Mark Rutte meets Vodolymyr Zelensky in Brussels ahead of European Union summit.
During a meeting on Thursday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte tacitly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to implement the “energy ceasefire” announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Good to see President Zelensky in Brussels. We talked about the importance of implementing an energy ceasefire,” Rutte said in a social media message accompanied by a photograph with the Ukrainian leader, who is in the Belgian capital to attend a European Union summit on Friday as a guest.
Rutte also said they discussed “NATO allies’ continued support for Ukraine,” among other things through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, launched by the alliance so that allies can buy U.S. military materiel to send to Kyiv.
Through social media, Zelensky said the meeting with Rutte served to continue coordinating with NATO “greater protection and security for Ukraine.” He took the opportunity to blame Russia for having broken the energy ceasefire through attacks on energy infrastructure.
⚡️ On October 15 in Baku, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov directly rejected any potential ceasefire in Ukraine, explicitly countering US President Donald Trump’s October 11 announcement of an energy truce. pic.twitter.com/CB4Md9VTkN
He also complained about restrictions on Starlink satellite operations in Ukraine, asked that arms supplies to Ukraine continue, and insisted on the need to receive ballistic missile interceptors and ammunition for F16 aircraft.
The Brussels meeting comes a day after Russia launched an attack against three thermal power plants operating in the Kiev region and an attack against energy facilities in Kharkiv.
In statements to the Financial Times, Zelensky reaffirmed his willingness to continue the conflict and announced that “the ban (on attacking Russian refineries) has been lifted. That is enough.”
On Thursday, Russia confirmed that Ukraine attacked a refinery in Ryazan, a region 200 kilometers from Moscow. Yesterday, Russian authorities also denounced Ukrainian attacks on two other refineries in the Saratov and Ryazan regions.
The Kremlin assured that Russia has not violated any agreement given that the energy truce between Russia and Ukraine was never finalized.
El presidente de la FIFA retiró definitivamente la propuesta de inversión privada y anunció un incremento en los fondos de solidaridad, aunque federaciones europeas exigen su salida del organismo.
La aprobación de Donald Trump cae al 36%, su nivel más bajo en sondeos de Fox News. El costo de la vida domina las preocupaciones económicas de los estadounidenses a semanas de las elecciones de noviembre.
Un cargamento con insumos médicos y equipos de rescate partió hacia suelo panameño desde Venezuela, como parte de los protocolos de solidaridad e integración centroamericana.
Torrential rains that delivered 80 percent of Honduras’ projected annual rainfall in just 23 days have triggered landslides that destroyed homes and left dozens of families without shelter in Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela.
In just 23 days, the area received 80% of the rainfall projected for all of 2026, causing more than 250 severe incidents, according to the Honduran Centre for Atmospheric, Oceanographic and Seismic Studies (CENAOS) reports.
The collapses hit vulnerable areas hard. Residents said they lost houses that were under construction and complained of a lack of assistance from municipal authorities.
The Villa Unión neighborhood suffered some of the heaviest losses. Landslides there destroyed 13 homes completely. Several of the houses were still under construction when the ground gave way, burying years of savings in a matter of minutes.
Families said the destruction arrived without warning. They also reported that municipal authorities provided no assistance in the immediate aftermath, leaving them to dig through the rubble on their own and count their losses with no outside help.
In the nearby La Mololoa sector, the emergency unfolded with equal speed. Residents evacuated urgently across rooftops to get children away from advancing mud and water. Neighbors described moments of panic as the earth shifted beneath their feet.
#HonduredNoticias | Varias comunidades de Santa Cruz de Yojoa, Cortés, han tenido que abandonar sus hogares por las fuertes inundaciones ocurridas por la crecida del Lago de Yojoa. ® pic.twitter.com/vgDdiDuYCM
Text reads: “Several communities of Santa Cruz de Yojoa, Cortés, have had to leave their homes because of the severe flooding caused by the flood of Lake Yojoa.”
The risk is not confined to the sectors already buried. More than 700 neighborhoods and colonies across the Central District remain exposed to floods and geological failures, leaving whole hillside communities one storm away from the same fate. Residents of the hardest-hit areas said unfinished road works and inadequate drainage diverted torrents of water directly toward residential zones, causing damage for the second consecutive time.
