A guide compiles images and data of 82 species of macrofungi recorded in a park in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which harbors a diversity of these organisms fundamental to ecosystems and that often go unnoticed in urban green spaces.

Ecuador Records 15 Ant Species for the First Time: A Guide Records 82 Species of Macrofungi in a Park in the Capital of Ecuador

The work, which included the participation of researchers linked to the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), the National Institute of Biodiversity of Ecuador (Inabio) and a company focused on the study of fungi known as Mycena LLC, was carried out in the Guangüiltagua Metropolitan Park, one of Quito’s emblematic natural spaces.

🍄#NuevaPublicación | El #INABIO, en colaboración con la Reserva Ecológica Sumak Kawsay In Situ y la @ueaeduec, presentó la "Guía fotográfica y descriptiva de Macrohongos Sumak Kawsay In Situ". Descárgatela aquí: https://t.co/yO1FyJJyQD pic.twitter.com/Ca1TY2b1Hw

— INABIO.EC (@INABIO_EC) July 3, 2026

The document presents species and records from different taxonomic groups, including representatives of the orders Agaricales, Auriculariales, Boletales, Gomphales, Russulales, and Trechisporales, as reported by Inabio in a statement.

“The images allow observing the variety of forms and characteristics of the identified macrofungi, from umbrella mushroom specimens to coral-like structures and shelf fungi that grow on various substrates such as leaf litter, tree trunks, and on the ground,” added the Ecuadorian entity.

The guide offers a visual tool to recognize the variety of macrofungi in the forested area and highlights the importance of continuing to document the biodiversity of the fungi present in the natural spaces of the Ecuadorian capital.

According to Inabio, the record also represents an opportunity to bring scientific research closer to the public and encourage interest in the observation and conservation of Quito’s natural heritage.

Lula Flávio Bolsonaro debate begins Sunday on Band as both candidates clash over Brazil’s future one week before the October 25 runoff.

Related: Lula Signs Constitutional Amendment Reducing Brazil’s Workweek to 40 Hours

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Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro Face Off in First Debate

The Lula Flávio Bolsonaro debate takes place Sunday in São Paulo as Brazil’s presidential runoff enters its final week.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro will meet for the first time in a televised debate promoted by the Band television network.

The encounter is considered a crucial moment in the campaign, which will conclude with the runoff election on October 25.

The debate will be broadcast live from Band’s studios in São Paulo beginning at 8:00 p.m. Brasília time. It is expected to last approximately two hours.

The program will be transmitted through a media pool that includes Band, TV Gazeta, TV Cultura, Jovem Pan and the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.

The debate will also be available through BandNews TV, BandNews FM, Bandeirantes radio, Band’s YouTube channel, Band’s website and the BandPlay platform.

The two candidates have avoided a direct confrontation throughout the first round. Their decision to participate in Sunday’s debate therefore marks a significant change in campaign strategy.

During the first round, Lula chose not to participate in televised debates. Instead, he gave interviews to TV Record and the Flow podcast at times that coincided with other candidates’ debate appearances.

Flávio Bolsonaro, meanwhile, had conditioned his participation on Lula’s presence. As a result, the two candidates avoided facing each other directly during the first-round campaign.

The situation changed after both candidates advanced to the runoff. Lula said that debates had become more important because the contest is now one-on-one.

“Now it is important to have television debates, because now it is face to face, now it is one against one,” Lula said.

Flávio Bolsonaro also changed his position after Lula confirmed his attendance. The senator had initially rejected the invitation but later said he would participate.

He publicly challenged Lula on social media, saying that the president had agreed to attend only after Bolsonaro said he would not participate.

“Lula, you are so predictable, aren’t you? As soon as I said I would not go to the debate, the next minute you said you would go. Of course I’m going, I just wanted you to confirm it,” Bolsonaro wrote.

The exchange reflects the high level of tension between the two campaigns as Brazil approaches a closely contested runoff.

Lula Flávio Bolsonaro Debate Format Explained

Band presidential debate rules | Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court

The Lula Flávio Bolsonaro debate will include three main blocks.

The first and third blocks will begin with questions from journalists. The candidates will then have time for direct exchanges, allowing them to question one another, respond to criticism and offer rebuttals.

The second block will also include direct confrontation between the two candidates.

The format gives each candidate freedom to manage their speaking time during the direct exchanges. They may move around the studio, ask questions and respond to their opponent without following a fixed timetable for every intervention.

The format is designed to encourage direct confrontation rather than limiting the candidates to short scripted responses.

Band’s anchors Eduardo Oinegue and Adriana Araújo will moderate the debate and ask questions on behalf of the network.

The questions are expected to cover major policy issues, including the economy, health care, education, public security and social programs.

The candidates will also deliver opening statements and closing remarks. Those moments will allow them to present their main proposals and make direct appeals for votes.

A draw determined the order of responses and the candidates’ positions on stage. Flávio Bolsonaro will stand on the left side of the studio, while Lula will occupy the right side.

The debate will provide the first opportunity for viewers to compare the candidates’ personalities, arguments and responses under pressure.

The encounter is especially important because recent polls have shown a narrowing gap between the two candidates.

A Datafolha survey published on October 10 gave Lula 50 percent of valid votes in a runoff scenario, compared with 50 percent for Flávio Bolsonaro. The result indicated a technical tie.

A Quaest poll published on October 15 showed a similar result, with Lula receiving 49 percent and Bolsonaro 51 percent among valid votes. The difference was within the survey’s margin of error.

Those figures mean that the debate could influence undecided voters and those who may still change their minds.

The candidates will seek to define the terms of the campaign. Lula is expected to defend his government’s economic record, social programs and international diplomacy.

Flávio Bolsonaro is expected to criticize inflation, crime, public spending and the performance of the Workers’ Party government.

The debate may also address Brazil’s international relations, including its position on the war in the Middle East, relations with the United States and cooperation with Latin American countries.

The candidates’ contrasting visions of Brazil are likely to become a central issue. Lula represents a progressive project based on social inclusion, public investment and multilateral diplomacy.

Flávio Bolsonaro represents a conservative project that emphasizes public security, lower taxes, reduced state intervention and closer alignment with right-wing forces.

TV Globo Prepares Final Debate Before Runoff

TV Globo election coverage | Reuters coverage of Brazil’s election

Attention will quickly turn to the second Lula Flávio Bolsonaro debate, scheduled for October 23 on TV Globo.

The final debate will take place in Rio de Janeiro, two days before the runoff vote.

TV Globo is Brazil’s largest television network, and the debate is expected to reach a much larger audience than the Band encounter.

The program will be moderated by journalist César Tralli and broadcast after the network’s main evening news program, Jornal Nacional.

The debate will also be transmitted simultaneously by GloboNews and the G1 news portal. Viewers will be able to follow the event through TV Globo, GloboNews, G1 and Globoplay.

The Globo debate is expected to be the last major televised confrontation before Brazilians vote on October 25.

Both campaigns are still evaluating their final participation, although the event has been formally scheduled by the network.

The debate could be decisive if the race remains close. Candidates may use the final encounter to address undecided voters and reinforce their core messages.

The runoff campaign has been marked by intense mobilization in the streets, social media disputes and accusations between the two camps.

Lula’s supporters have accused Meta platforms of censoring accounts linked to the president, while Bolsonaro’s campaign has promoted claims of government bias and economic mismanagement.

The accusations have increased tensions and made the debates even more important as a space for direct confrontation.

The first-round campaign was marked by a lack of direct debates among the leading candidates. The runoff has changed that dynamic because the election is now limited to two contenders.

The debates give voters a clearer opportunity to evaluate each candidate’s proposals and responses to criticism.

They also allow candidates to correct false statements, challenge their opponents’ records and present their plans for government.

The outcome of the runoff will determine Brazil’s political direction for the next four years. It will also influence the country’s economic policy, environmental agenda and international relations.

