International
Thousands of followers of Evo Morales enter La Paz and demand his authorization as a candidate
The march led by the former president of Bolivia and official leader, Evo Morales (2006-2019), arrived this Monday in La Paz, after thousands of his followers joined him in the city of El Alto, to demand that he be qualified as a candidate for the 2025 elections, despite having a constitutional ban.
Morales, followed by miners and indigenous sectors in the front row, entered the city headquarters of the Government through the main highway that connects both cities on his seventh day of a walk that began on September 17 from the town of Caracollo, in the Andean region of Oruro, and that President Luis Arce described as a “coup d’état” against him.
The day before, there were some clashes in El Alto, between Morales’ followers and sectors that defend Arce, which left at least a dozen injured, according to the report of the Ministry of Health.
Freddy Mamani, a pro-government deputy related to Morales, reported that the demonstrators led by the former president will concentrate at the entrance of La Paz, near the highway, where they will read several petitions they have for the Arce Government.
“We are not going to threaten anyone, we are not going to enter Murillo Square, we are going to concentrate here where it will be a party to defend Bolivia,” he said in a statement on Radio Kawsachun Coca, half related to Morales.
President Arce sent several public invitations to Morales to hold a dialogue, however the former president said he did not receive any invitation.
Morales’ followers maintain that it is a march to “save the homeland” in the face of problems such as the shortage of dollars and fuel and the increase in the price of some basic products, and they also demand that the resolutions of a congress of the Movement to Socialism (MAS) held last year – not recognized by the Electoral Court – in which they defined Morales’ candidacy be respected.
The Arce Government considers that the march promoted by Morales is a “coup d’état” that intends to remove him from power so that the head of the Senate, Andrónico Rodríguez, who is related to the former governor, assumes the Presidency of the country.
Morales and Arce have been separated since the end of 2021 due to differences in the State Administration that were deepened in the face of the need to renew the national leadership of the MAS, still in the hands of the former president, something on which the factions loyal to both have not been able to agree.
Central America
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday criminal charges against three Guatemalan citizens accused of using false information to sponsor migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian.
According to an indictment filed in Ohio, Maritza Cahuec Coc allegedly submitted at least 12 sponsorship applications, several of which were filed under aliases or contained materially false statements intended to secure custody of the minors.
Under U.S. procedures, unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for their care until they can be released to a qualified sponsor, such as a parent or relative living in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Cahuec Coc, who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2018, received payments between late 2020 and 2023 for helping bring 12 migrant minors into the country. Authorities claim she submitted fraudulent documents and misleading information to obtain approval for the sponsorship requests.
The case was announced during a joint press conference led by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, officials provided limited details about the investigation and instead focused much of their remarks on criticizing immigration policies implemented under the previous administration.
Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials have frequently pointed to the increase in unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s term, arguing that the government failed to adequately oversee their care and placement.
During Thursday’s briefing, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, alleged that Cahuec Coc used the identities of other individuals and falsely claimed family relationships in order to obtain custody of the children.
“Maritza submitted sponsorship applications using other people’s identities and falsely represented that the minors were the children of close relatives in order to secure their release,” Duva said.
The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities have not yet disclosed additional information regarding the other two Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
International
Iván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
Colombian presidential candidate Iván Cepeda said Thursday that he is willing to introduce “necessary changes” to the peace policy implemented by President Gustavo Petro, a strategy he helped design and promote during the current administration.
The future of Petro’s controversial “Total Peace” initiative has become one of the central issues in Colombia’s presidential runoff election, scheduled for June 21, where Cepeda will face right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.
De la Espriella, who narrowly won the first round of voting on May 31, has campaigned on a platform of tougher security measures and a stronger crackdown on drug trafficking and armed criminal groups.
Speaking to AFP in Bogotá, Cepeda acknowledged that adjustments to the peace strategy may be required after Petro’s efforts to negotiate with armed organizations failed to produce the expected results amid a surge in violence across the country.
“We are going to make the necessary changes, of course. We will conduct an assessment,” the 63-year-old senator said during the interview, held ten days before the decisive runoff vote.
Cepeda, a philosopher and longtime human rights advocate, explained that any modifications to the policy would emerge from a broad national dialogue involving political leaders, social organizations and other sectors of Colombian society. However, he did not provide specific details about the proposed changes.
President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” initiative sought to negotiate agreements with guerrilla movements, paramilitary groups and major criminal organizations, including the powerful Clan del Golfo cartel and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The policy aimed to reduce violence through dialogue and negotiated settlements, but critics argue that it failed to significantly weaken armed groups or improve security conditions in several regions of the country.
As the runoff campaign enters its final stage, the future direction of Colombia’s security and peace policies remains one of the most closely watched issues in the election.
International
U.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the suspension of military strikes that had been scheduled against Iran later that evening, citing significant progress in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that erupted in late February.
In a message posted on social media, Trump said the decision followed high-level discussions with Iranian representatives, which he claimed led to broad agreements on the key elements of a future peace deal.
According to the president, the “final points” of the proposed agreement have been approved in principle and outlined by the parties involved. Trump identified the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt as participants in the diplomatic process.
The U.S. leader also stated that the naval blockade imposed on Iran will remain in place while negotiations continue. He added that the date and location for the formal signing of the agreement will be announced in the coming days. No specific details regarding the content of the deal have been released so far.
The announcement marks a significant shift from comments made by Trump just hours earlier, when he warned of additional military strikes against Iranian territory and reiterated threats involving key oil infrastructure within the Islamic Republic.
The decision comes amid a renewed escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran. In recent days, both sides have exchanged military attacks while diplomatic efforts intensified to prevent a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard recently claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in several countries across the region. Iranian officials described the operations as retaliation for American strikes against Iranian targets.
Although Trump’s announcement has been viewed as a sign of de-escalation, questions remain regarding the viability of the proposed agreement and the long-term stability of the negotiations. International analysts warn that the situation remains fragile and that any new incident could quickly reignite hostilities between the two countries.
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Iván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
U.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
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
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International5 days agoICE to prioritize security over immigration enforcement during 2026 World Cup, says official
-
International1 day agoU.S. Launches Military Strikes on Iran Following Apache Helicopter Incident
-
Central America2 days agoBukele Tops Latin America’s Presidential Approval Ranking in June, Survey Finds
-
International2 days agoNGO Reports Release of 54 Political Prisoner Soldiers in Venezuela
-
International1 day agoMS-13 Member Sentenced to 35 Years for Fatal Subway Killing in New York
-
Central America3 days agoCivil Protection Urges Immediate Evacuations as Tropical Storm Cristina Brings Flooding Risks
-
Central America3 days agoCivil Protection Reports Dozens of Weather-Related Incidents Following Weekend Storms
-
International11 hours agoU.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
-
International11 hours agoIván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
-
Central America11 hours agoU.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors