International
Russia accuses the United States of recruiting Mexican and Colombian prisoners to fight in Ukraine
Russia’s Foreign Espionage Service (SVR) accused private military companies in the United States of recruiting inmates from Mexico and Colombia in US prisons to send them to fight in the war in Ukraine.
“Private US military companies, under the direction of the Federal Drug Control Administration and the FBI, began recruiting representatives of Mexican and Colombian drug cartels who are serving sentences in U.S. prisons to participate in the Ukrainian conflict,” the SVR said in a statement.
According to the entity, “the United States is resorting to increasingly desperate methods in its attempts to change the situation on the Ukrainian front, by reinforcing the ranks of demobilized Ukrainian military with multinational scum with tendencies to armed violence.”
“Of course, the prospects of a new injection of ‘fortune soldiers’ chosen from serial killers, drug addicts and rapists (…) raise concern. However, the US plans to achieve a tactical advantage on the battlefield with this are destined for failure,” the SVR added.
He added that the first game of “these hitmen is scheduled to be transferred to the battlefield in the summer of this year.”
“The criminal gang will be made up of several hundred Mexicans and Colombians. In case they accept this ‘work’ they are promised total amnesty in the hope that they will never return” from Ukraine, the entity said.
The SVR warned that “if the pilot project (…) turns out, the recruitment program of killers will continue and will be expanded with the appeal of criminals from other countries with serious crime situations.”
However, he pointed out that this process is going through difficulties, since “negotiations with the narco-barons are difficult” and no criminal dares to cooperate with the US authorities without the approval of their bosses.
“The bosses of the gangs try to sell their henchmen as expensive as possible, putting compliance with American plans at risk,” the Russian espionage estimated.
The SVR pointed out that this shows that President Joe Biden’s Administration “admits in practice his impotence and shows us once again the inconsistency of the Kiev regime boosted by them.”
After the failure of the summer counteroffensive of 2023, Ukraine has had great difficulties with the call to ranks, which have been aggravated by the delays in the approval of a new mobilization law, which has been bogged down in the Supreme Rada for four months.
The president of Ukraine himself, Volodymyr Zelensky, called on Ukrainian deputies to put aside “populism” and approve the new mobilization law.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
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King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
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