International
López Obrador’s head of Security will be the main secretary of the Sheinbaum Government
The current Secretary of Security of Mexico, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, will be the head of the Ministry of the Interior (Segob) of the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, so the main position of her cabinet will be in the hands of one of the closest profiles to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as announced on Thursday by the future president of the country.
Rodríguez has been head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) since October 2020, so she is considered one of López Obrador’s preferred officials, and previously she was Secretary of the Government of Mexico City (2018-2020) in the local mandate of Sheinbaum (2018-2023), to whom she is also close.
The Segob is the most important position of the Government of Mexico after the presidency, since its holder is responsible for replacing the president in case of absence, conducting domestic policy, implementing immigration measures and negotiating with unions, companies, governors and the other powers.
“He has a vast experience and we have worked together and I know that the Ministry of the Interior will perform in an excellent way and with a lot of professionalism and honesty,” Sheinbaum said when announcing it at an event in Mexico City.
As Secretary of Security of the federal government, Rodríguez has received criticism because the crisis of violence has not been resolved, with a cumulative of more than 184,000 homicides so far since the six-year term of López Obrador (2018-2024).
While the opposition has accused it of ceding public security tasks to the Armed Forces, since the National Guard, created by the president as a civilian body in practice, obeys the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), although there is still a lack of constitutional reform to formalize this management.
The elected president, who will be the first president of Mexico, highlighted that Rodríguez, “of course, is the first woman in the history of Mexico to hold this position” of Security.
Rodríguez was the main appointment of Sheinbaum’s third cabinet announcement, who will take over on October 1 and still needs to appoint head of key units such as Labor, Defense and Navy.
The official promised to continue with the “second floor of the Fourth Transformation of Mexico,” in reference to López Obrador’s political movement.
“It is a privilege to walk by your side as the first woman president in the history of our country, with you we arrived all together, grandmothers, mothers and daughters, a high responsibility, like the one you trust me now, requires a high commitment as well,” Rodríguez said.
He also guaranteed that “there will always be coordination and dialogue,” in addition to “acting with respect and civility.”
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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