All posts by Carmen Gomaro

Carmen Gomaro - leading international news and investigative reporter. Worked at various media outlets in Spain, Argentina and Colombia, including Diario de Cádiz, CNN+, Telemadrid and EFE.
SPAIN

Felipe VI: "We cannot allow the germ of discord to settle between us"

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King Felipe VI has decided to send a clear and blunt idea this Sunday, in his tenth Christmas message to the Spanish. The Monarch has placed emphasis on highlighting the alarm about the times we live in, in a direct and harsh speech, with a political tone in which he has managed to find the balance so as not to lose the neutrality that his role as Head of State demands of him.. Forcefully, Felipe VI assured that there were many specific issues that he could address, but he has decided to focus on the two that most urgently need to be addressed: “It is the Constitution and Spain that I want to refer to,” he announced as soon as the conversation began. address.

This 2023, in addition to celebrating the Monarch's tenth speech, the Magna Carta has turned 45 years old. A democratic model that the Spanish people voted for in a referendum and that is still in force today, as demonstrated by the swearing-in of the Princess of Asturias: “It is the best example of union and coexistence between the Spanish people,” said the King.. This coexistence is, for the Monarch, “one of our great assets in democracy”, because it is based on “shared feelings and the common search for the well-being and prosperity of all.”

The Head of State studies the Constitution and his mandate is what guides his steps, and also that of all Spanish citizens.. The King recalled that, just as democracy offers the right to all citizens to live in freedom and respect, this system “also requires basic and broad consensus on the principles that we have shared and that have united us for several generations.”. And these principles are included in the Constitution, “the greatest political success in our recent history,” said Felipe VI.

The Magna Carta began the Regime of 78 and thanks to it Spain managed to overcome the division, “the cause of many errors in our history,” the King recalled.. “Overcoming that division was our main success almost five decades ago,” he reflected.. And it was then that the Monarch, after a studied pause, stated, looking at the camera, what is the mandate to which we are all obliged: “Preventing the germ of discord from ever establishing itself among us is a moral duty that we all have.”. Because we can't afford it,” he said in reference to the errors he had spoken about before.

If the Constitution establishes the values that support the parliamentary monarchy, the Magna Carta also, the King has indicated, “ensures our model of life, our way of living and understanding life.”. Felipe VI has listed those daily acts that the Constitution “protects, guarantees and protects”. Thus, he cited the fact of “expressing oneself freely, receiving an education or protecting oneself from illness (…) accessing housing, starting a family…”.

The Magna Carta as guarantor of values and the welfare state are the reasons that have led the King to express a wish: “I want to vindicate the Constitution as an essential instrument and guarantee so that the lives of Spaniards can continue to flow with confidence.”. Once the Monarch has explained the purpose for which the Constitution is called, Felipe VI has said that for this objective to be fully developed it does not only require respect for the Magna Carta, and has asked the Spaniards “to preserve their identity, “its reason for being as a collective agreement of all and among all for a shared purpose”. The King, what's more, wanted to insist on that idea with a call on the Constitution: “It demands that we preserve its integrity.”

«Outside respect for the Constitution there is no democracy or coexistence possible; there are no freedoms but imposition; there is no law, but arbitrariness. “Outside the Constitution there is no Spain in peace and freedom.”. A new pause and something essential expressed in just six words: “And together with the Constitution, Spain.”

Institutions

Once the first part of the message dedicated to the Magna Carta had been expressed, Don Felipe wanted to talk about Spain. He has once again recalled the need for unity and, also without ambiguities or messages between the lines, he has spoken of respect between institutions.

«The ultimate reason for our successes and progress has been the unity of our country». This unity, he stated, “will be the key for us to successfully face the serious and complex future challenges that Spain faces today.”

To address this future, Felipe VI has insisted that all State institutions, “starting with the King”, have the duty to “always pursue the general interests of all Spaniards with loyalty to the Constitution.”. Each institution must, according to the Monarch, “place itself in its rightful place” and, in addition, they must “also respect other institutions”, as well as “always ensure the good name and respect for our country.”

Don Felipe wanted to end the message with a more optimistic tone: “We should become more aware of the great country we have,” he stated, and then insisted that “Spain will continue to move forward.”. “The Crown will always be on that path, not only because it is my duty as King, but also because it is my conviction.”

