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Addressing the major event, the libertarian leader echoed Donald Trump’s diatribes against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, calling him a narco-terrorist who heads “an atrocious and inhumane dictatorship that casts a dark shadow over our region.”

In this regard, he emphasized that his government “welcomes the pressure from the United States and Donald Trump” and hinted at his desire for the Bolivarian government to be overthrown, stating that “the time for a timid approach on this matter has run out,” and invited the other Mercosur members to support this position.

He reiterated his support for opposition leader Corina Machado, who has repeatedly called for military intervention in her country, and called for the release of Argentine gendarme Nahuel Gallo, who was detained a year ago by Venezuelan authorities as he attempted to cross from Colombia and was accused of participating in a subversive plot against the government.

He also asked that the bloc’s members provide permanent and unwavering support for “the sovereign rights of the Argentine Republic over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime areas illegally occupied by the United Kingdom since 1833.”

As he did at the meeting of the mechanism in Buenos Aires, Milei reiterated his criticism of the group, arguing that institutions must be evaluated on their results and recalling that Mercosur was created with the mission of “promoting trade, increasing prosperity, integrating markets, and raising the competitiveness of our societies.

And none of those central objectives have been met,” he asserted. He criticized the bloc for being held back by protectionism, bureaucracy, and complacency, saying they “have sunk us into stagnation,” and demanded a change in its rules to allow for greater flexibility, enabling its members to agree to bilateral trade pacts like the one it is negotiating with the United States outside the bloc.

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At the Mercosur summit 2025, Brazilian President Lula da Silva warns that military intervention in Venezuela would trigger a hemispheric humanitarian catastrophe.

Related: European Union Postpones Vote on MERCOSUR Trade Agreement

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At the Mercosur summit 2025, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a stark and urgent warning: any military intervention in Venezuela would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe with devastating ripple effects across the entire Western Hemisphere. Speaking on December 20, 2025, in Foz de Iguazú, Brazil—the host city of the 67th Mercosur Summit—Lula framed the issue not as a regional dispute, but as a fundamental test of sovereignty, peace, and South American unity in the face of rising imperial pressures.

“An armed intervention in Venezuela would be a catastrophe for the hemisphere,” Lula declared. “It would be a humanitarian catastrophe and a dangerous precedent for the world.”

His remarks come amid escalating U.S. military activity in the Caribbean, including naval deployments, surveillance flights, and public threats against the Venezuelan government—actions widely condemned by international legal experts as flagrant violations of the UN Charter and international law. From the perspective of the Global South, Lula’s statement is more than diplomacy; it is a defensive line drawn against neocolonial aggression.

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Mercosur Summit 2025 Venezuela Warning: A Defense of Regional Sovereignty

In a passionate address that drew standing ovations from fellow South American leaders, Lula emphasized that Venezuela’s sovereignty is non-negotiable and deeply intertwined with the stability of the entire continent. “The Venezuelan people love their sovereignty,” he said. “To threaten it is to threaten us all.”

He pointed to the current geopolitical climate as the most tense in South America since the 1982 Falklands (Malvinas) War. “For over four decades, our continent had not been this tense,” Lula warned. “South America is now under strain due to the military presence of an extraregional power that is testing the limits of international law.”

This “extraregional power” is widely understood to be the United States, whose Southern Command has recently expanded operations near Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone under the guise of counter-narcotics missions—a justification rejected by UN agencies and regional governments alike.

Read the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on threats to Venezuelan sovereignty

Lula’s warning is grounded in historical memory and strategic realism. Latin America has long suffered from foreign interventions—from CIA-backed coups in the 20th century to economic blockades and regime-change campaigns in the 21st. Each time, the consequences spilled beyond borders: refugee crises, economic collapse, and prolonged violence. A military strike on Venezuela, home to 28 million people and vast oil reserves, would dwarf those outcomes.

Moreover, Lula linked the Venezuela issue to broader challenges facing Mercosur, particularly the stalled Mercosur–European Union trade agreement. He noted that external pressures—especially from European capitals echoing U.S. rhetoric on Venezuela—have deepened internal divisions and undermined genuine regional integration. “True economic unity cannot be built under the shadow of imperial agendas,” he implied.

