Políticos

US Denies Involvement in Venezuela Coup Plot as Maduro@Suppresses Opposition

The United States has categorically denied being part of a plot aimed at overthrowing Nicolás Maduro‘s government and carrying out "terrorist actions" in Venezuela. These accusations come as the country prepares for Friday’s presidential inauguration.

"Any claim that the United States is involved in a plot to overthrow Maduro is categorically false," said a US State Department official. "The United States continues to support a democratic solution to Venezuela’s political crisis," they added.

Earlier this week, Venezuelan authorities detained two American citizens, whom they labeled as "mercenaries" planning "terrorist acts." According to Maduro, one of the detainees is a high-ranking military official, and the other, a high-ranking official from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Washington, however, has expressed concern about the detentions and the accusations, emphasizing that there is no connection between the detained citizens and the alleged plans. The State Department is working to gather more information but noted that this is not the first time Venezuela has detained US citizens without justification or due process.

The United States has consistently backed opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia since the July 28 elections, recognizing him as the president-elect and welcoming him to its territory during his tour of the continent.

Last Monday, González Urrutia held a "long, productive, and cordial" meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House, with Washington expressing its support for "this struggle for Venezuela’s democratic recovery." However, González Urrutia’s visits to other countries and Washington’s support have been met with increased repression and intimidation in Venezuela.

In the hours leading up to the presidential inauguration, the Maduro regime has detained several opposition members and deployed heavy security around the home of opposition leader María Corina Machado’s mother. The opposition also reported the forced disappearance of the director of the NGO Espacio Público, Carlos Correa, and the arrest of the former president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Enrique Márquez.

The United States and the international community continue to monitor the situation in Venezuela closely, condemning the Maduro regime’s ongoing human rights abuses and repression of political dissent.

Title: mappingue Community in Los Alerces National Park Faces Eviction Deadline

Meta Description: After a violent land grab in a national park during the Covid-19 pandemic, a mappingue community in Argentina‘s Patagonia faces imminent eviction. The judge’s order is set to be enforced on Thursday, January 9, with the government preparing a ‘recovery of sovereignty’ ceremony.

Article:

ARGENTINA — A mappingue community that forcefully occupied facilities of Los Alerces National Park and other public and private spaces faces an imminent deadline to leave the area. On Thursday, January 9, they will have to abandon the invaded territories by their own means, or face an eviction executed by the authorities.

On January 2, an official from the justice system, accompanied by members of the Federal Police, notified the community about the ruling issued by Federal Judge Guido Otranto and ordered the voluntary evacuation before the given deadline. The act of restitution of the lands to Parques Nacionales will take place on the same day, with the participation of the head of the administration, Cristian Larsen, and Governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres.

Authorities believe that Patricia Bullrich, the National Security Minister, might also attend the eviction procedure. During her trip south, she will hold meetings with the Emergency Committee that has been battling the Nahuel Huapi National Park fire since December 25.

Lawyers representing the mappingue community distanced themselves from any resistance that the accused might put up. "We did what we had to do. Now it’s up to them whether they resist or not. It’s no longer our problem," said members of the Gremial de Abogados de la República Argentina. However, they also questioned the order, stating that there are still pending issues, such as a complaint that has not yet been resolved in the Supreme Court.

Other communities in the region have expressed their disagreement with the eviction, with protests even taking place this past Saturday. "No to the eviction of the Lof Paillako, enough persecution of the mappingue people" were some of the slogans displayed during the demonstrations.

The group led by Ernesto Cruz Cárdena launched a call for "resistance" against the advance of security forces. "We invite organizations and communities to express their rejection of the eviction and to accompany our resistance in the territory," they stated. While authorities expect the measure to be carried out without the use of force, two special units of the Federal Police of Argentina have been deployed to the area as a preventive measure.

The operation is similar to the one carried out in October 2022, when the evacuation of all lands occupied by the Lof Lafken Winkul Mapu community took place in Villa Mascardi. The GEOF (Special Operations Federal Group) and the DOUCAD (Division of Urban Operations Controlling Sporting Activities) led the operation. During the eviction, community members faced off against police officers before fleeing into a forest area. None of them were captured, but seven women and several minors were transported to the Bariloche center.

