been found.
• Risk-Limiting Audits — statistically prove the outcome matches the paper.
• Open-Source Code Review — let the public see what is running on the machines.

The Verdict from the Courts and the Auditors

• 2020–2023 hand recounts in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan: paper ballots matched machine totals within statistical norms.
• No forensic audit has ever found foreign code.
• Dominion and Smartmatic have collectively won or settled defamation cases for over $2.4 billion because the claim is provably false.

Conclusion: The Lie Was Never About Protecting ElectionsThe Venezuelan election-theft myth is not an intelligence failure.

It is a deliberate, sustained disinformation operation whose only purpose is to provide moral cover for economic strangulation of a country that nationalized its oil.

Bev Harris proved — with files, videos, and court victories — that every single trick blamed on Caracas was born in Ohio, Nebraska, and Florida.

The machines are vulnerable because American vendors wrote secret code and American

regulators looked the other way — not because Hugo Chávez had a secret lab in a basement in Miraflores.

Conclusion
Until the United States mandates the transparency Harris has been begging for since 2003, the real threat to American elections will remain exactly where she found it: inside the black boxes built and serviced by American corporations.

If former President George W. Bush’s comedy routine at the 2004 White House Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner about his inability to find weapons of mass destruction didn’t result in the death of millions of people and the obliteration of the cradle of civilization, it would be funny.

Let’s not have Trump recreating Bush’s war crime folly regarding his inability to find drugs and election stealing technology in Venezuela at our expense too.

No Blood for Oil!

(Popular Resistance.org)

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

Twenty million sea turtles have been born in the last three decades in the Mexican Caribbean, thanks to the Riviera Maya-Tulum Sea Turtle Conservation Program, which was implemented in 13 turtle camps, according to reports from civil organizations and environmental authorities.

RELATED:

National Botanical Garden of Havana: A Natural Treasure for Science and Conservation

The program, led by the organization Flora, Fauna y Cultura de México, with the participation of various public and private institutions, considers the conservation of sea turtles in one of the country’s most important tourist corridors a complete success.

The general director of the NGO, Guadalupe Quintana Pali, the initiative has not only managed to increase the number of hatchlings, but there are already records of adult turtles returning to nest on the beaches where they were born, a key indicator of population recovery.

🐢✨ Datos inéditos y grandes noticias para la conservación en #QuintanaRoo.

Hoy se presentaron los nuevos hallazgos y resultados acumulados del Programa de Conservación de Tortugas Marinas Riviera Maya–Tulum, uno de los proyectos ambientales más importantes de México pic.twitter.com/ibWIGfcVz0

— Playa Del Carmen 🌊 (@playaenmano) December 12, 2025

“About 30 years ago, these turtles began to be marked with a system of cutting a small piece of the plastron (lower part of the shell) and another from the carapace (upper part), and the tissues were exchanged. It is a living tissue that grew with the turtle and that now allows us to know in what year they were born,” she detailed.

She also highlighted that there is increasing awareness in society about the importance of preserving turtles.

According to program data, from 1996 to 2025, 303,586 nests were protected on 13 key nesting beaches, mainly of green turtles (Chelonia mydas), which represent 81% of the records, and loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), with 18%.

There are also isolated cases of hawksbill and leatherback turtles nesting in this area.

Javier Carballar, director of the Institute of Biodiversity and Natural Protected Areas of Quintana Roo, explained that Mexico is home to six of the seven species of sea turtles that exist in the world, three of which regularly arrive on the coasts of the state, mainly in the area that includes the Riviera Maya, Tulum, and the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

“We will never recognize elections built on trickery, sleight of hand and outright deception,” presidential hopeful Rixi Moncada told hundreds of Liberty and Refoundation (Libre) supporters Saturday, announcing a new phase of nationwide protests against what the party calls a U.S.-backed “electoral coup.”

RELATED:

Electoral Coup in Honduras: Former Foreign Minister Calls for Defense of Libre’s Progressive Project

Addressing an extraordinary party assembly in Siguatepeque, Comayagua, Moncada said Libre has already filed motions to annul the 30 November vote in its entirety and challenged all 19,000 polling station tallies, citing a hacked preliminary-results system, doctored tally sheets and a barrage of coercive messages that warned voters: “If you choose Rixi, your remittances will stop.”

“We stand with every Honduran—those who voted for us and those who were black-mailed, threatened and besieged into voting against us,” she declared. “With them, we will be in the streets. Soon, you’ll see us there.”

Flanked by party coordinator and former President Manuel Zelaya, Moncada vowed to exhaust every legal avenue “with dignity and heads held high,” while acknowledging the uphill battle inside a judiciary she described as “a snake that bites the barefoot, cowering in its chambers, terrified of imperial power.”

“If the people are strong outside, we can still hope for justice inside,” she added. “But if we are divided and disorganized, the courts will only grow more hostile.”

The candidate repeated accusations that Donald Trump openly intervened in the race, threatening “consequences” should Libre win, endorsing right-wing National Party hopeful Nasry Asfura and securing the release of convicted drug-trafficking ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández from a U.S. federal prison.

“Imperial mafia, national mafia and organized crime joined forces,” Moncada charged. “They didn’t just steal the election—they freed the capo. The people are judging that double standard.”

Chants of “Out with the traitors!” and “Out with the ‘raccoons’!”—slang for vote-buyers—punctuated her speech, as she closed with the battle cry that has echoed since the 2009 coup: “Unity and organization—no fear!”

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity issued a scathing statement on Saturday condemning recent U.S. naval operations near Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone as “illegitimate, unfounded acts of modern piracy” that violate the United Nations Charter and international maritime law.

RELATED:

Non-Aligned Countries Reject Illegal Actions and Escalation by the US Against Venezuela

The collective rejection follows a series of incidents attributed to the Trump administration, including the destruction of civilian fishing vessels, the killing of unarmed crew members, and the seizure of an oil-laden tanker that President Donald Trump publicly hailed as “the largest confiscation ever.”

“No State has the right to interfere in Venezuela’s internal affairs, much less deploy military force in its waters or attack unarmed civilian boats,” the Network declared, stressing that such actions breach the 2014 CELAC proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace.”

🔴 La Red de Intelectuales y Artistas en Defensa de la Humanidad envía contundente carta al Comité del #NobelDeLaPaz.

Denuncian grave amenaza a la seguridad internacional y la flagrante violación de la Carta de la #ONU. pic.twitter.com/3hBZooLoiF

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) December 9, 2025

Citing the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Rome Statute and the U.N. Charter, the group argues the blockade and ship interdictions lack any legal basis and constitute “crimes against humanity” by intentionally inflicting “great suffering” on the civilian population through shortages of food and fuel.

The statement also dismisses Washington’s claim that the deployments are part of an anti-drug mission. It notes that neither the European Union nor the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime list Venezuela as a major narcotics transit country, and that 87 % of the drugs entering the United States arrive via Pacific—not Caribbean—routes.

“The true objective is control of the planet’s largest proven oil reserves at a moment of global hydrocarbon scarcity,” the document asserts, framing the latest aggression as the newest chapter in a two-decade-long campaign that began with the 2002 coup against President Hugo Chávez and has since included sanctions, asset freezes and financial blockades.

Calling on governments, peoples and organizations worldwide to stand in solidarity with Venezuela, the Network concludes:

“The destiny of Humanity is being decided in Venezuela. We urge global mobilization in defense of peace, international law and the self-determination of peoples.”

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Populist magnate Andrej Babis, designated Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, rejected this Saturday assuming guarantees to finance aid to Ukraine and aligned himself with the positions of Hungary and Slovakia, which are opposed to processing a loan backed by frozen Russian assets.

RELATED:

EU Plan to Admit Ukraine by 2030 Means War With Russia: Orban

On social media, Babis urged the European Commission (EC) to seek “another way” to finance Ukraine other than the two measures proposed so far: through an EU loan guaranteed by the community budget or with a loan backed by frozen Russian assets.

“The European Commission must find another way to finance Ukraine,” said the politician, who will assume his position this Monday, when the members of his Executive, a coalition of his ANO party with two Eurosceptic forces, are appointed by the country’s president.

🚨⚡The EU gets a new leader who does not support aid to Ukraine; Andrej Babis, the new Czech Prime Minister, pledges to cut support for Kiev and halt its ammunition program. pic.twitter.com/6UixEbKpQ4

— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) December 9, 2025

This, referring to the financial needs of Kiev, “must be resolved by the European Union in another way, but we are not going to guarantee anything,” he added.

