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The H200 AI chips will remain reserved for customers in the United States.
On Tuesday, the British outlet Financial Times reported that Chinese authorities are considering restrictions on access to Nvidia’s H200 chips, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to allow their export.
RELATED:
China Denounces U.S. Protectionism and Unilateral Tech Repression Amid AI Chip Dispute
Chinese buyers would have to “undergo an approval process” and justify why domestic suppliers cannot meet their needs. The information comes after Trump’s authorization of sales conditioned on a 25% payment to the U.S., and a final decision has not yet been made.
Trump stated that he informed Chinese President Xi Jinping about the authorization to export H200 chips to approved customers in China and other countries, under conditions that protect national security, to which Xi responded “positively.”
The Republican President clarified that the payment agreement does not include other Artificial Intelligence (AI) chips such as Blackwell and Rubin. In August, the U.S. government signed a similar agreement with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and imposed a 15% tariff on exports.
Trump is allowing Nvidia to sell H200 to China.
They're worried that Huawei will take over Nvidia's AI chip market share in China.
Nvidia's most advanced Blackwell chips are still banned from selling to China.
The idea is to keep the Chinese 1 generation behind while denying… pic.twitter.com/u67BFd7ejN
— Carl Zha (@CarlZha) December 8, 2025
Nvidia also holds a license to export the H20 chip to China, a chip less powerful than the H200 and designed specifically for the Chinese market, also with a 15% tariff. The U.S. Department of Commerce is “preparing details” to apply the same scheme to AMD and Intel.
The H200 chip, launched two years ago, surpasses the H100 thanks to its larger, high-bandwidth memory, which allows for faster data processing. According to the Institute for Progress, the chip is almost six times more powerful than the H20.
Exporting the H200 would allow Chinese AI labs to build supercomputers comparable to those in the United States, although at higher costs. Trump remarked that Nvidia’s new Blackwell and Rubin chips will remain reserved for U.S. customers and are not part of the agreement with China.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | In the far northwest of China lies the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in the heart of Central Asia, home to the Uyghur people. Kashgar combines its rich historical heritage with a millennia-old cultural identity that remains vibrant to this day. pic.twitter.com/WfxBVsejrm
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) November 14, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE – El Mundo
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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Alejandro Gil gave classified information to foreign intelligence services.
On Monday, the Cuban Supreme Court (TSP) issued a life imprisonment sentence against former Economy Minister Alejandro Gil, who was found guilty of espionage, bribery, influence peddling, and tax evasion.
RELATED:
Cuba Indicts Former Minister Alejandro Gil, Upholds Revolutionary Values
In the first case, Gil was charged with espionage, acts detrimental to economic activity, bribery, theft and damage to official documents, violation of official seals, and breach of regulations protecting classified documents. The Court considered these acts as treason and sentenced Gil to life imprisonment.
In the second case, he was found guilty of continuous bribery, falsification of public documents, influence peddling, and tax evasion. The Court handed down a sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment in this case, with penalties such as confiscation of assets.
The Court file also included charges of embezzlement, money laundering, and damage to objects in official custody. The sanctions banned Gil from holding positions related to the administration of human, material, and financial resources, and the suspension of public rights.
Former Cuban Minister of the Economy, Alejandro Gil, has been found guilty in closed door trial of espionage and corruption; he will be the highest ranking official that I am aware of to face such serious charges since Ochoa Affair back in 1989 https://t.co/bgxG6knr6j
— Andrés Pertierra (@ASPertierra) December 9, 2025
Gil abused his position for personal gain, receiving money from foreign companies and bribing other officials. He stole and damaged classified official information, making it available to enemy intelligence services, which harmed the national economy.
The Supreme Court considers that Gil’s actions demonstrated “ethical, moral, and political degradation,” and are deserving of severe punishment under Article 4 of the Constitution. Furthermore, his crimes violated the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to which Cuba is a signatory.
A single sentence will be applied in accordance with Article 86 of the Criminal Code, and the defense may file an appeal within ten business days. Even without an appeal, the Court will initiate proceedings regarding the life sentence, guaranteeing due process rights.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Cuba: The 46th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema in Havana brought together filmmakers, critics, and film lovers from across the region to celebrate cultural diversity and new proposals in Latin American cinema. pic.twitter.com/bc5GCJmIHJ
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 8, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: teleSUR – Tribunal Supremo Popular
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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The rescue package came as inflation and high tariffs keep raising wider concerns.
On Monday, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled an aid package of US$12 billion to farmers hit hard by tariff policies, as weaker demand, rising costs and falling sales strain income.
RELATED:
U.S. Soybean Farmers Standing at a Financial Precipice: ASA
The rescue package came as inflation and high tariffs keep raising wider concerns. A series of recent policy signals highlighted shifts in both domestic affordability and trade-related measures.