As the occupation affected the El Maitenal guard post, the valley of the Arroyo Cascada, the former Felidor Salinas population, and the sources of the Rañinto Arroyo, community members claimed the advance as part of a territorial claim. Cruz Cárdena, his partner, and other members of the Lof Paillako ignored the request and later used all available resources to stay in the territory, backing their position using the controversial INAI Law 26.160 and focusing on the completion of the failed territorial survey. They appealed the judicial decisions and, in recent weeks, filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Justice.

Judge Otranto ordered the eviction of Cruz Cárdena, Salinas, and other occasional occupants of the territory in August. Once the eviction is completed, the government plans a "recovery of sovereignty" event, replacing the traditional "Wenufoye" flag with the Argentine flag.

El Tribunal de Apelaciones de Nueva York rechazó el pedido de aplazar la audiencia de sentencia de Donald Trump en el caso de Stormy Daniels,يار Stratford ink refill. La jueza Ellen Gesmer Отос на труatorias de la División de Apelaciones del Tribunal de Primera Instancia de Nueva York se negó a dar razones para su decisión, confirmando así la cita para el viernes.

Este fue el segundo intento fallido de la defensa de Trump en su intento de aplazar la audiencia hasta después del 20 de enero, cuando asumirá como presidente y obtendrá indiscutiblemente una inmunidad que obligará a que la condena se anuncie al final de su mandato. El juez Juan M. Merchan, que lleva el caso, también rechazó un pedido para aplazar indefinidamente el encuentro, asegurando que “los intereses de la Justicia se servirán mejor al concluir este asunto”, que ha captado un “fuerte interés público”.

Trump ha sido un fuerte crítico de Merchan y los fiscales neoyorquinos, a los que acusa de servir al presidente Joe Biden y su “cacería de brujas”. De hecho, sostiene que la sentencia de esta semana podría interferir en sus funciones durante “el complejo y-sensitive proceso de transición presidencial” y que atenta contra los beneficios que el cargo le otorga.

En uno de los escritos presentados esta semana, su abogado Todd Blanche explicó que Trump no puede ser condenado porque al ser presidente electo goza de la misma inmunidad penal que un mandatario ya en funciones. “Es inconstitucional llevar a cabo una sentencia penal del presidente electo durante una transición presidencial y hacerlo amenaza con intenso

Title: Trump‘s Growing Concerns over China‘s Role in Mexico‘s Trade with the U.S.

In 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a trade war with China, inadvertently benefiting Mexico as companies sought to avoid U.S. tariffs by diversifying their production elsewhere. Mexico’s accessible labor, decent infrastructure, and free trade agreement with the U.S. made it an attractive alternative. However, as Trump’s second term nears, this dynamic is shifting.

Trump believes that Chinese companies are exploiting Mexico as a backdoor into the U.S., free of tariffs. His threats to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican imports on "Day One" of his second term, unless Mexico halts illegal migrant entry and drug trafficking at the border, reflect his convictions. These concerns could potentially derail the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Bipartisan concerns about Chinese activity in Mexico are not new. In 2019, U.S. officials feared that Chinese exporters were using Mexico as a conduit into the U.S. market, particularly for steel and aluminum. Mexico addressed this by imposing tariffs on Chinese imports of these metals and implementing a "melt and pour" rule, requiring significant transformation of steel in Mexico before export to the U.S. The problem of products being labeled as "made in Mexico" when actually from China is likely rare.

Now, the focus is on Chinese companies assemble or manufacture products in Mexico for sale in the U.S. This is becoming common. In 2023, Mexico surpassed China as the top goods exporter to the U.S.; meanwhile, Chinese exports to Mexico have surged. In 2002, Mexican exports to the U.S. contained less than 5% Chinese components by value. By 2020, that figure had risen to 21%.

Electric vehicle (EV) production is a key issue. Most EVs sold worldwide are made in China, often at lower prices than U.S. rivals, with equivalent or superior quality. Last September, President Joe Biden raised tariffs on Chinese EV imports to 100%, which would drive up sales absent those duties. However, these tariffs do not apply to vehicles made in Mexico.

