Tehran, July 24 (Prensa Latina) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei today accused the United States government of trying to normalize the commission of war crimes.

In a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Baghaei said that no order can justify such acts. “Orders issued by senior US officials do not exempt those responsible for war crimes from their criminal responsibility,” he stressed. The spokesman argued that Washington intends to sacrifice what remains of international humanitarian law and humanitarian values ​​in favor of its war policies.

He also warned that attacks against civilian infrastructure, such as bridges and power plants, constitute a violation of international law. Baghaei described these actions as acts of retaliation and collective punishment, practices which, he said, are expressly prohibited and may constitute war crimes under both international law and U.S. legislation.

The statements come after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, in response to any attacks by Tehran against ships or maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump announced on July 8 the end of the ceasefire contemplated in the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran on June 18.

The afternoon of June 24, 2026, was etched in the collective memory of a people who transformed suffering into solidarity, to overcome what was considered the “greatest natural tragedy” in the history of this country, whose mark will last forever.

In seconds, at 6:04 p.m. local time, the underground seismic force could no longer be contained and shook the states of Trujillo, Carabobo, Yaracuy, Aragua, Miranda, Caracas and La Guaira twice, in the north-central part of the nation.

The first few minutes caused confusion, panic, and great fear in men, women, and children in the face of the brutal energy that destroyed homes, buildings, hospitals, shopping centers, while other international facilities such as the Simón Bolívar airport and the port suffered extensive damage.

Immediately after the incident, the acting president Delcy Rodríguez, accompanied by the head of the National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez and the sectoral vice president of Politics, Citizen Security and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, appeared on television, called for calm and declared a national state of emergency.

“We ask our population for calm and unity,” the president stated, and announced that in light of this serious situation, the General Staff was activated, composed of the sectoral vice presidents of Politics, Citizen Security and Peace; Services and Public Works; Social Area; and Economy.

He also announced the appointment of Major General Juan Ernesto Sulbarán of the Bolivarian National Guard as the sole authority of that General Staff for the contingency, and seven days later declared a week of national mourning.

The certainty that, together, they would “address and channel all this situation generated by the two earthquakes,” opened up hope, while the first measures were adopted, such as calling all health personnel to go to their jobs.

This also included the activation of the VenApp digital platform so that citizens could report missing relatives or specific situations with their homes, along with the immediate deployment of national and regional government authorities throughout the territory of the Republic.

From the very beginning, international solidarity was not long in coming from countries such as Panama, Qatar, Cuba, Nicaragua, Turkey, Jordan, Barbados, Curacao, Colombia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and from organizations such as the UN and multilateral and financial bodies.

To the global call without distinction of ideology or creed, more than 40 countries from all regions of the planet responded, sending specialized rescue and salvage personnel and humanitarian aid that was channeled quickly.

La Guaira was identified as the epicenter of the extensive human and material damage, and aid from the central government and other regions immediately began to flow there with technical means, rescuers and security personnel, civil protection, firefighters and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB).

From the very beginning, these latter played a strategic role with material, human and protection aid in that area, whose access was limited for a few days to organize and facilitate the work.

While solidarity played an important role from the very beginning, some tried to take advantage of the situation with lies to sow fear and gain political capital from the misfortune of thousands of families, which was mainly carried out by the corporate media machine and social networks.

Much remains to be done - perhaps days, weeks, months or years - to erase the tragic event from memory, but the efforts of the authorities to heal the human and material wounds amidst so much devastation and death must be acknowledged, along with the essential support of the international community.

Thirty days after the double earthquakes, the majority unity of the people, the Government and its State entities, the public and private sectors, and the cohesion of the FANB (National Bolivarian Armed Forces) are the lessons learned for a nation that has set out to build a different society from a Venezuelan perspective; that is why Venezuela Renace (Venezuela Reborn) is not a simple slogan, but a reason for being.

“Marx conceived of socialism as an ideal, but the Soviet Union failed to make it work, while China revitalized it,” assessed Zhang Shiyi, former director of the 6th Research Department of the Party History and Literature Institute of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). His remarks were made during the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the CPC, the longest-ruling party in continuous power in history.

According to the historian, “The central difference lies in the fact that the Soviet Union abandoned Marxism, while China remained faithful to it. This illustrates the enduring theoretical value of Marxism.”

The debate on Thursday morning (23) covered everything from the discipline of the Red Army on the Long March to the approval of the 15th Five-Year Plan , passing through the mass line as a central instrument of governance. The China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA) organized the event for the press in Beijing, under the title “The 105th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China: History, Experience and Global Contributions”.

