International
What should you know about the elections in Ecuador?
August 18|
Eight are the candidates of the alliances and political groups that will be facing each other in the upcoming elections in Ecuador scheduled for Sunday, August 20.
In the midst of the most violent electoral campaign in the history of that South American nation, next Sunday will be defined president, vice president, members of the National Assembly and regional and local leaders at national level.
Construye, one of the most mediatic groups after the assassination of its candidate for president, Fernando Villavicencio, ended up formulating its dupla after the atrocious fact by Christian Zurita and Andrea González for vice-president.
Likewise, the conservative side will be represented by the National Democratic Action (ADN) alliance, with Daniel Noboa for president and Veronica Abad, for vice-president.
The group leading the “hard hand” initiative to solve the security problems in Ecuador is headed by the alliance For a country without fear with Jan Topic, for president and Diana Jácome for vice-president.
In this same line of frontal and direct attack against violence and drug trafficking is the Actuemos alliance formed by the binomial of Otto Sonnenholzner and Erika Paredes.
On the other hand, the center-right Movimiento Amigo will be represented by the duo of Bolívar Armijos for head of state and Linda Romero, for vice-president.
Xavier Hervas and Luz Marina Vega are the two members of the center-right Total Renovation Movement (RETO).
Formed by the coalition between Unidad Popular, Partido Socialista Ecuatoriano, and Democracia Sí; the Claro que se puede alliance will be led by Yaku Pérez who came third in the 2021 elections representing Pachakutik and Nory Pinela.
Finally, the duo of Revolución Ciudadana, integrated by Luisa Gonzales and former presidential candidate, this time as vice-presidential candidate, Andres Arauz.
Polls published before August 10 placed this last duo as the favorite with more than 30 percent of the vote intention.
However, the surveys also revealed that the level of indecision is still high and it is not possible to give a clear favorite for these difficult elections.
On the other hand, the new National Assembly will have to position itself at the end of October.
This Thursday began the early elections for the 4,756 citizens enabled to exercise their right to vote, in 39 Social Rehabilitation Centers for which 62 Receiving Boards were enabled in 20 provinces.
For Sunday, the National Electoral Council informed that the timetable for voting within the country is between 7H00 and 17H00 (local time).
International
U.S. and Mexico Reach Deal to Address Water Deficit Under 1944 Treaty
The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement to comply with current water obligations affecting U.S. farmers and ranchers and for Mexico to cover its water deficit to Texas under the 1944 Water Treaty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.
The department уточified that the agreement applies to both the current cycle and the water deficit from the previous cycle.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Mexico of failing to comply with the water-sharing treaty between the two countries, which requires the United States to deliver 1.85 billion cubic meters of water from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply 432 million cubic meters from the Rio Grande.
Mexico is behind on its commitments. According to Washington, the country has accumulated a deficit of more than one billion cubic meters of water over the past five years.
“This violation is severely harming our beautiful crops and our livestock in Texas,” Trump wrote on Monday.
The Department of Agriculture said on Friday that Mexico had agreed to supply 250 million cubic meters of water starting next week and to work toward closing the shortfall.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, quoted in the statement, said Mexico delivered more water in a single year than it had over the previous four years combined.
Trump has said that if Mexico continues to fall short of its obligations, the United States reserves the right to impose 5% tariffs on imported Mexican products.
Mexico’s Deputy Foreign Minister for North America, Roberto Velasco, said that a severe drought in 2022 and 2023prevented the country from meeting its commitments.
International
Several people shot in attack on Brown University campus
Several people were shot on Saturday in an attack on the campus of Brown University, in the northeastern United States, local police reported.
“Shelter in place and avoid the area until further notice,” the Providence Police Department urged in a post on X. Brown University is located in Providence, the capital of the state of Rhode Island.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he had been briefed on the situation and that the FBI was on the scene.
At 5:52 p.m. local time (11:52 p.m. GMT), Brown University said the situation was still “ongoing” and instructed students to remain sheltered until further notice.
After initially stating that the suspect had been taken into custody, Trump later posted a second message clarifying that local police had walked back that information. “The suspect has NOT been apprehended,” the U.S. president said.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
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