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A plan to resettle third-country nationals from the US to the Pacific nation faces an uncertain future amid unease over the deal

Peter Thiel’s visit to the Institute of France, a learned society in the heart of Paris, was kept secret until the very last moment. There, behind closed doors, he was due to speak at a meeting of members of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, a working group intended to discuss “the future of democracy.” The group, chaired by former minister Hervé Gaymard, has previously interviewed 25 figures, all French, mainly legal scholars, political scientists and historians.

Rodríguez, who spoke on speakerphone for six minutes, said it “hurt … to have to assume responsibilities in these circumstances”. ‎ ‎ She then referred to the US military operation: “The threats began from the very first minute they kidnapped the president. They gave Diosdado [Cabello, the interior minister], Jorge [Rodríguez, the acting president’s brother and congressional president,] and me 15 minutes to respond, or they would kill us.” ‎ ‎ Rodríguez said that at first US troops allegedly “told us [Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores] had been assassinated, not kidnapped”, and that she, her brother and Cabello replied that they “were ready to share the same fate”. ‎ ‎ “And I tell you, we stand by that statement to this day, because the threats and the blackmail are constant, and we have to proceed with patience and strategic prudence, with very clear objectives, brothers and sisters,” she added, before listing three goals: “to preserve peace … to rescue our hostages … and to preserve political power”.

“We could be politically correct and be nice and say, ‘Oh, yes, she is.’ No, no. She’s very, you know, she’s very frightened of the cartels. They’re running Mexico. And I’ve asked her numerous times, ‘Would you like us to take out the cartels?’ … Something is gonna have to be done with Mexico.”

The southern area of the capital, near a major military base, was also without electricity, according to Reuters.

US military declares five alleged drug traffickers killed in Pacific Ocean