International
Boluarte and Xi inaugurate Chancay megaport, called to be a bridge between China and A.Latina
The Peruvian president, Dina Boluarte, and her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, remotely inaugurated the Hancay megaport, located about 70 kilometers from Lima, which will seek to become a bridge that commercially connects China with Latin America.
“Go ahead,” Boluarte said from the Government Palace, next to Xi, to inaugurate the port, after hearing from the main pier that the construction of the port “has been completed in its entirety and the conditions for the start of operations have been met.”
Boluarte and Xi made a remote inauguration
The leaders observed on a huge screen how the brand new infrastructure began to work and, in a symbolic way, a container of Peruvian blueberries was loaded on a ship bound for China, while, simultaneously, a container with electric vehicles was deposited in a Shanghai port on a ship bound for Chancay.
They declared that the inauguration of this “emlecotic project” is a historic moment for the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
“Chancay becomes a new starting point of the Inca road of a new era. From Chancay to Shanghai,” said the Chinese president when expressing his satisfaction with the construction term of the first smart and green port in Latin America.
He indicated that this work, whose initial investment has been 1.3 billion dollars, will reduce the time of maritime transport between Peru and China by 10 days, and will save 20% of the logistical cost, in addition to bringing job opportunities to Peruvians and at the same time consolidating the Andean country as a logistics ‘hub’.
“We sail shoulder to shoulder to embrace the world and move towards a more beautiful tomorrow,” Xi concluded.
New stage of economic development of Peru
For his part, Boluarte maintained that the start of port operations is the beginning of a new stage of economic development for Peru, and that it also shows that the Andean country is a reliable partner.
“We are starting a transformation that will consolidate the country as a world-class technological and industrial logistics center that will strategically project us in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
He also stated that this port will contribute one percentage point to the country’s GDP once, once its operations have started, so “its importance is undeniable.”
He reiterated the bonds of trust with China as its largest trading partner, but also as a “sister country” that has played a fundamental role in the construction of the infrastructure that will help place Peru as a logistics center also for Latin American partners, since it will be a gateway between both worlds.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
International Project Tackles Gender Violence in Indigenous Communities in Panama
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
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