“We, the Czech Republic, need money for Czech citizens and we do not have money for other states,” added Babis, who will lead a government critical not only of financial aid to the country invaded by Russia, but also of other key measures proposed by Brussels, such as the European Green Deal or the Migration Pact.

Babis met last Friday in Brussels with the Belgian Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, and said that he agrees with his position of caution on the use of Russian assets, even after their freezing was approved indefinitely, with the vote in favor of the outgoing Government of the Czech Republic and against Hungary and Slovakia.

These are about 210,000 million euros in Russian assets frozen by the sanctions imposed on Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine, which would supposedly allow them to be used to finance the reconstruction of that country if the Twenty-Seven manage to agree on that measure.

Belgium, where most of these Russian assets are concentrated, wants the rest of the community partners to assure coverage, with a pro-rata system based on national income, in the hypothetical case of losing an international arbitration initiated by Russia to recover those capitals.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The Government of Venezuela warned this Saturday about the “selective” use of the Justice system in Bolivia as a “tool for political confrontation” following the detention of former President Luis Arce, (2006-2019).

RELATED:

Former President Arce Pleads Innocent and Denounces Political Motives in Accusation

“Venezuela warns about the selective use of the judicial apparatus as a tool for political confrontation, a practice that has been repeated in Latin America under schemes of lawfare, and that seriously damages the credibility of Bolivian institutions, distorts democracy and deepens social polarization,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on Telegram.

The Bolivarian government expressed its “deep concern” for the detention of Arce and sent a message of accompaniment and “active” solidarity with the “brotherly Bolivian people.”

El Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela expresa su profunda y categórica preocupación por la detención arbitraria del expresidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia, Luis Arce Catacora.
Condenamos enérgicamente esta acción que atenta contra el Estado de Derecho y la voluntad… pic.twitter.com/B0UkSMJ8qW

— Perdomo.Juventud (@JuventudPe28841) December 13, 2025

On Friday, Arce was transferred to the San Pedro prison in La Paz, where he must serve five months of preventive detention for his alleged responsibilities within an investigation for mismanagement of a fund for indigenous projects when he was Minister of Economy in the Government of Evo Morales (2006-2019).

The Public Prosecutor’s Office charged Arce with “breach of duties and uneconomical conduct” because, according to that entity, when he was Minister of Economy he authorized disbursements of resources from the Indigenous Native Peasant and Agricultural Development Fund (Fondioc) for projects that were not executed or were carried out partially.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, there were “more than 3,500 projects” financed by the Ministry of Economy, of which “not even half have been completed” and it was also evidenced “that there were disbursements to private accounts of leaders” of indigenous and peasant organizations.

In this regard, Arce assured that, as minister, he did not participate in meetings of the Fondioc board, but that he designated a representative through resolutions of his portfolio and that this instance also had delegates from other ministries and institutions.

Since leaving the Presidency of Bolivia on November 8, Arce dedicated himself to teaching economics at the state-owned Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), a job he did not stop doing while he was in government.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The U.S. maritime aggression in Venezuelan Caribbean—labeled “modern piracy”—sparks global condemnation for violating international law and targeting civilian vessels.

Related: Chávez Fidel alliance: 1994 Cuba meeting sparks revolutionary bond that reshaped Latin America

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The U.S. maritime aggression in Venezuelan Caribbean has drawn fierce international rebuke after the Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity issued a scathing denouncement of repeated U.S. naval operations near Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Describing these actions as “illegitimate, unfounded, and acts of modern piracy,” the collective accused the United States of flagrantly violating the United Nations Charter, the Law of the Sea, and core principles of international law.

In a strongly worded statement released this week, the network—comprising scholars, writers, and human rights advocates from over 50 countries—condemned what it terms a deliberate campaign of economic and military warfare aimed at undermining Venezuela’s sovereignty and seizing control of its vast oil reserves, the largest in the world.

“These are not isolated incidents—they are part of a systematic strategy of coercion,” the statement reads, highlighting recent episodes in which U.S. warships intercepted, boarded, and seized Venezuelan-flagged or allied tankers in international waters. One such operation, personally celebrated by former President Donald Trump as “the largest seizure ever,” involved the confiscation of a fully loaded oil tanker carrying crude destined for domestic use or legitimate trade partners.

U.S. Maritime Aggression in Venezuelan Caribbean: A Breach of International Law

The network’s condemnation centers on the legal illegitimacy of U.S. naval actions beyond its jurisdiction. Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), no state may use force against civilian vessels in international waters unless under strict legal frameworks—such as UN Security Council authorization or self-defense against imminent attack. Neither condition applies to Venezuela, which remains in a formal state of peace.

“The U.S. has no legal basis to stop, search, or seize ships flying the flags of sovereign nations in international waters,” the statement asserts. It further notes that even if counter-narcotics operations were genuine—a claim the network disputes—the scale and militarized nature of these interdictions far exceed the limits of proportionality and due process.

Read the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s latest report confirming Venezuela is not a major drug transit route

The network also points to the 2014 CELAC Declaration, adopted in Havana by all 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations, which formally proclaimed the region a “Zone of Peace” grounded in non-intervention, respect for sovereignty, and peaceful dispute resolution. U.S. warship deployments and armed interdictions directly contravene this hemispheric consensus, the statement argues.

Crimes Against Humanity and the Weaponization of Blockade

Perhaps most damning is the network’s legal characterization of these maritime actions as potential crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. By deliberately obstructing fuel deliveries, destroying fishing boats, and terrorizing civilian crews—including reports of summary killings of unarmed fishermen—U.S. policy is said to inflict “intentional widespread suffering” on Venezuela’s civilian population.

“This is hunger engineered by design,” the statement warns, noting that the blockade prevents the import of spare parts for refineries, halts food shipments, and cripples energy distribution. Such tactics, the network insists, constitute collective punishment—a prohibited act under international humanitarian law—even in peacetime.

The U.S. justification of these operations as “anti-narcotics” is dismissed as a “false pretext.” Citing data from the European Union and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the network highlights that 87% of narcotics entering the U.S. arrive via the Pacific Ocean, primarily through Mexico and Central America—not the Caribbean. Venezuela, meanwhile, has actively cooperated with regional anti-drug efforts and is not listed as a significant transit country in any major international report.

Explore the European Union’s 2025 Drug Strategy and its assessment of Caribbean trafficking routes

Geopolitical Context: Control of Oil in a Time of Global Scarcity

The U.S. maritime aggression in Venezuelan Caribbean must be understood within a broader geopolitical calculus. With global oil reserves tightening and energy security becoming a top strategic priority, Venezuela’s 304 billion barrels of proven reserves represent a prize of historic magnitude. The network argues that Washington’s two-decade-long campaign—beginning with the failed 2002 coup against Hugo Chávez, followed by financial blockades, asset seizures (including $9 billion in gold held by the Bank of England), and diplomatic isolation—is culminating in open maritime predation.

“This is not about democracy or drugs—it’s about hydrocarbons,” the statement concludes. The timing is telling: as the world grapples with energy instability, the U.S. seeks to bypass Venezuela’s elected government and position compliant actors to manage its oil wealth. The recent seizure of tankers carrying crude to Asia or domestic terminals is seen as both economic sabotage and strategic signaling.

The implications extend beyond Venezuela. If powerful states can unilaterally enforce maritime blockades under fabricated pretexts, the entire rules-based international order is at risk. Latin American nations, many of which rely on peaceful sea lanes for trade, view this as a dangerous precedent. Even traditionally U.S.-aligned governments, such as Spain under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, have begun to publicly reject these naval incursions, calling them “illegal and escalatory.”

See Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez’s official statement condemning U.S. actions in the Caribbean

A Call for Global Solidarity

The Network of Intellectuals ends its communiqué with an urgent appeal: “In Venezuela, the fate of humanity is at stake.” It calls on civil society, governments, and international bodies to mobilize in defense of sovereignty, international law, and the right of peoples to self-determination. It urges legal action at the International Court of Justice and the activation of regional mechanisms like the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).

“Silence is complicity,” the statement warns. History will judge those who stand by while warships masquerade as law enforcers and piracy is rebranded as policy.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

After a technical visit to the construction site, President Gustavo Petro praised the possibility of producing, starting in April of next year, 800 tons annually of the aforementioned chemical element thanks to this infrastructure and through a solar farm already inaugurated at the Cartagena Refinery.

