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The European Union (EU) vote on the Mercosur trade agreement, scheduled for Friday, has been delayed until early January. The postponement follows opposition from France and Italy, which has prevented the formation of a qualified majority needed for the deal’s approval.

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President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen confirmed during a dinner of European leaders dedicated to geoeconomics and competitiveness that the pact will not be signed in Brazil this weekend, as originally planned.

RELATED: European Farmers Rally in Brussels Against EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

This decision responds, in particular, to a request from the Italian Government, which requires more time to analyze the content of the agreement in the face of internal pressure from its agricultural sector.

The EU has been negotiating an agreement with the Mercosur countries for 25 years. If the agreement now falls through because of 200g of beef per European citizen in relation to a 35% tariff reduction, the EU will lose credibility, raw materials, and access to markets. pic.twitter.com/urXWdyamt4

— Johann Sollgruber (@JohanSollgruber) December 17, 2025

Italia’s Agenda

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni informed Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday that she is “willing” to sign the pact “as soon as the necessary responses are provided to the farmers” and requested “a few days” to finalize her official position.

For its part, the Brazilian government, which currently holds the pro tempore presidency of Mercosur, firmly warned about the consequences of a new delay.

On Wednesday, President Lula stated that if the agreement was not signed on Saturday, December 20, “there will be no more agreement,” at least while he remains in charge of the country.

Nevertheless, diplomatic sources indicated that MERCOSUR would consider a postponement until January “acceptable”, provided the signing is finalized within that timeframe.

VIDEO: 🇪🇺 🇧🇪 'No to Mercosur': Farmers, police clash in Brussels during protest against trade deal

Hundreds of tractors clogged the streets of Brussels on Thursday as European farmers protested against EU plans for a trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur pic.twitter.com/orgtaz4a38

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 18, 2025

EU and Mercosur Relationship

In this context, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin emphasized that the European Union needs the agreement as much as MERCOSUR and noted that, so far, they have not received formal communication from Brussels about the cancellation of the event. “I believe they will ultimately find the formula that allows them to finalize the agreement”, he considers.

Furthermore, Lubetkin reflected on the need to modernize MERCOSUR in the face of new global challenges: “We cannot maintain a MERCOSUR with commercial parameters from many years ago… it is clear that we lack answers regarding what it should be like. What is also clear is that no one wants to leave MERCOSUR .”

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Moscow cautions that U.S. military action could have unpredictable consequences across Western Hemisphere.

On Thursday, Russia urged U.S. President Donald Trump not to make a “fatal mistake” in Venezuela and warned of the unpredictable consequences for the Western Hemisphere that direct military action against the country could entail.

RELATED:

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

Over the past three months, the Trump administration has repeatedly threatened the possibility of carrying out military operations on Venezuelan territory, supposedly to fight international drug trafficking.

The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, however, has denounced that the true objective of the current U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean is to carry out a “regime change” to facilitate the appropriation of the vast natural resources of the Bolivarian nation.

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

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 18, 2025

In a context characterized by Washington’s military threats, Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned of the geopolitical consequences of U.S. actions in the following statement:

“We note that tensions around our friendly country of Venezuela continue to be deliberately and consistently exacerbated. The unilateral nature of decisions that threaten international navigation is of particular concern.

We hope that the administration of Donald Trump, which is characterized by a reasonable and pragmatic approach, will not commit a fatal error and will not fall into a situation that could lead to unpredictable consequences for the entire Western hemisphere.

We urge avoiding ideological narrow-mindedness, which constrains the understanding of what is happening. Today, the words of Simon Bolivar, the distinguished son of Latin America, remain relevant: every people has the right to choose its government, and other nations have a duty to respect that choice.

We consistently advocate normalizing dialogue between Washington and Caracas. We are convinced that measures are needed to reduce tensions and to find ways to resolve existing problems and disagreements in a constructive manner and in compliance with international legal norms.

Latin America and the Caribbean should remain a ‘Zone of Peace’ that guarantees stable and independent development for the countries of the region.

We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the face of the trials they are enduring. We reaffirm our support for the policies of President Nicolas Maduro’s administration, which seeks to defend national interests and the sovereignty of the homeland.”

The #US president declares a naval #blockade on oil exports from #Venezuela. The announcement has been rejected by the Venezuelan government and other countries. pic.twitter.com/NnHTidZU8U

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 18, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: MID

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

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

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

RELATED:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What happened to “America First?”

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 13, 2025

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

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

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

This article by Gloria López originally appeared in the December 13, 2025 edition of El Sol de México.

In Milpa Alta, buying and selling are done in the old-fashioned way. There are no Oxxos, no Walmart, Soriana, Chedraui, or any department stores. The absence of retail chains is no coincidence; it’s the living imprint of a territory still governed by the land, memory, and community assembly.

According to a map prepared by geographer Mercedes Sánchez Plascencia and residents of the Milpa Alta community, there is a peculiarity that distinguishes it from the rest of the capital: it is the only borough that does not have any chain of department stores.

Its 12 villages, its communal identity and its land use, where 90 percent is communal or ejido land , have managed to keep it out of something that in any other part of the capital seems inevitable.

Milpa Alta retains what the rest of the city has lost: an economy built on community and the idea that prosperity doesn’t mean displacing your neighbour.

Alondra Aristeo Garibay, a member of the board of directors of the Benito Juárez Market in Milpa Alta, also originally from San Pedro Atocpan, explains it with the clarity of someone who grew up within a community tradition.

“We are an agrarian community made up of Indigenous peoples. Decisions are made in communal assemblies, especially when it comes to our land or our way of life. That is why we do not accept transnational chains ,” she said.

She explained that the way in which the inhabitants and locals conduct themselves is through communal assemblies where decisions are made, mainly to ensure that their lands, traditions and way of life are respected.

Photo: Roberto Hernández/El Sol de México

“The form of struggle and resistance is for our community, our town, and our people. So that is the main reason, in addition to the fact that we have the advantage that our land is communal, so that gives us a certain position and right to decide over our land,” she emphasized.

The reason is simple: their local economy isn’t squeezed out by large department store chains. The community protects its local businesses, grows its own food, sells it, and consumes it.

For Alondra, Milpa Alta retains what the rest of the city has lost: an economy built on community and the idea that prosperity doesn’t mean displacing your neighbor. She observes what’s happening outside the district: empty markets, dwindling street markets, and small businesses struggling to survive. Here, on the other hand, the flow never stops.

Photo: Roberto Hernández/El Sol de México

“Look at this market, there are always people. And what is earned here is reinvested right here. We spend here, we consume here, we work here. It is our form of resistance,” she emphasized.

The young woman has been working in local commerce for four years, but her connection to it runs deeper. She studied sociology at UNAM. Her academic background gave her the tools to understand her community.

“My family has always been merchants or workers. I have family members who work the land, growing corn and prickly pear cactus; and others who are involved in business. Thanks to them, we have been able to maintain a good standard of living through our local economy,” she added.

Locals recall recent meetings to prevent the establishment of shops and services that did not respect community rules. A DHL (parcel delivery service) managed to set up shop, but only after lengthy negotiations and under an unusual condition for a global company: participating in traditional festivals and understanding community life.

In Milpa Alta, it’s common to see entire streets lined with shops that meet the needs of the local population without belonging to the large chains or brands seen in other boroughs. / Photo: Roberto Hernández/El Sol de México

“Let them know what it means to be here,” say the neighbours.

The communities know this; they recognize that they don’t need a store. “We don’t need an Oxxo,” “There’s a store on every corner, we don’t affect each other,” say the local residents.

A few aisles away, Judith Cabello Mendoza, 67, smiles when asked about the absence of chain stores.

“We grow red corn and make mole properly, the way it should be done. I buy my meat, my free-range eggs, and my nopales here. Everything I need is here or at the collection point,” she says while holding a bag full of corn on the cob and squash.

For her, the entry of large supermarkets would be an irreparable loss.

“If those stores come in, they’ll take away our sales. And we wouldn’t eat as well anymore. What we grow and make would be displaced. In the city, tortillas taste awful; here we still cook with epazote,” she says, laughing.

