International
The federal president of Austria commissions the far-right Herbert Kickl to form a government
The federal president of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, commissioned on Monday the far-right Herbert Kickl, leader of the liberal party FPÖ, to form a new government after the collapse of negotiations between conservatives, social democrats and liberals.
After meeting this morning for an hour with Kickl, the head of state said that he has instructed him to negotiate with the popular party ÖVP on the formation of a government coalition.
“Mr. Kickl has the necessary confidence to find viable solutions within the framework of government negotiations, and he wants to assume this responsibility, so I commissioned him to enter into talks with the ÖVP on the formation of a federal government,” Van der Bellen said.
“I have not taken this step lightly, I will continue to ensure the correct compliance and observance of the principles and rules of our Constitution,” added the president, who in the past had been against a government led by Kickl.
It is the first time in the history of Austria that the far-right FPÖ, winner of the elections of last September 29 with about 29% of the votes, is commissioned to form a government.
“The ÖVP has reversed its categorical rejection of cooperation with Kickl. That’s the new situation,” Van der Bellen said about the change of position announced on Sunday by the new conservative leader, Christian Stocker.
He succeeded yesterday the hitherto federal foreign minister and conservative leader, Karl Nehammer, who had announced his resignation on Saturday after failing the negotiations for a tripartite government between the ÖVP and the social democratic party SPÖ and the liberal Neos.
Nehammer was against a coalition with the FPÖ under Kickl, which he accuses of being a danger to the country’s security for his xenophobic, pro-Russian and critical positions of the European Union (EU).
Who is Kickl?
Kickl is a former Minister of the Interior (2017-2019) in a government led by former conservative foreign minister Sebastian Kurz.
In June 2021, he assumed, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the presidency of the FPÖ and radicalized the tone and discourse of the party.
He not only rejects the measures taken by the then conservative-ecologist government against the coronavirus, but also Western support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, the cooperation of neutral Austria with NATO, and is critical of the EU.
One of Kickl’s main allies is the Hungarian Prime Minister, the ultra-nationalist Viktor Orbán, with whom he formed the “Patriots for Europe” faction, the third group of the European Parliament.
In addition, the FPÖ maintains close relations with Alternative for Germany (AfD), in which there are elements who are being investigated by the German justice as right-wing extremists.
The FPÖ is a party founded after World War II by former Nazi hierarchs and to this day brings together the most extremist and right-wing circles in the country.
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
-
International2 days agoMexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala arrests first escaped gang member after Barrio 18 prison break
-
International5 days agoMaría Corina Machado calls 2025 Nobel Peace prize a victory for venezuelan people
-
International2 days agoVenezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
-
International2 days agoPope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
-
International5 days agoNetanyahu says Trump deserved 2025 Nobel Peace prize
-
International4 days agoPeruvian president Jerí leads prison raids to tackle organized crime
-
International4 days agoVenezuela launches ‘Independence 200’ defense plan amid U.S. naval presence
-
Central America3 days agoFraijanes II prison in Guatemala reports gradual escape of 18th Street gang inmates
-
International17 hours agoSheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
-
International3 days agoHeavy rains leave dozens dead in Hidalgo, Puebla, and Veracruz
-
International17 hours agoArmed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
-
International17 hours agoVenezuelan media faces fresh restrictions after reporting on opposition leader’s Nobel win
-
International17 hours agoCaracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win