RESCUE OF FARMERS
The long-awaited aid package includes up to US$11 billion in a one-time payment to crop farmers under the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), while the rest of the balance will be for farmers not covered by the FBA.
Speaking at a roundtable meeting in the White House, Trump underscored the inflation, bankruptcies and rising suicides affecting U.S. farmers, attributing the hardships to policies of the previous administration.
The USDA is expected to announce rates on payment by the end of December and distribute the money by the end of February 2026, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The aid package was mulled months ago but was delayed by a 43-day federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1. Trump said that his administration will take off environmental protection requirements imposed on U.S. agriculture equipment manufacturers to drive down costs.
“Trump wants credit for trying to fix a mess of his making. Trump’s tariffs are hammering our farmers, making it more expensive to grow food and pushing farmers into bankruptcy. Farmers need markets to sell to — not a consolation prize for the ones he wrecked,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Left: Trump's Agriculture Secretary claiming there is "almost zero evidence" that Trump's tariffs are hurting farmers
Right: Evidence that Trump's tariffs are hurting farmers pic.twitter.com/JWQU8nAC8c
— FactPost (@factpostnews) December 9, 2025
TARIFF STICK
The U.S. Consumer Price Index year-over-year growth was 3 percent for September 2025, slightly up from 2.9 percent in August. In particular, beef and veal prices in September increased by 14.7 percent year on year, with coffee prices up 18.9 percent.
In response to growing concerns among American consumers, on Nov. 14, Trump rolled back tariffs on more than 200 food products, including staples such as coffee, beef, bananas and orange juice.
The new relief represents a significant change of direction for Trump, who has long held that the extensive tariffs he introduced earlier this year are not causing inflation. However, his enthusiasm for tariffs has never waned, and he has been wielding the tariff stick consistently, sometimes merely using tariffs as a “punishment” against other countries.
On Monday, Trump threatened to impose additional 5 percent tariffs on Mexican goods if the southern neighbor does not supply water based on a bilateral treaty signed in 1944.
“Mexico still owes the U.S. over 800,000 acre-feet (986.4 million cubic meters) of water for failing to comply with our Treaty over the past five years. The U.S. needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet (246.6 million cubic meters) of water before Dec. 31, and the rest must come soon after,” Trump said, adding that he will “impose a 5 percent Tariff on Mexico if this water isn’t released, IMMEDIATELY.”
Farmer: Agriculture in this country has been in a complete turbulence and turmoil since Trump got elected. Farm suicides, farm bankruptcies, farm foreclosures are all up under his watch. And I want to remind Trump that we're in the position that we're in because of his tariffs. pic.twitter.com/8HYhLguI1U
— FactPost (@factpostnews) December 8, 2025
POLITICAL BACKFIRE
As domestic concerns remain prominent, Democrats have won a string of victories in state and local elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City. Trump’s approval ratings have hit their lowest point since he returned to office in January, especially because of the rising cost of living, which many Americans blame on his tariffs.
Trump has been insisting that prices for essential goods such as beef, eggs and coffee are falling, and that he is fixing what he describes as a mess left by Joe Biden, his Democratic predecessor.
However, he appeared to soften his message slightly on Monday, acknowledging an affordability “problem” after dismissing it as a “con job” last week. “The Democrats caused the affordability problem, and we’re fixing it,” he said.
Farmers have supported Trump politically, but his trade policy and frequently changing tariff rates have concerned them, wrote the Washington Post.
“The farmers’ problem is not entirely government-grown, but there is a big trade policy aspect to it,” said Scott Lincicome, director of general economics at the Cato Institute, quoted by Politico. The tariffs have also introduced a new level of “unprecedented, crippling and truly insane complexity” to operating businesses, said Lincicome.
Richard Neal, the top Democrat at the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, said the Trump administration was “putting out a fire that they started and claiming it as progress.” “The Trump Administration is finally admitting publicly what we’ve all known from the start: Trump’s Trade War is hiking costs on people,” he added.
The anti-war movement and calls for peace get louder in the United States. Plus, a dance battle between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/GTkfHTW7l6
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 8, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Xinhua
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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This article by Arnoldo Delgadillo originally appeared in the December 8, 2025 edition of El Comentario.
Mexico’s Workers Party (PT) announced at a press conference that it will commemorate its 35th anniversary, reaffirming its origins as a social movement and outlining its political strategy for the coming years. Recognizing its founders and the grassroots members who have sustained the party, the state leadership emphasized that the party remains a vital humanist, grassroots force committed to the people’s causes.
During the main address at the press conference, leaders such as Joel Padilla and Marcos Barajas separately recalled that the PT (Labor Party) was founded in 1990 as a result of various popular struggles led by farmers, academics, teachers’ unions, social movements, and sectors seeking “a better world.” In Colima, the leadership recognized those who ignited the party’s initial spark and the members who have continued this political project.
