International
Colombian police kill fugitive drug kingpin
AFP
A fugitive member of Colombia’s Gulf Clan drug cartel wanted by the United States has been killed by police in the South American country, the government said Thursday.
President Ivan Duque announced on Twitter that Juan Larinson Castro Estupinan, alias “Matamba” — a former Gulf Clan boss and one of Colombia’s most wanted criminals — had been “neutralized.”
The Gulf Clan, Colombia’s biggest drug cartel, launched a revenge campaign this month, closing schools and bringing transport to a standstill in the country’s north after its boss, Dairo Antonio Usaga, was extradited to the United States to face trafficking charges there.
Defense Minister Diego Molano said Thursday that Matamba, who had escaped prison in March pending a decision on his own extradition to the United States, was “killed in combat” in a police operation in the northern municipality of Bolivar.
“We continue dealing blows to the ‘Gulf Clan’,” said Duque, adding: “no bandit will have a burrow left to hide in.”
Matamba had escaped from prison with the help of a guard who left his cell door open. He fled in a guard’s uniform.
His helper was arrested and 55 other guards suspended, as well as the two top bosses of the La Picota prison.
His lawyers claimed he had never escaped, but was in hiding inside the prison while negotiating a surrender to the United States in exchange for information on drug routes.
In Colombia, he faced charges of criminal association for the purpose of homicide, extortion and illegally carrying of weapons.
On Wednesday, Molano also announced the “presumed death” of Miguel Botache Santillana, one of the leaders of a dissident left-wing guerrilla group, in Venezuela.
Colombia is experiencing a wave of increased violence despite a 2016 peace agreement that disarmed the FARC guerrilla group after nearly six decades of internal conflict.
Many of the areas abandoned by the FARC have since become battle grounds for the ELN rebel group, drug cartels and FARC dissidents fighting for control of drug and illegal mining revenues.
The rise in insecurity is a key issue ahead of a first round of presidential elections on Sunday.
International
7 in 10 mexicans born poor stay poor, new report finds
Seven out of ten Mexicans born into poverty remain poor throughout their lives, highlighting an urgent need for public policies focused on promoting social mobility through equal opportunity, according to civil society organizations.
The 2025 Social Mobility Report in Mexico, published by the Espinosa Yglesias Center for Studies (CEEY), reveals that 73% of individuals born into the bottom 20% of income households in Mexico — Latin America’s second-largest economy — continue to live in poverty based on income.
The report signals a worrisome stagnation in social mobility, defined as the ability of individuals to improve their socioeconomic standing compared to that of their parents. This lack of upward movement indicates that one’s economic origins are largely inherited, according to CEEY.
Geographically, disparities are stark:
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In northern Mexico, 37% of those born in poverty remain there.
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In the south, that number rises dramatically to 64%.
Gender gaps are also evident. Among those born in wealthier households, women experience less upward mobility, with a rate of 47% compared to 53% for men.
The report also notes that 48% of economic inequality in Mexico stems from inequality of opportunity — placing Mexico among the top ten countries with the highest opportunity inequality across 50 nations analyzed globally.
International
Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave
Spain registered a record-breaking temperature of 46°C (114.8°F) on Saturday, June 28, in El Granado, Huelva — a southern town near the Portuguese border — marking the highest temperature ever recorded in June in the country, according to Spain’s national meteorological agency, Aemet.
The temperature was officially recorded at 4:40 p.m. local time, surpassing the previous June record of 45.2°C (113.4°F)set in Seville back in 1965, also in the Andalusia region.
Like many parts of Southern Europe, Spain is experiencing a severe heatwave, with large areas of the country facing temperatures above 40°C even though summer has just begun.
As one of Europe’s countries most vulnerable to climate change, Spain has endured its three hottest years on recordfrom 2022 to 2024, marked by repeated heatwaves and temperature extremes.
Climate scientists have long warned that global warming is amplifying the intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and droughts — trends now evident across the Iberian Peninsula and the broader Mediterranean region.
International
Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policies
The Republican administration of Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Monday against Los Angeles officials, challenging the city’s sanctuary policies as illegal amid an intensifying federal immigration crackdown.
The Department of Justice accused the Democratic-led city of interfering with federal immigration enforcement, arguing that its sanctuary policies have contributed to “violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement” recently seen in Los Angeles.
“The sanctuary city policies were the cause of violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in an official statement.
The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, names Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and the entire City Council as defendants.
While Los Angeles had long been considered a sanctuary city for immigrants, the City Council officially adopted the designation through a municipal ordinance in November last year, following Trump’s election to the presidency.
The legal action seeks to limit local authorities’ cooperation with federal immigration agents under Trump’s policies.
With over one-third of its population being immigrants, Los Angeles has become a flashpoint in the battle against Trump’s anti-immigration agenda, which began with his campaign promise to deport millions.
Tensions in the city escalated earlier this month after an increase in workplace immigration raids, sparking mass protests downtown. The situation further intensified when Trump overrode California Governor Gavin Newsom and ordered the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to the area.
7 in 10 mexicans born poor stay poor, new report finds
Spain hits record 46°C in June amid scorching heatwave
Trump administration sues Los Angeles over sanctuary city policies
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
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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