En Tegucigalpa, Honduras, las lluvias provocaron derrumbes e inundaciones, dejando viviendas destruidas y personas albergadas.
Los cuerpos de socorro mantienen el monitoreo y las labores en los lugares de mayor vulnerabilidad.
Text reads: “In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the rains caused landslides and floods, leaving homes destroyed and people sheltered. The relief corps maintain monitoring and work in places of greatest vulnerability.”
Families Demand Relocation
The scale of the losses triggered citizen protests over what residents described as an insufficient delivery of basic supplies. In response, the Municipal Mayor’s Office of the Central District announced a temporary rental subsidy for displaced families.
Affected residents dismissed the subsidy as a stopgap measure that does not address the root of the problem. They demanded that the contractors responsible for the infrastructure works pay full compensation for the material losses suffered by the community.
Despite warnings of further landslides, dozens of evacuees are refusing to permanently leave the ruins of their homes for fear of looting. Civilians are calling for urgent intervention by the central government through permanent relocation projects that guarantee safety and the right to decent housing.
The central government had not publicly responded to those demands at the time of writing, according to the information available. Heavy rainfall on steep, densely settled hillsides is a recurring cause of landslides in Honduras’ capital, and families living in the most exposed areas are often the poorest. Whether the municipal subsidy and any future relocation plans reach those families will determine how long the emergency lasts.
The Cuban Book Institute (ICL) has formally endorsed the candidacy of Cuban writer María Elena Llana Castro for the 2026 Miguel de Cervantes Prize for Literature in the Spanish Language, through a letter sent to the competition’s jury. The institution highlighted her career spanning more than six decades and her contribution to contemporary Cuban narrative.
In the letter, the ICL—the governing body for the publishing, marketing, and promotion of books and serial publications, which operates under Cuba’s Ministry of Culture—described Llana Castro as one of the country’s most significant narrative writers. It noted that she received the 2023 National Literature Prize in recognition of her originality, stylistic skill, keen observation of the social environment in Havana, and her use of irony and humor.
The document underscored the author’s standing within the realm of Cuban fantastic literature and cited more than 15 published books. Among these, it highlighted La reja (Ediciones Revolución, 1965) and Casas del Vedado (Letras Cubanas, 1983)—a work that, according to the ICL, explored the fantastic dimension of the remnants of the former Cuban bourgeoisie.
The ICL also highlighted her work for younger audiences, including titles such as Sueños, sustos y sorpresas (Gente Nueva, 2011), Desde Marte hasta el parque (Gente Nueva, 2014), and Cuentos de viejos (Ediciones Aldabón, 2024).
La escritora María Elena Llana ha sido propuesta al Premio Cervantes 2026. Con esta nominación, se une Fina García Marruz,Dulce María Loynaz quien lo obtuvo en 1992 las únicas cubanas en ser postuladas al galardón constituye una conquista para la cultura cubana y su literatura. pic.twitter.com/Bk6WZNXiFA
The text reads, “The writer María Elena Llana has been nominated for the 2026 Cervantes Prize. With this nomination, she joins Fina García Marruz and Dulce María Loynaz—the latter of whom won the award in 1992—as one of the few Cuban women to be put forward for the honor; this represents a significant achievement for Cuban culture and literature.”
The ICL noted that Llana Castro’s short stories have been included in international anthologies and translated into other languages. Furthermore, it pointed out that her body of work has been the subject of academic study in Cuba, Spain, the United States, and Mexico.
Between 1959 and 1992, the candidate carried out extensive work across newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and the news agency Prensa Latina. According to the letter, this experience enabled her to develop a meticulous command of language—a quality evident in her body of work, which is rooted in philosophical, anthropological, and cultural themes.
The institute also highlighted her contributions to national radio, where she adapted works of world literature for the radio medium. Llana Castro has served as a professor of journalism and the Spanish language in Vietnam, Angola, Mexico, Cuba, and the United States; she is also a founding member of both the Union of Journalists of Cuba and the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba.
The ICL asserted that the 2026 Cervantes Prize would be a fitting tribute to her more than six decades of literary work, and urged that the significance of her legacy be taken into account.
A look inside the annual arms conference where radical religious ideology and corporate interests shape the future of American military policy.
The annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is one of the largest defense expositions and professional development forums in North America, and this year it was held from October 12 to 14.
Held annually in Washington, D.C., the AUSA brings together thousands of industry representatives, military personnel, defense contractors, and senior government officials.
The primary function of this convention is to showcase advanced military technology, foster business partnerships between the private sector and the U.S. Department of Defense, and deliberate on future defense budgets and operational strategies.
During the event, major defense corporations display advanced weaponry, armored vehicles, communication systems, and software platforms designed for modern warfare.
Usually, U.S. government representatives attend to outline procurement priorities and communicate strategic defense goals to contractors. This interaction helps set the trajectory for military spending, which accounts for a substantial portion of the federal budget.
Observers note that the discussions held during these annual meetings offer clear indicators of where future U.S. defense allocations will flow, reflecting broader geopolitical strategies and priorities established by Washington policymakers.
AUSA: Institutional Origins and Systemic Implications
The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) originated in 1950, emerging from predecessor organizations during the early years of the Cold War.
The formation of the association coincided with a significant expansion of the U.S. military establishment and the defense planning that characterized the mid-twentieth century.
Its founders sought to create a unified advocacy group that could represent the interests of the active-duty army, the National Guard, the Army Reserve, and civilian defense industries.
The broader implications of the association’s work involve maintaining continuous alignment between military requirements and industrial capacity. By facilitating close interaction between military leadership and corporate executives.
The AUSA annual meeting provides a structured environment where retired generals, active-duty commanders, and corporate lobbyists negotiate priorities. This environment often features a revolving door, where former government officials and military officers transition into advisory or executive roles within defense contracting firms.
Around 750 firms and companies from the global defense industry participated in the 2026 annual meeting, including Global Military Products and Teledyne FLIR, alongside major, long-established contractors such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and RTX.
Bipartisan continuity has defined the relationship between successive U.S. administrations and the Association of the United States Army. Democratic and Republican administrations alike have utilized the platform to signal commitments to robust defense budgets, modernization programs, and global military readiness.
War Sec. Pete Hegseth at AUSA (Oct 14): the "arsenal of freedom" means rebuilding America's defense industrial base like nothing since WWII — going from 5 big prime contractors to 10 or 15 and opening the door to new companies.
At the AUSA annual meeting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a keynote address that laid out the administration’s strategic blueprint for U.S. military transformation.
Hegseth centered his remarks on a massive proposed expansion of defense spending, emphasizing a $1.5 trillion investment request aimed at fundamentally restructuring the United States armed forces.
In his address, Hegseth framed this requested spending allocation as a necessary measure to maintain global military dominance and prepare the military for potential large-scale conflicts.
Hegseth pointed specifically to geopolitical competition with China and ongoing military tensions involving Iran as primary drivers requiring accelerated procurement and strategic readiness.
A central focus of Hegseth’s presentation was the rapid integration of autonomous systems, robotics, and artificial intelligence into standard combat operations. Hegseth detailed plans for scaling autonomous warfare platforms, highlighting initiatives such as Project Agincourt and the establishment of a dedicated Task Force Autonomous Warfare within Special Operations Command.
Hegseth outlined a strategy to deploy low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous sea vessels, and automated targeting systems designed to operate alongside conventional ground forces.
To support this rapid transition, Hegseth called for shifting acquisition methods toward commercial technology marketplaces, urging defense contractors to speed up manufacturing or risk losing federal contracts.
During the panel, anti-war demonstrators interrupted the proceedings to protest U.S. foreign policy and military aid decisions. Demonstrators raised concerns regarding humanitarian crises, citing conditions in Gaza and opposing military escalation toward Iran.
While WARSec Pete Hegseth was speaking about autonomous warfare at the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition anti-war protesters interrupted his speech four times.
They were shouting "We fucking hate you! You're a fucking war criminal!"
— Feisty is proud to be a Democrat! (@FeistyLibLady) October 14, 2026
Christian Nationalism and Hegseth’s Advocacy for Arms
Pete Hegseth’s public career reflects a commitment to expanding weapons production and dereglating military procurement. Before his appointment to lead the Department of Defense, Hegseth served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard with deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.
