International
Arizona, the U.S. border trophy that is contested by Democrats and Republicans in 2024
Arizona, the only ‘hinge’ state that borders Mexico, has become one of the longed-for trophies for White House candidates who know that every vote counts there, after surprisingly opting for the Democrats in 2020 by only eleven thousand votes and with the help of Latino voters.
Both the Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and that of former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) are investing valuable resources in Arizona in search of their 11 electoral votes in the midst of a very close national campaign for next November’s elections.
This Friday Harris will hold together with his running mate, the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, a rally in Glendale (Arizona), 14 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of Phoenix, as part of a tour of key states.
It is the fourth visit of the Democrat to that state this year, the first since President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and supported her in her aspirations.
Harris participated on June 24 in an event that promoted reproductive rights on the second anniversary of the annulment by the U.S. Supreme Court of the Roe v. Wade, who protected the right to abortion, a crucial issue in Arizona.
But in Arizona there are long-standing battles that matter a lot to voters, such as immigration, one of the weapons of Trump’s campaign, and which was taken up last week by Vice-Presidential candidate J.D. Vance, on a visit to Cochise County.
At a conference on the border wall, the Republican senator for Ohio criticized Harris by saying that he had “failed” in his work of containing undocumented immigrants, whom he blamed for leaving schools and hospitals without resources.
But Vance stepped on moving land. The anti-immigrant speech that once promoted the approval in Arizona of SB-1070, one of the toughest state laws against the undocumented, took a toll on the ultra-conservatives, in a state that was one of its safest bastions.
After campaigns promoted by immigrant advocates and Latino organizations to repeal the law, Democrats have been gaining ground in election positions previously intended for Republicans as the two seats of the U.S. Senate.
The red party suffered its loss in 2020 when Biden won the state by 11,000 votes, a victory that did not take place since former President Bill Clinton won in 1996.
A greater registration and participation of Latinos were some of the factors for the Democrat to beat Trump. The electoral authorities endorsed the winner, despite the efforts of the former president’s allies, of whom more than a dozen are accused of electoral fraud, including a Trump lawyer.
Another factor for this change has been a greater participation of young Latinos, who through social networks have been key to spreading the message of the importance of the vote, a loot that Harris wants to capture.
The economy, inflation and security continue to be other important factors that will tip the balance, according to a recent CBS survey.
The most recent HighGround Public Affairs survey, conducted between July 31 and August 5, shows that Vice President Harris has a 2.8 percentage point advantage over former President Donald Trump in Arizona. A technical tie taking into account that the margin of error of the survey of 4.38%.
However, Harris could consolidate if you take into account the eleven percentage points that Democratic congressman Rubén Gallego, who is looking for a chair in the U.S. Senate, in front of Trumpist candidate Kari Lake.
In addition, several Republican figures, including the influential mayor of Mesa, John Giles, have turned their backs on Trump and seem to opt for the Democratic candidate.
International
Sheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday highlighted her government’s achievements in the fight against drug trafficking, after the United States said challenges remain in combating organized crime.
On Thursday, Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente held talks with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Following the meeting, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that “despite progress, challenges still exist” in addressing organized crime.
“There are very strong results from joint cooperation and from the work Mexico is doing: first, a 50% reduction in fentanyl seizures at the U.S. border,” Sheinbaum said during her regular morning press conference.
The president also said that authorities have seized nearly 320 tons of drugs and that there has been a “40% decrease in intentional homicides in Mexico” since the start of her administration on October 1, 2024.
Sheinbaum added that the United States should implement campaigns to reduce drug consumption within its territory and curb the flow of weapons into Mexico.
“There are many results and there will be more, but there must be mutual respect and shared responsibility, as well as respect for our sovereignties,” she said.
On Monday, Sheinbaum held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss security issues. She said she once again ruled out the presence of U.S. troops in Mexico to fight drug cartels.
Security has been a recurring issue used by Trump to threaten tariffs on Mexico and to pressure negotiations over the USMCA (T-MEC) free trade agreement, which are scheduled for 2026.
The agreement is crucial for Mexico’s economy, as about 80% of the country’s exports are destined for the United States.
International
Canada accuses Iran of killing its citizen during anti-government unrest
A Canadian citizen has died “at the hands of Iranian authorities,” the Canadian government said on Thursday, amid ongoing protests against the government in Tehran.
“I have just learned that a Canadian citizen has died in Iran at the hands of Iranian authorities,” Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, said, without providing further details. She added that Tehran’s response to what she described as “peaceful protests” has “led the regime to show a blatant disregard for human life.”
On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on Iranian security officials and individuals linked to the country’s banking networks, accusing them of orchestrating a violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrations and laundering billions of dollars in oil revenues. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the measures following what were described as the largest anti-government protests in the history of the Islamic Republic, although demonstrations have reportedly eased in recent days amid heavy repression and a near week-long internet shutdown.
“The United States stands firmly with the Iranian people in their pursuit of freedom and justice,” Bessent said in a statement, adding that the sanctions were imposed at the direction of President Donald Trump.
Those sanctioned include Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, whom Washington accused of coordinating the repression and the use of force against protesters.
International
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
Sheinbaum highlights anti-drug gains after U.S. says challenges remain
Canada accuses Iran of killing its citizen during anti-government unrest
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
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