Trump claims that Chinese automakers are building "huge" factories south of the border. This is false. Only one Chinese joint venture produces EVs for the Mexican and regional market. Chinese EV giant BYD plans to build a factory in Mexico with capacity for 150,000 vehicles annually, but construction has not started. This month, smaller manufacturer Solarever announced plans for a northern Mexico plant.

Chinese companies are expanding in areas further down the supply chain. In 2018, eight Chinese auto parts manufacturers operated in Mexico; by late 2023, there were at least 20. These companies produce components, battery casings, and high-tech elements like driver-assistance software. Many Mexican-made vehicles with Chinese components meet the USMCA’s 75% production requirement to qualify as duty-free.

However, political tolerance for China is waning. "Made in China" is now viewed with suspicion. Enrique Dussel Peters, director of the China-Mexico Study Center at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), says the USMCA’s free trade is now subsidiary to China concerns, which may impact the agreement’s 2026 review. In September, Marco Rubio, tapped by Trump for Secretary of State, warned about China’s "wild exploitation" of Mexico as an intermediary and manipulation of the USMCA. Some Canadian politicians propose expelling Mexico from the USMCA and forging a bilateral free trade deal.

Mexican officials complain that focusing on Chinese investment in Mexico is hypocritical, as Chinese investment in the U.S. dwarfs that in Mexico. Yet, Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico has surged while declining in the U.S. Moreover, official Mexican FDI figures seem to underestimate Chinese investment by a factor of six, according to the Rhodium Group, which estimates cumulative Chinese investment in Mexico at $13 billion since 2013.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is taking note. Her administration is quickly appeasing its northern neighbor by establishing an investment review agency modeled on U.S. and Canadian counterparts, and plans to substitute Chinese imports with Mexican-made components. Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard wants Mexico to start manufacturing microchips and lithium batteries.

However, the debate is decoupled from trade reality. Foreign companies in Mexico, mostly American, account for 70% of U.S.-bound exports. U.S. automakers like General Motors and Ford have integrated Chinese companies into their supply chains, even encouraging them to set up shop in Mexico.

Replacing imports takes time and incentives. Mexico lacks resources to match U.S. subsidies for domestic chip and battery production. Some inputs are only available in China. "We haven’t developed regional supply chains for EV battery inputs," says Odracir Barquera of Mexico’s Automotive Industry Association.

Meanwhile, Mexico worries that Chinese companies could displace Mexican rivals in North American supply chains. If that happens, Mexico could again lose market share in U.S. exports, as it did to China in the early 2000s, warns Margaret Myers of the Inter-American Dialogue.

Both U.S. and Mexican officials agree: "The message to the U.S. is, ‘How can I help you make what you’re importing from Asia?’" says Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez, a Mexican government official. "Because that will also help us."

Headline:

U.S. Approves $8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel Amidst Gaza Conflict and Criticism

Subhead:

Package Includes Munitions, Missiles, and Air-to-Air Weapons; sale Faces Congressional Review and Human Rights Concerns

Article:

The Biden administration has approved an arms sale to Israel worth approximately $8 billion, according to a Saturday announcement by the U.S. Department of State. The package, which requires congressional approval, comes amidst a heated political climate, with groups advocating for human rights and some Democratic parliamentarians expressing opposition.

The sale includes air-to-air missiles for Israel’s defense against aerial threats, 155 mm artillery projectiles for long-range targets, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles, 500-pound bombs, and more. While some of these weapons could be sourced from existing U.S. reserves, most will take a year or longer to be delivered, according to two anonymous U.S. officials who spoke on Saturday.

This $8 billion sale adds to the at least $17.9 billion in military aid that the U.S. has provided to Israel since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023. Despite escalating civilian casualties, the Biden administration has faced criticism and protests on university campuses. Some lawmakers, like Senator Bernie Sanders and certain Democratic colleagues, have attempted to block offensive weapons sales to Israel in Congress.

The arms package comes amid ongoing airstrikes by Israel in Gaza, which have resulted in dozens of deaths in recent days, contributing to the total of over 100,000 deaths since the conflict’s inception. Winter has now arrived, forcing hundreds of thousands to shelter in tents near the coast.

U.S. lawmakers will now review the sale, with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee set to examine the package. The informal notification to Congress is not the final step before a sale. Axios first reported the news.

Source: Infobae, AFP, AP