International
Bolivia’s ruling party meets to choose candidates without the participation of Evo Morales
Thousands of followers of the ruling Movement to Socialism (MAS) met this Friday to define the election of the presidential binomial for the August 17 elections in Bolivia, without the former historical leader, former President Evo Morales (2006-2019), who after losing leadership will present his candidacy for the first time with another political group.
The president of the MAS, Grover García, said in his speech that this congress is to “seek the unity” of the popular bloc and establish an “organic” way to elect the departmental and national leaders of the ruling party.
García pointed out that the election of representatives and candidates will not be done “by finger” or with “imposition” as, he said, happened in the time of Evo Morales, whom he indicated to be the one who defined the MAS candidacies.
The meeting is held in the city of El Alto, neighboring La Paz, with delegations from organizations related to the Government and with the presence of President Luis Arce and Vice President David Choquehuanca.
On Thursday, Morales and his supporters announced that they will step away from the MAS and run for election with a new party, the Front for Victory (FPV), which means a distance between the “evista” bloc, as those loyal to the former president with the faction that supports Arce, known as ‘arcistas’.
In this regard, García said that “those who go to other parties” are the “true traitors” and that this will become clear at the conclusion of the official meeting.
Although President Arce has not confirmed that he will go to re-election, he is emerging as the main option of the MAS to the Presidency, since some sectors began to propose his name in the recent public events and delivery of public works to which the Head of State has attended.
For his part, Arce warned the crowd that attended the event that in the next elections they will face “two visions of the country”, among which the MAS promotes, oriented to deepen the Plurinational State, the plural economy and industrialization, with the opposition that seeks to return to the “old Republic”, privatization and economic dependence.
“Our political instrument has the challenge of facing these new elections with all the arsenal we have (…) and with the unity of our social organizations,” said the president.
Luis Arce has increased his travels throughout the country this year, an average of two daily since January, for the delivery of works and to offer speeches about his Administration.
While Morales does not leave the Tropic of Cochabamba (center), his main political and union stronghold, since October 2024, where he is surrounded by his followers who protect him against an arrest warrant.
The former governor was declared in “rebellion” for not appearing twice before a court to answer for an accusation of aggravated human trafficking, for allegedly maintaining a relationship with a minor with whom he had a child in 2016, when he was president of Bolivia.
In November, the former president ceased to be head of the MAS after the Judicial and Electoral bodies validated a congress held in May 2024 by the ‘arcista’ wing that elected leader Grover García as the new leader of the government party.
Morales insists that he is qualified to be a candidate despite a constitutional ruling that establishes that re-election in Bolivia is for “a single time” continuously or discontinuously, which would prevent him from participating, since he ruled the country for three consecutive periods (2006-2009, 2010-2014 and 2015-2019).
The division in the ruling party in Bolivia began to be noticed since the political crisis of 2019, when Morales resigned the presidency of the country alleging an alleged “coup d’état” and then took refuge in Argentina.
Arce and Morales have been distanced since the end of 2021 due to differences in the administration of the Executive and the election of the MAS presidential candidate.
International
Four suspected PCC members killed in Police shootout in Florianópolis
At least four armed men, allegedly linked to an organized crime group, were killed Sunday night during a shootout with police officers at Ponta das Canas beach on the island of Florianópolis, capital of the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, local media reported on Monday.
According to the Santa Catarina Military Police, one of the men killed was a native of the state of São Paulo (southeast) and identified as a leader of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a gang that controls drug trafficking in the Papaquara community in northern Florianópolis, one of Brazil’s most popular tourist areas.
Police said officers were conducting a patrol in the Ponta das Canas neighborhood when they noticed a man entering a house in a hurry, raising suspicion. Upon entering the residence, they encountered four heavily armed individuals.
During the police operation, one of the suspects reportedly attempted to seize an officer’s rifle, triggering the exchange of gunfire. “Faced with the imminent threat and the criminals’ high firepower, the officers responded to stop the aggression,” the Military Police said on social media.
International
U.S. uses $4.65 billion in emergency funds to sustain SNAP benefits amid shutdown
The U.S. government will use $4.65 billion from an emergency fund to finance payments under SNAP, the country’s primary food assistance program, covering roughly “50% of benefits for eligible households,” according to a Department of Agriculture official in court filings.
The administration, however, does not plan to make up the funding shortfall through other resources, as noted in documents submitted to a federal court in Rhode Island.
This announcement follows a federal judge’s order in Providence — one of two issued last week — requiring the government to tap emergency funds to ensure the program remains operational.
The Trump administration argues that SNAP is running out of money amid a month-long federal government shutdown, triggered by a budget standoff between Democrats and Republicans who continue to blame each other for the crisis.
President Trump said on Friday that he was willing to release the necessary funds if the courts required it and emphasized that he does not want “Americans to go hungry.”
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives, accused Trump and the Republican Party on Sunday of “weaponizing hunger” during the political dispute.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
Four suspected PCC members killed in Police shootout in Florianópolis
U.S. uses $4.65 billion in emergency funds to sustain SNAP benefits amid shutdown
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
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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