标签： South America

In a significant escalation of pressure against the Venezuelan government, U.S. authorities have seized a merchant oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking an extraordinary application of military force in the Trump administration’s counter-narcotics campaign. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized the operation as a direct presidential directive targeting the Maduro regime’s alleged systemic flooding of deadly drugs into the United States.\n\nThe seizure, described by officials as \”incredibly unusual,\” represents the most aggressive action to date in the administration’s pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in U.S. courts. The operation coincided with additional sanctions imposed on three of Maduro’s nephews, further intensifying diplomatic tensions.\n\nWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided a bifurcated justification for the action, stating that the administration was simultaneously combating both drug trafficking and the black market oil trade that funds it. \”We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes,\” Leavitt asserted.\n\nThe Justice Department obtained a warrant for the vessel based on its known transport of sanctioned oil. When questioned about the disposition of the confiscated oil, President Trump remarked, \”Well, we keep it, I guess.\”\n\nThis development occurs alongside a substantial U.S. military buildup in the region—the largest in decades—which has included lethal strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels. The campaign faces growing congressional scrutiny despite administration claims that such measures are necessary to stem the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs.\n\nVenezuela has condemned the tanker seizure as \”a blatant theft and an act of international piracy,\\” while Maduro maintains that the true objective of U.S. operations is regime change. In response to mounting pressure, the Venezuelan leader consulted with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reaffirmed support for Maduro’s sovereignty protection policies against external pressure.

In a dramatic public reappearance, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado addressed supporters in Norway on Thursday after eleven months in hiding. The event marked her first public appearance since receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, which was accepted on her behalf by her daughter the previous day for her relentless pursuit of democratic transition in Venezuela.

Machado, who has become the symbolic face of resistance against Venezuela’s 26-year ruling party, had been evading authorities since January 9th when she was briefly detained during anti-government protests in Caracas. From her hotel balcony, she waved to cheering crowds before delivering a determined message to reporters: “My return will be when we believe the security conditions are right, and it won’t depend on whether or not the regime leaves. It will be as soon as possible.”

The industrial engineer turned politician began challenging the establishment in 2004 when she co-founded Súmate, an organization that promoted a referendum to recall then-President Hugo Chávez. Her political trajectory intensified in 2010 when she was elected to the National Assembly with record-breaking votes, using her platform to boldly confront Chávez about his economic policies.

Despite winning the opposition’s presidential primary with over 90% of the vote in 2023, Machado was barred from appearing on the ballot by the ruling party-controlled judiciary. She subsequently threw her support behind former diplomat Edmundo González, campaigning extensively across Venezuela while facing government persecution that resulted in the arrest of numerous collaborators.

The July 2024 election saw González defeat President Nicolás Maduro by a two-to-one margin according to opposition records, but the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner. The government responded to nationwide protests with brutal repression, arresting over 2,000 people allegedly involved in plots to oust Maduro.

While Machado’s unquestioning support for Trump administration policies has created some divisions within the opposition, she remains steadfast in her mission. On Thursday, she called for concrete action from international democracies, stating: “The one who has declared war on Venezuelans is the Maduro regime. In criminal systems, we need the world’s democracies to support our citizens.”

In a significant judicial ruling, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has mandated the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention, declaring his continued confinement without legal authority. The decision marks a dramatic development in a case involving mistaken deportation and subsequent repatriation.

Mr. Abrego Garcia was initially deported to El Salvador in March and incarcerated in CECOT prison under the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations. The U.S. government subsequently acknowledged this deportation as erroneous and returned him to the United States to face human smuggling charges in Tennessee, where he has remained detained pending trial.

Judge Xinis’s ruling emphatically stated that since Abrego Garcia’s return from wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been ‘re-detained, again without lawful authority.’ The court found that the government lacks a valid removal order, thereby preventing any potential deportation proceedings at this time.

The case intersects with broader immigration policy controversies, as the Trump administration contends Abrego Garcia maintains affiliations with the MS-13 criminal organization—an allegation he consistently denies. This spring, administration officials transported numerous migrants accused of gang affiliations to Salvadoran prisons, despite existing court orders specifically prohibiting Abrego Garcia’s transfer to El Salvador.

While separate criminal proceedings regarding human smuggling charges continue in Tennessee—where Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty—Judge Xinis determined that his immigration detention lacked legal justification. The federal court in Maryland handling his deportation challenge has ordered his release under conditions set by the Tennessee court overseeing his criminal case.

In a significant political development, former Bolivian President Luis Arce has been taken into custody by authorities in La Paz as part of an ongoing corruption investigation. The 62-year-old leader, who completed his presidential term last month, faces allegations related to his previous tenure as economy minister during Evo Morales’ administration (2006-2019).

