Venezuela Archives

Denver suburbs consider suing over ‘sanctuary city’ migrant policies

September 18, 2024
Suburbs near Denver are considering filing a lawsuit against the city over its so-called sanctuary policies aimed at helping migrants. The Castle Rock Town Council voted unanimously on Sept. 3 to have the city’s attorney look into legal options.

According to the City and County of Denver website, the city has served more than 40,000 people from the southern border since December 2022. The arrivals declined, with fewer than 160 migrants arriving in August.

Castle Rock Town Councilmember Max Brooks told CBS Colorado, “This isn’t about labeling or saying the migrants need to be deported.” He added, “It’s about stopping and making sure we’re not bringing in anymore when obviously Denver can’t handle what’s already there.”

Officials in Parker and Aurora are exploring similar lawsuits.

In August, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said Venezuelan gangs had taken over some apartment buildings in the city. This was after a video of armed gang members went viral, causing widespread concern.

The Aurora Police Department said they were all isolated incidents.

Several Colorado counties already filed a lawsuit against the state and Gov. Jared Polis, challenging two state laws that stop local governments from working with federal immigration authorities.

Councilmember Brooks said the next step for Castle Rock is to get other interested towns and counties together to discuss the possible legal proceedings.

The city of Denver has not commented on the potential lawsuit.
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How designating Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization helps Texas

September 16, 2024
Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, announced on Monday, Sept. 16, the state of Texas is enhancing its efforts to target the transnational Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TDA). Abbott designated the criminal group as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” and revealed a host of actions to combat the gang’s presence in Texas.

“Texas is aggressively going after these foreign terrorist organizations,” Abbot said as he held up the signed new measures.

“By declaring TDA a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization,’ Texas will use the courts to halt their operations, use civil asset forfeiture to take their property, use enhanced criminal penalties to keep them in jail behind bars for longer periods of time, ” Abbot said.

The new measures will also dedicate a new task force strictly meant to crack down on TDA operations in the state of Texas.

“I directed the DPS to create a new TDA strike force team made up of highway patrol officers, DPS special agents, Texas Rangers, SWAT teams, including aircraft, helicopters, and drones, K-9 teams and intelligence units,” Abbott said.

The governor also announced another designation for the notorious gang.

“To more directly target TDA, I directed DPA to elevate TDA to a tier-one gang, the worst-of-the-worst, ensuring that DPS deploys the resources that are needed to corral this growing menace,” He said.

According to Abbott, the state is already making headway in its fight against TDA. He said during the press conference on Monday that more than a dozen suspected TDA members were arrested at the Gateway Hotel in El Paso on charges of human smuggling and other crimes.

Abbott’s sharpened efforts also impose harsher prisoner sentences on Tren De Aragua members convicted of a crime. He also announced that Texas is starting database from “scratch” to identify suspected Tren De Aragua members through tattoos, scars and other characteristics.
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Venezuela arrests 3 Americans for alleged plot to kill president

September 16, 2024
Three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen were detained in Venezuela on accusations of plotting to assassinate the country’s leader Nicolás Maduro. Authorities also seized 400 U.S. rifles that were linked to the alleged plot to destabilize the country.

Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello identified one of the Americans as Navy Seal Wilbert Castañeda Gomez and accused him of being the leader of the operation. Cabello also named David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan as the other Americans detained.

The Venezuelan government believes that the U.S. government is linked to the operation. A State Department spokesperson said, “any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.”

The country is still dealing with the fallout from the presidential election in July, when Maduro won a third term even though there was evidence showing he lost by a landslide to Edmundo González.

Maduro has shown no signs of stepping down, despite alleged proof of the stolen election.
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Tren de Aragua’s rapid expansion in the US linked to 100 cases

September 13, 2024
The Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang notorious for its violent acts in Latin America, has escalated its criminal activities into the United States, now linked to approximately 100 criminal cases nationwide. This rapid expansion from its initial presence in Texas to various U.S. regions has alarmed U.S. Homeland Security officials and marked the gang as a significant transnational threat.

Originating in a Venezuelan prison known for its extravagant amenities such as a zoo and disco, Tren de Aragua has transformed over the past decade into a major international crime organization. It has engaged in extensive criminal activities including drug trafficking, robbery, and extortion, often exploiting vulnerable immigrant communities for profit.

The gang’s move into the U.S. has seen it maintain its violent operational tactics, which have included high-profile crimes such as shootings targeting law enforcement officers and other public disturbances.

The gang’s notorious acts have not only caught media attention but have also heightened public and governmental concerns regarding the gang’s potential to disrupt American society as it has in Latin America.

