INTERNACIONAL
Dems demanding Venezuela brief face State Dept fury as senators leave town without answers
The State Department is accusing Democrats of performative «grandstanding» by demanding a sweeping Venezuela oil deal briefing then postponing it so the Senate could leave town early.
Four senior Senate Democrats demanded documents they already knew were coming, according to material reviewed by Digital. Then, the Senate rescheduled a congressional briefing on the agreement planned for Oct. 1, 2026, so it could break for fall recess.
The group of lawmakers were seeking more information on the Pentagon’s involvement in an agreement with North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) that gives the Department of War a 35% stake in one of Venezuela’s largest oil producers.
TRUMP TOUTS ACCESS TO 65 BILLION BARRELS OF VENEZUELAN OIL IN DEAL HE SAYS WILL SLASH GAS PRICES
State says the lawmakers had known for weeks that administration officials planned to brief the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and provide documents on the deal on Thursday.
The department went forward with delivering copies of the U.S. government’s strategic partnership agreement with NABEP to the committee, claiming it did so despite the briefing being pulled down «as a courtesy.»
«Copies of the USG Strategic Partnership Agreement with NABEP for your Members are in the SFRC front office,» a senior State Department official wrote. «Each Member has a folder with their copy.»
State Department Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson claimed Senate Democrats canceled the briefing so they could «skip town and go on vacation.»
«This is pure grandstanding,» Johnson wrote on X. «When they sent this letter, they had known for weeks that we planned to brief them and provide the documents today, on October 1.»
A congressional source familiar with the planned briefing disputed State’s characterization, telling Digital that lawmakers had not been told the written NABEP agreement would be provided before writing the letter and that the briefing was intended as a broader update on U.S. policy toward Venezuela, not specifically the oil deal.
And emails reviewed by Digital show the briefing postponement request itself came from a Republican majority staffer on the Foreign Relations Committee, who told State early Oct. 1 that «the Senate has left town» and asked to move the briefing until November.
A State Department official told Digital the staffer was acting on behalf of the full committee.
The congressional source said Republican leadership had ended legislative business for the week, with senators on both sides of the aisle preparing to leave Washington ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
The group of Democrat lawmakers demanding the briefing are challenging the legality and prudence of the Trump administration’s agreement with NABEP, which would give the Pentagon rights to a 35% stake in one of Venezuela’s largest oil producers.
Under the arrangement, the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital would receive rights to the stake through so-called penny warrants, while the State Department would receive preferential rights to purchase 20% of the company’s production at cost.
The unusual structure is part of the administration’s broader effort to revive Venezuelan oil production and expand U.S. economic influence after Nicolás Maduro’s ouster. Democrats argue the Pentagon may lack legal authority to take the stake and have raised questions about the administration’s vetting of NABEP and its leadership.
The administration argues the structure could generate substantial returns for the U.S. without requiring taxpayers to buy the stake up front. The White House has said the government’s 35% position could ultimately be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in equity and dividends if NABEP succeeds in developing the fields.
The deal could also give Washington a new source of relatively low-cost crude at a time when the administration is trying to increase global supply and bring down fuel prices. State would have the right to buy 20% of NABEP’s production at cost and the right of first refusal on the remaining output, which the administration says could help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and supply U.S. military and other sensitive needs.
The White House also says millions of barrels of additional Venezuelan production could eventually flow through U.S. refineries and be developed using American drilling equipment and infrastructure, generating investment and jobs in the United States.
NABEP produces roughly 220,000 barrels a day and has said it plans to more than double production to 500,000 barrels a day by late 2028. The administration is betting that private investment can revive fields that have suffered years of underinvestment and mismanagement.
The agreement is part of a much broader U.S. effort to remake Venezuela’s economy after the dramatic removal of Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
On Jan. 3, U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transport them to the United States to face federal charges. The administration has characterized the operation as a law enforcement mission supported by the military and has since made rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector a central part of its stabilization strategy.
Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, has remained in power while cooperating with Washington, even as Venezuela’s political transition remains unsettled and opposition figures continue pressing for elections.
The White House has described the NABEP agreement as part of a three-part strategy of stabilization, reconstruction and eventual democratic transition, arguing that restoring oil production is necessary to rebuild Venezuela’s economy and reduce the influence of China, Russia and other U.S. adversaries in its energy sector.
TRUMP ‘SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING’ PLAN TO MAKE VENEZUELA AND ITS $40 TRILLION IN OIL PERMANENT PART OF USA
Senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.; and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., challenged both the legality and prudence of the deal in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Among their central questions is whether the Pentagon office being used to structure the investment has the legal authority to acquire an equity position in a foreign oil company. The senators also demanded the agreement itself, details about how State would pay for oil and information about the administration’s vetting of NABEP and its leadership.
