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Today, Argentina heads to the polls in pivotal midterms testing President Milei’s austerity agenda, the PKK begins withdrawing from Turkey to advance the peace process, and protests erupt in Cameroon as Biya appears set for re-election.

Our lead story asks: Is Washington engineering regime change in Venezuela?

 More below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇹🇹 🇻🇪 🇺🇸 US warship docks in Trinidad amid escalating tensions with Venezuela: The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer carrying US Marines, arrived in Port of Spain for joint military exercises as Washington ramps up its presence in the Caribbean near Venezuela. The deployment follows the Pentagon’s decision to send the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to the region—moves Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has condemned as the US “fabricating a war.” 

2️⃣ 🇺🇸 🇧🇷 Trump and Lula agree to restart trade talks after tariff dispute: US President Donald Trump and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held what Brasília described as a “constructive” meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, signalling a thaw in relations strained by steep US tariffs. 

3️⃣ 🇮🇱 🇹🇷 Israel reportedly vetoes Turkish participation in Gaza stabilisation force: Turkey is expected to be excluded from the planned 5,000-strong Gaza stabilisation force after Israel objected to its participation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the deployment required Israel’s approval of participating nationalities, with Egypt likely to lead the mission. 

4️⃣ 🇵🇰 🇦🇫 Pakistan warns of ‘open war’ if peace talks with Afghanistan fail: Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned that failure to reach an agreement in ongoing Istanbul talks with Afghanistan could lead to “open war,” though he believes Kabul prefers peace. The negotiations follow a ceasefire that halted the deadliest border clashes since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, aimed at creating a lasting mechanism to enforce the truce.

5️⃣ 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 United States and China finalise TikTok ownership transfer ahead of Trump–Xi summit: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington and Beijing have reached a final agreement to transfer TikTok’s US operations to new American-led ownership, with the deal expected to be ratified by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping during their upcoming meeting in South Korea. 

Major Story

🇻🇪 🇺🇸 IS WASHINGTON PURSUING REGIME CHANGE IN VENEZUELA?

The Trump administration’s growing military presence in the Caribbean has raised alarms about its true intent. What began as an ostensibly anti-narcotics campaign now appears to be a covert strategy to force Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power. Despite rumours that Caracas has offered the U.S. lucrative energy concessions to ease tensions, Washington’s actions — including drone and missile strikes on alleged drug traffickers — suggest a broader political agenda. Analysts and legal experts have characterised the strikes as extrajudicial killings, noting that they lack any credible legal basis or transparent justification. The deployment of guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighters, and special operations forces underscores an increasingly aggressive posture whose objectives remain deliberately opaque.

The Mirage of Regime Change

While figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and opposition leader María Corina Machado argue that a limited show of U.S. force could fracture Maduro’s government, history and Venezuela’s political structure suggest otherwise. The regime’s tight control of the military, reinforced by patronage networks and internal purges, makes an internal collapse improbable. Maduro’s government, wary of assassination or coup attempts, has fortified its defences, mobilising militias, and preparing for potential incursions under the guise of counterterrorism.

A Dangerous Pretext

Trump’s justification — targeting “narcoterrorist” groups linked to Maduro — is viewed by many analysts as a pretext for intervention. Most U.S.-bound narcotics originate in Mexico, not Venezuela, and Washington’s strikes have already killed dozens in incidents shrouded in secrecy and legal controversy. If missile strikes fail to dislodge Maduro, the U.S. could escalate toward land-based attacks or covert operations. Such actions risk igniting regional instability, especially with Colombia signalling opposition to any cross-border operations.

Regional Fallout and Strategic Risks

A U.S. intervention could plunge Latin America into chaos. The breakdown of Colombia–U.S. relations, potential refugee surges, and the empowerment of armed factions within Venezuela all threaten to unravel regional stability. While many Venezuelans do seek democratic reform, military coercion will not achieve it. 

Other News

1️⃣ 🇦🇷 Argentina votes in high-stakes midterms testing Milei’s austerity reforms: Argentines are voting in midterm legislative elections seen as a referendum on President Javier Milei’s sweeping free-market overhaul, which has curbed inflation but wrought extreme poverty and unrest. With public approval slipping and opposition parties dominating both chambers, the results will determine whether Milei’s radical programme of budget cuts and deregulation endures or stalls.

2️⃣ 🇹🇷 🇮🇶 PKK announces withdrawal from Turkey to advance peace process: The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced the withdrawal of its remaining fighters from Turkey to northern Iraq, marking a significant step toward ending a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people since 1984. The PKK urged Ankara to enact legal reforms enabling Kurdish participation in national politics, while government officials hailed the decision as progress toward a “terror-free Turkey.”

3️⃣ 🇨🇲 Protests erupt in Cameroon as Biya poised for re-election: At least two people have been killed and dozens arrested in Cameroon as security forces cracked down on demonstrations ahead of the expected re-election of President Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982. Authorities have dismissed ten petitions alleging malpractice, imposed internet restrictions, and vowed to prosecute protesters before military tribunals.

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