International
Canada flies military aircraft over Haiti to help fight gangs
February 6th |
The Canadian government said Sunday it deployed a military aircraft over Haiti to address what it called an “extreme security situation” and to support efforts to disrupt Haitian gang activities.
Canada explained in a statement that it is supporting the Haitian National Police and deployed a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft in response to Haiti’s request for support as violence continues to escalate in the country.
Haitian gangs have expanded their territory since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The resulting violence has left much of the country off limits to the government and has led to routine shootouts with police.
Haiti is expected to be on the agenda for U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Canada next month.
The Canadian patrol aircraft will provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to strengthen efforts to establish and maintain peace, and will remain in the region “for several days,” the Canadian government said.
In October, the UN suggested sending a “rapid action force” to Haiti to combat escalating violence by armed gangs, whose turf battles have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
However, many have expressed skepticism, citing abuses from previous missions and questioning whether a force would back Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s government, which has been without democratically elected representatives since early January.
Most countries have been reluctant to send troops, although nearby Jamaica said it would be willing to participate and El Salvador offered “technical assistance.”
About seven out of 10 Haitians support the proposal to create an international force to help the national police combat armed gang violence, according to a January poll.
International
Trump says GOP ‘learned a lot’ after democratic election wins
U.S. President Donald Trump said that he and the Republican Party “learned a lot” from the Democratic victories in Tuesday’s state and local elections. He also compared Democrats to “kamikaze pilots” over the ongoing budget standoff.
Speaking at an event with Republican senators on Wednesday, Trump described the results as an unexpected setback.
“These were very Democratic areas, but I don’t think it was good for Republicans. In fact, I don’t think it was good for anyone. But we had an interesting night and we learned a lot,” he said during remarks broadcast by the White House.
Trump agreed with pollsters that two key factors led to Republican losses in New York’s mayoral race and the gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia.
International
Bolivia’s Jeanine Áñez freed after Supreme Court annuls her conviction
Former Bolivian interim president Jeanine Áñez was released from a women’s prison in La Paz on Thursday, where she had spent more than four and a half years for an alleged coup, after her conviction was annulled, AFP journalists confirmed.
Dozens of supporters and family members gathered outside the facility to celebrate her release. Áñez left the prison waving a Bolivian flag around 15:00 GMT.
“It is comforting to see that justice will once again prevail in Bolivia. She was the only woman who took on the role with bravery and courage,” said Lizeth Maure, a 46-year-old nurse who had come to show her support.
Áñez, a 58-year-old lawyer and conservative politician, governed Bolivia for nearly a year until November 2020, when she handed power to leftist leader Luis Arce.
She was arrested in 2021 and sentenced the following year to 10 years in prison for “resolutions contrary to the Constitution,” accused of illegally assuming the presidency after Evo Morales resigned in 2019 amid social unrest.
Her sentence was overturned on Wednesday by the Supreme Court of Justice, Bolivia’s highest judicial authority.
The court ruled that Áñez should have been subjected to a “trial of responsibilities” before Congress— a constitutional process reserved for sitting presidents, vice presidents, ministers, and top judges — rather than prosecuted in an ordinary criminal court.
As she was welcomed by relatives and supporters upon release, Áñez declared:
“I feel the satisfaction of having fulfilled my duty to my country, of never having bowed down. And I will never regret having served Bolivia when it needed me.”
International
Peru declares Mexico’s president Persona Non Grata over political asylum dispute
Peru’s Congress declared Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata on Thursday, accusing her of “unacceptable interference in internal affairs” after granting political asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez.
The motion, introduced by right-wing parties, passed with 63 votes in favor, 33 against, and two abstentions. Lawmakers argue that Sheinbaum has maintained a hostile stance toward Peru since taking office.
Peru severed diplomatic relations with Mexico on Monday following the asylum decision. Chávez, who is facing charges for her alleged involvement in former President Pedro Castillo’s failed coup attempt in December 2022, remains under protection at the Mexican embassy residence in Lima.
Following the diplomatic break, interim President José Jerí said on X that Mexico’s chargé d’affaires in Peru, Karla Ornela, has been notified by the foreign ministry that she must leave the country within a strict deadline.
The Mexican government condemned Lima’s decision as “excessive and disproportionate,” asserting that offering asylum to Chávez is a legitimate act grounded in international law and does not constitute interference in Peru’s domestic matters.
Trump says GOP ‘learned a lot’ after democratic election wins
Bolivia’s Jeanine Áñez freed after Supreme Court annuls her conviction
Peru declares Mexico’s president Persona Non Grata over political asylum dispute
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
-
International3 days agoShootout in Sinaloa leaves 13 gunmen dead as authorities rescue kidnapping victims
-
International5 days agoAt least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
-
International4 days agoU.S. uses $4.65 billion in emergency funds to sustain SNAP benefits amid shutdown
-
International4 days agoFour suspected PCC members killed in Police shootout in Florianópolis
-
International3 days agoSheinbaum maintains 70% approval despite growing discontent in Mexico
-
International2 days agoDeadly fire in bosnian nursing home leaves 11 dead and dozens injured
-
International2 days agoProtests persist in Uruapan after mayor’s assassination as citizens demand justice
-
International5 days agoU.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
-
International3 days agoTrump alleges “massive fraud” in California redistricting vote without evidence
-
International3 days agoFormer U.S. vice president Dick Cheney dies at 84
-
International2 days agoSexual assault attempt on Mexico’s president sparks outrage in historic center
-
International18 hours agoTrump says GOP ‘learned a lot’ after democratic election wins
-
International2 days agoLongest government shutdown in U.S. history deepens airport and aid crisis
-
International18 hours ago
Peru declares Mexico’s president Persona Non Grata over political asylum dispute
-
International18 hours agoBolivia’s Jeanine Áñez freed after Supreme Court annuls her conviction