International

Petro asks Pope to host ELN peace talks at the Vatican

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Monday asked Pope Leo XIV to consider the Vatican as a new host for peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group, whose negotiations have been suspended since January due to escalating violence in northeastern Colombia.

“They (the ELN) want to keep the meetings in Cuba, in Venezuela… but I believe it is here where the theory of effective love can be recalled — in the Vatican,” Petro said in a video released by the presidential office after his first private audience with the pontiff.

The Holy See did not comment on Petro’s proposal in its official statement regarding the meeting with the pope or the subsequent one with Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. Instead, the communiqué highlighted the “positive and enduring cooperation between the Church and the State in supporting peace and reconciliation efforts.”

Petro had previously made the same request in January 2024 to then-Pope Francis during a visit to the Vatican, though it never materialized. The ELN negotiations have so far been held in Cuba, Venezuela, and Mexico — three of the guarantor countries in the process.

By inviting Pope Leo XIV to consider the Vatican as a host for renewed talks, Petro implied that the ELN might be given “a second chance” to return to the negotiating table, though he did not confirm any concrete progress with the group.

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Petro launched peace talks with the ELN after taking office in 2022 as Colombia’s first leftist president. However, the government suspended the talks in January after the ELN engaged in clashes with a rival armed group in the Catatumbo region, near the border with Venezuela. The violence led to the displacement of over 56,000 people and more than 90 deaths.

“The ELN has just committed a massacre. They’ve forgotten their revolutionary principles. They’ve forgotten that Catholic priests once led their ranks,” Petro said, referencing the group’s origins, which were inspired by Liberation Theology and included a Catholic priest among its founders.

International

Mexico confirms death of farmworker hurt in ICE raid, calls for investigation

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has confirmed the death of a Mexican bracero who had been hospitalized since Thursday, July 10, after sustaining severe injuries during a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at a cannabis farm in Ventura County, Southern California.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its deepest condolences to the family of the Mexican national who died following the incident on July 10 in Ventura County,” the SRE said in a statement.

The deceased has been identified as Jaime Alanis García, who was declared brain-dead and remained in critical condition at the Ventura County Medical Center until his death was officially confirmed on Saturday. The Ministry stated it will monitor the case closely through the External Legal Advice Program (PALE).

According to U.S. media outlets, Alanis fell from a height of more than nine meters while trying to evade immigration agents during the operation. Witnesses reported that he arrived at the hospital with skull and neck fractures. However, authorities have not yet released an official account of the incident.

The worker’s family and friends have released a video on social media demanding a full investigation into the circumstances that led to his hospitalization and eventual death. Alanis leaves behind a wife and daughter in Mexico, who were financially dependent on him.

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The Foreign Ministry also noted that the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard has been providing continuous support to the family, both in the U.S. and in Mexico, including during the hospitalization, through contact with relatives in Michoacán, and by assisting with the repatriation of his remains.

International

Trump’s 30% tariff undermines U.S.-Mexico talks, but negotiations will continue

Negotiations between Mexico and the United States—aimed at reaching a “comprehensive agreement” on trade, migration, and security—suffered a setback following the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a new 30% tariff set to take effect on August 1.

Although the decision did not come as a complete surprise—Mexican negotiators had been informed on Friday that the new levy was imminent—it has fueled growing concerns and uncertainty that have defined U.S.-Mexico relations over the past six months. According to official data, the strained relationship is already impacting foreign investment and critical sectors such as Mexico’s automotive industry.

Despite the setback caused by Trump’s unexpected move during ongoing negotiations, Mexican officials affirmed on Saturday that they will continue discussions with the U.S. administration. These talks have so far helped Mexico avoid broader tariffs and partially protect its automotive and auto parts industries, which account for about 5% of the national GDP and 32% of the country’s total exports.

International

U.S. sanctions cuban president Díaz-Canel over regime crackdown on protesters

Proposal to ratify Miguel Diaz-Canel as president of Cuba

The United States announced on Friday, for the first time, sanctions against Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, citing his role in the regime’s crackdown on the Cuban people as the country marks four years since the historic anti-government protests of July 2021.

The U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions on Díaz-Canel and other key figures in the Cuban government, including Defense Minister Álvaro López Miera and Interior Minister Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, according to Senator Marco Rubio, who shared the update on social media platform X.

“The United States is capable of imposing migration sanctions on revolutionary leaders and maintaining a prolonged and ruthless economic war against Cuba, but it will not break the will of our people or its leaders,” responded Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.

In addition, the State Department added “Torre K”, a newly inaugurated 42-story hotel in central Havana, to its list of restricted entities in an effort to prevent U.S. dollars from funding repression by the Cuban regime.

The hotel has sparked criticism for representing a massive state investment in luxury infrastructure despite Cuba’s declining tourism sector and worsening shortages of food, medicine, water, and electricity.

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“While the Cuban people suffer from shortages of food, water, medicine, and electricity, the regime squanders money,” wrote Rubio.

In another post, Rubio also accused the Cuban government of torturing dissident José Daniel Ferrer and demanded immediate proof of life.

Ferrer, leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu), was among the 553 prisoners released in January as part of an agreement between Cuba and the Vatican, following a decision by former U.S. President Joe Biden to temporarily remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

However, Ferrer’s conditional release was revoked in late April, prompting strong protests from Washington. The island has since been returned to the terrorism list after Republican President Donald Trump’s return to power in January.