International
Irish mobster Hutch is rending for general elections after arrest in Spain
Dublin gangster Gerard Hutch, popularly known as ‘The Monk’, confirmed on Monday his intention to run in the Irish general elections, while he is on bail after being arrested in Lanzarote (Spain) last October.
Hutch, whom the police consider the leader of one of the most dangerous organized crime organizations in this country, assured the media today upon his arrival at Dublin airport that he will be a “one hundred percent” candidate in the elections of November 29.
In the videos circulating on social networks, ‘El Monje’, 61, assured from Terminal 1 that he has begun the legal procedures to register as a candidate for a seat in the Dáil (lower house) for the northern district of Dublin, which includes some of the poorest areas of the capital.
He also stated that he is not concerned about his detention in Lanzarote (Canary Islands), where he resides for much of the year, and that he is “innocent.”
Alleged crime of money laundering
Hutch was arrested on October 25 along with eight other people for alleged money laundering crimes in the context of an international criminal organization, after a joint operation by the Spanish and Irish security forces, who also searched his home in Dublin.
Days later, the Court of Instruction number 2 of Arrecife (Lanzarote) released him on bail of 100,000 euros and decided not to impose additional precautionary measures.
In this regard, the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands explained that the judge and the prosecutor of the case understood that removing Hutch’s passport or imposing some other restriction beyond the bail could cause irreparable damage to his right to run in the elections, while recalling that only a final judgment can prevent him from running in those elections.
In the event that this Dublin gangster finally becomes a candidate, most of his election campaign will run online, as he is threatened with death by the rival gang of the Kinahan family, one of the most persecuted organized crime organizations worldwide.
Both mafia families have been warting a war since 2016 that has claimed 18 fatalities to date, most of them on the Hutch side.
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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