International
Senator Menéndez plans to resign in August after being found guilty of corruption in the United States
U.S. Senator Bob Menéndez plans to resign on August 20 after being found guilty of all the charges in a corruption trial in New York last week and in the face of the threat of expulsion of other politicians from the Democratic Party.
According to the local media New Jersey Globe, which cites three sources familiar with the matter, Menéndez could publish his resignation letter today, while Axios anticipates that the senator’s employees were informed on Tuesday of the plans to leave office in August.
Menéndez, 70 years old and of Cuban origin, entered the U.S. Senate in 2006 and came to the position of president of the influential Foreign Relations Committee of the chamber, a position he abandoned after the indictment, unlike the seat for New Jersey, which he has resisted leaving.
The Prosecutor’s Office accused Menéndez and his wife, Nadine, of accepting luxury gifts, including a Mercedes-Benz and gold bars, from three New Jersey businessmen – also accused – in exchange for political favors for the Governments of Egypt and Qatar, to the point of qualifying him as a “foreign agent.”
Menéndez maintained his innocence and refused to sign a guilt agreement that could have reduced his sentence; he also did not testify during the trial of more than two months, but he described in public the gifts received as something natural in the activity of a politician.
The senator had about six months left in office and ran for re-election as an independent after the break with his party; now that his seat is unoccupied, it will be the governor of New Jersey, Democrat Phil Murphy, who chooses his replacement.
Possible candidates include the first lady, Tammy Murphy; the deputy governor, Tahesha Way; former Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells and the judge of the U.S. District Court. Esther Salas.
The leader of the Senate, Democrat Chuck Schumer, again asked for Menéndez’s resignation after the verdict was known, but among the chorus of voices in the Upper House, those demanding his expulsion begin to be heard, a highly unusual measure that requires a vote and a two-thirds majority.
The sentence against Menéndez will be announced on October 29 and faces a maximum penalty of 222 years in prison, although the sentence will probably be much lower because he has no history.
The still senator faced another trial for corruption – not related to the recent charges – in 2017 but the jury did not reach unanimity in the verdict, so the process was declared null and void.
International
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.
“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.
Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.
“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.
He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”
“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.
Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.
International
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States has held talks with Iran—a claim denied by Tehran—and has temporarily paused his threat to target the country’s electrical infrastructure.
In his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched their offensive on February 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to address key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven will meet in Cernay-la-Ville, close to Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris.
During the meeting, Rubio will hold discussions with his counterparts on “the war between Russia and Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and threats to global peace and stability,” Pigott said.
France currently holds the presidency of the G7, whose members also include the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Although all G7 nations are close allies of the United States, none has offered explicit support for Washington’s military actions against Iran, a stance that has reportedly frustrated Trump.
Last Saturday, G7 foreign ministers called for an “immediate and unconditional end” to Iranian attacks against U.S. allies in the Middle East.
International
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
The Pentagon is planning to deploy nearly 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Persian Gulf, according to two senior officials cited Tuesday by Spanish newspaper El País.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah warned it would confront any attempt at occupation following Israel’s announcement that its military will take control of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, located about 30 kilometers from the border.
In recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on Beirut, while Iran and Hezbollah responded with attacks on Israel, leaving at least six people with minor injuries in Tel Aviv.
The escalation comes as global markets react to renewed instability. The price of oil rose again above $100 per barrel after a brief decline the previous day, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a five-day truce on attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Despite the announcement, Iranian authorities reported that two projectiles struck a gas pipeline in Khorramshahr and administrative buildings at a gas facility in Isfahan early Tuesday.
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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