Judith acknowledges that some services are necessary: ​​“For example, DHL. I sometimes send mole, and otherwise I’d have to go all the way to Xochimilco. There are things that help, but a supermarket doesn’t. That would be unfair competition.”

For her, what’s being defended isn’t nostalgia, but a way of life that works. “If those shops come in, they’ll push us out. And we’ve lived well, eaten well, and worked well here all our lives.”

Most of the food sold in stores, shops, and markets is made with produce from local farmers / Photo: Roberto Hernández/El Sol de México

Ernesto Escandón, a local vendor who has been selling pancita for fifteen years, acknowledges that the preservation of his land has been inherited from his parents and rooted in the customs and traditions of Milpa Alta.

“Here we are very rooted in traditions. This municipality is self-sustaining. Nopal is a very important source of income, but the market is the main one. And that comes from our families, from how they taught us to work, to trade, to support ourselves and to defend the land,” he said.

In his voice there is a mixture of pride and firmness. He states it clearly: “We are very protective of the land because we love it. When a commercial store comes in, that’s a drain on our economy. We don’t need it.”

But more than an opinion, Ernesto describes a community mechanism that functions as an early warning system.

“There’s a lot of communication here. When we hear a rumor that they want to bring in a store or an Oxxo, we all get worried. We protect ourselves. We ask what’s going on. And automatically, people unite,” he added.

He has worked in this market for fifteen years and has no doubt that they can continue to maintain the trade in the area.

Guadalupe Chavira de la Rosa, a senator from Milpa Alta, recalled her time as head of the delegation in the district during the period 2000-2003, where nothing is transformed without consultation and without going through the communal or ejido authority.

That’s why, when people ask why there aren’t any Oxxo stores, the answer becomes clear: businesses need commercial space, and here, land allocation is decided by the community assembly. This filter prevents what in other places arrives without question.

“To change land use, it must first go through the recognition of its inhabitants ,” she explained.

Merchants and shoppers have organized themselves to offer only essential services such as banks and shipping services, helping them to continue generating local economic activity without affecting competition. / Photo: Roberto Hernández/El Sol de México

In an interview with El Sol de México, she emphasized that the inhabitants of Milpa Alta not only preserve their water forests, but also their way of relating to the world. “We are a community of customs , of strength, of identity, of a worldview that has prevailed for centuries.”

She emphasized that although chains have tried, their economies don’t need franchises, since San Pedro Atocpan produces mole that is sold throughout Mexico City; Villa Milpa Alta processes meat and sausages; and the mountain villages maintain their own value chains. More than three thousand nopal producers supply markets throughout the capital. Neighborhood stores and open-air markets are not only sufficient: they sustain the community.

“It’s a local economy that guarantees economic development without displacing anyone,” Chavira insists. Therefore, the arrival of a franchise wouldn’t just be a change of scenery; it would break a production chain built over generations.

The arrival of a franchise wouldn’t just be a change of scenery; it would break a production chain built over generations.

She emphasized that this struggle of the inhabitants will remain for a long time since it has been shown to be a form of coexistence that does not violate and disrupt their community, so it is an example that could be replicated in all the municipalities, where development is generated without displacing its inhabitants and without breaking the social fabric.

She recalled that even “charitable” donations from large business owners have been rejected. When a proposal was made to build an educational center funded by a private company, the local population refused. “They saw it as a threat. And so did I. We don’t need a donation from any company to justify an interest in our forests.”

The Senator emphasized that in a capital city where gentrification is rampant and convenience stores are popping up faster than the flowers of dawn, Milpa Alta maintains a different order. One where community life matters more than immediacy, where land cannot be bought, where language, music, and writing remain a living heritage, where an Oxxo is not a symbol of progress but of threat.

Some merchants say they rarely go to the Central de Abasto or other distribution centers far from their communities because many of their products are produced or distributed directly in their towns / Photo: Roberto Hernández/El Sol de México

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  News Briefs

  Milpa Alta, The Mexico City Borough with No Retail Chains

  December 18, 2025

  An oasis without predatory transnational chains, where 90% of land is communally owned, and decisions are made in communal assemblies.

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  Mañanera

  People’s Mañanera December 18

  December 18, 2025December 18, 2025

  President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on repatriation program, consular protection, remittances, and opposing US intervention.

• 

  Analysis

  Towards a Revolution of Consciousness in 4th Transformation Diplomacy

  December 18, 2025

  The pending task is to build a revolutionary international diplomacy that breaks with neoliberal inertia, imperialist interference, and is far from silent obedience to organizations captured by private interests, and the reproduction of a geopolitics based on dispossession, lies, and the systemic violence of transnational capital.

The post Milpa Alta, The Mexico City Borough with No Retail Chains appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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PM Meloni hopes for European Commission measures to address farmers’ concerns.

On Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni insisted that her administration is willing to sign the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), depending on decisions by the European Commission.

RELATED:

European Farmers Rally in Brussels Against EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

“The Italian government is ready to sign the agreement as soon as the necessary responses are provided to farmers, which depend on the decisions of the European Commission and can be defined within a short time frame,” the Italian government’s press office said in a statement.

Meloni expressed this position during a phone call with Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who said the Italian prime minister asked him for “a few days” to determine whether she would support signing the agreement.

According to Lula, the Italian leader reiterated that she “does not oppose” the agreement but said she faces “political problems with farmers” in her country. Meloni nevertheless said she was “capable” of convincing them to support the pact with Mercosur, a bloc made up of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, with Bolivia in the process of joining.

#BREAKING: European farmers want to break into EU headquarters.#Europe #farmers_protest
pic.twitter.com/E3dtkuhqau

— U R B A N S E C R E T S 🤫 (@stiwari1510) December 18, 2025

On Wednesday, Meloni had already said it was “premature” for Italy to sign the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement and that it would be necessary to wait until additional measures to protect the agricultural sector are finalized.

Speaking before the Chamber of Deputies, the prime minister said the agreement could be beneficial for her country, but stressed that “the Italian government has always been clear that it must benefit all sectors and that, therefore, it is necessary to address, in particular, the concerns of farmers.”

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, which has been under negotiation for more than 25 years, is at a crucial stage, with signing scheduled for Saturday in Brazil, although uncertainty remains due to doubts raised by key countries such as France and Italy.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Argentina: At the recent MERCOSUR Summit in Buenos Aires, President Javier Milei officially handed over the bloc’s pro-tempore presidency to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. pic.twitter.com/diO82VREjB

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 7, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Argentina’s Supreme Court of Justice has rejected appeals from former President Cristina Ferna dendez de Kirchner (CFK) regarding the electronic ankle monitor imposed on her and a severely restrictive visiting regime at her residence.

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CFK’s legal team, Carlos Alberto Beraldi and Ary Llernovoy, had argued that the ankle bracelet was superfluous given that, as a former president, she is under constant guard by the Federal Police, eliminating any flight risk. This, alongside her high public profile, made the measure unnecessary, they contended.

RELATED: Police Repress Pensioner Protest Outside Argentina’s Congress Amid Crucial Budget Debate

Similarly, the justices declined to review the appeal against a unique visiting regimen imposed on CFK, which requires her to seek judicial authorization for visits—a condition not applied to any other person under house arrest in the country. Visits are currently limited to twice a week, for two hours, with a maximum of three people at a time.

Cristina’s Political Persecution

The restrictive measures originate from Judge Jorge Gorini, head of Criminal Enforcement, who recently reaffirmed the conditions. This followed media attention generated in November when CFK received a visit from a group of eleven young economists who presented an alternative economic plan to that of Milei’s far-right administration.

After a photo of the meeting circulated, Judge Gorini issued the ruling limiting visits, beyond those from lawyers, doctors, and family, which do not require authorization.

En el Día del Militante, recibimos en San José 1111 a un grupo de economistas que en representación de más de 80 profesionales me entregaron y presentaron consideraciones y propuestas sobre un modelo económico nacional de crecimiento productivo y federal para el siglo XXI.

