International
Panama closes three access steps in the Darién to “channel” the flow of migrants
Panama closed at least three of the steps that migrants use to cross the Darién, which marks the border with Colombia, with a “perimeter barrier,” with the aim of “channeling” its flow to exert greater control over this irregular route that hundreds of people use daily on their way to North America, the Panamanian authorities reported on Wednesday.
The National Border Service (Senafront) of Panama said in a statement to which EFE had access that “measures were taken to control the massive irregular migration faced by the Panamanian State” in order to “channel irregular migration” to Bajo Chiquito, the first town that migrants arrive at after crossing the Darién jungle on foot for days.
These measures, he explained, are based on blocking “three unauthorized steps used by irregular migrants, which are identified as the passages along the Pacific coast and Caribbean coast (…), as well as the land passes that give access to the Chucurti Stopho sector, the latter was blocked with perimeter barriers that prevent the passage of migrants.”
As explained by Senafront, “with the previous control, security forces were available at multiple points, which dispersed the efficiency in the fight against transnational criminal organizations that benefit from human trafficking, illicit collections and other crimes related to this vulnerable population.”
Now, “by concentrating efforts in a single step, the provision of territorial control patrols, protection and multidimensional security related to migrants is exponentially strengthened.”
Until now, many migrants used to report being victims of theft or rape by criminal gangs throughout the Darién.
In addition, that border police announced that the new Government of José Raúl Mulino “plans the launch of a new campaign called ‘Darién’ that aims to guarantee a climate of peace and tranquility in this region of the country.”
The new president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, already anticipated last Friday, during a tour to the Darién prior to his investiture, the placement of “speer fences” with “the spirit that people take the only way to get here, not scattered,” in addition to the police presence in some areas of that jungle.
The closure of those unauthorized steps or paths occurs in the midst of a large flow of migrants through that Darién jungle, through which this year more than 195,000 people have crossed, most of them Venezuelans, while in 2023 there were more than 520,000, an unprecedented figure, according to official data.
Mulino also referred to the problem in Darién during his investiture speech last Monday, the day on which Panama and the United States, the main destination of the migrants, signed an agreement to repatriate passers-by, for which the North American country promised to cover the expenses.
The new Panamanian president maintains a strong speech in the face of migration by the Darién calling it “illegal” and already in the campaign he had promised the “closure” of the Darién, something that he later nuanced as a concept of “philosophical” closure, in which more and more barriers are being put so that migrants do not follow that route.
“Panama will no longer be a transit country for the illegals. I will not allow local complicity,” he said in his possession speech.
International
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 2,533,000 deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to an international study led by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and Stanford University in the United States, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Researchers calculated that one death was prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
The analysis also found that the vaccines saved 14.8 million years of life, equivalent to one year of life gained for every 900 doses given.
The study, coordinated by Professor Stefania Boccia, revealed that 82% of the lives saved were people vaccinated before becoming infected with the virus, and 57% of deaths avoided occurred during the Omicron wave. In addition, 90% of the beneficiaries were adults over 60 years old.
“This is the most comprehensive analysis to date, based on global data and fewer assumptions about the evolution of the pandemic,” explained Boccia and researcher Angelo Maria Pezzullo.
International
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that reinstated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, stressing that the immigration program was never intended to serve as a “de facto asylum system.”
On Thursday, Judge Trina Thompson extended protections for about 7,000 Nepalese immigrants, whose TPS was set to expire on August 5. The ruling also impacts roughly 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans, whose TPS protections were scheduled to end on September 8.
Immigrants covered by TPS had sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that the program’s termination was driven by “racial animus” and stripped them of protection from deportation.
DHS Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the decision to end TPS was part of a mandate to “restore the integrity” of the immigration system and return the program to its original purpose.
“TPS was never conceived as a de facto asylum system; however, that is how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin emphasized.
She also criticized Judge Thompson, calling the ruling “another example” of judges “stirring up claims of racism to distract from the facts.”
McLaughlin added that DHS would appeal the decision and take the legal battle to higher courts.
The Trump administration has also terminated TPS protections for approximately 160,000 Ukrainians, 350,000 Venezuelans, and at least half a million Haitians, among other immigrant groups.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
Costa Rica faces historic vote on lifting presidential immunity for Rodrigo Chaves
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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