… Less than six months ago, Nicolás Maduro, the left-wing leader who had ruled the country since 2013, was seized by US forces in Caracas before being flown back to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. …
… Espriella is a lawyer and businessman with no prior political experience, who has nicknamed himself “El Tigre” (the Tiger.) As a lawyer his clients included Alex Saab, an ally of Venezuela’s ousted president Nicolás Maduro, who faces US charges of money laundering, and David Murc …
… In January, American forces seized then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from his compound in a dramatic overnight raid to face criminal charges in New York. …
… De La Espriella has attracted controversy over some of his past clients: he was the lawyer to Alex Saab, a close ally of the US-ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro who was recently charged with money-laundering. …
… Since the United States seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in the capital, Caracas, on 3 January, US pressure has led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners. …
… Wednesday’s indictment of the former Cuban president is seen by some as reminiscent of Trump’s seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. …
… In January, the US staged a military operation to seize former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and bring him to the US, after the Justice Department indicted him. …
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he has prepared contingency plans for a US invasion, which he described as low-risk and highly improbable, citing his responsibility to consider all possibilities as the US-Canada relationship changes under the Trump presidency. Trump's global tariffs and stated desire to make Canada the 51st state prompted the war gaming, though Trump has said an invasion is "highly unlikely" and that he would rely on economic pressure instead.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he has prepared contingency plans for a US invasion, which he described as low-risk and highly improbable, citing his responsibility to consider all possibilities as the US-Canada relationship changes under the Trump presidency. Trump's global tariffs and stated desire to make Canada the 51st state prompted the war gaming, though Trump has said an invasion is "highly unlikely" and that he would rely on economic pressure instead.
With pro-Putin legislators now dominant in Russia's parliament after recent elections, Putin appears prepared to continue the full-scale invasion of Ukraine despite battlefield losses and economic damage. Russian media suggests Moscow is emboldened by Ukraine's shortage of air defence missiles and expects intensified strikes this winter.
Human rights group Justicia, Encuentro y Perdon reported that 39 political dissidents were freed from Venezuelan prisons between Friday and Saturday following a second round of negotiations between the interim government and opposition with US backing. The releases included eight women accused of "narco-terrorism" in 2021 and six people accused of working with the United States in a 2020 attempt to overthrow former President Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado faces uncertainty about when to return home from abroad after the Trump administration privately asked her to delay her homecoming following June earthquakes. Machado has repeatedly promised to return and currently plans to travel to the United States before coming back, focusing on pushing for fair elections in Venezuela.
Diesel prices in the US have hit $5.85 per gallon, an all-time high, as the US-Israel war with Iran drives up wholesale oil costs. President Trump has pledged to lower fuel prices through an oil development deal with Venezuela involving 17 strategic fields and over $100 billion in investment.
U.S. Oil Company North American Blue Energy Partners will take over oilfields previously controlled by Chinese and Russian firms as part of an oil production agreement announced by President Trump with Venezuela. The company granted the U.S. government a 35 per cent stake and preferential access to 20 per cent of its production.
President Trump announced the US has reached an agreement with Venezuela to control more than 65 billion barrels of its proven oil reserves, which Trump said would more than double American oil reserves and lower gas prices. Secretary of State Rubio said the deal would bring nearly $100 billion in private investment to Venezuela and support thousands of jobs.
Venezuela's crumbling port terminals are capping crude exports at 1.25 million barrels per day despite higher production, with tankers facing up to 30-day delays due to ageing infrastructure, power outages, and quality issues. The infrastructure bottleneck is complicating U.S. efforts to quickly boost Venezuelan oil exports and creating disputes over demurrage costs.
The US has offered $1bn to Colombia hours after right-wing populist Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as president. De la Espriella, an admirer of Donald Trump, vowed an "all-out war" on drug cartels in his inaugural speech, and the US said the security package would help achieve shared goals including fighting organised crime and illegal immigration.
Over 5,300 people have died and more than 16,500 were injured in powerful twin earthquakes that devastated Venezuela's northern coastline; tens of thousands remain missing and families continue searching for loved ones.
A Pew Research Center study of over 42,000 people in 36 countries found that in 25 of those countries, more respondents held favourable views of China than the US—the first time the organisation has recorded such results since tracking global sentiment since 2002. While the US was seen as respecting personal freedoms more than China, China was seen as interfering in other countries' affairs less than the US, and respondents expressed low confidence in both Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, though Xi scored higher.
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, with the second reaching magnitude 7.5, killing more than 900 people and injuring 3,360 others according to government figures. La Guaira in the north was hit hardest, with dozens of buildings destroyed and many people still missing as international rescue workers arrive to assist in search efforts.
Abelardo de la Espriella, endorsed by Donald Trump and pledging military action against armed groups and drug trafficking, has narrowly won Colombia's presidential election with 49.7% of votes counted, defeating left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda's 48.7%. Cepeda has not conceded, saying the preliminary count is not yet official.
President Donald Trump announced that the US military killed Niño Guerrero, leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, in an airstrike coordinated with Venezuelan authorities. The gang has been designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the Trump administration.
Colombia's presidential election will go to a runoff on 21 June after Sunday's vote produced no outright winner. Right-wing Abelardo de la Espriella, a Trump admirer, topped the vote with 43.7%, while left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, an ally of current president Gustavo Petro, received 41%.
Violent clashes have erupted between inmates and security at a prison in the Venezuelan state of Barinas after prisoners protested alleged mistreatment including violent searches, solitary confinement, and shootings. Prisoner rights organisations say inmates at Injuba jail have been complaining for over a week about conditions under the prison's new director.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba poses a "national security threat" and the likelihood of a peaceful diplomatic agreement is "not high," while Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused him of spreading "lies" and denied the island had ever threatened the US.
China and Russia have condemned the US decision to charge Cuba's former president Raúl Castro with murder over the 1996 downing of two planes. The Kremlin said the pressure being exerted on Havana "borders on violence," while China called on the US to stop using "coercion" and "threats" against its ally.
The US has charged former Cuban leader Raúl Castro with conspiracy to kill US nationals and murder over the 1996 shooting down of two aircraft belonging to Brothers to the Rescue, killing four people including three Americans. President Díaz-Canel called the charges a political manoeuvre without legal foundation.
Cuba's foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez has accused the US of building a "fraudulent case" for military intervention after Axios reported, citing classified intelligence, that Cuba possessed 300 attack drones and was discussing striking US targets including Florida. Rodríguez stressed that Havana "neither threatens nor desires war."
A 31-year-old suspect from Torrance, California, was arrested after shots were fired inside the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night. According to law enforcement sources, the suspect told officials he wanted to shoot members of the Trump administration; police said security and the suspect exchanged fire, and he was taken to hospital for evaluation.