Explore the European Parliament’s stance on Mercosur-EU negotiations and human rights clauses

The Brazilian president called instead for a vision of “a prosperous and peaceful South America” rooted in dialogue, mutual respect, and South-South cooperation. “Here, we want integration,” he said. “Renouncing sovereignty is renouncing ourselves.”

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Geopolitical Context: The Global South’s Red Line

The Mercosur summit 2025 Venezuela warning carries profound implications far beyond Latin America. It reflects a growing assertion of autonomy by the Global South, which increasingly rejects unilateralism and demands a multipolar world order. In this context, Venezuela has become a litmus test: will powerful nations abide by international law, or will they impose their will through force?

The U.S. posture toward Venezuela—combining sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and military posturing—mirrors strategies used in Iraq, Libya, and Syria. Yet Latin America, having endured decades of such interventions, is now pushing back collectively. Mercosur, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter have all issued statements rejecting external interference.

Lula’s stance also signals Brazil’s return to a leadership role in regional diplomacy after years of right-wing isolationism under Jair Bolsonaro. Under his administration, Brazil is once again championing non-intervention, peaceful conflict resolution, and economic sovereignty—principles enshrined in the 2014 CELAC “Zone of Peace” declaration.

Critically, this position resonates across the Global South. From South Africa to Indonesia, nations are watching whether Latin America can resist coercion and uphold international law without Western approval. A successful defense of Venezuelan sovereignty would embolden similar resistance elsewhere—from the Sahel to Southeast Asia.

Review the CELAC Havana Declaration on Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace

For teleSUR, as a media voice of the peoples of the South, Lula’s message is a reminder that true peace is built from below—not imposed from the North. In an era of resurgent militarism, the unity of Mercosur—and its commitment to non-intervention—stands as a bulwark against empire.

As the summit concluded, leaders reaffirmed their support for dialogue between Venezuela’s government and opposition, but categorically rejected any external solution. The message was clear: the future of Venezuela must be decided by Venezuelans alone. Any other path, Lula warned, leads not to democracy—but to hemispheric disaster.

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The Hamas resistance movement denounces Israel’s settlement construction plans in the occupied al-Quds as violation of the international law.

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TYEP - Used With Permission

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Over the last several years, many red states have banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Since Trump returned to power, that campaign has shifted to blue states, with the administration threatening hospitals and healthcare systems with the loss of federal funding unless they stopped providing care. This week, those threats escalated sharply: a new federal rule, now in its public comment period, would bar any hospital that provides transgender healthcare from receiving Medicaid funds—a move that would effectively force most major hospital systems to end that care altogether. In response, an organization that has already helped families navigate care bans in red states is stepping in again. The Trans Youth Emergency Project (TYEP), spun up by leaders at the Campaign for Southern Equality, says it has capacity to help parents of transgender youth locate independent clinics that may be less vulnerable to the administration’s current and incoming policies and can provide, in some cases, travel assistance.

TYEP’s latest outreach follows the release of a sweeping new federal rule that would bar any hospital system—and any clinic affiliated with those systems—from providing gender-affirming care if they accept Medicaid. The rule contains no carveouts for patients already receiving care, meaning many transgender youth would be forced into abrupt medical detransition unless they can quickly secure alternative providers, should the rule take effect. It explicitly claims to preempt state shield laws in places like California, Minnesota, and New York. The proposed rule further destabilizes an already fragile healthcare landscape for transgender youth, as hospitals and clinics continue to shutter services in preemptive compliance with the administration’s escalating threats.

The rule does leave one narrow avenue for transgender youth to continue accessing care: private, independent clinics and physicians who do not accept Medicaid. Earlier this year, as hospital systems began shutting down services, advocates spoke about spinning up independent clinics to meet the need. Massachusetts advanced a measure intended to funnel funding toward that kind of care, and in New York City, mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani pledged millions to help preserve treatment capacity. But for many families, the talk of these clinics have felt like vaporware—plans discussed publicly that have yet to translate into accessible appointments. There may, however, be a quieter reality beneath the surface: clinicians and small practices that are not advertising openly but remain prepared to provide care. That is where TYEP steps in, working behind the scenes to connect patients with providers who are still able and willing to treat them.

