International

High voter turnout closes polls in Argentine province of Chaco

Photo: Letra P

September 18 |

The representative of the opposition alliance Juntos por el Cambio, Leandro César Zdero, won this Sunday the governorship of the Argentine province of Chaco, where elections were held to elect, in addition, the vice-governor, provincial deputies, mayors and councilors of all municipalities.

According to results released after 99.5 percent of the counted tables, Zdero obtained 46.2 percent of the votes against Jorge Milton Capitanich, candidate for Frente Chaqueño (at national level Unión por la Patria), who obtained 41.7 percent. Silvina Schneider was the vice-governor.

Next were Gustavo Martínez (Corriente de Expresión Renovada, 5 percent of votes), Alfredo Rodríguez (La Libertad Avanza, 3.4 percent), Juan C. Bacilef (Frente Integrador, 2.1 percent), Ruben Galassi (Libertarios en Acción, 0.97 percent) and Germán Báez (Partido Obrero, 0.8 percent).

Capitanich, current governor who was seeking reelection, acknowledged the defeat and wished Zdero the best in his administration. He also made himself available for the transition.

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In a message to his followers, Zdero said: “Starting tomorrow we will start working hard to have an orderly transition”.

The Argentine President, Alberto Fernández, congratulated the winner and wished a prosperous future to the province. “I celebrate the democratic journey that the people of Chaco have carried out to elect their new governor”, said the head of state through the social network X.

According to the electoral authority, the turnout reached 68 percent. In the PASO (Simultaneous and Compulsory Open Primary Elections), more than 62 percent of the voters went to the polls.
Blank votes accounted for 5 percent.

The elections took place in a calm atmosphere, said the Minister of Government of Chaco, Juan Manuel Chapo, in a press conference. During the election day, the Frente Chaqueño presented a complaint to the provincial Electoral Court in which they pointed out that Zdero violated the electoral ban.

After voting, Zdero made statements to the press. According to the Frente Chaqueño, on that occasion “he made projections in reference to the officialism, naming also candidates of his political space”, thus violating article 71 of Law 384-Q.

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According to the website of the Government of Chaco, said political force also went to the electoral authority to denounce thefts and destruction of ballots in some voting centers.

International

Florida judge sets 2027 trial in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against BBC

A federal judge in Florida has scheduled February 2027 for the trial in the lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump against the BBC, in which he is seeking $10 billion in damages for defamation.

Trump accuses the British broadcaster of airing a misleading edit of a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021, which, he says, made it appear that he explicitly urged his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

The president filed the suit in December in federal court in Florida, alleging defamation and violations of a law governing business practices when the program was broadcast ahead of the 2024 election.

Trump is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the two claims.

Lawyers for the BBC unsuccessfully asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Trump had not suffered a “legally recognizable harm,” since the investigative program Panorama, which included the edited footage, aired outside the United States.

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International

Head-of-state diplomacy key to guiding China–U.S. ties, Beijing says

Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China–United States relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday during a regular press briefing, when asked about high-level exchanges between the two sides.

Lin added that in a recent phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump once again expressed his intention to visit China in April, while Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his invitation.

Both sides remain in communication regarding the matter, the spokesperson said.

Lin noted that the essence of China–U.S. economic and trade ties lies in mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

“Both parties should work together to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, injecting greater certainty and stability into China–U.S. economic and trade cooperation, as well as into the global economy,” he said.

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International

Trump administration to end special immigration operation in Minnesota

The administration of Donald Trump is bringing to a close its special operation targeting illegal immigration in the northern state of Minnesota, border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday, following weeks of unrest and the fatal shootings of two activists by federal agents.

Thousands of federal officers had been deployed to Minnesota in December to carry out large-scale raids against undocumented immigrants.

The operations triggered strong reactions from residents and advocacy groups, leading to daily confrontations and the deaths of two people who were shot by federal agents.

“I proposed, and President Trump agreed, that this special operation should end in Minnesota,” Homan said during a press conference in the state capital, Minneapolis.

“A significant drawdown began this week and will continue into next week,” he added.

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Homan indicated that similar enforcement efforts could be launched in other cities.

“Next week we will redeploy the agents currently here back to their home stations or to other parts of the country where they are needed. But we will continue to enforce immigration laws,” he said.