分类： politics

Less than 24 hours after stepping back onto Venezuelan soil following eight years in exile to kickstart new negotiations over the country’s political future, opposition figure Dinorah Figuera has announced she will travel to the United States for a series of strategy meetings, the opposition leader confirmed to AFP in a Friday interview.

The former lawmaker, who enjoys U.S. government backing for a plan to advance democratic transition after the ousting of longtime authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, made an unannounced arrival in Caracas on Thursday, where she held a landmark sit-down with the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly. In audio messages sent to AFP via WhatsApp, Figuera explained that the trip to Miami is intended to assess next steps in the political process, though she declined to name the parties she will meet with during her U.S. visit.

The meeting between Figuera and National Assembly leader Jorge Rodriguez marks a critical opening milestone in a deliberate, long-term effort to build a free, inclusive democratic society for Venezuela, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasized in an official statement released after the talks.

The current political shift in Venezuela follows a major development in January, when Maduro, the country’s former president, was apprehended during a U.S. military operation and taken into custody on federal drug trafficking charges. Since his arrest, the country’s executive branch has been led on an interim basis by Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez.

In the days following her return, Figuera has already drawn a clear line between her political initiative and that of fellow opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who recently rolled out her own separate framework to negotiate a democratic transition for the crisis-battered nation.

A major diplomatic rift between Italy and the United States exploded into public view on Friday, after inflammatory, unflattering comments attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni triggered fierce backlash across Rome’s political leadership, including the cancellation of a high-profile Italian foreign minister’s trip to Washington. The controversy stems from a recently released phone interview conducted by Italian broadcaster La7, whose full transcript shared with AFP has Trump making dismissive claims about Meloni’s conduct during this week’s G7 summit held in Evian, France. In the remarks, Trump alleged that Meloni “begged me for a picture” during the gathering of world leaders, and that he only consented to the request out of pity, adding that he was under no obligation to grant her the interaction and she should be grateful he did.

Meloni, Italy’s far-right prime minister, quickly pushed back against the claims in a video statement posted to the social platform X, calling the reported comments “made up” and issuing a sharp rebuke that cut across diplomatic norms. “Neither I nor Italy ever beg,” she stated firmly, adding that she was “frankly stunned” by Trump’s behavior toward a close NATO ally. In a pointed jab at Trump’s foreign policy approach, Meloni questioned why the U.S. president chooses to take such an aggressive tone with fellow allies, while taking a far more conciliatory stance toward adversaries of the West and the United States.

The backlash extended far beyond the prime minister’s office, with top Italian cabinet members uniformly condemning the remarks as an unacceptable insult to national dignity. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani labeled Trump’s words “grave and offensive” and announced he would scrap a planned working visit to the U.S. scheduled for June 21 and 22. The U.S. State Department later confirmed that the Miami business conference, which was set to feature Tajani alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has also been canceled.

Further condemnation came from other senior Italian officials: Justice Minister Carlo Nordio argued the comments represented a “painful injury” to longstanding bilateral relations between Rome and Washington, while Defence Minister Guido Crosetto noted that such provocative commentary serves no productive purpose for either side.

This is not the first public rift between the two conservative leaders, whose relationship has been strained for months amid growing policy disagreements. Just this April, Trump launched a public attack on Meloni after she defended Pope Leo XIV from the U.S. president’s harsh criticism of the pontiff’s public anti-war stances on the ongoing Middle East conflict. At that time, Meloni called Trump’s remarks “unacceptable,” prompting Trump to double down on his criticism: he claimed he was “shocked at her” and that he had incorrectly assumed she was more politically courageous, while also accusing Meloni of failing to meet Italy’s commitments to NATO. Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw U.S. military troops from Italian territory in recent months, arguing that Rome has offered no meaningful support to the U.S. amid the ongoing Iran war.

In the immediate aftermath of this week’s G7 summit, Meloni had downplayed tensions between her and Trump, telling reporters that interactions between the two leaders took place in a “very positive climate” with “no friction.” She did, however, acknowledge that both she and Trump share “quite strong characters.” Photographs and footage from the summit showed the pair meeting one-on-one while seated on a sofa, with Trump observed patting Meloni’s shoulder at the conclusion of their conversation. Meloni has long sought to position herself as a key diplomatic bridge between the European Union and the Trump administration, a strategic balancing act that has become increasingly difficult to maintain as tensions flare over a range of global policy disputes.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A senior Jamaican government official has sounded the alarm over a deceptive new scam making the rounds across social media platforms, which leverages artificial intelligence to impersonate him and promote unvetted financial schemes. Delano Seiveright, State Minister for the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, confirmed this week that the circulating clip is an unauthorized fabrication that misuses both his likeness and an AI-generated clone of his voice to mislead viewers.

Seiveright made clear that he holds no affiliation whatsoever with the video, the anonymous actors behind its creation and spread, or any investment opportunity, financial product, or service that the fraudulent content attempts to promote. In a public statement issued through his ministry, he emphasized that the deepfake video is entirely fraudulent and created without his knowledge or approval.

