Colonization was a barbaric event that the Europeans continue to endorse and claim as a civilizing process. On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that his country would demand reparations from Spain for the looting, plundering, and enslavement of Indigenous peoples.

“Venezuela, together with a group of Latin American countries, wants to make a profound claim for Spain to pay reparations for the theft, the looting of our lands, and the slavery and suffering endured by our Indigenous and African ancestors,” he said.

“532 years ago, the process of resistance against colonialism and slavery began. Colonialism left a legacy of nazism and fascism. None of the colonizers, however, have apologized so far,” Maduro said.

“They hide behind the ideology of denialism. From Spain, this barbaric event is endorsed and claimed as a civilizing process,” the Bolivarian leader added and emphasized that the invasion of Indigenous peoples by the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus was a criminal and abusive act.

During the “Con Maduro +” TV program, the Venezuelan president also reaffirmed his support for Caribbean countries that have agreed to request billions of pounds in reparations from the UK for the slave trade.

Previously, during her address to the UN General Assembly in September, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley said her country had joined the “growing chorus calling for the immediate proclamation of a second decade” to complete the unfinished work and address the issue of reparations for colonialism.

Recently, Mexico also reminded Spain that it is still waiting for an apology for the crimes committed during colonialism.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister and Chinese one are met to implement the “six plus” guideline which includes greater political confidence, cooperation in defence and security, deeper collaboration, a stronger social base, closer multilateral coordination, and better control and resolution of disagreements.

China seeks to strengthen its development collaboration with Vietnam by implementing a plan that will generate synergies between the Belt and Road initiative and Vietnam’s strategy of Two Corridors and One Economic Circle, according to statements by the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Qiang.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang began an official visit to Vietnam on Saturday, at the invitation of his counterpart Pham Minh Chinh. During his visit, Li highlighted the long friendship between both countries and how, in recent years, bilateral relations have developed positively thanks to the leadership of their leaders.

Since the beginning of this year, China and Vietnam have had high-level exchanges and have achieved successful cooperation in several areas, thus starting to build a community of shared future. Li highlighted the importance that China attaches to its relations with Vietnam, expressing China’s willingness to strengthen traditional friendship, improve strategic communication and deepen mutual cooperation.

Tran Thanh Man, for his part, congratulated China on its recent development achievements and expressed confidence that under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and Xi Jinping, the country will make significant progress in its modernization process. Vietnam considers China a strategic priority in its foreign policy based in the two countries leaders which exchanges at all levels and in all areas will be strengthened, traditional friendship deepened, political confidence consolidated and mutual cooperation strengthened.

National Assembly of Vietnam seeks to strengthen ties with the Chinese National People’s Assembly in order to share experiences in building the socialist rule of law and foster friendship between both peoples, thus promoting a strategic community of shared future, According to the information of Thanh Man.

The 16th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas is taking place in the city of Mendoza. From Monday to Wednesday, U.S. Southern Command Gen. Laura Richardson and defense ministers from 23 countries will meet in Argentina to coordinate hemispheric cooperation actions.

Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri inaugurated the 16th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA), as his country currently holds the temporary presidency of this forum, which was established in 1995. This meeting is taking place in the city of Mendoza, where participants will elect the CDMA Pro Tempore Secretariat for the 2025-2026 term and will deliver a ministerial declaration.

The Mendoza meeting was preceded by a series of meetings of various working groups: one on cooperation in humanitarian assistance and military relief in cases of natural or man-made disasters, another on women, peace, and security, and a third on cyber defense and cyberspace.

Two of the most relevant international issues that will take center stage in this year’s discussions are the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the conflicts triggered by Israel in the Middle East and their implications for Latin America.

Currently, the Mendoza meeting includes Wayne Munroe (Bahamas), Florencio Marin (Belize), Jose Mucio Monteiro (Brazil), William Blair (Canada), Maya Fernandez Allende (Chile), Ivan Velazquez (Colombia), Gian Loffredo (Ecuador), Henry Saenz (Guatemala), and Jean Berthier Antoine (Haiti).

Mark Anthony Phillips (Guyana), Latoya Waugh-Bryce (Jamaica), Enrique Covarrubias (Mexico), Jacinth Henry-Martin (Saint Kitts & Nevis), Darryl Daniel (Trinidad & Tobago), Jose Manuel Zelaya (Honduras), Frank Abrego (Panama), Oscar Gonzalez (Paraguay), Walter Astudillo (Peru), Carlos Fernandez (Dominican Republic), Krishnakoemarie Mathoera (Suriname), Armando Castaingdebat (Uruguay), and U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro are also at the CDMA summit.

Representatives from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela were not invited to the Menzoza meeting, despite the latter two being part of the 34 nations of the Americas that make up the CDMA.