International

Candidate for Ecuador’s National Assembly assassinated

Photo: Política Hoy

July 17 |

The Ecuadorian police confirmed Monday the murder of Rider Sanchez Valencia, candidate for assemblyman for the Quinindé canton, in Esmeraldas.

The crime occurred around 22H00 local time on Sunday, after Sanchez was leaving a political meeting and heading home.

According to preliminary information, a man intercepted the candidate in La Unión parish, in Quinindé, and shot him three times.

Health sources informed that Sanchez Valencia was taken alive to a hospital, but he did not resist.

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Sánchez Valencia was seeking to reach the Parliament sponsored by the political alliance Actuemos, formed by the Suma and Avanza parties, which supports candidate Otto Sonnenholzner, former vice-president of Lenín Moreno.

Presidential hopeful Otto Sonnenholzner rejected the murder of Rider Sanchez, candidate for assemblyman for the province of Esmeraldas.

“One day after another we are plagued by violence. We are in shock at the murder of Rider Sanchez, our candidate in the province of Esmeraldas. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. We have a commitment: we will end this plague,” Sonnenholzner posted on his Twitter account.

On May 17, President Guillermo Lasso decreed the so-called “cross death” or dissolution of the Assembly in order to subsequently call for elections, a power granted by the Constitution to Ecuador’s president within the first three years of his government.

Subsequently, the Ecuadorian Electoral Council officially called for early presidential and legislative elections for next August 20.

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International

Florida judge sets 2027 trial in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against BBC

A federal judge in Florida has scheduled February 2027 for the trial in the lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump against the BBC, in which he is seeking $10 billion in damages for defamation.

Trump accuses the British broadcaster of airing a misleading edit of a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021, which, he says, made it appear that he explicitly urged his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

The president filed the suit in December in federal court in Florida, alleging defamation and violations of a law governing business practices when the program was broadcast ahead of the 2024 election.

Trump is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the two claims.

Lawyers for the BBC unsuccessfully asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Trump had not suffered a “legally recognizable harm,” since the investigative program Panorama, which included the edited footage, aired outside the United States.

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International

Head-of-state diplomacy key to guiding China–U.S. ties, Beijing says

Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China–United States relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday during a regular press briefing, when asked about high-level exchanges between the two sides.

Lin added that in a recent phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump once again expressed his intention to visit China in April, while Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his invitation.

Both sides remain in communication regarding the matter, the spokesperson said.

Lin noted that the essence of China–U.S. economic and trade ties lies in mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

“Both parties should work together to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, injecting greater certainty and stability into China–U.S. economic and trade cooperation, as well as into the global economy,” he said.

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International

Trump administration to end special immigration operation in Minnesota

The administration of Donald Trump is bringing to a close its special operation targeting illegal immigration in the northern state of Minnesota, border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday, following weeks of unrest and the fatal shootings of two activists by federal agents.

Thousands of federal officers had been deployed to Minnesota in December to carry out large-scale raids against undocumented immigrants.

The operations triggered strong reactions from residents and advocacy groups, leading to daily confrontations and the deaths of two people who were shot by federal agents.

“I proposed, and President Trump agreed, that this special operation should end in Minnesota,” Homan said during a press conference in the state capital, Minneapolis.

“A significant drawdown began this week and will continue into next week,” he added.

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Homan indicated that similar enforcement efforts could be launched in other cities.

“Next week we will redeploy the agents currently here back to their home stations or to other parts of the country where they are needed. But we will continue to enforce immigration laws,” he said.