International

Cristina Fernández demands the restitution of the pensions that the Milei Government took away from her

Former Argentine president Cristina Fernández (2007-2015) demanded that the National Administration of Social Security (Anses) return the pensions she received for having occupied the Head of State and for being the widow of the former president Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) and that were taken away by decision of the Government of Javier Milei.

Official sources consulted by EFE indicated this Saturday that the administrative claim presented by the former president will be answered “according to the procedural deadlines,” something that will be done by the Legal Affairs area of ANSES, the state agency that administers the pension system in Argentina.

Through a resolution published on November 15 in the Official Gazette, ANSES revoked the lifetime pension benefits that Fernández received for having been head of state and as a widow of another former president, a measure that on the day before had been announced by the Government of Milei itself.

Why did they withdraw Cristina Fernández’s pensions?

The resolution recalls that on November 13, an impeachment court confirmed a sentence for Fernández to six years in prison and perpetual disqualification from holding public office in a trial for irregularities in the concession of road works during his government and that of Kirchner.

ANSES alleged that lifetime pensions for former presidents “become legally incompatible for those who have committed a crime in the exercise of the same public function for which they have acceded to said allocation of privilege and to the detriment of the National State.”

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After this measure became effective, Cristina Fernández questioned it on the grounds that pensions for former presidents are not granted for good performance, but for the “merit” of having obtained the election as heads of state by the popular vote.

He also claimed that the alleged “bad performance” of a president can only be judged by the Argentine Parliament through the constitutional process of impeachment during the exercise of the mandate.

In statements to radio La Red, Facundo Fernández Pastor, the former president’s lawyer, pointed out that if the administrative claim before the ANSES does not succeed, Fernández will go to court.

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.

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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.