International

Mexican agents find 415 migrants in Sonora state

Photo: EFE

September 26 |

Mexican authorities reported Monday that agents of the National Guard and the National Migration Institute (INM) patrolling the Aztec country’s border with the US have found 415 immigrants, including 67 minors, from 19 countries at various points in the state of Sonora in the last two weeks.

In a joint statement, both institutions highlighted that in the last 15 days border troops redoubled surveillance on the Hermosillo-Nogales highway in the municipality of Santa Ana, as well as in the arrivals halls of the Hermosillo International Airport.

The National Guard and the INM stated that the agents, who were carrying out security, surveillance and crime prevention tasks, searched several buses, passengers and cargo vehicles, as well as the air terminal lounges, where they located 308 men, 107 women and 67 minors.

The immigrants were citizens of various countries such as Albania, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Ghana, Guinea, Honduras, India, Mauritania, Nepal, Nicaragua, Senegal, Sri Lanka, El Congo and El Salvador, although no numbers were given for each nationality.

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As they did not have the documentation to prove their legal stay in Mexico, the foreigners were transferred to secure INM facilities where they received food and medical attention, as well as legal advice to legalize their status in the country.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) presented last Friday a report which showed that the variety of nationalities of migrants crossing Mexico to reach the U.S. is increasing, since after the Covid-19 pandemic a new migratory wave has been described in the region.

It was also reported that they are willing to pay between $6,000 and $12,000 to reach the U.S., often resorting to traffickers who profit from their desperation, which is why a call was made to create regular and safer routes for emigration in order to avoid the death of people.

Following the repeal of Title 42 of the U.S. immigration law, Mexico is experiencing an upturn in the flow of migrants, with hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing the country in multiple ways.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.