International
A candidate for the Supreme Court denounces an unequal dispute in the judicial election of Mexico
Carlos Enrique Odriozola has no party or structure. Nor does it enjoy reflectors or previous positions in the Judiciary. And yet, he competes for a chair in the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) of Mexico in an unprecedented electoral process that, he assures, is unequal and is marked by citizen apathy.
“There is no even floor, we are not all starting from the same base,” he says in an interview with EFE about the campaigns to seek the vote that began on March 30.
He assures that there are candidates who arrive at the historic judicial election in Mexico with an armed network, with resources, with exposure, while competitors like him just now take to the streets to present themselves to the people.
The lawyer has been litigating in courts and tribunals throughout Mexico for 30 years, also before the Court.
To his credit, he says, he has at least 40 theses of jurisprudence on human rights issues, obtained through strategic litigation.
His motivation for reaching the highest court in the country is that “the Supreme Court has the possibility of permeating the entire judicial raming. From there you can achieve a real impact on people’s lives.”
Odriozola recognizes the value of the judicial reform that for the first time will allow 3,422 citizens, on June 1, to compete in elections for one of the 881 positions in courts, tribunals, the new Court of Judicial Discipline, the Electoral Tribunal and the Supreme Court, but also points out the vices.
“Some candidates could feel like puppets of a simulation. Possibly because we are candidates who have no structure. If they chose us so that people can get to know us and can value who is really willing to make a change and if people vote for us, it may be that that change is possible,” he says.
The candidate, who will identify himself with the number 57 on the ballots in the judicial election of Mexico, remembers having filed a formal complaint with the National Electoral Institute (INE) so that the participations are not so unequal, but has not yet received a response.
Odriozola details that he continues his campaign without paying for campaigns on networks and with limited presence in Mexico City until May, the last 28 days of his campaign, when he will go out to tour the country.
“We are going to 15% of the campaign (spending) ceiling,” he confesses. “Because we haven’t traveled much either and we plan to do it from May, especially with the friendly invitations that they have already started to make us in some entities,” he adds.
In addition to the imbalance between candidacies, Odriozola faces another challenge: the indifference of the electorate to a historic moment.
“I see people with a lot of discouragement. They don’t have confidence in the process, in the generality of people. There is not enough information or even understanding of what is being voted on, despite its importance,” he acknowledges.
His call is direct: “Not participating is handing over the Court to the structures.”
“Regomidde the fact that one can agree with the process, it is the process that exists and it is the only way that citizens have today to get to court,” he adds.
Odriozola proposes to integrate his presentation with a team selected by public competition, with gender parity, inclusive approach and respect for human rights.
“I want to make my presentation a microcosm of very prepared lawyers, very conscious, with a lot of social awareness,” he says.
It also proposes to effectively monitor jurisprudence and ensure that judgments are not only understood, but that they are executed.
He claims not to want “paper judgments”, that the treatment with the parties involved is equal, so he proposes to receive all equally and avoid “selective ear” pleas and so that “they can leave with the certainty” that “their evidence was evaluated.”
And in front of the new Judicial Discipline Court, he says not to be afraid.
“Since I am not going to commit acts of corruption and I am only going to proceed with all probity, I am not pressured or impressed by the existence of that court,” he concludes.
International
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
Mexico and Guatemala agreed Tuesday on a 2027 Binational Plan built around five areas of cooperation, along with a schedule of meetings and initiatives aimed at making progress by the end of 2026 on security, border infrastructure, human mobility, development and technical and social cooperation.
The agreement was announced by the foreign ministers of both countries following a meeting in Mexico City.
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the plan will establish the “direction and priorities” of bilateral relations for next year. His Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, said the meeting allowed both governments to make decisions, schedule activities and revitalize bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
Security and border infrastructure
In the area of security, the two governments have nearly completed negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding for the Mexico-Guatemala High-Level Security Group (Ganseg), which was reactivated in 2025.
The countries expect to sign the agreement in the coming months to strengthen coordination and their ability to respond to shared security threats.
Regarding their nearly 1,000-kilometer shared border, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to advance infrastructure improvements at border crossings and continue work on a joint cargo clearance program between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tecún Umán, two border areas separated by the Suchiate River.
The measures are intended to facilitate bilateral trade while making cross-border exchanges safer and more efficient.
The two governments will also continue defining a route toward a railway connection between their countries through Line K of Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), with the aim of strengthening economic and community ties.
Migration and development
On human mobility, Mexico and Guatemala will maintain coordination to ensure safe, orderly and dignified returns, while strengthening protection for people in transit.
The bilateral agenda also includes a second phase of the Sembrando Vida program in Guatemala, which is expected to benefit 10,000 people across 15 departments.
Both countries will also advance initiatives under Juntos para el Bienestar, as well as six technical, scientific and energy cooperation projects approved by the Joint Commission.
The agreements seek to strengthen bilateral ties and establish concrete priorities for cooperation between Mexico and Guatemala during 2027.
International
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that France will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to what Paris described as an attack on two French representatives in Iran last month.
“Two French diplomats were scandalously and deliberately assaulted on July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days,” Barrot said in a message posted on X.
The two Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and will be required to leave France within the coming days, according to the French foreign minister.
About a month ago, Barrot said that two members of the French diplomatic staff had been detained by Iranian security forces for several hours. One of them was also subjected to harassment, he said.
The French government described the incident as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” that violated diplomatic immunity.
The two French embassy staff members were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, particularly initiatives involving artists and researchers.
Iran has denied France’s allegations regarding the incident. The diplomatic dispute comes amid already strained relations between Paris and Tehran.
International
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
More than 70 million people remained under heat alerts Monday as an intense heat wave continued across the southern United States, particularly Florida and states along the Mexican border, where temperatures and heat indexes could reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Several cities recorded or tied temperature records over the weekend and into Monday, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Laredo, Borger and Austin’s airport in Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.
The NWS warned that the heat wave will continue affecting the southern and southeastern United States, with maximum temperatures expected to remain near 38°C to 40°C for several days. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to estimate how hot conditions feel, could reach 46°C.
The extreme heat is also spreading into the Southwest, where temperatures began rising again between Monday and Tuesday. Forecast highs in the region range from about 38°C to 43°C.
Heat alerts remain in effect across Nevada, Arizona and California, including areas in southern Arizona and California near the Mexican border, as authorities warn of the risks posed by prolonged extreme temperatures.
The NWS urged residents to limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, ensure access to air conditioning or cooling centers, and check on vulnerable friends, neighbors and family members.
The United States is experiencing a summer marked by above-average temperatures and repeated heat waves. One of the most intense episodes occurred during the July 4 weekend, when extreme heat was blamed for roughly 30 deaths.
July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States since measurements began, with the average temperature across the contiguous country approaching 25°C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The combination of extreme heat and drought conditions has also fueled wildfires. Nearly 3 million hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, making it the largest area affected by wildfires in a decade.
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
Trump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
Brazil’s Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro kick off election campaigns amid focus on crime
Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms
Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
ICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms
Trump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
Brazil’s Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro kick off election campaigns amid focus on crime
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
ICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns
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International13 hours agoFrance to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
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International3 days agoActress Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Representative Confirms
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International2 days agoTrump warns Iran over nuclear ambitions as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline passes
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International2 days agoHeat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C
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International2 days agoBrazil’s Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro kick off election campaigns amid focus on crime
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International13 hours agoMexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
-
International5 days agoLuigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
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International5 days agoICE Plan to Equip Agents With Electric Shock Gloves Raises Abuse Concerns