International
Concern of migrants and businessmen on the Mexico-U.S. border after Biden’s resignation
Joe Biden’s resignation from the presidential candidacy by the Democratic Party in the United States was considered this Sunday as “worrying” by businessmen and pro-migrant activists, since they pointed out that this decision opens the door more and the possibility for Donald Trump, a Republican candidate, to win the position and change immigration policies.
In the case of immigration policies, José María García Lara, coordinator of the Migrant Alliance of Tijuana, told EFE that this “can greatly affect the migrant population,” mainly those who are in the border area, due to the changes that can come in programs and reforms that Biden currently maintains.
“They are programs that are somehow working, not as we would all like, but that have maintained an opening like the CBP-One application for an entry into the United States on a regular basis,” he said.
García Lara stressed that “if Trump wins, very strong changes will come for the migrant population looking for better life opportunities.”
“It is something that we have already seen in his administration (2017-2021) in which, although, he did not manage to impose certain things, we realized that there were significant changes and if he reached the presidency he will now bid harder to achieve other plans that go to the detriment of migrants,” he said.
Biden left the race for re-election this Sunday, although he said that he will end his term and asked for the vote for the vice president, Kamala Harris.
Harris confirmed that he wants to be his replacement, but the Democratic Party must first open a process for the selection of its new presidential candidate.
For their part, the businessmen of the Mexico-United States border pointed out that Biden’s decline will bring “more economic uncertainty for the border strip and for Mexico’s economy,” since for the moment it gives advantages to Trump.
“For Mexico it is dangerous for the United States to be in the hands of Trump again, since it was he who changed the North American Free Trade Agreement for the Mexico, United States and Canada Treaty (T-MEC),” Thor Salayandía, coordinator of the Border Business Block in Ciudad Juárez, said in an interview with EFE.
In addition, he recalled Trump’s statements this week in which he warns that he will not allow China to set up car assembly plants in Mexico, at a time when there is a wave of Asian companies landing in Mexico as part of the phenomenon called “nearshoring” or relocation of companies.
“These radical policies of Trump are costing us that the ‘nearshoring’ now stops, because there is no certainty, especially for companies in China that want to invest in Mexico and that are seeing that Trump could put a stop or obstacles such as tariffs,” the businessman said.
A report from the Border Business Block indicated that between June 2023 and April 2024, the cities on the border of Mexico lost about 100,000 jobs in the maquiladora industry, of which 55,000 were eliminated in Ciudad Juárez.
Finally, the Juarense businessman considered it positive for the Democratic Party that he can decide a new candidate who “can fight” Trump, who is leading the way in the polls ahead of the November presidential elections.
International
U.S. to suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 countries
The United States announced on Wednesday that it will suspend visa processing for applicants from 75 nationalities, marking another move by President Donald Trump’s administration to curb the entry of migrants into the country.
“ The United States is freezing the processing of all visas for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia and Iran,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. According to Fox News, the measure will take effect on January 21 and will remain in force indefinitely.
Based on an internal State Department memorandum obtained by Fox News Digital, consular officers have been instructed to deny visa applications under existing law while the agency conducts an in-depth review of screening and vetting procedures. The stated goal is to tighten criteria to prevent the entry of foreigners who could eventually rely on public assistance.
The list of affected countries includes several nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, Somalia and Yemen, among others. Fox News reported that exemptions to the suspension will be “very limited” and will only be granted once applicants pass an assessment related to the public charge requirement.
Other countries in the Americas subject to the suspension include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The decision is based on a strict interpretation of the so-called “public charge” clause of U.S. immigration law. A cable sent to U.S. consulates worldwide in November 2025 had already signaled the shift, instructing officials to apply tougher standards when evaluating applicants, taking into account factors such as age, health status, English proficiency, financial situation, history of public assistance, and even the potential need for long-term medical care.
International
Peruvian Court Orders Definitive Dismissal of Money Laundering Case Against Keiko Fujimori
A court of Peru’s National Superior Court of Specialized Criminal Justice ordered the definitive dismissal of the criminal proceedings for alleged money laundering and criminal organization against presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, authorities reported on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
The ruling was issued by the Tenth National Preparatory Investigation Court in compliance with a previous decision by the Constitutional Court (TC). The decision was confirmed by Fujimori’s attorney, Giuliana Loza, who said on social media platform X that “there was no money laundering nor criminal organization.”
According to the defense, the case was closed for lacking legal grounds and for violating due process. “The proceedings concluded because they lacked a legal basis and constituted clear prosecutorial persecution,” Loza stated.
Judge Wilson Verastegui, whose ruling was reported by local media, said the Constitutional Court determined that the facts alleged in the so-called ‘Cocktails Case’ do not constitute a criminal offense under the principle of legality. The court noted that the crime of illegal financing of political organizations was not in force at the time the alleged acts occurred.
The dismissal also applies to other leaders of the Fuerza Popular party, including Pier Figari, Ana Rosa Herz, Jaime Yoshiyama and José Chlimper, as well as the party itself.
Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori (1990–2000), had been under investigation for the alleged irregular financing of her 2011 and 2016 presidential campaigns, a case that exposed her to a possible 30-year prison sentence. However, one year ago the National Superior Court annulled the trial and returned the case to the intermediate stage.
Fujimori is currently pursuing her fourth presidential bid, ahead of Peru’s general elections scheduled for April.
International
Colombian Defense Chief Meets U.S. Officials to Advance Bilateral Narcotics Strategy
Colombia’s Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchez Suárez, is in the United States this Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss bilateral cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, Colombian officials said, in a visit that comes as ties between Bogotá and Washington begin to ease after a period of diplomatic tension.
The trip is seen as a prelude to a scheduled visit by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to Washington, where he is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time in early February. Sánchez will remain in Washington through Wednesday, according to Colombian government sources.
During his stay, Sánchez is slated to meet with senior U.S. officials, including representatives from the Department of Defense, members of the U.S. Senate, and White House advisors, to outline a joint strategy to “defeat drug trafficking” and expand cooperation on intelligence against transnational crime.
According to a statement from the Colombian Defense Ministry, the agenda will include strengthening collaboration on technology, intelligence sharing, and efforts to disrupt criminal networks that operate across borders. Officials said the discussions will also help set the stage for Petro’s upcoming talks with Trump.
The visit follows a period of strained U.S.–Colombia relations last year, when Washington revoked Petro’s visa and withdrew Colombia’s certification as a key partner in anti-drug efforts — moves that coincided with disagreements over counter-narcotics strategy and broader diplomatic frictions. However, a recent phone call between Petro and Trump, described as cordial by officials, helped lower tensions and reopened channels for dialogue ahead of the presidential meeting.
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