International

Bolivia rejects “interfering” US statements

March 13 |

Representatives of Bolivian social movements support today on Twitter the public rejection by the Minister of Hydrocarbons and Energy, Franklin Molina, of the interfering statements made by the head of the U.S. Southern Command, Laura Richardson.

“We do not admit any interference, from any State in the world. Bolivia has a definition regarding the industrialization of natural resources, something we started to do since 2006”, assured Molina in an interview to the state channel Bolivia Tv.

Referring to four-star general Richardson’s statements before U.S. congressmen that “we have ignored our backyard”, Molina was categorical.

“There is no consultation here, neither to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), nor to the World Bank, nor to any northern country to develop our own destiny. Therefore, as a sovereign country, we have decided and we are sovereign to choose and work with the one that brings us the best conditions for the country”, he reaffirmed.

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He considered that the assertions of the military hierarch show little capacity for analysis and at the same time little respect for the countries of the lithium triangle (Argentina, Bolivia and Chile).

The minister added that these expressions denote not only desperation, but also a lack of global vision of what is happening in the world.

Last Wednesday Richardson said that China “expands its influence” in Latin America and the Caribbean and “manipulates” its governments through “predatory investment practices”.

He added that “this region is full of (natural) resources and I am concerned about the malign activity of our adversaries, who are taking advantage of it, pretending they are investing, when in reality (they) are extracting them.”

The representative in the region of the Pentagon high command highlighted that the so-called triangle accumulates 60 percent of the world’s lithium and negotiates with China, Russia and Iran, nations she described as adversaries that “are taking resources from these countries and their people.”

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Internet users from the Comité Impulsor de la Justicia en Bolivia praised the direct criticism expressed in a thread of three tweets by former President Evo Morales to those interfering views. “Latin America is not a colony of the United States,” wrote the former president and leader of the Movement Towards Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples.

Morales repudiated the threats of the general “who repeats his country’s predatory interest in the lithium triangle in Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, the water and oxygen of the Amazon and the gold of Venezuela”.

Warning that China is a strategic ally that offers cooperation without conditions, Morales pointed out that “Latin America will never again be the backyard of interventionism”.

International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.