International
Polling stations close in half of the US states, including Pennsylvania
The polling stations of half of the US states have already closed at 20.00 local time (01.00 GMT), including Pennsylvania, the hinge state that grants the most compromises for the Electoral College and of which the results are not yet known.
Polling stations in Pennsylvania closed at 8:00 p.m. local time (01.00 GMT), although in Cambria County, a Trump bastion, they will remain open until 10:00 p.m. local time (03.00 GMT on Wednesday) due to problems with counting machines.
That state, where there are 19 compromises, is the most important of the seven keys that will determine the outcome of the presidential elections.
Counting in the US elections.
The closure of polling stations in Pennsylvania marks the beginning of the vote count, since state legislation establishes that ballots, both those deposited at the polls and those sent by mail, cannot be counted until the end of election day.
This regulation could significantly delay the vote counting process and delay the announcement of the results beyond tonight.
Most of the eyes are on this and six other hinge states that are called to decide today’s elections, of which Georgia and North Carolina have also closed, with 16 compromises each.
They also closed at that time in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and the District of Columbia.
In the previous two hours, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Ohio did it.
At 03.00 GMT on Wednesday the schools in Montana, Nevada and Utah will end their day, while at 04.00 GMT on Wednesday they will do so on the west coast (California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho).
2020 Elections
The results of most states will soon arrive, but in the key states, predictably very tight, it can take several hours or even days to project a winner.
That can generate a situation similar to that of the last 2020 elections, when the winner was not known until four days later.
Americans do not decide by popular vote who will be their next president, but they designate a number of voters in each state who make up the Electoral College and who are responsible for electing the next tenant of the White House.
The Electoral College has 538 compromises and, to win, Trump or Harris need at least a majority of 270.
International
Claudia Sheinbaum: Operation Against ‘El Mencho’ Was Based on Pending Arrest Warrants
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday rejected claims that the military operation that resulted in the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was carried out under pressure from the United States government.
Sheinbaum explained that the deployment of federal forces was aimed at executing outstanding arrest warrants against Oseguera Cervantes, who was considered one of the most wanted criminals in both Mexico and the United States.
“That was not the objective (to ease pressure from the United States). It is very important, and I want to repeat it. This individual had an arrest warrant, or several,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the operation conducted on February 22.
According to the president, the initial goal was to capture Oseguera Cervantes, but military forces responded after coming under attack during the intervention.
“The operation was to detain him. The problem is that they were attacked — the Secretariat of National Defense — and they responded at that moment,” she said.
The president insisted that the action was not carried out in response to external demands, although she acknowledged intelligence cooperation with the United States.
“It was not done in any way because of pressure from the United States, not at all. Of course, there was intelligence information from the United States that was used specifically,” she concluded.
International
Spain Denies Any Agreement to Cooperate with U.S. Military in Iran Operations
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Wednesday firmly denied that Madrid has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military in operations against Iran, contradicting statements made minutes earlier by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“I categorically deny it,” Albares said in a radio interview cited by EFE. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombings in Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed by a single comma.”
Earlier in the day, Leavitt told reporters that Spain had “agreed to cooperate with the United States military in recent hours,” following President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a trade embargo on Madrid. Trump had warned of economic measures after Spain reportedly refused to allow the Pentagon to use facilities at Spanish bases for operations related to Iran.
“I have no idea what that could be referring to or where it could be coming from,” Albares said, insisting that Spain’s position “has not changed at all” and therefore “remains absolutely unchanged.” He added that he had “no desire” and “almost no time” to speculate about the White House spokesperson’s remarks.
Albares reiterated Spain’s “No to war” stance, which he said had been clearly and forcefully expressed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in an institutional address. According to the foreign minister, that position has been supported by “many European colleagues.”
International
White House Says Spain Agrees to Cooperate with U.S. Military After Trump Threatens Trade Embargo
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Spain has agreed “in recent hours” to cooperate with the U.S. military, following President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a trade embargo on Madrid.
Trump had warned of potential commercial measures after Spain reportedly refused to allow the Pentagon to use facilities at Spanish military bases for operations related to Iran.
“With respect to Spain, I think you heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear, and I understand that in recent hours they have agreed to cooperate with the United States military,” Leavitt said during a press briefing.
She added that the U.S. military is currently coordinating with its counterparts in Spain. However, the president expects broader support.
“The president expects that all of Europe, all of our European allies, of course, will cooperate in this important mission — not only for the United States, but also for Europe,” Leavitt said.
Her remarks came in response to questions about Spain’s position and its role as a U.S. ally amid rising tensions surrounding operations involving Iran.
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