The arrest warrant issued by Bolivia’s Interior Ministry specifies charges of “breach of duty and uneconomical conduct,” centering on accusations that Arce authorized illicit transfers of public funds to personal accounts of political figures. The investigation connects to a long-running probe into the Indigenous Peoples Development Fund (Fondioc), where millions intended for community projects were allegedly diverted to non-existent or abandoned initiatives.

Attorney General Roger Mariaca confirmed that Arce exercised his right to remain silent during police interrogation. The former president will remain in custody overnight before undergoing judicial proceedings to determine whether he will be detained pending trial. Mariaca explicitly denied allegations of political motivation behind the arrest.

The case has drawn strong reactions from both sides of Bolivia’s political divide. María Nela Prada, Arce’s former colleague, denounced the detention as “a total abuse of power” and maintained his innocence. Conversely, current Vice-President Edmand Lara characterized the arrest as part of a broader anti-corruption initiative, declaring that “all those who have stolen from this country will return every last cent and will be held accountable before the law.”

This development occurs within weeks of centrist candidate Rodrigo Paz’s electoral victory in October, which concluded nearly twenty years of dominance by the leftist MAS party that Arce represented. President Paz, upon assuming office last month, announced the discovery of extensive corruption within previous leftist governments. The new administration has already arrested six former executives of state oil company YPFB on similar charges, signaling a robust anti-graft campaign.

Under Bolivian law, outgoing executive branch members are prohibited from leaving the country for 90 days following a government transition, facilitating the current investigation into Arce’s activities during his ministerial service.

OSLO, Norway – Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado broke her eleven-month silence on Thursday, declaring President Nicolás Maduro’s administration has reached its most vulnerable state following decisive U.S. actions including the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker. The prominent dissident, speaking publicly for the first time since emerging from hiding, pledged to return to her homeland to continue the democratic struggle when security conditions permit.

Machado’s reappearance coincided with her daughter accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf in Oslo on Wednesday. The opposition leader specifically credited the Trump administration’s recent measures for significantly weakening Maduro’s grip on power. “The regime previously operated with impunity,” Machado told international journalists. “Now they comprehend the seriousness of global scrutiny.”

The political activist carefully avoided endorsing military intervention when questioned about potential U.S. action against Maduro’s government. She emphasized that her return timeline would be determined by security assessments rather than the regime’s status.

Her dramatic public reemergence from a hotel balcony before emotional supporters followed months in hiding since her brief detention during Caracas protests in January. Machado’s international journey occurred against the backdrop of escalating U.S. military operations in the Caribbean that have resulted in numerous casualties, actions the White House claims target drug trafficking but which many interpret as pressure on Maduro’s government.

The Nobel laureate called for concrete international support beyond diplomatic statements, urging governments to cut off resources derived from illegal activities that sustain repressive regimes. The 58-year-old opposition leader, who won a primary election but was barred from challenging Maduro in the 2024 presidential race, met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre who committed support for building democratic institutions in Venezuela.

Machado revealed little about her covert travel from Venezuela but acknowledged U.S. assistance in her journey, which flight data indicates originated from Bangor, Maine. Her political stand-in, retired diplomat Edmundo González, sought asylum in Spain following an arrest warrant, complicating the opposition’s leadership structure.

The opposition leader concluded with a defiant message: “We decided to fight until the end and Venezuela will be free.” She indicated having contingency plans for underground operations should Maduro remain in power upon her return.

In a dramatic appearance marking her first public outing since January, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado defied travel restrictions to personally accept the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. The political dissident, who had maintained a low profile following Venezuela’s contentious 2024 presidential election, emerged on the balcony of Oslo’s Grand Hotel to ecstatic cheers from supporters gathered below.

Machado’s journey to Norway culminated in an emotional balcony moment where she placed her hand over her heart and joined supporters in song before personally greeting the crowd. The Nobel Institute recognized her tireless campaign for “achieving a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy” in Venezuela, making her the latest symbol of democratic resistance in authoritarian regimes.

The ceremony took place against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Venezuela and the United States. On the same day as Machado’s appearance, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. military seizure of an oil tanker near Venezuelan waters, alleging connections to “illicit oil shipping networks supporting foreign terrorist organizations.” The Venezuelan government promptly condemned the action as outright piracy.

Machado’s daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, initially accepted the award on her mother’s behalf during the formal ceremony, as speculation mounted about whether the opposition leader would risk international travel despite government prohibitions. The Nobel committee earlier released audio confirmation of Machado’s determination to attend, featuring her declaring: “I will be in Oslo, I am on my way.”

In previous statements following her Peace Prize recognition, Machado notably praised President Trump, who has openly expressed his own aspirations for the prestigious award while maintaining military pressure on Venezuela’s government. The coincidence of these events highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics surrounding Venezuela’s political future.