Greeks celebrate Epiphany with the traditional blessing of the waters. In Piraeus, men dove into the cold sea to retrieve a wooden cross for good fortune.

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Morocco’s tourism sector is hitting record highs. In 2025, the country welcomed 19.8 million tourists, a 14% increase from the previous year, according to the tourism ministry.

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The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) sent a letter to the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference expressing solidarity with the current situation in the country following the attack led by the US government.

The text was published on social media and describes the situation in the neighboring country as one marked by tensions, suffering, and uncertainties affecting the people.

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“We come together spiritually in your prayers and pastoral initiatives, expressing our solidarity with the victims of violence, the wounded, and the bereaved families,” the note reads.

“As pastors of the Church in Latin America, we share the pain of the suffering people and renew our hope in the power of the Gospel of unarmed and disarming peace,” the statement goes on to say.

In the letter, the Brazilian conference cites sincere dialogue, justice, and respect for human dignity and the sovereignty of nations as the only way to promote the common good, in addition to “strengthening democracy and building a social coexistence marked by reconciliation and lasting peace.”

“May the Holy Spirit continue to sustain the prophetic mission of the Church in Venezuela, granting serenity, wisdom, and strength to all, and leading the Venezuelan people along the paths of unity and hope,” the message says.

Interventions

Last Saturday (Jan. 3), several explosions were reported in neighborhoods of the Venezuelan capital Caracas. Amid the military attack orchestrated by US, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by US elite forces and taken to New York.

The raid marks a new episode of direct US interventions in Latin America. The last time the US invaded a Latin American country was in 1989, in Panama, when the military kidnapped then-President Manuel Noriega, accusing him of drug trafficking.

As they did with Noriega, the US accuses Maduro of leading an alleged Venezuelan cartel called De Los Soles, without presenting any evidence. Experts in international drug trafficking question the existence of the cartel.

Critics see the action as a geopolitical measure to distance Venezuela from global adversaries of the US – such as China and Russia – as well as to exercise greater control over the oil of a country that boasts the largest proven oil reserves on the planet.

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Unions and social movements held a demonstration on Monday afternoon (Jan. 5) in São Paulo, demanding the release of Nicolás Maduro. The protest took place in front of the United States Consulate.

Participants advocated for the autonomy of the neighboring country, the pursuit of peace, and respect and solidarity with the Venezuelan government and its people.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brazil at UN: US action in Venezuela threatens peace in South America.

“We came to this rally today not only to demonstrate our solidarity with the Venezuelan people, but also to express the position of working-class students regarding imperialist attacks, especially those by the United States. Imperialism, regardless of the country, seeks to dominate nations, particularly those on the periphery of capitalism,” said student Bianca Mondeja, a member of the leadership of the National Union of Students (UNE).

The student organization considers a people’s “capacity for self-determination” to be “non-negotiable.”

For Professor Luana Bife, who is affiliated with the Unified Workers’ Central (CUT), the United States’ action against Venezuela constitutes “interference that destabilizes a country socially and economically.” She warned that, just one day after the invasion of Venezuela, Trump was already reiterating the possibility of military action against other countries. “Our central position is the self-determination of peoples,” she reaffirmed.

Gilmar Mauro, a member of the National Coordination of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), called for the immediate release of President Maduro. “We are here in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, in defense of sovereignty, and demanding the immediate release of President Maduro. In truth, it is the continent and democracies around the world that are under threat,” he emphasized.

Mauro said there are about 60 MST members in Venezuela today and that, among the movement’s members, there is a perception of a resurgence in popular mobilizations in the country.

“For many people who are not with us in the streets, this has generated indignation and a patriotic sentiment that is effectively surfacing at this moment. This is happening even within Venezuela, including among sectors of the Venezuelan right, and we are witnessing this within the United States as well,” he stated.

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The Brazilian government again condemned the armed action by the United States against Venezuela, as well as the alleged kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores last Saturday (Jan. 3).

During an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday (5), Ambassador Sérgio França Danese said that peace in South America is at risk.

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• Lula condemns attacks on Venezuela, Brazilian diplomats discuss crisis.
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According to the diplomat, previous armed interventions on the continent resulted in authoritarian regimes, human rights violations, deaths, political imprisonment, torture, and enforced disappearances.

“The use of force in our region evokes chapters of history that we believed we had left behind and jeopardizes the collective effort to preserve the region as a zone of peace,” Danese declared.

“We reaffirm, with full determination, our commitment to peace and non-intervention in our region,” he added.

Unacceptable line

For Brazil, the United States crossed an “unacceptable line” from the standpoint of international law. Danese stated that the US action clearly violates United Nations norms.

“The UN Charter establishes, as a pillar of the international order, the prohibition of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any nation, except in strictly foreseen circumstances. These norms do not allow the exploitation of natural or economic resources to justify the use of force or the illegal change of a government,” Danese said.

The Brazilian representative noted that Venezuela’s future must be decided exclusively by its people, through dialogue and without external interference, within the framework of international law.

“The multipolar world of the 21st century, which promotes peace and prosperity, should not be confused with spheres of influence. We cannot accept the argument that the ends justify the means,” Danese stressed.

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The Israeli Communications Ministry said the two Palestinian mobile operators, Jawwal and Ooredoo, and the Swedish infrastructure firm Ericsson signed management agreements.