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Venezuela Vows to Jail Protest Leaders as US Urges S. American Pressure on Maduro

Venezuela's chief prosecutor Tarek Saab talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2017. (Reuters)
Venezuela's chief prosecutor Tarek Saab talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2017. (Reuters)
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Venezuela Vows to Jail Protest Leaders as US Urges S. American Pressure on Maduro

Venezuela's chief prosecutor Tarek Saab talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2017. (Reuters)
Venezuela's chief prosecutor Tarek Saab talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2017. (Reuters)

Venezuela vowed on Thursday that it would crackdown and jail the leaders of violent protests that have been taking place in the country since April as the US Vice President called on Latin American countries to step up pressure on Caracas.

Venezuela’s new top prosecutor Tarek Saab pledged to track down the leaders of the protests that have left more than 120 people dead.

He made his vow a day before a hate crimes law was expected to be approved despite fears that it will be used to crush dissent. The new law "against hate and intolerance," denounced by rights groups as a sham aimed at persecuting the opposition, was set to be approved on Friday by a new legislative superbody elected last month at the behest of President Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro loyalist Delcy Rodriguez, head of the body known as the constituent assembly, said the law would be passed before the weekend.

"It will be a point of honor for the public prosecutor's office to identify who was responsible for each of the hate crimes that occurred in this country," Saab, Maduro's ex-human rights ombudsman, shouted during a speech to the assembly.

"We will search the cameras, videos, photographs. We will get images of each one of them to make sure they pay for having killed, for having hurt people and left orphans behind," he said to a standing ovation by the Socialist Party-dominated assembly.

The international community, however, has pointed at the Maduro government, not opposition demonstrators, when assigning blame for deaths.

Venezuelan security forces and pro-government groups were believed responsible for the deaths of at least 73 demonstrators since April, the United Nations said in an August 8 report.

Abuses of protesters, including torture, were part of "the breakdown of the rule of law" in the oil-rich but economically-ailing nation, the report said.

Those found guilty of expressing hate or intolerance will be punished with up to 25 years in jail, according to the vaguely worded hate crimes bill.

Groups like Human Rights Watch say it would give Maduro's government carte blanche to take opposition leaders out of circulation ahead of October gubernatorial elections.

The assembly has established a truth commission to investigate opposition candidates to ensure that any who were involved in violent protests would be barred from running for governorships, Rodriguez said.

The opposition, which won control of congress in 2015 only to see its decisions nullified by Maduro's loyalist Supreme Court, boycotted the July 30 election of the constituent assembly. The body has sweeping powers to re-write Venezuela's constitution and even give Maduro permission to rule by decree.

Meanwhile, US Vice President Mike Pence urged Latin American leaders to intensify pressure on the Venezuelan government, which many fear is on the cusp of dictatorship and civil war.

He made his remarks during a tour of the newly expanded Panama Canal Thursday as he wrapped up a trip to Latin America. Pence met with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela before departing for Washington Thursday evening.

Pence has spent much of his visit working to assure Latin American allies that the United States remains invested in the region despite President Donald Trump's "America first" rhetoric.

That mission was complicated by Trump's surprise suggestion right before Pence left that a "military option" might be on the table for Venezuela. Leaders across the region made clear to Pence that they strongly rejected the suggestion.

"Chile will do its utmost to support Venezuela to find a peaceful way out," Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said Wednesday. "But Chile will not support military interventions, nor coup d'état."

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World

US Military Tells Trump It's ‘Ready’ to Strike Iran as Soon as Saturday

A shot showing personnel preparations aboard the US aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" (US Navy)
A shot showing personnel preparations aboard the US aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" (US Navy)
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US Military Tells Trump It's ‘Ready’ to Strike Iran as Soon as Saturday

A shot showing personnel preparations aboard the US aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" (US Navy)
A shot showing personnel preparations aboard the US aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" (US Navy)

Top national security officials have told US President Donald Trump the military is ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday, but the timeline for any action is likely to extend beyond this weekend, sources familiar with the discussions told CBS News.

Trump has not yet made a final decision about whether to strike, said the officials, who spoke under condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national matters.

The conversations have been described as fluid and ongoing, as the White House weighs the risks of escalation and the political and military consequences of restraint, added CBS.

Over the next three days, the Pentagon is moving some personnel temporarily out of the Middle East region — primarily to Europe or back to the United States — ahead of potential action or counterattacks by Iran if the US were to move ahead with its operation, according to multiple officials.

It's standard practice for the Pentagon to shift assets and personnel ahead of a potential US military activity and doesn't necessarily signal an attack on Iran is imminent, one of the sources told CBS.

Contacted by CBS News on Wednesday afternoon, a Pentagon spokesperson said they had no information to provide.

Iran was discussed in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday, a US official and a senior military official told CBS News. All military forces deployed to the region are expected to be in place by mid-March.

