International
Guatemalan president-elect calls for end to persecution of his party
September 12 |
The president-elect of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo de León, called for an end to the judicial persecution against his social democratic party Semilla.
Arévalo insisted that the judicial actions against his political party affect the process of transition and investiture as president of Guatemala as of January 2024.
It is worth mentioning that the president elect is meeting with the outgoing president, Alejandro Giammattei to continue with the process of transfer of power.
For his part, Giammattei committed himself to “carry out an orderly and high quality transition” and offered Arévalo a physical space in the National Palace of Culture to maintain “constant communication” to carry out the transition process.
Despite the statements of the outgoing president, Arévalo insisted that “it is necessary to cease the process of political persecution and judicial intimidation which is underway by the institutions of justice”.
It should be recalled that the elected president denounced last August 1 a “coup d’état” plan that would prevent him from taking office in January, despite the fact that Giammattei swore “to give his life” so that Arevalo would take office on January 14.
“I assure you and if my life is necessary for you to take office there you have it, but you will be the next president of Guatemala, whether I like it or not, what matters is that the people elected you”, argued the president a few days ago.
On this occasion and in front of the press, Giammattei kept his word and guaranteed to keep it for next January.
“As head of state I guaranteed you a week ago and I guarantee you today (that) you will take office on January 14, that is the decision of the people of Guatemala. It will be good, it will be bad, that does not matter, and that decision is respected,” he said.
After Arevalo’s electoral victory during the first presidential round, the Attorney General’s Office initiated an investigation process that would damage the legal status of the Semilla party.
The argument of the Prosecutor’s Office insisted on alleged anomalies in its registration for 2017. Despite the evidence, the Constitutional Court revoked the ruling and allowed Arevalo to compete in the second round.
By last Tuesday, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) declared the progressive Arévalo as the winner and handed him and his vice-president-elect Karin Herrera the credentials accrediting him as president-elect.
Arévalo thanked for the credentials and said that the TSE magistrates are a central element in the process of defending democracy in the country.
However, despite being president elect, Bernardo Arévalo insists that there is a persecution against his political party that seeks to impede the transition process of his nation.
International
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 2,533,000 deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to an international study led by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and Stanford University in the United States, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Researchers calculated that one death was prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
The analysis also found that the vaccines saved 14.8 million years of life, equivalent to one year of life gained for every 900 doses given.
The study, coordinated by Professor Stefania Boccia, revealed that 82% of the lives saved were people vaccinated before becoming infected with the virus, and 57% of deaths avoided occurred during the Omicron wave. In addition, 90% of the beneficiaries were adults over 60 years old.
“This is the most comprehensive analysis to date, based on global data and fewer assumptions about the evolution of the pandemic,” explained Boccia and researcher Angelo Maria Pezzullo.
International
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that reinstated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, stressing that the immigration program was never intended to serve as a “de facto asylum system.”
On Thursday, Judge Trina Thompson extended protections for about 7,000 Nepalese immigrants, whose TPS was set to expire on August 5. The ruling also impacts roughly 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans, whose TPS protections were scheduled to end on September 8.
Immigrants covered by TPS had sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that the program’s termination was driven by “racial animus” and stripped them of protection from deportation.
DHS Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the decision to end TPS was part of a mandate to “restore the integrity” of the immigration system and return the program to its original purpose.
“TPS was never conceived as a de facto asylum system; however, that is how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin emphasized.
She also criticized Judge Thompson, calling the ruling “another example” of judges “stirring up claims of racism to distract from the facts.”
McLaughlin added that DHS would appeal the decision and take the legal battle to higher courts.
The Trump administration has also terminated TPS protections for approximately 160,000 Ukrainians, 350,000 Venezuelans, and at least half a million Haitians, among other immigrant groups.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
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