Image of Princess Leonor's oath of the Constitution, on the chest of drawers in the audience hall of the Zarzuela palace. REAL HOME

Leonor, image of continuity
M. PINEAPPLE

There were few doubts about the image that would accompany Felipe VI during the Christmas Message. The King carefully chooses the staging for this address to the Spaniards and this year he wanted a photograph of the Royal Family during the swearing in of the Constitution of the Princess of Asturias to be the one that made up the set that is set up every year in the audience hall of the Zarzuela Palace.

The photograph was taken on October 31, when the Princess of Asturias swore loyalty to the Constitution in Congress and with that gesture vindicated the validity of the parliamentary monarchy that the Spanish chose 45 years ago.

The set was completed by the flags of Spain and the European Union, a Christmas tree and a mystery that belongs to the private collection of Felipe VI.. Two books were also placed in the audience hall: The Prado Museum and Masterpieces. Royal Collections.

After the Message, five photos were projected: Leonor on the day of her swearing-in, Infanta Sofía with the women's soccer team, the Queen with the families affected by the fire in Tenerife, the King in Yuste and a last one of the coronation of Carlos III.

SPORTS

Vitor Roque, forward sponsored by Ronaldo Nazario, Xavi's first reinforcement to take flight

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First reinforcement for the distraught Xavi Hernández, who needs to change the dynamics of a very irregular team. The Brazilian Vitor Roque (Timóteo, 2005) will soon join the training of a team that has lost the wake of Real Madrid and Girona.

Before training as a Barcelona player, the young striker has already won the affection of many fans with a simple and symptomatic gesture: the care with which he folded a Barça shirt before putting it in one of the suitcases with which he will arrive in Europe.. The Brazilian has among his endorsers one who, of course, knows very well how to be decisive in attack: Ronaldo Nazario. Many, due to his powerful verticality and dribbling, already compare him to him.

The current president of Valladolid was dazzled by this kid when he began to stand out in 2019 at Cruzeiro, a team he joined after tense negotiations with América Mineiro, the team with which he took his first serious steps in football.. The financial problems of Cruzeiro, a club of which El Fenómeno was a majority partner, forced it to be sold, in April 2022, to Athletico Paranaense for around five million.

Initially, Vitor Roque seemed to accuse the change of team and had a hesitant start, but then, in 2023, everything changed. From one year to the next he went from scoring seven goals and providing three assists in 36 games to scoring 21 goals and providing seven assists in 44 games.

Tigrinho, a nickname inherited from his father, who is known as Tigrao in his circle of friends, sparked the interest of several European clubs.. The great mobility in attack (1.72 meters, 78 kilos), his ability to take advantage of spaces and a scoring instinct that has increased over time were the main arguments of a player who feels that his nickname is very appropriate..

However, despite the siren songs that wanted to take him to the old continent or other places, he was always very clear that Barcelona would mark his destiny.. From the moment the Blaugrana knocked on his door, he no longer wanted to listen to another proposal. The negotiations were not easy, but finally the entity chaired by Joan Laporta managed to close his incorporation in exchange for 30 million euros plus a succulent series of variables.

The signing was closed last summer, and the club also gave him a termination clause of 500 million euros.. Then it was already announced that his arrival was going to be postponed to July 2024 due to the delicate financial fair play situation of the Catalan entity.. But Gavi's long-term injury will allow his arrival to be brought forward, through a somewhat bizarre formula: he arrives on loan for the remainder of the season, but must be effectively registered with his original contract with a view to the campaign. 2024-25.

Lewandowski performance

After the last and discouraging days of Xavi's team and the discreet performance of Lewandowski, the Brazilian striker is expected with arms wide open. From his point of view, his arrival can contribute a lot to his team increasing its scoring performance.. Joan Laporta also intends to hire a midfielder who plays a role similar to Gavi.

“He is a hope for the team, a very good signing and I think he can contribute a lot to us.”. So many positive things come to mind…. It gives us hope, work, goals, sacrifice, it goes to space…. “We will help him adapt as soon as possible,” Xavi said about the young Brazilian this week.. The coach also made it very clear that we should not put too heavy a burden on the new player's back: “We cannot put pressure on Vitor Roque or young people like Lamine Yamal. They have to go little by little. Therefore, we have to take a step forward as a team and make differences in the areas.”