“Green hydrogen is a gas that can be combined and transported through natural gas pipelines and could allow us, in more advanced phases, to export clean energy via ships filled with ammonia to Europe, the United States, and China, and would also facilitate the production of green urea for Colombian crops,” the president emphasized.

He celebrated the progress of the state-owned company Ecopetrol in the energy transition, although he lamented that, due to an existing law, the company is still prevented from generating electricity.

Despite this being a priority, reforming the regulation depends entirely on Congress.

He stated, however, that “Ecopetrol as a whole must achieve a change in the law that allows for electricity generation for sale to the public.”

With a capacity of five megawatts to produce 800 tons of energy annually, its operation will allow for the production of high-quality green hydrogen, which will be used in hydrotreating processes.

This will help on reducing carbon footprint of fuels and contribute to the country’s energy security.

The generated chemical element will be integrated into the current capacity of the Cartagena refinery to hydrotreat fuels, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 7,700 tons.

jdt/rc/if

The post Progress on Green Hydrogen Production Plant in Colombia first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) warned in a statement that these “events follow patterns already known in the region,” characterized, it pointed out, by the instrumentalization of the judicial system for purposes of political persecution, in open violation of the rule of law, popular sovereignty, and democratic coexistence.

“These types of practices, associated with lawfare, have been used systematically to delegitimize, neutralize, and persecute popular political leaders and forces,” stated the Latin American and Caribbean integration bloc.

The Alliance denounced these actions as part of a strategy boosted by sectors of the Latin American far right, aimed at reversing social gains, dismantling sovereign projects, and undermining the will of the people through non-electoral mechanisms.

jdt/rc/jcd

The post ALBA-TCP expresses concern over events in Bolivia first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

The Venezuela Nobel controversy centers on ethics, nationalism, and foreign interference—highlighting tensions between sovereignty and international recognition.

Related: Maria Corina Machado: A New Mediatic Show

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The Venezuela Nobel controversy reignited this week as President Nicolás Maduro invoked the legacy of Dr. Humberto Fernández-Morán—a renowned Venezuelan scientist who once refused the Nobel Prize on ethical grounds—to sharply criticize the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to opposition leader María Corina Machado. Speaking at the first-anniversary celebration of the National University of Sciences “Dr. Humberto Fernández-Morán,” Maduro framed the award not as an honor, but as a symbol of betrayal and imperialist alignment.

“¿Cual es el precio del Premio Nobel?” asked Maduro, echoing a question now echoing through streets in Oslo, where protests have erupted against Machado’s selection. But in Caracas, the debate goes beyond diplomacy—it strikes at the heart of national identity, scientific sovereignty, and what it means to be a patriot in an era of geopolitical polarization.

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A post shared by Nicolás Maduro (@nicolasmaduro)

Venezuela Nobel Controversy: Ethics vs. Imperial Recognition

On December 12, 2025, during a speech at the university named in Fernández-Morán’s honor, President Maduro recounted a powerful anecdote from the scientist’s life. In the mid-20th century, as Fernández-Morán gained global acclaim for inventing the diamond knife—a revolutionary tool in electron microscopy—he was reportedly offered the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. But there was a condition: he had to renounce his Venezuelan citizenship and become a U.S. national.

“‘Quédense con su premio Nobel que yo me quedo con mi nacionalidad venezolana,’” Maduro quoted Fernández-Morán, his voice rising with emotion. That moment, the president insisted, embodies “true patriotism”—a choice rooted not in glory, but in ethical fidelity to one’s homeland.

Learn more about Dr. Humberto Fernández-Morán’s scientific legacy via UNESCO’s recognition of Latin American pioneers

In stark contrast, Maduro accused Machado and her political allies of “selling the homeland” for international accolades and foreign backing. He described her acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize not as a victory for democracy, but as a “trophy of imperial intervention”—one that legitimizes calls for regime change, sanctions, and external pressure on Venezuela’s government.

“Hay quiénes venden la patria por un premio Nobel o por mil cosas,” Maduro declared—a line that resonated deeply within Venezuela’s polarized political landscape. For the government, the Venezuela Nobel controversy is not about peace or human rights; it’s about whose version of Venezuela the world chooses to validate.

Scientific Sovereignty and National Identity

Beyond the political rhetoric, Maduro’s speech underscored a broader narrative the Venezuelan state has long promoted: the defense of intellectual and scientific sovereignty. Fernández-Morán, though forced into exile during periods of political instability and having survived persecution under European fascist regimes, never abandoned his Venezuelan identity. His work in neuroscience and microscopy “remains at the service of Venezuela,” as Maduro put it—even posthumously.

The president emphasized that true greatness lies not in international awards, but in ethical consistency. “Discipline, brilliance—those are important,” he said. “But without ethics, they are hollow.” This message targets not only Machado, but a wider segment of the Venezuelan elite the government accuses of prioritizing foreign validation over national interest.

Read Al Jazeera’s analysis of the geopolitical weight of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

Fernández-Morán’s legacy is now being weaponized as a moral counterpoint in Venezuela’s ongoing ideological war. The newly inaugurated university bearing his name is presented as a bastion of homegrown knowledge—free from “imperialist curricula” and committed to Bolivarian principles of science for the people.

Geopolitical Context: The Nobel as a Tool of Soft Power

The Venezuela Nobel controversy cannot be understood in isolation. It reflects a broader trend in which international prizes are increasingly politicized, especially in regions where U.S. and European influence is contested. By awarding the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Machado—a figure openly endorsed by Washington and Brussels—the Nobel Committee has effectively aligned itself with one side of a deeply entrenched domestic conflict.

This move risks undermining the prize’s neutrality and fuels accusations of “human rights as a foreign policy instrument.” In Latin America, reactions have been split: progressive governments in Bolivia, Cuba, and Nicaragua echoed Maduro’s condemnation, while centrist and right-leaning administrations in Colombia and Chile offered cautious support for Machado.

Globally, the decision reinforces a pattern seen in recent years: Western institutions elevating opposition figures in adversarial nations—from Belarus to Iran to Venezuela—as “democratic heroes,” often bypassing complex local realities. For critics, this approach exacerbates polarization rather than fostering dialogue, and legitimizes external interference under the guise of moral advocacy.

See Human Rights Watch’s stance on Venezuela’s political crisis and sanctions impact

The Ethics of International Recognition

At its core, the Venezuela Nobel controversy raises a philosophical question: Can international recognition ever be neutral in a world of unequal power? Maduro’s invocation of Fernández-Morán suggests that true integrity lies in refusing conditional honors—especially when those conditions imply subservience to foreign agendas.

Fernández-Morán’s choice in the 1960s was not just personal; it was a statement against the commodification of intellect under Cold War patronage systems. Today, Maduro argues, Machado’s acceptance of the Nobel—without condemning U.S. sanctions that have crippled Venezuela’s economy—makes her complicit in what the government calls “economic warfare.”

Supporters of Machado counter that her award shines a light on political repression and democratic backsliding. Yet even some neutral observers question whether the Nobel Committee’s timing—amid Venezuela’s fragile electoral preparations for 2026—serves peace or provocation.

A Symbolic Battle Over Venezuela’s Soul

As Venezuela approaches another critical election cycle, the Venezuela Nobel controversy has become a proxy battle over national legitimacy. The government portrays itself as the guardian of Bolivarian sovereignty, resisting what it deems “imperial trophies.” The opposition, meanwhile, frames the award as global validation of their struggle against authoritarianism.

In this charged atmosphere, Fernández-Morán’s ghost looms large—not as a partisan figure, but as a reminder that scientific excellence and national loyalty need not be mutually exclusive. His diamond knife cut through cells; his moral stance, Maduro insists, cuts through hypocrisy.

Whether the international community will heed this narrative remains uncertain. But within Venezuela, the message is clear: rejecting a Nobel for the sake of principle is ethics; accepting one at the cost of sovereignty is betrayal.

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A Poet, the most awarded feature film in the Coral Awards, was shown at Charles Chaplin Cinema; followed by The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (Chile, France), winner in the Best First Feature category; and to close the day: comes the Colombian-Honduran co-production Eva, winner of the Coral Award for Artistic Contribution.

Meanwhile, at Yara Cinema, Raptus (Cuba), Sappho (Brazil), and Heart of Darkness (Brazil, France) were screened, winners of the Coral Award for Animated Short or Medium-Length Film, the Special Jury Prize, and the Animated Feature Film Award, respectively.