In response to this growing threat, U.S. authorities have taken significant measures. The Treasury Department sanctioned Tren de Aragua in July, aiming to cut off its financial networks. Additionally, the State Department has offered rewards totaling up to $12 million for information leading to the arrest of the gang’s leadership.
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Opposition presidential candidate flees Venezuela amid arrest threats, protests

September 9, 2024
Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo González has fled to Spain in the latest development following Venezuela’s contentious presidential election. Many Western countries, including the United States, view González as the legitimate winner.

However, authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory and, amid widespread protests, ordered the arrest of his opponents. Just days after an arrest warrant was issued for González, he arrived at a military airport near Madrid on Sunday, Sept. 8.

This followed a negotiated deal with Maduro’s government, which allowed him to escape Venezuela and avoid charges of conspiracy. Since the election over a month ago, González had been in hiding as authorities detained thousands, including hundreds of minors, who protested Maduro’s claimed victory.

Upon arriving in Spain, González sent a voice message to his supporters, stating, “My departure from Caracas was surrounded by acts of pressure, coercion, and threats. I trust that we will soon continue our fight to achieve our freedom and the restoration of Venezuela’s democracy.”

Another key opposition leader and ally of González, María Corina Machado, posted on X, “On January 10, 2025, President-elect Edmundo González will be sworn in as constitutional president of Venezuela and commander in chief of the National Armed Forces. Let this be very clear to everyone: Edmundo will fight from the outside.”

However, González’s departure has caused concern among some of his supporters. One told The Associated Press, “What little hope we had left went with him.”

González is not the only opposition figure to flee Venezuela. Four other former presidential candidates, who faced imprisonment or arrest, have also sought safety abroad.

Maduro’s government has yet to provide proof of its victory. However, voter tally sheets collected by González show him winning by a margin of more than 2 to 1. This has led countries like the U.S. to consider González the true winner of Venezuela’s election, contributing to an ongoing debate over election integrity.
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Venezuela’s Maduro orders Christmas to start in October, wants opponent arrested

September 4, 2024
Christmas is coming early in Venezuela this year — by presidential decree. During his weekly television show, the country’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro announced Christmas will start on Oct. 1.

The move comes as the country continues to grapple with the fallout from July’s election, in which Maduro won a third term amid global skepticism and push back from the opposition party, which maintains the vote was stolen.

Just hours before the Christmas announcement, an arrest warrant was issued for opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González.

More than 2,000 people are also expected to spend “Christmas” behind bars after they were arrested by Maduro’s regime for protesting in the wake of the election.

Maduro’s decree is not the first of its kind — but it is the earliest. In Venezuela, Christmas is a beloved holiday. Festivities often begin days or weeks before Christmas Eve with large groups of families and friends gathering.
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More than 8,000 pounds of cocaine seized in Guyana’s largest drug bust

September 3, 2024
Authorities in Guyana made their largest ever seizure of cocaine, taking more than 8,000 pounds from the jungle near the border with Venezuela. Officials said the seizure is the biggest drug bust in Guyana’s history.

The South American country’s security minister estimated the drugs’ value at around $200 million. Police said traffickers dug holes in the ground and stashed the cocaine before covering the holes with wooden planks.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency participated in the operation that led to one suspect’s arrest. Police said they are still looking for two more suspects who ran from the scene.

https://twitter.com/GYChronicle/status/1830612635349594423

Authorities seized the large amount of cocaine in an area where Guyanese police found improvised submersible vessels hidden in the jungle in recent years. Officials said it is unclear if any of those vessels were actually used but vowed to step up monitoring in that region.

The seized cocaine was reportedly meant to be shipped to a European country.

Guyana’s security minister said the bust is part of Guyana’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region.
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Judge issues arrest warrant for Venezuelan opposition leader

September 3, 2024

A Venezuelan judge has issued an arrest warrant for former presidential candidate Edmundo González. It’s part of a criminal investigation into the results of July’s election, which both the ruling party and its opponents claim to have won.

https://twitter.com/KareemRifai/status/1830736047849816447

The warrant was issued at the request of authorities, who accused González of various crimes including conspiracy, falsifying documents and usurpation of powers. The move is the latest against the opposition since election officials declared president Nicolás Maduro won a third six-year term in office.