Trust

Tigrinho, whom his father, Juvenal, his mother, Hercilia, and his older sister, Vitoria, prefer to call Vitinho, has already begun to know the responsibility that comes with having all eyes on him. In the last South American U-20 championship he was the most outstanding player, with a total of six goals. He has also had the opportunity to debut with the senior Brazilian team. A premiere that also marked a parallel with that same Ronaldo who saw so much and so good in his figure during the time he defended the Cruzeiro colors. Vitor Roque donned the canarinha against Morocco on March 3 and became the youngest debutant since El Fenómeno played his first game with the seniors.

SPAIN

The King releases them like bread to those who sow tares in our Nation

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In the nine years that Felipe VI has been at the head of the Head of State, this Christmas Eve was the first in which he faced the Christmas Speech with his family situation under control, without citizens already expecting any appeal to crises led by theirs. But, on the contrary, the Monarch had before him this time another no less challenging challenge: that of addressing in his Message one of the most anomalous political situations in these 45 years of democracy, and doing so, naturally, from the vantage point of neutrality and non-partisanship. from which the head of a parliamentary Monarchy can never move an iota.

Cowardice or prudery are not among the defects of Felipe VI as King. And, in the same way that in recent years, with phrases like “ethical principles are above family considerations” – especially in an institution like the Crown in the 21st century – or that State servants have to be “an example” of public and moral integrity”, he launched very harsh and unequivocal reproaches to his father and left it well explained why he has not rehabilitated him for institutional life – hence the absence of Don Juan Carlos in an act such as the swearing in of the Constitution of Leonor -, this time he has snapped at the political representatives who are not preventing “the germ of discord from ever establishing itself among us”, “a moral duty that we all have.”

Whoever wants to feel addressed will feel that a few words are enough for a good understander.. But the forceful Christmas Speech is not only to frame it, because it is one of those that make history, but it will have caused more than one of our leaders to turn red in the face and stay that way…. at least until next Christmas Eve.

If Don Felipe has addressed a Speech of such forcefulness to the Spaniards, it is because the Head of State must be very concerned with the environmental situation, characterized by extreme polarization and a more than evident danger that the disruptive will end up completely cornering the consensual. And Don Felipe had no desire to hide it, on the contrary.. But, it is fair to highlight it, the King can allow himself – many would even say that it is his obligation to do so – to show a red card and warn unequivocally that “all State institutions have the duty to conduct ourselves with the greatest responsibility and always seek the interests generals of all Spaniards with loyalty to the Constitution” because he has the auctoritas that confers him not only the fact of occupying the throne but the scruples with which he sits on it, that is, having set the bar of exemplarity very high starting with himself and those who make up the institution he embodies, and remaining at all times in the lane set by our Fundamental Law.. It is not a bad exercise to read and listen to the lines of Philip VI's Christmas Speeches as a continuous series.

The defense of the Constitution has become the path of his reign. And this time the Monarch has not stopped in claiming the great work of '78, “the best example of union and coexistence between Spaniards” and “an essential instrument and guarantee so that the lives of Spaniards can continue to flow with confidence, with stability.” , with certainty”, which also. But he has issued the serious warning that the Constitution needs to be protected. And that the Head of State, in a Speech without rubbish, without rhetorical concessions, without subterfuges or euphemisms, wanted to point out that “for the Constitution to carry out its mission, it is not only required that we respect it, but also that we preserve its identity, which what defines it, what it means; its reason for being as a collective pact for all”, – come on, let's not love it so much and love it well – reflects undisguised discomfort with the movements tending to denaturalize our Fundamental Law.

One may or may not agree with the King's diagnosis, but the position he is forced to adopt is certainly serious.. And it is those who have the responsibility of governing in their hands, with President Pedro Sánchez at the head, who, before anyone else, are responsible for giving an account to the citizens of what they are doing, or what they are not wanting to do, to “preserve that identity” of the Constitution to which the King urges. Can the Government not feel challenged?

However, the King has not stepped on any shifting ground that could swallow him, like the quagmire of amnesty.. But he has not missed the opportunity to vindicate himself. When he emphasizes in his Speech that we Spaniards “have expressed and – above all – defended our constitutional values when they have been at risk”, it is impossible or extremely naive not to see a gesture of reaffirmation in his actions on 3-O for, in the exercise of their functions, contribute to stopping the most serious blow against our constitutional order since 23-F, which was the independence challenge in Catalonia. «Outside respect for the Constitution there is no democracy or coexistence possible; “There are no freedoms but imposition,” says Felipe VI. And his accurate analysis is too reminiscent of the toll paid for the present governability, it will be a coincidence.

