The News with Jorge Gestoso

Venezuela

The Venezuelan government categorically denies what is described as malicious information published on social media that seeks to divide the country´s high military command regarding alleged secret conversations between Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and the United States prior to the January 3rd attack and the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and the First Lady. 

The Venezuelan executive also denied another false and likewise malicious report concerning an alleged declaration awarded to foreign intelligent agents. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez reaffirmed that the government continues to follow the line of action left by President Maduro and reiterated her call for national unity, once again saying, quote, the enemy´s greatest victory would be to divide us, but they will not succeed, she said.

Ecuador

In Ecuador, the seizure of more than two and a half tons of cocaine at a port in Guayas earlier this year has placed companies linked to the family circle of President Daniel Novoa under scrutiny. This case adds to previous investigations, such as those by OCCRP and Revista Raya, which documented multiple cocaine seizures between 2020 and 2022 in containers belonging to Novoa Trading, the banana company at the core of the family conglomerate Novoa, used by Balkan cartels for shipments to Europe.

Chile

And Chile has declared a state of catastrophe and reports at least 19 deaths due to wildfires in the central-southern part of the country, which have already consumed more than 20,000 hectares.