In addition to Zhang Shiyi, participants included Wang Yi, deputy director of the Department of Party History Research, Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Governance Academy); and Zheng Huan, professor at the Department of Party Building Research, Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Governance Academy).

Zheng detailed the “Two Integrations” approved at the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022: from Marxism to the concrete reality of China and to traditional Chinese culture. “We do not treat Marxism as a static textbook or immutable dogma,” he said. “We continue to explore and promote theoretical innovations in light of the characteristics of each era.”

Zhang reiterated the idea: the basic principles of Marxism should be applied “to real-world practice, rather than interpreted dogmatically.” For the historian, this unfolds in three aspects.

The historian broke down the argument into three dimensions. The first is “defending the position of the people”: “Marxism is a doctrine for the liberation of all humanity, based on the central conviction that the people are the engine of history.” The second is “to adopt dialectical thinking to coordinate national and international dimensions”: “managing one’s own affairs well is the basis for facing any challenge,” responding rationally to external pressures such as competition between great powers and technological blockages. The third is “to adequately address the relationship between universality and particularity”: Chinese-style modernization “perfectly balances the traits common to all modernization paths and the specificities of China.”

“Guided by Marxism, we advocate win-win cooperation and strive to create more development opportunities for all countries, especially developing ones,” he said.

Wang Yi detailed what he called the fundamental logic of the CCP’s entrenchment among the people: discipline brings cadres closer to the masses; affective and practical bonds integrate the Party and the people; concrete policies and their implementation guarantee this entrenchment in the long term.

She cited the historical case of the Long March. Alfred Bosshardt, a Swiss missionary who accompanied the Red Army for 18 months and recorded the experience in a book published in 1936, described the discipline he observed: “The troops maintain extremely rigid discipline and highly organized order. When the Red Army took shelter in orchards full of ripe oranges to escape aerial bombardment, the entire unit was ordered not to pick a single fruit,” Wang quoted.

Currently, Wang Yi mentioned the two recipients of this year’s July 1st Medal. Ma Shanxiang, for over 30 years, has visited homes and resolved community conflicts in Beijing, developing more than 60 mediation methodologies. Commenting on his own work, he said: “No matter how trivial a mass problem may seem, it is a major event.”

The other case is that of Huang Wenxiu, who traveled 25,000 kilometers to visit all 195 impoverished families in her rural village in Baise, Guangxi Autonomous Region, and created her own map showing the causes of poverty for each one. She learned the local dialect to understand the difficulties faced by the residents. She died at the age of 29, swept away by a flash flood in June 2019, while organizing flood prevention measures.

Wang Yi defined the mass line as “the most successful strategic weapon of the CCP in its 105-year history.”

Zheng highlighted that, according to statistics from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, by December 31, 2025, the party had over 100 million members and 5.431 million grassroots organizations nationwide.

The researcher also cited “Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building” as key to understanding the CPC. Systematized in the “Fourteen Commitments” listed in the report " Contemporary Characteristics and Global Significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building ," released on July 2 by the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Governance Academy) and the Xinhua think tank, the Fourteen Commitments constitute the program that translates the principles of this thought into practice, ranging from the Party’s leadership over all sectors of national life to the strict and comprehensive governance of the CPC.

The same report identifies five dimensions of relevance of the Chinese party model for parties in the Global South: an alternative to the crisis of representation; benchmarks for combating corruption; a response to organic fragmentation; abandoning the zero-sum logic; and building a new type of inter-party relations.

Zhang traced the historical arc of Chinese planning starting from the Four Modernizations formulated by Premier Zhou Enlai in 1954. The concept of Chinese-style modernization, developed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, distinguishes the parallel path adopted by the country, in which industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization advance simultaneously, from the Western sequential model, in which each stage preceded the next.

The 15th Five-Year Plan, approved at the Two Sessions in March 2026, establishes 20 core development indicators, 16 strategic tasks, and 109 priority projects. “Practice has shown that drafting and implementing Five-Year Plans constitutes the core governance experience of the CPC and a vital institutional strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” said Zhang.

Gustavo Menon believes the Historic Pact defeated Abelardo de La Espriella in the Senate The election for the Presidency of the Colombian Senate was the first defeat for the newly elected far-right president, Abelardo de La Espriella, on Monday (20). He had nominated Alfredo Deluque for the presidency of the Senate. But, without a majority in the House, he saw Senator Honorio Henríquez, from the Democratic Center, elected to the position.

Henríquez obtained 56 votes, surpassing the 45 obtained by his opponent. Linked to former president Álvaro Uribe, Deluque belongs to a political group that has already demonstrated support for Abelardo’s government program . The president-elect of the Senate will hold office until 2030.