Joel Padilla Peña emphasized that the PT not only participates in electoral processes , but also promotes community actions to transform reality: housing management through the movement called Land and Liberty, promotion of early childhood care with child development centers , and access to education for young people through the José Martí University.
Photo: Jay Watts
“We are moving towards a competitive PT, close to the people and with a clear path to transform society,” said Joel Padilla.
The party celebrated reaching 35 years of existence – in contrast to more than 20 parties that have disappeared in that time – and highlighted its national presence with 49 federal deputies, 6 senators, 88 local deputies, 185 municipal presidents and more than 700 council seats and trustees.
At the close, the leadership reiterated that the PT’s mission continues to be to support social causes , expand rights, and deepen transformation from the grassroots level:
“We are not fighting for power for the sake of power, but to raise awareness and change the paradigm of our society,” said Padilla Peña.
1994 Presidential Campaign of Cecilia Soto
Photo: Jay Watts
Photo: Jay Watts
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Mexico’s PT: 35 Years of Struggle
December 9, 2025December 9, 2025
The Workers Party, originating in Mexico’s Maoist movement and a long-time ally of AMLO since his 2006 Presidential campaign, was founded on December 8, 1990.
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Via Campesina Latin American Coordination Holds 8th International Congress in Mexico
December 9, 2025December 9, 2025
The world’s largest peasant & Indigenous movement expressed its solidarity with Mexican farmers, who have been striking to demand the government remove basic grains from free trade agreements.
-
Venezuela, The Day After
December 9, 2025
Venezuela possesses the people, weapons, determination, and territory capable of sustaining a prolonged popular resistance, turning any attempt to occupy it into a quagmire for whoever tries.
The post Mexico’s PT: 35 Years of Struggle appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
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Via Campesina Latin American Coordination Holds 8th International Congress in Mexico
(mexicosolidarity.com)
This article originally appeared in the December 4, 2025 edition of BM Editores.
More than one hundred organizations, members of Via Campesina’s Latin American Coordination of Rural Organizations, called for the exclusion of basic grains from all trade agreements between Latin American and Caribbean countries and European nations, as well as with the United States, arguing that food cannot be used as a weapon of war.
The members of CLOC, who are holding their VIII International Congress in Mexico from December 2nd to 10th, with the participation of 100 member organizations from 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasized the urgency of guaranteeing, in the region: food sovereignty, security in rural areas, as well as respect for the land and the human right to water.
Regarding the above, José María Oviedo, a member of the Political Commission of CLOC, stated that Latin America is rich in culture, climate, and soil to produce and be the breadbasket of the region, ” but we need agriculture not to be included in free trade agreements since producers are forced to produce unequally in the face of the subsidies and advantages that their counterparts in the United States and Europe have ,” he emphasized.
He argued that, “food should not be in the World Trade Organization (WTO) because it is not a trade issue and should not be used as a fundamental element of war .” Therefore, he asserted that organizations in the region must work on the matter in order to guarantee food sovereignty.
Meanwhile, José Narró Céspedes , Federal Deputy and leader of the National Coordinator Plan de Ayala (CNPA), declared that the price given to corn in Mexico is unfair, since the producer is paid 5 pesos while flour costs 24 pesos and tortillas reach 30 pesos per kilogram.
“It is not fair to place the burden of the price on the shoulders of the farming sector, it’s urgent to continue the fight and protect farmers in order to remove basic grains from the trade agreement with the United States in 2026” he said.
In turn, Francisco Chew Plascencia, leader of Mexico’s Movimiento Social por la Tierra (Social Movement for the Land), expressed that in our country there is “a demonization of the organizations of the independent peasant movement.”
He indicated that the recent mobilizations demonstrate a just cause derived from price speculation in basic grains. It is essential in 2026 that corn be removed from the USMCA, a free trade agremeent based on a neoliberal model that the Fourth Transformation has no will to resolve.
Juana Ferrer Paredes , also a member of the Political Commission of CLOC-VÍA CAMPESINA, reported that this Continental Congress, where more than 500 delegates will participate, will also address women, youth, and diversity.
She asserted that this meeting represents a continuous struggle of resistance from the territory at a challenging time where, she said, “ we face religious conservatism, criminalization and the exclusion of women from land and decent work.”
José Dolores López, leader of the Independent Central of Agricultural and Peasant Workers (CIOAC), stated that the Congress taking place in Mexico will have a final declaration on the defense of the human rights of peasants and indigenous people, food sovereignty and the production of healthy food because Latin America and the Caribbean continue to fight against global crises.
