
Venezuelan Embassy in Qatar celebrates 124th anniversary of independence
The Venezuelan Embassy in Qatar marked the 124th anniversary of the nation's independence with a ceremonial reception held at the Sheraton Grand Doha Hotel.
Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela HE Carlos José Mata Figuero paid his gratitude to His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and government of Qatar for their solidarity and continued support for Venezuela's right to peace and self-determination.
Present on the occasion were HE Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Social Development and Family; HE Mohammed bin Ali Bin Mohammed Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and information technology; He Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, Director of Department of protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; He Jassim Mohammed Al-Asmakh, Directorof the Department of American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; He Jean-Marie Francois, Ambassador of the Republic of Haiti to Qatar - Dean of the Group of Latin America and Caribbean countries in Qatar (Grulac); Ambassadors and distinguished guests.
He conveyed warm and fraternal greetings on behalf of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, HE Nicolás Maduro Moros, Vice President HE Dr Delcy Rodríguez, and Foreign Minister HE Yván Gil.
The event commemorated Venezuela's historic declaration of independence on July 5, 1811, and paid tribute to the legacy of the country's liberator, Simón Bolívar.
The ambassador highlighted the enduring significance of July 5 as a patriotic day for Venezuelans, symbolizing unity, sovereignty, and peace.
He reflected on the historic events of 1811, when Venezuela's first Congress debated independence under pressure from the Patriotic Society, led by influential figures such as Francisco de Miranda and a young Simón Bolívar. Bolívar's pivotal speech in favor of independence ultimately helped pave the way for Venezuela to become the first Spanish-American colony to declare itself free.
He recalled the immense sacrifices made during the 11-year War of Independence, during which Venezuela lost nearly half of its population. Simón Bolívar, the Liberator, led military campaigns spanning over 6,500 kilometers—ten times the distance traveled by Hannibal, three times that of Napoleon, and twice as much as Alexander the Great—leaving behind a legacy of liberation rather than conquest.
The ambassador emphasized that Venezuela was born as a sovereign republic and continues to uphold the principles of democracy, equality, and peaceful coexistence with other nations.
He reiterated the country's longstanding position in defense of international law and sovereign equality.
Quoting President Maduro, the ambassador underscored that Venezuela remains 'irrevocably free and sovereign' despite enduring more than 1,000 unilateral coercive measures.
He noted that the Venezuelan people continue to resist modern forms of colonialism and economic pressure through resilience and national effort.
In a global context, the ambassador reiterated Venezuela's call for a Summit for Peace and Against War, an initiative proposed by President Maduro.
He urged international cooperation through multilateral platforms such as the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council, BRICS, and with key participation from the Global South, China, and Russia.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Al Jazeera
2 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Taiwan deploys advanced US rockets in closely watched part of annual drills
Taiwan has begun deploying its newest and most precise strike weapons, high calibre rockets from the United States, as part of its annual live-fire drills to increase the island's ability to counter potential attacks from China. On Saturday, two armoured trucks with High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) were seen manoeuvring around the city of Taichung near Taiwan's central coast, on the fourth of 10 days of the Han Kuang exercise, its most comprehensive annual exercise, according to the Reuters news agency. Military spokesperson Colonel Chen Lian-jia said it would be crucial to conceal the HIMARS from enemy aerial reconnaissance, satellites, 'or even enemy operatives behind our lines' until the order to fire was given. China considers Taiwan its own province and has long threatened to use force to bring it under Beijing's control. Over the past five years, China has increased pressure around the island, staging a string of intense war games and daily naval and air force patrols around the territory. Earlier this week, China's Ministry of National Defense said the Han Kuang drills were 'nothing but a bluffing and self-deceiving trick'. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that its opposition to US-Taiwan military ties was 'consistent and very firm'. On Thursday, Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said the exercises were being conducted based on 'large-scale, realistic combat drills'. Last year, Taiwan received the first 11 of the 29 HIMARS units, testing them for the first time in May. The weapons, which have a range of about 300km (190 miles), have the potential to strike coastal targets in China's southern province of Fujian on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. While the United States, Taiwan's biggest supplier of imported defensive weaponry, is bound by law to consider threats to the country as a 'major concern', it remains unclear if Washington, DC, under President Donald Trump's administration, would deploy forces to counter a possible Chinese attack. Reuters reported, quoting unnamed senior Taiwanese military officials, that the drills were unscripted and designed to replicate full combat conditions, starting with simulated enemy attacks and invasion scenarios. The drills aim to show China and the international community, including the US, that Taiwan is determined to defend itself against any Chinese attack, the officials said.


Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
US, Russia exploring path to normalised ties: Moscow
DPA Moscow Russia and the United States plan to continue efforts to normalize their strained relationship after the country's top diplomats met in Malaysia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Marco Rubio spoke for nearly an hour during a meeting in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, according to Moscow. 'We have confirmed our mutual commitment to finding peaceful solutions to conflict situations, restoring Russian-American economic and humanitarian cooperation,' the ministry said in a statement. The meeting took place on the sidelines of ASEAN foreign ministers' talks, with discussions also covering Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as developments in Iran and Syria. Russia also reiterated its desire to resume direct air travel with the US, saying it would help facilitate 'unhindered contact' between the two countries' societies. Moscow emphasized once again 'the importance of continuing efforts to normalize the operation of bilateral diplomatic missions.'


Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
After US tariffs, jobs hang by a thread in Bangladesh's garments industry
Agencies The fear of job losses is rippling through Bangladesh's garment hubs as US President Donald Trump's 35 percent tariff on the South Asian nation threatens orders from its main export market and crimps the country's biggest industry. The readymade garments sector accounts for more than 80 percent of Bangladesh's total export earnings, employing 4 million people and contributing roughly 10 percent to its annual GDP. Raimoni Bala, who operates an industrial sewing machine at a garments factory in Ashulia, a satellite town on the outskirts of Dhaka, says she fears losing her job every day. 'For the past few months, everyone is talking about cuts,' said Bala, 32. 'Whenever anyone visits the factory, my chest aches. I feel like they've come to tell me I've lost my job.' In a letter to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Trump said a 35 percent levy will be imposed on Bangladeshi imports from August 1 - slightly lower than the 37 percent tariff he announced in April but more than double the previous average of around 15 percent. Trump has said he will impose a 20 percent tariff on major apparel exporter Vietnam while levies on India and Sri Lanka - also big American suppliers - are yet to be announced. Lower tariffs for these competitor nations will make apparel from Bangladesh costlier in comparison. Bangladesh and the US Trade Representative will kick off second round of negotiations on Wednesday to conclude a trade agreement, Dhaka said. While there was still time for Dhaka to reach a trade deal, the fear of disruption due to higher US tariffs is pervasive on factory floors. Reuters spoke to more than a dozen workers in the garments industry like Bala. All shared the same fear - that under the weight of higher tariffs, cancelled orders and factory closures, their livelihoods were under threat. Suppliers in Bangladesh's garments industry, which counts Gap Inc and Vans parent VF Corp as clients, told Reuters that many brands have adopted a 'wait-and-see' approach and are placing few new orders. 'The burden of this tariff hike will fall heavily on garment manufacturers and the millions of workers they employ, a majority of whom are women, raising the risks of slower growth, job losses and a rise in poverty,' said Selim Raihan, an economics professor at the University of Dhaka. Bala's story is similar to many of the workers in the teeming capital. She left her village in northern Bangladesh with the bare minimum, determined to give her sons - now 15 and 13 - a better future. Her husband's poor health only allows him to work sporadically as a day laborer, she said, making her job at the garments factory crucial to the family's survival. During the pandemic, Bala said her factory shut down. She said she continued to receive reduced wages under a government stimulus program, but her family was forced to almost go hungry. Every rumor of new tariffs or reduced orders rekindles the fear of losing her job, she said. She said she clings to the hope that her job, though exhausting and low-paid, will keep her sons in school and provide food on the table.