International

The president of Mexico says that the authority “acts” after the murder of a girl and a lynching

The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said on Monday that “the authorities are acting” after the murder of the 8-year-old girl Camila Gómez Ortega and the lynching of one of her alleged aggressors in Taxco de Alarcón, municipality in the southern state of Guerrero.

“The corresponding investigation is being done, action is being taken, it has to do with the local authorities, and you want to have all the data to report well on this matter. Tomorrow the members of the security cabinet will be here and they are going to give a general report,” he said at his morning press conference.

The president referred to the kidnapping and subsequent murder of Camila last Wednesday in Taxco, where the inhabitants protested and lynched to the death of a woman, who was beaten along with two men, for pointing out that they were allegedly responsible for killing the girl.

The Attorney General’s Office (FGE) of Guerrero stated last Thursday that it was investigating the death of the minor as femicide and the death of the alleged perpetrator as a qualified homicide, in addition to reporting the arrest of the other two alleged involved.

The events caused commotion at the national level and aroused claims of justice from the candidate for the presidency of the opposition, Xóchitl Gálvez, and from the Catholic Church, who on Sunday asserted in an editorial that “this fact evidences several of the problems that have fractured the social fabric.”

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López Obrador now acknowledged that “this is a very unfortunate case, very sad for everyone, certainly more for family, friends and friends, and for Mexicans in general, because it has to do with the loss of human lives, of a girl and also of a lady.”

The president promised that on Tuesday there will be a report from his officials of Citizen Security, the Navy and the National Defense “about everything that happened since the girl left her house, when she was found, the arrest warrants, the acts of execution or lynching, and all the antecedents.”

“It will be seen if the intervention of the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic is necessary,” he said.

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.