International
Sheinbaum appoints Lázaro Cárdenas Batel as head of the Presidency’s Office
Lázaro Cárdenas Batel, former coordinator of advisers of the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, will be the head of the Office of the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, the future president of Mexico reported on Thursday.
Cárdenas, who was governor of the western state of Michoacán (2002-2008), is the son of the historic Mexican leftist leader Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas and grandson of former President Lázaro Cárdenas (1934-1940).
The last to occupy the position of head of office of the presidency was Alfonso Romo, whom Andrés Manuel López Obrador assigned in 2018 and resigned in 2020, leading to the temporary disappearance of this office.
“I deeply appreciate the confidence with which it distinguishes me by inviting me to occupy the position of head of the Office of the Presidency, it will be an honor to closely accompany the first head of state in the history of Mexico,” Cárdenas Batel said during the press conference in which the announcement was made.
He recalled that he has known Sheinbaum for more than three decades, because they coincided in the political struggle as part of the student movement of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1986.
“I am honored to participate in Dr. Sheinbaum’s team. Surely he will live up to the great responsibility that belongs to him, I have no doubt that the next Government will be consistent with Claudia Sheinbaum’s trajectory and with the causes that she has promoted and defended throughout her life,” he emphasized.
For her part, Claudia Sheinbaum, who will take office on October 1, highlighted her confidence in Cárdenas Batel.
“He held the position of governor, deputy, senator and has been in different spaces in international politics, so he will help me to follow up on strategic projects and, at the same time,
talking to many sectors in Mexico and in other parts of the world that may not be able to attend directly as president, but that Lázaro can attend with all the confidence,” he said.
According to the portal of the Government of Mexico, the Office of the Presidency was an administrative area that provided advice, technical support and dispatch of matters to the head of the Executive, “in order to provide elements for decision-making, without prejudice to the powers exercised by the dependencies and entities of the Federal Public Administration within the scope of their respective competences.”
When López Obrador came to power, in December 2018, he appointed Alfonso Romo Garza as head of the Office of the Presidency; however, two years later the official expressed his desire to leave office and the president said that he would dispense with the instance.
Despite the fact that this Thursday Sheinbaum was expected to announce the heads of the secretariats of Culture, Tourism and Labor, he only made the announcement of Cárdenas Batel, and commented that it will be until next Thursday that he will give the remaining appointments.
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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
-
International9 hours agoLooting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
-
Central America4 days agoEl Salvador and Chile Mark 150 Years of Relations With Expanded Bilateral Cooperation
-
International4 days agoOAS Secretary General Pledges Regional Assistance Following Venezuela Quake Disaster
-
International4 days agoUnited Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
-
International4 days agoWHO Expects Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship to End by July 2
-
International4 days agoBill Gates Says Jeffrey Epstein Made “Veiled” Threats Over Extramarital Affairs
-
International2 days agoUN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people