It is also true that the royal slap on the wrist seems to be directed not only at the Government, but also extends to the rest of the powers and even to the set of political forces, which in so many issues such as the reform of the General Council of the Judiciary, for Give an example of the many that come to mind, they are putting party interest before “loyalty to the Constitution.”. Also some of the leaders who most applaud the Speech may have turned a little reddish in the face.

The spokespersons of many parties who this December 25 and in subsequent days value his words will also like Don Felipe like loaves of bread.. And we will hear the most critical of his speech as “political” and, without even going into the substance, they will judge that he exceeds his role.. But, as prestigious constitutionalists such as Javier Tajadura emphasize, “the right to message is inherent to every head of state, and with even more meaning and more legitimacy in any monarch of a parliamentary democracy, a supra-party, neutral and impartial figure, who in an elected president of the Republic». Another thing is that, we suppose, the King would like his Christmas messages to have the same lightness as those of any of his European peers. Because the need for the Monarch to make the most of his function of inspiration and warning also tells us about the political anomaly in which we are installed. Who knows until when.

SPORTS

Rahm's coronation: Tribute to Seve, the marked destiny and first conquest of the green jacket

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An unforgettable date: April 9, 2023, the day on which Seve Ballesteros would have turned 66 years old. The whims of fate wanted the celebration to be in style, with Jon Rahm dressed in green at Augusta National. The sensations and atmosphere were already different from the beginning of the week. Rahm appeared very focused on the meadows of the most special major. But the Barrika player did not know the almost paranormal twists and turns in the history of Spanish golf.. The last time the end of the Augusta Masters coincided with the birthday of the Pedreña genius was 2017, the year in which Sergio García won his only major.. “Don't put any more pressure on me,” Rahm responded when he found out about the coincidence.

In one of the practice rounds, José María Olazábal and Sergio García (masters with jackets in the champions' locker room) escorted Rahm in the hours before the Masters. On the 12th hole there was a proposal for her hand from a couple of spectators who had the trident of Spanish golf as luxurious godfathers.

“I have never reached the last nine holes on Sunday with any real chance of victory,” the Basque recalled in his meeting with the press before starting the tournament.. In 2018 it was fourth. But if something motivates the Barrika golfer, it is precisely that, the pressure, the records, the history. After those doubts, Rahm achieved his second major at Augusta National, his first Augusta Masters. He won four strokes ahead of Phil Mickelson, despite starting the tournament with a double bogey.

“I have not been someone who has come close to crying, but when Chema hugged me I almost lost everything,” he admitted minutes after winning.. Olazabal only whispered one phrase in the new champion's ear: “It had to be this day.”

This Masters was probably the most serene, calm victory for the Barrika player, who added victory number 20 of his career and the second major after the 2021 US Open. To crown his dance of records, it was his eleventh victory on the PGA Tour, surpassing Seve Ballesteros (nine) and equaling Sergio García as the most successful Spaniard on the American Circuit.

Party and exhaustion

Around midnight, an exhausted Rahm made his way back along Magnolia Lane, already crowned in green after just over two hours of formal events: interviews, meeting with club members…. Tradition continues to rule in the most elite club in the world, there was barely time or energy left for a celebration worthy of the feat. “I came home exhausted, left my jacket in the closet and got into bed. I couldn't take it anymore. That Sunday began shortly before five in the morning.. Mentally and physically, my body couldn't handle it anymore.. I slept badly because of the adrenaline. The next morning everything arrived. I was in the room, in bed with Kelley, it was about 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning and I saw a photo from Golf Digest. It was a montage on the green of the 18th hole, where Seve and I were shaking hands. When I saw that photo, it hit me all at once. I started to cry. I looked at Kelley, back at the photo. And when she looked back at me, her face was already full of tears. There was so much emotion for what had happened… That's when I realized what I had achieved and what it meant,” the champion recalled in a conversation with EL MUNDO.

It is the sixth green jacket for Spanish golf. Seve Ballesteros conquered it in 1980 and 1983; José María Olazábal, in 1994 and 1999, and Sergio García, in 2017. The eleventh Grand Slam tournament in the history of Spanish golf.

