International
Governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa is separated from the meeting that resulted in the capture of ‘Mayo’ Zambada
The governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, rejected any link with drug trafficking, as well as being part of an alleged meeting with Ismael ‘el Mayo’ Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, his former partner, which resulted in the capture of the capo by the US authorities.
“We have no complicity with anyone (…) therefore, if they said that I was going to be (at the meeting), then they lied, and if he believed them (May), then he fell into the trap,” said the governor, who spoke about the issue in the company of the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum, who toured the state of Sinaloa.
His position is given after El Mayo made public a statement in which he maintains that he was ambushed by the son of the Mexican drug trafficker, Joaquín ‘el Chapo’ Guzmán, to be taken to the United States, after being called to a meeting to resolve “a dispute” with the governor of the state of Sinaloa and former congressman Héctor Melesio Cuén.
In addition, he asked President López Obrador for the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) to attract the investigation of the murder of Cuén, who according to Zambada’s letter, would have been killed in the same place where he was kidnapped in May, contrary to the official versions.
The governor of Sinaloa pointed out that he would be “more satisfied” if an investigation were carried out with “greater impartiality,” so that “there are no suspicions of any nature.”
“We don’t want to be under suspicion, there’s no reason for that,” he insisted.
Regarding the alleged meeting he would attend, Rocha Moya clarified that he was never called to resolve any dispute, as held by May, since he even mentioned that he was out throughout July 25 and returned in the early hours of the following day.
In addition, he positioned that the problems of the state he leads are solved through the institutions of the Government, while he accused that he is sought to “force-force drug trafficking” for being originally from Badiraguato, the cradle of important Mexican drug lords such as El Chapo or Rafael Caro Quintero, among others.
He said that this is a stigma that is held on people from this town in northern Mexico and defended that, on the contrary, the people of Badiraguato and the state of Sinaloa “are good, hardworking people.”
He also considered that this type of case seeks to tarnish his image “and in passing” that of President López Obrador.
For her part, Claudia Sheinbaum said that support for Governor Rocha Moya will be maintained during her term, which will begin on October 1, as well as to her population in northern Mexico.
“Whoever wants to stigmatize this beautiful state, stay with its history, because men and women of Sinaloa are good Mexicans and Mexicans, men and women of work,” he said.
During the event, President López Obrador endorsed his support for the governor of Sinaloa, while congratulating him for “shiting his face” and not waiting a day to clarify Zambada’s alleged statements.
“We have all the confidence in the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, and I congratulate him because he shows his face he didn’t let a day go by,” he concluded.
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
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