On Friday, Richard Grenell, the special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, arrived in Caracas to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The purpose of his visit is to secure Venezuela’s acceptance of deportation flights for undocumented migrants and to obtain the release of U.S. citizens detained in local prisons, said Mauricio Claver-Carone, the official in charge of Latin America at the U.S. State Department.
Washington has faced difficulties in deporting Venezuelans for years due to the deterioration of bilateral relations, especially following the diplomatic rupture in 2019 during Trump’s first term (2017-2021), when the U.S. recognized opposition politician Juan Guaido as “transitory president.”
Since then, deportation flights have been scarce. In October 2022, under the Biden administration, these flights briefly resumed but were suspended again four months later.
Venezuelan Communications Minister Freddy Ñañez confirmed that Grenell requested a formal meeting with Maduro. This request was accepted by the Venezuelan president to establish a “zero agenda,” a move that reactivates dialogue between the two countries after years of tensions.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
Venezuela to Hold Legislative and Regional Elections in April
On Monday, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that Venezuelans will go to the polls for legislative and regional elections on April 27.
“In the coming hours, in compliance with legal regulations, the comprehensive electoral schedule for these elections will be made public,” said CNE President Elvis Amoroso, adding that his institution will conduct the necessary audits to ensure reliability and transparency in the electoral process.
He also mentioned that all parties and candidates participating in the 2025 elections must sign a document committing to respect and abide by the “results issued by the National Electoral Council as the constitutional authority of the Republic.”
Amoroso also stated that the CNE will remain in permanent session to ensure all steps are taken for the “successful development of the electoral process on April 27.”
Source: Telesurenglish.net
Venezuela Launches ‘Catatumbo Lightning’ Military Operation on Border with Colombia
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced a large-scale deployment of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) in coordination with Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
The “Catatumbo Lightning” Operation is part of the Popular, Military, and Police Exercise “Bolivarian Shield 2025” and covers the entire border shared between Colombia and Venezuela.
“The tasks are being carried out in coordination with the government of President Gustavo Petro, working on a binational development plan that is integrated, economic, social, deeply human in nature, and also unifying for our peoples,” Maduro said.
The head of state also detailed that the deployment extends from the northern regions of Táchira, bordering the Colombian province of Norte de Santander, where clashes between armed factions have been reported, prompting the Colombian government to declare a “State of Internal Commotion.”
“We are going in with full military force, complete and comprehensive,” the Bolivarian leader stated.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
President Maduro Leads Activation of the 4th Social Transformation and Announces Bolivarian Alliance Summit for 2025
The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, led the Activation of the 4th Social Transformation this Friday, a meeting with the promoting teams of the new generation of Grand Missions, where he emphasized the importance of advancing toward a social model that guarantees peace, life, and well-being for the Venezuelan people.
During his speech, President Maduro announced that, in coordination with the presidents and prime ministers of the Bolivarian Alliance, a Summit will be held next Monday, February 3, to define the 2025 agenda of struggle, aimed at strengthening sovereignty and peace for all nations.
President Maduro also reported that this Sunday, February 2, the first general elections of the Popular Consultation will take place, in which more than 5,000 Communal Circuits will decide on the projects to be executed over the next three months. “We are building a new model of participatory and protagonist democracy,” he stated.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
36,685 Projects Submitted for the First National Popular Consultation on Sunday
A total of 36,685 community initiatives have been submitted by People’s Power and communes in Venezuela for the First National Popular Consultation (CPN) 2025, according to a statement by the Minister of People’s Power for Communes and Social Movements, Ángel Prado, on his Telegram channel.
Key Areas of the Submitted Projects
The projects cover various essential areas for community development:
6,481 projects in the water sector.
5,136 in housing and habitat.
4,681 in road infrastructure.
4,160 in electricity.
3,945 in education.
3,123 in healthcare.
2,129 in sports and recreation.
On Sunday, February 2, Venezuelans will participate in selecting the most relevant projects in an electoral process with 5,245 voting centers available nationwide.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
United Socialist Party of Venezuela Call for Grassroots Assemblies to Define Candidates
On Wednesday, just hours before the start of the 2025 electoral calendar, the vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello, called for popular assemblies to identify candidate proposals for the upcoming legislative elections.
“Our country is moving towards a new form of government in which our system of organized communities will be fundamental,” he said during a video conference with PSUV militants.
Cabello then announced that over 47,000 Venezuelan communities would take part in the PSUV and PSUV Youth assemblies, which will be held between Thursday and Friday.
“We will conduct a diagnosis of our Party to prepare for this year’s tasks, including participation in the April 27 elections, which are being organized in accordance with the Constitution,” he recalled.
During the grassroots assemblies, participants will debate topics such as the new stage of the Bolivarian Revolution, the organization of community circuits and teams, the profiles of PSUV candidates, and the party’s participation in forming a historic revolutionary bloc.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
Venezuela Welcomes Returning Migrants
On Tuesday, President Nicolas Maduro announced that Venezuelan public schools had received approximately 400,000 returning migrant children over the past four months.
In the countries where they had previously resided, the children “did not have the right to free public education. In many places, they were discriminated against for being Venezuelan due to the smear campaign led by the far right against Venezuela,” he recalled.
“These children came to Venezuela, where they are safe, happy, and receiving an education. In their homeland, they now have a secure space to learn and grow,” Maduro stressed, reiterating his call for Venezuelans living abroad to return to “undertake new endeavors, work, and build in their homeland and to help strengthen our nation so that they can be happy here.”
“Venezuela must become a paradise for our people—we have to make it happen. There is still much to do, but we will achieve it… Unlike others, we tell our migrants that we want them to come back,” the Venezuelan president stated.
President Maduro reiterated that U.S. economic sanctions triggered Venezuelan migration between 2017 and 2019. He also blamed human traffickers linked to far-right groups for luring Venezuelans away with false promises.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
Government of Venezuela Rejects U.S. Interference in Essequibo Dispute
On Tuesday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil rejected statements made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that his country supports Guyana in the controversy with Venezuela over the Essequibo region.
“Marco Rubio, an enemy of our country, as Secretary of State, continues to show his unhealthy obsession with harming Venezuela. Now, he seeks to support the fantasies of the Guyanese government, which aims to strip us of the historic rights bequeathed to us by our liberators and which are an inalienable part of our sovereignty,” said the Bolivarian diplomat.
“The only legitimate and valid path to resolving the territorial controversy over the Guayana Essequibo is through compliance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Neither the ill-intentioned interference of our enemies nor deceitful policies will alter this reality.”
“The Guyanese government must understand that its obligation is not to third parties but to history, international law, and regional peace. It must sit down at the table and negotiate based on the principles established in the Geneva Agreement. The sun of Venezuela rises in the Essequibo!” Gil stressed.
Source: Telesurenglish.net
