International
Divided Latin America faces geopolitical tensions ahead of OAS Assembly
The “divergent” reactions of Latin American governments to the U.S. decision to strike Iran have revealed the region’s complex and divided geopolitical landscape—something that could hinder a consensus at the 55th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which begins Wednesday in Antigua and Barbuda.
“The region’s varied responses to the U.S. strikes came as no surprise,” Jason Marczak, director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, told EFE. He explained that each country’s reaction reflected its degree of alignment with the administration of Donald Trump.
“This was largely evident in the nature of the responses from countries that rushed either to condemn or support Washington following the weekend bombings of three Iranian nuclear facilities,” Marczak added.
Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela expressed solidarity with their political and economic ally Iran, while Argentina reaffirmed its support for Trump. Meanwhile, Chile, Colombia, and Brazil condemned the U.S. bombings for allegedly violating international law and fueling further violence. Washington has justified the military action as a necessary step toward a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announced on Monday.
According to Marczak, “Havana and Caracas always seize the opportunity to challenge the United States,” but he noted that “just three years ago, it would have been surprising for the Colombian president to side with Iran.” “Much has changed with Gustavo Petro,” he said.
“What we’ve seen is that most governments that have drawn closer to the U.S. during the Trump administration either took a measured stance or expressed unconditional support for the U.S. actions,” Marczak emphasized.
While these reactions may not directly shift bilateral relations, Marczak said they “shed light on how Latin American leaders currently view their relationship with Washington.”
“This will impact every other item on the regional agenda,” he added.
International
El Chapo’s son Joaquín Guzmán López pleads guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges
Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, pleaded guilty on Monday to drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court, months after his brother Ovidio reached a similar plea agreement, according to local media reports.
The defendant appeared before a federal court in Chicago early Monday afternoon and changed his previous plea in the case, the Chicago Tribune reported. U.S. authorities accuse him of forming, together with his three brothers, the cartel faction known as “Los Chapitos.”
The group is believed to have continued the operations of El Chapo, who has been serving a life sentence in the United States since 2019.
Guzmán López, 39, was arrested after landing in Texas in a small aircraft alongside cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
International
Venezuela authorizes return flights as U.S. continues deportations amid rising tensions
The arrival of U.S. aircraft carrying undocumented Venezuelan migrants continued regularly despite rising tensions between Washington and Caracas over President Donald Trump’s military deployment in the Caribbean.
Trump maintains that the deployment is part of an anti-narcotics operation, while Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro insists the true objective is to remove him from power and seize the nation’s oil resources.
Venezuela’s aviation authority has “received a request from the United States government to resume repatriation flights for Venezuelan migrants from that country to Venezuela,” the Ministry of Transportation said in a statement .
“Under the instructions of President Nicolás Maduro, authorization has been granted for these aircraft to enter our airspace,” it added.
Caracas will permit two Eastern Airlines flights to land on Wednesday and Friday.
Migration remains one of the Trump administration’s flagship issues. On Monday, the U.S. president held a meeting with his National Security Council to discuss the situation in Venezuela, a day after confirming he had spoken with Maduro by phone, without offering further details.
According to the Venezuelan government, roughly 75 deportation flights have been carried out this year, returning at least 13,956 Venezuelans from the United States.
International
20,000 rounds stolen from german army after driver leaves cargo unattended
The German army confirmed the theft of a shipment of ammunition that occurred a week ago while it was being transported by a civilian delivery driver, a military spokesperson told AFP, confirming earlier media reports.
According to Der Spiegel and the regional broadcaster MDR, around 20,000 rounds of ammunition were stolen from an unguarded parking lot near Magdeburg, in eastern Germany, while the driver was asleep in a nearby hotel. No information has been released regarding the identity of the suspects, and the military declined to specify the exact type or amount of ammunition taken.
Authorities have also not indicated how the perpetrators knew the cargo would be left unattended.
“The theft was discovered upon delivery at the barracks,” the German army spokesperson said.
A police spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that an investigation has been opened but refused to provide further details “for tactical reasons.”
Sources close to the German military, cited by Der Spiegel, believe it is unlikely the theft was a coincidence. They suspect the thieves waited for the driver to stop for the night before striking.
Der Spiegel also reported that the Defense Ministry normally requires two drivers for this type of transport to ensure the cargo is constantly monitored. However, in this case only one driver was assigned, meaning the civilian transport company failed to comply with the security protocols.
El Chapo’s son Joaquín Guzmán López pleads guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges
Venezuela authorizes return flights as U.S. continues deportations amid rising tensions
20,000 rounds stolen from german army after driver leaves cargo unattended
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
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