When asked whether TYEP has the capacity to absorb a surge of families seeking alternatives in the wake of the new rule, organizers said unequivocally that they do. They noted that the organization has repeatedly scaled up during previous waves of clinic and hospital closures without issue. Adam Polaski explained, “At every turn, we have been able to pivot and scale up and show people the reason that this is important. Folks have stepped up with their dollars, and also folks have requested support and spread the word. So right now, I don’t want folks to feel like they shouldn’t reach out because they ‘don’t really need it’ or someone else ‘needs it more than them.’ Everyone needs the support right now, and it’s ok. We have the capacity to take it on.”

Polaski compared what the group is doing to efforts that spun up for abortion access in the wake of recent restrictions and bans. “A lot of folks are recognizing that this kind of, you know, practical support network that the abortion access movement has crafted so powerfully is going to be necessary for trans folks.”

The group is likely to face real stress testing in the coming weeks. While the rule change has not yet taken effect—the process will include a 60-day public comment period, additional time for the administration to review comments and finalize the rule, and near-certain litigation that could delay or block implementation entirely—we have already seen that the mere threat of new anti-trans rules is often enough to prompt hospital systems to fold. Even now, EITM is aware of hospital systems actively discussing the proposed rule and weighing preemptive closures in anticipation of compliance pressures. That means independent clinics may begin seeing an influx of patients well before any rule is finalized. In that environment, organizations like the Trans Youth Emergency Project will be essential in helping families navigate a rapidly shrinking and increasingly opaque care landscape.

Families wishing to contact the TYEP about their situation can do so here by filling out their intake form. The national project offers family navigation through one-on-one phone calls to help identify providers unimpacted by restrictions, as well as travel grants of $500.

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An Israeli attack on Gaza school sheltering displaced families killed at least six, including a child—denounced as a grave breach of international humanitarian law.

Related: US Weighs Port Restrictions on Spain Over Israel Arms Transit Ban

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An Israeli attack on Gaza school sheltering displaced Palestinian families claimed the lives of at least six people—including a young child and a woman—during the night of Friday, December 19, 2025, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense agency. The strike targeted a school in the At-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, reducing part of the building to rubble and sending rescue teams scrambling through debris to recover bodies and wounded civilians.

The Civil Defense, coordinating with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), confirmed that six bodies were extracted from the ruins, while an undetermined number of injured were rushed to overwhelmed local hospitals. Many of the victims were children who had sought refuge in what was supposed to be a safe haven.

“Attacking schools and shelters providing refuge to displaced Palestinians constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law,” the Civil Defense stated, demanding immediate protection for civilians and humanitarian personnel from further bombardment.

The school in At-Tuffah had been designated as a temporary shelter for families displaced by Israel’s ongoing military offensive—now in its second year. Like hundreds of similar facilities across Gaza, it housed people who had already lost homes, livelihoods, and loved ones, only to face death once again under the cover of darkness.

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Israeli Attack on Gaza School: A Pattern of Systematic Violence

This latest strike is not an isolated incident but part of a relentless pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure since Israel launched its military campaign in October 2023. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 70,660 Palestinians have been killed, and over 171,165 injured, many suffering life-altering wounds such as amputations and spinal trauma. Among the wounded, nearly 44,500 are children, as reported by UNICEF.

Palestinian armed group Hamas condemned the bombing as a “brutal crime against innocent civilians” and a “flagrant, repeated violation” of the ceasefire agreement that officially took effect on October 10, 2025. Despite the truce, Israeli forces have continued daily killings in Gaza, with health authorities reporting 395 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire began—a figure that underscores the fragility of the peace and the persistence of lethal operations.

View OCHA’s latest humanitarian report on Gaza (December 2025)

Footage shared by local journalist M. Shebrawy showed Israeli tanks continuing to fire toward the school and surrounding homes even after the initial strike. “The situation now in Al-Tuffah neighborhood… Israeli tanks are continuing to fire toward the school and nearby homes,” read the post, accompanied by harrowing images of smoke rising over shattered concrete.

International law is unequivocal: schools, hospitals, and shelters are protected civilian sites under the Geneva Conventions. Deliberate attacks on such facilities—especially when they house displaced persons—may constitute war crimes, as affirmed by the International Criminal Court and multiple UN human rights bodies.

