Venezuelan opposition continues to garner international support in their contestation of the presidential election results from July 28th. On Tuesday, 26th, Gustavo Silva, an ally of international observers, presented a report to the Brazilian National Congress containing electoral minutes from the vote, which suggest a victory for Edmundo González over Nicolás Maduro. According to the documents, the observers had access to 85% of the ballot bulletins, known as ‘minutes’ in Brazil. The data indicates that González received 67% of the votes, while Maduro received 30%. Silva emphasized the important role of the international community in finding a peaceful and democratic solution for Venezuela, with Brazil playing a key role in this endeavor. In his statements, Silva thanked President Lula for not officially acknowledging Maduro’s victory, thus showing support for the Venezuelan opposition. Maduro’s response was repression, and subsequently, the denial of the Venezuelan people’s will, Silva remarked, emphasizing the need for a fair and transparent election process in Venezuela. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reiterated that Brazil does not recognize Maduro’s victory, suggesting that the Venezuelan leader still owes explanations about the elections. He called for complete disclosure of the electoral minutes before making any decision about acknowledging the results. Meanwhile, the electoral issue continues to create divisions among Latin American countries and beyond. As the Venezuelan opposition fights for international recognition, Maduro maintains his self-proclaimed presidential position, amid increasing pressure for election process transparency. In other news, U.S. military bases in the UK have been dealing with mysterious swarms of drones, causing concerns for the safety of air and military operations. The affected facilities include Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Feltwell. The U.S. Air Force, which manages these bases, has not disclosed many details about the incidents. The first episode occurred in Lakenheath, home to the F-15E Strike Eagle attack and interception fighters and the F-35s, the only ones outside the U.S. or aircraft carriers. This was followed by Mildenhall, a base that houses spy and air refueling planes, also being affected. The U.S. Air Force confirmed that unmanned drones were sighted at these three bases between November 20 and 26. The U.K. Ministry of Defence considered the threat serious, and security measures were implemented to support the U.S. military response. Reports suggest that F-15s were sent out to identify and possibly shoot down the drone swarms. However, the Air Force has not officially confirmed if these devices were downed. Due to the sensitive operations at these bases, details about the action are scarce. The rising international tension, especially with Russia, fuels speculations about these incidents’ nature. While some believe the drones could be a simple prank, the geopolitical situation demands caution and prevents any threat from being dismissed without a more in-depth investigation.