Axios had also said that a war between the United States and Iran is looming — and there are several factors suggesting President Trump might push the button soon.

On Wednesday, Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran was "drafting" a framework for future talks with the United States, as the US energy secretary said Washington would stop Iran's nuclear ambitions "one way or another".

World

Satellite Images Show Iran Repairing and Fortifying Sites amid US Tensions

A satellite image shows tunnel entrances covered with soil at Isfahan nuclear complex, in Isfahan, Iran, February 10, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS
A satellite image shows tunnel entrances covered with soil at Isfahan nuclear complex, in Isfahan, Iran, February 10, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS
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Satellite Images Show Iran Repairing and Fortifying Sites amid US Tensions

A satellite image shows tunnel entrances covered with soil at Isfahan nuclear complex, in Isfahan, Iran, February 10, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS
A satellite image shows tunnel entrances covered with soil at Isfahan nuclear complex, in Isfahan, Iran, February 10, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS

Satellite images show that Iran has recently built a concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military site and covered it in soil, experts say, advancing work at a location reportedly bombed by Israel in 2024 amid tensions with the US.

Images also show that Iran has buried tunnel entrances at a nuclear site bombed by the US during Israel's 12-day war with Iran last year, fortified tunnel entrances near another, and has repaired missile bases struck in the conflict.

They offer a glimpse of Iranian activities at some of the sites at the center of tensions with Israel and the US, as Washington seeks to negotiate a deal with Tehran on its nuclear program while threatening military action if talks fail.

Some 30 km (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, the Parchin complex is one of Iran's most sensitive military sites. Western intelligence has suggested Tehran carried out tests relevant to nuclear bomb detonations there more than two decades ago.

Iran has always denied seeking atomic weapons. Israel reportedly struck Parchin in October 2024.

Satellite imagery taken before and after that attack shows extensive damage to a rectangular building at Parchin, and apparent reconstruction in images from November 6, 2024.

Imagery from October 12, 2025 shows development at the site, with the skeleton of a new structure visible and two smaller structures adjacent to it. Progress is apparent in imagery from November 14, with what appears to be a metallic roof covering the large structure.

But imagery from December 13 shows the facility partly covered. By February 16, it cannot be seen at all, hidden by what experts say is a concrete structure.

The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), in a January 22 analysis of satellite imagery, pointed to progress in the construction of a "concrete sarcophagus" around a newly built facility at the site, which it identified as Taleghan 2.

ISIS reported in November that imagery showed "ongoing construction and the presence of what appears to resemble a long, cylindrical chamber, maybe a high-explosives containment vessel, likely measuring approximately 36 meters long and 12 meters in diameter placed inside a building".

"High-explosive containment vessels are critical to the development of nuclear weapons," ISIS added, "but can also be used in many other conventional weapons development processes."

William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst with Contested Ground, said the roof had a similar hue to the surrounding area, adding: "It has most likely been covered with dirt to obscure the concrete color."

ISIS founder David Albright wrote on X: "Stalling the negotiations has its benefits: Over the last two to three weeks, Iran has been busy burying the new Taleghan 2 facility ... More soil is available and the facility may soon become a fully unrecognizable bunker, providing significant protection from aerial strikes."

TUNNEL ENTRANCES BURIED AT ISFAHAN NUCLEAR COMPLEX

The Isfahan complex is one of three Iranian uranium-enrichment plants bombed by the United States in June.

In addition to facilities that are part of the nuclear fuel cycle, Isfahan includes an underground area where diplomats say much of Iran's enriched uranium has been stored.

Satellite images taken in late January showed new efforts to bury two tunnel entrances at the complex, ISIS reported on January 29. In a February 9 update, ISIS said a third entrance had also been backfilled with soil, meaning all entrances to the tunnel complex were now "completely buried".

A February 10 image shows all three tunnels buried, Goodhind said.

ISIS reported on February 9 that "backfilling the tunnel entrances would help dampen any potential airstrike and also make ground access in a special forces raid to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be housed inside difficult".

TUNNEL ENTRANCES FORTIFIED AT COMPLEX NEAR NATANZ SITE

ISIS has reported that satellite images point to ongoing efforts since February 10 to "harden and defensively strengthen" two entrances to a tunnel complex under a mountain some 2 km (1.2 miles) from Natanz - the site that holds Iran's other two uranium enrichment plants.

Imagery shows "ongoing activity throughout the complex related to this effort, involving the movement of numerous vehicles, including dump trucks, cement mixers, and other heavy equipment", ISIS wrote.

Iran's plans for the facility, called Pickaxe Mountain, are unclear, ISIS said.

SHIRAZ SOUTH MISSILE BASE

About 10 km (6 miles) south of Shiraz in southern Iran, this is one of 25 primary bases capable of launching medium-range ballistic missiles, according to Alma Research and Education Center, an Israeli organization. Alma assessed the site had suffered light, above-ground damage in last year's war.

