International
Noboa insists on a new state of emergency in Ecuador after the previous two were invalidated
The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, again decreed on Tuesday for the third time a state of emergency in part of the country’s territory, after the previous two declarations were revoked by the Constitutional Court, considering that the measure was not sufficiently argued.
This new state of emergency for 60 days covers six provinces (Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Orellana, Santa Elena and El Oro) and the municipality of Camilo Ponce Enríquez, a mining enclave in the southern Andean province of Azuay where the mayor was murdered in April and this week eight bodies with signs of torture were found in a mining concession.
In these territories the measure contemplates the suspension of the rights of inviolability of the domicile, inviolability of correspondence and freedom of assembly, according to the decree, which extends for more than 50 pages to support this declaration.
It also implies the mobilization of the Armed Forces and the National Police to carry out operations against organized crime gangs, to which Noboa has declared “war” since the beginning of the year by raising the fight against them to “internal armed conflict,” with which he has come to classify them as terrorist groups and non-state belligerent actors.
The Presidency of Ecuador stressed in a statement that on this occasion the decree of the state of emergency “has the support of the World Association of Jurists (WJA, for its acronym in English),” in view of the analysis of the legality of the measure that must be carried out again by the Constitutional Court.
On this occasion, the decree of the state of emergency establishes that the Constitutional Court may have access to secret reports from the Government authorities in case they need to review them to evaluate the relevance of the measure, without this implying the declassification and public access of them.
The Constitutional Court validated the first state of emergency decreed by Noboa at the beginning of the year and that was in force for 90 days throughout the country, broadcast as a result of a spiral of violence by criminal gangs that included simultaneous riots in several prisons in the country with about 200 hostages and the taking of the TC Television channel by a group of armed men during a live broadcast.
Subsequently, Noboa issued two focused states of emergency that covered several provinces, but in both cases the constitutunal court considered that “the facts mentioned in the decree do not specifically constitute the cause of internal armed conflict.”
The magistrates stressed that, for the most recent decree, the argument of the internal armed conflict “was the only (reason) invoked by the President of the Republic.”
“It should be remembered that, due to its important legal implications, both the reiterated jurisprudence of this Court and international law, have established that in order to configure the cause of internal armed conflict, two parameters must be considered that address the seriousness of the situation of violence,” the Court said.
Between those two parameters cited by the court is “the level of organization of the armed group and the intensity of hostilities.”
“However, in the decree and in the reports that support it, no indications related to these parameters are mentioned,” he concluded.
However, the Court clarified that “the finding that the declaration of a state of emergency does not meet the requirements provided for in the Constitution does not imply a lack of knowledge of the serious acts of violence and the complex circumstances that the country is going through.”
He also recalled that his decision does not affect the powers provided for in the ordinary legal system for the Executive to use the Armed Forces to fulfill its constitutional mission, since the Ecuadorians approved by a large majority in a referendum held in April that the military support the Police in operations against organized crime without the need to issue states of emergency.
Organized crime gangs, mainly dedicated to drug trafficking, are credited with the wave of violence that plagues Ecuador and that has led it to be the first country in Latin America in homicides per capita, with a rate of about 47.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, according to the Ecuadorian Observatory of Organized Crime (OECO).
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
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
-
International3 days agoMexico City prepares for 13 million pilgrims at Basilica of Guadalupe
-
Central America4 days agoGuatemalan soldier wounded in clash with suspected mexican armed group near border
-
Central America3 days agoMexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
-
Central America4 days agoGuatemala reverses asset seizures after judge replacement, benefiting ex-president and former ministers
-
International2 days agoWashington declares State of Emergency as atmospheric river brings severe flooding
-
Central America3 days agoU.S. accuses Ortega regime of systematic human rights abuses in Nicaragua
-
International2 days agoU.S. to require five-year social media history from tourists under Visa Waiver Program
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras’ electoral chief reports ongoing technical issues but says results remain intact
-
International4 days agoJapan lifts tsunami alert after strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits northern coast
-
Central America3 days agoU.S. finds no evidence of fraud in Honduras election despite delays
-
Central America3 days agoHonduran University: Nullifying elections without proof of fraud undermines popular sovereignty
-
International4 days agoInterior Dept. redefines 2026 Patriotic Days, sparking criticism over removed civil rights holidays
-
Central America3 days ago
CNA director says Libre’s defeat stems from “lack of substance,” not messaging
-
Central America2 days ago
OAS and EU urge honduran political actors to respect vote results and avoid unrest
-
International18 hours agoCuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
-
International3 days agoZelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues
-
International18 hours agoColombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
-
Central America18 hours ago
Honduras election crisis deepens as CNE president denounces intimidation attempts
-
International2 days agoSix ecuadorian soldiers jailed pending trial for alleged extrajudicial execution
-
International18 hours agoEcuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again