International
Boric, Lula, Petro and Peña will be in the assumption of Yamandú Orsi as president of Uruguay
The presidents of Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic, as well as the King of Spain, will travel to Montevideo to participate on March 1 in the investiture of Yamandú Orsi as the new president of Uruguay.
This was announced on Tuesday by the future foreign minister of the South American country, Mario Lubetkin, who detailed that for the moment the presence of the Argentine president, Javier Milei, is not confirmed.
“This will be the ceremony of greatest historical participation since democracy restarted in 1985. And I would dare to say that it is one of the most important participations of presidents, prime ministers and kings in number of those that have happened in Latin America and the Caribbean, at least in recent years,” he said.
In a press conference held at the headquarters of the Executive Branch, Lubetkin also reported that other presidents who will be in Montevideo will be those of Armenia and Germany.
The latter will hold a meeting with Orsi on Sunday, March 2, as part of a day that will have several bilateral meetings.
In the case of Argentina, the future foreign minister recalled that the last two transitions carried out in Uruguay were not attended by the then presidents, Mauricio Macri (2015) and Alberto Fernández (2020).
He explained that this is due to the fact that the beginning of the ordinary session of Parliament takes place in that country on March 1.
He also pointed out that countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Italy, Mexico and Portugal will be represented by ministers.
In total there will be 185 representatives from 65 countries, in a day that will begin at 13:00 local time (16:00 GMT) and will take place in the Legislative Palace and in the Plaza Independencia.
“We have maintained that tradition of Uruguay an open country, which invites all those countries with which we have diplomatic relations. That as a general criterion,” Lubetkin said.
On the other hand, he was consulted about the decision of the current Uruguayan president, Luis Lacalle Pou, not to sign the invitations to the Governments of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
“Naturally, it is not that we have been happy, because we preferred to have the general invitation, regardless of what the country was,” said the future minister, who recalled that “Governments pass and States remain.”
He added that those who have diplomats in Uruguay were sent an invitation note.
The future Foreign Minister Lubetkin said on Tuesday that his country wants to be a “facilitator and actor” of the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Part of the efforts we will make in foreign policy in this period is to strengthen integration at the regional level with all the difficulties that exist today, as they exist throughout the world,” he said.
“We want to be facilitators of the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean. We have our responsibility. I believe that the mere presence of the presidents who come from Latin America and the Caribbean is a sign that they are giving us,” he added.
He also remarked that there is no political sign there, since the presidents who will arrive in Montevideo “represent all the political colors of the region.”
The president of Celac (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and the new president she is going to assume is coming,” he said, referring to the Honduran Xiomara Castro and the Colombian Gustavo Petro.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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