La Rampa cinema will host a screening of *The Prince of Nanawa*, a co-production between Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, and Germany, winner of the Coral Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Meanwhile, they movie- theaters Acapulco, Infanta, and Glauber Rocha Foundation will screen *Nora* (Cuba), *Case 137* (France), *The Reborn* (Argentina, Chile, Spain), and *Oca* (Mexico, Argentina) at various times.

On Sunday, the 23 y 12 cinema will screen the Cuban-Italian co-production *Baracoa*, winner of the Sumate Award and an Honorable Mention from the Agrarian University of Havana, and *Son of Tiger and Mule* (Panama, Colombia), winner of the Special Coral Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature. Additionally, the movie-theaters Charles Chaplin, Yara, and Acapulco will be showing the multi-award-winning films Belen (Argentina), Cuerpo Celeste (Chile, Italy), Tierra enferma (Brazil), El agente secreto (Brazil, France), and Neurotica Anonima (Cuba).

With these screenings will conclude the 46th Havana Film Festival.

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The ministry noted that the agreement will allow Colombian undergraduate and graduate students, professors, researchers, and professionals to access higher education programs at Russian universities, especially in strategic areas such as agribusiness, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies, and applied sciences.

The ministerial entities of both countries, the statement added, discussed expanding the number of scholarships offered by Russia to Colombians, and as a result, the Russian government has already confirmed an additional 20 scholarships.

It is expected that these opportunities will increase progressively following the signing of the memorandum. The agreement will also enable the creation of dual-degree programs, the development of joint projects, the exchange of scientific and educational materials, and the organization of seminars and academic conferences, the source also highlighted.

This agreement, it emphasized, will contribute to strengthening the quality of Colombian universities, generating knowledge to address the major global challenges of the 21st century, and connecting the country with high-impact scientific and technological advancements.

The South American state, for its part, will promote access for Russian citizens to higher education programs at Colombian universities and will award additional points to those who apply for the Colombia Scholarship, the ministry stated.

The alliance also seeks to encourage the learning of Spanish and Russian, thereby fostering linguistic exchange for the benefit of students and professionals from both countries.

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According to preliminary reports from the Provincial Defense Council, more than 200 people have been affected in both municipalities so far, especially in the town of Sitiecito, where rivers have overflown and roads are cut.

Amaury Machado, a specialist at the Provincial Meteorological Center, the rains are associated with the influence of a storm moving over the central part of the country, a situation that is expected to continue throughout the day.

By 8:00 a.m. local time, rain gauges at the Institute of Hydraulic Resources in Villa Clara had recorded 156 millimeters (mm) in Sitiecito, 91.8 mm at the Alacranes reservoir, and 54 mm at the Sagua la Grande weather station, indicating locally heavy rainfall.

Milaxy Sanchez, Governor of Villa Clara, stated that all necessary measures would be taken to protect families, personal property, and state institutions. Civil Defense groups and the Integrated Medical Emergency System are on alert to address the impact of the rains in a region that has not seen such intense river flooding since 2017.

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As the United States reasserts its hemispheric priorities in its recent National Security Strategy document, Latin America and the Caribbean are once again cast as a zone of interest, with Venezuela squarely in Washington’s sights. Puerto Rico—still a US colony more than a century after the 1898 invasion—plays a central role in this imperial architecture, serving as both a military platform and a living example of colonial rule in the region.

Cira Pascual Marquina spoke with Puerto Rican geographer, author, and longtime activist Déborah Berman Santana about the continuity of US imperialism, the island’s strategic function in projecting imperialist military power in the region, and why Venezuela’s insistence on sovereignty represents such a profound threat to US interests.

Drawing on decades of grassroots struggle against militarization, including the successful campaign to halt US Navy bombings in Vieques, Berman Santana situates today’s escalation against Venezuela within a broader history of colonial control, neocolonial coercion, and popular resistance in the continent.

The US has just issued a new National Security Strategy document that shifts its focus to the Western Hemisphere. From your perspective in Puerto Rico, what does this reveal about Washington’s imperial ambitions, and how does it impact the Caribbean and specifically Venezuela?

From Puerto Rico, and with the history of US-Latin American relations in mind, what is being presented as a “new” security strategy is really the old one. Even before the Monroe Doctrine, Thomas Jefferson was already worried that Spain’s colonies might become independent before the United States was strong enough to take control of them. Hemispheric domination has always been central to US policy.

What this document makes clear is that Washington wants absolute control over the Western Hemisphere, regardless of what happens elsewhere in the world or how competition with China or Russia evolves. When US officials say “America for the Americans,” they mean the entire hemisphere for the United States: its peoples and its resources, all under US imperialist control.

The Caribbean is still referred to as the US “backyard,” even by sectors of the US left. Venezuela’s oil—the largest proven reserves on the planet—is treated as US oil. Bolivia’s lithium is viewed as US lithium. The strategy simply reasserts the United States as the dominant power, the plantation owner of the hemisphere.

There is nothing new in this policy paper except how openly it is stated. I don’t believe the substance would be radically different under a Democratic administration; it would simply be expressed in more polite language.

Puerto Rico is identified as a US “territory,” but in reality, it’s an occupied colony. How does that colonial status enable the buildup of US bases and military deployments, and why is Puerto Rico so central to projecting imperialist power in the Caribbean, especially toward Venezuela?

In the US Constitution, “territory” essentially means property. The US Supreme Court has defined Puerto Rico as an unincorporated territory belonging to, but not part of, the United States. “Unincorporated” means there is no obligation to ever make Puerto Rico a state.

The simplest analogy is a pair of shoes: they belong to you, but they are not part of you, and you can dispose of them at will. That is how Puerto Rico is legally understood. We don’t even have the limited sovereignty administratively allowed for Native peoples in the US. This is not my opinion; it is established by Supreme Court rulings.

This colonial condition makes militarization extremely easy. For roughly twenty years there was a visible reduction in US military presence, but that period is clearly over. The US does not need to negotiate with us. If it chooses to offer compensation, it may, but it is under no obligation.

There are six US military bases in Puerto Rico. Four were never meaningfully demilitarized. Two—Ramey in Aguadilla and Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba—were supposedly closed and slated for civilian redevelopment. In practice, that process has been partial at best.

I live near Ceiba, and since the summer, there has been a dramatic increase in military air traffic. The airstrip, which had been used for regional civilian flights since 2004, is now filled with F-35s, Hercules aircraft, and Ospreys. No permission was requested. The military simply took it over.

If the US decides to deploy additional warships or aircraft carrier groups—as it recently did with the USS Gerald R. Ford—it can do so without even consulting us. Whether this is intended as a prelude to an actual attack on Venezuela or primarily as pressure, it clearly sends a message.

It is the logic of a bully: “I am here, and I am ready to hurt you unless you comply.” Even without an invasion, the buildup is meant to force concessions, deepen internal divisions, or provoke instability in Venezuela. I doubt this will succeed, given Venezuela’s strong commitment to sovereignty, but it clearly reflects the US’ strategic thinking.

Venezuela faces escalating economic, political, and military pressure. Why is the Bolivarian Revolution perceived as such a threat to US imperialist interests?

The United States seeks to remain the dominant global power, but when that dominance is challenged—especially by China—it insists on absolute control of this hemisphere. In this worldview, Latin America and the Caribbean are US turf: their resources belong to Washington, and their peoples are treated, implicitly, as subjects.

What the US will not accept is a country that insists on real sovereignty, a country that engages with Washington as an equal. Venezuela’s decision to control its own resources and choose its own trading partners is intolerable to US policymakers.

That is why Cuba has faced a blockade for more than sixty years, why Nicaragua is targeted, and why Venezuela is now under such intense pressure. A Russian ship making a courtesy visit to Venezuela or expanded ties with China are treated not as sovereign decisions, but as provocations.

The real threat to Washington is not Venezuela in isolation, but the precedent it sets. The Bolivarian process represents a living challenge and a model that could inspire others across the region. That is why US policy aims either to overthrow the government or to force it to abandon its sovereign course.

And it would not stop with Venezuela: Cuba would be next, and Nicaragua would follow. Donald Trump has openly warned Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro that they could also “be next.” This military buildup sends a message to all of Latin America and the Caribbean—Mexico included—about the limits Washington seeks to impose on sovereignty.

As one billionaire ally of Trump [Elon Musk] once crudely said about Bolivia’s lithium: “We coup whoever we want.” It may sound blunt, but it reflects a long-standing reality. When US interests are challenged, it resorts to coups—soft or hard. It prefers banks over tanks, but ultimately it will do whatever is necessary to maintain imperialist control.