Todos… pic.twitter.com/l1AvAjadNI

— Cristina Kirchner (@CFKArgentina) November 17, 2025

The defense and CFK’s supporters argue that these judicial measures are part of a political persecution aimed at cracking down on the opposition. They point to a judicial, media, and political offensive—aligned with the Milei–Macri alliance—that seeks to isolate the former President and obstruct her contacts with her supporters.

This critic is fueled by statements from President Javier Milei, who has twice boasted about having “put Cristina in prison.” Additionally, the unusual pace of the Supreme Court’s original ruling in December 2022—signed in just six weeks, compared to typical year-long delays—has been cited by her lawyers as evidence of irregular judicial pressure.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Nicaragua’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Jaime Hermida, honored all the peoples who won their freedom and sovereignty in the battle against colonialism and condemned the current expansionist aggressions of the United States in Latin America, particularly its military and political threats against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

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Samuel Moncada: “Gunboat diplomacy has no place in the 21st century”

During a UN session commemorating the International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations, the Nicaraguan representative rejected any foreign intervention in the region and emphasized that Latin America is a zone of peace. “We will not back down in the face of any attempt at recolonization,” he declared.

He reiterated Nicaragua’s solidarity with nations living under foreign domination. He denounced the continued existence of seven non-self-governing territories and other peoples who cannot enjoy their inalienable right to freedom, self-determination, and independence, such as Puerto Rico, Palestine, Western Sahara, and others who are victims of “oppressive colonialism.” The struggle continues and victory is certain, he emphasized, echoing the historic slogan of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).

He denounced the persistence and mutation of colonial vestiges into new forms of neocolonialism, employing sanctions, destabilization campaigns, exceptionalist policies, and arrogant and sham security measures.

He made it clear that the purpose of these political maneuvers is to dominate peoples and seize their resources, in direct attack on the Charter of the United Nations and international law.

Hermida also condemned the imposition of unilateral restrictive measures by the United States and its satellite nations, which constitute a gross violation of the rights of peoples and have adverse impacts on health, food security, and other areas.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Referring to this goal, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero stated that agricultural production is recovering, although it remains far from meeting the population’s demand.

He also affirmed that all regions of the country are meeting the indicators for urban, suburban, and family agriculture, and that more than 30,000 family gardens or plots and 40,000 organic gardens have been incorporated into this sector.

He further noted progress in contracting various production methods for next year and pointed out that the process of preparing food balances at the municipal level has shown improvements, although shortcomings persist.

Regarding payment delays to producers, he stated that they amount to approximately 1.192 billion pesos, figures that have decreased but are still high.

Furthermore, he noted that, in order to incentivate the import of raw materials and intermediate goods, the extension of deadlines for existing bonuses and exemptions was approved, and 100 new tariff classifications were incorporated.

“Given the existing complexities, it is essential to understand that the safest foods we will have are those we ourselves are able to produce ,” he emphasized.

jdt/arc/bbb

The post Cuban Parliament analyzes measures to increase production first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, presented a formal letter to the Security Council denouncing the boarding, hijacking, and theft of a Venezuelan oil shipment in international waters by the United States, characterizing it as an act of “maritime piracy carried out directly by a State.”

In his communication addressed to the President of the Security Council, Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Moncada emphasized that this incident “is not an isolated event,” but rather part of a “sustained policy of coercion and aggression” against Venezuela, based on “unilateral, illegal, and illegitimate coercive measures.”

RELATED:

U.S. Military Action Against Venezuela To Unleash a Second Vietnam: Lukashenko

The document states that such actions have escalated to practices that constitute, in legal terms, maritime piracy, expressly prohibited by International Law.

The letter refers to Article 101 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which defines piracy as “any unlawful act of violence, detention, or plunder committed on the high seas.”

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

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 16, 2025

Moncada argued that when a state military force commits identical acts, the gravity of the act “aggravates the hostile action” and compromises the integrity of the multilateral system.

“The legal regime of the high seas protects freedom of navigation and lawful international trade; principles that have been flagrantly violated in this case,” the letter states.

Furthermore, it recalls that the Charter of the United Nations, in Article 2, paragraph 4, categorically prohibits the use of force in international relations, a matter under the exclusive competence of the Security Council, as defined in Articles 39 and 42. Venezuela reiterated that there is no authorization from the Security Council that justifies the violent boarding, the kidnapping of the crew, or the theft of the cargo.

The document also highlights that the Security Council itself has repeatedly condemned piracy through resolutions such as 1816 (2008), 1838 (2008), 2015 (2011), and 2634 (2022), recognizing it as a threat to international peace and security. Likewise, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has reiterated its rejection of such acts as a direct threat to maritime security.

Given this situation, Venezuela demands that the United States immediately release the kidnapped crew, return the confiscated oil, and cease all interference with its legitimate oil trade. It also urges the Security Council to publicly condemn this act, take action to preserve the safety of navigation, and prevent piracy from becoming entrenched as an instrument of political coercion.

Finally, the Bolivarian Government requested that it be reaffirmed, in writing, that there is no resolution authorizing actions against Venezuela or its oil trade, and that the communication be distributed as an official Council document to all member states.

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

Trump accuses Canada of imposing tariffs of 400% on U.S. dairy products.

On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed that the United States raised dozens of issues in trade talks with Canada and Mexico. Each country has “several matters on the table” toward the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) of 2026.

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Canada To Recruit World-Leading Researchers

Despite Washington’s negotiations, Canada will not accept the elimination or reduction of protections for the dairy sector, he said and defended the regulated production system, which has been in place for 50 years and is recognized by the USMCA.

The regulated production system limits tariff-free imports of U.S. dairy products to 3.5% of the total demand. President Donald Trump criticizes it and accuses Canada of imposing tariffs of 400% on U.S. dairy products.

Meanwhile, Carney acknowledged that sectoral agreements to reduce tariffs imposed by Washington on Canadian steel, aluminum, and energy are unlikely, which continues to strain bilateral relations.

🚨BREAKING

A new OECD report states that Canada subsidizes/distorts its milk price by 28%

The world is going to crush us for this. pic.twitter.com/RjgaB2f2b3

— Tablesalt 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@Tablesalt13) November 3, 2025

The Canadian primer minister indicated that the list of trade demands presented by Washington is only part of what will be discussed in the renegotiation of the USMCA in 2026, where “everything” will be included in negotiations.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer presented Washington’s negotiating priorities for the USMCA to Congress, which included eliminating the Canadian management system and protectionist measures in the culture and media sectors.

In October, Canada and the United States were close to an agreement on steel exports, which are subject to a 50% tariff. However, a critical Canadian advertisement on tariffs, broadcast on U.S. television, provoked Trump to suspend the negotiations.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | The Presidents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico held a private meeting after the 2026 World Cup draw, reaffirming their commitment to collaborate on trade issues amid increasing regional tensions. pic.twitter.com/OP547xgUFH

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 9, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

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The National Assembly of People’s Power of the Republic of Cuba issued a statement strongly condemning “the recent act of piracy and maritime terrorism carried out by the United States government in international waters of the Caribbean Sea” on December 10, when US military forces attacked an oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast.

RELATED:

Cuba Rejects EU Extension of Sanctions Against Venezuela

In the statement, Cuban deputies reject the imposition of a “so-called naval blockade against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” a measure that, according to the text, “constitutes a very serious violation of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations,” as well as representing a direct threat to regional peace.

The #US president declares a naval #blockade on oil exports from #Venezuela. The announcement has been rejected by the Venezuelan government and other countries. pic.twitter.com/NnHTidZU8U

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 18, 2025

The statement emphasizes that these actions are part of an “escalation of aggression by the United States government against the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” within the framework of a military deployment that, according to Havana, is “disproportionate and unjustified” and jeopardizes the stability of the Caribbean.

The document also states that the assault on the vessel, the seizure of its cargo, and the pretexts used to obstruct Venezuelan oil trade demonstrate “Washington’s true objective: to seize control of its immense natural resources.”

For Cuba, this strategy is part of the so-called “new National Security Strategy” of the United States and what it describes as the “Trump Corollary,” which reaffirms the nefarious Monroe Doctrine.