Finally, Saúl Vicente Vázquez, leader of the Unity of Indigenous and Peasant Force (UFIC), pointed out that the defense of corn must continue since Mexico is the cradle of this grain that has provided food and cultural sustenance to the nation.
Youth, women & sexually diverse communities also held assemblies during CLAC’s Congress.
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Via Campesina Latin American Coordination Holds 8th International Congress in Mexico
December 9, 2025December 9, 2025
The world’s largest peasant & Indigenous movement expressed its solidarity with Mexican farmers, who have been striking to demand the government remove basic grains from free trade agreements.
-
Venezuela, The Day After
December 9, 2025
Venezuela possesses the people, weapons, determination, and territory capable of sustaining a prolonged popular resistance, turning any attempt to occupy it into a quagmire for whoever tries.
-
People’s Mañanera December 8
December 8, 2025
President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on the 4th Transformation anniversary, employment stats, new high schools, water law, US relationship, & 2026 World Cup.
The post Via Campesina Latin American Coordination Holds 8th International Congress in Mexico appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
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Chilean Presidential Candidates Face Off in Debate Ahead of Sunday Runoff
(www.telesurenglish.net)
Leftist leader Jara seeks to counter far-right politician Kast.
On Tuesday night, progressive presidential candidate Jeannette Jara and far-right contender Jose Antonio Kast will participate in the final debate before Sunday’s runoff, which will determine who succeeds Chilean President Gabriel Boric.
RELATED:
Human Rights Defenders in Chile Warn of Social Danger if the Far Right Comes to Power
Although the Communist politician won the first round with 26.9% of the vote, it is the ultraconservative candidate who enters Sunday’s election in a stronger position.
According to the latest polls, Kast would secure more than 50% of the vote, boosted by support from those who cast ballots for former right-wing candidate Evelyn Matthei and far-right former candidate Johannes Kaiser.
The final stretch of the campaign has taken on a more confrontational tone than the earlier phase but has kept security and migration—Chileans’ top concerns—as the central issues, with controversial proposals such as Kast’s threat to expel the country’s 330,000 irregular migrants.
Former Labor Minister Jara, who leads an unprecedented coalition ranging from Christian Democrats to the Communist Party, has sought to win over undecided voters who do not want to support the far right but remain hesitant about her candidacy.
Ahora que José Kast salió a cuestionar porque le dicen el "Nazi", hay que recordar que gracias a una investigación de la Deutsche Welle supimos que su papá estaba inscrito en el partido nazi de Alemania…
y ahora viene la mejor parte…Resulta que su mamá también era nazi… pic.twitter.com/COjy733LIu
— H (@hernan_sr) December 1, 2025
The text reads, “Now that Jose Kast has come out questioning why he’s called a ‘Nazi,’ it’s worth remembering that thanks to a Deutsche Welle investigation, we learned that his father was a member of the Nazi party in Germany. And now for the best part: it turns out his mother was also a Nazi. How did we find this out? A few days ago, we received some files that are part of an investigation conducted by ‘Department 50’ of the former Chilean Investigative Police (PDI), to dismantle a ring of Nazi spies operating in Chile. Upon verifying the photos in a public archive of the Chilean National Archives, on sheet 10, there’s a photo of a Nazi meeting here in Chile. In the background, there’s a woman with a mark made by the same investigation department that says ‘Mrs. Kast.’ Obviously, Kast’s team doesn’t want this photo to go viral, but you know what to do. I’m including the link to the Chilean National Archives so no one can claim it’s fake or AI-generated.”
A decisive group that could challenge Kast’s potential majority consists of voters who backed former candidate Franco Parisi, a right-wing populist who won 19% of the vote. However, his supporters decided in a contentious internal consultation to cast blank or null ballots in the runoff.
The electoral campaign ends Dec. 11, and large closing rallies are scheduled this week in Santiago for the main candidates. More than 15.6 million voters are called to participate in a presidential election with mandatory voting.
The president elected on Sunday will take office on March 11, 2026, and will face a legislature in which decisions could be driven by an alliance of right-wing, far-right and right-populist forces.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Chile: Human Rights Defenders condemned the proposal by far-right presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast to release prisoners convicted for crimes against humanity. pic.twitter.com/HYQUSYR2k5
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 8, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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This article by Luis Hernández Navarro originally appeared in the December 9, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.
Since 2002, the date of the 47-hour coup against Hugo Chávez, Washington has unsuccessfully sponsored and supported regime change in Venezuela time and again. In the name of human rights, freedom, and democracy, economic sanctions, color revolutions, oil strikes, recognition of illegitimate leaders, theft of foreign currency and infrastructure, assassination attempts, media offensives, military uprisings, and threats of ground invasion have been instigated or combined without interruption.