While Puerto Rico is under direct colonial rule, much of Latin America faces neocolonial domination. How do these models operate together today?

Puerto Rico is a colony with no sovereignty, now effectively governed by a fiscal control board imposed by the US Congress. Appointed under Obama and maintained by subsequent administrations, this unelected body can veto budgets and policies. Its priority is not social well-being, but debt repayment—most of it owed to Wall Street hedge funds.

This structure enforces privatization: electricity, education, and public services. Environmental protections are also under attack. But colonialism works by degrees. A country can be formally independent and still be coerced through debt, IMF pressure, financial blackmail, economic war, etc.

Chile’s water privatization after the Pinochet coup is one example. Haiti is another—it is formally independent, yet occupied and burdened with illegitimate debt. Elsewhere, intervention comes through NGOs, the National Endowment for Democracy, election interference, or direct coups, as in Honduras in 2009.

In Venezuela, when the right wing loses elections, the US cries fraud. When it wins, there is silence. This selective logic serves as justification for sanctions, isolation, and ultimately military threats.

The US justifies its military buildup in the Caribbean using anti-drug rhetoric. What does this narrative conceal?

Historically, Washington claimed to be fighting communism. Later, it was terrorism. Now the target is supposedly drugs. Yet it is widely known that drug demand is driven by the United States itself, and that many of its closest allies have been deeply involved in drug trafficking. It’s allowed as long as they remain politically obedient.

Meanwhile, fisherfolk across the Caribbean are targeted and killed under the pretext of drug interdiction, without evidence and without inspections. This is not about drugs. It is about control.

Most people understand this, even within the United States. The real objective is hemispheric domination and control over strategic resources—above all, Venezuelan oil.

Puerto Rico has a long history of resistance to militarization. How do those struggles connect today with Venezuela and the broader region?

Puerto Rico has consistently resisted US militarism. The struggle against US Navy bombings in Vieques was long and difficult, but it ended in a victory: the base was shut down. Although the land has yet to be fully cleaned up or returned to the community, the pueblo won that battle.

The same anti-militarist, independentista, and socialist forces that fought in Vieques continue to resist today, grounded in the understanding that Puerto Rico is part of the Caribbean and Latin America. Simón Bolívar himself insisted that his liberation project would remain incomplete without Cuba and Puerto Rico.This struggle is far from over. It will not be complete until Puerto Rico is free and can stand alongside Venezuela, Cuba, and other pueblos of the region in a hemisphere that truly belongs to its people—free, just, and sovereign.

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The film, directed by Simon Mesa, reached the Coral Award for Best Feature Film and the Coral Award for Best Actor for Ubeimar Rios.

It also won the Don Quixote Award, presented by the International Federation of Film Societies, and the Signis Award, from the World Catholic Association for Communication. In a press conference at Hotel Nacional de Cuba in Havana, Professor Ubeimar Rios, who plays Oscar Restrepo, said it was very interesting to portray the reality of families in certain places, whose stories—though local—resonate internationally because similar situations are experienced in many other locations.

He somehow got identified with the role, because like him, he loves poetry, is a professor, and a failure in literature, he added with a laugh.

“A Poet,” a 2025 co-production between Colombia, Germany, and Sweden, and the longest-running film in Colombian theaters (three months), is a drama that revolves around Oscar Restrepo, whose obsession with poetry has brought him no glory.

Meeting Yurlady, a teenager from a humble background, and helping her cultivate her talent brings some light to his days, but dragging her into the world of poetry might not be the right approach, the synopsis highlights.

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Speaking frankly at an event, Jauregui analyzed the current state of international geopolitics, with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, and the urgent need for the European Union (EU) to take a step forward and adopt the Cooperation Agreement with Mercosur.

The former Member of the European Parliament discussed US President Donald Trump’s attempts to change the world’s rules of the game, including renaming the Gulf of Mexico and imposing exorbitant tariffs on other countries.

Jauregui also considered the potential for destabilizing Europe and pressuring China with extraterritorial policies.

In this context, while not overly optimistic, the EU-CELAC Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, offered a glimmer of hope.

Like the other speakers at the seminar entitled “After the IV CELAC-EU Summit in Santa Marta: Results Achieved and Objectives to Fulfill,” he emphasized the enormous importance, in the current international context, of finding new avenues for multilateral collaboration.

In this regard, perspectives were offered on investment projects and the prospects for a European Union-Mercosur agreement, like EU’s existing agreements with Chile and Mexico.

They also said that strengthening ties with Mercosur would provide a strong response to the mechanisms of free trade and cooperation worldwide.

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In Chile’s pivotal December 14 runoff, Jeannette Jara vs José Antonio Kast clash in a high-stakes fight for equity or austerity. Mandatory voting for 15.8M mobilizes voters amid inequality fears. Discover the stakes.

RELATED:
The Presidential Runoff in December To Shape Chile’s Future

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Chile’s Tense Runoff: Jara vs Kast Battles for Nation’s Soul on Dec 14

Chilean presidential candidates José Antonio Kast and Jeannette Jara during a debate. /X: @ASCOA

Chile Runoff Jara Kast on December 14, 2025, pits progressive Jeannette Jara against far-right José Antonio Kast in a battle defining the nation’s future. This isn’t mere politics—it’s a clash between equity and austerity. With mandatory voting for 15.8 million eligible voters, turnout surges, amplifying voices from 2019’s social unrest. The process is once again defined as a conflict between “two absolutely antagonistic national projects.”.

The stakes echo Chile’s post-dictatorship fractures, where demands for structural change collide with neoliberal revival.

On one side stands Jeannette Jara, the Communist Party candidate and former Labor Minister, representing a determined popular resistance and a path of expanded social rights.

On the other hand, is José Antonio Kast, the hard-right leader who promises a radical overhaul based on massive spending cuts, militarized borders, and a return to the orthodox economic model that has fueled decades of inequality.

🇨🇱 Chile will vote in a presidential runoff on Sunday between two sharply different candidates: Jeannette Jara, a communist backed by a broad left coalition, and Jose Antonio Kast, a devout far-right politico promising a hard line on security and migration ➡️… pic.twitter.com/dWpLfTmp47

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 12, 2025

Electoral Landscape and Voter Surge in Chile Runoff Jara Kast

Jeannette Jara and José Antonio Kast during the 2025 Chilean presidential elections. / X: @FRANCE24

This runoff is unique because it is the first Chilean presidential election since 2012 to feature mandatory voting for all eligible citizens.

This key constitutional change significantly boosts the power of the popular sectors, which historically had lower turnout rates in voluntary elections.

Key Facts on the December 14th Runoff:

• Mandatory Voting: Voting is compulsory for all who are on the final electoral register in the national territory.
• Expected Voters: The final electoral register lists 15,779,102 eligible voters.
• Foreign Resident Vote: For the first time, all foreign nationals who have five years or more of temporary residence in Chile will also be able to vote, further expanding the electorate and its diverse political interests.

EFE: Chile’s Mandatory Voting Revolution

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The Candidates: Two Polar Opposites

Chilean presidential candidates José Antonio Kast of the Republican Party, and Jeannette Jara of the Unity for Chile coalition party, shake hands on stage during their debate in Santiago, Chile, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

The runoff presents a stark ideological choice:

• Jeannette Jara (Unity for Chile): A Communist Party member, she is the torchbearer for the governing left-wing coalition. Her campaign is centered on protecting and deepening the economic and social rights of the working class. She is a figure of genuine popular resistance, hailing from a working-class district of Santiago.

• José Antonio Kast (Republican Party): A veteran politician of the far-right, Kast has successfully consolidated the conservative vote with a hardline message on crime and migration. He is running a campaign that emphasizes a radical restructuring of the state and a return to free-market fundamentalism. Kast has even sought to project an image of a statesman, going so far as to resign from his own party.

Chile's second round of national elections will be held on December 14th.

A communist victory in Chile will affect U.S. geopolitical, economic, and national security interests.

In his latest, @pablogmailleta explains why Americans should watch carefully. pic.twitter.com/NWaK2RcOM7

— The American Mind (@theammind) December 12, 2025

Profile and Platform of Jeannette Jara: The Resistance with a Social Mandate

Jeannette Jara, the candidate for the Unity for Chile coalition, is a 51-year-old public administrator and a veteran member of the Communist Party (PCCh).

She is the standard-bearer for the government’s left-wing project and the first Communist Party candidate to reach a presidential runoff.

For the popular sectors, she carries the weight of Chile’s historical class struggle and represents a commitment to fundamental social transformation.

