International
UN reports 3,960 gang deaths in Haiti by 2023
November 29 |
A report published on Tuesday by the United Nations denounces that the violence unleashed by gangs in Haiti has left more than 3,000 people killed and thousands more injured and victims of kidnapping, and called for an expedited dispatch of a multinational force to the island.
“The situation in Haiti is catastrophic. We continue to receive reports of killings, sexual violence, displacement and other violence, including in hospitals,” said Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The senior diplomat cited the report, which covers the period between the entire period and October 2023, as showing that killings by gang groups have left 3,960 people dead, 1,432 injured and another 2,951 who “have been kidnapped in gang-related violence”.
Last October the UN Security Council approved the use of a multinational force, commanded by Kenya – without the participation of the United Nations – to assist Haitian police forces in dealing with gangs.
Shortly thereafter, the African nation’s parliament froze the mission, demanding that the training and funding conditions established at the time of announcing the dispatch of the troops be met first.
Haitians, on the other hand, are wary of an armed presence with UN consent. The Caribbean country was cholera-free until 2010, when UN peacekeepers dumped infected sewage into a river. More than 9,000 people died from the disease and some 800,000 became ill.
Tuesday’s report focuses particularly on the Bas-Artibonite district, located in the center of the Caribbean nation, about 100 km from Port-au-Prince, the capital.
In Bas-Artibonite, the report says, 1,694 people were killed as of October of this year.
Violence in Haiti has reached alarming levels since gunmen assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse at his own residence in Port-au-Prince in July 2021.
Several suspects, of Colombian citizenship, as well as Haitian-Americans are either under prosecution or have already been convicted in the US in connection with the assassination.
The gangs have used sexual violence as a method of intimidating the population, the report said, something that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres himself had already denounced.
Following the report, the UN Panel of Experts on Haiti requested that the Security Council update the list of persons and entities under UN sanctions” for supporting, preparing, ordering or committing acts “that are contrary to international law.
International
20th Festival Salvadoreñísimo brings together thousands of salvadorans in Houston
Parades, baton twirlers, and a mix of Salvadoran and international music set the tone for the 20th edition of the Festival Salvadoreñísimo, held in Houston, Texas, with Tony Villatoro once again leading the organization.
This year, the highly anticipated event moved to a new venue: The Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, within the “space city.” Despite the scorching sun of the open-air setting, spirits remained high, and a brief drizzle later brought relief and renewed energy to the celebration.
More than 5,000 Salvadorans gathered at the park, joining with Guatemalans, Hondurans, and even Mexicans to commemorate 204 years of independence for El Salvador and Central America. The festival was marked by a family-friendly atmosphere, where traditional foods such as pupusas, panes con gallina, pastelitos, and horchata could not be missed.
“Twenty years with this festival, and I am very grateful to the Salvadoran community that always shows up. Thanks to them, the sponsors, and to Diario El Salvador for supporting us since the beginning,” said Tony Villatoro, as more compatriots continued arriving to the celebration.
“I am satisfied. I didn’t expect this level of attendance, especially since we were trying a new outdoor venue with some challenges, but we made it through successfully,” Villatoro added.
The Festival Salvadoreñísimo, now a two-decade-long tradition, once again took place as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time when independence festivities run from mid-September through October.
International
El Salvador unveils 2025-2029 National Reintegration Plan for returned migrants
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the National Reintegration Plan for Returned Salvadorans 2025-2029, a strategy designed to create greater opportunities, ensure access to quality services, and provide a favorable environment for Salvadorans returning to their home country to rebuild their lives.
The initiative is supported by the United Nations Network on Migration, coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), financed by the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and backed by the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Migration Unit.
During the presentation, Vice Minister of Diaspora and Human Mobility Cindy Mariella Portal emphasized that migrants often face multiple challenges upon returning to their communities.
“That is why we are implementing actions that generate real and sustainable opportunities for these individuals,” she stated.
International
Authorities capture CJNG financial chief in international airport operation
A man identified as the main financial operator of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was arrested Thursday at Mexico City’s international airport, authorities reported.
The individual, named by Mexican media as Óscar Antonio Álvarez, was apprehended during an operation involving the army, navy, National Guard, police, and the attorney general’s office, according to a joint statement.
Álvarez is considered the primary financial operator of a criminal group originating in Jalisco, and the capture took place at Benito Juárez Airport as he arrived on a flight from Barcelona, Spain.
Authorities stated that Álvarez faces charges of organized crime and money laundering, specifically for receiving and transferring illicit funds. His work with the CJNG reportedly included purchasing properties and managing businesses in the tequila and livestock sectors.
According to El Universal, Álvarez was directly under the command of Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho”, the cartel’s top leader, for whom the U.S. offers a $15 million reward.
The CJNG, which operates throughout Mexico and in various parts of the world, was designated earlier this year as a “foreign terrorist organization” by the U.S. government.
Álvarez was handed over to the federal public prosecutor to determine his legal situation, the report added.
20th Festival Salvadoreñísimo brings together thousands of salvadorans in Houston
El Salvador unveils 2025-2029 National Reintegration Plan for returned migrants
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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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