International
Biden says goodbye to the Americans: it’s time to “pass the baton” to save the country
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he is “passing the baton” to a new generation to unite the United States and “save” democracy, in what were his first public statements since he ended his re-election campaign for the November elections.
From the Oval Office of the White House, Biden gave a speech of about 11 minutes, which was broadcast live by the country’s main television networks, and in which his goal was twofold: to explain the decision to end his re-election campaign and begin to define his legacy.
“I have decided that the best way to move forward is to pass the baton to a new generation. This is the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said, sitting at the desk of the Oval Office, so that several photographs could be seen behind him, including one of his son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015.
Biden has only given four speeches to the nation like tonight’s throughout his term, two of them have been in recent days.
Biden framed his decision not to be re-election in the need to “defend democracy” in the face of the rise of authoritarianism, an idea that dominated his electoral campaign and also guided his decision to run in the 2020 elections, in which he defeated former President Donad Trump (2017-2021).
Biden did not mention Trump by name at any time, but it was clear in his speech that he was referring to the possibility of him returning to power.
“I deeply respect this position, but I love my country more. It has been the honor of my life to serve as your president. But, I think that defending democracy is more important than any title,” he emphasized.
Trump, for his part, responded just a few minutes after the speech ended. In a message on his social network Truth Social, he considered that “The speech of the corrupt Joe Biden from the Oval Office was barely understood and was soooo bad!”
Trump’s name, however, was not the only one that Biden omitted. Nor did he refer to the pressures of recent weeks from dozens of members of Congress and personalities of his party to end his presidential campaign after a nefarious performance in the debate against Trump on June 27.
However, in a serene tone, Biden reviewed the achievements of his almost four years of presidency and considered that he deserved a second four-year term in this historic speech with the flavor of a farewell.
“I believe that my record as president, my leadership in the world and my vision for the future of the United States, everything would justify a second term, but nothing can get in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition,” he said.
When he ended his electoral campaign on Sunday, Biden asked for the vote for the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, who in just two days was able to secure the necessary support to be the party’s candidate, in addition to beating a fundraising record.
In the speech, Biden described Harris as an “experienced”, “hard” and “capable” policy. Harris herself followed the president’s speech live from Houston (Texas), where she plans to give a speech tomorrow, Thursday.
Inside the Oval Office, the president was accompanied by several members of his family, including the first lady, Jill Biden, and his son Hunter, who in recent weeks has been one of his father’s greatest supporters and tonight watched him attentively as he read the speech of a teleprompter.
Once Biden finished the speech, Biden’s relatives and advisors who were in the Oval Office burst into applause and the few journalists inside had to leave in a hurry.
Without the presence of the press, Biden went out to the White House Rosaleda to talk to the employees of the presidential team that had gathered to see his speech. While serving ice cream, he stressed the importance of Harris being elected in November, a source present told CNN.
Biden’s speech had a historic character, since never before had a presidential candidate withdrawn from the race so close to the elections.
The closest precedent dates back to March 1968, when President Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969) announced that he would not be eligible for re-election, but he did so at the beginning of the party’s primaries.
In contrast, Biden made this decision with the primaries already concluded and just three months after the elections.
Central America
International tourism brings over $2.2 billion to El Salvador in 2025
International tourism has generated more than $2.2 billion in foreign exchange for the Salvadoran economy during the first seven months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur).
Tourism Minister Morena Valdez stated on Thursday that this figure reflects a favorable development of the tourism sector so far this year.
“Over $2.2 billion by July, and we estimate more than $3 billion in foreign exchange by December 2025. I believe we will perform quite well,” Valdez said in an interview with Frente a Frente.
These figures do not include the 91,000 international tourists received during the August holidays, who contributed $60 million to the local economy, according to the government.
The accumulated results by July represent 73.3% of Mitur’s estimates for foreign exchange generated by international tourism in 2025.
During the same period, tourism authorities recorded 2.3 million international visitors, which is 57.5% of the more than 4 million visitors projected by the government by the end of 2025.
Authorities have recently adjusted the tourism target: at the beginning of the year, Mitur anticipated 4.2 million visitorsafter receiving 3.9 million in the previous year.
International
Tabasco ex-officials linked to drug trafficking spark Mexico-U.S. tensions
The scandal involving two former state officials from Tabasco, southeast Mexico, linked to drug trafficking and now fugitives, has added tension to Mexico-U.S. relations, which had already been strained by President Donald Trump’s threats to send troops across the border to target cartels.
At the center of the controversy is the current coordinator of the Mexican Senate, former governor of Tabasco, and former Secretary of the Interior, Adán Augusto López Hernández, a close ally of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018–2024), along with his then-security secretary, Hernán Bermúdez Requena.
According to the Mexican weekly Proceso, published two weeks ago, the criminal ties of the former officials were reported in 2022 by Mexican intelligence services during López Obrador’s administration when López Hernández was Secretary of the Interior.
Bermúdez Requena, known as ‘El Comandante H’, was appointed Secretary of Security in Tabasco in 2019 by then-governor Adán Augusto López Hernández, from the ruling Morena party, and is accused of being a leader of the criminal group ‘La Barredora’, a cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
On July 22, Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that a warrant and Interpol red notice had been issued against Bermúdez Requena, who had been under investigation since 2024 for his links to organized crime.
International
Pope Leo XIV marks first 100 days with prudence and diplomacy
On August 14, Pope Leo XIV reaches his first 100 days as pontiff, a period marked by prudence, a reserved profile, and a strong inclination toward Vatican diplomacy. Since his election on May 8, the U.S.-born pope, who will turn 70 in September, has avoided major structural decisions, choosing instead to observe and listen before acting.
Among the most visible changes compared to his predecessor, Pope Francis, is a return to liturgical tradition: he has resumed wearing the red mozzetta, white pants under the cassock, and residing in the Apostolic Palace. He has also reinstated the Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome and resumed vacations at Castel Gandolfo.
So far, Robert Prevost has appointed only his personal secretary, leaving adjustments within the Roman Curia for later. Experts, such as Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio, suggest that the pope should not be judged by immediate breaks or continuities with Francis, but rather by his long-term leadership style.
Ines San Martín of the U.S. Pontifical Mission Societies notes that Leo XIV “has spent these months listening more than speaking” and anticipates the first personnel changes may come in September. His style, inspired by Saint Augustine, emphasizes spiritual life, friendship within community, and charity.
On the international stage, the pontiff has reinforced his image as a mediator. He sent Cardinal Robert Sarah to official events, offered the Vatican as a venue for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, spoke with Vladimir Putin, and received Volodymyr Zelensky twice. He has also condemned attacks in Gaza and reiterated his call to halt armed conflicts, rearmament, and the environmental crisis.
With a balance between tradition and prudence, Pope Leo XIV faces the next stage of his pontificate with expectations that his first strategic decisions will arrive in the coming months.
International tourism brings over $2.2 billion to El Salvador in 2025
Tabasco ex-officials linked to drug trafficking spark Mexico-U.S. tensions
Pope Leo XIV marks first 100 days with prudence and diplomacy
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