International
Abortion rights groups face new wave of Meta censorship across the Americas
Suddenly, every woman who wrote to the WhatsApp number of one of Mexico’s largest abortion information organizations received the same response: silence. The account had been blocked.
Weeks later, a Colombian collective experienced the same thing.
Organizations across the Americas that provide abortion support are denouncing a new wave of censorship on Meta’s platforms — including in countries where abortion is legal. They suspect a combination of factors: changes in Meta’s content policies and coordinated reporting campaigns by anti-abortion groups targeting their posts.
The censorship is not limited to Instagram and Facebook; it also affects verified and business WhatsApp accounts, which are crucial tools for providing thousands of women with information on sexual and reproductive rights — rights recognized by the World Health Organization.
Among the affected organizations is MSI Foundation (formerly Marie Stopes), part of an international network that has been active in Mexico for over 25 years. Its WhatsApp account was suspended in February. Colombia’s Oriéntame, a group with decades of work in reproductive health, was also targeted — labeled a “dangerous organization” by Instagram in April.
Meta often cites violations of its policies to justify account blocks, but has also admitted to errors in some cases. Since January, the company has introduced a new content moderation system based on user comments, claiming it would reduce mistakes and promote greater freedom of expression.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the policy shifts likely resulted from his criticism of the “left-leaning bias” in fact-checking mechanisms.
While conservative sectors have applauded the changes, pro-abortion organizations argue that these rules are often enforced too aggressively, possibly driven by AI-based flagging systems. As a result, many of their posts are disproportionately blocked — a trend they say has worsened since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
“It’s not always intentional censorship,” said Martha Dimitratou, co-founder of Repro Uncensored, an organization that monitors and works to bypass digital censorship of sexual and reproductive health topics. “But the outcome is still more censorship for us.”
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
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Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
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