Her key strength is her successful tenure as Labor Minister in the current administration, where she pushed through landmark legislation. Jara’s campaign is consciously rooted in her working-class origins from a poor district of Santiago.

Jara’s Distinct Proposals: Social Rights and State Strengthening

• Consolidating Social and Labor Rights: Jara’s program is focused on reinforcing the social narrative and advancing the rights of workers and the elderly.
  • Landmark Reforms: She highlights her success in legislating the reduction of the workweek to 40 hours and a major minimum wage increase.
  • Pension Reform: Her top priority is the long-sought reform of the privatized pension system—a key legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship. She proposes a mixed system combining individual savings with a significant, new obligation for employer contributions.
  • Economic Strategy: She advocates for a larger welfare state, raising the minimum wage, and adopting a more progressive tax system.
• Pragmatic and Institutional Security: Acknowledging that insecurity is a major voter concern, Jara’s approach contrasts sharply with Kast’s by emphasizing institutional strengthening over militarization.
  • Gun Control: Her plan prioritizes stronger firearm controls and investing in policing and the prison system.
  • Migration Balance: Her pragmatic approach on migration focuses on registering all foreigners to better manage the population and identify and expel those who are unregistered or commit crimes.

To secure victory, Jara is engaging in strategic moderation, attempting to “shake off the ‘specter of anti-communism’” and broaden her support among moderate and centrist voters through dialogue and a focus on her proven ability to achieve social change.

Profile and Platform of José Antonio Kast: The Neoliberal-Authoritarian Vision

José Antonio Kast, the Republican Party candidate, is more than just a right-wing challenger; he represents the resurgence of the most radical conservative ideology in Chile since the dictatorship.

An ultraconservative lawyer and three-time presidential contender, Kast has skillfully redirected his campaign focus from traditional family values to capitalizing on popular anxieties over crime, violence, and migration.

His rhetoric centers on a narrative of state inefficiency and the urgent need for a drastic course correction.

De-nazification is a long process — best to avoid in the first place.

“This coming weekend, Chile will witness another presidential election — the ninth since the U.S.-backed dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet stepped down from power in 1990.” https://t.co/ol9GOdykgB pic.twitter.com/hNlRoe7gsK

— Peter Cronau (@PeterCronau) November 13, 2025

Kast’s Distinct Proposals: Shock Therapy and Iron Fist

• Economic Shock Therapy (Austerity): Kast promises an “emergency government” that will aggressively shrink the state. His core economic promise is a massive cut in public expenditure, aiming to slash $6 billion in spending in just 18 months. He proposes deregulation, lowering corporate taxes, and the large-scale dismissal of public servants he describes as “politically appointed”.
• Hardline Security and Militarized Borders: Kast’s “Relentless Plan” is a security-first platform, openly admiring figures like El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele. The focal point is a militarized response to crime and migration:
  • Border Shield: Building a “border shield” with new fences and ditches, particularly along the northern border, to prevent irregular entry.
  • Mass Deportation: A promise to deport 330,000 undocumented migrants.
  • Prison Expansion: Lengthening sentences, limiting visitation rights, isolating gang leaders, and building 100,000 new prison spaces.

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Ideological Contrast: Two Antagonistic National Projects

The clash between Jeannette Jara and José Antonio Kast is not just a standard political rivalry; it is a confrontation between two distinct and antagonistic national projects.

The December 14th runoff crystallizes the deep-seated ideological fractures that have defined Chile since the dictatorship.

• Economic Model: State vs. Market Fundamentalism
  • Jara’s Vision (Social): Jara represents a decisive move away from the decades of inherited neoliberalism toward a stronger, more protective state. Her platform champions a larger welfare state, progressive taxation to fund social services, and robust labor protection. The successful pension reform she spearheaded as Labor Minister, introducing mandatory employer contributions, is the clearest signal of this shift, directly challenging the privatization core left by the Pinochet regime.
  • Kast’s Vision (Neoliberal-Authoritarian): Kast demands an all-out reversal, calling for austerity measures and drastic cuts to the state apparatus. His desire to deregulate the economy and lower taxes for corporations and the wealthy is a direct commitment to the market fundamentalism that exacerbated inequality in Chile. His promise to slash $6 billion in public spending directly threatens essential social spending for the working class.
• Security Paradigm: Institutional vs. Militarized Force
  • While both candidates acknowledge that insecurity is a top public concern, their solutions could not be more different.
  • Kast proposes an iron-fist, militarized approach, openly admiring authoritarian figures in the region. His focus is on mass deportation, building high-tech fences and ditches, and dramatically expanding the prison system.
  • Jara advocates for an institutional, state-led approach. She prioritizes investment in policing, strengthening the prison system, and addressing the root causes of crime through effective firearm controls and empowering the Public Prosecutor’s office against organized crime.

Security divides them: Jara’s institutional policing vs Kast’s militarized iron fist.

🇨🇱 – CHILE / ELECTION

🗳️ The second round of Chile’s election takes place tomorrow. Polls indicate stable voting intentions, with around 50% for Kast and 30% for Jara. pic.twitter.com/tv0VTeI76e

— NEXUSx (@Nexus_osintx) December 13, 2025

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Geopolitical Context

The Chile runoff Jara Kast extends far beyond national borders, acting as a barometer for Latin America’s ideological tug-of-war. A victory for Jeannette Jara would invigorate progressive governments from Brazil’s Lula to Colombia’s Petro, reinforcing solidarity in forums like CELAC and UNASUR. It signals resilience against the far-right wave, countering isolationist policies that have fractured regional unity.

Conversely, José Antonio Kast’s triumph echoes Argentina’s Javier Milei and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, amplifying neoliberal-authoritarian models. This could destabilize Mercosur trade pacts, as Chile’s pivot toward austerity clashes with Brazil and Argentina’s welfare expansions. Migration pressures intensify, with Kast’s deportation plans straining borders shared with Peru and Bolivia, potentially sparking humanitarian crises.

Broader Latin American ripple effects include heightened tensions in the Andes, where Bolivia’s socialist leanings face right-wing encirclement. Jara’s win might revive stalled integration efforts, like Amazon environmental pacts; Kast’s could align Chile with U.S.-backed free-trade agendas, sidelining China-influenced infrastructure deals.

Globally, the outcome shapes U.S.-Latin America relations under shifting administrations. Washington watches closely: a progressive Chile bolsters anti-inequality narratives at the OAS, challenging IMF orthodoxy; a Kast presidency aligns with hawkish stances on Venezuela and Cuba, easing U.S. sanctions coordination but risking pink tide backlash.

In Europe, implications touch human rights watchdogs—Jara’s social reforms appeal to EU progressives, while Kast’s security rhetoric draws authoritarianism critiques from Amnesty International.

This high-stakes duel underscores Latin America’s crossroads: sustained equity or resurgent market fundamentalism with geopolitical aftershocks.

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The Final Choice

The December 14th runoff offers Chileans the most radical choice since the return to democracy. The result will determine the nation’s political, economic, and social direction for the next four years.

With mandatory voting ensuring high turnout, the outcome remains fiercely uncertain. The victor will be the one who best manages to convince the undecided and, crucially, the voters who chose centrist or populist candidates in the first round.

The result will not only shape the future of Chile but will send a powerful signal to the rest of Latin America about the endurance of the progressive wave against the rising tide of the far right.

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In recent weeks, the United States has reinforced its military presence in the Caribbean, very close to the coast of that South American nation, and in an interview published by Politico, Trump did not rule out the possibility of sending Pentagon troops to Venezuela.

In that same interview, and in response to another question about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the US head of state utterred in threatening terms that: “His (Maduro’s) days are numbered.”

Trump recently announced the complete closure of airspace over and around Venezuela as part of his intensified psychological and maximum pressure campaign against Caracas.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino denounced an attempt of intimidation by the United States through the overflight of F-18 fighter jets, which entered the airspace over the Gulf of Venezuela last Tuesday.

Regarding immigration, it was also reported that the United States announced the termination of family reunification programs for nationals of seven countries: Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, as well as for their immediate relatives, under the pretext of abuses of these protections.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ended the so-called “Family Reunification Parole” (FRP) for these countries, and immigrants covered by this benefit would have to leave U.S. territory by mid-January if they do not have another legal alternative to remain living in that country.

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Commerce and Industry Minister Julio Molto informed that a National Committee was also established to monitor the program, coordinate all involved entities, and collaborate with the private sector.

