International
Beryl causes damage, but without injuries or deaths, after making landfall in Mexico
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in the early morning of this Friday north of the municipality of Tulum, Quintana Roo, in the Mexican Caribbean, but so far no injuries or deaths have been reported, reported the Civil Protection Coordinator, Laura Velázquez.
“We have no reports so far of injured or deceased, I repeat they are preliminary data, we are in the aid phase,” the official said during a call made within the framework of the morning press conference of the president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Velázquez specified that the hurricane hit Quintana Roo at 05:05 local time (11:05 GMT) with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gusts of 220 kilometers per hour.
Now Beryl, who made landfall as a category 2 hurricane, degraded in the last hours to a tropical storm on the ground as it passed through the Mexican state of Yucatan (southeast), according to the National Meteorological Service (SMN) of Mexico.
“At this moment we are already in the aid phase, we are already making tours mainly in Tulum throughout the length and breadth of the municipality,” said the head of Civil Protection.
He pointed out that tours are being carried out to quantify the damage, although the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) has reported that in Tulum approximately 40% of the area is without electricity, while in Cozumel seven colonies have electrical energy effects.
In addition, in Isla Mujeres, 50% of homes are without electricity.
The SMN, said in its most recent report, that “Beryl is now a tropical storm. It is located on land over Yucatan and its cloudy bands maintain the probability of intense to torrential rains, intense winds, storm tide and high waves in the Yucatan Peninsula.
For his part, Velázquez specified that so far 58 temporary shelters have been enabled in which 2,193 people are housed who have hot food and “are being very well taken care of.”
He also reported that the airports of Tulum, Cozumel and Cancun did not suffer any affect.
The governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, reported the fall of trees and affectations in the municipalities of Solidaridad and Benito Juárez, which are the most inhabited areas, in addition to some fall of fences (walls).
The authorities noted that in the area there are 25,611 elements deployed to collaborate in the rescue work, of which 4,150 are elements of the Ministry of National Defense, 1,128 of the Secretariat of the Navy, 4,451 of the National Guard and 2,189 of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).
Meanwhile, López Obrador recommended that people do not go out because there are still fallen trees, which may pose a risk to the population.
Beryl is the first hurricane of the season and sets an “alarming precedent” because a cyclone of maximum intensity had never been formed at this point in the year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on Tuesday.
Of the three cyclones that have occurred in this Atlantic season, Beryl would be the third to impact Mexico, where on Sunday tropical storm Chris entered, which left floods in the center and east of the country.
While storm Alberto, which made landfall on June 20, left six dead in Nuevo León, a state on the northern border of Mexico, and destruction and floods in Monterrey, the second most populous city in the country.
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.
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Energy chief says U.S. will restore Gulf oil shipments and refill strategic reserves
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
-
Sin categoría3 days agoEnergy chief says U.S. will restore Gulf oil shipments and refill strategic reserves
-
International5 days ago
U.S. Launches Military Strikes on Iran Following Apache Helicopter Incident
-
International3 days ago‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
-
International5 days agoMS-13 Member Sentenced to 35 Years for Fatal Subway Killing in New York
-
International4 days agoU.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
-
International4 days agoIván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
-
International2 days agoMexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
-
Central America4 days agoU.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors