International

Strong explosion recorded at Ubinas volcano in Peru

Photo: Andina

July 4 |

Peru’s Ubinas volcano recorded this Tuesday an explosion of a height of 5,500 meters above the base of the crater, which is the first since 2019, while authorities announced that they will soon declare an emergency in the region of Moquegua.

The Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (Ingemmet) reported that the explosion occurred at 03H17 (local time), meanwhile, noted that the volcano presents internal activity associated with the movement of fluids and fracturing.

The entity pointed out that the ash expelled is advancing towards the south and southwest, which will affect the localities of Querapi, Ubinas, Sacohaya, Anascapa, San Miguel, Tonohaya, Huatahua, Huarina, Escacha and Matalaque, belonging to the Ubinas valley.

For his part, the Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, confirmed to the national media that “an emergency will be declared in these days in order to take the necessary measures for prevention”.

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In this sense, the premier pointed out that around the volcano there are about 2,000 people living in the vicinity of the volcano while he emphasized that they are receiving masks to minimize the effects on their health.

“I believe that we can take care of the health of these people through these preventive measures (…) We are taking care of these phenomena and we are always coordinating in an assertive way with all the institutions to face them”, he emphasized.

The Ubinas valley, located in the southern region of Peru, integrates seven volcanoes located in a volcanic strip that reaches the north of Chile.

International

White House says Cuba policy unchanged despite sanctioned fuel shipment

The White House said Monday that it has not changed its policy toward Cuba, despite allowing a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to the island on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. officials emphasized that the decision was made as an exception and does not signal a broader shift in policy.

The administration added that similar decisions would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on humanitarian considerations.

The clarification comes amid ongoing restrictions related to U.S. sanctions policy, which continue to limit trade and financial flows involving Cuba.

International

Spain to grant citizenship to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López

The Spanish government is expected to grant citizenship this Tuesday to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lópezthrough an extraordinary procedure known as “carta de naturaleza.”

The decision will be approved by royal decree, an exceptional legal mechanism used in special cases that require expedited resolution due to specific circumstances.

López has been living in Madrid since 2020, after leaving Venezuela following a prolonged political and legal conflict with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

According to government sources, López currently does not have a valid Venezuelan passport and faces difficulties in having his nationality fully recognized in his home country.

As a result, he applied for Spanish citizenship via a fast-track process at the end of 2025, after previously attempting to obtain it through regular procedures.

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The Spanish government justified the move based on López’s international relevance and foreign policy considerations.

López is the leader of the Voluntad Popular party and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, an initiative launched in 2022 alongside figures such as Garry Kasparov and Masih Alinejad.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.