International
Ecuador seizes over 500 kilos of cocaine hidden in bananas bound for Russia
Ecuador seized more than 500 kilos of cocaine hidden in a container of export bananas destined for Russia, the police reported this Sunday.
The discovery took place during the ‘Poseidón XLIV’ operation conducted on Saturday at a maritime port in Guayaquil, where a thorough inspection revealed 573 brick-shaped packages containing cocaine.
The Ports and Airports Information Unit (UIPA) and the Regional Canine Training Center (CRAC) identified the container, which held a shipment of bananas concealing a total of 526,686 grams of cocaine headed for Russia, according to a police statement.
Citizens Andrew C. and Andrés A. were arrested for investigative purposes.
As evidence, three cell phones, a tractor-trailer, a container, and several shipping seals were obtained, which will aid in ongoing investigations to dismantle this drug trafficking network.
The police action prevented more than 5.2 million doses of drugs from reaching the streets, said the authorities, who estimate that the operation caused a financial loss of more than $21 million to the criminal groups.
Bordering Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest cocaine producers, and with several coastal ports, including Guayaquil, Ecuador’s dollarized economy has become a significant transit point for drug trafficking, primarily headed to Europe and North America.
Ecuador is ranked as the third country in the world that seizes the most drugs—only behind Colombia and the United States—with around 200 tons of narcotics confiscated in the last three years, and 149 tons in the first half of 2024 alone.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
International
Three salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
Three Salvadoran residents living in Orlando, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and wire fraud involving a scheme exceeding $146 million in the construction industry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The sentence was handed down by federal judge Timothy J. Corrigan on Tuesday, July 29.
Eduardo Aníbal Escobar (45) was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, Carlos Alberto Rodríguez (36) to 3 years and 4 months, and Adelmy Tejada (57) to 18 months in prison, followed by 6 months of house arrest. All three pled guilty on April 3, 2025.
In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered restitution payments totaling $36,957,616 to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes, and $397,895 to two insurers for workers’ compensation claims related to the scheme.
Escobar and Rodríguez are permanent legal residents originally from El Salvador, while Tejada is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Salvadoran origin.
International
Kremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
The Kremlin expressed relief that the earthquakes that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today —the first being the strongest since 1952— resulted in no casualties, and emphasized that the region is well prepared to face such natural disasters.
“Thank God, there were no victims,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during his daily press briefing.
The presidential representative stated that “all alert systems were activated in time, and evacuations were organized for residents in areas requiring it in response to tsunami threats.”
“Overall, the seismic resilience of the buildings proved effective (…) Therefore, we can say that the technological preparedness demonstrated a high level,” Peskov added.
Honduras sees ongoing killings of land defenders and attacks on press, warns NGO
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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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