What pointed to an epic year turned out to be exceptional, Rahm achieved four titles in the first four months of the year without including, of course, the one he won with Europe in the Ryder Cup in Rome.

The end of the story, known to everyone, has led to the unexpected departure of Jon Rahm to LIV Golf with an irrefutable contract. A signing that has meant the suspension of the Spaniard from the PGA Tour and one of its consequences has been that the Barrika player could not fulfill one of his dreams for which he had been waiting all season.

After his triumph at Augusta Rahm was clear about where he wanted to wear the Green Jacket: “You have to ask permission. They set their rules…. Although it would be incredible to wear it in San Mamés”. That was his intention in the last soccer league match between his Athletic team and Atlético de Madrid.. However, permission never came from Augusta National and the Spaniard could not kick off dressed in green, as Sergio García did at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.. And Augusta National avoids any source of controversy or situation that could affect the most exclusive club in golf.

SPAIN

The key phrases of the King's speech

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In his traditional Christmas Eve message, King Felipe VI called this Sunday to “preserve the integrity of the Constitution”. He has stressed that outside of the Magna Carta “there is no democracy” and that “division is the cause of historical errors”. “We cannot allow the germ of discord to settle among us,” he said, underlining the “moral duty” to preserve the “unity of our country” and “solidarity” between autonomous communities..

Call

«Preventing the germ of discord from ever establishing itself among us is a moral duty that we all have.. Because we can't afford it.

Put in value

«Outside respect for the Constitution there is no democracy or coexistence possible; there are no freedoms but imposition; “There is no law, but arbitrariness.”

Magna Carta and Spain

«Outside the Constitution there is no Spain in peace and freedom. And together with the Constitution, Spain.

Progress

«The ultimate reason for our successes and progress has been the unity of our country. “It will be the key to successfully facing the complex future challenges that Spain faces today.”

Institutional crisis

“Each institution, starting with the King, must be placed in the place that constitutionally corresponds to it.”

I respect

«We must also respect other institutions in the exercise of their own powers and contribute mutually to their strengthening and prestige.. “We must always ensure the good name, dignity and respect of our country.”

Coexistence

“One of our great assets in democracy is, precisely, that coexistence based on shared feelings and the common search for the well-being and prosperity of all.”

Homework

“We should become more aware of the great country we have, so we can feel it more and take care of it together.”

Optimism

«Spain will continue forward. The Crown will always be on that path; “Not only because it is my duty as King, but also because it is my conviction.”

SPORTS

The World Cup that revolutionized everything: Spain is proclaimed champion with a sporting and social lesson

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It was 12:29 on Sunday, August 20, 2023. Six million Spaniards stopped suffocating the heat on the beach or the pool to sit in front of the television to watch the second most important match in the history of national football being played in Sydney.. Spain was playing the World Cup final against England and the feeling of living a unique moment enveloped everything. A left-footed shot by Olga Carmona proclaimed the Spanish National Team World Champion, a dream that no one would have imagined just a year before.. It was a single goal, as solitary and iconic as Andrés Iniesta's in 2010, which caused an explosion. Not only was it the most important triumph, it was a revolution.

Carmona had shattered a glass ceiling at a time when more girls want to play soccer. Licenses are growing and the F League and professionalization are trying to take off but, despite Alexia Putellas' two Ballon d'Ors and FC Barcelona's Champions League, there was a lack of great references and collective successes.

Spain, led by Jorge Vilda, went through purgatory before conspiring to forget everything that happened after being expelled in the quarterfinals of the Euro 2022 Championship. On September 23, 15 players declared themselves ineligible to be eligible by letter.. Soccer players like Aitana Bonmatí, Mapi León or Patri Guijarro were not emotionally prepared. Captain Irene Paredes and Jenni Hermoso were not signatories, but they demanded changes, and Alexia Putellas did not sign her signature either because she was recovering from the torn cruciate ligament she suffered a few months before..

The RFEF, with Luis Rubiales at the helm, understood the footballers' position as an ordeal. Their demands for greater professionalization were only partially attended to and always under the supervision of Jorge Vilda, absolutely supported by the president of the Federation.. The 15 disappeared, there was an election of new captains and with victories like the historic one against the United States in El Sadar they wanted to bury a problem that was regretted. With the approach of the World Cup, the hatchet was buried. The majority of the players once again declared themselves fit to be selected and Vilda, in addition to Paredes, Hermoso and Putellas, included Aitana, Mariona and Ona Batlle on the World Cup list.