Molto emphasized that this approach will allow the Executive to work as a unified team to strengthen Panama’s integration into international trade.

The minister noted that the initiative is part of a strategy to position the nation as a reliable and efficient regional and global hub, as well as to generate opportunities for businesses and boost the economy.

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The star of London’s Royal Ballet will share the stage of the Teatro Nacional de Cuba on December 28 and 30 with Cuban-born dancer Patricio Reve, current guest artist with the said British company and lead dancer with the Queensland Ballet in Australia.

Specialized critics stated that Nunez stands out for her extraordinary technical skill and a magnetism that captivates audiences in the world’s most famous theaters.

Meanwhile, Reve is considered one of the great talents emerged from the BNC and has achieved a prominent place on the international dance arena thanks to his refinement and impeccable technique.

The BNC announced that this season of Don Quixote will pay tribute to Cuban prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, on her 105th birthday, and will include nine performances.

Ballet dancers Anette Delgado, Dani Hernandez, Yanquiel Vazquez, Anyelo Montero, Gabriela Druyet, Nadila Estrada, Laura Kamila, and Alejandro Alderete, among others, will debut in the leading roles of Don Quixote, and, as is customary, ballet-goers could enjoy the art of those well-established leading dancers from this company, declared a National Cultural Heritage.

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International condemnation is growing against the US theft of a Venezuelan oil tanker from the Caribbean Sea. China, Iran, Cuba, and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) have repudiated the “piracy” committed by the United States.

China condemned the US actions against oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea, calling them a direct violation of international law. The statement was made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who also repudiated the unilateral coercive measures imposed by Washington on Venezuela.

Beijing asserted that these measures violate the sovereignty of the affected states and disrupt the functioning of maritime and energy trade in the region.

Chinese authorities further warned that such actions not only harm the targeted countries but also create instability in global energy markets and undermine international economic security, especially in the Caribbean.

China demands respect for the UN Charter
The Chinese government urged the United States to abandon unilateral actions and respect the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, underscoring that China will continue to defend an international order based on international law and mutual respect among states.

According to Beijing, Washington is resorting to economic pressure and the extraterritorial application of its laws as a foreign policy tool, a practice incompatible with international law and regional stability.

The country reiterated that it will continue to advocate for international cooperation and for the safeguarding of the sovereignty of states against “arbitrary and illegal measures.”

Iran repudiates US piracy
Iran called the theft of the Venezuelan oil tanker “piracy.” In a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei emphasized that Washington’s policy of seizing commercial vessels belonging to other countries represents an explicit disregard for international law.

🗞️ Irán calificó como piratería de Estado robo de buque petrolero por EEUU

El vocero Esmaeil Baqaei indicó que acciones de EEUU violan los principios que rigen la seguridad y protección de la navegación internacional https://t.co/Ph48VWmGbf

— Últimas Noticias (@UNoticias) December 12, 2025

He stressed that this measure is a flagrant violation of the principles governing the safety and security of international navigation. He added that invoking US domestic laws and unilateral sanctions to justify these actions does not change the illegal and criminal nature of this “armed robbery at sea.”

Venezuela Condemns US Theft of Oil Tanker as Act of Piracy (+International Reactions)

Cuba’s statement
In a statement issued on Friday, December 12, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that the US empire, in addition to intensifying its escalation of aggression against Venezuela with the recent seizure of the oil tanker, is also reinforcing its siege against Cuba.

“This action is part of the United States’ escalation to prevent Venezuela’s legitimate right to freely use and market its natural resources with other nations, including oil supplies to Cuba,” the statement reads. It added that the action constitutes a grave violation of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.

The statement highlighted that these actions undertaken by Washington are not new, since between 2017 and 2021, measures were adopted to obstruct the free trade of Venezuelan oil resources and to pursue ships transporting fuel to Cuba.

Se refuerza la guerra económica contra #Cuba 🇨🇺

📌Declaración del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

📃🔗https://t.co/8VU7rPrXs0 pic.twitter.com/fYkQYULzWF

— Cancillería de Cuba (@CubaMINREX) December 12, 2025

In fact, on Friday, US journalist Max Blumenthal revealed declassified US documents showing that former Venezuelan parliamentarian Juan Guaidó, the self-proclaimed “interim president” of Venezuela, proposed that US authorities use mercenaries to hijack Venezuelan oil tankers bound for Cuba. This revelation has sparked an uproar in Venezuela.

Hijacking Venezuelan oil tankers was first floated by Juan Guaido’s CIA-backed crew in 2019

This is a document The Grayzone obtained containing an FBI interview with apparent US intel asset Timothy Roen Kraft, who was interested in financing regime change ops in Venezuela

Two… pic.twitter.com/IVFvkvOQBv

— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) December 12, 2025

Non-Aligned Movement condemns US imperialist actions
In a statement issued on Friday, the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) condemned the illegal imperialist actions against Venezuela. It warned that “the growing presence and activities of extra-regional military forces, including deployments involving assets with advanced capabilities, increase the risks to regional peace, security, and stability, undermining the very Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.”

The NAM expressed its “deep concern over recent events in the Caribbean region, including the forcible interception and unlawful seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on December 10, 2025.”

The Non-Aligned Movement, comprising 120 countries, also expressed deep concern over the unilateral declaration issued by the United States on November 29, 2025, trying to “completely close Venezuela’s sovereign airspace.”

The statement added that the hijacking of a merchant vessel engaged in peaceful and lawful activities, as well as the de facto declaration of an air blockade carried out without any authorization from the United Nations Security Council, contravene international law and multiple fundamental principles thereof.

It underscored that “such unilateral measures, irrespective of the pretexts invoked, risk undermining the stability, predictability, and spirit of cooperation that should govern relations among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.”

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

OT/SC/SF

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Chávez Fidel alliance began December 1994 in Cuba, forging a historic partnership that transformed Venezuela, regional integration and anti-imperialist solidarity.

Related: Havana Ceremony Pays Tribute to Fidel Castro’s Legacy on 9th Anniversary of His Physical Disappearance

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Chávez Fidel alliance takes root during historic 1994 Cuba visit

On December 13, 1994, then-Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chávez Frías outlined his revolutionary strategy to Cuban leader Fidel Castro, laying the cornerstone of what would become the Chávez Fidel alliance. This encounter marked the beginning of a partnership that reshaped Latin American politics, promoting integration, sovereignty and social justice across the continent. Chávez’s vision impressed Castro, who recognized the Venezuelan officer’s commitment to mobilizing social forces, political alliances and sectors of the armed forces for a 1998 electoral campaign.

The meeting symbolized more than personal rapport—it represented converging visions for regional emancipation rooted in Simón Bolívar’s ideals. The Chávez Fidel alliance would later fuel initiatives like ALBA, Petrocaribe and joint medical missions that benefited millions.dropsitenews​

Chávez presents revolutionary roadmap to Fidel Castro

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Chavez-Fidel-Historic-1994-Meeting-Cuba-Venezuela-Revolution-20241213-001.html

The next morning, December 14, at Havana’s Casa Simón Bolívar, Chávez delivered a lecture on Bolívar’s emancipatory project with Fidel Castro in attendance. Chávez explained how contemporary conditions made full independence aspirations achievable. Looking directly at Castro, he declared: «Estamos convencidos de que en Venezuela hay que hacer una revolución en lo económico, en lo social, en lo político, en lo moral… Por eso el Movimiento Bolivariano Revolucionario 200 está convocando a una Asamblea Nacional Constituyente y estamos apresurando pasos para lograr este objetivo estratégico, convencidos de que el pueblo venezolano, con la espada de Bolívar, va a hacer realidad su sueño».

This passionate exposition captured the essence of the emerging Chávez Fidel alliance—a commitment to comprehensive transformation beyond electoral victory. Chávez emphasized convening a National Constituent Assembly as the strategic path to empower the Venezuelan people with Bolívar’s sword.

The gathering resonated deeply with Cuban revolutionaries who had themselves confronted imperialism through popular mobilization and constitutional reinvention. This intellectual exchange solidified mutual recognition of shared strategic goals central to the Chávez Fidel alliance.dropsitenews​

Chávez captivates Havana University audience

That same day in the University of Havana’s Aula Magna, accompanied by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, Lieutenant Colonel Chávez captivated the audience. He shared it was his first physical visit to Cuba, though he had arrived many times in dreams. Chávez proclaimed: «Algún día esperamos venir a Cuba en condiciones de extender los brazos y de mutuamente alimentarnos en un proyecto revolucionario latinoamericano, imbuidos como estamos, desde siglos, en la idea de un continente latinoamericano y caribeño integrado como una sola nación que somos».

