International

Unicef Mexico: “The recruitment of minors is a very common practice”

The use and recruitment of minors by organized crime groups “is a very common practice and we are very worried,” the head of Child Protection of Unicef in Mexico, Rocío Aznar, told EFE this Wednesday, so she urges to look “in particular why adolescents are disappearing” in the North American country.

According to a report by the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), in Jalisco (western Mexico), state where Rancho Izaguirre is located, the alleged training camp of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), people between 15 and 19 years old occupy the first place in disappearances between January and April 2025, with 122 reports, the most likely cause being forced recruitment by organized crime.

In addition, “one of the main causes of death in adolescents in Mexico is homicide,” explains UNICEF’s Child Protection specialist, Juan Rodríguez, which could also have a “link” with criminal groups that recruit and use children and adolescents to fulfill roles ranging from messaging to sicariato.

Therefore, he explains, one of Unicef’s proposals is the criminalization of the crime of recruitment and use for “the protection of children,” but also because “it is in the line of organized crime prevention,” which has co-opted 30,000 minors, according to the Network for the Rights of the Child in Mexico (Redim).

“The (criminal) groups have taken advantage of the conditions or advantages of recruiting children. One, they are cheaper and, two, the imputable penalties are lower than those of an adult,” Rodríguez explains.

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To date, Unicef does not have specific figures on this affectation to childhood at the national level, since, in the no typification, it is difficult to “access the number of victims of recruitment and use.”

However, Aznar clarifies that, despite the lack of figures, this problem exists and “is one of the most serious violations of rights (…) These children and adolescents are exposed to the worst forms of violence, they see them, suffer them and, sometimes, they execute them.”

In that sense, he emphasizes, it is necessary that “the (Mexican) State reacts” and recognizes that “all recruitment and use of a person under the age of 18, who is still in the process of development, is forced.”

Also, because the one who is on trial is not the recruiter, but “the teenager who has committed a crime because they have used him, they have taken advantage of his vulnerability as a minor (…) The focus and responsibility is on the victim,” he says.
Adopt a national policy

In addition, Rodríguez insists, “boys and girls are not only recruited in order to commit a crime, they are also recruited to fulfill other roles, courier or cook. Those roles also expose them to levels of violence or risks that do not necessarily comply with operational activities such as the young hitman, the one who kidnaps.”

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That is why, Aznar adds, “we continue to urge the Mexican State to adopt a policy beyond a specific or conjunctural or temporary program,” which would be the first comprehensive national policy of prevention and attention to recruitment for a country where there are also more than 127,000 unlocated people since there was a record in the 1960s.

Mexican children and youth who face armed violence “deserve the opportunity to be able to heal, to rebuild their lives and if they have done damage to be able to repair it in a constructive way,” he concludes.

In response, President Claudia Sheinbaum has offered to develop “all the necessary schemes” to attend to youth in Jalisco, after the UdeG report warned about the forced recruitment of young people in that Mexican state.

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.