Meanwhile, a plane belonging to Maduro is in Florida after being seized by U.S. authorities in the Dominican Republic. The Justice Department says the plane was illegally bought for $13 million and smuggled out of the U.S. in violation of sanctions and export rules.
Pressure builds for cease-fire deal after 6 hostages killed in Gaza

September 3, 2024
Calls continue to grow for a cease-fire deal after the bodies of six hostages were recovered in Gaza. And thousands of hotel workers are on strike at major hotel chains across the country. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024.

Pressure builds for cease-fire deal after 6 hostages killed in Gaza

Pressure continues to build in Israel for a cease-fire and a deal to release hostages. It comes just days after the bodies of six hostages, including one Israeli-American, were recovered from Gaza.

When asked by reporters on Sunday, Sept. 1, President Joe Biden criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not making enough progress toward an agreement.

Protests erupted for the third consecutive day in Jerusalem as thousands demanded that Netanyahu secure a cease-fire and negotiate a hostage release. A court has also ordered workers in Israel’s largest union to return to work after a strike on Monday, Sept. 2, halted industries nationwide.

The U.S. is increasing its pressure on Netanyahu. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with their hostage negotiation team Monday. Biden indicated he plans to speak with Netanyahu “eventually.”

At a news conference, Netanyahu expressed regret for not being able to bring the hostages back alive but firmly rejected the mounting pressure against him. Netanyahu addressed President Biden directly, urging the international community to focus its pressure on Hamas.

On Monday, thousands gathered in Jerusalem for the funeral of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American among the six hostages found dead.

In the meantime, nearly 50 Palestinians have been reported killed this week according to health officials, amid ongoing strikes in Gaza and raids in the West Bank.

Netanyahu has vowed that Hamas will face “severe consequences.”

The United Kingdom has announced it will suspend some of its weapons exports to Israel due to concerns over potential violations of international humanitarian law. However, the U.K. emphasized that this is not a comprehensive ban, noting that its arms exports to Israel are relatively small compared to those from other countries, like the U.S.

Biden joins Harris in joint campaign event; Walz motorcade vehicles crash

President Biden joined Vice President Harris in their first joint appearance since Harris became the Democratic nominee on Monday. Before Biden and Harris met with supporters in Pittsburgh, Harris was in Detroit speaking to union leaders who are backing her bid for the White House.

While most major unions are supporting Harris, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters remains undecided. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who spoke at the Republican National Convention, has stated they will not make an endorsement until Harris meets with their members.

Also on Labor Day, Harris’ running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz held a campaign event in Milwaukee. Vehicles in his motorcade collided on the way to the event, resulting in minor injuries to some staffers and reporters, who were taken to nearby hospitals.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance are gearing up for a busy week ahead. Trump is scheduled to visit Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin later this week.

Harris will be heading to New Hampshire to prepare for her upcoming debate with Trump.

10,000 hotel workers on strike across the U.S.

Thousands of hotel workers across the U.S. are on strike. The workers want hotel owners to raise their wages and benefits and bring back automatic daily room cleaning, which was scaled back at many hotels during the pandemic.

🚨🚨Thousands of hotel workers with @unitehere across the country are now on strike! Hotel workers are fighting for higher pay, manageable workloads, and increased staffing that were eroded through COVID-era cuts by the major hotel operators.🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/IhXTVPsFUD
— On the Line (@laborontheline) September 1, 2024

The dispute has taken center stage during tense contract negotiations in cities across the U.S. this summer, with at least 15,000 members threatening strikes this fall in 12 cities.

The first of the strikes began on Sunday, when thousands of workers in 25 cities walked off the job after contract negotiations with major hotel chains Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott stalled without a deal. Organizers say the strikes are set to last between two and three days.

Judge issues arrest warrant for Venezuelan opposition leader

A Venezuelan judge has issued an arrest warrant for former presidential candidate Edmundo González. It’s part of a criminal investigation into the results of July’s election, which both the ruling party and its opponents claim to have won.

Nicolas Maduro just issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo Gonzalez, the President-Elect of Venezuela.

A predictable outcome after a month of international inaction: offering carrots to Maduro only means more repression. pic.twitter.com/KNNE8O8J03
— Kareem Rifai 🌐 (@KareemRifai) September 2, 2024

The warrant was issued at the request of authorities, who accused González of various crimes including conspiracy, falsifying documents and usurpation of powers. The move is the latest against the opposition since election officials declared president Nicolás Maduro won a third six-year term in office.

Meanwhile, a plane belonging to Maduro is in Florida after being seized by U.S. authorities in the Dominican Republic. The Justice Department says the plane was illegally bought for $13 million and smuggled out of the U.S. in violation of sanctions and export rules.

