International
Five police officers killed in violent confrontations in Haitian capital
Tension has returned to Port-au-Prince with shootouts between police and armed gangs, following a seemingly calm morning in the Haitian capital after a violent day yesterday that left at least five dead and dozens injured.
According to the latest report from the Haitian Police Union, the number of officers killed on Thursday has risen to five, and their bodies have yet to be recovered.
Initially, it was reported that four police officers lost their lives when armed gangs attacked a police station in Bon Repos, in Canaan, north of the capital.
Given the extreme violence of these events, hundreds of people are fleeing the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince to provincial cities or other areas that have been less exposed to attacks by powerful armed gangs.
Some reports suggest that the gangs may be attempting to enter the capital’s main prison, in the city center, to free their incarcerated colleagues who have been held there for years.
Despite this, there is a timid resumption of activity on the streets of Port-au-Prince, and public transportation, in particular, is operating again after being completely shut down on Thursday, when schools and businesses sent their students and employees home, and an airplane at the airport was targeted by gunfire.
On Thursday, violence escalated further in Haiti after Bahamian Prime Minister Phillip Davis stated that his Haitian counterpart, Ariel Henry, committed during the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit in Georgetown to holding elections before August 31, 2025.
Henry is currently in Nairobi, where Kenya and Haiti signed a bilateral agreement requested by Kenyan courts to allow for the deployment of a contingent of 1,000 Kenyan police officers as part of the multinational security support mission led by Kenya, which the UN approved last October.
Amidst all this, the leader of the G9 gang coalition, the powerful former police officer Jimmy Cherisier ‘Barbecue,’ once again announced the start of a “revolution” and promised to overthrow the government of Henry.
“We, the armed men, have decided to take the future into our own hands” given the situation in Haiti, stated ‘Barbecue’ about a country engulfed in a severe crisis on all fronts and amidst the extreme violence of the gangs, which control much of Port-au-Prince and other areas.
International
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the creation of a 17-nation alliance across the Americas aimed at dismantling drug cartels, during a regional summit held at his golf club in Doral.
Speaking to a group of allied leaders at the Shield of the Americas Summit, Trump said the initiative would rely on military force to eliminate powerful criminal networks operating throughout the hemisphere.
“The heart of our agreement is the commitment to use lethal military force to destroy these sinister cartels and terrorist networks. Once and for all, we will put an end to them,” Trump told the assembled heads of state.
The Republican leader argued that large portions of territory in the Western Hemisphere have fallen under the control of transnational gangs and pledged U.S. support to governments seeking to confront them. He even suggested the potential use of highly precise missiles against cartel leaders.
Before making the announcement, Trump greeted the roughly twelve leaders attending the summit, including close allies such as Javier Milei, Daniel Noboa and Nayib Bukele, whom he described as a “great president.”
The meeting forms part of Trump’s broader regional strategy inspired by his reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which seeks to reinforce Washington’s influence in the Americas, strengthen security cooperation and counter the growing presence of powers such as China.
Trump pointed to recent U.S. actions in the region as examples of his administration’s approach, including the operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
The summit also takes place amid escalating international tensions following the conflict launched last week by the United States and Israel against Iran.
International
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the departure of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, one of the key architects of the administration’s policy of deporting undocumented immigrants.
Noem, who has been assigned a new role as a “special envoy” to Latin America, will be replaced starting March 31 by Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, the president said in a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
According to media reports, Trump made the decision after Noem’s recent hearings in Congress, during which she faced tough questions regarding the awarding of a major public contract.
International
Young Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced Thursday that the young Mexican woman who proves to have the best ball control skills will receive her personal ticket to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City.
The left-wing leader had previously said she would not attend the tournament’s opening game on June 11 in the Mexican capital and instead planned to give away the ticket number 00001, reserved for her by FIFA.
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum explained that women between 16 and 25 years old can participate by submitting a video through an official platform.
“What do they have to do? Keep the ball in the air for one minute,” she said, referring to the soccer juggling challenge that will determine the winner.
Among the judges selecting the winner will be Mexican striker Charlyn Corral, the world’s top female scorer who set a ball-control record in 2005, and professional referee Katia Itzel García.
Sheinbaum also revealed that she plans to watch the opening match during a large public gathering with giant screens in the Zócalo, located in the historic center near the presidential palace.
“Very few people will be able to attend the opening. So I will watch it here with the people, and a young woman will represent me and the people of Mexico,” the president said.
Sheinbaum has previously commented on the high cost of World Cup tickets, as well as the difficulty of obtaining them in a metropolitan area with more than 20 million inhabitants.
In the 2026 tournament, jointly hosted by United States, Mexico, and Canada, Mexico will stage 13 matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
The opening match will take place at the legendary Estadio Azteca, which previously hosted World Cup opening ceremonies in 1970 and 1986, occasions when the presidents in attendance were famously booed by the crowd.
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
Young Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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