International
Aznar and Quiroga defend Israel’s “peace” and “surness” in a world congress in Argentina
The former head of the Spanish Government José María Aznar (1996-2004) and the former president of Bolivia Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002) defended this Thursday, at the VII World Congress of Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue, the “peace” and “sus” of Israel in the war it is going on against the Islamist group Hamas in Palestine.
“Israel has to finish the military operation in the Gaza Strip, because a triumph of Hamas and Hezbollah will mark the fate of the Middle East,” Aznar said during his exhibition at the University of the Center for Macroeconomic Studies of Argentina (CEMA) in Buenos Aires, which functions as a laboratory of ideas from the right.
For Aznar, a recognition of the Palestinian State is an “irreality” because Hamas “is out of reality.” “Israel is the only democracy there, they are our allies and we must support them. Anti-Semitism has been reborn in the world,” said the former head of the Spanish government.
After 200 days of war, more than 34,260 people have died in the Gaza Strip and the number of injuries already exceeds 77,000, most of them women and children, according to the Ministry of Health of the enclave, governed by Hamas.
For his part, former president Jorge Quiroga recalled and named by his surnames the six Bolivian citizens who died during the attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) in 1994, one of the largest terrorist attacks committed on Argentine soil, which left a total of 85 dead and more than 300 injured.
“We are going to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the savage attack on the AMIA. In the discussion it would seem that it is an Argentine issue, since here are Barriga, García, Salazar, Vela Ramos Eugenio and Juan and Zárate Loayza. Six Bolivians died in AMIA,” Quiroga listed.
“That’s why it hurt me to see that (Hugo) Chávez cultivated friendship with (Mahmud) Ahmadinejad, when there is no cultural link except that Venezuela-Iran relationship characterized by a rabid anti-Americanism, which led to Mr. (Ahmad) Vahidi being in my country inaugurating the military school of the Bolivarian alliance in Bolivia. That’s why Israel’s peace and success concern us all,” he concluded.
Iran is seen by Argentina as responsible for the attack and they have issued red circulars to arrest the Minister of the Interior, Vahidi for his participation in the attack.
Finally, he highlighted the figure of the former deputy and former candidate for the presidency of Venezuela, María Corina Machado, to “evict” the authoritarian regime with which Nicolás Maduro governs. “We do not ask the Western world to help us, but to stop helping Maduro’s tyranny,” Quiroga concluded.
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
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 America3 days agoGuatemala arrests first escaped gang member after Barrio 18 prison break
-
International3 days agoMexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
-
International3 days agoVenezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
-
International3 days agoPope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
-
Central America4 days agoFraijanes II prison in Guatemala reports gradual escape of 18th Street gang inmates
-
International2 days agoSheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
-
International4 days agoHeavy rains leave dozens dead in Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz
-
International2 days agoArmed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
-
International2 days agoVenezuelan media faces fresh restrictions after reporting on opposition leader’s Nobel win
-
International1 day agoMexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
-
International1 day agoNew road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
-
International2 days agoCaracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win