International

Bolivian government declares war against illegal mining

Photo: @LaPublicaBO

July 18 |

Bolivia’s Minister of Health, María Renée Castro, in coordination with the Ministry of Mining and the Ministry of Environment and Water, presented on Monday a national plan with actions aimed at protecting the health of the population from the use of mercury in illegal mining.

The minister revealed that, as part of these actions, a Mercury and Health Plan was implemented, still in draft stage, designed in coordination with toxicology specialists of the Andean country, in addition to the help of representatives of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

“As a national government we have a very important task that has also been an instruction from our president (Luis Arce) which has been to work for the life and health of our population,” said Minister Castro.

In another moment of her speech, she stated that “In that sense, it also has to do with the issue of mercury and the effect it has on the health of our people, especially those who live near these places where there is mining exploitation”.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

Likewise, the Health Minister stated that the greatest contamination with mercury is that which is carried out through illegal mining. “That is why we are fighting against illegal mining, which has catastrophic effects on the population and the lives of our people, our environment and animals,” she emphasized.

The official stressed that unprotected interaction with mercury can cause negative effects on the development of children, pregnant women and the renal system of individuals who are in close proximity to illegal mining activities.

It also transpired that a Technical Guide for the Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment and Surveillance of Mercury Poisoning in Bolivia is being drafted, which will be revised in the next few days to be ready in August as expected.

The general objective of this Plan is to establish strategic lines for the orientation of health and medical assistance actions to achieve the reduction of the risks and harmful effects of mercury exposure in the Bolivian population.

Among its strategic lines are the evaluation and management of risk in the exposed population, the strengthening of the health system for the care of this population, risk communication, education, reduction, elimination and management of products with mercury and, finally, the management of the regulatory framework for chemical substances.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

According to Minister Castro, “an inter-ministerial round table will be established to analyze this important problem that today is affecting the health of our women, pregnant women, children in the womb, adults and is also strongly affecting our biodiversity,” she said.

Finally, he informed that in the next few days interventions will be undertaken in the departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz to gather information in more than 36 communities, to attend to their inhabitants with medical brigades specialized in the treatment of the ailments caused by mercury exposure.

International

Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027

Mexico and Guatemala agreed Tuesday on a 2027 Binational Plan built around five areas of cooperation, along with a schedule of meetings and initiatives aimed at making progress by the end of 2026 on security, border infrastructure, human mobility, development and technical and social cooperation.

The agreement was announced by the foreign ministers of both countries following a meeting in Mexico City.

Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the plan will establish the “direction and priorities” of bilateral relations for next year. His Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, said the meeting allowed both governments to make decisions, schedule activities and revitalize bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Security and border infrastructure

In the area of security, the two governments have nearly completed negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding for the Mexico-Guatemala High-Level Security Group (Ganseg), which was reactivated in 2025.

The countries expect to sign the agreement in the coming months to strengthen coordination and their ability to respond to shared security threats.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

Regarding their nearly 1,000-kilometer shared border, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to advance infrastructure improvements at border crossings and continue work on a joint cargo clearance program between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tecún Umán, two border areas separated by the Suchiate River.

The measures are intended to facilitate bilateral trade while making cross-border exchanges safer and more efficient.

The two governments will also continue defining a route toward a railway connection between their countries through Line K of Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), with the aim of strengthening economic and community ties.

Migration and development

On human mobility, Mexico and Guatemala will maintain coordination to ensure safe, orderly and dignified returns, while strengthening protection for people in transit.

The bilateral agenda also includes a second phase of the Sembrando Vida program in Guatemala, which is expected to benefit 10,000 people across 15 departments.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

Both countries will also advance initiatives under Juntos para el Bienestar, as well as six technical, scientific and energy cooperation projects approved by the Joint Commission.

The agreements seek to strengthen bilateral ties and establish concrete priorities for cooperation between Mexico and Guatemala during 2027.

International

France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced Tuesday, August 18, 2026, that France will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to what Paris described as an attack on two French representatives in Iran last month.

“Two French diplomats were scandalously and deliberately assaulted on July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days,” Barrot said in a message posted on X.

The two Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and will be required to leave France within the coming days, according to the French foreign minister.

About a month ago, Barrot said that two members of the French diplomatic staff had been detained by Iranian security forces for several hours. One of them was also subjected to harassment, he said.

The French government described the incident as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” that violated diplomatic immunity.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

The two French embassy staff members were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, particularly initiatives involving artists and researchers.

Iran has denied France’s allegations regarding the incident. The diplomatic dispute comes amid already strained relations between Paris and Tehran.

International

Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C

36 deaths reported due to heat wave in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

More than 70 million people remained under heat alerts Monday as an intense heat wave continued across the southern United States, particularly Florida and states along the Mexican border, where temperatures and heat indexes could reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Several cities recorded or tied temperature records over the weekend and into Monday, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Laredo, Borger and Austin’s airport in Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.

The NWS warned that the heat wave will continue affecting the southern and southeastern United States, with maximum temperatures expected to remain near 38°C to 40°C for several days. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to estimate how hot conditions feel, could reach 46°C.

The extreme heat is also spreading into the Southwest, where temperatures began rising again between Monday and Tuesday. Forecast highs in the region range from about 38°C to 43°C.

Heat alerts remain in effect across Nevada, Arizona and California, including areas in southern Arizona and California near the Mexican border, as authorities warn of the risks posed by prolonged extreme temperatures.

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

The NWS urged residents to limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, ensure access to air conditioning or cooling centers, and check on vulnerable friends, neighbors and family members.

The United States is experiencing a summer marked by above-average temperatures and repeated heat waves. One of the most intense episodes occurred during the July 4 weekend, when extreme heat was blamed for roughly 30 deaths.

July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States since measurements began, with the average temperature across the contiguous country approaching 25°C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The combination of extreme heat and drought conditions has also fueled wildfires. Nearly 3 million hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, making it the largest area affected by wildfires in a decade.