International

Community leader murdered in Medellin, Colombia

Photo: Blue radio

September 4 |

Juan Valencia Hinestrasa, a recognized leader who served as president of the Community Action Board of the Villatina – La Esperanza neighborhood, in Colombia, was killed with a knife, in the middle of an altercation with another subject, reported the Institute of Studies for Development and Peace ( Indepaz).

According to local media reports, the events took place at around 10:00 am (local time) last Saturday, in a house located on Carrera 13 and Calle 55.

Hinestrasa, 65 years old, went to the place accompanied by his son. In this space, they had an argument with Juan David Silgado Baena, 19 years old, to whom they were renting the apartment. He pulled out a knife and wounded both father and son.

Minutes after the attack, several people attacked Silgado with firearms and knives. In total, he had 6 bullet wounds and 3 stab wounds. The identity of those responsible for the murder is still unknown.

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According to Indepaz, the Ombudsman’s Office has issued circulars AT 032/20 and AT 019/23, documents in which it denounces that there has been evidence of the permanence of risk in the area against social fighters, with a tendency to exacerbate it.

The entity indicates that it arises “as a consequence of the persistence of the actions of armed groups, allegedly responsible for threats and other serious violations against black communities, human rights defenders and social leaders”.

With the murder of Hinestrasa, there are 17 homicides of adults over 60 years old in the city of Medellín so far in 2023. In this same locality, previously, the lives of Diego Augusto Gutiérrez Hernández, 73 years old, and Rogelio Antonio Pareja Marulanda, 72 years old, were killed.

International

White House says Cuba policy unchanged despite sanctioned fuel shipment

The White House said Monday that it has not changed its policy toward Cuba, despite allowing a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to the island on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. officials emphasized that the decision was made as an exception and does not signal a broader shift in policy.

The administration added that similar decisions would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on humanitarian considerations.

The clarification comes amid ongoing restrictions related to U.S. sanctions policy, which continue to limit trade and financial flows involving Cuba.

International

Spain to grant citizenship to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López

The Spanish government is expected to grant citizenship this Tuesday to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lópezthrough an extraordinary procedure known as “carta de naturaleza.”

The decision will be approved by royal decree, an exceptional legal mechanism used in special cases that require expedited resolution due to specific circumstances.

López has been living in Madrid since 2020, after leaving Venezuela following a prolonged political and legal conflict with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

According to government sources, López currently does not have a valid Venezuelan passport and faces difficulties in having his nationality fully recognized in his home country.

As a result, he applied for Spanish citizenship via a fast-track process at the end of 2025, after previously attempting to obtain it through regular procedures.

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The Spanish government justified the move based on López’s international relevance and foreign policy considerations.

López is the leader of the Voluntad Popular party and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, an initiative launched in 2022 alongside figures such as Garry Kasparov and Masih Alinejad.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.