International

Cuba records just under 13,000 earthquakes in 2024, a record year of earthquakes

The National Center for Seismological Research (Cenais) of Cuba reported on Monday that 2024 was the year with the highest number of earthquakes recorded -12,806- which are attributed to the occurrence of the three strong tremors that shook the east of the island.

Cenais documented – until the end of 2024 – 8,873 aftershocks of the two earthquakes of magnitude 6 and 6.7 degrees on the Richter scale recorded on November 10 40 kilometers southeast of the town of Pilón, in the province of Granma.

These two movements left 10 people injured and more than 8,600 homes damaged, of which 156 with total collapses and almost 6,000 with minor effects, according to a preliminary report by the Cuban Executive.

Another earthquake, of magnitude 6.1 degrees, shook the municipality of Guamá, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, on December 23. This added 446 aftershocks and its effects left damage to more than 90 homes and four state buildings.

The head of the Cenais Seismological Service, Enrique Arango Arias, explained in an annual summary, that these three earthquakes have occurred in a sector of the Oriente fault, characterized by a predominant sliding movement in the left lateral course.

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According to the expert, in the previous year 20 perceptible earthquakes were officially reported, 10 of them in the Santiago-Baconao area, five in the eastern towns of Moa and Baracoa, Sibanicú (center-east) and Varadero (west).

Another five earthquakes were perceived in the Pilón-Chivirico area (southwest), where the three strong earthquakes mentioned are included.

The Caribbean island recorded a total of 7,475 earthquakes in 2023, of which 14 were perceptible and the magnitudes ranged from less than 3 to 5.9.

About 70% of earthquakes are reported in this East fault, located along the southeast coast of the island.

Cuba is located in a region – which extends from the Dominican Republic to Mexico – in which different systems of tectonic faults converge with important seismic activity.

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Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.

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International

Trump says Iran seeks new talks after failed negotiations in Pakistan

Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has reached out to United States to resume negotiations, following the collapse of recent talks held in Islamabad.

“We’ve been contacted by the other side,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is eager to reach a deal “at all costs.” Speaking from the Oval Office, he reiterated that his main objective is to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and warned that he will not allow Iran to “blackmail” the international community.

After negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without agreement on Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil trade.

The waterway had already been disrupted by Iran in response to a U.S. and Israeli offensive launched on February 28, causing significant shocks to the global economy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump further warned that any Iranian vessel attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the strait would be “eliminated immediately.”