International

Almagro says that in the OAS “he delegitimized dictatorships” and “detaned himself from ideology”

The outgoing secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, defended this Friday that he “delegitimized dictatorships” and “detaned himself from ideologies” during his decade in office (2015-2025), which will end in 10 days.

“We have done a strong, intense work of delegitimization of each of the dictatorships of the continent. That has been our work, that is what the organization’s regulations required of us,” Almagro said at an event at the Cuban Diaspora Museum in Miami.

Almagro, who on May 25 will hand over the post to Surinamese Albert Ramdin, the first Caribbean to lead the organization, claimed his fight against the “dictatorships” of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, by maintaining that this transcends ideological positions, as his critics claim.

“I have the ability, we have had the ability to detach ourselves from ideology because the one who leaves (clings) and prefers to continue and die clinging to ideology instead of principles, that is a serious mistake,” he said.

The secretary, who held the position of foreign minister of Uruguay between 2010 and 2015 with the now deceased former president José Mujica, is about to end his mandate in the OAS, in which he received criticism from left-wing governments, such as Mexico, Bolivia and Colombia, in addition to the countries already mentioned.

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In addition, the controversy was intensified by an external investigation in 2023 by the law firm Miller & Chevalier, which determined that he violated OAS ethical standards by maintaining a relationship with an official of the organization.

But the Uruguayan boasted of his legacy that includes “not allowing the normalization of dictatorships in the democratic community of the Americas”.

He also emphasized that he arrived under the presidency in the United States of Democrat Barack Obama, but he was also in the administrations of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, as well as in the course of left and right waves in Latin America.

“We knew how to navigate all those waters and we always navigate them attached to the fundamental principles and values of each of the conventions, but each of these these determinations of political dignity, which are fundamental freedoms and which is democracy,” he said.

The official made these statements at an event in which the exiled community in Florida of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela gave him recognition for considering him “a civil hero” who defended freedom and democracy in these countries.

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Cuban activist Rosa María Payá, for example, considered that Almagro was characterized by being “the only secretary general who has called things by their name,” in reference to dictatorships, political prisoners and crimes against humanity.

The official remarked that the officials in Cuba and Venezuela do not have “any ideological elaboration”, because both “the left and the right must be able to generate rights for people.”

International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.