International
Bolivia rejects U.S. criticism of its anti-drug efforts
September 18 |
The former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, and the current Minister of Government of that nation, Eduardo Del Castillo, among others, rejected in recent hours a report prepared by the Government of the United States (US), through which disapproves the anti-drug policy of the Latin American nation.
In statements to a local radio station on Sunday, Morales described the report as “political, contradictory and double standards”. He pointed out that the U.S. “is the country that has one of the highest rates of drug consumption and overdose deaths in the world”.
He called attention to the fact that Washington has always decertified peoples like Bolivia and Venezuela because they are free and dignified, and do not submit to its impositions, he said.
For his part, Del Castillo denounced the day before through his social networks that the report was prepared unilaterally, lacks technical support and has clear geopolitical intentions.
He questioned that the White House report is contrary to international treaties on territorial integrity, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs of other States.
He affirmed that La Paz only recognizes the International Narcotics Control Board of the United Nations as a qualified international authority to issue an opinion on the subject.
In this regard, he urged Washington not to assume powers that do not correspond to it and to address the “excessive consumption of illicit drugs” among its population, “which causes an uncontrolled increase in international demand for drugs,” he said.
He stressed that Bolivia’s actions in this area have led to a record number of drug seizures, as well as the destruction of clandestine airstrips and illegal laboratories used to process these substances.
He recalled that La Paz is part of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and that its work has been recognized by the European Union and other Latin American countries.
Jaime Mamani, Vice-Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, joined the Bolivian Government’s questioning and declared to local media that the document issued by the U.S. is “unilateral, biased and political”. He added that it has no value for Bolivia.
On Friday, President Joe Biden sent to Congress the U.S. Government’s Decertification Memorandum, which disapproves for the sixteenth consecutive time the Andean country’s and Venezuela’s fight in this area.
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.
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
Costa Rica faces historic vote on lifting presidential immunity for Rodrigo Chaves
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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