International

UN expresses concern over rising violence in Ecuador

ONU expresa preocupación por aumento de la violencia en Ecuador

Photo: EFE

July 28 |

The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed his “concern” the day before due to the recent increase in violence in Ecuador, mainly related to disputes between gangs for the control of drug trafficking.

In a statement, Türk acknowledged the challenges faced by Ecuadorian society and authorities in dealing with the wave of violence; however, he also asked that the states of emergency declared to deal with it respect the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality.

In this sense, the UN official recalled: “Emergency measures, including the use of the armed forces in public security tasks, may be applied, but must be limited in time and exceptional”.

He also urged a comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system, including prisons, after the last massacre in which 31 inmates died in the Penitenciaría del Litoral (Guayas province) and riots in other prisons of the South American country.

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In this way, Türk expressed his “great concern” for the violence in prisons and cities, as well as warned of the continuous deterioration of the Ecuadorian penitentiary system.

He also called on the Government to apply the policy of social rehabilitation of incarcerated persons, issued in 2022 and developed with the technical support of the UN Office for Human Rights.

It also expressed its concern about the “worrying setback” in the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and recalled that, according to international standards, these communities must be consulted and not repressed about the use of their lands for mining projects or activities.

In Ecuador, on July 23, the mayor of the coastal city of Manta, Agustín Intriago, was murdered, and other public figures, political candidates and journalists have been attacked. In addition, in recent weeks there have been confrontations due to the enactment, on May 31, of the Executive Decree that allows companies to start mining operations without prior, free and informed consultation with the indigenous communities.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.