Many of these attacks, aimed at seizing the largest oil reserves on the planet, are acts of international piracy. They have caused immense damage to the country and enormous suffering to its people. They have resulted in billions of dollars in lost oil revenue. Countless Venezuelans have been forced to migrate to other nations to survive. Meanwhile, a segment of the old, corrupt oligarchy lives the high life in their mansions in Miami and Madrid.
But despite the lethality of the punishments and the harshness of the siege, the Bolivarian Revolution continues. Certainly, some Chavista political leaders have betrayed the cause. A few military and intelligence officers have gone over to the enemy ranks. Intellectuals have succumbed to the siren song of metropolitan power. But, against all odds, the majority of the population draws a line in the sand against gunboat democracy; they remain loyal to a project that allowed them to recover their dignity and advance in popular power.
For 27 years, Bolivarianism has won almost every election. Desperate in the face of this setback, the empire has tried other formulas for regime change. In December 2007, Enrique Krauze laid his cards on the table. “If Hugo Chávez has thought of turning Venezuela into a Cuba with oil, the Venezuelans who oppose him have discovered the antidote. It is the student movement,” he wrote. So the far right latched onto this movement and tested an insurrectionary scheme. However, the reactionary forces clashed with a reality that wasn’t in their playbooks. So they left to make their fortunes abroad.
All imperial attempts at regime change have run up against what, until now, seems insurmountable: the unity of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB). There is not a single indicator showing any internal divisions. Part of the key to this unity is the development of a new military doctrine known as the Comprehensive Defense of the Nation. This doctrine seeks to confront the US military threat based on a set of actions designed to deter a technologically and numerically superior enemy.
This strategy has three central elements: strengthening military power, deepening the civil-military union (between the people and the soldiers), and bolstering popular participation in national defense tasks. Previously, the armed forces were fragmented into divisions and brigades. Commander Chávez organized the country into regions, and each region has a military structure with all its components: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, militias, and the people.
If someone attacks a region, that region has the capacity to defend itself. It doesn’t need to move units from elsewhere. On February 23, 2019, under the pretext of bringing in humanitarian aid from Colombia, the Contras and Washington attempted to establish a beachhead in Táchira that would give the illegitimate Juan Guaidó control of a strip of Venezuelan territory to establish a “seat of government.” For 17 hours, fierce clashes erupted between Chavistas and Venezuelan paramilitaries and guarimberos, who operated mostly from the Colombian side. The skirmish ended with the opposition’s defeat.
Diosdado Cabello
There, amidst the events, at the military installation beside the Simón Bolívar Bridge, I spoke with Diosdado Cabello, then president of the National Constituent Assembly. Most of the FANB (National Bolivarian Armed Forces) chiefs were also present, whom he introduced to me as his friends and as longtime collaborators of Hugo Chávez. I asked him about the resolve of his troops. In good spirits, he explained: “President Maduro has visited every barracks. He shows up in the early morning.”
He arrives, runs with them, shares, does military exercises with them. We have total contact with them. We are like brothers. Many of us have been in this movement since we were children. We support each other and follow each other. We are a family. They will not break us…” Regarding the role of the militias, he told me: “For the friends of the State, they are a diamond. For the enemies of the State, they are the worst news.” A military intervention by a foreign country in Venezuela is very complicated, and not only because of the civil-military alliance.
Caracas has modernized its weaponry by acquiring it from Russia, China, and Iran, with whom it also maintains an alliance. Furthermore, it covers an area of almost one million square kilometers. Its topography is highly diverse: the Andes mountain range, the Coastal Range, and the Guiana Shield, along with the extensive Orinoco River basin. It boasts 4,208 kilometers of coastline and dense rainforests. The poor neighborhoods of cities like Caracas are dangerous. It shares a 2,341-kilometer border with Colombia, a 2,199-kilometer border with Brazil, and a 789-kilometer border with Guyana.
No neighboring country desires armed conflict on its borders. Venezuela possesses the men, weapons, determination, and territory capable of sustaining a prolonged popular resistance, turning any attempt to occupy the country into a quagmire for whoever tries it. Regardless of what might happen on the day of the occupation, the true military challenge for an invading force lies in what to do in the days that follow. However, beyond what may happen in the future, in Venezuela, today is the time for peace.
Luis Hernández Navarro is the Opinion editor of La Jornada*, and the author of numerous books, including* Chiapas: La nueva lucha india and Self-Defense in Mexico: Indigenous Community Policing and the New Dirty Wars*.*
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Venezuela, The Day After
December 9, 2025
Venezuela possesses the people, weapons, determination, and territory capable of sustaining a prolonged popular resistance, turning any attempt to occupy it into a quagmire for whoever tries.
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People’s Mañanera December 8
December 8, 2025
President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on the 4th Transformation anniversary, employment stats, new high schools, water law, US relationship, & 2026 World Cup.
