International

Uruguayan government assures it will not modify water quality

Photo: Página12

July 6 |

The Uruguayan government said Wednesday that the quality of water in the provinces of Montevideo and Canelones will be maintained while the Ministry of Public Health denounces the high levels of chloride and sodium in the liquid dispensed.

“The quality of the water under the current conditions is not going to be modified,” said the Secretary of the Presidency, Alvaro Delgado, during a press conference from the Executive Tower in Montevideo.

“The maneuvers that have been made, the possibilities of working on the mixture and yesterday’s rain also contributed to this, he pointed out.

At the same time, he emphasized that the water is fit for human consumption and for the other essential situations of its use, especially, he reiterated, after the rains registered this Wednesday with which the water quality level can be assured.

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According to the sanitary authorities, the maximum permitted levels of chloride and sodium per liter are 720 and 440 milligrams, respectively, while the three pumping lines exceed the established levels.

Delgado also pointed out that the work on the San José river, which will supply the capital and Canelones, should be completed in a little more than two weeks as announced on June 19.

This Wednesday, the Uruguayan Parliament approved a Water Emergency Fund to face the drinking water shortage affecting more than two million people in the South American country, which has a population of 3.5 million inhabitants.

International

Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids

Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.

The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.

In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.

He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”

The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.

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The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.

International

Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win

Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.

“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.

In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”

International

Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains

Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.

“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”

Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.