International
UN expresses concern over rising violence in Ecuador
July 28 |
The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed his “concern” the day before due to the recent increase in violence in Ecuador, mainly related to disputes between gangs for the control of drug trafficking.
In a statement, Türk acknowledged the challenges faced by Ecuadorian society and authorities in dealing with the wave of violence; however, he also asked that the states of emergency declared to deal with it respect the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality.
In this sense, the UN official recalled: “Emergency measures, including the use of the armed forces in public security tasks, may be applied, but must be limited in time and exceptional”.
He also urged a comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system, including prisons, after the last massacre in which 31 inmates died in the Penitenciaría del Litoral (Guayas province) and riots in other prisons of the South American country.
In this way, Türk expressed his “great concern” for the violence in prisons and cities, as well as warned of the continuous deterioration of the Ecuadorian penitentiary system.
He also called on the Government to apply the policy of social rehabilitation of incarcerated persons, issued in 2022 and developed with the technical support of the UN Office for Human Rights.
It also expressed its concern about the “worrying setback” in the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and recalled that, according to international standards, these communities must be consulted and not repressed about the use of their lands for mining projects or activities.
In Ecuador, on July 23, the mayor of the coastal city of Manta, Agustín Intriago, was murdered, and other public figures, political candidates and journalists have been attacked. In addition, in recent weeks there have been confrontations due to the enactment, on May 31, of the Executive Decree that allows companies to start mining operations without prior, free and informed consultation with the indigenous communities.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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