Yet accountability remains elusive. Despite repeated condemnations from UN rapporteurs and global civil society, no meaningful consequences have been imposed on Israel for its systematic targeting of protected zones. Meanwhile, humanitarian access grows more restricted, and Gaza’s medical system—already decimated—struggles to treat the wounded without electricity, clean water, or surgical supplies.

Read UNICEF’s 2025 report on child casualties in Gaza

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Geopolitical Context: Impunity and the Erosion of International Law

The Israeli attack on Gaza school must be understood within a broader context of institutionalized impunity and the erosion of the rules-based international order. For decades, Israel has operated with near-total immunity from legal consequences, shielded by powerful allies—primarily the United States—which consistently veto UN Security Council resolutions calling for ceasefires or accountability.

This dynamic has enabled a doctrine of collective punishment against 2.3 million Gazans, confined to one of the world’s most densely populated territories with no safe escape. The use of heavy weaponry in urban areas, the targeting of food and water infrastructure, and the repeated bombing of schools and hospitals reflect not tactical errors, but a deliberate strategy of dehumanization and displacement.

Regionally, the attack further destabilizes an already fragile ceasefire and risks reigniting full-scale hostilities. While Egypt and Qatar work to mediate, Israel’s continued violations undermine trust in the truce and fuel resentment among Palestinian factions. Globally, the incident highlights the hypocrisy of Western powers that champion “rules-based order” while tolerating, and often arming, one of its most flagrant violators.

Moreover, the timing is significant. As the International Court of Justice considers South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, and as the ICC investigates potential war crimes, such attacks serve as real-time evidence of ongoing violations. Yet diplomatic silence—particularly from European capitals—sends a clear message: civilian lives in Gaza are expendable.

Review the ICJ provisional measures order in the South Africa v. Israel case

For the Global South, this moment underscores the urgent need for alternative mechanisms of justice and protection outside Western-dominated institutions. From the African Union to the Non-Aligned Movement, calls are growing for stronger support of Palestinian statehood, arms embargoes on Israel, and recognition of the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly.

Until then, schools in Gaza remain targets. Children remain casualties. And the world watches—again—as international law is trampled in real time.

Breaking | Israeli occupation artillery shells areas east of the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City. pic.twitter.com/aN7SITKc0t

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 19, 2025

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Francesca Albanese says a $35 billion Egypt-Israel gas deal breaches international law amid Tel Aviv’s genocidal war in Palestine.

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With an area of ​​140,000 square meters, the new terminal boasts modern passenger amenities and improved airport infrastructure, aiming to optimize the travel experience and operational efficiency.

With this expansion, the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity has doubled from 6 million to 13.1 million passengers per year.

New Delhi expects this increased capacity to strengthen Guwahati’s role as the main aviation hub in Northeast India and support the region’s growing tourism, trade, and economic activity.

The project was developed under a 50-year lease agreement and, in addition to alleviating congestion and improving connectivity, will create jobs and help meet the growing demand for air traffic.

Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, described the new terminal as a transformative project that will significantly improve regional connectivity and contribute to the state’s “Quality of Life” initiatives.

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According to the scientific body, the coldest temperature was recorded in the city of Pokrovsk, Yakutia, where the weather station registered -51.7 degrees Celsius.

The second coldest temperature was recorded at Sukhana weather station, also in Yakutia, with a reading of -49.4 degrees Celsius.

The third coldest place went to the Yakut village of Krest-Khaldzhai, where the temperature dropped to -48.7 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours, the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia stated.

The report also notes that, simultaneously in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia and South Africa recorded the top two spots on the list of the hottest places on the planet.

In Telfer, Western Australia, the air temperature reached 44.1 degrees Celsius yesterday, while the thermometer at Sydney Airport registered 42.6 degrees Celsius.

At the same time, the weather station in Upington, South Africa, recorded 39.2 degrees Celsius, according to Russian meteorologists.

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Analyst Bethy Arana, in a report published by Diario El Salvador, appealed to the masses in a population that polls point out that nothing is clearly defined on preference toward any political party (62 percent), despite the fact that the Nuevas Ideas party, currently in government, is supported by 29 percent, according to Cid Gallup.

“The call to these leaders is to listen to the people, to listen to the organizations. To Representative Claudia Ortiz, to “Chino” Flores,” Arana stated.