Geopolitical Context

The Lula Flávio Bolsonaro debate has implications beyond Brazil because the country is Latin America’s largest economy and a major global agricultural producer.

The election will affect Brazil’s approach to climate policy, the Amazon, trade, regional integration and relations with China, the United States and the European Union.

Lula has promoted a more active role for Brazil in multilateral institutions and has sought closer ties with countries in the Global South.

His government has emphasized cooperation with China, support for regional integration and a diplomatic approach to international conflicts.

Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign is associated with a more conservative foreign-policy orientation and closer alignment with right-wing governments and movements.

The election will therefore influence debates over Brazil’s role in the world and its relationship with the United States.

The runoff is also taking place amid heightened political polarization. The two campaigns represent competing visions of Brazil’s democracy, economy and social model.

Lula’s supporters see the election as an opportunity to preserve social programs and protect democratic institutions.

Flávio Bolsonaro’s supporters argue that Brazil needs a change in direction to address crime, inflation and economic stagnation.

The debates will provide voters with a final opportunity to compare those visions before casting their ballots.

The first debate on Band and the final encounter on TV Globo could play a decisive role in determining who will govern Brazil after October 25.

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Venezuela popular consultation lets more than 5,400 communes choose from 37,205 community projects, expanding participation to condominium boards.

Related: Venezuela Holds the Second National Popular Consultation of 2026

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Venezuela Popular Consultation Becomes Democratic Tradition

The Venezuela popular consultation is taking place across the country on Sunday, October 18, as more than 5,400 communes choose between 37,205 community development projects.

Venezuela’s Sectoral Vice President for Planning, Ricardo Menéndez, said the Second Popular Consultation of 2026 reaffirms the principles of grassroots democracy and strengthens the country’s participatory political system.

Menéndez described the consultation as a space that brings neighbors together to improve daily life and build broad national consensus.

The official said the exercise has become part of the democratic culture of the Venezuelan people. He argued that participation has gradually become a cultural practice within each commune, helping to create a new form of government and reorganize the state.

Menéndez linked the process to the political project promoted by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who has called for the redesign of state institutions around community participation.

The consultation allows residents to decide which projects should receive public financing and which priorities should guide local development.

The process is based on proposals selected during open community assemblies. Residents first identify local needs, then rank projects and submit them for a national vote.

The initiative seeks to move beyond traditional representative democracy by giving communities a direct role in allocating public resources.

More than 5,418 communes are participating in the vote. Each community is choosing among seven projects selected during assemblies held in the weeks leading up to the consultation.

The projects were developed through the Concrete Action Agendas, a planning process designed to identify local needs and organize community priorities.

The proposals address basic services and infrastructure needs, including drinking water, road repairs, school rehabilitation, health centers, electricity, public lighting, agriculture and sports facilities.

The consultation is taking place in 11,495 voting centers across Venezuela. Authorities said the centers will remain open as long as voters are waiting in line.

The process is supported by more than 12,700 electoral tables and approximately 48,086 communal councils organized within the country’s communes.

Unlike ordinary elections, the popular consultation allows citizens aged 15 and older to participate. The rule expands participation to young people who are not yet eligible to vote in general elections.

🇻🇪 Venezuela inicia hoy 18 de octubre la Segunda Consulta Popular Nacional de 2026. Millones de ciudadanos participan en más de 11.000 centros de votación*en todo el territorio nacional. #18Oct #ConsultaPopular2026 #ConsultaPopular #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/bNHaAyEqay

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) October 18, 2026

Venezuela Popular Consultation Expands Participation

Venezuela’s Ministry of Popular Power for Communes | Venezuela’s National Electoral Council

The Venezuela popular consultation includes a major new feature: for the first time, condominium boards are participating in the process.

Approximately 120,000 condominium boards and neighborhood organizations are voting on 428 projects related to health, school rehabilitation, roads, agriculture and sports areas.

The inclusion of condominium boards expands the consultation beyond the traditional communal councils and communes that have participated in previous editions.

The change reflects an effort to involve urban residents who organize through apartment buildings and housing associations rather than through formal communal structures.

The government says the incorporation of condominiums will allow resources to reach communities that previously had limited access to participatory budgeting.

The initiative is also intended to strengthen links between residents, local authorities and state institutions.

The 428 condominium projects were selected through assemblies held in buildings and residential complexes. Residents identified needs such as repairs to common areas, water systems, electrical installations, elevators, roofs and access routes.

The projects are concentrated in several states, including Anzoátegui, Aragua, Carabobo, Lara, Miranda, Zulia and Caracas.

The pilot program covers approximately 40,097 families and includes 461 condominiums and 83 neighborhood organizations.

Authorities say the experience will be evaluated before condominium boards are incorporated more broadly into future consultations.

The expansion is significant because urban housing has become a central issue in Venezuela. Many buildings require maintenance after years of limited investment, economic pressure and damage caused by natural disasters.

The consultation also responds to the impact of the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. Some communities have proposed projects to rehabilitate vulnerable housing and repair public infrastructure affected by the tremors.

The government says the process ensures that resources are directed according to community priorities rather than decisions made exclusively by central authorities.

The consultation is the eighth national popular consultation organized since 2024 and the second held during 2026.

The first consultation of 2026 took place on March 8. The second was originally scheduled for July 12 but was postponed because of the June earthquakes.

Delcy Rodríguez announced the new date after community organizations requested additional time to address the damage caused by the seismic events.

The consultation is therefore taking place amid reconstruction efforts in areas affected by the earthquakes, including La Guaira and other parts of central Venezuela.

The government has emphasized that the process is supported by Article 70 of the Venezuelan Constitution, which recognizes referendums, consultations and other forms of direct participation.

The constitutional framework provides the legal basis for citizens to participate in decisions affecting public life, including the selection of local development projects.

Community Projects Target Basic Services

Venezuela’s Ministry of Planning | Venezuela’s Communes and Social Movements

The Venezuela popular consultation is designed to direct public resources toward projects identified by residents themselves.

The proposals reflect the immediate needs of communities across the country. Water supply is one of the most common concerns, with approximately 14 percent of the projects related to improving access to drinking water.

Water shortages have affected many Venezuelan communities because of damaged infrastructure, irregular electricity supply and limited maintenance capacity.

Other projects focus on road repairs, public lighting, electricity, school rehabilitation, health centers, sports facilities and agricultural production.

The projects are intended to address both immediate needs and longer-term development goals.

In Mérida state, for example, more than 1,700 community projects are being voted on. Local priorities include roads, water, education and public services.

In Caracas, communities have proposed projects to rehabilitate vulnerable housing damaged by the June earthquakes, repair building facades and improve communal spaces.

The consultation gives residents the opportunity to select the project they consider most urgent. The winning project is expected to receive financing, while other proposals may be included in a project bank for future funding.

The process is intended to prevent resources from being allocated according to political discretion or administrative convenience.

The government says the consultation is part of a broader effort to build what it calls a communal state. That model seeks to strengthen local organizations and give communities greater authority over public resources.

The communal model is based on the idea that citizens should participate directly in decisions affecting their neighborhoods, rather than relying solely on elected representatives.

The government argues that the consultation creates a new form of governance in which communities become the foundation of public planning.

Critics question whether the process has sufficient transparency and whether resources are distributed equitably across all regions.

They also point to Venezuela’s economic difficulties, including inflation, shortages and limited access to foreign currency, which can affect the implementation of approved projects.

The government has responded by saying that the consultation is a mechanism for organizing communities and directing scarce resources toward priority needs.

The participation of condominium boards and neighborhood associations could make the process more inclusive, but it also increases the administrative challenge of verifying projects and ensuring that funds are used correctly.

The consultation’s results will provide information about the priorities of Venezuelan communities. They may also influence future planning and budget decisions.

Geopolitical Context

The Venezuela popular consultation has political significance beyond local development because it forms part of the government’s effort to strengthen communal democracy.

The process is designed to consolidate the role of communes, communal councils and neighborhood organizations in public administration.