Following Hegseth active service, he led conservative advocacy organizations, including Concerned Veterans for America, and spent several years as a television host on Fox News.
Throughout his media and political career, Hegseth consistently advocated for larger defense budgets, streamlined regulations for weapons manufacturers, and a rollback of internal administrative oversight within the Pentagon.
Hegseth’s political philosophy intersects significantly with explicit religious frameworks rooted in Christian nationalism. In public appearances, writings, and keynote speeches, he has frequently referenced historical religious concepts to describe military service and national defense.
The U.S. War Secretary bears tattoos associated with historical Crusader symbolism, including the Jerusalem Cross and the Latin phrase Deus Vult.
In his address to military personnel and defense leaders, Hegseth emphasized spiritual health alongside physical readiness, stating that the military is putting on the full armor of God to fight what he described as a fundamental spiritual battle between good and evil.
Analysts note that integrating explicit religious rhetoric into defense policy discussions serves to legitimize high levels of defense spending and aggressive foreign posturing.
By framing international relations and military conflict through an absolute moral binary, this perspective positions armaments production and technological military dominance as central elements of national defense strategy.
Pete Hegseth, the so-called Secretary of Defense, announced today: "At my direction, I'm establishing the Office of Religious Affairs. It will report straight to the top, a direct line to the secretary." He then quoted Psalm 33:12: "Blessed is the nation in which God is the… pic.twitter.com/LbReRdqHJF
— Aprajita Nafs Nefes 🦋 Ancient Believer (@aprajitanefes) September 30, 2026
The Real Cost of Imperial Modernization
The annual gathering of the Association of the United States Army highlights the structural connections between corporate arms manufacturing, federal fiscal allocation, and political ideology.
The event serves as an operational forum where state actors and private defense contractors align around shared priorities, securing multi-billion-dollar trajectories for military procurement and autonomous weapons technology.
Pete Hegseth’s address encapsulated this alignment, bridging massive spending proposals with an ideological campaign designed to reshape the internal culture of the armed forces.
Internationally, the acceleration of autonomous warfare and expanded force projection elevates the risk of regional conflicts and global instability.
The integration of radical religious nationalist rhetoric and traditionalist warrior doctrines further complicates diplomatic efforts, reducing complex geopolitical issues to binary operational imperatives.
Ultimately, examining the AUSA convention and its key addresses reveals how modern U.S. military expansion operates as both an economic driver and an ideological platform. The convergence of commercial defense interests, far-right cultural politics, and state power creates a durable apparatus focused on permanent war readiness.
Sources: teleSUR – Al Jazeera – Al Mayadeen – TRT World – Anadolu Agency – Press Tv – Xinhua – CGTN – BBC – CNN – Los Angeles Times – NYT – El País – EFE – DW – Democracy Now – The Guardian.
The agreement will allow CNN to receive compensation for the use of its intellectual property.
On Thursday, U.S. television network CNN announced an agreement with technology company Google to integrate generative artificial intelligence technologies into its news platforms.
“With this partnership, we are opening new avenues for audiences to access CNN’s exceptional journalism while receiving compensation for the distribution and use of our exclusive intellectual property in connection with AI products,” stated Sam Felix, senior vice president of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development.
The agreement will allow the use of experimental features designed to analyze and enhance audience engagement by exploring new ways to consume and distribute journalistic content.
“Google’s innovation in generative AI has transformed the way people discover information and content, and these tools will now help us explore new ways to be discovered and connect with audiences,” Felix added.
Of course, The Jakarta Globe asked me how I see AI tools influencing newsrooms — both in terms of opportunities and risks.
The U.S. network explained that its partnership with Google is part of the company’s AI strategy, “which ensures the protection of its intellectual property.”
The agreement is also part of a broader pilot program by the technology company to incorporate its AI technology to drive traffic to media outlets.
“CNN’s deal comes months after it sued Perplexity AI for copyright infringement after both companies failed to reach a licensing deal, its first legal case against an AI company over the unauthorized use of its journalism. At the time, a CNN spokesperson said the network ‘actively embraces the opportunities AI creates,’” Variety recalled.