A comparison of images taken on July 3, 2025 and January 30 shows reconstruction and clearance efforts at the main logistics and likely command compound at the base, Goodhind said.

"The key takeaway is that the compound has yet to return to its full operational capacity from prior to the airstrikes."

QOM MISSILE BASE

Some 40 km north of the city of Qom, this base suffered moderate above-ground damage, according to Alma.

A comparison of images taken between July 16, 2025, and February 1 shows a new roof over a damaged building. The roof repairs appear to have begun on November 17 and were most likely complete 10 days later, Goodhind said.

World

Iranian Mourning Ceremonies Prompt New Crackdowns in Echo of 1979 Revolution

Iranians walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, 16 February 2026. (EPA)
Iranians walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, 16 February 2026. (EPA)
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Iranian Mourning Ceremonies Prompt New Crackdowns in Echo of 1979 Revolution

Iranians walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, 16 February 2026. (EPA)
Iranians walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, 16 February 2026. (EPA)

Iranians have returned to the streets this week to mourn those killed by security forces during last month's anti-government demonstrations, sparking some new crackdowns in an echo of the 1979 revolution that brought down the US-backed Shah.

The anti-Shah revolutionaries turned Shiite Muslim memorial processions 40 days after each death into new protests, which prompted renewed violence from the authorities and fresh "martyrs" for the cause.

The clerical establishment's opponents, deploying the same tactics after five decades, have yet to match the momentum of those times, but Iran's clerical rulers, threatened with military attack by US President Donald Trump over their nuclear and security policies, have demonstrated their concern.

They deployed security forces to some cemeteries and invited citizens to attend state-organized 40-day "Chehelom" ceremonies on Tuesday after apologizing to "all those affected" by violence they blamed on people described as "terrorists".

"They tried to prevent history repeating itself by holding these ceremonies in mosques across ‌the country. To ‌prevent any gatherings of angry families in cemeteries, but they failed," said one rights activist ‌in ⁠Iran who declined ⁠to be named for fear of retribution.

SECURITY FORCES CLASH WITH MOURNERS

Videos circulating on social media showed families holding their own memorials across Iran on Tuesday, 40 days after security forces began two days of widespread shooting that human rights groups say killed thousands of protesters.

Some of Tuesday's memorials turned into wider anti-government protests and some were met with deadly force.

In the Kurdish town of Abdanan in Ilam province, witnesses and activists said security forces opened fire on hundreds of mourners gathered at a cemetery.

Videos showed people scattering as gunfire rang out amid chants of "Death to the dictator", a reference to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Reuters journalists verified that ⁠the videos were filmed at the cemetery. They were unable to verify the date but ‌found no versions posted before Tuesday: eyewitnesses and activists said that was when ‌people gathered at the cemetery were fired upon.

Hengaw, a Kurdish Iranian rights group, said at least three people were injured and nine ‌arrested in Abdanan. Similar clashes were reported in Mashhad and Hamedan. Sources in Iran said internet access was heavily restricted ‌in those cities.

WEDNESDAY IS 40 DAYS SINCE HEIGHT OF JANUARY PROTESTS

More mourning ceremonies were expected to be taking place on Wednesday, 40 days since the deadliest two days of the January unrest, although communications restrictions meant that it was not immediately possible to tell how many or their outcome.

January's unrest grew from modest economic protests in December among traders in Tehran's Grand Bazaar into the gravest threat to ‌Iran's theocracy in nearly five decades, with protesters calling for ruling clerics to step down.

Authorities cut internet access, blaming "armed terrorists" linked to Israel and the United States ⁠for the violence, and have arrested ⁠journalists, lawyers, activists, human rights advocates and students, rights groups say.

Iranian officials have told Reuters the leadership is worried a US strike could erode its grip on power by fueling more protests. Repression, inequality, corruption and the sponsorship of proxies abroad are the main grievances.

"How long can they kill people to stay in power? People are angry, people are frustrated," said government employee Sara, 28, from the central city of Isfahan.

"The Islamic Republic has brought nothing but war, economic misery and death to my country".

Trump has deployed aircraft carriers, fighter jets, guided-missile destroyers and other capabilities to the Middle East for a possible attack if talks to limit Iran's nuclear program and weaken its foreign proxies do not yield results.

Even without a US attack, continued isolation from Western sanctions would likely fuel further public anger.

In 1979, the anti-Shah revolt in provincial towns and villages was amplified by oil workers whose strikes cut most of Iran's revenue, and bazaar merchants who funded the rebel clerics.

This time there have been no reports of either, but people have adopted some of the small-scale tactics, chanting “Allah is great” and “Death to the dictator”, often from rooftops, during nightly demonstrations, according to witnesses and social media posts.