The open wounds closed during the championships in Australia and New Zealand where there was only one stumble. Spain started by beating Costa Rica (3-0) and Zambia (5-0) but, in the last game of the group stage, they received a very hard blow. Japan, one of the four teams that had won the World Cup, handed them a painful 4-0. It was July 31 and the lesson was learned. In the round of 16 they got rid of Switzerland (1-5), in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands (2-1) and in the semifinals against Sweden (2-1), then number 1 in the world ranking.. In the final, Sarina Wiegman's England awaited them, the same team that expelled them in the European Championship and on the verge of reaching the semi-final.

Olga Carmona's goal did not reflect the superiority in a match in which the Spanish were able to score the second with balls from Salma Paralluelo, an emerging star in the championship, that licked the post and a penalty missed by Jenni Hermoso. The Vallecana was freed from that weight with the end of the match, but she began to carry a bigger weight on her shoulders.

The non-consensual kiss

The non-consensual kiss that Rubiales gave him at the trophy ceremony tarnished the feat and gave way to pressure for Jenni Hermoso to save the president by downplaying what the courts are investigating as a sexual assault.. The president's defiant stance before an assembly that, shamefully, acclaimed him was the fuse that blew everything up. #SeAcabó went around the world and caused FIFA to suspend the almighty Rubiales. In his fall he dragged Jorge Vilda along and the RFEF, now with Pedro Rocha at the helm, appointed Montse Tomé as coach.

Participating in the World Cup success as Vilda's second, she was not going to have the peace of mind of managing a talented group of winners. He also had to pay for his mistakes and defuse his own bombs.. His first summons angered a player who had once again said that they would not attend the national team until the RFEF made changes and was a safe place.. At the Oliva concentration, with the intermediation of the Higher Sports Council, a truce was signed with the objective set on the Paris Games.

Tomé is still on the bench and Markel Zubizarreta has joined to create the necessary peace to be able to take steps in the necessary renewal that will allow the best generation of Spanish footballers to continue making history.

INTERNATIONAL

The Pope calls for an end to the war in Gaza due to "the desperate humanitarian situation" and the release of the hostages

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The conflicts that stain the world with blood were this Monday at the epicenter of the Pope's Urbi et Orbi Blessing on Christmas Day. “The people, who do not want weapons but bread, who fight to get ahead and demand peace, ignore how much public money is spent on weapons. However, they should know! Let it be talked about, let it be written, so that the interests and profits that pull the strings of wars are known.”

Francis appeared in the central Lodge of Saint Peter for his planetary message of peace, and, as he explored the pains of the world, he could only begin this year from “Israel and Palestine, where war shakes the lives of those populations,” sighing: ” I embrace you all, in particular the Christian communities of Gaza and the entire Holy Land. I carry in my heart the pain for the victims of the atrocious attack of October 7 and I renew an urgent call for the release of those who continue to be held hostage. I call for an end to military operations, with their terrible consequences of innocent civilian victims, and for a remedy to be put to the desperate humanitarian situation by opening the door to the arrival of aid.. “That violence and hatred should not continue to be promoted, but that a solution to the Palestinian issue be found, through sincere and persevering dialogue between the parties, backed by firm political will and the support of the international community.”

On the day of Jesus' birth, “the eyes and hearts of Christians around the world are directed to Bethlehem: there, where pain and silence reign these days, the announcement that has been expected for centuries resounds: 'You have born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'”. Francis focused first and foremost on the innocent: “In Scripture, the Prince of Peace opposes the 'prince of this world' who, by sowing death, acts against the Lord, the 'lover of life.'. We see it in action in Bethlehem when, after the birth of the Savior, the slaughter of the innocents takes place.. How many massacres of innocent people in the world: in the womb, on the routes of the desperate in search of hope, in the lives of so many children whose childhood is devastated by war. “They are the little Jesuses of today.”

Therefore, “to say 'yes' to the Prince of Peace is to say 'no' to war, to all war, to the very logic of war, a path without a goal, defeat without winners, madness without excuses,” exclaimed the Pope. , who insisted: “But to say 'no' to war we must say 'no' to weapons. Because if the man, whose heart is unstable and wounded, finds in his hands instruments of death, sooner or later he will use them. And how can we talk about peace if the production, sale and trade of weapons increase?”.