The warning extends to Jamaican residents and members of the Jamaican diaspora around the world, who Seiveright urged to practice heightened vigilance when encountering unsolicited online content that claims to carry his endorsement for any business or investment venture.

To protect members of the public from financial harm or identity theft, the ministry issued clear guidance: consumers should not send any money to parties associated with the clip, avoid sharing sensitive personal or financial details, and steer clear of clicking links or accessing contact information shared via the fraudulent video.

Officials confirmed that the incident has already been formally reported to both major social media platforms that are hosting the content and Jamaican law enforcement and regulatory authorities. Multiple ongoing efforts are now underway to take the fraudulent material down across all platforms and track down the individuals responsible for creating and distributing the deepfake.

The ministry is calling on any social media user who encounters the fake video to take immediate action: report the content to platform moderators, avoid sharing it with their own networks, and only seek out or verify official information via confirmed communication channels run by the Government of Jamaica and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.

Jamaica’s main opposition party is ratcheting up public pressure on Prime Minister Andrew Holness, calling for the immediate removal of a sitting Cabinet minister who has been recommended for criminal prosecution on charges of illicit enrichment.

The target of the pressure campaign is Dr Andrew Wheatley, who currently holds the role of minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, overseeing the science, technology and special projects portfolio. The controversy ignited this week after Jamaica’s Integrity Commission (IC) tabled a damning investigative report in Parliament, which formally recommended that Wheatley face criminal charges for unlawful gain as a public official. Since the report’s release on Wednesday, the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has mounted a sustained push for his ouster.

During a press conference held Thursday, PNP leaders challenged the prime minister’s decision to reappoint Wheatley to Cabinet, pointing to a long history of unresolved controversy surrounding the St Catherine South Central Member of Parliament. Wheatley’s first tenure in Holness’ Cabinet ended in July 2018, when he stepped down as energy minister amid sprawling scandals tied to state agencies under his oversight. After seven years on the backbenches, he was reappointed to Cabinet following the ruling Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) 2025 general election victory.

In a 2022 exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer, Wheatley framed his 2018 resignation as a formative learning experience. “To be quite honest, I am just going with the flow. I am always willing to serve, and I have been serving while outside the Cabinet,” he told the outlet at the time. “There are definitely things that I could have done differently, and, as a student of life, I believe that every experience is a learning process, and I believe that God afforded me the opportunity to experience these challenges to learn to be a better person.”

Opposition Leader Mark Golding laid out his party’s position Thursday, drawing a distinction between minor missteps by public officials and serious, unresolved corruption allegations. Golding acknowledged that some politicians who have made genuine mistakes can return to office after making amends, but argued that individuals facing unproven serious corruption claims should not hold executive power.

“I think each case has to be assessed on its own merit,” Golding explained. “There are situations where somebody who holds a ministerial position may do something that is not quite right and, because we are trying to set a standard of good behaviour and proper governance, that cannot be ignored, but it may not be so egregious as to warrant permanent exclusion. On the other hand, there are some things that are sufficiently serious and that person really should not be a public figure any longer, should not be responsible for any aspect of the affairs of the nation.”

PNP officials went public Thursday with key damaging details pulled directly from the IC’s 100-plus page investigative report. The most serious claim centers on a 2013 transaction where Wheatley sold his private medical business, Western Medical Centre, for JMD $13 million, reportedly receiving payment via incremental cash installments. Wheatley named an individual as the buyer, but failed to produce any receipts or transaction documentation. Independent IC investigations found the named individual had already been deported or extradited from Jamaica three years before the sale was supposed to take place, making the transaction impossible as described.

PNP finance spokesperson Julian Robinson called Wheatley’s 2025 reappointment to Cabinet deeply ironic, noting he was first forced out over 2018 corruption, nepotism and cronyism allegations tied to his energy portfolio. Robinson questioned whether Holness knew of the ongoing IC investigation into Wheatley when he decided to bring the MP back to Cabinet, and also called on eight to nine other sitting MPs under investigation for illicit enrichment to publicly disclose their cases.

Robinson outlined a pattern of alleged non-disclosure and inconsistent testimony laid out in the IC report. For example, Wheatley told investigators he received returns from a high-yield investment scheme to explain his unexplained wealth, but no evidence of the scheme’s existence has ever been found. He also failed to mention the investment in any of his statutory declarations over the course of more than a decade, only raising the claim during the 2024 investigation.

The report also details an undeclared $143 million in claimed rental income. When IC investigators asked for tenant names, receipts and other proof of the income, Wheatley initially argued the information was protected under Jamaica’s Data Protection Act. Even after he was pressed to release the information, he only provided partial names and limited documentation, failing to substantiate the full $143 million claim, according to Robinson.

Additional allegations include five separate personal loans taken from the Bank of Nova Scotia between 2013 and 2021 that were never disclosed in statutory declarations, and 14 subdivided land lots sold from a property Wheatley owns in East Kirkland Heights, St Andrew, none of which were declared to the IC until years after the sales were completed. Robinson said the full extent of the land subdivision was only uncovered when investigators obtained independent records from Jamaica’s National Land Agency, marking a repeated pattern of evasion by the minister.

