International
Rubio promises to work for “a safer world” after swearing in as US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio was sworn in this Tuesday as the new Secretary of State of State in a ceremony in which he promised to work for “a safer world” under the directives of President Donald Trump.
Rubio became the first confirmed Trump Cabinet on Monday after receiving the unanimous support of the Senate. The new vice president, JD Vance, was in charge of taking the oath from Rubo.
After swearing in office, Rubio said that “one of the main objectives of US foreign policies will be the promotion of peace.”
“Of course, a peace through force, a peace always without abandoning our values, but I think it is extraordinary that it is something that should be said and that has not been said enough in recent memory,” added the new secretary.
Rubio had a few words in Spanish for his parents, who migrated from Cuba to Florida in 1956, during the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.
“The purpose of his life was that we could live the dreams that were not possible for them. It is an incredible honor to be the Secretary of State of the most powerful and goodest country in the history of humanity,” he said.
Subsequently, Rubio was greeted in the lobby of the State Department with applause from dozens of workers of this agency.
“There will be changes, but changes don’t have to be destructive. They don’t have to be punitive,” said the new head of US diplomacy.
Rubio said that the State Department needs to “act faster than ever because the world is changing faster than ever.”
“It is an honor to be able to run this agency. I hope to do it with distinction and integrity, working harder than anyone in this position. And that won’t be easy, because before me there have been very hardworking people,” he added.
The new Secretary of State was accompanied by his wife Jeanette, of Colombian origin, and their four children: Amanda, Daniella, Anthony and Dominick.
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
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