International
Hezbulá will continue with “the same war plan” against Israel, says its new leader
The new leader of Hizbulah, Naim Qasem, said on Wednesday in his first speech as head of the formation that the Lebanese Shiite group will continue with “the same war plan” against Israel drawn up by its predecessor, Hassan Nasrala, killed just over a month ago in a massive bombing of the Israeli Army.
“The work schedule is the same as with Hasán Nasrala. We continue with the same war plan,” Qasem said in a televised speech in which he appeared next to the flags of Lebanon, of Hizbulah and a framed photo of his predecessor, who always promised that the group would cease its attacks against Israel if a truce was reached in Gaza.
In a serene tone, the septuagenary clergyman said that the Strip, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East are facing “an Israeli, American and European war with all its power,” while denouncing that a “genocide” is being committed in the devastated Palestinian enclave and, now, in Lebanese territory.
“We always said that we do not want war, but we are prepared if it has been imposed on us and we will do it firmly and we will succeed, God willing,” insisted Qasem, who said that Hezbulla’s only objective “is to protect Lebanon” and “support Palestine.”
Israel’s “brutality” in Gaza and Lebanon
He also acknowledged that the group “has paid the price for the convictions of liberation,” in reference to the dozens of deaths of high-ranking officials in Hezbulá – including that of Nasrala – since the beginning of the clashes with Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip.
However, he insisted on the group’s “need” to respond to Israel’s “brutality” in Gaza and Lebanon.
“More than 43,000 martyrs do not move the world? 100,000 wounded don’t shake the world? Not even the murder of children? This crime must be addressed,” Qasem justified in reference to the deaths in the Palestinian enclave since the beginning of the war more than a year ago.
On the other hand, he acknowledged that Iran “supports” Hezbollah but insisted that the Islamic Republic “does not want anything” in return, only “the liberation of the Lebanese land.”
“We welcome any Arab, Islamic or world country if it wants to support us. We don’t say no to anyone who supports us in the world, be it Western, Arab or whoever. We will not say no,” insisted the clergyman, who was appointed on Tuesday as the new general secretary of the organization.
Naim Qasem said that the Shiite group has the ability to continue facing Israel “for months,” although he reiterated that the armed formation is willing to agree to a ceasefire “with conditions.”
“We can continue for months, I won’t say more,” said the septuagenary clergyman in his first speech after being appointed yesterday as the new secretary general of Hizbulah to succeed Hassan Nasrala, murdered a month ago by Israel in a massive bombing against the southern suburbs of Beirut known as the Dahye.
During his speek, he asked for “patience” from the combatants and the Lebanese, while demanding to leave Lebanon the soldiers of Israel, which began an invasion of the southern Mediterranean country in early October: “Get out of our land to reduce your losses, if you stay you will see defeat,” he said.
“Will the war be prolonged? It seems that the US elections will be a turning point,” Qasem asked himself, who indicated that “there may be someone who inhibits (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu” to stop hostilities, he said.
“Indirect” negotiations
On the other hand, Qasem assured that Hezbulah is willing to hold “indirect” negotiations with Israel to reach a truce that ends more than a year of war, which has caused the death of more than 2,700 people and the displacement of more than 1.2 million others in Lebanon alone, in addition to the annihilation of much of the leadership of the Shiite armed formation.
“If the enemy decides (to agree) on a ceasefire, we will say yes, but with conditions. The way will be to hold indirect negotiations for this purpose,” said the cleric, who in early October – when he was the number two of Hezbullah – gave his support to some truce talks mediated by the president of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri.
In this sense, he recalled that Berri, who also leads the Shiite group Amal, an ally of Hezbulá, is “the pillar of the negotiations,” although he regretted that “there is still no clear project that is consensual” to put an end to hostilities.
Berri, who has been president of Parliament for three decades, is a crucial figure who serves as the group’s communication channel with the rest of the Lebanese political spectrum.
“We always said that we do not want war, but we are prepared if it has been imposed on us and we will do it firmly and we will succeed, God willing,” insisted Qasem, who said that Hezbulla’s only objective “is to protect Lebanon” and “support Palestine.”
Israel says the mandate of the new leader will be “temporary”
Shortly after the appointment, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, targeted the septuagenary cleric and assured in a brief message on his official X account that his mandate will be “temporary” and “not for long.”
After a little more than a month of the assassination of Nasrala, the group has decided to choose the one who was the number two of the formation and who has been in charge of giving the three television speeches offered after the death of the previous head of Hezbullah, who was in charge for three decades.
This decision has been made after last week Hizbula confirmed the death of Hashem Safi al Din, head of the Executive Council of the formation and considered one of the main candidates to head the group.
He has been considered one of the main spokesmen of the Shiite group and the highest level figure who has even given interviews to foreign media.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
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