In an interview with Conexão BdF , on Rádio Brasil de Fato , Gustavo Menon, a professor at the Catholic University of Brasília (UCB) and in the Inter-unit Graduate Program in Latin American Integration (Prolam-USP), assesses that Espriella’s defeat was resounding. “The Historical Pact achieved a majority in the Senate in light of the renewal in the 2026 Senate election, and opposition sectors are betting on more than just this institutional path,” he states, referring to the moves that the current president, Gustavo Petro, has been making.

“Resistance must be carried out not only in parliament, but also in the streets,” Menon argues.

“Petro has called for a series of demonstrations to be led by social movements, student groups, unions, workers, and Colombians who are coming out in defense of precisely this denunciation of how, in the current Colombian context, what is being developed is a kind of Plan Colombia 2.0, with a clear association of Colombian foreign policy with the interests of the White House,” he emphasizes.

Plan Colombia was a bilateral cooperation agreement signed in the late 1990s between the governments of Colombia and the United States, with the justification of combating drug trafficking, but whose main action was to undermine the activities of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Gustavo Menon also analyzed the visit of the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, to Brazil, noting that he has no scheduled meeting with President Lula (PT), but will meet with the Governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos), and attend the official announcement of Flávio Bolsonaro’s (PL-RJ) candidacy.

According to the analyst, this movement indicates that the presidential election in Brazil has already begun. “I dare say that, in this scenario, in this atmosphere in Latin America as a whole, of political fragmentation and economic disintegration, there is an attempt to shape a far-right project in the region that is very connected to Trumpism,” he warns.

“This network of projects, let’s say, by right-wing and far-right parties in Latin America, ends up being associated with this tide, this wave of the far right in the region, which ended up materializing in the election of Keiko Fujimori in Peru, Abelardo de La Espriella in Colombia, and the actions of Milei in Argentina,” he adds.

Montevideo, July 24 (Prensa Latina) The arrival of the American manufacturer Tesla in Uruguay is currently shaking up the electric vehicle market here.

This is how the announcement by the Chinese group BYD Uruguay to lower prices on six versions of its 100 percent electric line is interpreted. The Chinese brand presented a new “2027 Model” price list that cuts the value of its Seagull, Yuan Pro, Yuan Plus and Song Plus models by between one thousand and five thousand dollars, as disclosed by the company itself. The most significant reduction in percentage terms is that of the Yuan Plus Luxury, which reduces by five thousand dollars (a drop of almost 14 percent), followed by the Song Plus EV, which also gives up five thousand of the US currency.

BYD comfortably dominates the sale of electric cars in Uruguay to this day, where its models are becoming increasingly common on the streets and avenues of this capital. Tesla officially launched its Model 3 and Model Y here on July 17, and reports indicate that it sold 200 units on its first day of operations.

Uruguay ranks among Latin American countries in terms of the growth of electric mobility. So far this year, electric vehicles have accounted for 29 percent of registered vehicles. “Before electric mobility became a reality, it was necessary to build trust” is the slogan that BYD is currently using to promote itself against the new competitor.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem stated this Wednesday (22) that he “never said that Argentina is a xenophobic or racist country” and refuted interpretations of an interview given after the 2026 World Cup final. In a video published on social media, he said that his criticisms were directed at Argentine President Javier Milei and again condemned the country’s government’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he described as a “war criminal” .

“What I have never said and would never say is that Argentina is a xenophobic or racist country, or anything of the sort. That has never come out of my mouth and never will,” he declared.

According to the actor, his original statement was that it would be unfair to hold the Argentine national team responsible for Milei’s political positions. “Milei doesn’t represent the vast majority of Argentinians by any means,” he said.

Bardem also explained that he considered it unfair that the Argentine president’s unconditional support for Netanyahu had influenced some of the international fans during the World Cup final.

“I was saying that it seemed unfair to me that, due to Milei’s attitudes and the unconditional – and sometimes very proud – support he shows to someone who is a war criminal like Netanyahu, many people ended up supporting the other team,” he stated.

In an interview with British journalist Mehdi Hasan, which sparked the controversy, Bardem had already stated that Milei’s support for the Israeli government had created a political climate surrounding the decision between Argentina and Spain. At the time, the actor declared that “when a president so openly supports someone who is a war criminal like Netanyahu, people want to support the other side,” but stressed that the Argentine president “is not the entirety of Argentina.”

In the video released this Wednesday, Bardem stated that some interpretations attributed statements to him that he never made. The actor took the opportunity to reaffirm his connection with the South American country.