🔴🇨🇺Cuba respalda al Gobierno de Maduro frente al bloqueo naval de EEUU🇺🇸

🔹El presidente de Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, ha repudiado el “bloqueo naval” impuesto por EE.UU. contra Venezuela🇻🇪 y expresado apoyo al Gobierno del país bolivariano.

🔗https://t.co/l5YOaEksH2 pic.twitter.com/H4zh4QdMbR

— HispanTV (@Nexo_Latino) December 17, 2025

The Cuban National Assembly emphasizes that the reported acts flagrantly violate 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, setting a “very negative precedent for free international trade and freedom of navigation between sovereign nations.”

Recalling that Latin America and the Caribbean was proclaimed a “Zone of Peace” at the Second CELAC Summit held in Havana in 2014, the Cuban Parliament urges the peoples and parliaments of the world to “firmly condemn this escalation of aggression against the Bolivarian nation” and to mobilize against “these practices of modern piracy.”

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

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

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From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

By Kit Klarenberg – Dec 11, 2025

New research published by Amnesty International exposes the disturbing internal workings of Intellexa, and its constellation of digital espionage products. This includes ‘Predator’, a highly invasive resource linked to grave human rights abuses in multiple countries. Intellexa’s menacing technology allows government customers to access target smartphones’ cameras, microphones, encrypted chat apps, emails, GPS locations, photos, files, browsing activity, and more. It’s just the latest example of an Israeli-linked spyware specialist acting with no consideration for the law – although one wouldn’t know that from Amnesty’s probe.

Intellexa is among the world’s most notorious “mercenary spyware”purveyors. In 2023, the company was fined by Greece’s Data Protection Authority for failing to comply with its investigations into the company. An ongoing court case in Athens implicates Intellexa apparatchiks and local intelligence services in hacking the phones of government ministers, senior military officers, judges and journalists. Oddly unmentioned by Amnesty International, Intellexa was founded by Tal Dilian, a senior former Israeli military intelligence operative, and is staffed by Zionist entity spying veterans.

Leaked Intellexa marketing slide

In March 2024, following years of damaging disclosures about Intellexa’s criminal activities, the US Treasury imposed sweeping sanctions on Dilian, his closest company confederates, and five separate commercial entities associated with Intellexa. Yet, these harsh measures were no deterrent to Intellexa’s operations. The company’s service offering has only evolved over time, becoming ever-more difficult to detect, and increasingly effective at infecting target devices. Typically, civil society and human rights activists, and journalists, are in the firing line.

On December 3rd, Google announced Intellexa’s targets numbered at least “several hundred”, with individuals based in Angola, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and elsewhere potentially affected. Predator frequently relies on “one-click” attacks to infect a device. Users open a malicious link, which installs spyware that breaks open their chats on Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp and other chat platforms, audio recordings, emails, device locations, screenshots and camera photos, stored passwords, contacts and call logs, and the device’s microphone.

The vast data trove then passes through a chain of anonymising servers to hide its end destination, before being received by a customer. Predator also boasts a number of unique features designed to obscure its installation on a device from targets. For example, the spy tool assesses a device’s battery level, and whether it’s connected to the internet via sim card data or WiFi. This allows for a bespoke extraction process, ensuring devices aren’t obviously drained of network or power, to avoid stoking user suspicion.

Aladdin’s Cave
If Predator senses it has been detected, the spyware will even “self-destruct” to leave no trace of its presence on an impacted device. The methods by which Intellexa installs its malign tech on target devices is just as ingenious, and insidious. On top of “one-click” attacks, Intellexa is a pioneer in the field of “zero-click” infiltration. Its resource ‘Aladdin’ exploits internet advertising ecosystems, so users need only view an ad – without interacting with it – for spyware to infect a device.

Such ads can appear on trusted websites or apps, resembling any other advert a user would normally see. This approach requires Intellexa to pin down a “unique identifier” – such as a user’s email address, geographical location, or IP – to accurately serve them a malicious advert. Intellexa’s government customers can often readily access this information, simplifying accurate targeting. Research published by Recorded Future indicates Intellexa has covertly established dedicated mobile ad companies to create “bait advertisements”, including job listings, to lure in targets.

Leaked Aladdin explainer

Aladdin has been under developmentsince 2022 at least, and only grown more sophisticated over time. Troublingly, Intellexa is not the only company active in this innovative spying field. Amnesty International suggests “advertisement-based infection methodologies are being actively developed and used by multiple mercenary spyware companies, and by specific governments who have built similar ADINT [advertising intelligence] infection systems.” That the digital advertising ecosystem has been subverted to hack the phones of unsuspecting citizens demands urgent industry action, which is as yet unforthcoming.

Just as disquietingly, a leaked Intellexa training video depicts how the Intellexa can “remotely access and monitor active customer Predator systems.” In effect, the firm is able to keep an eye on who its clients are spying on, and the precise private data they are extracting, in real-time. Recorded in mid-2023, the video begins with an instructor connecting directly to a deployed Predator system via TeamViewer, a commercial remote access software. Its contents suggest Intellexa can peruse at least 10 different customer systems simultaneously.

The 7 Richest Billionaires Are All Media Barons

This capability is amply highlighted in the leaked video, when a staff member asks their trainer if they’re connecting to a testing environment. In response, they state a live “customer environment” is being accessed instead. The instructor then initiates a remote connection, showing Intellexa staffers can access highly sensitive information collected by customers, including photos, messages, IP addresses, smartphone operating systems and software versions, and other surveillance data gathered from Predator victims.

The video also appears to show “live” Predator infection attempts against real-life targets of Intellexa’s clients. Detailed information is shown from at least one infection attempt against an individual based in Kazakhstan, including the malicious link they unwittingly clicked that enabled their device’s infiltration. Elsewhere, domain names imitating legitimate Kazakhstani news websites, designed to trick users, are displayed. The country’s government is a confirmed Intellexa client, and local youth activists have previously been targeted by the notorious, similarly Israeli-incubated Pegasus spyware.

Screenshot of Predator dashboard listing ongoing infections

‘Business Opportunity’
The leaked video raises a number of grave concerns about Intellexa’s operations. For one, the shadowy, high-tech digital spying entity employed TeamViewer, a commercial software about which major security concernshave long-abounded, to access highly sensitive, invasive information on customer targets. This raises obvious questions about who else might be able to pry on this trove. Moreover, there is no indication Intellexa’s clients approved this access for training process, or the tutorial was conducted with even basic safeguards in place.

As such, the targets of Intellexa’s suite of spying resources not only face having their most sensitive secrets exposed to a hostile government without their knowledge or consent, but a foreign surveillance company in the process. The extent to which Intellexa is cognisant of how its technology is used by its clients is a core point of contention in the ongoing Greek legal case. Historically, mercenary spyware companies have firmly insisted they aren’t privy to data nefariously seized by their customers. Amnesty International states:

“The finding that Intellexa had potential visibility into active surveillance operations of their customers, including seeing technical information about the targets, raises new legal questions about Intellexa’s role in relation to the spyware and the company’s potential legal or criminal responsibility for unlawful surveillance operations carried out using their products.”

The latest disclosures about Intellexa have all the makings of a historic, international scandal, in the precise manner the use of Pegasus by state and corporate entities the world over has elicited international outcry, criminal investigations, and litigation lasting many years. However, the proliferation of ominous private spying tools, and their industrial scale abuse by paying customers, is no aberrant bug, but an intended upshot of the Zionist entity’s relentless crusade for cyberwarfare supremacy. In 2018, Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu boasted:

“Cybersecurity grows through cooperation, and cybersecurity as a business is tremendous…We spent an enormous amount on our military intelligence and Mossad and Shin Bet. An enormous amount. An enormous part of that is being diverted to cybersecurity…We think there is a tremendous business opportunity in the neverending quest of security.”

This investment manifests in almost every area of Israeli society. Numerous universities in Tel Aviv, with state support, hone new technologies and train future generations of cyber spies and digital warriors, who then join the Zionist Occupation Force’s ranks. Once their military service is complete, alumni frequently found companies at home and abroad offering the same monstrous services road-tested against Palestinians to private sector bodies and governments, without any oversight or guarantee these resources won’t be used for malevolent purposes.

