International
The U.S. Senate lays the rules that sought to protect access to contraceptives
The U.S. Senate overthrew on Wednesday a bill that sought to protect access to contraceptives and that will not continue its parliamentary procedure due to opposition from the Republican bench.
The regulation in question, called the ‘Right to Contraception Act’, had no chance of moving forward since it required a majority of 60 votes and the Democrats have 47 seats, although they usually have the support of four independent legislators.
The procedure was slowed down by 51 votes in favor and 39 against.
The leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, had decided to put it to a vote as a way to challenge Republicans to publicly position themselves against access to those medicines that almost all American women will ever use in their lives.
Among those who voted in favor were two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who usually have more moderate positions than their co-religionists.
Shortly after the vote, U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed in a statement that both he and Vice President Kamala Harris believe that “women in each state should have the freedom to make profoundly personal decisions about their health, including the right to decide whether they want to form or expand their family, and when to do so.”
Therefore, he promised that his Government will continue to work with the Democrats of Congress to protect the reproductive rights of women and try to restore at the federal level the protections against abortion that the Supreme Court annulled almost two years ago, which left the policies in the hands of each state in this regard.
Almost 90% of voters say that Americans should have the right to make decisions about contraception and choose their contraceptives without government interference, according to a recent poll by the progressive firm Impact Research.
Former US President and Republican pre-candidate Donald Trump (2017-2021) said in May in an interview with a Pittsburgh television that he was open to supporting regulations on contraception and that his campaign would publish a policy on the issue “very soon,” but then he retracted those statements.
In addition, the head of Biden’s campaign, Julie Chávez Rodríguez, warned on Tuesday at a press conference about the danger posed by Trump’s “extremism” to women’s reproductive rights and said that this will be one of the topics that Biden will bring to the debate he will lead with Trump on June 27, organized by CNN.
In May, Trump said during an interview with a Pittsburgh television that he was open to supporting regulations on contraception and that his campaign would publish a policy on the issue “very soon,” comments that he later said had been misinterpreted.
Specifically, on his Truth Social platform, Trump assured that he “has never advocated or will advocate” for restricting the contraceptive pill and other contraceptives.
Almost 90% of voters say that Americans should have the right to make decisions about contraception and choose their contraceptives without government interference, according to a recent poll by the progressive firm Impact Research.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
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.
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