International
Paetongtarn Shinawatra swears in as Prime Minister of Thailand
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sworn in as Prime Minister of Thailand on Sunday, two days after Parliament elected her after the dismissal this week of her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, by order of the Constitutional Court.
Paetongtarn, who turns 38 on Wednesday, became the youngest president in the country and the second woman to occupy the position, after her aunt Yingluck (2011-2014).
The leader is also the third member of the influential Shinawatra clan to take the reins of the Thai Executive, after her father Thaksin (2001-2006) and his younger sister, whose governments withdrew from office in two military uprisings.
Dressed in the official white uniform for the ceremony of her official appointment in Bangkok, Paetongtarn heard the approval of King Vajiralongkorn, a mere formalism and read by the secretary of the House of Representatives, Apat Sukhanand.
The young woman, who came accompanied by her father, paid tribute to a portrait of the monarch and, in a brief speech, promised to “fulfill her duty” and listen to the opinions of the legislators in order to give “stability” to Thailand.
Paetongtarn came to power after Srettha, with whom he shares a party (Pheu Thai), resed on Wednesday after less than a year in office in a controversial decision of the conservative Constitutional Court for a case curiously linked to Thaksin.
The court considered that Srettha violated a code of ethics by appointing a lawyer convicted of attempted bribery as Minister of Finance in April, in a case involving the patriarch of the Shinawatra.
On Friday, after 48 hours of frantic political cabals, Paetongtarn received the support of 319 of 493 members of Parliament to occupy the position of prime minister.
Interestingly, the appointment of Thaksin’s third daughter coincides with the first day of freedom of influential former president after it was confirmed on Saturday that he received a pardon from the king that allowed him to pay the one-year prison sentence for crimes of corruption that he had served since August 22, the day the patriarch returned to Thailand after 15 years of self-imposed exile.
Thaksin, who did not spend a night in prison and regained his parole after being in custody for six months in a capital hospital, now faces an accusation of lesa majesty, which is punishable by between 3 and 15 years in prison, with a judicial hearing scheduled for Monday and destined for the parties to present their list of witnesses and evidence.
According to the complaint, Thaksin accused the Privy Council of the Royal House of Thailand, the body that advises the king, of organizing the 2014 military coup d’état that overthrew the Yingluck Government, during an interview published in 2015 by a South Korean media.
Thaksin’s return, the same day that the already dismissed Srettha was elected, stages the apparent reconciliation between the former president and the pro-military and pro-military elite that overthrewal him by a military coup d’état in 2006.
International
Argentina uncovers alleged russian influence network operating on its soil
The Argentine government announced on Wednesday that it has identified a group of Russian nationals allegedly engaging in suspicious activities within the country, potentially linked to strategic interests of the Kremlin. The statement was made by Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni during a press briefing.
According to Adorni, an investigation by the State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE) uncovered the presence of a foreign organization known as “La Compañía” (“The Company”), reportedly operating in Argentina to form a network of individuals loyal to Russian interests, with the goal of conducting disinformation and influence campaigns against the Argentine state.
The group’s activities are believed to include spreading content on social media, infiltrating local NGOs, and collecting political intelligence. The SIDE investigation also revealed links between this organization and “Project Lakhta”, a well-documented Russian foreign interference initiative previously connected to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the late oligarch and founder of the Wagner Group.
Prigozhin died in a plane crash in 2023, just two months after leading an armed rebellion against Russia’s military leadership during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The suspected leader of “La Compañía” has been identified as Lev Konstantinovich Andriashvili, a Russian national residing in Argentina, allegedly funded from abroad and connected to local operatives. His wife, Irina Iakovenko, who also lives in the South American country, was likewise named by officials.
International
Vatican launches fundraising campaign to support Pope’s charity works
The Vatican launched a new communication campaign on Wednesday to encourage donations to ‘Peter’s Pence’, the fund that supports the Pope’s charitable initiatives, amid declining revenue in recent years.
“On June 29 – which this year falls on the last Sunday of the month – the traditional Peter’s Pence collection will take place, coinciding with the liturgical feast of Saints Peter and Paul,” the Vatican announced in a statement.
It described Peter’s Pence as “a concrete way of supporting the Holy Father in his mission of service to the universal Church.”
The statement adds: “Peter’s Pence represents a gesture of communion and participation in the Pope’s mission to proclaim the Gospel, promote peace, and spread Christian charity.”
To support the initiative, the Vatican’s Secretariat for the Economy and the Dicastery for Communication have prepared a range of informative and multimedia materials explaining the collection’s purpose. During Wednesday’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square, a video featuring images of Pope Leo XIV was shown to raise awareness and encourage donations.
International
Salvadoran journalist detained by ICE after covering anti-Trump protest in Atlanta
Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara was transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Wednesday, days after being arrested while covering a protest in Atlanta against President Donald Trump.
Guevara, a native of San Salvador and founder of the independent outlet MG News, was moved into immigration custody shortly before 4:00 a.m. local time, according to records from the DeKalb County jail in Georgia. His detention has raised alarm among family members and lawyers, who expected his release after posting bail and completing a 48-hour hold due to his lack of permanent residency.
“What they did to Mario is an injustice,” said his wife, Miriam Guevara. She confirmed she spoke to him on Tuesday and that he remained hopeful about regaining his freedom.
On Saturday, Guevara was live-streaming a demonstration by the ‘No Kings’ movement when he was arrested by Doraville police, despite identifying himself as a journalist. He placed his phone on the ground to continue recording as officers approached but was detained and charged with pedestrian obstruction, unlawful assembly, and blocking a roadway.
“He was arrested unfairly, and the videos clearly show it. Mario has done this kind of reporting for 20 years without ever having any issues,” said his attorney, Giovanni Díaz, emphasizing that Guevara complied with police instructions.
Guevara, who has more than 782,000 followers on Facebook, previously worked as a photojournalist for La Prensa Gráfica in El Salvador and as a reporter for Mundo Hispánico in Atlanta before founding his independent news channel, where he often documents ICE operations in the region.
Another attorney, Zacharias Gaeta, noted that Guevara holds a valid work permit, that his deportation case was administratively closed, and that he has a pending immigration petition based on his U.S.-born son who recently underwent brain surgery.
“We’re still hopeful that everything will turn out fine,” said Katherine Guevara, the journalist’s daughter, who voiced her family’s concern over the situation.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the arrest as a “crude form of censorship”, warning that press freedom is facing growing challenges in the United States.
Argentina uncovers alleged russian influence network operating on its soil
Vatican launches fundraising campaign to support Pope’s charity works
Salvadoran journalist detained by ICE after covering anti-Trump protest in Atlanta
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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