The government presents the consultation as a response to external pressure and as evidence that Venezuela’s political system remains active despite economic difficulties and international sanctions.

The consultation also has a regional dimension. Venezuela’s communal model has been promoted as an alternative to traditional representative democracy and has influenced political debates in other Latin American countries.

The inclusion of condominium boards could expand the model to urban communities that have historically been less connected to communal structures.

The process may therefore influence how other governments think about participatory budgeting, local planning and community organization.

The consultation is taking place during a period of reconstruction following the June earthquakes. The government is seeking to demonstrate that communities can participate in decisions about recovery and public investment.

The popular consultation also reinforces the government’s argument that public resources should be directed toward social needs rather than private profit.

The challenge will be to ensure that approved projects are completed and that communities can monitor their implementation.

The Venezuela popular consultation is therefore both a voting exercise and a broader political process aimed at reorganizing the state around community participation.

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Global South Media Center launches in China with teleSUR, Prensa Latina, Brasil de Fato and Pan Africa TV to strengthen Southern media cooperation.

Related: China Deploys Liaoning Carrier Strike Group to Western Pacific for Military Drills

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Global South Media Center Launches in China

The Global South Media Center was established in China on Sunday as a new platform for cooperation among media organizations from Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The initiative, known by its Spanish acronym CMPSur, was created by four media outlets with correspondents in China: teleSUR, Cuba’s Prensa Latina, Brazil’s Brasil de Fato and Ghana’s Pan Africa TV.

The launch took place during the Global South Academic Forum, held in Shanghai on October 17 and 18 under the theme “Global South Political Parties: Governance and Modernization.”

The forum brought together political leaders, academics, researchers and media representatives from Asia, Africa, Latin America and other developing regions.

Jeff Xiong, secretary general of the Global South Academic Forum, said the new media center seeks to strengthen joint journalistic production and build narratives from the perspective of the peoples of the South.

The platform aims to deepen links between China and other Global South countries while challenging the dominant communication frameworks of the Global North.

Xiong highlighted the role of the Global South Academic Forum in creating the conditions for multinational cooperation. He also expressed hope that additional media organizations from developing countries would join the initiative.

The Global South Media Center plans to expand the circulation of stories about China among audiences in Africa, Asia and Latin America through collaboration among outlets from different regions.

The initiative reflects a growing effort by Southern media to coordinate reporting, share content and develop common perspectives on development, governance and international relations.

The center will not replace the editorial independence of its founding organizations. Instead, it is expected to provide a framework for exchanging material, coordinating coverage and promoting joint productions.

The creation of the platform comes at a time when media organizations in developing countries face increasing pressure from concentrated technology platforms, algorithmic distribution and dependence on foreign digital infrastructure.

The Global South Academic Forum has become a space for discussing those challenges alongside broader questions of governance, development and international cooperation.

Global South Media Center Focuses on AI and Sovereignty

Global South Academic Forum | UNESCO—Media development and information

The Global South Media Center was announced during a panel on communication, party governance and social mobilization.

Participants discussed how media organizations can respond to the expansion of artificial intelligence and growing technological inequalities between developed and developing countries.

Alejandro Gómez, vice president of Prensa Latina, defended technological sovereignty and informational independence as essential conditions for Southern media.

He said developing countries must build their own capacities rather than relying exclusively on infrastructure and platforms controlled by external actors.

Gómez proposed the creation of a permanent training mechanism in artificial intelligence for journalists and media organizations in the Global South.

The initiative would be developed in cooperation with Chinese institutions and other specialized organizations. It could include training in AI-assisted reporting, data verification, digital security, content production and responsible use of new technologies.

The Prensa Latina executive also emphasized the need for Southern media to produce their own narratives about international transformations.

He argued that dominant global media frameworks often condition coverage of countries such as Cuba and limit the visibility of perspectives from developing nations.

The proposal reflects a broader concern that artificial intelligence may reinforce existing inequalities if Southern countries do not participate in the design, regulation and use of these technologies.

AI tools can help journalists analyze information, translate content, identify trends and improve audience engagement. However, they can also reproduce biases, amplify misinformation and concentrate power in companies that control the underlying models.

For media organizations in the Global South, the challenge is to use new technologies without becoming dependent on foreign platforms or losing control over editorial decisions.

The Global South Media Center could therefore play a role in training, research and the development of shared technological standards.

teleSUR President Patricia Villegas also defended South-South cooperation as a means of strengthening communication sovereignty.

She said media organizations in the South must reduce their dependence on digital infrastructures and technological platforms controlled by external actors.

Villegas warned about the influence of algorithms on the circulation of content. She argued that platforms can determine which stories reach audiences and which voices remain marginal.

The teleSUR president called for greater collaboration among Southern media, including the exchange of productions and the transfer of technological capacities.

She highlighted China’s role as a strategic partner for expanding communication cooperation and strengthening the ability of developing countries to produce and distribute their own content.

Villegas also referred to the creation of teleSUR+ in July 2026. The collaborative platform brings together audiovisual material, texts and photographs produced by media organizations and creators from the Global South.

She also mentioned the Global South correspondent network in Beijing, which includes Brasil de Fato, Prensa Latina and Brazil’s TVT, with the planned incorporation of an African media outlet.

The correspondent network provides a practical model for the new media center. It allows participating outlets to share reporting, coordinate coverage and reduce the costs of maintaining international bureaus.

Southern Media Seek a Common Global Voice

UNESCO—Global Media and Information Literacy | International Federation of Journalists

The Global South Media Center represents an effort to build a more coordinated voice for developing countries in the international information system.

Media organizations from the South often face unequal access to technology, advertising revenue, satellite capacity, distribution networks and international audiences.

Many outlets rely on platforms owned or controlled by companies based in the Global North. Those platforms can shape visibility through algorithms, moderation policies and commercial priorities.

The new center seeks to address that imbalance by promoting cooperation among media with shared interests in sovereignty, development and multilateralism.

The initiative also responds to the need for greater representation of Southern perspectives in coverage of China, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Mainstream media in the Global North have often presented developing countries through narratives focused on crisis, instability or dependence. Southern media organizations argue that those narratives ignore local experiences, historical context and the diversity of development models.

The Global South Media Center aims to provide alternative coverage that reflects the voices of communities, governments and social movements in the South.

The platform could support reporting on infrastructure, public health, education, food sovereignty, climate adaptation, digital governance and regional integration.

It could also promote stories about cooperation among developing countries, including China’s role in infrastructure, technology and trade.

The center’s creation is part of a wider effort to strengthen South-South cooperation in communication.

The Global South Academic Forum has promoted exchanges among academics, institutional representatives and media organizations on governance, development, international cooperation and the role of developing countries in global affairs.

The forum’s discussions have included state capacity, social mobilization, institutional innovation and the use of party organizations to strengthen governance.

Those themes are closely connected to the media agenda. Communication is not only a technical issue; it is also part of how societies organize political participation and respond to global challenges.

The panel in Shanghai emphasized that media organizations must prepare for the impact of artificial intelligence while defending editorial independence and public interest journalism.

Participants argued that technological innovation should not replace journalists but should support their work by improving research, verification and audience access.

The Global South Media Center could therefore become a space for developing ethical guidelines on AI, protecting journalists’ rights and promoting responsible use of new technologies.

Geopolitical Context

The launch of the Global South Media Center has geopolitical significance because communication has become a central arena of global competition.

Countries and media organizations increasingly compete to shape narratives about development, security, technology and international cooperation.

China’s role in the initiative reflects its growing engagement with Africa, Asia and Latin America. Beijing has expanded partnerships in infrastructure, trade, education and digital technology through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Forum and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

For Southern media, cooperation with China offers access to training, technology and new distribution channels. It also allows them to diversify their sources of information and reduce dependence on traditional Western media networks.

For China, the platform provides an opportunity to strengthen its image among Global South audiences and present its development experience through media organizations from the region.

