International
The AK-47, the first Kalashnikov rifle, turns 75 in the Ukrainian trenches
The AK-47, the most fired rifle in history, turns 75 years old without losing its validity, as demonstrated in the current war in Ukraine, where both sides continue to use it, although it hardly officially appears in their arsenals.
“Mijail Kalashnikov was a true patriot. He invented the rifle just to defend himself from the enemy,” he told EFE Nelli, the eldest daughter of the legendary gunsmith (1919-2013) a few years ago.
The first rifle designed by Kalashnikov entered service in the Soviet Army on June 18, 1949, in the middle of the Cold War.
The gunsmith of the former Soviet Union, then a modest sergeant, was impressed by an episode during the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) in which a soldier died at the hands of the Germans because his weapon was boxed.
Although its initial objective was to create an automatic rifle that would allow the Red Army to win the war, the AK-47 never fired at the German invader.
The first AK made its fame for its simplicity and its resistance to elements, water and sand. With only eight moving parts, it can be used by any fighter, child or adult, and can be disassembled in less than a minute.
The characteristics of the AK-47 have gone in history: 4.3 kilos of weight, 30 ammunition bullets, 800 meters of range and a firing rate of 600 shots per minute.
Since 1949, more than 100 million units of this rifle have been manufactured, according to Russian sources, which represents 15% of the total volume of light weapons in service in the world.
Although only twelve countries have a production license – China and North Korea, among them – there are many countries that manufacture it, have clandestinely transferred the technology or, openly, use their parts to design modified rifles, including Western countries.
Its popularity in certain corners of the planet was so great during the wars of liberation that the Kalashnikov, ideal for guerrilla warfare, was included in the flags and shields of several countries (Zimbabwa, Mozambique, Burkina Faso or East Timor).
The AK-47 was adopted by armies of 55 countries, but it has rained a lot since 1949. The Kalashnikov state corporation itself, which now also manufactures assault drones, has since designed the AKM, the AK-74, the AK-15 and the AK-12, among others.
In fact, the consortium, which is under Western sanctions, signed with the Army in 2021, on the eve of the start of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, a three-year contract for the supply of light weapons.
Last April, Kalashnikov announced the delivery to the Ministry of Defense of a batch of renewed AK-12 assault rifles, which includes a dioptric telescopic peephole and a two-way security device.
Kalashnikov emphasizes that the fighting within the framework of the so-called special military operation showed that the AK-12 should be perfected to make it “lighter”, improve its ergonomics and facilitate its use.
According to official sources, the consortium provided the Russian Armed Forces with twice as many AK-12 rifles in the first year of the war in Ukraine in 2023.
The United States authorities also announced in April the supply to the Ukrainian army of about 5,000 AK-47 rifles from their own arsenals.
Although his last name is known all over the world, that fame caused remorse to Kalashnikov, who before dying wrote a letter to the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, since he understood that he had created “a weapon that killed people all over the world.”
“The pain I have in my soul is unbearable. An unanswered question resounds again and again: since my rifle killed so many people, is it me, Mikhail Kalashnikov, 93 years old, son of peasants, Christian and of Orthodox faith, guilty of his death, even if it is enemies?” the letter said.
In the last years of his life, Kalashnikov, who has a statue where he poses with his invention in the center of Moscow, admitted to his descendants that he was “not prepared” for the universalization of his invention as a weapon “against humanity” in the hands of terrorists
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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