Alarm and applause after US topples Maduro
America’s military assault of Caracas to grab Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro unsettled many US allies, but also impressed some who are supportive of Donald Trump.Trump said that the United States would “run” Venezuela and tap its huge oil reserves. Maduro and his wife were flown to New York City, where they face drug-trafficking and weapons charges.Countries such as China, Russia, and Iran, which have longstanding ties with Maduro’s government, were quick to condemn the operation. But the alarm was also shared by US allies including the EU. However Italy and Israel, whose leaders strongly back Trump, were more supportive.Here are the main reactions:- China -China called for Maduro to be “immediately released” in a condemnation of the US operation, which the foreign ministry said was a “clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter”.- Russia -Russia demanded the US leadership “reconsider its position and release the legally elected president of the sovereign country and his wife”.- North Korea -North Korea’s foreign ministry denounced the United States’ capture of Maduro as a “serious encroachment of sovereignty”.- Iran -Iran, which Trump bombed last year, said it “strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and a flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.- Mexico -Mexico, which Trump has also threatened with military force over drug trafficking, strongly condemned the US military action in Venezuela, saying it “seriously jeopardises regional stability”. – Colombia -Colombian President Gustavo Petro — whose country neighbours Venezuela — called the US action an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America which would lead to a humanitarian crisis.- Cuba -Cuba, a strong ally of Venezuela, denounced “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people”.- France -France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the US operation undermined international law, and no solution to Venezuela’s crisis can be imposed externally.But President Emmanuel Macron later said Venezuelans “can only rejoice” at Maduro’s overthrow.- Spain -Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the intervention “violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and militarism”.- EU -EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for “restraint” and respect for international law in Venezuela while emphasising Maduro “lacks legitimacy”.On Sunday the EU issued a statement signed by all member states save Hungary stating that respecting the will of the Venezuelan people was the only way to restore democracy.- Britain -Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK will discuss the “evolving situation” in Venezuela with the US while stating Britain will “shed no tears” about the demise of Maduro’s “regime”.- Italy -In a rare expression of support for the US operation by a major European country, far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — a Trump ally — argued the US military action in Venezuela was “legitimate” and “defensive”.On Sunday Meloni said she had spoken to Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado about a transition of power, with the two agreeing that Maduro’s removal opens a “new chapter” for the country.Trump has dismissed Machado as a potential successor to Maduro.- Israel -Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel supported the United States’ “strong action” in Venezuela to “restore freedom and justice to that region of the world”.- Ukraine -Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga focused on Maduro’s lack of legitimacy and the Venezuelan government’s repression, while backing “democracy, human rights, and the interests of Venezuelans”.- South Africa -South Africa, which Trump accuses of alleged discrimination — and even “genocide” — of minority white Afrikaners, said: “Unlawful, unilateral force of this nature undermines the stability of the international order and the principle of equality among nations.”- UN -UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed” by the US strikes, with his spokesman quoting him as saying it could “constitute a dangerous precedent”.- Pope -Pope Leo XIV said the “welfare of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over all other considerations”.burs-st/cc
Delcy Rodriguez: From Maduro’s ‘tigress’ to acting Venezuelan president
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodriguez is known for her anti-imperialist rhetoric, earning her the nickname “the tigress” from toppled leader Nicolas Maduro.A fierce defender of Maduro, who was snatched by US forces in an extraordinary raid early Saturday, Rodriguez is now seeking to portray herself as a steady hand to lead the country’s political transition.A lawyer by training, 56-year-old Rodriguez has served in successive governments of Maduro and his firebrand predecessor Hugo Chavez, including as foreign minister.Maduro’s vice president since 2018, she also assumed the role of minister of hydrocarbons in 2024 — a key post in a country whose economy depends on oil exports.Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, and US President Donald Trump has made clear that regaining access to that wealth is a key goal of his pressure campaign.”She has probably been one of Maduro’s most trusted people over the years,” political analyst Pedro Benitez of the Central University of Venezuela told AFP.Hours after Maduro’s capture, Rodriguez insisted he remained the “only president” of Venezuela, demanded his release, and said the government in Caracas stood ready “to defend” the country.Venezuela’s Supreme Court subsequently ordered her to assume presidential powers “in an acting capacity” — the first woman to hold the top post in the country, even temporarily.On Sunday, the military — which had repeatedly vowed loyalty to Maduro — recognized her as the country’s interim leader.- Driven by ‘revenge’ -Rodriguez wears pink, beige and green rather than the bright red colors traditionally donned by members of the Chavista movement — named after Chavez and led by the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).Her brother is Jorge Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela’s parliament, and their father was a Marxist activist who died in custody in 1976 under a then-center left government.The siblings “have been involved in every internal maneuver in which Maduro has pushed out any power centers that cast a shadow over him,” said Benitez.Another political scientist, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said it would take a lot for Rodriguez to recast herself as a moderate politician given her history.”The emotional fuel that got them (Rodriguez and her brother) where they are has to do with revenge,” he said, particularly for their father’s death.Rodriguez served as a lawmaker for many years before being taken up in successive Chavista governments, helped by her brother, a PSUV insider.”She didn’t have a political base of her own,” said Benitez.But she soon proved herself as a full-blooded Chavista, and became a Maduro confidante.From 2020 to 2024, while serving as both vice president and economy minister, Rodriguez cooled her incendiary rhetoric to make inroads with Venezuela’s business community, long demonized by socialist leaders.She eased trade controls in the de facto dollarized economy, providing a breather for business leaders who still view her as a savvy economic manager.Detractors call her cynical.- ‘The one who remains’ -Trump said Saturday that Rodriguez had expressed a willingness to work with Washington, while pouring cold water on the take-over prospects of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.Nobel Peace Prize laureate Machado, Trump said, did not have sufficient “support or respect” in Venezuela.On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would consider working with Venezuela’s remaining Chavista leaders if they make “the right decision.””We’re going to make an assessment on the basis of what they do, not what they say publicly in the interim,” he told CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”Trump meanwhile warned Rodriguez could face a fate worse than Maduro if she failed to heed US demands on policy reforms and oil access.”If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump told The Atlantic.Rodriguez is under US and European sanctions for allegedly undermining democracy and contributing to human rights violations.Political scientist Benigno Alarcon told AFP that even though Rodriguez still needs to be sworn in formally, she “already is” the de facto president.”That’s the reality of the matter… she’s the one who remains” in charge. For now.
France, UK conduct joint strikes against IS in Syria
Britain and France on Sunday said they had carried out joint strikes on the Islamic State group in Syria to prevent the Islamist extremists resurging.France said it was part of Operation Inherent Resolve, a US-led international offensive against IS in Iraq, Syria and also Libya.The British Ministry of Defence said it cooperated with France on Saturday night to strike an underground facility in Syria that had likely been used by the Islamic State group to store weapons.”Royal Air Force aircraft have completed successful strikes against Daesh in a joint operation with France,” the ministry said in a statement, using the Arabic acronym for IS.”This facility had been occupied by Daesh, most likely to store weapons and explosives. The area around the facility is devoid of any civilian habitation,” the statement added.The ministry said there was no indication the bombing north of the ancient site of Palmyra had posed any risk to civilians.The French armed forces said in a statement on X that as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the two NATO allies “carried out strikes against positions of the terrorist group Islamic State”. “Preventing the resurgence of Daesh is a major issue for the security of the region,” it added.IS was territorially defeated in Syria in 2019 but still maintains a presence, particularly in the country’s vast desert.Preventing the group from regaining strength is a major priority for the international community as Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, himself a former jihadist, seeks to shore up security in Syria after ousting former president Bashar al-Assad just over a year ago.Palmyra, home to UNESCO-listed ancient ruins, was once controlled by the jihadist fighters.Last month, Washington said a lone IS gunman in Palmyra attacked American personnel, killing two US soldiers and a US civilian. US forces said they struck dozens of IS targets in Syria in retaliation.