The initiative does not eliminate political differences among participating countries. Media organizations in the Global South have different political systems, editorial traditions and national interests.

However, the center reflects a shared concern about technological dependence and the unequal distribution of global communication power.

The platform could also influence debates about digital sovereignty, data governance and the regulation of artificial intelligence.

Developing countries have increasingly argued that international standards should address the concentration of technological power and protect the right of nations to control their own digital infrastructure.

The Global South Media Center may become part of that broader discussion by promoting training, content exchange and cooperation among media organizations.

Its success will depend on whether participating outlets can sustain joint projects, develop shared standards and expand the initiative beyond its founding members.

The launch of the Global South Media Center marks an attempt to build a stronger communication network for countries seeking greater influence over the global information order.

SEO Title: Global South Media Center: 4 Outlets Launch Bold New Platform in China

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This Sunday, Venezuela holds the Second National Popular Consultation of 2026, the eighth since 2024, where communities vote to select state-funded development projects.

Venezuela Opens 12,769 Polling Stations for Community Vote: Venezuela Holds the Second National Popular Consultation of 2026

More than 5,418 communes will choose from 37,205 previously selected projects in community assemblies, with 11,495 polling stations open throughout the country as long as there are voters.

For the first time, condominium boards are participating. A total of 120,000 neighborhood organizations are voting on 428 projects linked to health, school rehabilitation, roads, agriculture, and sports areas.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces deployed more than 130,000 troops from the Republic Plan to protect 12,700 polling stations.

Citizens in Caracas and communities nationwide have begun voting in the 2026 National Popular Consultation to select local development and infrastructure projects for direct community funding.

Local communities in Petare and across the Capital Region are participating in the… pic.twitter.com/net5IbRrQw

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 18, 2026

This will be the eighth National Popular Consultation since 2024, and it is supported by article 70 of the Constitution as a means of popular participation and protagonism.

The number of participation instances (communes or communal circuits) has grown from 4,000 in the first consultation of 2024 to more than 5,300 in recent consultations.

The president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, has called on the population to actively participate in the 2026 National Popular Consultation to strengthen the work of popular power and citizen participation.

“So let’s go to democracy, to participation and to the emotion that always brings us to an election. Let’s choose these projects, like one of Villa Zoila, and we will have the best results for each project,” said Rodríguez yesterday during to the community of Villa Zoila.

Nationwide demonstrations left 150 security personnel injured, one person dead and a historic town hall in Limoges severely damaged by fire.

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French authorities reported 855 arrests in the Paris metropolitan area after nationwide protests on Saturday escalated into clashes, looting and property damage. One person died in Paris, while a fire severely damaged the historic town hall in Limoges.

RELATED: Demonstrations in Paris and Lyon Result in Significant Damage

The Paris Police Prefecture released the arrest figure on Sunday, covering cases recorded by 8 a.m. Investigations were continuing, including the review of video footage to identify additional suspects, authorities said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported 1,200 arrests nationwide as of 8 p.m. Saturday and said 150 police officers and gendarmes had been injured. A more recent national tally was not immediately available.

The demonstrations, organized by several groups including students, trade unions and former leaders of the Yellow Vests movement, drew 550,000 people nationwide, according to Nuñez. Organizers estimated attendance at more than 800,000.

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Text Reads: Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the number of people detained during the police crackdown on protests across various parts of the country.
The Ministry of the Interior reported that 550,000 people took part in demonstrations nationwide, 110,000 of them in Paris.
The demonstrations—which included students, “Yellow Vests,” and climate activists—were also met with a crackdown in Marseille, Nice, Lyon, and Lille.
Volunteer medics reported a disproportionate use of force, including the deployment of stun grenades, high-intensity sound devices, and pepper spray.

In Paris, 110,000 people took part in the scheduled march, according to the Interior Ministry. The demonstration began at Place de la République and proceeded without major incidents until its conclusion. However, the police prefecture reported that separate groups, including what it described as radical left-wing elements, attacked security forces and looted shops.

From mid-afternoon, several unscheduled marches involving hundreds of people, and in some cases more than 1,000, were accompanied by looting and vandalism. The damage was concentrated around Place de la République and also affected Boulevard de Sébastopol and Boulevard Saint-Honoré. Police said the situation had stabilized by around 11 p.m.

Thirteen members of the security forces and two firefighters were injured during operations in Paris. The police prefecture also reported that one person had died after suffering a cardiac arrest but provided no further details.

Damage remained visible in central Paris on Sunday morning, with shattered shop windows, broken glass scattered across streets and barricades made from bins, barriers, bicycles and street furniture.

Fire damages historic Limoges town hall

In Limoges, firefighters brought a major blaze at the city’s historic town hall under control on Sunday and were working to extinguish the remaining hotspots, Haute-Vienne Prefect Maurice Barate told French television channel LCI.

Authorities said several demonstrators had forced their way into the building on Saturday and deliberately started a fire inside. The flames spread to the upper floors and reached the roof, which subsequently collapsed.

Mayor Guillaume Guérin said the town hall had been almost completely destroyed but pledged that municipal services would continue operating despite the damage.

“They have destroyed a building that the people of Limoges love, but they have not destroyed the public service,” Guérin said. “A monument is burning, but not the Republic.”

Barate said around 5,000 people had taken part in the Limoges demonstration, including several hundred individuals he described as radicalized and extremely violent. After the attack on the town hall, some demonstrators moved toward the prefecture, while others looted businesses in the city center, he said.

The prefect condemned the attacks on public buildings and businesses, describing the fire as deliberate. Guérin expressed hope that those responsible would be arrested and argued that officers deployed during the protest had lacked sufficient resources to contain the violent participants.

Built between 1876 and 1883, Limoges town hall is a listed historic monument featuring architectural elements inspired by the late Renaissance and the reign of Louis XIII.

The complaint alleges excessive force during an October 16 university protest in Buenos Aires, where at least 550 people required medical attention.

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Argentina’s Provincial Commission for Memory (CPM) has filed a criminal complaint against President Javier Milei’s government and security officials over a police crackdown on a university protest in Buenos Aires that left at least 550 people requiring medical attention. The filing accuses security forces of abuse of authority, dereliction of official duties and other crimes.

RELATED: Argentina Abstains on UN Colonialism Vote Despite Malvinas Rhetoric

The complaint concerns the October 16 Federal University March and a demonstration against Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) 70 in Plaza del Congreso. It names the Unified National Security Command and authorities in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, alleging that the security operation exceeded legal limits.

The operation involved the Federal Police, Naval Prefecture, National Gendarmerie, Airport Security Police and Buenos Aires City Police. According to the CPM, officers intervened while the mass demonstration was underway, forcing university leaders to interrupt their reading of the main statement from the stage.

The commission reported that officers fired rubber bullets directly at protesters’ faces and heads and used water-cannon trucks against demonstrators. At least 550 people required medical attention, and at least 120 tear-gas grenades were fired, according to the organization.

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Journalists and human rights monitors injured

A CPM report documented injuries to 50 media workers and 15 members of the commission, which is chaired by Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and Dora Barrancos.

Among those injured were Página/12 photographer Guido Piotrkowski, who was struck twice in the chest by rubber bullets, and TeleSISA journalist Laura Quispe, who sustained nine rubber-bullet impacts.

Footage circulated by the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) showed officers aiming at protesters’ eyes. Later that evening, television cameras recorded Gendarmerie officers collecting spent cartridges from the streets and placing them in bags. The CPM raised concerns about the preservation of potential evidence.

Six people arrested during the demonstration

Six people were arrested during the protest and its dispersal. Two students from Nicolás Avellaneda School were detained at 5:11 p.m. at the intersection of Montevideo and Sarmiento streets.

One student, aged 14, was held for two hours. The other, aged 17, was charged with resisting authority and faces criminal proceedings under the recently introduced juvenile justice regime.

Police later arrested four adults — three men and one woman — at the intersection of Chacabuco Street and Avenida de Mayo. Human rights organizations said the woman, a student at the National University of Tres de Febrero, was stopped because she was carrying a Colombian flag. All four were charged with resisting authority.

Commission seeks records and independent investigation

The CPM’s complaint alleges that the actions of officers and their political superiors were coordinated and carried out under orders from senior officials who knowingly authorized the use of coercion outside the legal framework and in violation of Argentina’s international commitments.

The commission has asked the national and Buenos Aires city security ministries to provide a complete list of personnel deployed during the operation, details of the vehicles, weapons and equipment used, and copies of orders transmitted over police radio frequencies.

It is also seeking information about officers who photographed or filmed protesters, including whether they had prior judicial authorization, as well as footage from the city’s surveillance cameras.

The CPM has called for independent forensic examinations and for the collection, custody and analysis of testimony, commercial recordings and other evidence to remain under the control of the competent court or prosecutor. The request specifically excludes the security forces implicated in the events from handling that evidence.

Venezuela expects planned hydrocarbon investments to generate 324,000 jobs over the next five to 10 years, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez says.

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Venezuela expects $76 billion in investment in its hydrocarbon sector over the next five years, with projects projected to generate 324,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced Saturday.

RELATED: Venezuela Promotes Venezuela Feeds Plan and Local Economy Law to Achieve “Hunger 0”

Addressing the 2026 Energy, Oil and Gas Conference in Maracaibo, Zulia state, the Venezuelan Acting President reported that 61 hydrocarbon agreements had been signed, while another 44 remained under negotiation. She emphasized that the arrangements were intended to deliver returns for investors while benefiting the country.

The new energy contracts also include provisions for oil fields to generate their own electricity, Delcy Rodríguez explained. The measure is expected to free up capacity in the national power system and improve electricity supply for the population.

To attract investment and expand hydrocarbon production, Venezuela is offering several business models, including joint ventures, productive participation contracts, technical and financial partnerships, and specialized service agreements.

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Text Reads: Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, highlighted the Hydrocarbons Law as a cornerstone for transforming the Venezuelan energy sector.
At the conclusion of the 2026 Energy, Oil, and Gas Conference, the acting president emphasized that the legislation offers a flexible fiscal regime and absolute legal certainty to investors.
She pointed to Article 19, which guarantees the participation of domestic capital in the 61 agreements already signed and the 44 currently under negotiation, with the working class at the core.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez highlighted provisions in the country’s Hydrocarbons Law that allow taxes and royalties to be adjusted according to the scale of each investment. The legislation also establishes arbitration and dispute-resolution mechanisms intended to provide legal certainty for investors.

The law further requires the state, organizations and companies to incorporate Venezuelan-owned businesses into procurement processes under conditions designed to ensure the effective use of domestic goods, services, labor and capital.

In Zulia, oil production has risen from 70,000 barrels per day to 370,000 barrels per day, according to figures presented by Delcy Rodríguez. She projected that output would reach 400,000 barrels per day by the end of the year and forecast that the state would begin producing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 2027 as production expands.

The conference, known as CEPEG 2026, took place alongside the Zulia Energy Forum. Organized by the Venezuelan Petroleum Chamber, the events brought together more than 150 domestic and international companies, including oil operators and service providers, to discuss investment models, technological development and the revival of hydrocarbon production in the region.

Acting President attended alongside Héctor Obregón, president of state oil company PDVSA, and Anabel Pereira, vice president for administration and digital government.

The Venezuelan Acting President projected that the agreements signed and under negotiation would contribute to the creation of 324,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs over the next five to 10 years, presenting employment growth as one of the expected benefits of increased investment in the hydrocarbon sector.

More than 37,000 community projects are up for a vote in Venezuela’s second National Popular Consultation of 2026.

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Venezuela opened 12,769 polling stations on Sunday for its second National Popular Consultation of 2026, with communities voting on more than 37,000 projects proposed to address local needs.

RELATED: Venezuela Promotes Venezuela Feeds Plan and Local Economy Law to Achieve “Hunger 0”

The consultation involves 48,086 communal councils organized into communes, with voting taking place at 11,495 polling centers nationwide. Some 36,000 community members are serving on polling station boards, with technical support from the National Electoral Council (CNE).

The projects focus primarily on public services, social development and the local economy. Water infrastructure accounts for 14% of the proposals, acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Friday during a visit to the Villa Zoila social mission base in Caracas. Road improvements, street lighting, electricity, other public services and productive activities are also among the priorities identified by communities.

More than 428 proposals submitted by condominium boards are included in the vote, marking the first time these organizations have participated in the community consultation, according to the announcement.

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The proposals are linked to the government’s Seven Transformations (7T) framework and reflect development priorities identified at the community level.

Rodríguez said the consultation gives Venezuelans a direct role in deciding how local needs are addressed, describing it as a way to strengthen community participation and popular power.

“The community must be in charge of decisions about the everyday issues affecting our people and our communities,” she said.

She also described the consultation as a significant advance in Venezuela’s political system and said the model of citizen participation should be preserved.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces will deploy more than 130,000 personnel nationwide under Plan República during Sunday’s vote. The operation is intended to help maintain public order and ensure security throughout the electoral process.

The consultation allows participating communities to vote on locally proposed projects, with water infrastructure, road improvements and other essential public services among the priorities highlighted by Rodríguez.

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) lifted, effective immediately this Friday, the measures that had restricted Mexican airlines from establishing new flights to the U.S. from Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City (AICM).

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In a joint statement, the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) reported that the decision was reached through coordinated efforts between the governments of Mexico and the United States, as well as progress made in fulfilling bilateral aviation commitments.

The measure revokes Order 213-2, through which the DOT had restricted existing, proposed, and future operations by Mexican carriers. According to the Mexican government agencies, this resolution represents a step forward for air connectivity between the two countries and reopens the possibility of developing routes and flight frequencies from the AICM and AIFA to the U.S. market.

The Government of Mexico attributed this outcome to a process of dialogue and technical cooperation, which was strengthened following a Memorandum of Consultations signed in May 2026. “Since then, Mexico has made progress on the agreed-upon commitments,” the statement noted.

Mexican airlines can expand service to US cities after Washington lifted restrictions that blocked new routes from Mexico City’s two biggest airports https://t.co/Dvkt3zBGp3

— Bloomberg (@business) October 17, 2026

The SRE and SICT indicated that the lifting of these restrictions reflects the desire of both administrations to move toward a new phase in the bilateral aviation relationship—one grounded in dialogue, respect for sovereignty, institutional cooperation, and the application of international standards.

The restriction had been announced on October 28, 2025, by the then-Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and affected Aeroméxico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus. Washington accused Mexico of failing to comply with the bilateral air transport agreement and of favoring domestic carriers in the allocation of flight slots.

The dispute stemmed from a decree that shifted cargo flights from AICM to AIFA. At the time, President Claudia Sheinbaum maintained that the relocation was a technical decision, not a political one.

Mexico pledged to continue working with U.S. authorities to create greater opportunities for passengers, workers, and airlines, as well as to consolidate an aviation system that is safe, competitive, modern, and reliable.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated a new campus of the National Rosario Castellanos University in Nicolás Romero, State of Mexico, on Sunday, as her government pushes to expand access to public higher education. The campus will open with 800 students, half attending… pic.twitter.com/RlLWCV54xR

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 12, 2026

Guatemalan lawyer and former anti-corruption prosecutor Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa was shot dead this Saturday by several hitmen in a sports complex in the capital of Guatemala, while playing soccer, official sources reported.

Guatemala Reports 137 Bodies Abandoned in Plastic Bags, Sheets and Sacks in 2026: Former Anti-Corruption Prosecutor of Guatemala Murdered on a Soccer Field

Solórzano Foppa, who was director of Criminal Analysis (2013-2016) of the Public Ministry and head of the Superintendency of Tax Administration (2016-2018), gained notoriety for leading criminal intelligence in high-impact investigations —including key expert reports in the ‘La Línea’ case that forced the resignation of President Otto Pérez Molina in 2015— and for taking on the defense of imprisoned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín.

