• At least three people died when the Manzanares River overflowed in Sucre; the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presented a report on the situation in Venezuela; several bridges collapsed due to the rains; the Vatican announced the 14 new saints that the Catholic Church will have in 2024

This week, at least three people died when the Manzanares River in Sucre state overflowed due to the rains caused by Hurricane Beryl on the Venezuelan coast, which also affected several roads in other states of the country.

In addition, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (HR), Volker Türk, presented his report on the situation in Venezuela and kicked off the electoral campaign for the presidential elections with demonstrations in Greater Caracas.

The report also included complaints from two non-governmental organizations regarding cases of violations of freedom of expression and labor disputes that occurred in June.

On the international level, the Vatican announced the 14 new saints who will be proclaimed by the Catholic Church in 2024.

Panama and the United States also agreed to address the migration crisis in Darien, and in India, the organizers of a religious event in which 121 people died were arrested.

In sports, the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV) announced Yulimar Rojas and Julio Mayora as Venezuela’s flag bearers for Paris 2024. And at Euro 2024, France and Spain advanced to the semi-finals by defeating Portugal and Germany, respectively.

Below are the most important news of the week:

More than 25,000 people were affected, three people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed when the Manzanares River overflowed in Cumanacoa, Montes municipality, Sucre state, on July 2. The situation arose following Hurricane Beryl passed through the Venezuelan Caribbean.

In addition to the deceased and those affected, Venezuelan authorities are searching for five people who went missing following being swept away by the river current.

The governor of Sucre state, Gilberto Pinto, indicated on Wednesday, July 3, that 145 businesses were affected by the overflow of the Manzanares River, while Ildemaro Villarroel, Minister of Housing and Habitat, reported that 7,990 houses were counted “with some type of affectation” and, for now, the total loss of 360 homes.

Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (HR), presented on Wednesday, July 3, during an interactive dialogue with the member states of the organization, his new update on the situation in Venezuela

The official said that human rights violations in the country continue to worsen due to the actions of government authorities.

The High Commissioner referred to the detention of activists Rocío San Miguel and Carlos Julio Rojas, who have not had access to lawyers of their choice for their defense. In this regard, he demanded the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including Javier Tarazona, director of Fundaredes, who has been “unjustly” detained for three years.

On Thursday, July 4, the electoral campaign for the presidential elections of July 28 began with two mobilizations in Greater Caracas, both by President Nicolás Maduro, who is seeking reelection, and by the opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia.

The opposition caravan moved from Chacaíto to El Marqués, joined by groups of motorcyclists, some of them with flags of Venezuela or of the political parties Vente Venezuela and Un Nuevo Tiempo.

For their part, supporters of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) marched from various points in Greater Caracas. The mobilization passed through Libertador Avenue, Bolívar, Urdaneta and reached the Miraflores Palace.

On July 4, a section of Trunk 9 that connects Carúpano and Güiria in the state of Sucre collapsed as a result of the rains recorded in the entity.

Venezuelan Transport Minister Ramón Velásquez reported on July 5 that the bridge linking the states of Apure and Táchira also collapsed. The structure specifically connects the town of El Nula, in Apure, with the town of El Piñal, in Táchira.

In addition, the Falcón State Security Secretariat reported the closure of the Morón-Coro highway due to a fault that prevented passage on the Paso Nuevo bridge, which is located between the Huequito and Curarí sectors, in the Píritu municipality.

On July 5, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Espacio Público reported that 41 violations of freedom of expression were recorded in Venezuela during the month of June, one more than those recorded in May.

Espacio Público highlighted that at least 16 journalists were victims of violations of freedom of expression, as well as six cameramen or technicians and one media outlet.

According to the report, the perpetrators include six public institutions, five security forces and two officials, as well as two groups sympathetic to the government.

The Institute for Advanced Trade Union Studies (Inaesin) revealed on July 5 that during the second quarter of 2024, the Observatory of Labor Conflicts and Trade Union Management recorded 155 labor conflicts.

