International

Panamanian ruling party demands an end to current crisis

Photo: Estrella de Panamá

November 13 |

The National Executive Committee (CEN) of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) of Panama demanded this Sunday that the government of Laurentino Cortizo speed up a way out of the crisis that the country is currently experiencing.

According to the party, in the solution “all sectors of society must be present, especially the youth, workers, business sector, indigenous groups, teachers and professionals”.

In this communiqué, the PRD expresses that Panama is living one of the most serious crises of the last 33 years, which has been triggered by Law 406 on the contract between the State and the company Minera Panama S.A., a subsidiary of the Canadian transnational First Quantum Minerals (FQM).

It also values that “this crisis is characterized by the exposure of a massive discontent that Panamanians, especially from the youth, supported by workers, teachers and indigenous sectors, have taken to the streets, throughout the national territory”.

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They add that for this political grouping, such discontent includes motivations that go beyond the mining problem and are the result of the absence of a “political-economic model of fair, equitable and equitable social executions”.

In this sense, they point out that “the crisis we are living demands a mature and dignified solution through a consensus derived from a new social pact, which is the expression of all the sectors that share the 75,000 kilometers of territory on a daily basis, and in which the quick action of the national government will be decisive in order to propitiate together the construction of spaces for dialogue and national consensus”.

The ruling party also maintains that we respect the right to protest as a citizen’s right, the right to dissent is protected by our political constitution, for which reason we urge the search for avenues that lead us to a national agreement that offers guarantees of respect to all the norms as a civilized society.

They add that we must support the solution proposed by the government: an indefinite moratorium on the exploitation of metallic mining in Panama and leave in the hands of the Supreme Court of Justice the definition of unconstitutionality demanded by the popular organizations.

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International

Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War

Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.

The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.

Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.

Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.

The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.

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Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.

International

Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting

A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.

Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.

The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.

“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.

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Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.

“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.

The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.

Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.

Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.

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The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.

In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.

International

Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust

Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.

Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.

The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.

Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.

Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.