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Tren Maya on the Tracks of History
December 8, 2025December 8, 2025
An interview with Étienne von Bertrab, author of the new book Más allá: una historia del Tren Maya.
The post Venezuela, The Day After appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
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His pardons raise concerns about money and the erosion of U.S. norms.
On Monday, The Washington Post published an analysis showing that U.S. President Donald Trump has granted clemency to at least 10 people for drug-related offenses since Jan. 20, 2025.
RELATED:
Honduras Issues Arrest Warrant for Former President Hernandez Following U.S. Pardon
The decline in the legitimacy of U.S. presidential pardons began on his first day in office, when the Republican leader pardoned everyone convicted or awaiting sentencing for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, including those charged with sedition.
These controversial pardons were followed by cases such as that of Joseph Shwartz, an American magnate convicted of fraud who reportedly paid nearly US$1 million to a lobbying group in hopes of securing clemency. The White House granted him a pardon but denied any ties to those interest groups.
In the president’s hands, the roughly 1,600 presidential pardons issued in 2025 have become a sort of thermometer of power and a “pay-for-clemency” practice that continues to add names to the list. Among the people pardoned by Trump are several well-known figures:
Unbelievable! Trump will pardon Juan Orlando Hernandez, a real Honduran narco, while inventing a fake one in Venezuela. Then he tells Hondurans who to vote for, and threatens their economy if they don’t! Enough. Hands off Latin America. pic.twitter.com/Zmdtk99fp8
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) November 29, 2025
Juan Orlando Hernandez. The most recent case is the full pardon of the former Honduran president, who had been sentenced to 45 years in prison on drug trafficking charges. Trump argued that his prosecution had been a “set-up” by former President Joe Biden’s administration. Critics accused Trump of hypocrisy for freeing someone convicted of drug trafficking while simultaneously increasing pressure in Latin America through actions targeting alleged drug boats.
Ross Ulbricht: The creator of the illegal online marketplace Silk Road was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 on charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy and computer fraud. Upon returning to the White House, the Republican president granted him a pardon.
Liz Oyer, a former pardons attorney under the Trump administration before he fired her, told The Washington Post that these two cases illustrate “the erosion of a system where money and political influence weigh more and more.” But the list includes individuals convicted of crimes beyond drug trafficking.
Henry Cuellar: The alleged political persecution by Biden was also the reason Trump cited last week for pardoning Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who was accused in May 2024 of accepting US$600,000 in bribes from a Mexican bank. Cuellar, a Democratic member of Congress since 2005, openly criticized Biden’s immigration policy and aligned himself with positions now championed by Trump.
How much money has Trump been pocketing in exchange for pardons? pic.twitter.com/T3Uz5elh2G
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) December 5, 2025
George Santos: In October, Trump commuted the sentence of former Republican congressman George Santos of New York, who had been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to his misuse of campaign funds for personal benefit.
Trump described Santos as someone who is often “a little rogue” but said there are many rogues in the country and that they should not necessarily have to serve seven years in prison. Santos is known for his controversial comments on corruption and immigration and has accumulated various complaints over the course of his career.
David Gentile: The CEO of a private equity firm, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for securities fraud, had just entered prison when he too received White House clemency. The former owner of GPB Capital Holdings was convicted of defrauding more than 10,000 investors of roughly US$1.6 billion.
Changpeng Zhao: On Oct. 23, Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, co-founder of the cryptocurrency platform Binance, who had been convicted of money laundering. The case drew particular attention because, since Trump’s return to the White House, Binance has become an important supporter of the cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial, founded by Trump’s family.
The anti-war movement and calls for peace get louder in the United States. Plus, a dance battle between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and U.S. President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/GTkfHTW7l6
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 8, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
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Reporters Without Borders warns of escalating repression in Ecuador and El Salvador.
On Tuesday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its annual report, highlighting that 18 out of 67 journalists killed in the past year died in Latin America and the Caribbean. The figure represents 26% of all media professionals killed worldwide.
RELATED:
Report: 44 Palestinian Journalists Killed in Displacement Camps in Gaza
The RSF report also indicated that 79% of the 67 professionals killed globally in the past 12 months — 64 men and three women — were victims of war or organized crime. The total is one more than last year but far below the 142 recorded in 2012, the highest number in two decades.
With nine journalists killed, Mexico ranks as the second-most dangerous country in the world for the profession, behind Gaza (29) and ahead of Ukraine (3). The list of Mexican journalists killed includes Calletano de Jesus Guerrero, Kristian Martinez, Raul Villarreal, Jose Gonzalez, Angel Sevilla, Melvin Garcia, Ronald Paz Pedro, Miguel Beltran and Salomon Ordoñez.
