International
Xóchitl Gálvez assures that she will be the “braver” president in the face of crime
The opposition candidate for the presidency of Mexico, Xóchitl Gálvez, assured during her campaign closure in Nuevo León (north) that she will be the “bravest” president to face the wave of violence that the country is experiencing and has left 186,000 homicide victims, 50,000 missing and 12,000 minors murdered.
At the event, which was held at the facilities of the Monterrey Arena, the candidate managed to bring together about 17,000 people, supporters of the ‘Strength and Heart for Mexico’ coalition, which is made up of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the National Action Party (PAN) and the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD).
During his message, Gálvez, 61, asked those present if Mexico was better in security, medical care and education.
“I’m going to ask you a few questions, is security better now than ever? Of course not, 186,000 people murdered, 50,000 people missing, you are living it here in Nuevo León; 12,000 children murdered, 40,000 young people murdered, that is the result of a security strategy where hugs have been for criminals and bullets for citizens,” he said.
However, he mentioned that this strategy will be over because Mexicans “will have the bravest president.”
He also noted that under the administration of the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the health system has been deficient.
“lack of medicines, hospitals are falling apart, 50,000,000 Mexicans do not have social security,” he said.
He also questioned education in Mexico and said that more than a million students left school with the current government.
In this sense, he affirmed that Mexico has retreated in educational matters because the Government of Morena, rather than betting on technology, has done so to ideology, and regretted the legacy of division left by López Obrador.
“No divided country is moving forward, that’s why we are all going to work hand in hand,” he said.
He added that Mexico needs to meet the needs of everyone: the countryside, teachers, seeking mothers.
During the event, the batons and cries of support were not long in coming for the candidate and most of those present wore pink that identifies the coalition.
Candidates for the various popularly elected positions of the ‘Fuerza y Corazón por México’ coalition were also present, such as the candidates for mayor’s offices in Nuevo León, local, federal and Senate councils.
The polls place Gálvez behind the ruling candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, while in a distant third place is the also opposition Jorge Álvarez Máynez, of the Citizen Movement.
Mexico, whose Constitution does not allow presidential re-election, will have the largest elections in its history, since 98 million voters are called to renew more than 20,000 positions, including the Presidency, the 500 deputies, the 128 senators and nine state governments.
International
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.
The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.
Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.
Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.
The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.
Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.
International
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.
Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.
The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.
“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.
Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.
“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.
The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.
Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.
Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.
The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.
In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.
International
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
Prosecutors Accuse Ex-Defense Minister of Undermining Press Freedom in Honduras
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
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
-
International2 days agoU.S. and Iran Maintain Ceasefire as Trump Expresses Optimism Over New Talks
-
International2 days agoPolice Investigate After Remains of Five Newborns Found in French Apartment
-
International2 days agoPortuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
-
International8 hours agoFive Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
-
Central America3 days agoEU Urges Nicaragua to Hold Free and Transparent Elections Amid Proposed Electoral Reforms
-
International2 days agoCosta Rica Seeks to Expand Extradition Law to Target Organized Crime
-
International2 days agoChina Accuses U.S. AI Firms of Using Chinese Models to Train Artificial Intelligence
-
Central America8 hours agoProsecutors Accuse Ex-Defense Minister of Undermining Press Freedom in Honduras
-
International2 days agoThree Killed, Four Injured in Shooting Near Seattle’s Space Needle
-
International8 hours agoGeorgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting