International
López Obrador’s head of Security will be the main secretary of the Sheinbaum Government
The current Secretary of Security of Mexico, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, will be the head of the Ministry of the Interior (Segob) of the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, so the main position of her cabinet will be in the hands of one of the closest profiles to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as announced on Thursday by the future president of the country.
Rodríguez has been head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) since October 2020, so she is considered one of López Obrador’s preferred officials, and previously she was Secretary of the Government of Mexico City (2018-2020) in the local mandate of Sheinbaum (2018-2023), to whom she is also close.
The Segob is the most important position of the Government of Mexico after the presidency, since its holder is responsible for replacing the president in case of absence, conducting domestic policy, implementing immigration measures and negotiating with unions, companies, governors and the other powers.
“He has a vast experience and we have worked together and I know that the Ministry of the Interior will perform in an excellent way and with a lot of professionalism and honesty,” Sheinbaum said when announcing it at an event in Mexico City.
As Secretary of Security of the federal government, Rodríguez has received criticism because the crisis of violence has not been resolved, with a cumulative of more than 184,000 homicides so far since the six-year term of López Obrador (2018-2024).
While the opposition has accused it of ceding public security tasks to the Armed Forces, since the National Guard, created by the president as a civilian body in practice, obeys the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), although there is still a lack of constitutional reform to formalize this management.
The elected president, who will be the first president of Mexico, highlighted that Rodríguez, “of course, is the first woman in the history of Mexico to hold this position” of Security.
Rodríguez was the main appointment of Sheinbaum’s third cabinet announcement, who will take over on October 1 and still needs to appoint head of key units such as Labor, Defense and Navy.
The official promised to continue with the “second floor of the Fourth Transformation of Mexico,” in reference to López Obrador’s political movement.
“It is a privilege to walk by your side as the first woman president in the history of our country, with you we arrived all together, grandmothers, mothers and daughters, a high responsibility, like the one you trust me now, requires a high commitment as well,” Rodríguez said.
He also guaranteed that “there will always be coordination and dialogue,” in addition to “acting with respect and civility.”
International
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 2,533,000 deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to an international study led by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and Stanford University in the United States, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Researchers calculated that one death was prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
The analysis also found that the vaccines saved 14.8 million years of life, equivalent to one year of life gained for every 900 doses given.
The study, coordinated by Professor Stefania Boccia, revealed that 82% of the lives saved were people vaccinated before becoming infected with the virus, and 57% of deaths avoided occurred during the Omicron wave. In addition, 90% of the beneficiaries were adults over 60 years old.
“This is the most comprehensive analysis to date, based on global data and fewer assumptions about the evolution of the pandemic,” explained Boccia and researcher Angelo Maria Pezzullo.
International
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that reinstated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, stressing that the immigration program was never intended to serve as a “de facto asylum system.”
On Thursday, Judge Trina Thompson extended protections for about 7,000 Nepalese immigrants, whose TPS was set to expire on August 5. The ruling also impacts roughly 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans, whose TPS protections were scheduled to end on September 8.
Immigrants covered by TPS had sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that the program’s termination was driven by “racial animus” and stripped them of protection from deportation.
DHS Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the decision to end TPS was part of a mandate to “restore the integrity” of the immigration system and return the program to its original purpose.
“TPS was never conceived as a de facto asylum system; however, that is how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin emphasized.
She also criticized Judge Thompson, calling the ruling “another example” of judges “stirring up claims of racism to distract from the facts.”
McLaughlin added that DHS would appeal the decision and take the legal battle to higher courts.
The Trump administration has also terminated TPS protections for approximately 160,000 Ukrainians, 350,000 Venezuelans, and at least half a million Haitians, among other immigrant groups.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
Costa Rica faces historic vote on lifting presidential immunity for Rodrigo Chaves
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
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