International

New blow against Israel at the UN in an overwhelming vote in favor of the ceasefire

The UN General Assembly approved by an overwhelming majority two resolutions to which Israel opposes regarding the situation in the Palestinian territories: one, in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza, which received 158 votes in favor and 9 against, and another, in support of the mandate of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which was 159 votes in favor and 9 against.

A two-thirds majority was required to advance these non-binding resolutions, which represent another international blow for Israel and its traditional ally the United States, due to the brutality exercised in the Palestinian enclave and the international inability to stop hostilities.

Several Latin countries among the support for Israel at the UN

Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Hungary and the Czech Republic were the most prominent countries that voted on the side of Israel and the United States in their rejection of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Likewise, Albania, Cameroon, Georgia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Ukraine and several small island states abstained in this vote.

“These two resolutions have no logic and challenge any concept of morality (…) UNRWA is not a neutral actor, but an entity where Hamas infiltrates. It is an open secret, said the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, during the session.

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The resolutions, which were co-sponsored by more than 50 countries around the world, follow the path previously traced by others ratified in the same assembly, where a ceasefire was already called for in December last year and the “end of the Israeli occupation” in September, although both with lower margins of support.

The US was isolated again

Today’s vote also comes after last month the US vetoed for the fourth time since October 7, 2023 another resolution in the UN Security Council for a ceasefire in Gaza, once again evidencing its international isolation in the United Nations with regard to Palestine.

“The lasting end to the war in Gaza must come with the release of the hostages. Hamas feels isolated by the ceasefire in Lebanon and supporting these two resolutions could send a dangerous message that it is not necessary to release them,” said the US deputy ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood.

And he added: “Israel’s struggle is against Hamas not with UNRWA (…), but the resolution has serious flaws, since it does not establish the way to restore trust between Israel and UNRWA,” thus justifying his new vote against.

Russia’s statement

For his part, the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasili Nebenzia, directly blamed the United States for continuing the war in Gaza – where more than 44,800 people have already died and another 106,000 have been injured – for his inaction in the Security Council.

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For Nebenzia, with his position the US sends “a clear message” that “if you are a (American) partner, you should not feel constrained by international law.”

Other Arab and Muslim countries, such as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Iran or Turkey, also dedicated sharp speeches against Israel’s intervention in the Palestinian enclave, which has already lasted fourteen months with disastrous humanitarian consequences.
“We are witnesses of genocide and ethnic cleansing (…) This is a stain on humanity,” they said from the representation of Algeria in the UN.

The approval of these resolutions is not binding but, after them, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, must issue a written assessment and a detailed report in the next 60 days with a short, medium and long-term plan that paves the way for the resolution of the conflict.

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.