International

Left-wing leader Hugo Blanco bid farewell in Cusco, Peru

Photo: @jcborda

July 10 |

“This Democracy is no longer Democracy, Dina Murders the People Repudiates You,” was one of the slogans heard during the burial of peasant leader Hugo Blanco in the Cemetery of La Almudena, in the city of Cusco, in southern Peru.

From the main square of Cusco began the farewell tour of the remains of the union leader of peasant organizations in that region, former constituent assemblyman, former deputy and senator.
The citizens of Cusco, social organizations and close relatives bid farewell to the leader Hugo Blanco.

During the tour to the cemetery, the population waved the historical slogan “Land or death, we will win”, and also protested against the regime by chanting “Dina Asesina, the people repudiate you”.

According to his relatives, the former deputy died last June 25 at the age of 88 in Stockholm, while he was in a hospital where he was being treated for a tumor in his head.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Several Peruvian political figures expressed their deepest condolences through their Twitter accounts.

The remains of Hugo Blanco arrived in Cusco from Sweden this Saturday, July 8, so that dozens of people, among friends and relatives, could say their last goodbye to the late leftist leader.

Blanco’s body was taken to the university auditorium of the National University of San Antonio Abad del Cusco.

Born in Cuzco, Peru, in November 1934, Hugo Blanco was dedicated from a very young age to the struggle for political change in his country, for the rights of indigenous peoples and for the defense of the environment.

He joined the Argentine Trotskyist movement when he was in that country at the age of 20, and on his return to Peru he joined the Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores (Revolutionary Workers’ Party).

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

He was one of the great leaders of the Peruvian peasant struggle, as an organizer and trade unionist, creating various popular structures.

He led the Quechua revolt in the early 1960s for agrarian reform. He was arrested, with the accusation calling for the death penalty and ended up sentenced to 25 years in prison, where he suffered torture, carried out fourteen hunger strikes and was the object of an international solidarity campaign.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”