Ecuador (Patricio Aguilar and Darwin Baque), Haiti (Jimmy Jean and Markenzy Nathoux), Peru (Gaston Medina and Raul Celis), Colombia (Oscar Gomez), Guatemala (Ismael Gonzalez) and Honduras (Javier Hercules) complete the list of LATAM countries where journalists were killed in the line of duty.
Israel killed more journalists in 2025 than any other country, according to a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) https://t.co/WA5MrbWcAW pic.twitter.com/OW6kDB6WRA
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 9, 2025
So far this year, 40 of the 135 journalists who remain missing worldwide are from Latin American and Caribbean countries. The nations with the highest numbers of missing journalists are Syria (37), Mexico (28) and Iraq (12).
RSF dedicates a special chapter to the repression and obstacles journalists have faced in many countries while reporting on demonstrations, often at the hands of security forces, citing Ecuador in particular.
Since Sept. 22, at least 55 journalists have been attacked by state forces in Ecuador while covering protests against the rise in diesel prices. The latest shooting seriously injured Edison Muenala, a journalist and producer for Apak TV.
Because of wars or repressive policies, more journalists are being forced into exile. This is the case in El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele is “crushing the press” with a “wave of repression” that has swept the country since May. Fifteen Salvadoran journalists in exile are currently receiving emergency assistance from RSF.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, Honduras' former president Manuel Zelaya, and the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, gave a look at Maria Corina Machado’s trajectory. pic.twitter.com/zHZHbPjqxj
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 14, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: RSF – EFE
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Intellectuals and Artists Urge Nobel Committee to Revoke Prize for Machado
(www.telesurenglish.net)
RedH accuse the far-right activist of endorsing foreign intervention and regional destabilization.
On Tuesday, the Network of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity (RedH) sent a letter to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee rejecting the awarding of the prize to Maria Corina Machado, a far-right activist known for her public statements in favor of U.S. military intervention against Venezuela.
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Norwegian Peace Movement Opposes 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Maria Corina Machado
The letter was signed by dozens of intellectuals and artists from around the world, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Perez Esquivel of Argentina; former Bolivian President Evo Morales Ayma; former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa Delgado; political philosopher Miguel Angel Perez Pirela; Argentine sociologist Atilio Boron; and Argentine journalist and writer Stella Calloni.
The full text of RedH’s letter follows:
“For several months, the Caribbean Sea has become the stage for an excessive and brazen military buildup, including an aircraft carrier, warships, fighter jets, helicopters, long-range missiles, nuclear submarines and thousands of soldiers.
This poses a grave threat to international peace and security, as recognized by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the majority of the region’s governments, and multiple political and social organizations of our peoples.
The U.S. government has made public its intention to overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela in order to seize the world’s largest oil reserves.
In the midst of this clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law, we are confronted with the unpleasant news that your Committee has decided to award this year’s prize to the main promoter of war, of the invasion of her own country, and of the destabilization of Venezuela and the entire region: Maria Corina Machado.
Know, gentlemen, that the prize you will award in a solemn ceremony is already stained with blood. As these lines are written, more than 80 Latin Americans have been killed through summary executions under the pretext of the fight against drug trafficking, carried out under the orders of Donald Trump and promoted and applauded by your laureate.
You also know of the close political ties between Machado and Benjamin Netanyahu, her support for the genocide against the Palestinian people, and for the wars of aggression promoted by Israel. What kind of peace will you speak of at your ceremony?
Remember, gentlemen, that in 2014 the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States unanimously adopted the proclamation declaring the region a zone of peace. Today, the Nobel Peace Prize has become a sort of 21st century Trojan horse, under whose aura the same crimes committed against the peoples of Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria are being planned and sought.
We, lovers of peace, reject wars and will continue fighting for genuine and true peace — one that can only be understood as a right of the peoples, inseparable from their self-determination and the defense of their sovereignty.
Finally, after the grotesque ceremony you will hold on Dec. 10, you will no longer have any moral authority to speak of peace or justice — words you manipulate at will to satisfy the geopolitical ambitions of the United States. These words belong exclusively to the peoples who struggle for their sovereignty.”
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, Honduras' former president Manuel Zelaya, and the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, gave a look at Maria Corina Machado’s trajectory. pic.twitter.com/zHZHbPjqxj
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 14, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: RedH
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The U.S. demands over 200 million cubic meters of water before the end of the year.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump authorized the imposition of a 5% tariff on Mexico if it does not immediately release 246.6 million cubic meters of water agreed under the 1944 Water Treaty.
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Trump stated that Mexico has accumulated a debt of more than 986.4 million cubic meters over the past five years, which severely impacts crops and livestock in Texas. He urged the Mexican government to resolve the situation “immediately” to prevent further damage to the U.S. agricultural sector.
