International
Russia and Iran will sign a strategic agreement three days before Trump’s inauguration
Russia and Iran will sign a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement on Friday in the Kremlin, which will include defense cooperation, three days before the investiture of US President Donald Trump.
Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, said that Moscow attaches “great importance” to the signing of the agreement during the first visit to this country of Iranian leader Masud Pezeshkian.
Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin have met twice in recent months, the last time last October in Kazan during the BRICS summit, to prepare the document.
Relations between Russia and Iran have strengthened in recent years, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine, where Moscow has the support of Tehran, which would have supplied drones and even missiles to the Russian side, according to the West.
Russians and Iranians are the great losers of the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Asad, who went into exile last December in Moscow.
With the background of the mutual assistance clause in case of external aggression signed between Russia and North Korea, on the eve of the visit there was speculation about the possibility that Moscow and Tehran seal a similar agreement.
In view of the antagonism between Iran and Russia on the one hand and Israel and the United States on the other, this would put Moscow in a very delicate situation, when the war in Ukraine has not even ended yet.
Both Foreign Ministers, the Russian Sergei Lavrov and the Iranian Abbas Araqchi, admitted that the 47 points of the agreement will include aspects of defense and security, but denied that it is directed against Washington.
“This agreement, like the one we have with North Korea, is not directed against any other country and has a constructive character,” Lavrov said at a press conference.
He stressed that the document “is aimed at strengthening the capacity of Russia and Iran in various parts of the world (…) and guaranteeing a reliable defense potential.”
Meanwhile, his Iranian colleague stressed that the document is not a threat to anyone and only represents “a strengthening of common security”.
“One of the main aspects of the agreement is the strengthening of cooperation on security and defence. Iran and Russia have invaluable experience in the fight against terrorism and extremism,” he said.
And he added that this cooperation is aimed at strengthening regional and global stability, and “responds not only to the interests of both countries, but to the interests of peace throughout the world.”
The signing of the agreement will take place on the eve of the arrival at the White House of Donald Trump, who has Tehran in his sights for his second presidential term.
“The numerous speculations about the choice of the date for the signing of the agreement between Iran and Russia on the eve of Trump’s coming to power only provoke a smile. Have fun the supporters of the conspiracy theory!” said Peskov.
He added that this ceremony “has no influence on the essence of the comprehensive Russian-Iranian agreement.”
In an attempt to reduce tension, Pezeshkian also assured the NBC television channel that his country never tried to assassinate the elected president during the election campaign.
Politicians from both countries commented in recent days that the agreement will facilitate the fight against sanctions and even encouraged other countries to enter a global coalition against the unilateral impositions of the West.
In this regard, Araqchí stressed that it is not “a simple political document, but a roadmap for the future.”
“This is more than an agreement, it is a step towards the creation of a more just and balanced world. Iran and Russia, aware of their historical responsibility, build a new order in which cooperation replaces hegemony and respect for imposition,” he said in an article published by the official agency RIA Novosti.
Last November, Tehran and Moscow connected their banking systems to boost their trade and financial transactions, in a step to address US and European Union sanctions.
Iran has also advocated that the document paves the way for a deepening of energy cooperation, which would include the transfer of technology and the transit of Russian gas to Middle East countries.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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