🚨 #URGENTE | Juan Francisco Solórzano Foppa, exfiscal del Ministerio Público y exsuperintendente de Administración Tributaria (SAT), figura entre las dos víctimas mortales reportadas tras un ataque armado ocurrido esta mañana en el interior de Campo Marte, zona 5 de la Ciudad de… pic.twitter.com/eZ9oLUP8Nj

— Canal Antigua (@CanalAntigua) October 17, 2026

The armed attack occurred this Saturday morning at the Campo Marte facilities, a busy sports complex located in the east of the Guatemalan capital, when armed men burst onto the field where the victim was playing sports and shot him at point-blank range.

In the incident, a second person, not immediately identified by the authorities, also died, while police officers and forensic experts cordoned off the scene to begin investigations.

During his time at the tax institution, Solórzano Foppa promoted judicial interventions and inspections that forced important companies and industries to pay millions in evaded taxes, which allowed for historical collections in the fight against tax evasion and fraud.

In 2023, he was arrested and prosecuted for obstruction of criminal action and unfaithful sponsorship, in a case directly linked to the legal defense of Zamora Marroquín, founder of the defunct newspaper ‘elPeriódico’.

On October 22–23, 2026, the Hotel Parque Central will host the “Workshop on Biosimilars: Innovation and Access in Healthcare,” organized by the import-export company FARMACUBA, the entity announced.

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Over the course of two days, specialists and institutions from the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors will share experiences regarding the introduction, regulation, clinical evaluation, commercialization, and medical applications of biosimilars in Cuba.

The program includes panels on the policy, introduction, and final processing of biosimilars in Cuba; commercialization and promotion strategies; as well as regulatory aspects, clinical evaluation, and the medical applications of these products.

FARMACUBA will present information on the biosimilars for which it holds the rights, and will discuss market opportunities and economic benefits linked to their development and commercialization. The event will also provide an opportunity to establish connections with Cuban representative offices abroad, embassies, and potential international clients.

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Presentation of Rituximab

A key highlight will be the official presentation of Rituximab, identified as the first biosimilar to undergo final processing in Cuban biopharmaceutical facilities. During the workshop, its regulatory and clinical outcomes, medical applications, and aspects related to its introduction and commercialization within the National Health System will be presented.

The second day will feature interactive virtual meetings with Cuban representatives abroad, embassies, and prospective foreign buyers. This initiative aims to promote the international reach of biosimilars developed under the auspices of FARMACUBA.

Additionally, a catalog of biosimilars will be presented, and the role of Rituximab in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas will be examined.

The workshop will serve as a forum for exchange among national and international specialists, intended to expand knowledge, explore avenues for collaboration, and examine new alternatives for the development and commercialization of biosimilars in Cuba.

FARMACUBA

Facilitator in the introduction and commercialization of biosimilars, strengthening the link between pharmaceutical innovation and national healthcare.

As an importer, exporter, distributor, and marketer of pharmaceutical products, the company is part of the BioCubaFarma business group, which operates under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba.

It ensures the provision of necessary resources to the Cuban pharmaceutical industry, while also managing the export of medicines and technical services to international clients.

In line with the country’s new economic and commercial strategy—designed to boost the development of the business sector—FARMACUBA aims to set a benchmark both domestically and internationally within the pharmaceutical industry. This presents a unique opportunity to expand knowledge, forge strategic alliances, and explore new avenues for collaboration.

Venezuela’s acting Delcy Rodríguez, announced the Plan Venezuela Alimenta and the draft of a Communal Economy Law, an initiative to coordinate the productive sectors, including communes, entrepreneurs and agribusiness, to eradicate hunger and strengthen territorial food security.

Venezuela’s Acting President Rodriguez Meets with FAO Director: Venezuela Promotes Venezuela Feeds Plan and Local Economy Law to Achieve “Hunger 0”

“We have just arrived from Rome, from our participation in the World Food Summit, and I have to tell the Venezuelan people, very responsibly, we are very close again to the Zero Hunger goal,” she reiterated.

At the same time, she explained that this alliance seeks to consolidate an efficient model that guarantees access to food in every corner of the national territory.

“From there I announced the Venezuela Feeds Plan, where we are going to coordinate all productive spaces, from the commune, businesses, agribusiness, to achieve this goal that is so human, so extraordinarily vital, such as the right to food and Zero Hunger,” Rodríguez highlighted.

La tierra es fuente de vida y esperanza. 🇻🇪🌱

En el Día Mundial de la Alimentación, reconocemos el esfuerzo de nuestros campesinos, agricultores, ganaderos, pescadores y trabajadores de la agroindustria, quienes hacen posible que los alimentos lleguen a las mesas de nuestro… pic.twitter.com/MYe6P2oOby

— Miraflores Al Momento (@MirafloresAM) October 16, 2026

On her return from the FAO summit in Rome, President Rodríguez announced in Caracas that she had requested technical cooperation to strengthen the Plan Venezuela Alimenta.

The Head of State announced the upcoming presentation of a new legislative project: the Local Economy Law, an instrument that will integrate the current Communal Economy regulations to boost community production from the grassroots.

“(…) We are going to present a new Law, which is the Local Economy Law, which includes the Communal Economy Law, all community, local, territorialized efforts, in this supreme objective which is Zero Hunger for Venezuela (…), we will achieve it very soon. Before 2030 we will be meeting this goal,” affirmed the National President.

Rodriguez also urged participation in the popular consultation on 18 October, where more than 37,000 projects will be voted. In addition, he reported that the Communal Economy Law will be expanded to include other productive actors.

Descendants say theft from Portchester Castle reflects racism that has haunted ‘generation after generation’

The theft of a plaque in Hampshire that told the little-known story of African-Caribbean prisoners in 18th-century Britain reflects the enduring racism that has fuelled centuries of atrocities against Black and Indigenous Caribbean people, their descendants say.

Ronald Raymond McDonald, a professional drummer, was part of a delegation that travelled from Belize and elsewhere to Portchester Castle near Portsmouth last week to honour their ancestors: 2,500 men, women and children transported to Britain as prisoners of war in 1796.

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© Photograph: English Heritage

© Photograph: English Heritage

© Photograph: English Heritage

TVBrics and Cuba’s Canal Habana signed a cooperation agreement today to expand their joint content library, Prensa Latina reported.

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Under the agreement, the two outlets will exchange content on BRICS countries, develop joint projects and promote quality journalism to strengthen the objective international news agenda of Global South media.

RELATED: African Union Head Asks BRICS to Strengthen Ties

“For the channel it is a real pleasure to begin collaborative work with TVBrics. It is a way to show part of the dynamics of the Cuban capital as a partner of this important association, the BRICS,” Canal Habana director Erduy Varela said. He added that his expectations are to share experiences and ways of doing and communicating television in this new multimedia era.

TVBrics general director Janna Tolstikova said information cooperation between BRICS countries and states sharing the association’s values is important, adding that constructive dialogue between media helps lay the foundations for fruitful cooperation at the highest state level and favors the stability of international relations. She added that TVBrics is open to all countries willing to cooperate on the basis of equality, mutual respect, consideration of national interests and recognition of global diversity.

Tolstikova congratulated Canal Habana on the start of the collaboration, which she said will make Cuba’s cultural richness known to an international audience and offer the channel’s viewers audiovisual content of interest about BRICS and other Global South countries.

Canal Habana, founded in 2006, is part of the state-run Televisión Cubana system. It broadcasts in Spanish throughout Cuba and reports on political, economic, social, cultural and sports news in Havana, as well as major national and international events.

In Cuba, Prensa Latina and Canal Caribe already participate in content exchange through TVBrics. In Latin America, the network also collaborates with media from Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Uruguay. Among BRICS partner countries, media from Belarus, Bolivia, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand and Nigeria participate.