According to the report, 30 of the protests were recorded in June, with the education sector accounting for 50% of the protests. This total figure represents a decrease of 39 compared to those recorded in May.

Inaesin attributed the decrease in the number of complaints to the proximity of the presidential elections on July 28, due to the fact that workers supported the calls to form working groups for the electoral campaigns.

Pope Francis decreed on July 1 the new blesseds who will be proclaimed during World Mission Day on October 20, 2024. During the Ordinary Public Consistory (meeting of cardinals) for the Canonization of Blesseds, the names of 14 blesseds who will be canonized by the Catholic Church were announced.

Among the future Catholic saints are: Manuel Ruiz López and seven companions of the Order of Friars Minor, together with the laymen Francisco Mooti and Raphael Massabki, who were murdered in Damascus (Syria), between 9 and 10 July 1860 for reasons of “hatred once morest the faith”.

Also present are Italian priest José Allamano, Canadian sister Marie-Leonie Paradis and Helena Guerra, founder of the Congregation of Oblates of the Holy Spirit.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino expressed the need to cooperate “closely” to “address and resolve the humanitarian crisis” of migrants in Darién, the border between Colombia and Panama, the press office of the new Panamanian president reported.

The issue was addressed during a meeting held by Mayorkas and Mulino, in which the president-elect reaffirmed his commitment to “work as a team” with the United States government to find effective solutions to this situation.

During the meeting with the senior U.S. official, Mulino also stressed “his firm intention to combat the business of irregular migration,” said a statement from Mulino’s press office.

Police on July 4 announced the arrest of six members of the organization of the religious ceremony in which 121 people died in a stampede in northern India, while the search for others responsible for the incident continues.

“Six people, including four men and two women, have been arrested following the incident. All of them are members of the organising committee and were working as volunteers,” Inspector General of Police, Aligarh district, Shalabh Mathur, told reporters.

Local guru Bhole Baba, who led the prayer ceremony and was attended by some 250,000 people on July 2, remains at large following fleeing the scene.

The Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV) announced on July 2 that athletes Yulimar Rojas and Julio Mayora are Venezuela’s flag bearers for the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (OG).

Rojas, a triple jump athlete, will once once more be Venezuela’s flag bearer following having represented the country at the Tokyo 2020 games, where she was accompanied by karateka Antonio Diaz; while weightlifter Julio Mayora won the silver medal in weightlifting at the competition in the capital of Japan and took home the gold medal at the last two Pan American Games.

Rojas will be the flag bearer despite the fact that she will not be able to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games due to an injury to her left Achilles tendon for which she had to undergo surgery at the Cemtro Clinic in Madrid, Spain, on April 12 of this year.

France eliminated Portugal on penalties in the Euro 2024 quarter-final match on Friday, July 5. The French team will now face the Spanish national team in the semi-finals on July 9.

In the shoot-out, Ousmane Dembele scored for France (0-1), then Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal (1-1), then Yousouff Fofana to make it 1-2, later Bernardo Silva responded (2-2), the fifth was a perfect shot into the top corner by Jules Koundé (2-3), the sixth was missed by Joao Félix once morest the post (2-3), Bradley Barcola took advantage to give the French team the lead (2-4), Nuno Mendes kept the excitement going (3-4) and Theo Hernández sealed the win: 3-5.

Spain also advanced to the semi-finals with a goal from Mikel Merino in the 119th minute, in extra time, and Germany was eliminated from the tournament.

The tie that reigned on the scoreboard, the result of Dani Olmo’s opening goal in the 51st minute and Florian Wirtz’s last in the 87th minute, changed with the leap and header of Mikel Merino, Spain’s hero in qualifying Luis de la Fuente’s team for the sixth semi-final in its history in the European Championships.

In The newspaper We present you a summary of the most important news of the week, which you should know regarding at the national and international level.

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