ESPN and Disney go dark for millions of DirecTV customers

ESPN, Disney, ABC stations, and streaming services like Hulu have gone dark for millions of DirecTV customers. Disney pulled all its services from DirecTV Sunday at a crucial time for sports fans.

ESPN was in the middle of airing the U.S. Open tennis tournament and just minutes away from the start of the college football game between Louisiana State University and the University of Southern California.

WTF Directv and ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4RSyAn429L
— Thomas B (@BaseballThomasB) September 1, 2024

The dispute centers on the carriage fees DirecTV pays Disney to broadcast its programming.

DirecTV accuses Disney of “taking an anti-consumer approach” by demanding a new deal include bundled services. DirecTV wants to allow customers to be able to take an a-la-carte approach to subscribing to specific networks, making it easier to lower their costs.

In a statement, Disney said, “We will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs.”

Joey Chestnut eats 83 hot dogs to win Netflix’s livestreaming contest

As Netflix continues to take a bite out of the world of live sporting events, the streaming giant crowned its first-ever hot dog-eating champion during a Labor Day special. Joey Chestnut defeated his competitive eating rival Takeru Kobayashi to win the title in Las Vegas.

Chestnut, a 16-time Nathan’s hot eating contest winner, ate 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes — beating his own world record of 76 which he set in 2021.

Joey Chestnut beats Takeru Kobayashi AND his own World Record with 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes. #ChestnutVSKobayashi pic.twitter.com/ThF9GSkWQF
— Netflix (@netflix) September 2, 2024

Kobayashi totaled 66 hot dogs in what he announced would be his last competition.

In addition to a full stomach, Chestnut walked away with $100,000, a trophy, and a championship belt.
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Raids, children arrested, dozens killed: 1 month since Venezuela election

August 28, 2024
It’s been one month since the chaotic presidential election in Venezuela unfolded. There has been international outcry that the election was rigged. Even the U.S. said that incumbent authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro did not win the election despite his claim to victory.

Since the vote, there has been no transparency over voter rolls or tallies, and the disputed results have not changed.

The controversy over the election results sparked widespread protests and violence that has turned deadly, with at least 24 civilians and one soldier killed.

Maduro also ramped up a crackdown on dissent.

The socialist regime, accused of outright election theft, utilized door-to-door raids and mass arrests to quash opposition. The government’s heavy-handed response includes arresting around 2,000 people, including more than 100 children as young as 13, according to human rights groups.

Maduro’s government charged all of the children with terrorism, according to human rights lawyers.

The number of children arrested outpaced figures recorded during even the region’s most notorious campaigns of repression.

“Security forces are detaining people at a speed we had not seen in Venezuela’s recent history, even during the brutal repression in 2014 and 2017,” the Americas director for Human Rights Watch said. “This is not just a clampdown on demonstrators. It’s a full witch hunt against anyone who dares criticize the government.”

The opposition to Maduro said its candidate, Edmundo González, won by a more than two-to-one margin, based on data from 80% of polling machines.

Maduro’s government doubled down, saying he won by more than a million votes. Venezuela’s Supreme Court also certified the results in Maduro’s favor.

While the U.S. and other countries ask Venezuela for proof, one of Venezuela’s top election officials is now questioning the lack of transparency.

Juan Carlos Delpino, a member of the five-person National Electoral Council that is in charge of announcing results, said he saw “no evidence” Maduro won the election.

Speaking to The New York Times while hiding out of fear of government backlash, Delpino said he is “ashamed” that the country’s election body “failed the country.”

As political unrest deepens in an already tumultuous country that faced mass famine and a yearslong exodus, the number of Venezuelans fleeing the country is expected to ramp up significantly.

According to a Venezuelan polling firm, approximately 600,000 Venezuelans are considering fleeing the country by the end of September. The poll also showed there are nearly 930,000 more people planning to leave the end of 2024.
Related Stories

Denver suburbs consider suing over ‘sanctuary city’ migrant policies

How designating Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization helps Texas

Venezuela arrests 3 Americans for alleged plot to kill president

Tren de Aragua’s rapid expansion in the US linked to 100 cases

Opposition presidential candidate flees Venezuela amid arrest threats, protests

Venezuela’s Maduro orders Christmas to start in October, wants opponent arrested

More than 8,000 pounds of cocaine seized in Guyana’s largest drug bust

Judge issues arrest warrant for Venezuelan opposition leader

Pressure builds for cease-fire deal after 6 hostages killed in Gaza

Raids, children arrested, dozens killed: 1 month since Venezuela election

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