“For Argentina, I have only great affection, great respect, great gratitude, and great admiration,” he stated, citing the cinema, culture, social life, and personal relationships built throughout his career.

Bardem also highlighted that he considers Argentina an international benchmark in policies of memory, truth, and justice .

“Argentina is an inspiration to many people in my country because of the reparations process carried out to bring justice to the victims of the military dictatorship. A process that, unfortunately, did not happen in Spain. In this sense, as in many others, Argentina is an inspiration and a point of reference,” he said.

At the end of the recording, the actor reiterated that he decided to speak out to prevent his words from being used against the Argentine people.

“For me, it was important to make all of this clear, especially what I have never said and would never say, out of respect and affection for the Argentine people,” he concluded.

Bardem was one of the most prominent figures in the stands during the Spanish national team’s campaign in the 2026 World Cup. In addition to attending the team’s matches, the actor used the tournament’s visibility to defend the Palestinian people and denounce the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

After Spain won the World Cup, Bardem posted a tribute to the players on social media, thanking them for representing the country’s “diversity” and for defending “respect for the rights of peoples and groups who need a voice.”

The publication was accompanied by images of the title celebration and a photograph of Lamine Yamal holding a Palestinian flag during the celebration of the Spanish national league title, as well as a mural in Gaza reproducing the same scene.

The sound of the grinder and the cement mixer is the sound of Caracas, which is slowly returning to life after the double earthquake that shook the country on June 24th . In the Venezuelan capital, dozens of buildings suffered structural damage, especially in the city’s upscale areas. And at least ten of them collapsed.

Crossing the mountain that separates the Venezuelan capital from the Caribbean Sea, the landscape is one of devastation. La Guaira was the hardest hit region and, a month after the earthquake, there is still much rubble to be removed. Rescue efforts continue, especially to locate those who remain missing.

The historic and tourist city, with its cheerful and hardworking people, disappeared in a matter of seconds . For the survivors, however, there is a whole life to rebuild.

Adriana Solís is with her family in a shelter near Caracas, coordinated by the Ministry of Communes. Now safe, she recalls with astonishment the experience of living through an earthquake of that magnitude.

“At the time of the double earthquake, I was at home cooking, tending to my children, and I thought that what we were experiencing was what had happened on January 3rd, another bombing and things like that. That was the impression because the buildings were swaying from side to side,” recounts the resident of La Guaira.

Efrain Muñoz also experienced terrifying moments. He recounts that he was at home with his daughter and grandchildren, and that they were all able to leave the house thanks to the help of their neighbors. For him, it’s necessary to move forward. That’s why he decided to give boxing lessons to the children who are in the shelter.

“I try to help the children. I started with my grandson, who trained with me there. I started with him alone here on the court and children started joining in. And now I have quite a few children who are starting to practice boxing,” says the combat sports instructor.

“I hope that all of us here can find decent housing and continue helping the children at school. It’s not just about investing in sports, but about sports going hand in hand with studies and also creating discipline, responsibility, and education, so that in the future they will be the men of tomorrow,” he concludes, emotionally.

After the storm, Maria Alejandra now hopes that the calm will mean having a new roof over her head. “What I want most is my home, my house, somewhere I can go. And for my children to have a home again,” said the survivor.

The double earthquake that struck north-central Venezuela on June 24 left nearly 18,000 people homeless. To date, the death toll exceeds 5,000. Last week, the government delivered the first 200 new homes to the displaced and promises to deliver another 4,000 by December.

According to the Minister of Communes, Ángel Prado, the unprecedented magnitude of this tragedy compels the State and the organized people to unite around the recovery of the affected areas, without losing sight of the popular project for the country’s development.

“We will support the national government, we will defend the Bolivarian revolution, which is the legacy of Commander Hugo Chávez, and we will not surrender. Together we will overcome this terrible situation that we have had to live through this year, especially in 2026, when two very negative events shook our country. First, the bombing of Venezuela, the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and the first combatant Cilia Flores. And now these terrible earthquakes that have claimed thousands of lives,” the minister told Brasil de Fato .

“The popular movement in Venezuela is very active, and the affected people greatly appreciate that community members from all over the country are coming to offer this embrace and this helping hand. These are our principles, and that will not change,” the minister added.

In an effort to ensure the safety of families, the Venezuelan government announced on Thursday the start of the Single Dwelling Registry in the temporary camps in Caracas, the country’s capital, where hundreds of people displaced by the earthquakes are being sheltered.

The program will be extended to the state of Miranda starting this Saturday (25). Assistance will be provided in phases: it will begin in the camps and then cover families relocated to other parts of the country or staying with friends.