Intellexa founder and Israeli military intelligence veteran Tal Dilian

The intelligence failures that enabled the success of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in October 2023 did enormous damage to Israel’s credibility as a cybersecurity leader, while devastating its “Startup Nation” brand, with foreign investment in the entity’s tech industry collapsing precipitously. However, the fresh Intellexa revelations show certain elements of the sector remain in high demand, and pose an unseen threat to untold numbers of people globally. Should the firm fall into disrepute as a result, another surely waits in the wings to take its place.

(Global Delinquents)

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

Kremlin spokesman Peskov urges the U.S. to be cautious.

On Thursday, Russian Army Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said the U.S. blockade against Venezuela violates international law.

RELATED:

Russia Warns Trump Against ‘Fatal Mistake’ in Venezuela

“The most alarming situation is unfolding around Venezuela, where Washington has set as its goal the removal of the country’s president, who was legitimately elected. At the same time, steps are being taken to block maritime traffic and air flights in the region, which violate international law,” Gerasimov commented during a meeting with foreign military attaches.

Also on Thursday, the Kremlin urged the United States to exercise caution regarding the situation surrounding Venezuela, warning it could have serious implications for the entire Western Hemisphere.

“We are observing an escalation of tensions in the region and consider this potentially very dangerous. Venezuela is our ally and partner,” said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, adding that Moscow maintains regular, high-level contacts with Caracas.

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

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

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 18, 2025

Since August, U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed a strong U.S. military presence in the Caribbean under the pretext of combating international drug trafficking. On Tuesday, he announced a “total blockade” against sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

The following day, the U.S. president went further, claiming that Venezuela had stripped U.S. companies of oil rights and saying he wants them back.

In response to these acts of aggression and harassment, Venezuela requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. The date for the meeting, however, has not yet been set.

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

— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) December 18, 2025

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.

The Venezuelan government announced on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, that it will denounce before the UN the “grotesque threats” made by US President Donald Trump to impose a naval blockade to seize its natural resources. The US president made these statements via his social media accounts, demanding the return of Venezuelan assets.

In a statement, the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela specified that President Trump, in an act it describes as a violation of international law, free trade, and freedom of navigation, “assumes that Venezuela’s oil, land, and mineral wealth are his property,” demanding their immediate handover. The official statement labels this action an “absolutely irrational” attempt to impose a military and naval blockade to “steal the country’s wealth.”

RELATED:

Venezuela denounces US act of piracy against its maritime sovereignty at the United Nations

“Venezuela, in the full exercise of the International Law that protects us, our Constitution, and the laws of the Republic, reaffirms its sovereignty over all its natural resources, as well as the right to free navigation and free trade in the Caribbean Sea and the world’s oceans. Consequently, it will proceed, in strict adherence to the UN Charter, to fully exercise its freedom, jurisdiction, and sovereignty in the face of these warmongering threats,” states the text published by the Bolivarian Government.

The statement assures that the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, will immediately proceed to formalize the complaint for this “serious violation of International Law,” in strict adherence to the Charter of the United Nations.

The Venezuelan government called on the American people and the international community to reject this “extravagant threat that once again reveals Donald Trump’s true intentions to steal the riches of the country that gave birth to the United Liberation Army of South America and to our Liberator, Simón Bolívar.”

The statement quoted Trump verbatim, who expressed on social media: “until all the oil, land, and other assets that were previously stolen from us are returned to the United States.” In this regard, the Bolivarian government affirms that “his true intention, which has been denounced by Venezuela and the people of the United States in large demonstrations, has always been to appropriate the country’s oil, land, and minerals through massive campaigns of lies and manipulation.”

“Venezuela will never again be a colony of any empire or foreign power and will continue, together with its people, on the path of building prosperity and the unrestricted defense of our independence and sovereignty,” the statement concludes.

The text concludes by reaffirming the Venezuelan people’s stance in defending their historical rights and independence, quoting Simón Bolívar: “fortunately, a handful of free men have been seen to defeat powerful empires.”

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The National Council unanimously approved a resolution condemning Trump’s statements.

On Thursday, the President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodriguez, presided over representatives from more than 30 sectors at the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace, in response to Donald Trump’s threats against Venezuelan natural resources.

RELATED: Venezuela Extends Russian Oil Joint Ventures Through 2041

Rodriguez asserted that the external aggression perpetrated by the U.S. seeks to control oil, rare earth elements, and water, as well as to annihilate Venezuelan identity, which he compared to hate speech toward Jewish people in the 1930s.

The President of the Assembly noted that Venezuela desires peace based on freedom and sovereignty, not the peace of the submissive. He remarked on the virtues of courage and rebellion that do not serve the imperial hegemon.

The National Council unanimously approved a resolution condemning Trump’s statements and reaffirming its commitment to the Constitution and the defense of the resources and rights of the Venezuelan people.

The most insane part about watching the U.S. steal an oil tanker from Venezuela is those of us who oppose this act of war are labeled “terrorists” to mask the truth: The U.S. empire that has spent the last 80 years waging war against the world to steal resources is the terrorist. pic.twitter.com/u1x43MPfB3

— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) December 11, 2025

Parliament Vice-President Pedro Infante emphasized the need to activate all capabilities in unity and constitutional clarity to defend the homeland. Meanwhile, Democratic Opposition leader Claudio Fermin denounced U.S. attempts to expropriate and confiscate national assets.

Center for Latin American Studies President Pedro Calzadilla expressed confidence that the people will triumph as they “did 200 years ago”. Reynaldo Quintero, President of the Venezuelan Association of Small and Medium Oil Industries, also called for collective action to protect the nation’s natural resources.

Deputy Nicolas Ernesto Guerra insisted on uniting national strength in favor of peace and dialogue and transforming popular indignation into productive energy to move forward as “heirs” of free peoples.

The Secretary General of the Council of #Sovereignty and #Peace, Jorge Rodriguez, denounced the #US aggression against #Venezuela, which seeks to seize its resources and destroy the identity of its people. pic.twitter.com/Gh3Lct3UFE

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 19, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: teleSUR

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In a statement published Wednesday morning by Wikileaks, its founder, Julian Assange, announced that he had filed a criminal complaint in Sweden accusing 30 people associated with the Nobel Foundation, including its directors, of “committing serious suspected crimes, including the crime of misappropriation of funds, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and financing the crime of aggression” following the awarding of the so-called Nobel Peace Prize to the Venezuelan right winger María Corina Machado.

The complaint, filed simultaneously with the Swedish Economic Crime Authority (Ekobrottsmyndigheten) and the Swedish War Crimes Unit (Krigsbrottsenheten), alleges that the suspects, including Nobel Foundation chair Astrid Söderbergh Widding and executive director Hanna Stjärne, turned “an instrument of peace into an instrument of war.”

In the statement published on Wikileaks, Assange argues that Maria Corina Machado’s past and present actions categorically exclude her from the criteria set out in Alfred Nobel’s will, which explicitly states that the peace prize should be awarded to the individual who during the previous year “has conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.”

On the contrary, Assange argues that “Machado’s incitement of the largest US military reinforcement since the Iraq War makes her categorically ineligible” for the prize. Machado has been front and center in calling for the overthrow of Venezuela’s democratically elected government by any means necessary, including violence, for the better part of three decades.

The Wikileaks statement notes that the Nobel announcement and ceremony took place amid what military analysts describe as “the largest US military deployment in the Caribbean since the Cuban Missile Crisis,” which now exceeds 15,000 troops, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.

The escalation continues as President Trump announced on December 10 (two days after the Nobel ceremony) that US attacks would begin on land. The strategy for Venezuela is part of what Trump’s Secretary of War, Peter Hegseth, calls a shift toward “maximum lethality, not lukewarm legality” and toward “going on the offensive.”

Machado has incited the Trump administration to war against VenezuelaIn the text, Assange claims that “Machado has continued to urge the Trump administration to continue on its path of escalation” and has gone as far as promising the US administration access to US $1.7 trillion in oil reserves and other natural resources through the privatization of the oil industry once Maduro is overthrown.

