International
Bukele offers his mega-prison in El Salvador for US prisoners, both migrants and Americans
The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, and the Salvadoran President, Nayib Bukele, closed an agreement on Monday to deport to El Salvador undocumented migrants of any nationality who have committed crimes in US territory.
According to the head of US diplomacy, at the meeting they agreed that El Salvador accepts “the deportation of illegal foreigners in the United States who are criminals of any nationality, whether from the M-13 or the Aragua Train, and house them in their prisons.”
But Rubio also surprised by explaining that Bukele even offered to “host in his prisons dangerous American criminals” who are imprisoned in the North American country, both those who have citizenship and those who have legal residence in the United States.
“No country has ever made an offer of friendship like this,” Rubio told the press at the hotel in the Salvadoran capital where he is staying.
Rubio explained that this same Monday he spoke about this matter with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and said that Bukele’s offer is “just a sign of the incredible friend” that he is for the United States.
Bukele is one of Trump’s closest allies in Latin America and the first president of the region whom the Republican called after his return to the White House.
The Salvadoran president declared to the press that the United States is the “most important partner” of El Salvador and claimed that “being in the box of allies of the United States is better” for the country.
Bukele also highlighted his close harmony with the US president: “We do not hide our sympathy (with Trump),” he said.
The Salvadoran president made these statements with Rubio in a brief greeting to the press from a balcony of his residence overlooking Lake Coatepeque, in the Salvadoran town of El Congo (west).
Then, Bukele and Rubio continued with a private meeting that in a first part accompanied the Salvadoran foreign minister, Alexandra Hill Tinoco.
The head of US diplomacy, who is on an international tour of Central America, did not make statements.
The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, arrived in El Salvador on Monday to meet with the country’s president, Nayib Bukele, one of the main allies in Latin America of the new Administration of Donald Trump.
The head of US diplomacy landed aboard an Air Force plane at 10:18 local time (16:18 GMT) at El Salvador International Airport, coming from Panama.
El Salvador is the second stop of Rubio’s tour of Central America, focused mainly on containing migration to the United States and counteracting China’s influence in the region.
At the reception to Rubio was his Salvadoran counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexandra Hill Tinojo, with whom he melted into a hug and chatted briefly in a relaxed way, and then got into a vehicle to leave the airport.
The Secretary of State will start his agenda with a visit to the Aeroman aircraft maintenance company, then go to the US Embassy in San Salvador and finally meet with President Bukele.
The Salvadoran president was, in fact, the first in Latin America and the second in the world with whom Trump spoke by phone after being invested as president of the United States.
The Trump Administration sees as an example the security strategy of the Bukele government, which has drastically reduced insecurity in the country with a police hard-handed policy criticized by human rights organizations.
After his stay in Panama and El Salvador, Rubio will visit Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
Marco Rubio, son of Cuban immigrants, is the first Hispanic Secretary of State in the history of the United States and speaks fluent Spanish.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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International4 days agoTrump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
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Central America4 days agoPanama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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International3 days agoMarco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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International3 days agoMexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
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Central America1 day agoArévalo Announces Overhaul of Guatemala’s Prison System Amid Security Crisis
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Central America1 day agoMulino Vows Tougher Crackdown as Homicides Increase in Panama