“It also reflects the impact Google’s AI summaries in its search engine have had on news organizations, many of which have highlighted how the responses have eaten into their web traffic. Penske Media Corporation, the parent company of Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone and more, sued Google last year over the decline, though a federal judge dismissed the case earlier this month,” it added.
Durante la fase de alegatos de cierre, la representación legal solicitó penas de cárcel e inhabilitación profesional para el equipo médico por homicidio simple con dolo eventual y homicidio culposo.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has described the approval of the Proposed Constitutional Amendment (PEC 221/2019) as a historic achievement. The amendment puts an end to the 44-hour workweek, establishing a new maximum of 40 hours per week, distributed over five working days and two paid rest days.
The constitutional reform—a key commitment of the Brazilian government—will directly benefit approximately 22 million workers who were previously employed under a “6×1” schedule, consisting of six days of work followed by one day of rest.
Brazil’s Senate ratified the amendment in two rounds of voting, with 75 votes in favor and one against—the latter cast by Senator Hamilton Mourão. This decision comes five months after the Chamber of Deputies initially approved the proposal, and 11 days ahead of the presidential runoff, scheduled for October 25.
Far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, who had initially opposed the measure, shifted his position and voted in favor remotely from Porto Alegre. Progressive senators, including Teresa Leitão, labeled this move as opportunistic and warned of the need to remain vigilant against any potential attempts to overturn the new regulation.
A escala 6×1 acabou! ❤️🇧🇷
Uma conquista histórica para milhões de trabalhadores e trabalhadoras, que agora terão mais tempo para descansar, estar com a família, cuidar de si e viver.
Quem constrói o Brasil todos os dias também merece tempo para viver.
The text reads, “The 6×1 schedule is over! A historic achievement for millions of workers, who will now have more time to rest, be with their family, take care of themselves, and live. Those who build Brazil every day also deserve time to live. It’s Brazil ready for more!”
Timeline and safeguards
The transition to the “5×2” model will not be immediate. According to the established timeline, 60 days after the official publication of the amendment—expected in February 2027—the maximum weekly working hours will be reduced from 44 to 42.
Subsequently, 14 months after the amendment is enacted—in December 2027—the limit will be set at 40 hours per week. The regulation also establishes a maximum daily limit of eight working hours. The constitutional text expressly prohibits any reduction in wages—whether proportional or affecting the minimum wage—across professional categories.
Furthermore, it delegates the organization of rest periods to collective bargaining agreements, prioritizing Sundays, while allowing for flexibility in sectors such as healthcare, security, and public transport.
While labor unions supported the measure, business sectors expressed their opposition, arguing that it could lead to higher costs per hour worked and the risk of a contraction in employment. The right-wing opposition also signaled its intention to revise the legislation should it gain control of the executive branch.
For individual micro-entrepreneurs and small business units, the reform provides for a supplementary law that includes state support mechanisms designed to cushion the impact of the transition and sustain formal employment targets.
Within the public administration, existing service contracts will have a period of up to 12 months to adjust their operational and financial frameworks to the new limits on working hours.
With the approval of PEC 221/2019, Brazil has begun a restructuring of its labor market aimed at reducing precarious working-hour arrangements in Latin America’s largest economy.
La escudería estadounidense confirmó la incorporación del joven sudamericano para ocupar el asiento de Esteban Ocon tras su destacado paso por las categorías formativas.
Decenas de miles de jóvenes se movilizaron en Tirana contra el régimen de Edi Rama, denunciando la falta de oportunidades, la especulación inmobiliaria imperialista y el colapso del sistema universitario.
They appeared before Judge Hellerstein after the U.S. Attorney’s Office accused them of ‘conspiracy to commit torture.’
On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and legislator Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to the new charges filed against them by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Oct. 8.
They appeared in the Southern District Court of New York before Judge Alvin Hellerstein after the Attorney’s Office accused them of “conspiracy to commit torture” and extended the charge of “conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism” to Flores. The latter charge, however, had only weighed against Maduro.
When asked by the judge about the charge of “conspiracy to commit torture,” Maduro pleaded not guilty and asserted that the charges are based on “false accusations and testimony against his person.” His wife, Flores, declared herself “completely innocent” and “not guilty” of the new charges.
