International
Stoltenberg asks the allies to prioritize the shipment of weapons to Ukraine over self-defense
The secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, on Wednesday asked the allied countries to give priority to the sending of weapons to Ukraine to defend themselves from Russia, in the face of the need to meet the reserve objectives of the Alliance for Self-Defense.
“If the allies face having to choose between meeting NATO’s capacity objectives and providing more help to Ukraine, my message is clear: send more to Ukraine,” Stoltenberg stressed during a press conference after meeting with the leaders of the Netherlands, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Stoltenberg also confirmed that on Friday the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council requested by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, will take place, in which the president and the allied defense ministers will participate to “address the most urgent needs for support for Ukraine” and, in particular, for air defense and artillery ammunition.
The Norwegian politician made it clear that, as secretary general of NATO, it is “important that all allies achieve and meet the capacity objectives.”
“But I have realized that, at least in the short term, there can be a conflict between meeting all the objectives and supplying what Ukraine needs now, and that is why I have made it clear that if the only way to support Ukraine is to stay below NATO’s capacity objectives, that’s what needs to be done,” he stressed.
At the same time, he pointed out the importance of increasing production to replenish stocks in the Allied arsenals.
Stoltenberg met today with the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala; of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, to talk about how to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine, “because the situation on the battlefield is still very difficult.”
He stressed that Denmark has announced a new and important aid package, the Netherlands has just confirmed another 4 billion euros in additional military aid for Kiev and the Czech Republic continues to lead an initiative that is collecting hundreds of millions of euros to send more artillery projectiles to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Germany has indicated that it will send another Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, and there are “indications” that the United States Congress could address the expected multi-million-dollar aid package for Kiev in the coming days, Stoltenberg said.
On the air defenses that Ukraine needs, Rutte said that they must produce more themselves in the medium term, study what else they can supply from their own arsenals and buy what is “available around the world.”
Fiala highlighted that, through the Czech initiative to provide Ukraine with more large-caliber ammunition, about 200,000 projectiles have already been contracted and there are another 300,000 in process.
Frederiksen, for his part, said that all allies must “balance the needs we have as members of NATO and our own deterrence and defense, with all the things we want to do for Ukraine.”
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
Central America
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday criminal charges against three Guatemalan citizens accused of using false information to sponsor migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian.
According to an indictment filed in Ohio, Maritza Cahuec Coc allegedly submitted at least 12 sponsorship applications, several of which were filed under aliases or contained materially false statements intended to secure custody of the minors.
Under U.S. procedures, unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for their care until they can be released to a qualified sponsor, such as a parent or relative living in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Cahuec Coc, who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2018, received payments between late 2020 and 2023 for helping bring 12 migrant minors into the country. Authorities claim she submitted fraudulent documents and misleading information to obtain approval for the sponsorship requests.
The case was announced during a joint press conference led by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, officials provided limited details about the investigation and instead focused much of their remarks on criticizing immigration policies implemented under the previous administration.
Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials have frequently pointed to the increase in unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s term, arguing that the government failed to adequately oversee their care and placement.
During Thursday’s briefing, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, alleged that Cahuec Coc used the identities of other individuals and falsely claimed family relationships in order to obtain custody of the children.
“Maritza submitted sponsorship applications using other people’s identities and falsely represented that the minors were the children of close relatives in order to secure their release,” Duva said.
The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities have not yet disclosed additional information regarding the other two Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
International
Iván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
Colombian presidential candidate Iván Cepeda said Thursday that he is willing to introduce “necessary changes” to the peace policy implemented by President Gustavo Petro, a strategy he helped design and promote during the current administration.
The future of Petro’s controversial “Total Peace” initiative has become one of the central issues in Colombia’s presidential runoff election, scheduled for June 21, where Cepeda will face right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.
De la Espriella, who narrowly won the first round of voting on May 31, has campaigned on a platform of tougher security measures and a stronger crackdown on drug trafficking and armed criminal groups.
Speaking to AFP in Bogotá, Cepeda acknowledged that adjustments to the peace strategy may be required after Petro’s efforts to negotiate with armed organizations failed to produce the expected results amid a surge in violence across the country.
“We are going to make the necessary changes, of course. We will conduct an assessment,” the 63-year-old senator said during the interview, held ten days before the decisive runoff vote.
Cepeda, a philosopher and longtime human rights advocate, explained that any modifications to the policy would emerge from a broad national dialogue involving political leaders, social organizations and other sectors of Colombian society. However, he did not provide specific details about the proposed changes.
President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” initiative sought to negotiate agreements with guerrilla movements, paramilitary groups and major criminal organizations, including the powerful Clan del Golfo cartel and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The policy aimed to reduce violence through dialogue and negotiated settlements, but critics argue that it failed to significantly weaken armed groups or improve security conditions in several regions of the country.
As the runoff campaign enters its final stage, the future direction of Colombia’s security and peace policies remains one of the most closely watched issues in the election.
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Energy chief says U.S. will restore Gulf oil shipments and refill strategic reserves
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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