Francisco's denunciation against the arms trade was especially harsh. At the same time, he did not hesitate to go beyond Israel and Palestine and took stock and reflected on the situation throughout the planet: “My thoughts are with the people of tormented Syria, as well as with those of Yemen who continue to suffer.”. I think of the beloved Lebanese people and pray that they soon regain political and social stability.. With my eyes fixed on the Child Jesus I implore peace for Ukraine. And may the day of definitive peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan approach, favoring the continuation of humanitarian initiatives, the return of the displaced to their homes in conditions of legality and security, and the reciprocal respect for religious traditions and places of worship in each community”.

The Pope then invited us not to forget “the tensions and conflicts that disturb the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, as well as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. And may the day come when fraternal ties on the Korean Peninsula are strengthened, opening paths of dialogue and reconciliation that can create the conditions for lasting peace.”

And he continued: “May the Son of God inspire the political authorities and all men of good will on the American continent, so that adequate solutions are found to overcome social and political disagreements, fight against forms of poverty that offend the dignity of people, smooth out inequalities and confront the painful phenomenon of migration”.

As a farewell, Jorge Bergoglio took the opportunity to talk about the Jubilee. “The time of grace and hope of the Jubilee is approaching, which will begin in a year. Let this period of preparation be an opportunity to say 'no' to war and 'yes' to peace; to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to slaves and release to prisoners.”

INTERNATIONAL

The Chavista army, on alert before the arrival of a British warship in the north of Guyana

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The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) has sounded its alarms after learning of the deployment of a British ship in the eastern Caribbean, north of Guyana, sent by London to protect its former colony.. “A warship in waters to be delimited? And then? And the commitment to good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence? And the agreement not to threaten and use force mutually under any circumstances? We remain alert to these provocations “that put the peace and stability of the Caribbean and our America at risk!”, reacted General Vladimir Padrino López, Minister of Defense and great leader of the Chavista generalate..

From London it is considered that the presence on the high seas of the patrol ship HMS Trent, which usually watches over the African coasts, is a gesture of support for its ally, but in Caracas it has been felt as a breach of the agreement reached days ago in the Caribbean Kingston, where Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Irfaan Alí committed that “directly or indirectly, they will not threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances, including those arising from any controversy existing between both states.”.

The agreement also contemplates that in the event of an incident, Guyana and Venezuela will immediately communicate with each other, in addition to the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Brazilian president. , Lula da Silva, to “contain, reverse or prevent its repetition”.

During the electoral campaign for the referendum on Essequibo, a million-dollar oil territory in dispute between both nations and under the administration of Guyana, Chavista threats proliferated, which included the declaration of annexation (which has not occurred) of that territory, which they renamed like Guayana Esequiba. It was at that time that another of Georgetown's allies, the United States, made flights over the conflict zone.. In addition to the US and the United Kingdom, Ali has the support of the 15 Caricom countries, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Commonwealth.

Since the escalation of war began, which scared the continent due to the fear that Nicolás Maduro would turn the Essequibo into his Venezuelan Malvinas, the Caracas government put the British Foreign Minister, “the failed and infamous” David Cameron, in its target. of disqualifications, for being the “chancellor of the former imperial power of the United Kingdom”.

Maduro blames the United Kingdom for being the cause of “the theft of Guayana Esequiba, which left as a legacy this controversy that we will know how to resolve through direct dialogue without malicious interference.”.

“That is the custom of those ancient empires, they believe that they are owners of their former colonies,” pontificated the “people's president.”.

Revolutionary intelligence organizations have dissected the journey and the weapons available to HMS Trent, which crossed the 3,200 miles that separate Gibraltar from Barbados for 12 days. Its main weapons are a 30mm automatic cannon and four heavy machine guns.

INTERNATIONAL

Putin sends Navalny to a remote Arctic prison

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Dissident leader Alexei Navalny has been transferred to a prison in Russia's northern Arctic region. After days of uncertainty, his whereabouts have been revealed by his spokesperson after his team lost contact with him for more than two weeks.

Navalny was finally located in the IK-3 penal center in Jarp, in the Yamal-Nenets region, about 1,900 kilometers northeast of Moscow, reported his spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh.

It is one of the northernmost prisons, one of the most remote prisons in the country. The conditions there are harsh, with a special regime, in a frozen area with permafrost, perennial ice. It is very difficult to get to that region and the mail delivery systems used by prisoners in other centers do not exist.

