International
Who rings for Trump’s cabinet 2.0?
The appointment of Susie Wiles as chief of staff of the White House is the first position announced by the next president of the United States, Donald Trump, for a second term in which he is expected to surround himself with very loyal collaborators.
Trump, who ended up fighting with many members of his first cabinet, especially after the assault on the Capitol, will have as vice president JD Vance, a senator from Ohio who was critical of him in the past but now fully supports him.
Meanwhile, Wiles, the first woman appointed chief of staff of the White House, one of the most important positions in Washington, has been one of the main advisors of the Republican campaign and Trump himself attributes credit to her for last Tuesday’s victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Elon Musk, Trump’s key ally
One of the people who could have a great prominence is the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, director of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of the social network X, from where he has promoted a strong campaign in favor of the Republican.
Trump offered Musk to run an office for “government efficiency” with the aim of cutting the expenses of the bureaucracy and fulfilling the Republican’s goal of eliminating what he calls the “deep state.”
Kennedy Jr.
Some charge is also expected for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of former Democratic President John F. Kennedy (1961-1963), who withdrew his presidential candidacy as an independent to support Trump, a gesture rejected by the Kennedy dynasty.
This controversial businessman, known for his anti-vaccine positions, has said that he could play an important role in the health policies of the next Trump Administration.
Stephen Miller, one of the great ideologists of Trump’s anti-immigration policy, could also have an important position in the White House.
Attorney General, Trump’s trusted men
One of the most important decisions that the next president must make is the appointment of the attorney general who will lead the Department of Justice and close the two criminal cases that weigh on the Republican for the assault on the Capitol and for having taken classified documents from the White House.
After a tense relationship with the prosecutors of his first term, Jeff Sessions and William Barr, he is expected to choose very loyal people who never turn their backs on him, including Jeff Clark, former deputy attorney general who was charged with Trump for electoral interference in the state of Georgia, or the current Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton.
Secretary of State
One of the names with which the most speculation is made to lead US diplomacy is that of Marco Rubio, a Florida senator who was on the list of possible vice presidents for a second term of the Republican
Rubio, of Cuban origin, exerted from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee a remarkable influence on the policy towards Latin America of Trump’s first term, but some advisors to the future president believe that his ‘hawk’ profile contrasts with the isolationist policy of “United States first” promoted by Trump.
Also in the pools is Richard Grenell, controversial former ambassador of Trump to Germany, a man very loyal to the Republican who was involved in his attempt to reverse his 2020 electoral defeat in the state of Nevada. He also participated in a recent meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Secretary of Defense
Trump is considering the possibility of putting Mike Pompeo at the head of the Pentagon, who was Secretary of State in his first term and is one of the few members of his first cabinet who could repeat in the Government.
Other names on the table are those of Mike Waltz, a Florida congressman and retired National Guard colonel; and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, who had already sounded as Secretary of Defense for Trump’s first term.
Secretary of the Treasury
At the head of the US Treasury could be Robert Lighthizer, who was already a representative of Foreign Trade in Trump’s first term and is considered a skeptic of free trade and a supporter of the tariff war with China.
Important donors of the Trump campaign also sound for the position, such as businessmen Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent or John Paulson.
The governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, is on the list of possible energy secretaries and former Secretary of Education Betsy Devos could return to that department to fulfill Trump’s promise to eliminate it.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
International
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.
“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.
In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”
International
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.
The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.
“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”
Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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