International
Justin Trudeau announces his resignation from the leadership of his party and as Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, announced on Monday his resignation as prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party at a press conference after remaining in power for more than nine years.
“I intend to resign as party leader and as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a competitive and rigorous process at the national level,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister explained that, although he is a “fighter”, he has come to the conclusion that he is not the “best option” for the next elections, scheduled for October, and therefore he has decided to step aside.
“During the holidays, I have also had the opportunity to reflect and I have had long conversations with my family about my future,” he explained to add: “Yest night, during dinner, I communicated my decision to my children.”
The decision means that Trudeau will remain provisionally as Prime Minister of Canada until the Liberals find a replacement.
“The Liberal Party of Canada is an important institution in the history of our great country and our democracy. A new prime minister and party leader will maintain the ideas and values of the Liberal Party,” he explained.
Trudeau, who came to power at the end of 2015, faces the collapse of his image in opinion polls and a growing rebellion within the Liberal Party, aggravated by the unexpected resignation of his deputy prime minister and finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, on December 16.
Avoid a motion of censure in the Parliament of Canada
Trudeau also reported that the Canadian Parliament will remain closed until March 24, which will prevent opposition parties from immediately filing the announced motion of censure against the Government.
The Canadian leader justified the controversial decision, which has been approved by the country’s governor general, Mary Simon, who acts as head of state on behalf of the English monarch, to extend Parliament due to the “paralysis” of the Lower House.
“That is why this morning I advised the governor-general that we need a new session of Parliament. He has authorized the petition and the Lower House will be extended until March 24,” he said.
Trudeau acknowledged that, once the sessions of Parliament are restarted, the opposition parties will present a motion of censure to overthrow the Government
The extension, which effectively ceases all legislative activities, is a controversial mechanism that was last used in 2020 when Trudeau was facing a serious scandal about government contracts with an NGO.
In December 2008, the then Prime Minister, the Conservative Stephen Harper, also extended Parliament to avoid a motion of censure that would have caused the fall of his government.
Opposition parties, which have a majority in Parliament, had announced that they would table a motion of censure against Trudeau as soon as Lower House sessions resumed.
Trudeau exalts those he considers his achievements
He also listed what he considered achievements of his nine-year government, such as poverty reduction and the fight against climate change, but also regretted not having been able to reform the Canadian electoral system to avoid the political “polarization” that is being experienced in the country.
Finally, he expressed his desire that his resignation would allow the next general election, scheduled for October of this year, not to be so divisive.
Opposition parties point out that resignation does not change anything
The deferred resignation announced by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, has not changed anything, said the leaders of the three main opposition parties in the country, who reaffirmed their intention to present a motion of censure as soon as possible.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the main opposition group, the Conservative Party, issued a statement after Trudeau’s announcement in which he assured that “this does not change anything.”
“Canadians desperate to turn the page of this dark chapter in our history may be relieved that Justin Trudeau is finally leaving. But what has really changed?” said Poilievre, who according to the polls is destined to win the next general elections.
Polievre added that the reason why the Liberal Party has decided to replace its leader is because the Liberal deputies “feel guilty” for the policies that he considers have broken the country during Trudeau’s nine-year term.
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
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