Navalny's lawyer was able to see him a few hours ago. Russia's most famous prisoner was awaiting transfer to a “special regime” facility, the most severe level in the Russian prison system.

These days without clues from Navalny have raised alarm about his state of health. His collaborators sent 618 requests for information about the location of Navalny, who since shortly after his arrest in 2021 was in a penal facility 235 kilometers east of Moscow, in the Vladimir region.

It is common that during long transfers from one prison to another, the prisoner 'disappears' within the penitentiary system for a period of time.. Transfers from one penal colony to another in Russia usually take several weeks of train travel, and the families of the detainees have no news during that time. It happens not only with dissidents, the prisoner 'disappears' for weeks during the transfer and information is only given to the lawyers and family about his location and condition when the prisoner has already arrived, often in a carriage in poor condition, to his new destination prison.

Unrest in Washington

The US State Department declared itself “deeply concerned” on Monday about the “detention conditions” of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny in the Russian Arctic penal colony, according to AFP.

“We welcome the news that Mr. Navalny has been located,” a State Department spokesperson said.. “However, we remain deeply concerned about the fate of Mr.. “Navalny and his unjust conditions of detention,” he said in a statement.

INTERNATIONAL

Netanyahu intensifies war: "We are facing monsters"

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The Israeli Army intensified bombings and attacks on the Gaza Strip, turning Christmas Eve 2023 into one of the deadliest nights since the Israeli offensive began two and a half months ago, with 250 dead and 500 injured in just 24 hours.. This year's Christmas has not brought peace, not even temporarily, but more death and destruction to Gazans.

In one of the worst attacks, at least 106 people were killed and dozens wounded in an Israeli airstrike that destroyed entire inhabited buildings in the Al Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, according to hospital records. could see the AP agency. Since the brutal military campaign began after the October 7 attacks, most of Gaza has been devastated, more than 20,400 Palestinians have died, according to the Ministry of Health, and 2.3 million people have had to flee their homes. houses and move within the small territory. The UN warns that almost a quarter of the Gazan population is dying of hunger under intense fire and isolation imposed by Israel.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, did not waste the opportunity this December 25 to send a message of congratulations to Christians around the world for Christmas in which he justified his offensive, which falls on the civilian population: “We face monsters,” he said after wishing Christmas, “monsters who murdered children in front of their parents.”. “It is a war of the entire civilization against barbarism,” he assured.

The Israeli political leader, questioned inside and outside its borders, visited Gaza again today and sent clear messages against the truce that a large part of the international community is demanding: “The war is nowhere near over.”. “We are not going to stop, we continue fighting and we are going to intensify the fighting in the coming days,” he said.

Meanwhile, Egypt proposed this Monday an ambitious preliminary plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas with a ceasefire, a gradual handover of hostages and the creation of a Palestinian government of experts that would administer the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. , an Egyptian official and a European diplomat explained on Monday.

Netanyahu has multiplied this holiday weekend in half the world and also gave a speech to the Hebrew Parliament, which was interrupted by families of Israeli hostages held by Islamist commandos in Gaza.

When the prime minister stated that he needed “more time” to secure the release of the hostages still held by Hamas, several relatives cried: “Now! Now!”. A week-long truce in late November allowed the release of 105 hostages, 80 of whom were exchanged for 240 Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails.

“What if it was your son?”, “80 days, every minute is hell,” could be read on the banners raised by the families in Parliament, which held a special session dedicated to the hostages.. Netanyahu assured that he will “spare no efforts” to achieve his release, but warned that this would only be possible if “military pressure” was maintained.

“We cannot stop the war until we have achieved victory against those who attack our lives,” Netanyahu declared.. “We will not stop until victory.”

From Gaza, the leader of Hamas in the enclave, Yahya Sinwar, issued his first message in 80 days since the start of the conflict.. “It is a fierce, violent and unprecedented battle against Israel,” said Sinwar, who Israel assumes is hiding in underground tunnels in the Khan Yunis area, where much of the fighting is now centered, reports Efe.

“The Al Qasam Brigades (armed arm of Hamas) will destroy the occupation army, they are on the way to crushing it and will not submit to the conditions of the occupation,” added Sinwar, number two of the organization but the true leader of the group, since it controls political and military operations within the Strip, while the head of the movement's political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, lives in exile in Qatar.