Argentina’s delegation at the United Nations abstained from a resolution aimed at eradicating modern forms of colonialism, siding with the Trump administration and undercutting President Javier Milei’s recent demands over the British-occupied Malvinas Islands.

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The vote took place in the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly. The measure, presented by the Russian Federation, sought to ratify and reinforce the goals of Resolution 1514, the landmark text approved in 1960 that declared colonialism incompatible with the UN Charter and fundamental human rights.

Argentina’s diplomatic delegation chose to stand aside rather than endorse the initiative. The move placed the Milei government in line with the position promoted by the White House, which pressed allied governments to abstain.

RELATED: Argentine President Milei Toughens Malvinas Claim at UNGA

The resolution passed anyway. Delegates recorded 85 votes in favor, 49 against and 23 abstentions, sending the text to the full General Assembly for consideration.

The alignment extended beyond Buenos Aires and Washington. Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Paraguay joined the abstention, a bloc of right-leaning regional governments that followed the U.S. lead.

On the other side, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and India voted in favor. Their support reaffirmed the global backing for territorial integrity and decolonization processes, and set up a sharp divide within Latin America itself.

The Russian draft went further than the 1960 declaration. It extended the concept of colonialism to cover unilateral coercive measures and the economic and financial sanctions promoted by Washington around the world, a provision that made the vote a direct test of alignment.

The UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee approved the draft resolution “Addressing contemporary forms of colonialism” by 85 votes in favour, 49 against, with 23 abstentions. Sponsored by Russia, China, Iran, Cuba, Belarus, Palestine and others, it recognizes colonialism in… pic.twitter.com/MqgQfoMhME

— Digital Debate (@digdebate) October 16, 2026

Malvinas Contradiction Deepens

The abstention collides with the rhetoric Milei has used on Malvinas, the archipelago occupied by Britain since 1833. His government has campaigned publicly for the defense of sovereignty and demanded sanctions against oil companies operating on that Argentine soil.

The contrast sharpened in September, when the Argentine President addressed the General Assembly. There he read extended passages demanding the eradication of colonialism and stated plainly that the principle of self-determination “exists to liberate colonized peoples, not to enshrine situations derived from colonization.”

Those words sit uneasily with the vote his own diplomats just cast, or chose not to cast. The abstention, in effect, withheld support from a document that echoes the very argument Milei delivered from the rostrum.

The domestic reaction was immediate. Carlos Bianco, the government minister for Buenos Aires province, called the abstention an irresponsible act against a historic national cause. “The Malvinas question deserves a diplomacy that does not kneel. Abstaining in the face of colonialism is not just an embarrassment, it constitutes an act of irresponsibility. The Malvinas question must once again be defined by Argentines. And it will be,” Bianco wrote on social media.

The episode exposes a tension running through the Milei administration’s foreign policy. It has embraced Washington as its principal ally while maintaining, at least in public speeches, a sovereignty claim that Washington’s abstention strategy directly undercuts.

Milei dice que quiere recuperar Malvinas. En la ONU, la Argentina se abstuvo de votar contra el colonialismo.
Hace dos semanas, esa misma delegación decía que Malvinas es una situación colonial.
Sobran las contradicciones. No tienen política exterior propia y desprecian al país… pic.twitter.com/I5cYaXCbvp

— Francisco Cafiero (@FranCafiero) October 16, 2026

Text reads: “Milei says he wants to take back Malvinas. At the UN, Argentina abstained from voting against colonialism. Two weeks ago, that same delegation said that Malvinas are a colonial situation. The contradictions abound. They have no foreign policy of their own and despise the country they govern.”

Argentina’s historic position on Malvinas has long drawn broad support across Latin America and the developing world, precisely the coalition that voted in favor of the resolution Buenos Aires declined to endorse.

The measure now moves to the plenary, where the same fault lines are likely to reappear. What Argentina does there will reveal whether the abstention was an isolated calculation or a settled posture. For now, the vote leaves a record that is hard to reconcile: a government that speaks of liberating colonized peoples, yet declines to vote for a resolution doing exactly that.

Venezuela holds its Second National Popular Consultation this Sunday with 5,418 communal circuits choosing among over 37,000 locally proposed projects in water, roads, lighting, health and education.

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Venezuela will hold its second National Popular Consultation of the year on October 18, in which communes across the country will vote directly on 37,205 budget proposals, with each winning project set to receive an initial $10,000 administered by the community itself.

The vote covers 48,086 communal councils grouped into 5,418 territorial circuits, which the source describes as guaranteeing self-government at the neighborhood level.

RELATED: Venezuela Presents Venezuela Renace Plan Update 100 Days After Earthquakes

To facilitate participation, authorities have set up 11,495 voting centers and 12,769 polling tables nationwide. The process will be guarded by 13,000 members of the Republic Plan security deployment, with operational support from more than 36,000 communal members advised by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

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What Voters Will Decide

The proposals are tied to the government’s Concrete Action Agenda. The City and Services sector has the largest share, with 19,028 projects focused on water, electricity, roads and hospital infrastructure. The social area has 9,217 initiatives, and the economic sector has 4,887 proposals to boost local production.

Each project chosen by popular vote will receive an initial allocation of $10,000, to be managed and carried out directly by the commune. Institutional spokespeople said earlier editions closed with more than 80% successful executions, thanks to what they called the rigorous application of preventive social oversight.

Venezuelans will vote this Sunday on another National Popular Consultation. Each organized community will choose a project, according to local needs, that will receive 10k in state funding. Alongside communes, over 400 condominium boards are also participating pic.twitter.com/ecihlXWs8U

— Venezuelanalysis (@venanalysis) October 16, 2026

First Condominium Vote

One structural change stands out this year. More than 89 condominiums and horizontal property movements from Aragua, Miranda and the Capital District have joined the process formally. It is the first time these residential boards can put forward priority projects of their own, from elevator repairs to improvements in basic services inside buildings.

In the days before the vote, communes carried out house-to-house outreach to promote the proposals now heading to the ballot. That door-knocking campaign carried each initiative into homes and opened neighbor-to-neighbor debate over territorial priorities.

The Sunday vote will also promote the active participation of young people aged 15 and older, which authorities say favors generational renewal in local public management.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, speaking in at the Villa Zoila commune, emphasized that “the people are exercising a protagonistic and participatory form of democracy.”

“We are going to democracy, to participation and to the emotion that always comes with going to an election,” she said.

Rodríguez connected the vote to the delivery of the National Budget before the National Assembly. That spending plan, she explained, is built “from the communes.” Communes and community organizations take part in deciding where resources will be invested, an advance she said Venezuela must preserve.

The second edition of the year confirms the National Popular Consultation has moved beyond an isolated event. It now functions as a recurring mechanism of popular decision, with organized communes as the leading actors in local public spending, as a pillar of participatory democracy in Venezuela.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the US government is preparing to send troops to Latin America under the pretext of combating drug trafficking in the region.

According to the US publication, 600 troops from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY, have already begun deploying to the jungles of Panama to conduct exercises alongside the local military.

In addition, it was reported that members of this detachment will participate in operations in other countries in the future: “The troops will eventually train with local forces in Colombia and Honduras, and could also support US Special Operations troops advising militaries conducting raids against accused drug traffickers, the officials said.”

The peoples of the region, alongside anti-imperialist and progressive forces, have long denounced decades of US military intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean. Various experts and analysts have shown that “war on drugs” projects have never led to the elimination of these illicit businesses. On the contrary, US military involvement has coincided with an increase in violence, drug production, but most importantly: neoliberal reforms. These reforms involve the dismantling and reduction of the state, the privatization of all possible dimensions of social life, and the destruction of social organizations that oppose neoliberalism.

Read more: What else is behind the “fight” against drug trafficking in Latin America?

Historically, this process of material dispossession has been facilitated by an expansion of US military presence, under the pretext of the “war on drugs.”