Both told the judge they had been informed by their attorneys of the new indictment and had received a copy of it in Spanish. This was one of the few times both could be heard speaking since they were brought before the U.S. justice system in January.
After their statement, the hearing focused on the schedule ahead. The judge postponed the start of the trial until June 14, 2027, which initially had been set for June 1.
No other hearing is expected to be held until December. The last hearing before the trial begins will take place on June 7. The defense requested more time to prepare its response to the new indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Following the new indictment, Maduro and Flores are charged with conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S., possession and conspiracy to possess weapons of mass destruction, and conspiracy to commit torture.
⚖️ La defensa del presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro, secuestrado durante una operación militar en Caracas, pidió desestimar el caso en su contra en Estados Unidos, con base en la inmunidad soberana, según el archivo judicial digital.#teleSUR#Venezuela#EEUUpic.twitter.com/BmCjAbnLsj
The text reads, “The defense team for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro—who was seized during a military operation in Caracas—has requested the dismissal of the U.S. case against him, citing sovereign immunity, according to digital court records.”
A Maneuver to Extend Their Imprisonment
Legal analysts consider that the “conspiracy to commit torture” charge would seek to prevent the case against Maduro and Flores from collapsing given that there is no overwhelming evidence to cover multiple legal gaps.
The Attorney’s Office was forced to remove from the indictment the argument that President Maduro led the nonexistent Cartel of the Suns, which during the months before the invasion of Venezuelan soil the White House presented as a platform for drug trafficking.
On Oct. 8, Judge Hellerstein denied the request by Flores’ defense to grant her bail and allow her to serve pretrial detention under house arrest at a private residence in New York.
The defense’s request was based on the deterioration of Flores’ cardiac health — she turns 70 on Oct. 15 — with episodes of chest pain, arrhythmias and a weight loss of more than 11 kilos since her kidnapping.
Her defense attorneys stated that she requires medical treatment and recovery outside of prison, and included GPS monitoring and other security measures.
The magistrate argued that there is an alleged risk of flight. In addition, he noted that the guarantees offered are insufficient.
Upon presenting the new charge, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche — who was an attorney for President Donald Trump and is known for the political instrumentalization of the judicial system — stated:
“A new indictment has just been unsealed that replaces the previous one, charging Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture, including the alleged torture of U.S. citizens over more than two decades.”
From the first moment of this case, Maduro questioned the legality of the kidnapping and invoked sovereign immunity. “I am the president of Venezuela, I consider myself a prisoner of war,” he stated during the first hearing of the trial. For her part, Flores claimed immunity as first lady.
Added to the above are objections from the legal team defending them, which has objected to the legality of the kidnapping, questioned the territorial jurisdiction of U.S. courts and denounced the blocking of licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for the financing by the Venezuelan government of their legal fees. Defense attorneys Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly denounced those obstacles as violations of the Sixth Amendment.
In September, Deputy Attorney Jason A. Richman, co-chief of National Security of the Federal Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, submitted his resignation amid questions over the judicial proceedings against the Venezuelan leaders.
Richman, who led and supervised the indictment against Maduro and Flores from its earliest stages, sent a letter to Hellerstein informing him that he is leaving the Federal Attorney’s Office as of Sept. 25. He offered no further details.
The official’s resignation is considered in legal circles as a significant loss for the U.S. government’s strategy and occurred less than nine months before the trial against Maduro and Flores, scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027, in the Southern District Court of Manhattan.
Manifestación en Brooklyn en apoyo el presidente venezolano, Nicolas Maduro y su esposa Cilia Flores. pic.twitter.com/5QjStnhDep
The text reads, “Demonstration in Brooklyn in support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.”
Brief Chronology of the Case
Jan. 3, 2026: After bombing Caracas and other Venezuelan cities, U.S. special forces kidnap President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores and illegally transfer them to the United States. The invasion left more than a hundred people killed, including civilians and military personnel, and a similar number of wounded. Delcy Rodriguez, then executive vice president, assumes as acting president.
Jan. 5: Maduro and Flores attend their first appearance in New York. Both plead not guilty and are held at the Federal Detention Center in Brooklyn.
