International
Tackling hunger in Haiti, the arduous task of the World Food Program
In the Central Kitchen of the World Food Program (WFP) in the capital of Haiti, dozens of people work against the clock to fight hunger: some cut food, others cook in huge pots, some carry trays in vehicles to deliver them to the camps where thousands of families wait for that plate of food, sometimes the only one of the day.
One of those shelters is the Isidor Jean Louis School, in the center of Port-au-Prince, which has been welcoming 600 refugees for months after leaving their homes due to the violence of the armed gangs. There EFE accompanies the WFP.
One of those staying at that hostel is Elva Senfró, 85 years old. He has been there for months after fleeing the neighborhood by his son in the middle of a cruel gang attack.
“The gang was attacking the neighborhood, burning the houses, and my son ran me out of the place and brought me to school, where I have been living for five months (…) I would like to eat something every day, but it is not like that, it is only possible when they bring me something,” this old woman tells EFE.
In Haiti, about five million people (almost half of the population) face acute food insecurity and, of them, 1.64 million face “emergency” levels, according to the data handled by WFP. They are the highest rates since the 2010 earthquake, which caused about 300,000 deaths.
In recent years, Haiti has experienced a steady increase in hunger, and the prevalence of acute food insecurity went from 35% in 2019 to almost 50% in 2024.
Something that the director of the WFP in Haiti, Jean-Martin Bauer, insists on in statements to EFE: “There are five million people who have difficulty getting food. They are people who don’t know what they are going to eat tomorrow, who don’t have money to know if they are going to eat the next day.”
Among the most affected areas is the Artibonite Valley, considered the country’s barn and where armed groups have seized agricultural land and stolen crops.
The department of the West, the rural areas of the south and several poor neighborhoods of the capital, such as Croix des Bouquets and Cité Soleil, with important hotbeds of hunger, are also a cause for concern.
“Artibonite is an area that produced a lot of food for the country and now they themselves have nothing to eat, due to the violence,” explains Bauer, who estimates that there are 3,000 producers who cannot cultivate the land and abandoned it due to the violence of the gangs.
Around two in the afternoon, the staff of the Center for Peasant Animation and Community Action (CAPAC), one of the local organizations with which the WFP works, arrive at the Isidor Jean Louis College.
It is an operation that they carry out daily: some quickly go to school and take the food to a room on the second floor, while others organize the refugees to proceed with the delivery of lunch.
The little ones lead the line, and they are followed by the elderly and pregnant women. They receive a tray of rice with fish and a bottle of water.
The rest of middle-aged people, between pushing and arguments, take a long time to organize to enter the room. When the food is already in his hands, everyone goes to the place of the school where he resides and eats in silence, enjoying every bite.
“The population wants security. People who go to church with the children, who go to school, who go to the market, are afraid and are leaving little because they don’t want to be kidnapped on the street. The population doesn’t deserve that, it deserves a better life,” says Bauer.
And he adds: “Those of us who work on the humanitarian issue would like to see freedom of movement on the street. If there is so much hunger, it’s because the producers can’t get to sell to the capital. We want to see the producers leave the Artibonite and enter the capital to sell their products. That they bring good food to the markets. That is the most important issue for the food system.”
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.”
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
International Project Tackles Gender Violence in Indigenous Communities in Panama
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 America2 days agoU.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
-
International3 days agoKing Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
-
International4 days agoMexico Arrests CJNG Leader “El Jardinero” in Nayarit
-
International1 day agoIranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
-
Central America2 days agoInternational Project Tackles Gender Violence in Indigenous Communities in Panama
-
International3 days agoTrump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
-
Central America4 days agoGuatemala’s President to Hold Private Interviews for Attorney General Candidates