International
Migrants want to stay on Mexico’s southern border because of Sheinbaum’s industrial plan
Migrants on the border of Mexico and Guatemala want to work on the Mayan Train, the Interoceanic Corridor and the industries promised by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to mitigate migration, which would strengthen the area as an industrial pole of Central America, according to officials.
In the largest city of that border, the Mexican Tapachula, foreigners and businessmen expressed to EFE their optimism after the meeting two weeks ago between the president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, and Sheinbaum, who proposed bringing the Mayan Train and manufacturing industrial poles to the region.
Denis Olivera Aguirre, secretary of the Promoting Association for the Development of Markets in Tapachula, considered that these works would encourage the arrival of migrants because of the employment that there would be.
“In their countries they are suffering a rather delicate situation of security, of economy. So, seeing a source of work, maybe call more to Guatemala and Mexico, in fact, with the closure that (President) Donald Trump made for the United States, this (site) later will be a source of work,” he commented.
The municipal president of Tapachula, Aarón Yamil Melgar Bravo, recalled in an interview with EFE that Sheinbaum said from his campaign that Tapachula will be the economic capital of the state of Chiapas and Central America.
The mayor explained that there are almost 400 hectares available for industrial projects such as “the completion of the train tracks that connects from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to Puerto Chiapas” to promote trade between the Pacific and the Atlantic, and between North and Central America.
“They will be able to take the containers down and up the ship and lower the containers from the trains and, obviously the other branch of the railway tracks will go to Suchiate (border with Guatemala),” he explained.
Sheinbaum has insisted that to alleviate migration it is necessary to address the causes, after the record of more than 925,000 irregular migrants in Mexico from January to August 2024, above any full year.
“What do we say about migration? That it is not about putting national guards everywhere, but about giving well-paid employment so that people do not have to migrate out of necessity, so one of the objectives is to work with Guatemala to develop that pole on the border,” he said on April 11.
The projects encourage migrants like the Venezuelan Luz Marina, who considered them a “great proposal” and news for migrants interested in working in Mexico after Trump’s restrictions.
“We are in the best position to help Mexico and Guatemala, if we are interested in better working conditions, that they consider our support, there are many who are interested in agreement. There will be from 700, 800 or up to 1,000 Venezuelan, Cuban, Haitian migrants and a very good working hand,” he said.
Deivy Gurrola, from Cuba, asked the Mexican authorities to encourage a regular stay for migrants who wish to work on these projects, “that there are factories, that companies be established to be able to find work quickly.”
“I would be interested in being able to work, I could pay rent (rent), support myself here in Mexico, because we do look for a little economy, work that accommodates the price, we would like to work,” she said.
Mexico received more than 24,000 deportees in the first eight weeks of Trump’s new presidency, including 4,567 foreigners, according to the latest update from Sheinbaum, who has promised support to those who decide to stay in the country.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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