“Using her elevated position as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Machado may well have tipped the balance in favor of war, facilitated by the suspects named,” Assange states in the criminal complaint, which includes recent quotes from Machado that, in his view, incite war against Venezuela:

• December 15, 2025, Machado on CBS’s Face the Nation: “I say this from Oslo right now: I have dedicated this award to President Trump because I believe he has finally put Venezuela where it belongs, as a priority for US national security.”
• October 30, 2025, interview with Bloomberg: “Military escalation may be the only way out… The United States may need to intervene directly.”
• October 17, 2025, call to Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel’s conduct in Gaza: “The Nobel Peace Prize winner told the Prime Minister that she greatly appreciates his decisions and decisive actions during the war.”
• October 2025, interview with Fox News: Machado referred to US military strikes on civilian ships, which have killed at least 95 people to date, as “justified” and “visionary.”
• October 5, 2025, interview in The Sunday Times on the increase in US troops and extrajudicial attacks on civilian vessels: Trump’s attacks are “visionary… I fully support his strategy.”
• February 2025, interview with Donald Trump Jr.: “We are going to drive the government out of the oil sector… American companies are going to make a lot of money… Forget Saudi Arabia, we have more oil.”
• February 9, 2019, interview with El País: Maduro will only leave “in the face of a real threat from a more powerful state,” she claimed.
• February 25, 2014, testimony before the US Congress: “The only path left is the use of force.”

They point out in the text that the Nobel Foundation is guilty of “facilitating war crimes, including the crime of aggression and crimes against humanity, in violation of Sweden’s obligations under Article 25 (3) (c) of the Rome Statute, because the defendants are aware of Machado’s incitement and support for the carrying out of international crimes by the United States and knew or should have known that the disbursement of Nobel money (11 million kronor) would contribute to extrajudicial executions of civilians and shipwrecked persons at sea and are failing to comply with their obligation to cease disbursements.”

In the text, Assange requests the immediate freezing of the monetary prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (equivalent to about US $1.2 million) and any remaining related budget; guarantees of the return of the medal, investigation of the named individuals, officials of the Foundation, and associated entities for breach of trust, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and conspiracy; seizure of board minutes, emails, group chats, and financial records; questioning of Widding, Stjärne, and other Nobel Prize board members as suspects in the case; and thorough investigation at the national level or referral of the matter to the International Criminal Court.

A post on the social media network X by Wikileaks includes a screenshot of the message posted last night by Donald Trump, on his social media network Truth, announcing a naval blockade against “sanctioned” oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.

Venezuela Strongly Condemns US Threat of Blockade, Gains International Backing

About Julian Assange
Julian Assange is an Australian programmer, journalist, and cyberactivist known worldwide as the founder and spokesperson for WikiLeaks, an organization that publishes leaks of classified government and military documents.

WikiLeaks, founded in 2006, gained international fame in 2010 after publishing thousands of classified US documents leaked by former US soldier Chelsea Manning. Among the most notorious materials is the video Collateral Murder, which shows an attack from a US helicopter in Baghdad in 2007 in which civilians and journalists were killed in cold blood.

For 14 years, Assange was subjected to judicial persecution at the hands of the US and its vassals, which forced him to seek asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Under the government of Lenin Moreno, Ecuador withdrew his asylum, and he was arrested by British police and threatened with extradition to the United States, where he could have faced the death penalty for publishing the classified documents.

In June 2024, Assange reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice and was sentenced to time served (the five years he had already spent in British prison). Following the agreement, he was released, and he returned to Australia.

(Alba Ciudad)

SL

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

It included major maintenance of 120 cabins and the replacement of 5,000 meters of communication cable.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro highlighted the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Mariche Metrocable as a feat of Venezuelan engineering and the people’s will to guarantee a future of peace and justice.

RELATED: President Maduro: We Oppose All Forms of Colonialism

President Maduro affirmed that Venezuela has learned to overcome obstacles with creativity and innovation, demonstrating strength in the face of difficulties imposed by external factors. He reiterated that no external measure can stop the Venezuelan people’s determination to maintain their sovereignty.

The President visited the facilities of the Mariche Metrocable System in the Sucre municipality of Miranda state and verified its operation as a mass transit system that benefits more than 130,000 residents.

The restoration work included major maintenance of 120 cabins, replacement of 5,000 meters of communication cable, and the installation of 5,000 meters of fiber optic cable. The auxiliary motor was also reactivated, and the main electric drive motors were restored, which guarantees safe operations.

The Ministry of Popular Power for Transportation developed the project in conjunction with the “Together Everything is Possible” Corporation, with the support of community organizations and communal councils.

President Maduro also announced the 2025-2026 Communal Rice Plan, which encompasses 4,000 hectares under cultivation, reaffirms the commitment to the 14 productive sectors, and the continuity of national production.

#ENVIVO | El presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro: En 1958 se aprueba el primer tratado internacional, firmado por todos los gobiernos del mundo, así que es obligación de todos los gobiernos del mundo calificar la piratería como grave crimen en alta mar y castigarla… pic.twitter.com/idqv0jtQJV

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) December 18, 2025

The text reads, “In 1958, the First International Treaty was approved, signed by all the governments of the world, so it is the obligation of all the governments of the world to classify piracy as a serious crime on the high seas and punish it severely.”

The President remarked that recognition “belongs to patriots,” who are those who fight alongside the people and defend their ideals unwaveringly in the face of any adversity. He maintained that Venezuela has earned international respect for defending its freedom and advancing steadily toward peace.

He declared that “doubt is treason” when defending land, mineral wealth, and sovereignty. The President asserted that International Law condemns acts of maritime aggression as a grave crime, recalling the 1958 agreements and the 1982 treaties against piracy.

President Maduro denounced the seizure of the Zkipper oil tanker by the United States as a serious crime under international law and treaties. He affirmed that, despite aggressions, Venezuela will continue to position its products in the global market and defend the national economy.

He also announced the nationwide distribution of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, so that the people are informed of the inalienable rights that guarantee the defense of their nation.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Venezuela: The State oil company PDVSA denounced a cyberattack against its systems, assuring that its core operations remain unaffected. pic.twitter.com/07XLBc7OWi

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 18, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: VTV – Radio Miraflores

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“On December 17, under the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike against a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,” said U.S. Southern Command.

“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was crossing a known drug trafficking route in the eastern Pacific and was involved in drug trafficking operations. A total of four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no U.S. military personnel were injured.”

On December 15, eight people lost their lives and three boats were destroyed in Pacific waters in an attack as part of President Donald Trump’s controversial anti-drug campaign.

VWith the operation carried out yesterday, at least 99 people have died and 25 boats have been sunk since September 2 in 24 attacks launched by the United States in the Caribbean and the Pacific, without judicial proceedings or a declaration of war from Congress.

jdt/jav/npg/dfm

The post Four dead in new US attack on vessel first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) establishes a long-term vision that translates the country’s international commitments into concrete, measurable, and coordinated actions, aligned with the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the adoption of the SOP stems from Mexico’s accession to the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, comprised of 19 leading countries that have committed to sustainably managing all their marine areas.

BWithin this framework, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the Sustainable Management of Seas and Coasts determined that the updated national policy on this matter would serve as the country’s Sustainable Ocean Plan.

This instrument—the result of more than two years of technical and inter-institutional work and an unprecedented consultation process with various sectors—integrates strategic issues such as sustainable fishing and aquaculture, as well as blue tourism.

It also addresses the conservation and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems, and the strengthening of ocean science and knowledge, structured around six objectives, 17 strategies, and 91 lines of action, with clear goals and a defined timeframe.

jdt/jav/npg/las

The post Mexico strengthens protection of its marine heritage first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The PT leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Lindbergh Farias, announced this possibility on social media, accusing the controversial initiative of having procedural flaws and content that violates the Constitution.