«The proposed agreement is unlikely to reduce high energy costs for Americans, and it risks undermining the Venezuelan people’s transition away from a dictatorship,» the senators wrote.
Digital reached out to the offices of all four senators who signed the letter for comment.
The unusual Pentagon role has drawn scrutiny since the deal was announced. Rather than immediately purchasing shares with taxpayer money, the Office of Strategic Capital’s position is structured through penny warrants that give the government the right to acquire equity for a nominal price.
The Democratic senators argue that structure does not resolve the underlying legal question.
They contend the statute establishing the Office of Strategic Capital authorizes loans and loan guarantees but does not explicitly empower the Pentagon to acquire equity stakes in private foreign companies.
«It is unclear,» the lawmakers wrote, «why the American public should support this attempt to entangle the United States with a relatively unknown foreign oil company that lacks the capacity or credibility to develop oil fields of the magnitude described.»
The senators also raised concerns about NABEP Chairman Alejandro Betancourt, noting past money-laundering investigations involving the Venezuelan businessman. Betancourt has not been charged with a crime, and Rubio has previously said he is not under active U.S. investigation.
The dispute could form the basis for broader congressional scrutiny of one of the Trump administration’s most unconventional efforts to expand U.S. economic influence in Venezuela.
venezuelan political crisis, state department, foreign policy, congress, nicolas maduro, politics, national security
INTERNACIONAL
Habló el padre que enfrentó al atacante en el tiroteo escolar de Oregón: “Escuché a chicos rogar por sus vidas ”
El 15 de octubre, la ciudad de Oregón, Estados Unidos, fue escenario de un tiroteo escolar en el que fueron asesinados tres niños de 5, 8 y 11 años y una maestra de 54. El agresor, Griffin J. John II, de 16 años, murió tras ser abatido por Kaylub Giamanco, un padre de la escuela que pasaba por el lugar.
Giamanco, un carpintero de 36 años, habló sobre el momento crítico en el que decidió intervenir y pidió perdón a las familias de las víctimas por no haber podido impedir su muerte.
El relato del padre que enfrentó al atacante
Giamanco contó que esa mañana había dejado a sus hijas en la escuela y, al regresar para almorzar, vio a una persona vestida de negro y que portaba un arma larga cerca del colegio.
“El pánico se apoderó de mí”, comentó en una entrevista con el canal público de Oregón OPB. Sin dudarlo, tomó su pistola calibre 40 de su camioneta y llamó a la policía mientras se acercaba al edificio.
“Le dije a la operadora: ‘Lo siento, tengo que entrar. Va a morir gente’”, recordó.
Al aproximarse, se tiró al suelo y avanzó apoyándose en los codos. “Empecé a escuchar a niños rogar por sus vidas, luego disparos y comencé a arrastrarme como un soldado cada vez más rápido, y me dije a mí mismo que probablemente esto sería lo último que haría en mi vida”, comentó sobre la traumática escena
Giamanco entró por una ventana rota y, al asomarse a un aula, vio a una profesora forcejeando con el atacante. Aprovechó la oportunidad y disparó, sintiendo que era “la última línea de defensa entre él y el resto de los niños”.
Cómo fue el enfrentamiento dentro de la escuela
El padre abrió la puerta del aula y disparó contra el agresor. Según la policía, otra maestra arrojó su teléfono al atacante y forcejeó con él antes de que Giamanco interviniera. La docente logró salir corriendo mientras el joven buscaba su escopeta.
“Estaba buscando a tientas su arma”, relató Giamanco. “Lo miré y le disparé dos veces más para asegurarme de que no pudiera moverse, porque tenía miedo de que disparara a alguien más”, explicó.
Las autoridades confirmaron que Giamanco portaba su arma de manera legal y destacaron que, junto al profesor desarmado que enfrentó al atacante, logró salvar varias vidas. El adolescente disparó 15 veces y aún tenía 44 municiones, informó la policía. En el ataque también resultaron heridos un nene de 7 años y un profesor de 54.
Después de que llegara la policía, Giamanco descargó su arma, la dejó en el suelo y llamó a su esposa “para decirle que no volvería a casa para comer tacos”.
Le pidió que fuera a la escuela de inmediato porque acababa de matar a tiros a alguien.
Después llamó a su madre y, entre lágrimas, le dijo: “Mamá. Tuvo que matar a un adolescente porque entró a la escuela de mi hija con un arma”.
“Cálmate, mi amor. Hiciste lo correcto. Sos un héroe. Salvaste vidas”, le dijo ella. “No salvé a todo el mundo. No pude salvarlos a todos”, le contestó, aún conmocionado.
El reconocimiento y el pesar tras el tiroteo
Un día después del ataque, el presidente Donald Trump calificó a Giamanco como un “gran héroe” que “cumplió con su deber”.
