International
Kamala Harris rescues Biden for her presidential campaign
The Democratic candidate for the White House, Kamala Harris, rescued the president, Joe Biden, as an asset for his electoral campaign a month after he resigned his own candidacy in an exhibition of unity that leaves behind the political storm that shook the party.
The campaign was prudent when choosing the site. Far from the stadiums that Harris and his new vice president, Governor Tim Walz, have crowded in recent days in the key states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada or Wisconsin.
With Biden, the now vice president appeared at a small gym in Prince George County, Maryland, part of the overwhelmingly Democratic suburbs of Washington; with nothing at stake in the November 5 elections.
In addition, the event, officially of the White House to promote a drop in drug prices negotiated with pharmaceutical companies, attended by a predominantly African-American audience, a sector among which Biden still retains some popularity.
“I could talk all afternoon about the person I’m with in this scenario,” said the Democratic candidate after jumping on the stage with Biden.
“There is a lot of love in this room for our president,” said the vice president, showing a great affection for Biden, who a little less than a month ago gave him the Democratic candidacy.
Harris dedicated part of his speech to praising Biden for his legacy, giving him credit for the government inheritance.
“I think that love is for many, many reasons; including that few leaders in our nation have done more on so many issues, such as the expansion of access to affordable health care,” the vice president added while the public cheered “thank you Joe, thank you Joe!”, in an evident feeling of farewell.
Both praised each other, being proud to have been key to the approval of a reform that allows the Government to negotiate the abusive prices of medicines with pharmaceutical companies, a great concern among older citizens in the country.
When it was his turn, Biden went to the Democratic base for the first time with Harris next to him since he resigned from the candidacy: “Friends, I have an incredible partner,” he said.
Harris and Biden thus made a display of partisan unity after the president was forced to resign his candidacy for re-election under pressure from several party leaders, including the influential former president of the Lower House Nancy Pelosi.
Democrats were alarmed by the nefarious polls and the broad public perception that Biden, 81, is too old to govern one more term. That campaign of harassment and demolition opened major wounds among the Democrats, who have managed to heal in record time.
Harris took the reins of the campaign immediately that same Sunday the 21st and in less than a month he has managed to turn around some polls that gave Trump as the winner almost by acclamation and arouse an enthusiasm in the Democratic base not seen since the time of Barack Obama.
Biden, for his part, had moved away from the campaign during these weeks, dedicated only to executive functions, a respite that even allowed him to enjoy a summer day at the beach with his family this past Saturday in Delaware.
Central America
Argentina Falls to Lowest Rating in Global Workers’ Rights Index Under Milei Administration
Argentina and Panama have joined Ecuador among the world’s 10 worst countries for workers’ rights, according to a report released Monday by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The three Latin American nations appear alongside Belarus, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tunisia and Turkey in the latest edition of the Global Rights Index, which evaluates the protection of labor rights around the world.
According to the ITUC, Argentina entered the list this year after being downgraded to Category 5, marking its second consecutive year of declining ratings.
“Argentina joins the list of the 10 worst countries for workers this year after falling to Category 5, following a second consecutive year of deterioration in its rating,” the organization stated.
The report argues that working conditions and the environment for trade unions have become increasingly restrictive under the administration of President Javier Milei.
“Conditions for workers and trade unions have become increasingly repressive and hostile under the far-right government of President Javier Milei,” the study said.
The ITUC also highlighted Argentina’s implementation of an anti-blockade protocol aimed at maintaining public order during road blockades. According to the report, the measure authorizes what it describes as the indiscriminate use of police force.
The organization noted that Argentina’s rating has worsened for a second consecutive year, placing the country in Category 5, the lowest level assigned in the index and the worst rating Argentina has ever received.
“This represents an abrupt and unprecedented decline from Category 3 to Category 5 in just two years,” the report stated.
Category 5 includes countries where workers’ rights are considered “not guaranteed.” According to the ITUC, the downgrade reflects a shift from recurring labor rights violations to a situation in which workers are no longer assured basic protections.
The annual index assesses issues such as freedom of association, collective bargaining rights, the right to strike and legal protections for workers and trade unions.
The report’s findings place renewed international attention on labor conditions in several countries, particularly in Latin America, where Argentina, Panama and Ecuador now rank among the most challenging environments for workers’ rights.
International
OAS Election Mission to Monitor Claims of Political Interference by Colombia’s President
The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) has pledged to follow up on allegations regarding the alleged involvement of Colombian President Gustavo Petro in political campaigning ahead of Sunday’s presidential election.
The announcement was made by presidential candidate Claudia López after a meeting with the head of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission, former Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández.
According to a statement released by López’s campaign, the OAS mission listened to the concerns raised by the candidate and committed to monitoring the complaints she has submitted to both national and international organizations.
The mission also reiterated its commitment to overseeing the electoral process to help ensure that the will of Colombian voters is respected throughout the election.
“We have turned to international forums and technical observation missions to warn that Colombian democracy cannot be left at the mercy of fear or undue pressure,” López, the former mayor of Bogotá, said following the meeting.
López has repeatedly expressed concerns about what she describes as political interference in the electoral process and has called on national and international institutions to closely monitor the conduct of the campaign.
The OAS observation mission is one of several international bodies deployed to Colombia to monitor the presidential election, which is taking place amid heightened political tensions and intense competition among candidates from across the ideological spectrum.
The election is expected to be closely watched both domestically and internationally as Colombians choose whether to continue with the country’s first left-wing administration or shift toward a new political direction.
International
Colombia Votes in Pivotal Election as Left Seeks to Retain Power
Colombians headed to the polls on Sunday in a crucial presidential election that will determine whether the country continues under its first left-wing government in modern history or shifts back toward the political right.
The election campaign has been marked by deep political divisions, with armed violence and economic concerns emerging as the dominant issues for voters.
A total of 11 candidates remain in the race following the withdrawal of three presidential tickets. The central question is which candidate will advance to a likely runoff election alongside ruling-party senator Iván Cepeda, who has led opinion polls for months with his platform of “democratic revolution” but is not expected to secure enough votes to win outright in the first round.
On the right, Senator Paloma Valencia of the Democratic Center party, the political movement founded by former President Álvaro Uribe, has lost momentum as support has grown for far-right attorney Abelardo de la Espriella. Known as “The Tiger,” De la Espriella has campaigned on a tough-on-crime agenda targeting criminal organizations and guerrilla groups, drawing comparisons to the security policies of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
Political analyst Sandra Borda, a professor at the University of the Andes, argues that Colombia is experiencing not simply greater polarization but a broader political landscape.
“The 2016 peace agreement with the FARC opened significant space for the left. Inevitably, it also created opportunities for the right,” Borda told CNN. The political scientist, who ran for the Senate in 2022 with the New Liberalism movement, believes the current election presents a more challenging environment for the left than four years ago.
According to Borda, left-wing candidates can no longer campaign solely as agents of change who have never had the opportunity to govern or who remained untouched by traditional politics.
“They can no longer make that argument. They have already governed and are no longer immune from criticism associated with political power,” she said.
The election is being closely watched across Latin America as voters weigh the record of the outgoing administration against promises of change from candidates across the political spectrum.
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