July: Attorney’s Office and defense agree that the oral trial will begin on June 1, 2027, with a prior hearing on Nov. 17.
Sept. 9: Cilia Flores’ defense requests bail and house arrest. The judge orders medical records to remain sealed.
Sept. 25: Deputy Attorney Jason A. Richman resigns.
Oct. 8: Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejects the request for bail for Cilia Flores. On the same day, the Attorney’s Office presents the new indictment.
Oct. 15: The hearing is held in which the Attorney’s Office presents new accusatory charges (conspiracy to commit torture). Maduro and Flores plead innocent.
The judge accepts a request from the Attorney’s Office and the defense to postpone the start of the trial by two weeks, which was rescheduled for June 14, 2027. The next hearing was scheduled for Dec. 17.
La Federación Española impuso una multa económica y el cierre parcial de Vallecas por el lanzamiento de objetos que suspendió el partido ante el Athletic Club.
The Maison de l’Amérique Latine (MAL) celebrated its 80th anniversary this Thursday against a backdrop of uncertainty: the Bank of France has put up for sale the two 18th-century mansions that have housed the institution since 1965, with a valuation of 100 million euros.
The 6,791-square-meter property consists of the hôtels particuliers of Varengeville and Amelot de Gournay, located on Boulevard Saint-Germain in the heart of Paris. The bidding process could be concluded before the end of 2026, and the future buyer will be under no obligation to maintain the MAL’s cultural activities at the site.
According to reports from French media, potential interested parties include businessman Xavier Niel and Bernard Arnault, owner of the LVMH group.
Several Latin American embassies in France have launched a public petition to ensure that the Latin America House does not cease its operations. The diplomatic missions emphasized that the institution is particularly vital for smaller embassies, which lack the resources to organize exhibitions or cultural events in a city with such high real estate costs.
Mexico’s Ambassador to France, Blanca Jiménez Cisneros, and Panama’s representative, Joanna Villarreal, attended the event commemorating the MAL’s 80th anniversary.
The petition has garnered over 25,000 signatures, including those of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and former French Prime Ministers Dominique de Villepin, Bernard Cazeneuve, and Jean-Marc Ayrault.
“It would be a tragedy for the institution to disappear in the very year we mark our 80th anniversary. We will fight until the end,” stated the institution’s president, Jean-Marc Laforêt. Cultural and Diplomatic Space
Founded in 1946 on the initiative of then-French President Charles de Gaulle, the House of Latin America (in spanish Casa de América Latina) was established in recognition of the support provided by Latin America and the Caribbean to Free France during the Second World War.
For eight decades, the institution has served as a meeting point between France and the region, hosting exhibitions, conferences, and cultural activities. Among the notable figures it has welcomed are former Bolivian President Evo Morales and Commander Hugo Chávez.
Former French ambassador Alain Rouquié, the long-standing president of the House of Latin America (in spanish Casa de América Latina), has championed the entity’s autonomous and independent nature. He noted that while the institution receives public funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its primary source of revenue comes from renting out the rooms within its historic mansions.
“We have sought to remain free, and that has required significant effort,” stated Rouquié, who considers it essential to remain in the current premises and maintain the model of renting out space to ensure the institution’s continuity.
Rouquié reported that the Bank of France has been attempting for 23 years to evict the institution from the premises it has occupied since 1965. He recalled that in 2003, the then-president Jacques Chirac intervened to halt a sale, requesting that Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin stop the transaction.
Latin American art specialist Christine Frérot compared the situation of the MAL (Latin American House) to that of the Arab World Institute, which receives greater support from public funds. According to 2025 data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Latin American House receives an annual subsidy of 25,000 euros.
Former French-Argentine deputy Paula Forteza, founder of the collective Artivistas, linked the defense of the institution to the international political climate. “As the far-right grows globally, spaces like this become especially important,” she stated.
Bolivian visual artist Kenia Almaraz Murillo also voiced her support for the continued existence of this cultural space, joining Frérot and other prominent figures from the artistic and diplomatic spheres.
Presidente iraní denuncia las agresiones y el bloqueo de EE.UU., y destaca la unidad popular frente a los intentos imperiales de desestabilización interna.
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