She described as very positive the proposal by the Secretary General of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) to broaden citizen participation in the party, which would allow non-affiliated members to run as candidates, as happened in 2008.

The race is still open with the likely participation of the FMLN, Vamos, and ARENA parties in the upcoming presidential elections on February 28, 2027.

Representative Claudia Ortiz, from the Vamos party, affirmed that “all options are on the table,” suggesting she might run as a candidate to challenge President Nayib Bukele in the elections, despite a Gallup poll showing the president with the support of nine out of ten Salvadorans.

The 2027 general elections will determine the president of the Republic, deputies, and municipal councils.

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According to the website wwe.giron.cu, the Matanzas-based theater group intends to recreate a concert featuring lesser-known works by the artist that deserve to be remembered.

The performance, entitled “Old Songs Always New,” will feature lesser-known works by the artist that do not deserve to be forgotten.

The director of Estaciones, Ruben Dario Salazar, noted that December is a month full of important dates for Cuban culture due to the birth of cultural icons such as Dora Alonso, Alicia Alonso, and Teresita Fernandez herself.

Old Songs Always New is part of Teresita Fernandez’s music, which is often overlooked, not popular, and didn’t achieve the fame of songs like “Vinagrito,” “Tintin la lluvia,” “Amiguitos vamos todos a cantar,” or “Dame la mano y danzaremos,” he explained.

The National Theater Award winner affirmed that the concert features a soloist like Olga Blanco, who has a beautiful voice and whose interpretive skill is among the best in the country.

She will be joined by actors from the play “Estaciones,” children from Gaby Sofi’s company, and professional dancers in a multidisciplinary performance, he pointed out.

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In his message, the president stated that he received the news with surprise and dismay, and highlighted the figure of “Nando,” as he was known, who distinguished himself as a fighter for independence and for his contributions to national politics.

“He always defended the best interests of the Angolan people with zeal and competence,” Lourenco remarked, and detailed the important positions he held in service to the Angolan state, such as Minister of the Interior, Prime Minister, Vice President of the Republic, and President of the National Assembly.

“His charisma, sense of justice, and good manners earned him the respect of both his peers and his adversaries, with whom he always maintained a cordial and respectful relationship despite their differing viewpoints,” the head of state emphasized.

He expressed his deepest condolences to his family, subordinates, and colleagues, as well as his many friends, wishing them strength and courage to overcome this difficult time.

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Luanda, 20 dic (Prensa Latina) El presidente de Angola, João Lourenço, expresó hoy condolencias a la familia del nacionalista Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, cuyo fallecimiento aconteció el pasado jueves en Luanda.

Cuerpo : El mandatario señaló en el mensaje que recibió la noticia con sorpresa y consternación, y resaltó la figura de “Nandó”, como era conocido, quien destacó como luchador por la independencia y por su desempeño en la vida política nacional.

“Siempre defendió los intereses superiores del pueblo angoleño con celo y competencia”, remarcó Lourenço y detalló los importantes cargos que ocupó al servicio del Estado angoleño, como los de ministro del Interior, primer ministro, vicepresidente de la República y presidente de la Asamblea Nacional.

“Su carisma, sentido de la justicia y buenas maneras le valieron la consideración tanto de sus pares como de sus adversarios, con quienes siempre mantuvo una relación cordial y respetuosa a pesar de sus diferentes puntos de vista”, enfatizó el jefe de Estado.

Significó que su pérdida deja un vacío en la vida pública angoleña que será difícil de llenar y dirigió a su familia, subordinados y compañeros; así como a sus numerosos amigos, su más sentido pésame y el deseo de que superen este difícil momento con valentía.

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A message published on the Ministry’s CubaMinrex website states that the date “reminds us of the importance of global cooperation in overcoming challenges.

For #Cuba, this has been a lifelong mission for more than 60 years. Solidarity will continue to be the best investment in our shared future.”

Every December 20, the international community commemorates International Human Solidarity Day, an event established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 through resolution 60/209, adopted on December 22 of that year. The date seeks to underscore the transformative power of cooperation and mutual support as fundamental pillars for building a more just, equitable, and humane world.

Beyond a simple symbolic recognition, the day constitutes an urgent call to collective action.

Faced with global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and humanitarian crises, solidarity stands not only as a universal value but also as an essential tool for ensuring the well-being of all peoples, according to the UN.

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