“Anyone who operates like this, whose credibility cannot stand the test of scrutiny, should not be a member of Cabinet,” Robinson insisted. “We are reiterating our call for Dr Wheatley to be removed immediately from the Cabinet.”

Wheatley has forcefully pushed back against the IC’s findings, denying any wrongdoing and accusing commission investigators of deliberately ignoring exculpatory evidence that he says would upend the report’s conclusions. His legal team has reportedly sent a formal letter to the IC outlining what they describe as material inconsistencies in both the investigation process and the final report’s conclusions.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Against the backdrop of intensifying global economic competition, Jamaican Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has laid out a bold new national vision: to reorient Jamaica’s long-standing role as a net exporter of skilled labor into a sought-after destination that draws and retains top global talent, a shift he says is non-negotiable for unlocking sustained, long-term economic growth.

Holness shared his strategic framework Thursday evening during keynote remarks at the 25th anniversary gala of global hotel chain Riu Hotels & Resorts, held in Montego Bay. In his address, he framed the global race for skilled workers as the defining challenge of the 21st century, a competition that now outpaces even the historic rivalry for foreign capital and access to natural resources.

“Nations across the world are vying for tourist arrivals, competing for direct investment, and courting new business operations,” Holness told assembled guests and industry stakeholders. “But the fiercest competition of all is for talent. That is the ultimate contest shaping economic success in the modern era.”

For nearly two centuries, Holness noted, Jamaica has built a legacy of supplying highly skilled workers to economies across North America, Europe and beyond. Today, that dynamic must change, he argued: the country must simultaneously create local economic opportunities that encourage native Jamaican skilled workers to stay at home, while building an environment that attracts talented professionals from around the globe.

“For almost 200 years, we have positioned Jamaica as a net exporter of talent,” he said. “If our economy is to grow and expand, we now must reposition ourselves to be a net receiver of talent that powers our growing industries.”

The prime minister emphasized that migration, tourism and foreign direct investment are often treated as separate policy silos, but they are ultimately driven by the same core factors that lead people and companies to select one country over another.

“A tourist picks where to spend their vacation, an investor chooses where to deploy their capital, a business selects where to set up operations, a skilled worker decides where to build their career, and a family chooses where to put down roots for the future,” he explained. “All of these decisions increasingly hinge on the same fundamentals: personal safety, effective governance, efficient public services, global connectivity, and access to meaningful economic opportunity.”

Nations that win in this new competitive landscape, Holness argued, are those that successfully establish themselves as “destinations of choice.” He pointed to Singapore, Dubai and Switzerland as leading examples of countries that have intentionally built policy and regulatory environments that draw consistent investment, retain skilled workers, and foster long-term sustainable economic activity.

Against that global backdrop, Holness positioned Jamaica’s $10 billion-plus tourism industry as the linchpin of the country’s strategy to become a talent magnet. Tourism, he said, acts as the critical first entry point that connects global audiences to the country’s potential.

“Tourism is far more than just an standalone industry,” he said. “It is most often the world’s first introduction to our country. It shapes global perceptions, builds confidence among outside stakeholders, and showcases everything Jamaica has to offer. Tourism is the gateway to investment-led development.”

Successful long-term tourism investment, Holness explained, creates a self-reinforcing positive cycle: first, international visitors gain first-hand familiarity with Jamaica, that experience builds confidence in the country’s stability and potential, that confidence draws new foreign investment across sectors, and those new investments create the high-quality opportunities that retain local skilled workers while drawing talent from overseas.

“Opportunity is what retains and attracts talent,” he said. “Instead of our most skilled Jamaicans leaving to pursue careers abroad, they stay here and contribute directly to growing our economy. At the same time, our growing opportunities draw talented people from across the world to come and work here. That diversity strengthens our own local workforce, raises standards, and allows us to expand the range of high-value services we offer globally.”

The prime minister tied this strategic vision to the Jamaican government’s ongoing policy agenda, noting that current investments in core infrastructure, public safety, affordable housing, public service delivery, and human capital development all share the same overarching goal: strengthening Jamaica’s appeal as a place where people want to live, work and build futures.

“All of these investments are part of one unified national mission: to make Jamaica a place of choice,” he said. “A place where people want to visit, where businesses want to invest, where talented people want to build their careers, where families want to live, and where future generations can thrive.”

Alongside outlining his national strategy, Holness used the occasion to commend Riu Hotels & Resorts for its 25 years of operations and partnership in Jamaica. He framed the Spanish hotel chain’s consistent, growing investment in the island as an early vote of confidence that validates Jamaica’s current strategic path.

“In many ways, Riu’s 25 years in Jamaica proves that we are already on the right track,” Holness said. “The confidence Riu placed in Jamaica 25 years ago has been rewarded, and the confidence Jamaica placed in Riu as a partner has also been rewarded.”

“To the entire Riu family and team, thank you for your partnership, your investment, and your belief in Jamaica,” he added. “Congratulations on 25 years of outstanding contributions to Jamaica’s tourism sector.”

Following his remarks, the prime minister met and spoke with Riu Hotels & Resorts team members at the Montego Bay gala venue.