Internacionales

Latin american leaders celebrate Yamandú Orsi’s victory in Uruguay’s historic election

Latin American leaders congratulated the elected president Yamandú Orsi on Monday for his victory in the second round of Uruguay’s elections, where he defeated the official candidate, returning power to the left after five years of absence.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT) and a close friend of former Uruguayan President José “Pepe” Mujica, was one of the first to congratulate Orsi and the people of Uruguay for the “realization of democratic and peaceful elections.”

“This is a victory for all of Latin America and the Caribbean,” Lula expressed in a message on his X account (formerly Twitter).

Orsi’s victory, representing the historic Frente Amplio, made the small South American nation the latest country to turn its back on the ruling party in this historic election year, where frustrated voters, discontented with economic hardship, punished governing parties worldwide, from the United States and the United Kingdom to South Korea and Japan.

Furthermore, it signals a new shift towards more progressive parties in Latin America after the decline of the so-called “pink tide” that saw the rise of left-wing governments in the 2000s, with Lula as a central figure and one of the last remaining leaders of that era.

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Mexico’s newly elected president, Claudia Sheinbaum, also praised the victory of Orsi and Carolina Cosse, the newly elected vice president of Uruguay. “The Frente Amplio returns to govern by the will of the Uruguayan people, who once again demonstrate their democratic and progressive spirit,” she affirmed on X.

Chile’s President, left-wing Gabriel Boric, also congratulated Orsi, highlighting that he had a phone conversation with the president-elect. “We spoke about how to advance together as brotherly nations in justice and unity. From Chile, I wish Yamandú and Vice President Carolina Cosse much success on this new path,” Boric said.

With all votes counted, Uruguay’s Electoral Court confirmed on Monday that Orsi won with 49.84% of the vote, against 45.87% for Álvaro Delgado, the candidate from the ruling center-right coalition led by the National Party of outgoing President Luis Lacalle Pou.

Internacionales

Major winter storm threatens “catastrophic” ice and snow across much of the U.S.

A major winter storm is threatening to blanket large portions of the United States with a dangerous mix of freezing rain and heavy snowfall, potentially creating “catastrophic” conditions across areas home to nearly 160 million people.

Several U.S. states have declared a state of emergency as the Arctic blast advances from the California coast across much of the continental United States, affecting central regions, including the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, according to forecasts.

The National Weather Service warned the storm could cause a “catastrophic accumulation of ice,” leading to prolonged power outages, widespread tree damage, and extremely dangerous or impassable travel conditions.

Meteorologist Ryan Maue cautioned that “the next 10 days of winter will be the worst in 40 years in the United States.”
“Think about where you can go, what you can do, and who may need even more help to survive the coming week. This is not an exaggeration or a joke,” Maue said.

He urged residents to prepare for temperatures dropping below -18°C (0°F).

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More than 1,500 weekend flights had already been canceled, according to flight tracker FlightAware, including numerous flights in Texas.

In the southern state, many residents still recall the devastation caused by a similar storm in February 2021, which resulted in more than 200 deaths linked to hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, and traffic accidents.

Texas authorities have assured the public that the power grid, which suffered widespread failures during that storm and left millions without electricity, is better prepared to withstand the extreme weather this time.

Internacionales

Juan Orlando Hernández’s family takes time to decide next steps after surprise U.S. release

Ana García, the wife of former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was pardoned on Monday by U.S. President Donald Trump after being sentenced in 2024 to 45 years in prison on drug trafficking and firearms charges, told EFE on Wednesday that the family has not yet decided whether he will return to Honduras.

“We have not made any decision about that yet. Everything is still very recent, and as a family we are going to take the time to reflect carefully and make wise decisions thinking about the well-being of Juan Orlando, our children, and all our families,” García said at her residence in Tegucigalpa.

García wore around her neck her husband’s wedding ring, which she has kept since Hernández was held at a special police detention facility known as the ‘Cobras’ on the day of his arrest, February 15, 2022.

“We are still deciding many things. He has just been released, it has not even been 48 hours since he got out. So we are taking things calmly,” she reiterated.

She also explained that since she does not have a U.S. visa — revoked after her husband was requested for extradition following the end of his presidency in January 2022 — she has not been able to see him, but said she is “awaiting some form of communication from the United States” in order to do so.

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García declined to reveal where in the United States her husband is currently located, although she stressed that she is confident she will have an opportunity to reunite with him.

Internacionales

One killed, 188 evacuated as wind-driven blaze rips through Kyushu neighborhood

One person died and 188 residents were evacuated after a massive fire swept through at least 170 buildings in a residential area on the island of Kyushu, southern Japan, authorities reported on Wednesday.

The regional government confirmed one fatality. Public broadcaster NHK reported that police, who had been searching for a missing 76-year-old man, found a body inside his home.

Footage recorded on Tuesday night showed firefighters spraying water on towering flames engulfing homes, while residents were escorted to an improvised evacuation center.

“The flames rose so high they turned the sky red. The wind was strong. I never imagined it would spread so far,” a man told NHK.

“I was shaking with fear. I had never seen a column of fire like that,” another witness said.

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The fire broke out late Tuesday, with at least 170 buildings affected. According to NHK, the blaze spread rapidly, likely fueled by a lack of rainfall, dry air, and the tightly packed wooden houses characteristic of the area.