Sin embargo, el propio Giamanco expresó su dolor por lo ocurrido: “No puedo describir lo que se siente al quitar una vida… pero sí puedo decirles que siento sinceramente que debía estar allí”.
“Si no hubiera estado allí, simplemente no sé qué habría pasado”, afirmó. También dejó en claro el peso emocional que le dejó el episodio: “Revivo la escena, veo rostros, oigo voces, oigo gritos”.
En la entrevista, Giamanco dijo que deseaba disculparse con las familias de las víctimas por “no haber salvado a sus bebés”.
La familia de Megan Lambert, de 25 años, una de las víctimas fatales del tiroteo, expresó su agradecimiento a Giamanco y lo calificó de héroe: “Te pusiste en riesgo desinteresadamente por los demás”.
Giamanco por su parte elogió a la maestra que forcejéo con el atacante e intentó quitarle el arma. “Me encantaría darle un abrazo porque es una verdadera heroína”, declaró a OPB.
Estados Unidos, Tiroteo, Escuela
INTERNACIONAL
Trump officials warn decades-long decline among American men could carry national security consequences
The Trump administration is targeting testosterone deficiency as a potential threat to military readiness, rolling out new screening guidelines for male service members amid growing concerns about the health of American men and the shrinking pool of young people qualified to serve.
«There is absolutely a national defense readiness ramifications for [low testosterone],» Adm. Brian Christine, a senior Department of Health and Human Services official, told Digital in an interview.
Christine also pointed to broader health challenges facing the military’s recruiting pool, warning that 77% of Americans ages 17 to 24 do not qualify for service without a waiver, with obesity, chronic disease and other barriers contributing to the problem. Among young men, he said, more than 70% are ineligible, while only about 3% of young Americans express interest in serving.
The warning comes as the Trump administration places a renewed emphasis on military readiness, with Christine helping shape an initiative that led the Pentagon to issue testosterone deficiency screening guidelines for male service members ages 30 and older in September.
THE REAL REASON BEHIND HEGSETH’S VIRAL MILITARY TESTOSTERONE SCREENING ORDER
Trump entered his second term with an aggressive approach to rebuilding the American military, tightening fitness requirements, axing DEI policies, overhauling weapons acquisition, building up recruitment and refocusing the force on combat readiness and lethality.
Christine, a urologist who spent more than 35 years specializing in men’s health, said testosterone levels have been declining for decades, raising concerns about the long-term health of American men and the physical demands placed on those serving in uniform.
«I think it’s incredibly important, incredibly timely,» Christine said of the screening guidance.
Under the Pentagon’s guidelines, male service members ages 30 and older undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency, beginning with an assessment of symptoms and risk factors, with further testing and potential treatment available when medically appropriate.
‘WOKE’ MILITARY ACADEMIES TARGETED IN NEW BLUEPRINT FOR SWEEPING WARFIGHTING OVERHAUL
«We’re not forcing testosterone on anybody,» Christine said. «But what we are doing is screening, taking those men who are symptomatic and have low numbers and offering them a pathway forward.»
The HHS official pointed to obesity and chronic disease as established factors associated with low testosterone, while raising concerns that environmental exposures, including microplastics and other toxins, could also be contributing to the decline — a possibility researchers are still investigating.
«In the mid-1970s, the average testosterone level for men in this country… was well over 650. Now it’s approaching 350,» Christine said.
POPULAR WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS LINKED TO UNEXPECTED MALE FERTILITY BENEFIT
National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya echoed those concerns in a separate interview with Digital, warning that some testosterone deficiency may be going undiagnosed even as medical guidelines stress that a diagnosis requires both symptoms and consistently low hormone levels.
«It’s interesting because if you look at the epidemiological trends, testosterone levels in the American male population have been declining over the last decades. And again, we don’t know why. We don’t have an answer,» Bhattacharya said.
Bhattacharya said researchers must determine not only why testosterone levels are declining, but also what medical guidance should follow for men diagnosed with a deficiency. «There are under-diagnosed testosterone deficiencies.»
«The question of what to do about it, how to prevent it, that’s at the top of my mind,» he added.
LONGER LIVES, WORSE HEALTH? SCIENTISTS UNCOVER TROUBLING TREND ACROSS GENERATIONS
The NIH director also pointed to declining sperm counts as another area requiring further scientific investigation, suggesting that environmental exposures could be contributing to broader reproductive health concerns.
«But even more importantly, what are the factors, probably environmental factors, that have led to the decline in sperm counts, for instance? We need an answer to those questions,» Bhattacharya said.
Bhattacharya said the NIH is investing in research to better understand the potential causes of those trends and determine how doctors should advise American men.
Christine said that testosterone is about more than muscle growth or physical appearance, arguing that hormone levels play an important role in men’s overall health.
DEMS ROASTED FOR COMPARING HEGSETH’S TESTOSTERONE INITIATIVE TO ‘GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE’
«Testosterone levels in men are absolutely related to their overall well-being, to their lifespan, to their health span, and to their wellness,» Christine said.
