International
Concern of migrants and businessmen on the Mexico-U.S. border after Biden’s resignation
Joe Biden’s resignation from the presidential candidacy by the Democratic Party in the United States was considered this Sunday as “worrying” by businessmen and pro-migrant activists, since they pointed out that this decision opens the door more and the possibility for Donald Trump, a Republican candidate, to win the position and change immigration policies.
In the case of immigration policies, José María García Lara, coordinator of the Migrant Alliance of Tijuana, told EFE that this “can greatly affect the migrant population,” mainly those who are in the border area, due to the changes that can come in programs and reforms that Biden currently maintains.
“They are programs that are somehow working, not as we would all like, but that have maintained an opening like the CBP-One application for an entry into the United States on a regular basis,” he said.
García Lara stressed that “if Trump wins, very strong changes will come for the migrant population looking for better life opportunities.”
“It is something that we have already seen in his administration (2017-2021) in which, although, he did not manage to impose certain things, we realized that there were significant changes and if he reached the presidency he will now bid harder to achieve other plans that go to the detriment of migrants,” he said.
Biden left the race for re-election this Sunday, although he said that he will end his term and asked for the vote for the vice president, Kamala Harris.
Harris confirmed that he wants to be his replacement, but the Democratic Party must first open a process for the selection of its new presidential candidate.
For their part, the businessmen of the Mexico-United States border pointed out that Biden’s decline will bring “more economic uncertainty for the border strip and for Mexico’s economy,” since for the moment it gives advantages to Trump.
“For Mexico it is dangerous for the United States to be in the hands of Trump again, since it was he who changed the North American Free Trade Agreement for the Mexico, United States and Canada Treaty (T-MEC),” Thor Salayandía, coordinator of the Border Business Block in Ciudad Juárez, said in an interview with EFE.
In addition, he recalled Trump’s statements this week in which he warns that he will not allow China to set up car assembly plants in Mexico, at a time when there is a wave of Asian companies landing in Mexico as part of the phenomenon called “nearshoring” or relocation of companies.
“These radical policies of Trump are costing us that the ‘nearshoring’ now stops, because there is no certainty, especially for companies in China that want to invest in Mexico and that are seeing that Trump could put a stop or obstacles such as tariffs,” the businessman said.
A report from the Border Business Block indicated that between June 2023 and April 2024, the cities on the border of Mexico lost about 100,000 jobs in the maquiladora industry, of which 55,000 were eliminated in Ciudad Juárez.
Finally, the Juarense businessman considered it positive for the Democratic Party that he can decide a new candidate who “can fight” Trump, who is leading the way in the polls ahead of the November presidential elections.
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
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
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