International News
Venezuela Opposition Leader Denounces Arrest Of Aides
Venezuela’s opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado condemned on Wednesday, the arrest of two of her staffers and accused the government of attacking her party for fear of losing July’s presidential election.
Venezuela-Protests
Her comments came after the country’s top prosecutor earlier in the day announced the arrest of two senior officials from Machado’s Vente Venezuela party over an alleged anti-government conspiracy.
Attorney General, Tarek William Saab said Henry Alviarez and Dignora Hernandez were plotting to “rally the masses using labor and student unions to incentivize a military wing” to lead an uprising and “generate destabilization in the country.”
Seven other Machado aides have been arrested in recent days, and warrants have been issued for several more.
The attorney general did not mention any measures against Machado herself.
“Today, as you all know, arrest warrants were issued for nine Venezuelans, most of them members of our campaign team,” Machado said at a press conference in Caracas. “Two of the members of these teams were kidnapped and forcibly detained.”
“Everything, absolutely everything, said by the prosecutor” was false, she added.
“This is a shameful attempt to shut down the electoral process.”
Though she was disqualified from the July 28 election and banned from holding public office for 15 years, Machado has continued to try to challenge President Nicolas Maduro’s attempt to secure a third term.
Maduro’s regime knows “there is no way they can win an election,” she told reporters in the capital.
Attorney general Saab said the arrest warrants for Machado’s staffers stemmed from a confession by another of her aides, Emil Brandt Ulloa, who was arrested on March 9.
In a video, Bradnt allegedly admits to the conspiracy, and claims it was financed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
“We have revealed a series of conspiracies, threats and actions that have as a common denominator the intention of sowing violence and chaos in the country and threatening the life of the president” as well as “high civil and military authorities,” said Saab.
Vente Venezuela condemned what it described as the “kidnapping” of Alviarez and Hernandez, and said the “repression of the regime” was intensifying.
The party’s headquarters were shuttered Wednesday.
In a video circulating on social media, police officers were seen forcing a woman, widely identified as Hernandez, into a van as she shouted: “Help, please!”
“Vente Venezuela is not a terrorist organization … Our route is electoral, we want a peaceful transition,” Orlando Moreno, coordinator of the party’s human rights committee, told AFP.
– ‘Power at any cost’ –
Venezuela goes to the polls on July 28 with Maduro seeking re-election after 11 years in office marked by sanctions, economic collapse and accusations of widespread repression.
In October, Machado overwhelmingly won an opposition primary, capturing 92 percent of the votes.
But the Supreme Court in January upheld the administrative order barring her and her potential stand-in, Henrique Capriles, from holding public office.
Machado, 56, has accused Maduro of violating an agreement signed in Barbados last year, in which his administration promised to hold a free and fair vote in 2024 with international observers present.
The deal led the United States to ease sanctions, allowing Chevron to resume limited crude extraction — a decision it is now reconsidering given Machado’s continued exclusion from the ballot.
On Thursday, Brian Nichols, the top US diplomat for Latin America, called for “the immediate release” of Machado’s staff.
“Maduro’s escalating attacks on civil society and political actors are totally inconsistent with Barbados Accord commitments but will not stifle the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people,” he wrote in a statement on social media platform X.
Argentina and Uruguay also demanded the release of the opposition aides, while Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil accused the United States and Argentina of being “accomplices” to “fascists”.
Machado has so far refused to bow out of the presidential race, though it is unclear how she will overcome the state’s hurdles to her participation.
Official nominations for presidential candidates open on Thursday.
“Once again, those who seek to stay in power at any cost lash out against those who oppose them,” Capriles wrote on X.
AFP
International News
Nottingham Forest Sacks 5th Manager In 10 Months, To Wrap Up Oliver Glasner’s Deal
Oliver Glasner is in advanced talks to replace Vitor Pereira as Nottingham Forest head coach, a move which would see the Austrian become the club’s fifth manager in less than a year.
Pereira announced his departure from the club in a statement on Wednesday, saying that it came as a “complete surprise to me and without any warning”.
Glasner is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace — where he won the FA Cup in 2024-25 and then the Community Shield and Conference League the following campaign — and is set to stay in the Premier League.
The 51-year-old confirmed in January that he would leave Palace at the end of the season after two years in charge.
On Thursday, Forest confirmed Pereira’s coaching staff Filipe Almeida, Luis Miguel, Bruno Moura, Marco Knoop and Pedro Lopes had all left the club alongside the head coach.
Pereira, 57, was appointed Forest head coach in February on an 18-month contract which runs until 2027.
The Athletic reported in May Forest had been planning to show their faith in Pereira by handing the head coach a new long-term contract, but those talks were subsequently put on hold.
“Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest,” he said in his statement.
“I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club. Although this decision came as a complete surprise to me and without any warning, I fully respect the club’s right to make the decisions it believes are best for its future.
“Naturally, I am disappointed and saddened. I truly believed in what we were building together, and I leave with a sense of pride in everything we achieved over the past months.
“Together, we enjoyed a memorable end to the season. We secured the club’s Premier League status, reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and created moments that will stay with me forever. Most importantly, I saw a group of players grow in confidence, belief and togetherness.
“I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment—only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories. Football is full of unexpected moments, and while this chapter has ended sooner than I expected, I will always look back on my time here with pride and affection.”
The Portuguese succeeded Sean Dyche and was Forest’s fourth permanent boss of the season following the departures of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.
Nuno had led Forest to Europa League qualification the previous season but he departed in September, less than three months after signing a new deal. Postecoglou was appointed his replacement but was dismissed just 39 days later. Dyche took charge of the team in October before his dismissal in February.
Forest were three points above the relegation zone when Pereira was appointed and he subsequently steered his side to Premier League safety with two games of the campaign remaining.
His appointment marked his second managerial spell in the Premier League after guiding Wolverhampton Wanderers to safety during the 2024-25 campaign.
Cristiano Ronaldo has publicly countered suggestions from his sister, Katia Aveiro, that he intends to retire from international football following the World Cup.
The Portuguese legend recently led his team to the round of 16 following a 2-1 victory over Croatia.
Ronaldo continued to be a pivotal player for his country, having scored the equalising goal from the penalty spot after going one goal down in the second half.
Following his goal, he became the oldest player to score in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
Reports from Portuguese media had quoted Aveiro stating that the current tournament would be Ronaldo’s final appearance for the national team.
Before the recent match against Croatia, Aveiro was quoted as saying, “From the information I have, from a reliable source, I believe that this is the last dance, so let’s enjoy it. I strongly believe this is the farewell.”
However, the football icon has made it clear that his focus remains solely on the present, not on his future.
“My future isn’t important right now,” Ronaldo stated. “I’ll have time; after winning or losing, I’ll talk to my family and then make the best decision.”
The legendary forward, who recently secured a trophy in Saudi Arabia, holds the record for both appearances and goals for his national team, with 146 goals in 232 caps.
The UEFA Appeals Body has announced that Czech club Karvina is banned from participating in next season’s Europa League. UEFA made the decision based on competition regulations, ruling that Karvina “directly or indirectly participated in activities aimed at manipulating or influencing the results of domestic matches,” as stated in the official resolution.
As a result of this decision, Karvina’s spot as domestic cup winner will be taken by Viktoria Plzeň, with Viktoria Plzeň’s second qualifying round spot going to Hradec Králové. Jablonec will fill the vacant Conference League spot originally held by Hradec Králové.
In the Europa League, Hradec Králové will face Tromsø. In the Conference League, Jablonec will face Varaždin.
Viktoria Plzeň will learn their opponent in the Europa League playoff draw on Monday, August 3.
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