International
Colombia car bomb kills one, injures 20
AFP
A car bomb detonated in Colombia overnight outside government offices and the seat of a human rights body, killing one person and wounded 20 near the Venezuelan border, authorities said Thursday.
The army in a statement blamed the late-night attack in Saravena, an area with a strong military presence, on dissidents of the FARC guerilla group who rejected a 2016 peace deal.
Defense Minister Diego Molano said the attack was “planned and financed from Venezuela.”
“The explosives used in this terrorist act were brought into Colombia from Venezuela,” said Molano.
The explosion killed a security guard and injured 20 other people. No further information was provided about them.
The blast also damaged private buildings, the army statement said.
Jose Luis Lazo, an official in charge of human rights in Saravana, told W Radio that a dissident going by the name Antonio Medina had ordered the attack in a WhatsApp message.
Colombia President Ivan Duque has often accused neighboring Venezuela of shielding rebels on its territory.
The two countries have not had diplomatic relations since shortly after Duque took office in 2018.
The region in which the attack took place is one of the hardest-hit by a wave of violence plaguing Colombia in the aftermath of a 2016 peace pact that disarmed the FARC and officially ended decades of conflict.
Despite the agreement, fighting continues over territory and resources between dissident FARC guerrillas, the ELN rebel group, paramilitary forces and drug cartels.
Earlier this month, almost 30 people were killed in fighting in the northeastern Arauca department, where Saravena is located, and hundreds fled the region, according to official data.
The government has since deployed an additional 1,300 soldiers to join 5,600 already operational in the area.
An independent study center, Indepaz, says the ELN has around 2,500 fighters while the FARC dissidents are comprised of around 5,200 members.
International
Ex-Pemex director linked to Odebrecht scandal detained in Texas, faces trial in Mexico
Carlos Treviño Medina, former director of Mexico’s state-owned oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) between 2017 and 2018—during the final year of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration—has been detained in the United States and will be deported to Mexico to face corruption charges, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday.
“He was detained in the U.S., an ex-director of Pemex who was already on alert lists. He will be deported and will face trial here in Mexico for corruption-related matters,” Sheinbaum told reporters during her morning press conference.
Shortly after, Sheinbaum confirmed that the detainee is Treviño Medina, who is accused of receiving bribes in connection with the Odebrecht scandal, “among other things.” She added: “We should ask the Attorney General’s Office exactly what the charges are. What I can say is that it is related to a complaint filed by Emilio Lozoya,” a former Pemex official also implicated in the Odebrecht corruption case.
Later in the day, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) stated in a press release that Treviño Medina was arrested on August 12 in Dallas, Texas, by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which currently holds him in custody while deportation proceedings move forward.
The FGR noted that Treviño Medina is subject to an active arrest warrant in Mexico on charges of criminal association and money laundering.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government said that ICE detained Treviño Medina for overstaying his visa by nearly three years.
International
Residente to perform free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo on september 6
Mexico City’s head of government, Clara Brugada, announced on Saturday that Puerto Rican musician Residente will perform a free concert at the capital’s Zócalo on September 6.
“I have great news for you! On Saturday, September 6, at 8:00 p.m., Residente will perform. It’s a song to freedom and Latin American resistance,” Brugada said in a video posted on X.
According to the Mexico City Ministry of Culture, Residente will take the stage “with lyrics loaded with social messages and rhythms that have marked generations.” The singer, who has already held free concerts at the Zócalo, also shared the announcement on his social media, emphasizing the historic significance of the venue.
“I don’t take this for granted, I know where I’m performing—it’s a special place (…) It’s where the flag of a free Mexico was first woven, and that’s what I want for my own country as well. (…) I don’t know how much longer I’ll keep performing, but what I do know is that I want to enjoy this day to the fullest with all of you,” he wrote on Instagram.
With over 20 years of career, René Pérez Joglar—better known as Residente—is recognized as a rapper, songwriter, and music producer, as well as the co-founder and lead vocalist of the group Calle 13. His lyrics have long stood out for their political and social content.
The Zócalo show will open with a performance by the female collective Mujer en Cypher, featuring Arianna Puello, Ximbo, Niña Dios, Prania Esponda, Azuki, and Mena, according to the Ministry of Culture.
International
Trump and Putin end Alaska summit without Ukraine peace agreement
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin wrapped up their summit in Alaska on Friday with a brief joint press conference, during which they announced no agreement on peace in Ukraine.
Trump described the more than three-hour meeting with Putin and his delegation at Elmendorf-Richardson base as “extremely productive,” but admitted, “we have not reached the goal.”
“Many points were agreed upon. Only a few remain unresolved. Some are not significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a good chance of resolving them. We haven’t gotten there yet, but we have a good chance of achieving it,” Trump stated cryptically at the no-questions press conference.
According to White House officials, the summit began around 11:30 a.m. local time (7:30 p.m. GMT).
Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy for the Middle East and Kremlin mediator Steve Witkoff. On Putin’s side, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov were in attendance.
Ex-Pemex director linked to Odebrecht scandal detained in Texas, faces trial in Mexico
Residente to perform free concert at Mexico City’s Zócalo on september 6
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