“Reducing sentences for crimes against the democratic rule of law is unconstitutional: it creates inadequate protection for democracy, violates a long-standing clause, constitutes a prohibited regression, encourages new coups d’état, and breaks the general and abstract nature of criminal law,” Farias wrote.

BDespite delays, the Constitution and Justice Committee and then the full Senate approved the Sentencing Bill yesterday.

The Senate committee certified, by a vote of 17 to 7, the initiative that reduces penalties and accelerates the progression of sentences for those convicted of crimes against the democratic rule of law.

Later, the full Senate also ratified the bill by a vote of 48 to 25.

jdt/jav/npg/ocs

The post PT-Brasil will appeal to the SC against the law that reduce sentence first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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According to local media reports, Polania’s body was found after her security detail alerted the police when they were unable to contact her despite several calls.

Once authorities gained access to the apartment, they discovered the judge’s body next to her two-month-old baby.

A report from W Radio indicated that the child was rushed to a clinic for a thorough medical evaluation.

Polania, 37, was involved in several scandals throughout her career.

News reports revealed that she was allegedly involved in an erotic show held just over two years ago inside the Cucuta Courthouse.

Because of this incident, the National Commission for Judicial Discipline ordered an investigation into officials and employees who appeared in a video recording during an alleged Valentine’s Day celebration.

The First Municipal Criminal Judge with Guarantee Control Functions in Cucuta also generated controversy for her unconventional practices regarding the administration of justice.

At the end of 2022, she was suspended for three months after appearing semi-nude and with a cigarette during a virtual hearing.

Polania also reported being a victim of workplace harassment and threats.

She revealed that due to these events, her mental health suffered, and she even disclosed that she received medical leave for a depressive syndrome.

abo/jav/npg/ifs

The post Colombia: Authorities investigate the death of a judge in Cucuta first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that the US decision violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and also damages the country’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Guo noted that such actions send the wrong signals to separatist forces advocating for “Taiwan independence” and undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

The spokesperson underscored that external support for secession “will only backfire on those who promote it” and reiterated that using Taiwan to contain China will not succeed.

He added that the Taiwan issue is at the core of China’s fundamental interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in bilateral relations with the United States.

Both positions come amid a diplomatic crisis between Beijing and Tokyo, which has escalated following statements made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan.

abo/iff/npg/idm

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Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—In an escalation of the US empire’s ongoing illegal sanctions on Venezuela, President Donald Trump has announced a “full blockade” of the sovereign nation and its oil tanker fleet. He claimed the measure would remain in place until Venezuela “returns all the oil, land, and other assets” he alleged were previously stolen from the US. The announcement ignited an immediate response from the Venezuelan government, followed by all state institutions and international allies.

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump wrote on social media this Tuesday, December 16, adding that “it will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.”

He did not specify what oil, land, or assets he claims were stolen, nor did he elaborate on the bizarre claims of the so-called “war on drugs” argument that has seemed to take a backseat in recent days; something that Caracas has consistently condemned as an aggression against its sovereignty and an attempt to seize its natural resources.

In his post online, the US president attacked the Venezuelan government, labeling it an “illegitimate regime.” He accused it of using “oil from […] stolen fields to finance narcoterrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping,” refusing to provide any evidence for his fictitious claims. Venezuela has repeatedly proven that the nation has been robbed of billions of dollars in international bank accounts, two tons of gold seized by the Bank of England, and the CITGO Corporation. The oil retailer and refining corporation is owned by PDVSA and valued at more than $15 billion, with yearly revenue of about $4 billion.

Let's be clear: a military blockade is an act of war. Congress must authorize it. Is this policy or just another Trump social media moment?

The real asset theft? Billions of Venezuela's funds frozen in banks abroad, 2 tons of gold in the Bank of England, with the seizure of… pic.twitter.com/6wpkDiQExt

— Orinoco Tribune (@OrinocoTribune) December 17, 2025

Foreign terrorist organization designation
“For the theft of our assets, and for many other reasons, including terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking,” continued Trump’s statement, “the Venezuelan regime has been designated a foreign terrorist organization. Therefore, today I am ordering a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.”

The US president also insisted on repeating other unfounded accusations, such as that Caracas supposedly sent “illegal immigrants and criminals” into the US. He stated the White House “will not allow criminals, terrorists or other countries to steal, threaten or harm” his country, nor allow “a hostile regime” to seize oil he claims to somehow be property of the US colonial entity, despite the resources being located in Venezuelan territory and belonging to the Venezuelan people.

“We will not give up”
Earlier on Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reiterated that, despite prolonged and multifaceted US aggression, Venezuela will defeat “the oligarchy and imperialism under any circumstances.”

“For 25 weeks, Venezuela has been denouncing, confronting, and defeating a multidimensional campaign of aggression that ranges from psychological terrorism to the piracy that has plundered our oil, and which has multiple forms,” he stated in an address to Venezuelan workers. “What has Venezuela demonstrated? […] That Venezuela is a strong country, that it has real power. And we have demonstrated that we are prepared to continue our march. And, what’s more, that we are prepared to accelerate the march of a profound revolution that will give power to the people, completely and definitively.”

Citizens have consistently taken to the streets to display support for Venezuelan authorities and their rejection of US imperialism, demonstrating their readiness to resist by any means, including through the use of force. On December 10, these protests included the mass condemnation of the seizure of a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil in the Caribbean Sea, an act denounced by Caracas that same day at the UN Security Council as an act of piracy.

Government communique
On Wednesday night, the Venezuelan government issued a statement in response to what many analysts consider a declaration of war by the US empire, despite the US president neglecting to request for the congressional approval mandated under US law.

The statement reiterates Venezuela’s full sovereignty over its natural resources, the right to free navigation and free trade, as well as its adherence to the UN Charter. “[The US’s] true intention,” it adds, “which has been denounced by Venezuela and the people of the US in large demonstrations, was always to appropriate the country’s oil, land, and minerals through gigantic campaigns of lies and manipulation.”

Below, you can read the full unofficial translation of the Venezuelan government’s statement:

A united Venezuela rejects Trump’s grotesque threat and will condemn it
On the night of December 16, 2025, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, violating International Law, free trade, and free navigation, has launched a reckless and serious threat against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

On his social media, he assumes that Venezuela’s oil, land, and mineral wealth are his property. Consequently, he claims that Venezuela must hand over all its riches to him immediately. The President of the United States is attempting to impose a supposed naval and military blockade on Venezuela in an utterly irrational manner, with the aim of stealing the wealth that belongs to our nation.

Venezuela, in full exercise of the International Law that protects us, our Constitution, and the laws of the Republic, reaffirms its sovereignty over all its natural resources, as well as its right to free navigation and free trade in the Caribbean Sea and the world’s oceans. Consequently, it will proceed, in strict adherence to the UN Charter, to fully exercise its freedom, jurisdiction, and sovereignty in the face of these warmongering threats.

Our Ambassador to the UN will immediately denounce this serious violation of International Law against Venezuela.

We call upon the people of the United States and the peoples of the world to reject by all means this extravagant threat, which once again reveals Donald Trump’s true intentions to steal the riches of the country that gave birth to the United Liberation Army of South America and to our Liberator, Simón Bolívar. The people of Venezuela, in perfect popular, military, and police unity, will know how to defend their historical rights and triumph through peace.

Mr. Donald Trump explicitly stated the following interventionist and colonialist expression: “until all the oil, land, and other assets that were previously stolen from us are returned to the United States.” His true intention, which has been denounced by Venezuela and the people of the United States in massive demonstrations, has always been to seize the country’s oil, land, and minerals through gigantic campaigns of lies and manipulation.

Venezuela will never again be a colony of any empire or foreign power and will continue to walk, together with its people, the path of building prosperity and the unrestricted defense of our independence and sovereignty.

The Venezuelan people, in perfect popular, military, and police unity, remain steadfast in the unrestricted protection of their territory, their resources, and their freedom. With our Liberator, we say: “Fortunately, a handful of free men have defeated powerful empires.”

Caracas, December 16, 2025.

Comprehensive state response
On Wednesday, the first institution to respond to the threat was the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB). Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, together with the FANB’s High Command, stated it would preserve at all costs the nation’s territorial integrity, its legitimate rights over airspace and maritime areas, and sovereignty, independence, and peace that the nation holds dear.

