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.
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.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
Nicaraguan media publishes photos of detained Indigenous leader amid calls for proof of life
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
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
-
Sin categoría3 days agoEnergy chief says U.S. will restore Gulf oil shipments and refill strategic reserves
-
International5 days ago
U.S. Launches Military Strikes on Iran Following Apache Helicopter Incident
-
International3 days ago‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
-
International5 days agoMS-13 Member Sentenced to 35 Years for Fatal Subway Killing in New York
-
International4 days agoU.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
-
International4 days agoIván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
-
International2 days agoMexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
-
Central America4 days agoU.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
-
Central America8 minutes agoNicaraguan media publishes photos of detained Indigenous leader amid calls for proof of life
-
International11 minutes ago
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures