Maduro, Opponent Both Claim Victory in Venezuela Election

The ruling regime is not ready to leave office. “Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his opposition rival Edmundo Gonzalez were each claiming victory in a presidential election on Monday morning, after a vote marked by accusations of underhand tactics and isolated incidents of violence,” Reuters reports. “The country’s electoral authority said just after midnight on Monday that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of the vote, despite multiple exit polls which pointed to an opposition win. The authority said opposition candidate Gonzalez won 44% of the vote,” the wire service relates.

State of Confusion: “Maduro, appearing at the presidential palace before cheering supporters, said his reelection is a triumph of peace and stability and reiterated his campaign trail assertion that Venezuela’s electoral system is transparent. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said Gonzalez had won 70% of the vote and that multiple independent exit polls and quick counts decisively showed his victory. ‘Venezuela has a new president-elect and it is Edmundo Gonzalez. We won and the whole world knows it,’ she said in a joint statement with Gonzalez.” Related: New Panama leader vows to close migrant pathway to US…

Liberty Nation Today: A Sneak Peek

Harris Took in $200M in First Week as Presumed Nominee

A lot of money is backing Kamala Harris. The vice president’s presidential campaign says it has “brought in $200 million in the one week since President Joe Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris, as the bulk of the Democratic Party has rallied behind her campaign and bolstered the late entry into the race.,” CBS News reports. “The campaign, which announced the total on Sunday, said 66% of the funds came from first-time donors, touting grassroots support for Harris’ bid. And the campaign said the support has extended to its volunteer effort, with over 170,000 new volunteers coming onboard since last week’s announcement,” the network writes.

Feeling Good: “‘Vice President Harris has been a candidate for less than a week, but she’s already coalesced the entire Democratic Party around her campaign and the organic, grassroots enthusiasm is producing results,’ the campaign’s communications director, Michael Tyler, wrote in a memo. On Saturday, Harris attended her first major fundraiser since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The party will officially select its new nominee in early August in a virtual roll-call vote.” Related: What’s behind Kamala’s laugh?

Trump Endorses Rivals in Heated AZ GOP House Primary

They both clamored for his support, and now they both have it. “Former President Donald Trump backed off a prior endorsement in a hotly contested Arizona House primary on Sunday, opting to give his ‘complete and total’ support to both candidates” seeking his endorsement,” The Hill reports. “Trump previously endorsed Abe Hamadeh for the Arizona 8th District GOP primary against Blake Masters – both of whom ran unsuccessful statewide races in 2022 – but hedged his bets by throwing his weight behind Masters as well in a Truth Social post early Sunday,” the news site states.

One Way Or Another: “‘They will both be spectacular, and I’m pleased to announce that both Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh have my complete and total endorsement,’ Trump wrote. ‘They will not let you down.’ Hamadeh and Masters have become bitter rivals since running for office together in 2022, Hamadeh for attorney general and Masters for Senate. The July 30 primary is expected to come down to the wire.” Masters is a friend of Trump running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and, like Vance, a protégé of Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel. Related: Silicon Valley tech titans line up behind Trump…

US Intel: TikTok Censors Speech For Chinese Government

Is TikTok being used as a tool by a communist superpower? “The US intelligence community determined that TikTok censored speech on behalf of the Chinese government, according to a Justice Department court filing,” The Washington Times reports. “A legal brief filed on Friday in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia provided a rare glimpse into what American spies know about how the Chinese government uses TikTok,” the paper notes.

‘In Response to Demands’: “National security officials often warn of potential dangers from the China-founded app, but a declaration from Casey Blackburn in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence details problems that have already emerged. ‘Intelligence reporting further demonstrates that ByteDance and TikTok Global have taken action in response to [Chinese government] demands to censor content outside of China,’ said the legal brief, citing Blackburn. The revelation is sandwiched between heavy redactions, making it unclear precisely whom TikTok allegedly censored and what information the Chinese government wanted hidden.” Related: US senators outline TikTok national security fears…

Italy PM Meloni Expands Economic Ties With China

It’s another step away from the populist nationalist campaign that got her elected. “Italy and China signed a three-year action plan on Sunday to implement past agreements and experiment with new forms of cooperation, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on an official visit to Beijing,” the Associated Press reports. “Meloni is trying to reset relations with China as fears of a trade war with the European Union are interwoven with continued interest in attracting Chinese investment in auto manufacturing and other sectors,” the wire service details.

‘Useful on a Global Level’: “‘We certainly have a lot of work to do and I am convinced that this work can be useful in such a complex phase on a global level, and also important at a multilateral level,’ Meloni said in remarks at the start of a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Her five-day visit comes several months after Italy dropped out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a signature policy of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to build power and transportation infrastructure around the world to stimulate global trade while also deepening China’s ties with other nations.” Related: Can the G7 keep globalism from running aground?