‘The lack of sensitivity in the approach to vulnerability is highly questionable,’ President Diaz-Canel said. After reviewing the resignation request of Cuba’s Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marta Elena Feito Cabrera, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Council of State approved her release from her duties.

This followed her recent appearances before two parliamentary commissions — the Commission for Attention to Local Organs of People’s Power and the Commission for Attention to Youth, Children and Women’s Rights — which took place Monday ahead of the fifth regular session of the National Assembly.

“As a result of the analysis conducted by the Party and government leadership with Marta Elena Feito Cabrera regarding her remarks at the joint meeting of two Permanent Working Commissions of the National Assembly of People’s Power, the comrade acknowledged her mistakes and submitted her resignation,” the official statement said.

“This request was submitted to the Political Bureau and the Council of State, which agreed to her removal, based on the lack of objectivity and sensitivity with which she addressed issues that are currently central to the political and governmental agenda — one focused on addressing real and never-desired phenomena in our society,” added the statement, which was broadcast during the prime-time edition of the Cuban National Television News.

The day before, Feito Cabrera made remarks regarding people in vulnerable situations and dismissed instances of homelessness in the country. Referring to individuals who clean windshields on the streets, she stated: “No, that’s not a homeless person. That’s someone who has found an easy way to make a living at a traffic light, cleaning windshields, and possibly then uses that money to buy alcoholic drinks on the corner.”

In response, top political and government authorities voiced criticism via digital platforms. Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and president of the Republic, said: “The lack of sensitivity in the approach to vulnerability is highly questionable. The Revolution cannot leave anyone behind — that is our motto, our militant responsibility.”

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz also emphasized the need for great sensitivity in addressing the complexities of vulnerability and in seeking, with everyone’s participation, effective solutions to ensure no one is left behind. He described care for individuals, families and communities in vulnerable situations as a priority of the Revolution, highlighting humanism and social justice.

Previously, President Maduro proposed the creation of a Binational Economic Development Zone. On Wednesday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil and Colombia’s acting Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio held a meeting in Bogota, where Gil reiterated the importance of boosting land trade between the two countries.

“In the meeting, we reaffirmed our commitment to continue strengthening bilateral relations in all areas. In particular, we emphasized the importance of enhancing the Binational Economic Zone to boost the economy and cross-border trade between our peoples,” the Bolivarian official said.

He also expressed President Nicolas Maduro’s support for the ministerial meeting held July 15 and 16, aimed at taking action in support of Palestine, he added.

Gil is currently in Colombia to attend a meeting of the Hague Group, which is discussing legal and diplomatic measures in response to Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Previously, in March, Maduro sent a proposal to Colombian President Gustavo Petro for a border zone of “shared development” between the two nations. At the time, the Bolivarian leader explained that the proposal includes the creation of a bilateral space in several border areas, such as the Catatumbo region.

The Bolivarian leader also said the plan involves joint investments in sectors such as agriculture, agribusiness and tourism, through a “public-private effort.”

During a speech in Tibu, a municipality in the Catatumbo region, Petro said he would speak with Maduro about a special economic zone along the border. Earlier this year, guerrilla violence in that region left at least 70 people dead and displaced more than 55,000.

Previously, she served as president of the National Assembly from 2010 to 2020. On Wednesday, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons was sworn in as president of Suriname, marking a historic moment as she becomes the first woman to serve as head of state in the South American nation.

The inauguration took place after the National Assembly elected her president on June 6, with exactly 34 votes — the minimum required for a first-round victory.

Geerlings-Simons, 71, is the leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and previously served as president of the National Assembly from 2010 to 2020, becoming the second woman to hold that position. Her running mate, Gregory Rusland of the Surinamese National Party (NPS), was also sworn in Wednesday as vice president. The NPS is part of the coalition that brought Geerlings-Simons to power.

Her path to the presidency cleared significantly when the Progressive Reform Party (VHP), led by outgoing President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, announced it would not field a candidate.

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez arrives in Suriname for the inauguration of Dr. Jennifer Geerlings. ‘We have arrived in Suriname to participate in the inauguration of Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, as the first woman to assume the presidency of this sister country. We bring the greetings and congratulations of President Nicolas Maduro and the Venezuelan people.’ Our country reaffirms its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Suriname and to working together for peace, unity, and the well-being of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.”

