International
José Carlos Zamora, optimistic about the possible release of his father with Arévalo
José Carlos Zamora, son of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora, imprisoned for more than 700 days, assured this Friday in Bogotá that they will continue to “demonstrate the truth and seek justice,” at the inauguration of the Gabo Festival, where he showed signs of optimism about the arrival of a new administration.
In the conversation ‘Journalism without chains’, Zamora denounced “arbitry delays” in the trial against his father and “psychological tortures” that he has received in prison: “these two years have shown us the worst side of humanity, but also the best.”
“My father’s arrest was a very clear message: anyone who denounced corruption could be arrested,” lamented Zamora, who reported the support received by the family and the media in these years “has been overwhelming in a positive way.”
The journalist founded and presided over the morning El Periódico from 1996 to 2023, with more than a thousand reports of corruption in the Government, including the scandals that gave way to the fall of the Government of former President Otto Pérez Molina.
For almost 700 days, Zamora Marroquín has been in prison in a prison located within a military brigade in the north of Guatemala City and still has three criminal proceedings pending against him to be resolved.
The change of administration in Guatemala and the arrival of Bernardo Arévalo to the Presidency “is something extremely positive,” since the new president “seems to have the will to do the right thing,” although “he reaches a totally corrupt State,” which makes it difficult for him to take action.
However, “the constant harassment of the press from the Executive has ceased,” something that helps journalistic work, although it continues from other democratic bodies such as Congress.
In this context, “the Executive is an extremely weak position,” so Arévalo “should take more actions and faster to uprot the corruption of the State.”
Recently, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that “Mr. Zamora’s arrest was the result of the legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression,” so “no trial should be held.”
Zamora asked “that the hearings be held, that they take into account the UN opinion and release it.”
Zamora was with the Colombian journalist María Teresa Ronderos, the Salvadoran journalist Angélica Cárcamo and the director of the Foundation for Freedom of the Press (Flip), Jonathan Bock, who made an analysis of the risks of journalism in the region.
The situation in Colombia and the recent confrontation of President Gustavo Petro with the press and his attacks on the Flip, this was called “absolute nonsense” by Ronderos, who said that these are “perverse and insidious attacks that should not be endured.”
Central America and El Salvador were also the subject of analysis, regretting that “hostile scenarios” are experienced, in the words of Cárcamo, who, however, considered that in Latin America “it is the time when more and better journalism is being done.”
International
Police investigate deaths of Rob Reiner and wife as apparent homicide
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reinerand his wife as an “apparent homicide,” amid a wave of tributes to the director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally.
According to U.S. media reports on Sunday, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds.
Several political figures shared messages of condolence following the reported deaths of the director of A Few Good Menand his wife.
While the LAPD did not officially confirm the identities of the victims, it stated that homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiner residence.
“At this time, no additional details are available and the investigation into an apparent homicide is ongoing,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement posted on social media.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that no arrests have been made and that no individuals are currently being questioned as suspects.
“I’m not going to confirm whether anyone is being questioned at this moment or not. We are going to try to speak with as many family members as we can,” Hamilton said.
CNN reported that a family spokesperson confirmed the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Kamala Harrisissued statements expressing their condolences.
International
U.S. and Mexico Reach Deal to Address Water Deficit Under 1944 Treaty
The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement to comply with current water obligations affecting U.S. farmers and ranchers and for Mexico to cover its water deficit to Texas under the 1944 Water Treaty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
The department уточified that the agreement applies to both the current cycle and the water deficit from the previous cycle.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Mexico of failing to comply with the water-sharing treaty between the two countries, which requires the United States to deliver 1.85 billion cubic meters of water from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply 432 million cubic meters from the Rio Grande.
Mexico is behind on its commitments. According to Washington, the country has accumulated a deficit of more than one billion cubic meters of water over the past five years.
“This violation is severely harming our beautiful crops and our livestock in Texas,” Trump wrote on Monday.
The Department of Agriculture said on Friday that Mexico had agreed to supply 250 million cubic meters of water starting next week and to work toward closing the shortfall.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, quoted in the statement, said Mexico delivered more water in a single year than it had over the previous four years combined.
Trump has said that if Mexico continues to fall short of its obligations, the United States reserves the right to impose 5% tariffs on imported Mexican products.
Mexico’s Deputy Foreign Minister for North America, Roberto Velasco, said that a severe drought in 2022 and 2023prevented the country from meeting its commitments.
International
Several people shot in attack on Brown University campus
Several people were shot on Saturday in an attack on the campus of Brown University, in the northeastern United States, local police reported.
“Shelter in place and avoid the area until further notice,” the Providence Police Department urged in a post on X. Brown University is located in Providence, the capital of the state of Rhode Island.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he had been briefed on the situation and that the FBI was on the scene.
At 5:52 p.m. local time (11:52 p.m. GMT), Brown University said the situation was still “ongoing” and instructed students to remain sheltered until further notice.
After initially stating that the suspect had been taken into custody, Trump later posted a second message clarifying that local police had walked back that information. “The suspect has NOT been apprehended,” the U.S. president said.
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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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