International

Kamala Harris gains strength as a relief if Biden withdraws from the campaign

The vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, is gaining strength in the last hours as a possible replacement of the US president, Joe Biden, in case he resigned his re-election candidacy due to his fatal performance in the debate against former Republican President Donald Trump.

Harris has carried a low popularity throughout the term and his presidential candidacy did not sound like a realistic option until the failure of Biden last week, who appeared in the aging and disoriented debate, multiplying the voices that believe he is not fit to remain in office at the age of 81.

The vice president, 59, not only has in her favor of being Biden’s natural successor, but the voting intention polls put her ahead of other popular faces of the party and would inherit the entire structure of the campaign.

Harris tried to get out this Wednesday in the wake of rumors by participating with Biden in a call with the re-election campaign staff, thus sending a message that he unconditionally supports the president.

But according to a CNN poll published on Tuesday, Harris would have a better electoral performance against Trump than Biden, although the Republican would prevail in both cases.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

In a duel between Biden and Trump, the Republican would win with 49% of the votes compared to 43% of the Democrat. In the event that the candidate was Harris, 47% say they would vote for Trump and 45% for her.

The Democratic campaign has closed ranks around Biden, whose family is encouraging him to continue in the race, but more and more people within the party are privately asking for his withdrawal.

Both The New York Times and CNN published on Wednesday that Biden would have acknowledged before a close ally that his candidacy is in danger if he does not manage to calm the waters in the coming days, an extreme denied by the White House.

Although he has secured his nomination after winning the primaries, Biden is not yet the official Democratic candidate for the November 5 elections and is waiting for the party to make it official before its national convention in August.

Analysts agree that in or for there to be a replacement for Biden, he would have to give up his nomination and, in that case, his running mate would be the favorite to replace him.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“If it were put aside, Harris would be the best alternative for Democrats not to embark on a great internal battle a few weeks before the convention,” Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at Mary Washington University, told EFE.

The current vice president would also have “the key to most of it” of the money raised by the campaign and should not start the search for funds again, according to the CNBC network on Wednesday.

Some already openly advocate for her, such as Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn, key to Biden’s victory in the primaries in 2020, who said he would support Harris in the event of a Biden withdrawal.

The defenders of the vice president, who made history in 2021 as the first woman and the first African-American in office, claim that she is very vocal in the defense of abortion and has a hook between key sectors of the electorate such as women or African Americans.

But Harris has not had a popular step for the Vice Presidency, a position in the shadow of the president without specific functions.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

He has often been seen with difficulty finding his place in the Administration, he has faced being ridiculed on social networks by some confusing speeches and has suffered sexist and racist attacks from some Republicans and conservative media.

His weaknesses, Tim Hagle, professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa, told EFE, are that “she is not as well known as Biden,” he has starred in some “shameful” public appearances and has had sounding problems with his office staff.

However, according to the CNN survey, Harris would perform better against Trump than other possible Democratic candidates such as the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, or the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer.

The next few days, in which Biden has scheduled interviews and events to revitalize his image, will be key to defining the future of the president and his candidacy.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.