International
A sidnappings cause alarm among migrants from the Mexican border with the United States
A swell of kidnappings causes fear among migrants stranded on the northern border of Mexico, where a report by the State Police of Chihuahua revealed that in the last three years they released more than 1,700 undocumented people, who are about a third of the victims of the crime in the country.
Fear has escalated since Gilberto Loya Chávez, Secretary of State Public Security of Chihuahua, a state bordering with Texas (United States), said last week that during this historic migratory wave they have found that number of kidnapped migrants.
Among the victims of kidnapping is Manuel, who arrived at the border of the Mexican Ciudad Juárez with the American El Paso from Ecuador and was detained when he entered Mexico.
“I was kidnapped for 27 days. I had to pay $4,000 to be released in Tapachula (on the southern border of Mexico). And from there I have come walking, working, sleeping in the mountains, in the terminals, eating every two days and only once a day, this is hard,” he said.
The Ecuadorian said that, once they capture the people, the families sell the few belongings they have to pay the ransom.
He also pointed out that the Mexican Government’s restrictions imply more danger for those who migrate.
“Why does the Mexican government make it difficult for us? We are passing by, we are not taking anyone’s job, we are leaving money where we arrived. In Chihuahua they had us on the train for two days, they left us thrown in the desert,” said the migrant.
The situation occurs amid the almost 200% annual increase in irregular migration in the first quarter of 2024, when the Government of Mexico detected more than 360,000 migrants in this situation.
The civil association Stop the Kidnapping reported 772 kidnappings of migrants in 2023, about a third of the national total number of victims of this crime, while in March it recorded a “historical” figure of 521 kidnapped, of which more than half were undocumented.
Rosa Mani Arias, coordinator of the Migrant Service of the civil organization Avara, considered the figure of the Secretary of State Public Security “alarming”, and attributed it to the lack of policies friendly to immigrants, who cross Mexico to avoid the operations of the National Institute of Migration (INM).
“It is very worrying to see hundreds of people who are being violated, deprived of their freedom. Unfortunately, not allowing them to reach the border in a free way is impacting,” the activist said.
He denounced that the Mexican Government exacerbates the vulnerability of this group, which is already fleeing poverty and crime in their countries, and makes them an easy target of kidnapping.
“We have seen that laws or policies are not going to stop migratory flows, they are always looking for a way to reach the border areas and sadly we see this flow so vulnerable, and now this situation of being kidnapped is added,” he added.
He also warned that the unknown number or the ‘black figure’ of those migrants who have suffered a kidnapping, extortion or murder and for whom there is not a complaint is more worrying.
“There may be hundreds or thousands more who are in anonymity, in complete silence, because it is not known in what other areas of the city there are these same dynamics with these people deprived of liberty and we also do not know the final whereabouts of them,” said the activist.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
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