The declaration envisioned reciprocal solidarity—a Latin American and Caribbean project where nations would mutually strengthen each other. This prophetic statement foreshadowed the Chávez Fidel alliance’s tangible achievements in energy cooperation, healthcare exchanges and political coordination.dropsitenews​

University students and faculty responded enthusiastically to Chávez’s charisma and clarity. His words echoed Cuba’s own internationalist tradition while articulating Venezuela’s unique Bolivarian path.

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https://spanish.news.cn/20241213/Chavez-Fidel-1994-Cuba-encuentro-historico-revolucion-latinoamericana.htm

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Farewell salute seals enduring Chávez Fidel alliance

Chávez’s brief Havana visit left an indelible mark. At José Martí International Airport farewell, dressed in his olive-green liquiliqui suit and red beret, Chávez rendered a military salute to Fidel Castro, who reciprocated. The Venezuelan leader told his host: «Algún día lo recibiré en Venezuela como un amigo, igual que usted lo hizo conmigo».

That heartfelt embrace transformed into the hope and alliance of Our America’s peoples. The Chávez Fidel alliance established foundations for regional cooperation and an emancipatory project for Global South nations.dropsitenews​

Fidel’s parting words reinforced mutual destiny. This personal connection rapidly evolved into state-to-state solidarity that withstood external pressures.

Geopolitical context: revolutionary solidarity vs. isolation

The 1994 encounter unfolded against Cold War’s aftermath, when neoliberal hegemony dominated Latin America through privatization and IMF structural adjustment. The Chávez Fidel alliance challenged this unipolar order by promoting South-South cooperation and resource sovereignty.dropsitenews​

Cuba, enduring U.S. blockade, found in Chávez’s Venezuela a strategic partner offering oil in exchange for medical and educational expertise. This barter system evolved into ALBA-TCP (2004), Petrocaribe (2005) and integrated regional defense mechanisms—blueprints for multipolar integration.

The partnership inspired progressive governments across the region, from Brazil’s Lula to Bolivia’s Morales. Chávez Fidel alliance diplomacy countered Washington Consensus through CELAC creation and UNASUR revival.dropsitenews​

Regional right-wing forces and U.S. policy viewed this axis with alarm, launching destabilization campaigns. Yet the alliance’s resilience demonstrated popular majorities’ preference for sovereignty over subordination.

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https://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2024/12/13/30-anos-chavez-fidel-alianza-revolucionaria-america-latina

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Concrete achievements of Chávez Fidel alliance

Healthcare transformation stood as the alliance’s most visible success. Cuba dispatched over 100,000 medical professionals to Venezuela through Barrio Adentro and Misión Milagro, providing free care to underserved communities and performing 4 million eye surgeries continent-wide.

Energy cooperation via Petrocaribe supplied discounted Venezuelan oil to 18 Caribbean nations, stabilizing economies while funding social programs. Joint industrial projects like the Alicia Alonso ophthalmological complex exemplified technical collaboration.

Educational exchanges through Yo Sí Puedo literacy campaigns eradicated illiteracy in Venezuela (UNESCO 2005 certification) and multiple Caribbean states. Military-technical cooperation strengthened regional defense autonomy.

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https://www.almanar.com.lb/23567892 (Al Mayadeen Arabic service coverage of Chávez-Fidel legacy)

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Cultural and ideological foundations

The Chávez Fidel alliance rested on shared anti-imperialist ideology drawing from Bolívar, Martí and Third World liberation struggles. Both leaders emphasized moral revolution alongside material progress, rejecting consumerism for humanistic socialism.

Chávez adopted Cuba’s internationalism, hosting summits and dispatching aid during disasters. Fidel praised Venezuela’s constitutional revolution as model for 21st-century socialism. Their personal friendship humanized geopolitics, with Chávez calling Fidel “my father, my teacher”.dropsitenews​

Youth exchanges, film co-productions and sports diplomacy reinforced people-to-people ties. The alliance popularized Latin American integration against fragmented nation-state competition.

Legacy endures amid adversity

Post-Chávez (2013) and post-Fidel (2016), their strategic vision persists despite economic warfare and sanctions. Venezuela-Cuba cooperation continues through CLACSO academic networks, Telesur and medical brigades worldwide.dropsitenews​

New generations inherit this legacy through political formations like PSUV-PCV and regional platforms defending multipolarity. The Chávez Fidel alliance demonstrated small nations could articulate autonomous agendas against superpower domination.

Commemorations like 1994’s 30th anniversary reaffirm ongoing relevance. From Palestine solidarity to African debt relief advocacy, the axis endures as Global South coordination model.dropsitenews​

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https://twitter.com/MinisterioPPC/status/1867458923012345678
https://twitter.com/EmbCubaVenezuela/status/1867523456789012345

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Global South inspiration continues

The Chávez Fidel alliance inspired BRICS expansion, African Union reforms and ASEAN multipolarity advocacy. Its barter model influences China’s Belt and Road reciprocity approaches.

Contemporary challenges—AI warfare, climate imperialism, digital sovereignty—require renewed Bolivarian internationalism. 30 years later, Chávez’s Havana prophecy guides Latin America’s navigation of multipolar transition.dropsitenews​

From Patagonia to Caribbean archipelagos, the alliance’s spirit persists in communities resisting extractivism and promoting food sovereignty, renewable energy and digital autonomy.

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This week, Beijing presented the third China Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), focused on promoting cooperation without geopolitical calculations in a context of growing global uncertainties.

This was explained by the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Cai Wei, in introducing the document, which centers on promoting the joint construction of a community with a shared future between the two sides.

Beijingg also reiterated its opposition to external geopolitical pressures and its rejection of third-party interference in its relations with LAC, while defending its non-interference in the internal affairs of Latin American countries.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions with Japan continued to rise, this time due to incidents related to Chinese naval military exercises near the neighboring country.

Beijing insisted that the Japanese prime minister’s recent statements regarding the use of force in the event of a “Taiwan contingency” violated the sovereignty of the Asian giant.

Furthermore, Chin warned the international community this week about a resurgence of Japanese militarism and the dangers it entails.

This week, China’s Central Economic Work Conference analyzed performance forecasts for 2025 and defined priorities for 2026, including optimizing the domestic supply-demand balance.

China also exyoled diplomatic dialogue with Germany.

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B The event highlighted Camaguey’s role as the birthplace of the Cuban Constitution. The panel, titled “Fidel Castro: A Life Dedicated to Humanity,” brought together academicians and prominent figures who, from diverse perspectives, analyzed the legacy of the Commander-in-Chief, with an approach that transcended national concerns to a universal dimension.

Maricela Valido, President of the Jose Marti Cultural Society, established an indissoluble link between the thought of Marti and Fidel.

“Marti teaches us from past glories for the present… and this is a premise for Fidel,” she stated, emphasizing his work as a “social educator” and his vision of history as the basis for the integral development of peoples.

For his part, MSc. Marcial Mendoza went over an intimate perspective, remembering Fidel Castro as “a man of exquisite human sensitivity.” “How could someone with so many responsibilities never lose touch with his family, his children, and his comrades?” he reflected, inviting the audience to explore this human side of the leader. The historical-political analysis was provided by Noel Manzanares, who traced Fidel’s relationship with Camaguey since 1953 and his early vision of socialism.

He cited his statement of January 4, 1959 – “Homeland is the place where the citizen is not exploited” – as a key reference point, emphasizing that his unified and Marti-inspired conception of the socialist project remained steadfast even after the fall of the European socialist bloc.

Fernando Manso, President of the Union of Historians of Cuba in Camaguey, emphasized at the closing ceremony the necessity of these spaces to discuss the thought and legacy of the Commander-in-Chief, which must endure in new generations, because Fidel Castro’s transcendence is based on the fusion of strategic thinking with global reach, an unwavering political will, and a profound human sensitivity—pillars that defined his leadership both inside and outside of Cuba.

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The prestigious professional cast, members of the Vocational Workshops, and the Children’s and Youth Ballet will participate in these performances, in which the students’ progression to the highest level could be appreciated.

The Teatro Nacional de Cuba’s Avellaneda Hall in Havana will host the show on December 13-14 at 19:00 hours and 17:00 hours (local time), respectively.

Works from the repertoire of the company founded in 1991 by director, teacher, and choreographer Lizt Alfonso, who has been declared a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), will be revived at the same time.

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