International
Biden urges Democrats to end the internal drama and focus on beating Trump
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, on Monday urged Democrats to put an end to the internal “drama” and focus on defeating former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) in next November’s elections, instead of questioning his candidacy.
Biden made these statements in a two-page letter addressed to members of his party in Congress and in which he argued that “the question of how to move forward has been raised publicly for more than a week” and it is time for “this to end.”
The president stressed that the party has “a single task”: to defeat Trump at the polls.
“Any weakness in our resolution or lack of clarity about the task ahead of us only helps Trump and harms us. It’s time to unite, move forward as a unified party and defeat Donald Trump,” he said in the letter, distributed by his campaign.
Biden’s team proposed to hold the electoral debate on June 27 in advance, months earlier than usual in presidential campaigns, with the aim of reassuring voters concerned about the age of the president, who at 81 years old is the longest-lived in the history of the United States.
However, the meeting, in which Biden spoke in a hoarse voice and showed difficulty concluding some sentences, had the opposite effect, with television commentators, influential columnists and the editorial board of The New York Times asking him to end his campaign to make way for another candidate to face Trump in November.
So far, a total of nine congressmen have asked Biden to leave the contest. Four of them, Democrats who occupy important positions on committees of the Lower House, did so privately on Sunday in a call with the leader of the minority in that hemicycle, Hakeem Jeffries, local media such as CNN and CBS reported.
One of those four high-level congressmen, Adam Smith, made his position public on Monday in an interview on CNN, becoming the highest-ranking Democrat to do so publicly.
“I think I should retire. I think it has become clear that he is not the best person to convey the Democratic message,” he said.
After the dissemination of the letter, Biden gave a telephone interview to the MSNBC network’s ‘Morning Joe’ program, where he insisted that the “average Democrats” want him to continue and expressed his frustration with the calls of members of his party to withdraw.
“They are important names, but I don’t care what those big names think,” Biden said.
Currently, according to a survey by The New York Times and Siena College, after the debate against Trump, the Democrats are divided on whether Biden should continue to be the party’s candidate for the presidency, with 48% in favor and 47% supporters of another candidate.
Biden has made it clear that he does not plan to withdraw from the campaign and influential figures of the Democratic Party, such as former President Barack Obama (2009-2017), have closed ranks around him.
Meanwhile, Trump has maintained a low profile with fewer public statements than usual since the debate. This week, however, it will break its silence with two campaign rallies, one on Tuesday in Doral (Florida) and another on Saturday in Butler, in the key state of Pennsylvania.
These two great acts occur just as expectations grow that you will announce your running mate. According to The Washington Post, Trump’s campaign plans to announce the vice presidential candidate before July 15, the first day of the Republican national convention.
According to the Post, the campaign has focused its attention on two senators: J.D. Vance, from Ohio, and Marco Rubio, from Florida.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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