He also noted that men with low testosterone tend to experience higher rates of anxiety and depression.
The administration is also developing separate hormonal health guidance for female service members, which the Defense Health Agency said would follow the September guidelines issued for male troops, with women’s health specialists contributing to the recommendations, Christine said.
Christine said that the goal is ensuring that service members are equipped to perform their duties while addressing broader health challenges affecting American men.
«If we truly want our men who are in uniform to be at their best,» Christine said, the focus must be on their ability to function and perform their jobs.
defense, donald trump, pete hegseth, military, mens health, medical research, health
INTERNACIONAL
Minnesota candidate ‘stress tests’ state’s new fraud law — what she found raised major red flags
A Minnesota state Senate candidate revealed she found several vulnerabilities in a fraud prevention law signed by Gov. Tim Walz after testing it against the state’s previous fraud scandals to see whether it could have caught them sooner.
The measure in question, the Office of the Inspector General law, creates an independent statewide watchdog that oversees inspectors general, investigates alleged fraud across state programs, establishes fraud prevention standards, and improves coordination and data sharing.
However, Heidi Heino, the Republican candidate for Minnesota’s 36th Senate District, told Digital her test against the Feeding Our Future scheme and other past fraud cases found the law lacks extra safeguards when potential risks emerge.
«When I stress tested against Feeding Our Future and some of the other fraud schemes that we had in Minnesota, it would have found the fraud eventually, but it’s way after the money was already gone and we would still be stuck trying to claw it back,» Heino said.
MINNESOTA MAN CAPTURED IN SOMALIA AFTER ALLEGEDLY HELPING ORCHESTRATE $250M CHILD NUTRITION FRAUD SCHEME
The law was passed as Minnesota faces the fallout from massive fraud schemes involving childcare, autism, housing and disability services. Republicans have blamed leadership and oversight failures, while the Trump administration launched a federal anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance.
Working as a corporate leader whose day job involves underwriting, Heino said she used similar review and auditing practices to test where Minnesota’s fraud safeguards fell short.
«Business does a lot with a little,» she said. «Government does the opposite. They do a little with a lot of resources.»
Heino said she used a 2,800% increase in payments to Feeding Our Future from 2020 to 2021 in her test, a jump that should have automatically raised alarm bells and led to further review. The scheme alone allegedly stole $250 million from a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FRAUD EXPERT EXPOSES HOW HIDDEN NETWORKS DROVE MINNESOTA FRAUD, OTHER MAJOR SCAMS: ‘CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE’
«You don’t have to be a detective to see that there’s some issue there and so to investigate that and check and see if those claims are legitimate, and if they were legitimate, have someone actually sign off on it,» she said, adding that filling out extra paperwork may be frustrating but can help prevent fraud in the long run.
Heino also argued Feeding Our Future should not have been allowed to address complaints against itself.
«We had 30 complaints to the Minnesota Department of Education regarding the fraud and they are mostly overlooked or Feeding Our Future had to go correct itself and that was a huge gap there,» she said.
She proposed immediately freezing payments, conducting a full review, and triggering an outside audit.
«The OIG has good bones, but it needs teeth,» she said.
Without independent audits, Heino said Minnesota will not be able to uncover fraud-related gaps, saying the additional oversight would save more money than it costs.
GOP ACCUSES WALZ ALLIES OF BURYING $52M MEDICAID FRAUD REPORT BEFORE ELECTION
«We get a lot of pushback saying this is going to be expensive, but is it?» she said. «It will be less expensive to have an independent audit than it is going to be to have all the fraud and lose taxpayer dollars to fraudulent activities.»
Those same issues apply to current state programs like Minnesota’s Paid Leave program, according to Heino.
«However, we need to rein it in and have more investigation before we start sending out the checks, especially with paid family leave,» she said. «They pay out before they have the doctor’s note certifying that this is actually true and they have verified it.»
She acknowledged that the law is a «great first step» toward addressing the problem but said it does not go far enough to protect taxpayers and prevent future fraud.
As a mother, grandmother and taxpayer, Heino said she is fed up with how leaders in her home state have handled fraud, adding the problem has gotten so bad that Minnesota has become the «laughing stock of the nation» and people no longer want to say they are from the state anymore.
«We need to funnel those resources to the people that actually need them and keep people committing fraud from taking our money and running away with it, buying luxury condos or homes, and then funneling it out of the country,» she said.
Digital reached out to Walz’s office and the Minnesota Department of Education for comment.
«We have not slowed down, there is no sense in which the fraud has been stopped in Minnesota,» Bill Glahn, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, told Digital in August, making the case that the fraud situation in the state has not been properly addressed.
politics, minnesota fraud exposed, tim walz, minnesota, financial regulation, donald trump
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