International
The ruling party assures that Claudia Sheinbaum will be the first female president of Mexico
The president of the ruling party Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (Morena), Mario Delgado, assured that his candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, will be “the first female president” of Mexico to prevail in the presidential elections.
“We are fortunate to live in a stellar moment in the history of our country and also for our Latin America and the world. Claudia Sheinbaum will be the first female president in the history of North America,” Delgado said at the campaign headquarters in the Mexican capital.
The announcement of the ruling party comes after the closure of the voting centers at 18:00 local time (00:00 GMT), although the National Electoral Institute (INE) still does not offer official results.
According to Delgado, his exit polls give Sheinbaum a “very wide” advantage over the opposition candidate, Xóchitl Gálvez, with “two to one difference.”
“There is no doubt about Claudia Sheinbaum’s triumph,” said the leader of Morena.
Delgado described the former head of government of Mexico City (2018-2023) as “a woman who has conquered the people of Mexico” along with “a popular movement that has touched the hearts of Mexicans.”
“She is also a woman who has dedicated a large part of her life to walking with the greatest leader of our time, Andrés Manuel López Obrador,” she continued.
Morena’s national leader assured that this “represents the irrefutable triumph of women against machismo, inequality and violence” and that with his “inspiration” he will “guarantee the change to the destiny of women in the country.”
“As an indigenous woman in Chiapas (southern state of Mexico) told our candidate and future president, it represents the unfulfilled dream of her grandmothers,” he added.
On the other hand, Delgado pointed out that Sheinbaum managed to “close his mouth to a tiny opposition” which he also called “racist, classist and corrupt.”
“The people have shown that they do not let themselves be fooled, neither by hate campaigns, nor by lies. The votes beat the bots,” he said.
In turn, Delgado said that Morena will win the “full car in these elections,” that is, the main executive positions.
“Just as we set ourselves the goal, that we were going for 10 out of 10, the eight governornacies (state), the head of government (Mexico City) and you know which one else,” Delgado said at a press conference after the closure of voting centers in the majority of the country at 18:00 local time (00:00 GMT).
Although there are still no official results, Morena’s leader assured in the party’s operations center in the Mexican capital that his projections point to “a resounding triumph of Clara Brugada, who will be the next head of government” of Mexico City. The former DF had Claudia Sheinbaum, she ruled from 2018 to 2023.
In addition, he said that the polls give the triumph to his candidates in Jalisco, Claudia Delgadillo, and in Veracruz, to Rocío Nahle, which would imply governing in some of the most populated entities in the country.
He also asserted that his candidates for the state governments of Yucatan, Morelos, Puebla, Chiapas and Tabasco are shaping up winners.
Finally, in Guanajuato, one of the main bastions of the opposition, he said that there are “very closed numbers,” so they will “wait to have the minutes to defend the triumph.”
Delgado argued that he could not give more details of the presidential result “because the boxes (voting tables) are still open in some entities of the country” and they still cannot “make any reference to the federal election.”
“We are taking a full car in these elections,” he insisted.
If not governing in any state before the 2018 election, Morena now controls 21 entities, plus two other of her allies, the Green Party in San Luis Potosí and the Social Encounter Party (PES) in Morelos.
This Sunday’s main contest will define who will succeed López Obrador, who expects the triumph of the ruling party, Sheinbaum, over the opponents Xóchitl Gálvez, of the coalition of Fuerza y Corazón por México, and Jorge Álvarez Máynez, of Movimiento Ciudadano (MC).
The National Electoral Institute (INE) will publish the Preliminary Electoral Results Program (PREP) from 20:00 central hours (02:00 GMT), while between 22:00 and 23:00 local time (04:00 and 05:00 GMT) it will announce the quick count, which can define the winner of the presidency.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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