Internacionales
22 cocaine manufacturing laboratories destroyed in Bolivia
October 23 |
Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, Jaime Mamani, announced on Friday the dismantling of 22 laboratories destined for the illicit manufacture of cocaine in the province of Chapare, department of Cochabamba.
According to Mamani, the destruction was carried out thanks to the execution of two operations by the Bolivian Army in less than 48 hours, on October 18 and 19.
“With the two operations that have been executed, on October 18 and 19, the patrimony of drug trafficking has been affected by 1,065,755 dollars”, he assured in a press conference, offered together with the director in that territory of the Special Force against Drug Trafficking (Felcn), Juan José Torrico.
The vice minister explained that the first operation, called Leopardo, took place on October 18 and 20 mobile cocaine paste factories were found, with a daily production capacity of up to 20 kilos.
The Colombian Rafael Ramirez Morales (52 years old), armed with a rifle, and Bolivian Ernesto Yucra Seña (46 years old) were arrested in this action.
Also destroyed were 48 tanks of 1,200 liters; 54 bags of cement; 240 gasoline cans of 60 liters; 719 jute bags; 20 hoses; 30 racks and 1,175 liters of rich water equivalent to 40 kilos 705 grams of cocaine; among other elements of artisanal manufacture.
The second operation, named Rinoceronte, took place on October 19 and two clandestine cocaine paste factories and two cocaine crystallization laboratories were found, and a minor and Evo Ramírez Méndez were arrested.
Also dismantled were eight 1,000-liter tanks; 200 liters of liquid cocaine equivalent to nine kilos; 28 packages of coca leaves; 18 drums with a capacity of 60 liters and eight bags of lime, among other products.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the drug produced in Bolivia is mainly destined for Europe, although at least 31 countries, including some in the region — such as Chile, Uruguay, Panama and Argentina — have reported receiving cocaine from Bolivia.
Internacionales
Francia Márquez says she has governed without guarantees in a racist, patriarchal system
Colombia’s Vice President Francia Márquez accused the government on Wednesday of perpetuating racism and patriarchy, adding that she has carried out her duties for nearly three years “without economic guarantees.”
“It hasn’t been easy to serve as vice president. It hasn’t been easy to govern a country with a racialized state and a government that practices racism and patriarchy,” Márquez said during the opening of the forum Promoting Economic Justice for Afro-descendant Peoples and Individuals in Cali, southwestern Colombia.
Her remarks follow her departure in February from her concurrent role as Minister of Equality, which underscored a growing rift between her and President Gustavo Petro. The split deepened after Márquez criticized Petro’s decision to appoint the controversial Armando Benedetti—now Interior Minister—as head of the presidential office.
At the time, Márquez warned in a letter that both her life and her family’s were at risk due to her public denunciations of corruption and her willingness to “call out what is wrong.”
A prominent social leader, Márquez has gained international recognition for her resilience and outspoken advocacy. Her powerful voice made her a political phenomenon and the breakout star of Colombia’s 2022 elections. Petro chose her as his running mate, making her the first Afro-Colombian woman to serve as vice president.
Márquez has become a symbol of hope, representation, and change for traditionally marginalized communities in Colombian society and politics.
Internacionales
“A great honor for our country”: Trump congratulates Pope Leo XIV
President Donald Trump congratulated Pope Leo XIV, the first-ever pope from the United States, in a message posted Thursday on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who has just been named pope. It is a tremendous honor to know he is the first American pope. What a thrill, and what a great honor for our country,” Trump wrote.
“I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a great moment!” he added.
Later, Trump spoke briefly to reporters outside the West Wing about the new pope, who hails from Chicago and also holds Peruvian nationality.
“What greater honor could there be? We’re a bit surprised but very happy,” Trump remarked.
When asked by a reporter whether he regretted posting an AI-generated image of himself dressed as pope — which he shared less than a week after attending Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome — Trump ignored the question.
Last week, he jokingly said he would like to succeed Pope Francis: “I’d like to be pope — that would be my number one choice,” he quipped.
During the conclave, the Republican politician had expressed certain preferences and hinted at support for a New York cardinal, presumably Timothy Dolan, whom he described as “very good.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a conservative Catholic, also reacted to the election of the new pontiff.
“The United States looks forward to deepening its enduring relationship with the Holy See under the first American pope,” Rubio said in a statement.
President Trump had a complicated relationship with the previous pope.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
China shows at the UN its “condemnation” of Israel for the “violation of Iran’s sovereignty”
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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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