February 4, 2019

Given its mounting concerns about the turmoil in Venezuela, the international community is embarking on a search for a solution to the unrest. Uruguay and Mexico took the first step, offering their services as mediators in negotiations between the current government of Nicolas Maduro and the opposition, convening an international conference on Venezuela. A number of countries, including Russia, have already made statements calling for a resolution through dialogue. Experts interviewed by Nezavisimaya Gazeta believe that negotiations might be difficult, but the country’s current President Nicolas Maduro might not remain in power for much longer.

VANESSA BEELEY—Since the 24th November 2018 the violence witnessed on the streets of cities across France has escalated dramatically. One French independent journalist, David Dufresnes, has been recording all infractions committed by police and security forces and tweeting them to the Interior Ministry while giving interviews to a huge number of French media channels to raise awareness of the police brutality during peaceful protests. In the tweet below, infraction number 362 dated 26/1/2019, an off duty soldier is reported to be hit in the head by a police LBD40 rubber bullet as he is leaving a restaurant in Montpelier on his way to the nightclub with two of his colleagues.