Nicolás Maduro

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attacked the International Criminal Court in a speech to the Federalist Society in Washington on 13 Nov. He said the court would try to prosecute US officials or service members, a claim he used to justify sanctions against the ICC announced last month. Rubio said the US would not submit to what he called radical judges or soulless global bureaucrats. He argued for a muscular foreign policy and said the goal of the US-Israeli war against Iran was to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear weapon. The speech was his first prepared remarks since Republicans lost the 3 Nov midterm elections.

The US House of Representatives voted 211 to 204 to refer eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Republican‑led Judiciary Committee, effectively halting the impeachment effort. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced the resolution. Eleven Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, abstained, allowing the motion to pass. President Donald Trump praised the outcome on social media, calling the attempt a failure. Analysts note that Democrats are expected to control both chambers of Congress starting in January.

The Trump administration has signed an agreement with North American Blue Energy Partners to develop Venezuelan oil fields, according to Reuters. The White House says the deal grants the company 100-year concessions over 17 oilfields holding about 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. The arrangement follows the capture of Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces in January, after which the U.S.-backed interim Venezuelan government changed legal and regulatory frameworks to attract foreign investment. Chevron has separately pledged more than $7 billion to raise Venezuelan output to roughly 600,000 barrels per day by 2031.

María Corina Machado landed in Caracas on Sunday, 25 Oct, after nearly a year in exile, and was greeted by thousands of supporters along highways and streets. She wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans and said she is ready to meet interim president Delcy Rodríguez. Her spokesperson said she is willing to sit down with Rodríguez and others with full transparency and an agenda. The European Union said her return contributes to a wider opening of political space in Venezuela. She had tried to return at least seven times since early September.