International
President of Bolivia stresses the need for regional integration
May 31 |
The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, highlighted on Tuesday the need for true regional integration for the benefit of the peoples.
In the framework of the meeting of South American presidents held in Brazil, the Bolivian president affirmed that an “ideologization of integration and a vision subordinated to the North prevented the consolidation of this effort”.
“The lack of tolerance and the impossibility of assuming that we are diverse and different, but that we can integrate in spite of this for the benefit of our peoples, truncated the union of the nations of the South”, he asserted.
The President added that there have always been interests within and outside the region that have prevented the consolidation of a true space for integration and coordination among the countries.
On the other hand, he said that they are at a crucial moment in history, with the context of world geopolitics in the last two years that has demanded a deep reflection on the role of cooperation, integration and multilateralism in their efforts to build a more just, democratic, equitable and secure world.
“We are facing a critical juncture that can propel our integrationist aspirations to higher levels for the benefit of each and every one of our peoples. It depends on us,” he said.
The head of state stressed that they have witnessed significant changes in the international scenario, with the tendency to configure a new world order based on the balance of powers and the principle of non-interference.
“The transition to a multipolar world may be delayed, but it will not stop. But the inflection in the history of Latin America and the Caribbean, and within it in South America, has not been without great difficulties and setbacks. Old and new types of coups d’état were carried out in the name of democracy and this cannot be repeated,” he said.
Arce recalled various current global challenges such as the climate, health, food, energy, water, poverty and inequality crises, among others, which do not recognize borders and are not limited to a single country, as they require a collective and coordinated response.
“The core of these problems is the multidimensional crisis of the hegemonic system of the planet and of a world order that is intended to be maintained on the basis of imposition, domination and not dialogue,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the relevance of working to declare the world a zone of peace.
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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