International
Unicef Mexico: “The recruitment of minors is a very common practice”
The use and recruitment of minors by organized crime groups “is a very common practice and we are very worried,” the head of Child Protection of Unicef in Mexico, Rocío Aznar, told EFE this Wednesday, so she urges to look “in particular why adolescents are disappearing” in the North American country.
According to a report by the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), in Jalisco (western Mexico), state where Rancho Izaguirre is located, the alleged training camp of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), people between 15 and 19 years old occupy the first place in disappearances between January and April 2025, with 122 reports, the most likely cause being forced recruitment by organized crime.
In addition, “one of the main causes of death in adolescents in Mexico is homicide,” explains UNICEF’s Child Protection specialist, Juan Rodríguez, which could also have a “link” with criminal groups that recruit and use children and adolescents to fulfill roles ranging from messaging to sicariato.
Therefore, he explains, one of Unicef’s proposals is the criminalization of the crime of recruitment and use for “the protection of children,” but also because “it is in the line of organized crime prevention,” which has co-opted 30,000 minors, according to the Network for the Rights of the Child in Mexico (Redim).
“The (criminal) groups have taken advantage of the conditions or advantages of recruiting children. One, they are cheaper and, two, the imputable penalties are lower than those of an adult,” Rodríguez explains.
To date, Unicef does not have specific figures on this affectation to childhood at the national level, since, in the no typification, it is difficult to “access the number of victims of recruitment and use.”
However, Aznar clarifies that, despite the lack of figures, this problem exists and “is one of the most serious violations of rights (…) These children and adolescents are exposed to the worst forms of violence, they see them, suffer them and, sometimes, they execute them.”
In that sense, he emphasizes, it is necessary that “the (Mexican) State reacts” and recognizes that “all recruitment and use of a person under the age of 18, who is still in the process of development, is forced.”
Also, because the one who is on trial is not the recruiter, but “the teenager who has committed a crime because they have used him, they have taken advantage of his vulnerability as a minor (…) The focus and responsibility is on the victim,” he says.
Adopt a national policy
In addition, Rodríguez insists, “boys and girls are not only recruited in order to commit a crime, they are also recruited to fulfill other roles, courier or cook. Those roles also expose them to levels of violence or risks that do not necessarily comply with operational activities such as the young hitman, the one who kidnaps.”
That is why, Aznar adds, “we continue to urge the Mexican State to adopt a policy beyond a specific or conjunctural or temporary program,” which would be the first comprehensive national policy of prevention and attention to recruitment for a country where there are also more than 127,000 unlocated people since there was a record in the 1960s.
Mexican children and youth who face armed violence “deserve the opportunity to be able to heal, to rebuild their lives and if they have done damage to be able to repair it in a constructive way,” he concludes.
In response, President Claudia Sheinbaum has offered to develop “all the necessary schemes” to attend to youth in Jalisco, after the UdeG report warned about the forced recruitment of young people in that Mexican state.
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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