Incendie d’un bar en Suisse: hommage vibrant aux victimes à Crans-Montana
Des bougies, des fleurs, des applaudissements pour les secouristes et la foule qui chante “Hallelujah” de Leonard Cohen: un hommage a été rendu dimanche à Crans-Montana aux victimes de l’incendie d’un bar, le soir du Nouvel an, dans la station alpine suisse.Le feu qui a ravagé Le Constellation a été provoqué selon l’enquête par des bougies dites “fontaines”. Il a fait 40 morts et 119 blessés, principalement des adolescents et de jeunes adultes.De nouveaux hommages doivent être rendus le 9 janvier, décrété jour de deuil national en Suisse. Des centaines de personnes ont d’abord assisté à une messe, dans le froid, à l’extérieur de la chapelle Saint-Christophe de Crans bondée. La foule s’est ensuite dirigée en silence vers la chapelle ardente à proximité du lieu du drame, où des milliers de fleurs et des centaines de bougies ont été déposées.Des femmes, bouquets de fleurs à la main, essuyaient leurs larmes. Une vague d’applaudissements a jailli de l’arrière du cortège et la foule s’est écartée au passage des secouristes, souvent bouleversés.L’assemblée a entonné le morceau “Hallelujah” de Leonard Cohen.”En écoutant les chants, on est submergé par l’émotion, impossible de rester insensible”, a confié à l’AFP Beverley, une Britannique de 58 ans venue de Lutry, près de Lausanne. – Huit Français portés disparus -Les corps de 24 personnes, parmi lesquels onze mineurs et six étrangers, ont pu pour l’instant être identifiés. La police cantonale du Valais dénombre 18 Suisses, deux Italiens, un Français, un ressortissant ayant la double nationalité italienne et émiratie, un Roumain et un Turc.Mais les autorités italiennes ont fait état dimanche de six Italiens décédés, dont les corps de cinq d’entre eux seront rapatriés lundi. Et en France, le ministère des Affaires étrangères a indiqué dimanche soir que huit Français ont été jusqu’à présent identifiés parmi les morts et qu’un ressortissant est toujours porté disparu.Jusqu’à présent 113 des 119 blessés ont été identifiés, dont plusieurs étrangers. Trente-cinq patients grands brûlés ont été transférés dans des hôpitaux en France, en Belgique, en Allemagne et en Italie, selon les autorités fédérales suisses. En Suisse, les autorités ont ouvert une enquête pénale contre le couple de Français propriétaires du bar, Jacques et Jessica Moretti, pour “homicide par négligence, de lésions corporelles par négligence et d’incendie par négligence”.”Il n’a pas été ordonné de mesures de contrainte”, comme la détention provisoire ou l’assignation à résidence, car “il n’y a aucun soupçon” qu’ils veuillent prendre “la fuite”, ont indiqué la police et le ministère public du canton du Valais dans un communiqué dimanche soir.Ils indiquent que l’enquête se poursuit “afin de déterminer d’éventuelles autres responsabilités pénales et les circonstances exactes de cet incendie”.”En l’état des investigations, le départ du feu est lié à l’usage de +fontaines+. Il s’agit de corps non métallique contenant une composition pyrotechnique produisant des étincelles et des flammes”, soulignent-ils également. Ces éléments, fixées sur des bouteilles de champagne, ont enflammé le plafond du sous-sol du bar, selon des témoignages et vidéos. “Les premiers témoignages recueillis font mention d’un feu qui s’est propagé rapidement, générant beaucoup de fumée et une grande vague de chaleur”, indique le communiqué.La suite de l’enquête portera, notamment, “sur la conformité des travaux réalisés par les gérants, les matériaux utilisés, les voies de secours, les moyens d’extinction ainsi que sur le respect des normes en matière d’incendie”, ont résumé les autorités valaisannes dimanche. Elle examinera en particulier la pose au plafond d’une mousse, un matériau insonorisant. – Message du pape -Les vidéos du drame montrent des jeunes qui tentent désespérément de sortir du bar, d’une capacité maximale de 300 personnes.”Nous sommes ici pour dire que face à l’indicible, face à la brutalité de la mort et à la souffrance nous ne voulons pas détourner le regard. Nous sommes ici pour dire notre compassion, notre proximité”, a soutenu dimanche le pasteur Gilles Cavin, représentant l’Eglise évangélique réformée de Suisse, pendant la messe en hommage aux victimes.Sur la place Saint-Pierre au Vatican, le pape Léon XIV a lui exprimé dimanche sa “proximité avec toutes les personnes en deuil à la suite de la tragédie survenue à Crans-Montana”. “Je vous assure de ma prière pour les défunts, les blessés et leurs proches”, a-t-il dit après la prière de l’Angelus.