International

Hundreds of elderly abandoned in Ecuador as families migrate abroad

Approximately 400 elderly individuals in Ecuador are surviving with the help of neighbors and the solidarity of local authorities in the Andean province of Chimborazo after being abandoned by their families when they migrated abroad.

The phenomenon of migration, common in the area, has evolved, as previously it was only one family member – usually the head of the household – who would migrate and send remittances, but now entire families are leaving in search of better living conditions abroad.

Hermel Tayupanda Cuvi, the prefect of Chimborazo, told EFE that many people, especially from the municipalities of Alausí, Chunchi, Guamote, Colta, and Riobamba, are migrating to North America, leaving with their respective children or spouses.

“There are no longer voters,” he said, noting that while Colta’s voter registry lists 45,000 voters, only about 30,000 actually turn out to vote: “the remaining 15,000 have not passed away but are no longer here.”

Although remittances are not flowing as they did before, according to the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE), in the second quarter of 2023, Chimborazo received $51.88 million in remittances, marking a 16.28% increase from the first quarter of 2023 and a 42.79% increase compared to the same period in 2022.

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With 62.75%, Riobamba, the provincial capital, accounted for the majority of remittance inflows, with the remainder distributed among Alausí, Chunchi, Guamote, Pallatanga, Cumandá, and other cities.

Solidarity

Tayupanda emphasized that with the decline in remittance money, “only the elderly remain, the very elderly parents.”

“And here, we have to do a small fundraiser. We also have small projects to take food, home visits, and phone calls to children to send money because the elderly are being left abandoned, without the care of their children,” he warned.

The prefect estimated that relatives of between 2,000 and 3,000 elderly individuals transfer money to taxi drivers to purchase groceries and deliver them to their homes.

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Additionally, these elderly individuals care for their sheep and guinea pigs during the week and sell them at the market on weekends or send someone to do so.

“But there are a few who are completely abandoned, whose children do not return, perhaps there are about 300 or 400 people,” Tayupanda estimated, noting that the community helps them.

Furthermore, the Prefecture is seeking ways to support them. “We have gone to deliver any kind of food purchases with our own funds. What we earn as directors and coordinators, we contribute in some way, a little salary from the year, from our own pocket, and we create a common fund to go and deliver these food items to the elderly,” the prefect said.

Patronage and Ministries in Ecuador

Through the Patronage, the elderly receive medical attention in the communities, said Tayupanda, within the framework of a visit by diplomats from European countries, led by the Ambassador of the European Union (EU), Charles-Michel Geurts, to Chimborazo to analyze, in the area, possibilities of assistance in different areas.

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“As there are 1,800 communities in the province of Chimborazo, it is impossible to reach everyone,” Tayupanda acknowledged, noting that they also receive support from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economic and Social Inclusion (MIES).

Most of the completely abandoned elderly are in Colta, Guamote, Alausí, Chunchi, and “they have already started to increase here in Riobamba, Guano… the young people are no longer seeking the countryside, they are more looking for the city,” he added.

Precisely, the mayor of Alausí, Remigio Roldán, told EFE that from his municipality, “complete families have left” for the United States and Spain “because the governments have not addressed solving problems.”

“The children have emigrated to the United States, generally, and the parents, the elderly, have been left alone at home,” he noted, explaining that with the MIES, he has a gerontology center, and they also visit homes and develop social projects for the elderly.

“Many have forgotten about their parents, the elderly,” he lamented, noting that there are around 200 elderly individuals “completely alone” in his municipality, and neighbors help them as much as they can and collect donations to provide clothing and food.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.