International
The deputy head of prison officers of one of the largest prisons in Ecuador murdered
A group of hitmen murdered this Friday the deputy chief of prison officers of one of the largest prisons in Ecuador, located in the Andean province of Cotopaxi, according to the Prosecutor’s Office and the prison authorities reported this Friday.
This Friday, at least two people were arrested for investigations related to the murder of Olger M., deputy chief of prison agents of the Latacunga prison, which is officially known as the Cotopaxi Freedom Deprivation Center Number 1, the Public Ministry added in a message in X.
The Prosecutor’s Office “ordered the practice of proceedings, including the removal of the body of Olger M., deputy chead of prison agents, who was attacked today in Latacunga for alleged hitmen,” the source remarked.
Crime in the midst of the relocation of prisoners
This announcement about the murder of the deputy prison chief of this prison in the province of Cotopaxi, whose capital is Latacunga, comes a few days after the Service for Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI), the state prison unit, reported on the relocation of 1,193 inmates from two prisons in the central Andean region of the country.
The SNAI indicated that the authorities transferred prisoners from a prison in the neighboring province of Tungurahua to Cotopaxi, and also prisoners from Cotopaxi to Tungurahua.
The transfer process involved 665 men and 528 women with the purpose of improving security conditions and promoting a safer and more appropriate environment for the inmatees, the SNAI said.
Crisis in the prison system
The processes of transferring prisoners between prisons are common in Ecuador, which for about three years has been suffering from a crisis in the prison system due to the violence attributed to gangs of criminals, who are fighting for control of detention centers.
For this reason, the military has been managing several Ecuadorian prisons since last January, when the country’s president, Daniel Noboa, declared a situation of “internal armed conflict” to face violence in prisons and streets due to the presence of groups belonging to organized crime, which he called “terrorists.”
And it is that, between 2021 and 2023 alone, more than 500 people were murdered in Ecuador’s prisons, most of them in a series of massacres due to internal confrontations between rival criminal gangs.
Latacunga prison has been part of these violent episodes. Until the end of September it was the second most populous prison in Ecuador, with about 4,400 inmates, only surpassed by the Litoral Penitentiary, located in Guayaquil, with about 6,900 prisoners.
Prison violence also took to the streets, which caused Ecuador to be the Latin American country with the highest homicide rate, registering 47.2 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
International
U.S. Targets Members of Outgoing Boric Administration With Visa Revocations
The United States government announced on Friday the revocation of visas for three Chilean officials—whose identities were not initially disclosed—citing activities that allegedly “undermined regional security,” an accusation that Chile denies.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of State did not provide specific details about the individuals involved but criticized the outgoing administration of leftist President Gabriel Boric.
“The legacy of the Boric government will be further tarnished by actions that undermine regional security to the ultimate detriment of the Chilean people,” the statement read. It was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Chile’s Minister of Transport, Juan Carlos Muñoz, later confirmed in a video message to the press that he is among those sanctioned.
“I was recently informed that my visa to enter the United States has been revoked by that country, which I deeply regret,” Muñoz said.
The U.S. statement also noted that Washington hopes to “advance shared priorities, including those that strengthen security in our hemisphere, with the upcoming Kast government.”
The electoral victory of ultraconservative leader José Antonio Kast was welcomed in Washington, which has been building alliances with like-minded governments in the region to reinforce its diplomatic and economic agenda—particularly in response to China’s growing investment presence in Latin America.
“We remain committed to promoting accountability for Chilean individuals who deliberately work to destabilize our hemisphere,” the statement concluded.
International
Three Injured in Mail Package Explosion at Buenos Aires Gendarmerie Academy
Three people were injured on Friday after a mail package exploded at the Escuela Superior de Gendarmería in Buenos Aires, according to a statement released by Argentina’s Ministerio de Seguridad.
The explosion occurred at 1:49 p.m. local time (16:49 GMT) inside a building located less than one kilometer from the Government House, the ministry reported.
“Personnel from the force handled a parcel that had reportedly been received months earlier and was being stored at the facility. When it was opened, an explosion occurred, causing injuries to two officers,” the statement said.
The ministry added that both injured officers were transported to a hospital and are not in life-threatening condition. “A third officer remains in recovery and is out of danger,” authorities confirmed.
Following the incident, police cordoned off the surrounding area, halted traffic, and evacuated the 11-story building as well as adjacent buildings on the same block.
Mariana Bornio, an employee at a telecommunications company located in a neighboring building, said that as she was being evacuated, she saw one of the injured gendarmes leaving the scene shirtless and covered with a blue medical gown.
International
Top U.S. Military Commander Meets Interim Venezuelan Leaders After Maduro’s Capture
The commander of the United States Southern Command, Marine Francis L. Donovan, visited Venezuela on Wednesday, holding meetings with interim leaders following the recent capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces. The visit, confirmed by both U.S. and Venezuelan officials, marked a significant diplomatic and security engagement in Caracas.
Donovan, accompanied by senior U.S. officials including acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Joseph M. Humire and top diplomat Laura Dogu, met with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and key members of her cabinet, including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
According to official statements, discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation on regional security issues, including efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, and migration. Both sides reiterated a commitment to pursuing diplomatic engagement and shared security goals for Venezuela and the Western Hemisphere.
The meetings also discussed progress on a three-phase plan supported by the United States to help stabilize Venezuela, following Maduro’s removal from power and subsequent detention in the U.S. on drug-related charges. This agenda reflects expanding U.S. engagement with Venezuela’s interim government amid broader efforts to restore diplomatic relations and address regional challenges.
The visit concluded on Wednesday, underscoring a growing U.S. focus on cooperation with Venezuelan authorities in the aftermath of major political developments earlier this year.
U.S. Targets Members of Outgoing Boric Administration With Visa Revocations
Three Injured in Mail Package Explosion at Buenos Aires Gendarmerie Academy
Top U.S. Military Commander Meets Interim Venezuelan Leaders After Maduro’s Capture
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
-
Central America3 days agoWashington Imposes Visa Ban on La Modelo Director Amid Crackdown in Nicaragua
-
International4 days agoFather Faces Murder Charges in Georgia School Shooting Case
-
International2 days agoTop U.S. Military Commander Meets Interim Venezuelan Leaders After Maduro’s Capture
-
International3 days agoBayly Says Trump ‘Gets Along Better With Dictators’ and Criticizes U.S.–Venezuela Policy
-
International3 days agoRubio Engages in Quiet Discussions With Castro Family as U.S. Pressures Havana
-
International3 days agoMaduro and Cilia Flores Receive Consular Visit in U.S. Jail Ahead of March 26 Hearing
-
International15 hours agoThree Injured in Mail Package Explosion at Buenos Aires Gendarmerie Academy
-
International4 days agoSpanish Government Targets ‘Big Tech Impunity’ in AI Image Scandal
-
International15 hours agoU.S. Targets Members of Outgoing Boric Administration With Visa Revocations
-
Sin categoría2 days agoFormer South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol Sentenced to Life for Insurrection
-
Central America5 days agoGuatemala’s Attorney General Consuelo Porras Loses Bid for Constitutional Court Seat