In the May 25 elections, the NDP won 18 seats, narrowly defeating the VHP, which secured 17. Since no party achieved an outright majority, political leaders began coalition talks that resulted in an alliance led by Geerlings-Simons in early June.

Other parties forming the coalition alongside the NDP and NPS include the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), Pertjajah Luhur (PL), Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (BEP), and Alternative 2020 (A20). Together, they secured 34 of the 51 seats in the National Assembly.

The NDP was founded by the late President Desi Bouterse, who died in December 2024 while a fugitive. He had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 1982 massacre of political opponents.

Suriname, a former Dutch colony with a population of 600,000, has implemented drastic measures to reduce its multibillion-dollar public debt and now hopes that developing its oil reserves will bring economic prosperity.

Carla Barnett, secretary of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), congratulated Geerlings-Simons on her election. “We particularly recognize the historic significance of your election as the first female president of Suriname,” she said and invited Geerlings-Simons to collaborate on initiatives aimed at promoting the well-being and prosperity of both the Surinamese people and the Caribbean region.

Barnett added that the new president’s leadership will be “crucial” in addressing “the complex challenges facing the region, such as climate change, economic resilience and sustainable development.”

The former president asked retirees to organize politically to confront a cruel government. On Tuesday, former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, who remains under house arrest, sent an audio message to retirees gathered at the Justicialist Party headquarters in Buenos Aires.

Her message of solidarity and support came at a time when far-right President Javier Milei “continues stealing more than 100,000 pesos per month from retirees, has announced he will veto the modest pension increase approved by Congress, and confirms he will crack down on retirees every Wednesday when they mobilize,” local media outlet Info135 commented.

“The only way to confront this government of cruelty is through organizing and love,” Fernandez said, noting that retirees are going through a difficult time as they have become one of the adjustment variables in Milei’s economic plan.

“This is not only due to the pension amounts, but also because of the lack of medication through the Comprehensive Medical Assistance Program (PAMI), and the loss of their purchasing power,” she said.

“Retirees are absolutely right to gather and send a message of organization, because political organization and love are the only ways to confront these cruel policies,” Fernandez said.

The former president emphasized that the neoliberal adjustment is being carried out at the expense of social protection services that previously benefited children and the elderly—two vulnerable groups located at opposite ends of the life cycle.

“Since taking office, Milei has taken a chainsaw to pensions. He reduced retirement payments, eliminated free medications, defunded PAMI, and annulled the pension moratorium. Additionally, he vetoed the law aimed at restoring their income and has already announced he will do so again,” said Fernanda Raverta, secretary for Older Adults of the Justicialist Party.

President Donald Trump underwent a comprehensive medical exam that revealed he has a common vein disorder but cleared him of more serious illnesses, the White House said Thursday.

The White House disclosed the 79-year-old president’s medical information in response to speculation after photos showed Trump with swollen ankles.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump noticed the swelling in recent weeks and received a thorough evaluation by the White House medical unit.

He was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which Leavitt described as a “benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”

Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when a person’s leg veins are damaged, restricting circulation and causing blood to pool in the legs, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Chronic venous insufficiency affects about 1 in 20 adults, and the risk increases with age, according to the clinic. Leavitt said Trump was not in any pain from the condition.

Leavitt also addressed bruises periodically visible on the back of Trump’s hand. She said they were caused by irritation from “frequent handshaking,” coupled with his aspirin regimen. The medical exam found no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease, Leavitt said.

Trump’s blood test results were all within “normal limits,” and an echocardiogram confirmed “normal cardiac structure and function” with “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness,” she added.

Leavitt said in Thursday’s briefing that bruising like that seen on Trump’s hands is a common side effect of regularly using aspirin, which Trump takes as part of a “standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”

“The president remains in excellent health, which I think all of you witness on a daily basis here,” she said.

White House physician Sean Barbabella wrote in an April memo that Trump “remains in excellent physical health” and is “fully fit” to perform the duties of the presidency.