International
Electoral process underway in Argentina for October’s general elections
April 13 |
Argentina will start its electoral calendar on August 12 with political party primaries for the general elections of October 22, where the president of the Republic, the mayor of Buenos Aires and 21 governors will be elected.
In addition, 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 senators, mayors, legislators and municipal councilors will also be renewed. An election that may totally change the political map of the country and its projection towards foreign relations.
In the midst of strong controversies and cross declarations, the candidates are presenting their proposals and a very close election is expected in the midst of a deep economic and insecurity crisis with the increase of delinquency and crimes.
Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, mayor of Buenos Aires and presidential candidate for Juntos por el Cambio, says it is difficult to fight against the population’s distrust.
“We have to fight against people’s disenchantment, because when you have 100 % inflation, when people are afraid to go out in the street because of insecurity, when you have 40 % poverty, there is a weariness with the whole system”, he stated.
Economist Javier Milei, presidential candidate for Avanza Libertad, is the great surprise of the election, and manages to unite from the Republican Party those who are angry with politics as well as independents.
“Let the people choose what system they want, it’s all the same to me. I feel (that) in the second round I beat everybody, let them cheat as much as they want. I don’t care. I am against the political caste. Guys who make politics and do bad things to the people”, said Milei.
From Peronism emerges a candidate with a lot of political experience, Daniel Scioli, current ambassador in Brazil and presidential candidate for Frente para la Victoria.
“I hope that the Argentine people take advantage of this possibility, because what is again under discussion is the shock of adjustment or productive investment, and I believe that from there comes the solution”, proposed Scioli.
There is also a woman of character and with a tough discourse that seeks to gain followers. She is Patricia Bullrich, former Minister of Security and candidate of Propuesta Republicana (PRO), a center-right alliance founded by former President Mauricio Macri.
She says that “the big mistake is to have duplicated the State and there are more poor people because they are maintained by the private country. There are more and more taxes, companies are leaving the country, they attack those who produce and we are poorer and poorer”.
However, in spite of the problems facing the country, President Alberto Fernandez is seeking re-election and told Spanish television.
“If there is something that happens to us Peronists is that we never give up, they killed us a thousand times, they persecuted us, they disappeared us, they overthrew us again and again, we do not know how to give up”.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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