The report stated: “The deployments and growing headquarters, which have not been previously reported, along with the Pentagon’s recent movement of several MQ-9 Reaper drones from Africa to Colombia and Ecuador, mark the latest widening of the Defense Department’s fight against drug traffickers in the region.”

Shield of the Americas

For several months now, US forces have been participating in intelligence activities and supporting military operations in Ecuador, whose government has entered into agreements with the US to allegedly fight organized crime. However, it was later revealed that these operations didn’t target drug traffickers at all. In at least one instance, The New York Times reported that the US and Ecuador bombed a dairy farm.

This collaboration is part of the new military and geopolitical strategy led by the Trump administration, embodied in the agreement known as “Shield of the Americas.” In recent meetings, several governments have committed to working with the United States so that their militaries can carry out joint operations in Latin American countries.

Regarding the possible itinerary of the soldiers who are expected to arrive in Panama, The New York Times reported: “The soldiers will move first into Panama, where they will take part in jungle training exercises, officials said. From there they will head to Colombia, where they will participate in what officials have called Southern Vanguard, an exercise scheduled to begin later this month. Other rotations will move into Honduras for training with local partners. Some of the troops could be used to provide additional security for US helicopters in the region, which have been providing support for US Special Operations forces.”

For about a year now, the United States has been conducting airstrikes on small boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean that Washington claims are linked to drug trafficking. Over 200 people have been killed in the strikes and the majority of the victims appear to be fishermen from Venezuela, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and other island nations. Victims’ families and survivors have vehemently denied any connection to criminal groups.

Washington claims the report is false

For its part, the US Embassy in Panama stated that The New York Times report regarding the deployment of several hundred US soldiers to the Caribbean nation is untrue: “The New York Times article alleging the deployment of 600 US soldiers to Panama is categorically false.”

The US Embassy reported that 120 US military personnel are currently participating in a training course in the Panamanian jungle, but that these troops will return to the United States on October 25 and therefore will not undertake the deployment announced by Colombia and Honduras. It did report that other US military personnel will participate in exercises in Peru.

“This is nothing new. The Jungle Operations Training Center has been operating for over a year as a school officially recognized by the US Army. US and Panamanian instructors jointly provide training in survival techniques and jungle operations,” the US Embassy in Panama said in its statement.

The controversy between The New York Times and US diplomatic officials over this report comes amid an evident increase in the US military presence in the region. In addition to operations in the Caribbean and the Pacific, there was the military incursion into Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which resulted in the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as well as the deaths of more than 100 people in Venezuela. Furthermore, President Trump himself has suggested that he could attack Cuba and any other country if US security is compromised.

A fire at Unit 1 of the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Thermal Power Plant—located in Santa Cruz del Norte, in the western province of Mayabeque—was brought under control this morning. The incident took the unit offline and increased the projected impact on the National Electric Power System (SEN) during peak hours.

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The Electric Union (UNE) reported that the fire began at 06:55 local time and affected the plant’s Unit 1. “Unit 1 of the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Thermal Power Plant in East Havana is currently offline due to a fire that broke out in the unit,” the organization stated on its social media channels.

According to a report by journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso, the fire was caused by an oil leak at the front of the rotor, which was detected by the operator on duty. The swift intervention of emergency responders and the implementation of safety protocols allowed the fire to be extinguished without any loss of life or injuries.

Following the fire, the area remains under preventive surveillance. Authorities indicated that Units 2 and 3 of the power plant are being prepared to resume operations, while the efforts of the workers and emergency teams who responded to the scene have been acknowledged.

Luego de extinguido el incendio se implementan los protocolos establecidos para el restablecimiento y la evaluación de los daños.
Muchas gracias a todos los que participaron en sofocarlo.#loqueNOSUNEcompromiso https://t.co/H03yZ34A77

— CTE Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (@CteEGSerna) October 16, 2026

The first text reads, “Once the fire was extinguished, established protocols for recovery and damage assessment were implemented. Many thanks to everyone who helped put it out.”

The second text reads, “Thanks to the urgent actions of the fire department—in coordination with the Electric Union and with the participation of workers, all directed by the provincial and municipal Defense Councils—the fire was successfully extinguished, with no impact on the remaining units.”

The loss of this unit has exacerbated the country’s power generation deficit. For the period of peak demand, the UNE anticipates an available capacity of only 740 megawatts (MW), against a peak demand of 2,900 MW.

In addition to the damaged unit, eight other thermal power units—out of the 16 that make up the country’s total generation capacity—remain out of service due to breakdowns or maintenance. Cuba is experiencing an energy crisis with social repercussions—manifested in prolonged daily blackouts—stemming from an obsolete electrical system and a decline in power generation capacity.

The National Electric System (SEN) is under strain as a result of the blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba for more than six decades, which prevents the country from acquiring spare parts.

Compounding this is the energy blockade imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump via an executive order in January, which threatens any country that trades fuel with the island.

🇨🇺 Cuba says U.S. economic pressure is worsening shortages of food, medicine, and other essential supplies as Washington continues to tighten sanctions and restrictions on the Caribbean island.

Cuban authorities say the measures are disrupting foreign trade and worsening… pic.twitter.com/qrUDnUYmi9

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 16, 2026

The reform will benefit more than 37 million formally employed workers.

On Friday, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attended a ceremony at the Brazilian Congress to promulgate the constitutional amendment reducing the workweek in the country.

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During his speech, Lula defended dialogue between institutions and stressed that the reduction of the workweek was made possible through negotiations between the executive branch and Parliament, an institution in which his Workers’ Party holds just 70 out of 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 9 out of 81 seats in the Senate.

“Without democracy, there is no way out. It is dictatorship,” Lula said, stressing that although the Workers’ Party does not have a parliamentary majority, it has managed to advance initiatives with the support of other political forces because “there are no good or bad votes; it is the people who are voting.”

The progressive leader reiterated that reducing the workweek — from 44 to 40 hours, with two paid days off — is a measure intended to improve workers’ living conditions. He rejected arguments that the change could harm businesses.

O dia de hoje mostra que a democracia vale a pena.

O fim da escala 6 x 1 é uma conquista civilizatória.

O que fizemos hoje foi obedecer. Obedecer à vontade de um povo que foi para as ruas e cobrou de nós: mulheres, homens, trabalhadores, adolescentes e estudantes exigiram essa… pic.twitter.com/QEdFV6I4j7

— Lula (@LulaOficial) October 16, 2026

President Lula da Silva’s text reads: “Today proves that democracy is worth it. Ending the 6×1 work schedule is a civilizational achievement. What we have done today is heed a call—the will of a people who took to the streets and made a demand of us: women, men, workers, teenagers, and students all called for this measure. You have written an important chapter in our Constitution. It is now a Constitution that better reflects its citizens. Two days of rest each week mean greater dignity. Congratulations to everyone!”

In this regard, he recalled the criticism that accompanied the introduction of the year-end bonus in the early 1970s, when some conservative sectors alarmed the public by claiming that the measure would drive companies into bankruptcy.

Under Brazilian law, 60 days after the amendment’s promulgation, the five-day workweek and two-day rest period will take effect, with a maximum workweek of 42 hours. The reduction to 40 hours will be completed after another 12 months.

The measure was promulgated by Parliament President Davi Alcolumbre, with the parliamentary headquarters packed to capacity, nine days before the presidential runoff, in which Lula will face far-right Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro.

The approval of the initiative is seen as a political victory for Lula, who secured a key electoral boost in the final stretch before the runoff against his rival, who won the first round with 47% of the vote.

The measure, promoted during the campaign and strategically pushed through one week before the runoff election, had strong popular appeal because it benefits more than 37 million workers with formal employment contracts.

The results of the strategy began to emerge in polls released this week, which showed Lula narrowing the gap with Bolsonaro, who now leads him by two percentage points, although the two are technically tied.

teleSUR/JF

Source: EFE