Free Republic

MIAMI - President-elect Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday after the brief detention of prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado, who had been leading massive protests against Maduro's government. On Truth Social, Trump called on Maduro to ensure the safety of opposition leaders, writing: "Venezuelan democracy activist María Corina Machado and President-elect González are peacefully expressing the voices and the WILL of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating against the regime. The great Venezuelan American community in the United States overwhelmingly support a free Venezuela and strongly supported me....

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is giving the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran his full support. “I am encouraged by this morning’s announcement of a nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Iran and look forward to seeing additional details in the coming days,” de Blasio said in a statement. “I applaud President Obama’s commitment to working toward a comprehensive diplomatic agreement, which provides the best means of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon,” de Blasio said. “The president’s leadership has been crucial—and it should send a clear signal that the United States stands by its allies...