International
Petro opens an unexpected debate in Colombia with his proposal for a constituent assembly
An unexpected debate on the Constitution opened in Colombia with the proposal of President Gustavo Petro to convene a national constituent assembly in the face of the difficulty of getting Congress to approve its reforms.
This was recognized this Saturday by the president himself on the social network X where he referred to the proposal he presented on Friday in Cali (southwest), which has been criticized by politicians of all currents, including some who supported him in the presidential elections of 2022.
“The proposal of the Constituent Assembly will unleash a national debate. It’s good that it is so,” said the president when sharing the speech in which he made the controversial announcement, described as a “globe” of distraction by various sectors because Petro’s legislative and popular support is diminishing.
According to former left-wing senator Jorge Robledo, Petro’s idea of a constituent only seeks to distract “because he does not have enough votes to approve it in Congress or to approve it among the citizens.”
“That he mentions it, rather than proving his political strength in Colombia, what he demonstrates is his weakness,” Robledo said in X, and assured that Petro’s maneuver is a sign of “despair.”
On Friday, at an event in Puerto Resistencia, a sector of Cali that was the epicenter of the 2021 social protests, Petro argued that the constituent national assembly is necessary if the institutions that the country has “are not able to live up to the reforms” proposed by his Government and that are bogged down in Congress.
The protests were the starting point of the nonconformity that led Petro to win the 2022 elections and in them, the protesters, mostly young people, demanded profound social changes in the country, a flag that the current president took.
Petro’s statement has not been received by politicians, who consider it impertinent to change a Constitution that was promulgated in 1991 and in the drafting of which the demobilized of the M-19 guerrillas, of which the current president was a part, participated, among others.
Senator Humberto de la Calle, a member of the Esperanza Center Coalition and who was the only representative of the Executive in the National Constituent Assembly of 1991, described the president’s argument as “weak.”
“The cause that the president alleges to convene a constituent is the impossibility of complying with the Constitution, according to his own saying (…) If it were true, it is not the Constitution that must be changed but the way of governing,” the congressman added in a statement.
De la Calle recalled that to approve a constituent, a bill is required, which must go through a Congress in which Petro no longer has majorities, and “two calls to the people,” first to say if he wants a constitutional reform and, if so, to approve any changes.
The president was reminded on social networks of a campaign promise he made in 2018 when he allied himself with a faction of the Green Alliance party – led by the former mayors of Bogotá Antanas Mockus and Claudia López – not to convene a constituent.
In the photo, today’s president appears carrying a marble plaque in which he signed a decalogue of commitments in case he wins the elections, which he ended up losing with the Uribe Iván Duque.
The second point said: “I will not convene a constituent assembly.”
Claudia López, who was mayor of Bogotá between 2020 and 2023, said in X: “Gustavo Petro deceived Colombia, ended his incapable government, and decided to devote himself to chaos, the distribution of subsidies and polarization. Serenity and firmness Colombia. In democracy we will protect the Constitution of ’91, which was the result of a national and citizen agreement.”
“It does not have a majorities even to approve an ordinary Law, much less to convene a Constituent Assembly. He knows it, but he says it to sow chaos, division and polarization that are the tools with which he will maneuver the remaining period. Gustavo Petro doesn’t care about change, the people, the economy, security, or the country. The only thing that matters to him is to feed his vain megalomania,” he added.
Analyst León Valencia, director of the Peace & Reconciliation Foundation (Pares), assured that he understands “Petro’s frustration” because “social reforms, as necessary as they are urgent, do not advance” and “the resistance of the traditional elites is enormous.”
However, he considered that “perhaps the environment is not there to embark on a constituent process.”
“The best thing is to go to the presidential faculties to make the possible changes through decrees and directives and concentrate efforts on executing the approved development plan and advancing peace with the ELN (National Liberation Army),” Valencia added.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
International
Three salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
Three Salvadoran residents living in Orlando, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and wire fraud involving a scheme exceeding $146 million in the construction industry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The sentence was handed down by federal judge Timothy J. Corrigan on Tuesday, July 29.
Eduardo Aníbal Escobar (45) was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, Carlos Alberto Rodríguez (36) to 3 years and 4 months, and Adelmy Tejada (57) to 18 months in prison, followed by 6 months of house arrest. All three pled guilty on April 3, 2025.
In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered restitution payments totaling $36,957,616 to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes, and $397,895 to two insurers for workers’ compensation claims related to the scheme.
Escobar and Rodríguez are permanent legal residents originally from El Salvador, while Tejada is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Salvadoran origin.
International
Kremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
The Kremlin expressed relief that the earthquakes that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today —the first being the strongest since 1952— resulted in no casualties, and emphasized that the region is well prepared to face such natural disasters.
“Thank God, there were no victims,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during his daily press briefing.
The presidential representative stated that “all alert systems were activated in time, and evacuations were organized for residents in areas requiring it in response to tsunami threats.”
“Overall, the seismic resilience of the buildings proved effective (…) Therefore, we can say that the technological preparedness demonstrated a high level,” Peskov added.
Honduras sees ongoing killings of land defenders and attacks on press, warns NGO
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
Daniel Ortega’s last historic sandinista ally detained in Managua
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America2 days agoCosta Rica issues Yellow Alert and halts water activities over tsunami currents
-
Central America2 days agoFuneral turns tragic as armed attack leaves seven dead in Guatemala City
-
Central America3 days agoPeru’s ambassador highlights “historic bonds” with El Salvador on Independence Day
-
International4 days agoFour dead, thousands flee as floodwaters ravage Northern China
-
International4 days agoMultiple fatalities reported in Nevada Resort shooting as Police detain gunman
-
International3 days agoU.S. and China push for extension of tariff truce after “constructive” talks in Sweden
-
International2 days agoThree salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
-
International2 days agoKremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
-
International3 days agoTrump administration opens civil rights probe into duke university over alleged bias
-
International4 days agoFive security guards killed in mass shooting at Bangkok Market
-
International3 days agoMedvedev warns Trump after new Ukraine ultimatum: ‘Russia is neither Israel nor Iran’
-
International4 days agoNetanyahu cites historic success against Iran as he pledges relentless Gaza campaign
-
International2 days agoU.S. launches ads urging undocumented migrants to self-deport via CBP Home App
-
International4 days agoZelensky praises Trump’s ‘clear stance’ on Russia as ultimatum deadline tightens
-
International3 days agoArgentina requests reentry into U.S. Visa Waiver Program during DHS chief’s visit
-
International4 days agoVatican reports $72M profit in 2024, boosted by real estate and investments
-
International4 days agoHepatitis D declared carcinogenic as WHO urges action to end global crisis
-
International4 days agoPeru’s president under fire as she promises crackdown on organized crime
-
International3 days agoPetro accuses Marco Rubio of undermining colombia’s sovereignty over Uribe comments
-
Central America1 day agoDaniel Ortega’s last historic sandinista ally detained in Managua
-
Central America1 day agoHonduras sees ongoing killings of land defenders and attacks on press, warns NGO
-
International1 day agoTrump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
-
Central America1 day agoGuatemala transfers top gang leaders to maximum security prison after funeral home massacre