International
“It’s women’s time,” says Sheinbaum at the end of his campaign in front of the National Palace
The ruling candidate for the Presidency of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, closed her campaign this Wednesday in a massive event in the Zocalo of Mexico City full of hundreds of thousands of people, whom she invited to celebrate “the victory” in the same place this Sunday, June 2.
In the midst of the crowd, the standard-bearer of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), Labor (PT) and Green parties, crossed the esplanade of the Plaza de la Constitución, between shouts and slogans of support, to give her last electoral message before the start of the ban this Thursday.
“See you here on June 2 at night to celebrate the victory,” Sheinbaum said at the gates of the Government Palace, headquarters of the Executive, in the center of the Mexican capital.
The ruling party began and ended her speech of about 30 minutes evoking the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whom she called “the best president in the history of Mexico” and who promised “to keep the legacy.”
Meanwhile, the public chanted again and again ‘It is an honor to be with Obrador’ and ‘President’.
“I promise to give my soul, my life and the best of myself for the well-being of the people and the dignity of the people of Mexico and the homeland,” said the former head of Government of Mexico City (2018-2023).
The candidate also promised to continue the megaprojects of the current government, such as the Maya Train and the Dos Bocas Refinery (both in the southeast of the country), as well as to dedicate “the public budget to all welfare programs,” a speech she held throughout her three months of campaign.
In addition, she called on voters to support her to be the first woman president “in 200 years of the Republic.”
“It’s a time for women and transformation, and I want to say it here too, that means living without fear and free of violence, and from this tribune I say to young women, to all the women of Mexico, companions, friends, sisters, daughters, mothers, grandmothers: they are not alone,” said Sheinbaum.
Behind Sheinbaum, stood out Félix Salgado Macedonio, former candidate for governor of the State of Guerrero for Morena in 2021, who was accused of harassment and sexual violence by several women, so he was then disqualified.
In the temple were also other representatives of Morena, such as the candidate for the Senate and former prosecutor of Mexico City, Ernestina Godoy; and the candidate for Mayor of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, who likewise closed her campaign.
“I assure you that in 2030, when our Government concludes, Mexico City will be even safer, more feminist and more diverse and the most human rights defender,” Brugada said in her opening message to the event.
Finally, the Cumbia group Los Ángeles Azules was in charge of closing the rally and putting some to dance on the plate of the Zócalo, which was gradually emptied as night fell.
On a corner of the esplanade, Professor Eufemio Flores hurried the step to return to his home in the Mountain region, in Guerrero, from where he traveled very early with his family to support and deliver a letter to Sheinbaum.
“The leadership of (Morena in) Guerrero, in our opinion, is only thinking about having popularly elected positions and they do not attend to our demands, that’s why we hope that our next president will listen to us,” the 67-year-old supporter told EFE.
The polls place Sheinbaum with a wide advantage over his main rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, who leads the opposition coalition Fuerza y Corazón por México, while in a distant third place is the also opponent, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, of Movimiento Ciudadano.
This Sunday, Mexico, whose Constitution does not allow presidential re-election, will have the largest elections in its history. 98 million voters are called to renew more than 20,000 positions, including the Presidency, the 500 deputies, the 128 senators and nine state governments.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
Central America
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday criminal charges against three Guatemalan citizens accused of using false information to sponsor migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian.
According to an indictment filed in Ohio, Maritza Cahuec Coc allegedly submitted at least 12 sponsorship applications, several of which were filed under aliases or contained materially false statements intended to secure custody of the minors.
Under U.S. procedures, unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for their care until they can be released to a qualified sponsor, such as a parent or relative living in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Cahuec Coc, who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2018, received payments between late 2020 and 2023 for helping bring 12 migrant minors into the country. Authorities claim she submitted fraudulent documents and misleading information to obtain approval for the sponsorship requests.
The case was announced during a joint press conference led by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, officials provided limited details about the investigation and instead focused much of their remarks on criticizing immigration policies implemented under the previous administration.
Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials have frequently pointed to the increase in unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s term, arguing that the government failed to adequately oversee their care and placement.
During Thursday’s briefing, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, alleged that Cahuec Coc used the identities of other individuals and falsely claimed family relationships in order to obtain custody of the children.
“Maritza submitted sponsorship applications using other people’s identities and falsely represented that the minors were the children of close relatives in order to secure their release,” Duva said.
The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities have not yet disclosed additional information regarding the other two Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
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