“We can say that Venezuela has scored a victory in the face of truth; the truth has been revealed,” the military commander warned. “It is now through force, no longer through sanctions, unilateral coercive measures, political, diplomatic, and media isolation, psychological terrorism; force and violence have been used, and those who resort to them are lost.”

He emphasized that Washington’s “war on drugs” narrative “has fallen apart in the eyes of international public opinion,” and that US imperialism is blatant in its desire for Venezuela’s natural resources. Furthermore, he rejected Trump’s accusations that Venezuela stole any assets of the US, claiming the true intentions of the empire “are nothing other than to force regime change in our country and grossly seize its oil and other strategic natural resources.”

Almost simultaneously, PDVSA issued a statement reporting that oil export operations are continuing as scheduled. “The export operations of Venezuelan crude oil and derivatives continue despite the attempted illegal and illegitimate blockade, through secure schemes and full guarantees,” reported Delcy Rodríguez, head of PDVSA and the vice president of Venezuela.

“Oil tankers linked to PDVSA operations continue to sail with full assurance, technical support, and operational guarantees, in the legitimate exercise of the rights to free navigation and free trade, widely recognized and protected by international law,” the statement reads, reiterating that PDVSA has remained active despite all of the US attacks it has endured.

Minutes later, the Moral Republican Council—formed by the Prosecutor’s Office, Comptroller’s Office, and Ombudsman’s Office, one of the five branches of the Venezuelan state—made a televised statement expressing its support for President Maduro in all measures he decides to take to safeguard Venezuela’s rights and sovereignty, describing Trump’s action as a brutal escalation.

The Moral Council made a “call to the people of the US and the peoples of the world to reject by all means this aberrant threat that reveals the true intentions of the US government to steal the resources of our country and our continent.”

In the afternoon, the National Assembly unanimously approved a resolution repudiating the US president’s announcement. The parliament agreed to defend “the full and inalienable sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela over all its territory,” including its natural resources, emphasizing that they are “inviolable, inalienable, and under the absolute ownership and control of [Venezuela].”

The deputies called “upon the Venezuelan people to remain on alert and permanently mobilized in perfect popular, military, and police unity for the unrestricted defense of the historical rights of the homeland, thus ensuring peace and territorial integrity against any threat that seeks to disturb” Venezuela’s independence.

The peoples and governments of the world were also urged to “reject by all means this extravagant threat that undermines global peace and reveals US true intentions of plunder.”

Venezuela’s judicial branch joined in rejecting the US actions, as confirmed by the president of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), Caryslia Rodríguez. After reading an official statement, Rodríguez added that the imposition of a “naval blockade” constitutes an attack on sovereignty and a new violation of Venezuela’s constitution and international law.

“Today, we condemn [the US] and call for a united effort to restore and maintain ethical and legal values as instruments of peace, sovereignty, and equality among the peoples of the world,” Rodríguez stated. She explained that the TSJ supports the ratification of Venezuela’s sovereignty over its natural resources and its right to free navigation and free trade.

Venezuela Condemns US Piracy Before UN as Killings Resume; US Debate Heats Up, and Trinidad Lends Airports to US Military Operations

Local and international reaction
Chavista forces and leaders rejected the Trump announcement across social media, accompanied by public statements from far-right politicians who are not sympathizers of President Maduro or Chavismo, such as Bernabe Gutierrez, Enrique Ochoa Antich, and Henry Falcon, among others.

Latin American presidents and international allies have also expressed full support for Venezuela against what many consider to be an act of war that violates the UN Charter.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed deep concern over the belligerent US statements and over Europe’s silence on the matter. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated México’s historic position against foreign interventions and demanded the United Nations assume its due role as an international peacekeeping body to “avoid a bloodshed.”

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel had already expressed Cuba’s strong condemnation of a US naval blockade and its support for Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution.

Iran also issued a communiqué strongly rejecting the US threats. “The US interference with, as well as its seizure and obstruction of, the free passage of commercial vessels to or from Venezuela constitutes a clear case of state piracy and armed robbery at sea,” the statement reads. “Invoking US domestic laws and unilateral, illegal sanctions to justify these actions cannot, in any way, serve as a basis to legitimize such criminal acts.”

China reported that its minister for foreign affairs, Wang Yi, had a phone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Yván Gil, expressing opposition to the US empire’s unilateral bullying.

Even the German government expressed concern over Trump’s threats, warning of risks to regional peace and stability, as stated by spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, Martin Giese. “The German government has an interest in preventing the situation in the region from deteriorating further,” he said during a press conference. “Therefore, we view the overall situation with concern. Of course, international law must be respected.”

The Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday night that President Maduro held a phone conversation with UN Secretary General António Guterres, in order to warn him about the growing escalation of US threats and their possible implications for regional peace. The head of state explained that Trump’s claims were supported by senior US official Stephen Miller, who said the Venezuelan oil industry was also to be owned by the US regime, which marks a direct colonial threat to Venezuela’s sovereignty and international law.

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

OT/JRE/AU

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In 2024, the market for this herbicide reached US$352 million in this country.

Experts urged Mexico to ban glyphosate herbicide after discovering flaws in an article that served as an excuse for the agribusiness sector for 25 years. The article lacks scientific rigor, which raises alarms about its safety for human health.

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Transnational corporations such as Bayer-Monsanto, Syngenta, and DuPont market glyphosate, which the World Health Organization (WHO) classified as a possible carcinogen in 2015. Used in Mexico since 1980, this herbicide is commonly applied to crops such as corn, citrus, sorghum, cotton, sugar cane, avocado, soybeans, and agave.

Producers use it for weed control to reduce costs, as well as for cleaning rural roads, which increases their economic dependence. Silvia Ribeiro, research coordinator for the Biodiversity Alliance, remarked that the most cited study was false and that Mexico should ban the herbicide immediately.

While researchers at the University of Guadalajara found toxic residues in water and people’s urine, more than a thousand scientific studies document kidney, liver, nervous system, and reproductive damage associated with glyphosate use.

In 2005, during the presidency of Vicente Fox, the Biosafety Law for Genetically Modified Organisms, known as the “Monsanto Law,” was passed, which favored genetically modified seeds for large corporations.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attempted to gradually ban glyphosate through two presidential decrees, but failed due to pressure from the agribusiness sector and a lack of proven substitutes.

🚨Glyphosate “Safety” Study Ghostwritten by Monsanto Retracted After 25 Years of Deception

Millions of pounds of glyphosate were approved, defended & sprayed worldwide based on a paper now exposed as fundamentally compromised and scientifically invalid ⬇️

📌Monsanto employees… https://t.co/KxUbb5qZnI pic.twitter.com/ZTG6RFvPFY

— Nicolas Hulscher, MPH (@NicHulscher) December 4, 2025

In 2022, Senators Ana Lilia Rivera and Margarita Valdez proposed reforms to gradually ban pesticides. While Morena Party legislators Fernando Espino and Nancy Sanchez proposed extending the restriction for another three years.

However, the Supreme Justice Court has upheld the suspension of genetically modified corn crops, to which Bayer-Monsanto corporations sought to halt the presidential decree through legal injunctions.

The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum banned 35 pesticides in September, but it excluded glyphosate. The Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) indicated that this was the first of three phases, with further bans planned for 2026, though it avoided providing detailed information.

The Environment Secretariat informed that 86,449 tons of glyphosate were imported in 2019 by five companies that controlled 84% of the Mexican herbicide market and were consolidating their commercial dominance.

In 2024, the Mexican glyphosate market reached US$352 million. Peter Rosset, a former professor from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, stated that banning the herbicide would be “an economic blow” and set an international example.

At her morning press conference, Mexican President #ClaudiaSheinbaum calls for reflection on the unity of popular movements in #LatinAmerica and cites #Mexico as an example, since its movement is committed to the people, delivers results, and thus gains popular support. pic.twitter.com/gy25fAqtkU

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025

teleSUR: JP

Source: La Jornada

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