International
Panamanian ruling party demands an end to current crisis
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”.
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.
Central America
Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
The Government of Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has strengthened coordination with Guatemala following an armed confrontation in the community of Agua Zarca, in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango department, where a soldier was wounded in an attack attributed to organized-crime groups operating on both sides of the border.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that Mexico is exchanging information with Guatemalan authorities and that Mexican Army units have been deployed along the border to reinforce surveillance and assist in reconnaissance operations.
The attack, Guatemala’s Defense Ministry stated, reflects the “criminal dynamics” dominating that border region, where different groups compete for drug and arms trafficking routes.
According to Guatemala’s Defense Ministry, the clash left a soldier wounded in the leg after suspected criminals crossed from Mexico and opened fire. The wounded soldier is reportedly in stable condition. Authorities also seized high-caliber weapons, explosives, tactical gear and drones, which were handed over for forensic analysis.
Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced that a coordinated plan of operations will be launched involving both Mexican and Guatemalan forces along the border to counter these criminal networks.
Harfuch emphasized that the violence is not isolated but symptomatic of the ongoing struggle between criminal organizations for territorial control, and reiterated Mexico’s commitment to bilateral security cooperation and its intention to strengthen institutional presence in vulnerable border zones.
International
Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV in Italy, after pledging to deliver a response to the United States regarding the proposed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The meeting with the pontiff took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, where Leo XIV “reiterated the need to continue dialogue and renewed his urgent hope that the ongoing diplomatic initiatives may lead to a just and lasting peace,” the Vatican said in a statement.
His visit to Italy follows Monday’s meetings with European leaders in London and Brussels, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a peace plan that Zelensky said he is still reviewing.
According to Zelensky, the plan presented by Washington—originally consisting of 28 points—was reduced to 20 after discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives over the weekend. “We are going to work on those 20 points. We are not completely satisfied with the proposals from our partners,” Zelensky said during an online press conference on Monday.
International
Japan lifts tsunami alert after strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits northern coast
A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s northern coast on Monday, triggering several tsunami waves of up to 70 centimeters, authorities said. The tsunami alert was lifted in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time (14:15 GMT) off the coast of Misawa, at a depth of 53 kilometers. Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) immediately issued a tsunami warning. The first wave reached a port in Aomori Prefecture at 11:43 p.m. (14:43 GMT), followed by others measuring up to 70 centimeters.
Public broadcaster NHK reported that an employee at a hotel in the city of Hachinohe confirmed that several people were injured. Live footage showed shattered glass scattered across roads, while many residents evacuated to the city hall seeking shelter.
The strong tremor was also felt in Sapporo, where emergency alerts were sent to residents’ mobile phones. A reporter in Hokkaido described a horizontal shaking that lasted around 30 seconds, making it difficult to stay standing.
Before the alert was lifted, the JMA had warned of the possibility of tsunami waves up to three meters high along Japan’s Pacific coast. Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara urged residents to remain in safe areas until the warning was officially lifted.
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