The warning came after a meeting at the White House with agricultural leaders from South Texas, Governor Greg Abbott, and Republican Senator Ted Cruz. They pressure Mexico to comply with the 1944 agreement that regulates the Colorado, Bravo, and Conchos rivers.
The Water Treaty stipulates that the U.S. must release 1.85 billion cubic meters of water annually from the Colorado River to Mexico, while Mexico must release 2.185 billion cubic meters from the Bravo River in five-year cycles, which guarantees water balance.
🚨WATER IS NOW A TRADE WEAPON.
The U.S. says Mexico must deliver 200,000 acre-feet of water by Dec 31
or face a 5% tariff on Jan 1.Texas has already seen farms fail, mills close, and industries collapse because of the shortage.
But the real story?
This sets a global… pic.twitter.com/5wzYODkdL4
— wealthmoose (@wealthmoose) December 9, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins acknowledged that the agricultural sector is facing a crisis “worse than any experienced” by most farmers. Meanwhile, Trump announced at the White House a US$12 billion bailout for farmers, funded by the Department of Agriculture.
Trump insisted that Mexico is not responding and therefore authorized documentation to impose an additional 5% tariff if the water is not released. He demanded more than 200 million cubic meters of water before the end of the year.
In April, Rollins confirmed that Mexico agreed to increase water shipments to Texas to reduce the deficit in the 1944 Treaty, but later Mexico argued that it was facing severe drought conditions that limited its water resources.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | In Mexico, remittance income from the United States continues to decline, according to a report from the bank. These figures are partly the result of the immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump and the trade war. pic.twitter.com/NJ0qZ805Zz
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 5, 2025
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE – La Jornada
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A compromise has not yet been found on the issue of territories.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that national security advisors of Ukraine and European countries will jointly work on amendments to the latest version of a peace plan to end the Ukraine crisis.
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When answering journalists’ questions on WhatsApp, Zelensky said he thinks the plan will be ready around Tuesday evening. “We will look at it again and send it to the United States of America,” he added.
The plan was reduced to 20 points, openly non-pro-Ukrainian points were removed from it, but a compromise has not yet been found on the issue of territories, Zelensky said.
Zelensky highlighted the importance of the plan’s provisions regarding funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction and security guarantees.
⚡️The U.S. is pressing Zelensky to quickly accept a peace plan that would require major territorial concessions to Russia, including the full Donbas region.
Kyiv believes the plan favors Moscow and says Washington is applying more pressure on Ukraine than on Putin.
The push… pic.twitter.com/xzfaO3TdlX
— The Global Monitor (@theglobal4u) December 9, 2025
“The strongest security guarantees we can get are from the United States. Of course, if they are … not empty promises, but legally binding — voted in the US Congress,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky met in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss diplomatic efforts and support for Ukraine.
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s secretary of National Security and Defense Council and top Ukrainian peace negotiator, presented Zelensky with the peace plan developed by the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations during their meetings in Miami.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: The armed forces shot down more than 70 Ukrainian drones over the last week. pic.twitter.com/fj9c4M6lhZ
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 8, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Souce: Xinhua
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Doctors begin on Tuesday, December 9 their third strike of the year against the Health Statute.
Doctors across Spain are set to begin a four-day strike on Tuesday to protest the Health Ministry’s proposed a statute, which they say fails to address long-standing professional demands.
The Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM, in Spanish) called the strike through Friday, December 12.
RELATED: Thousands of People March in the Streets of Bilbao, Spain in Solidarity With Palestine
Medical professionals are pushing for a dedicated negotiation framework and their own statute to secure direct bargaining over working conditions, fair compensation, and recognition of specialized training and responsibilities.
Key demands include a maximum 35-hour workweek with voluntary and compensated overtime, flexible early retirement options without financial penalty, and stronger guarantees for rest and work-life balance.
Mejoras incluidas en el borrador del Estatuto Marco. pic.twitter.com/zeYCfi050K
— Ministerio de Sanidad (@sanidadgob) December 5, 2025
Healthcare Services Amid the Strike
Hospital minimum services will run at 50% of usual capacity for inpatient wards, hospital pharmacies, home hospitalization units, outpatient clinics, specialty centers, and blood transfusion centers.
Critical services—including dialysis, radiotherapy, ICUs, recovery units, transplant programs, day hospitals, priority surgeries, and oncology—will operate normally, while emergency services will function at reduced Sunday-level staffing.
Primary care emergency units will also maintain regular schedules.
Further Efforts
Other unions, including Satse and Intersindical Salut-IV, have unveiled a new series of demonstrations. A first rally is scheduled for December 16 outside the Health Ministry, targeting delays in implementing the 35-hour workweek and other reforms. The Medical Union plans ongoing biweekly gatherings.
The Health Ministry has urged restraint, warning that blocking the draft would squander a “historic opportunity” to modernize a law dormant for 20 years.
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