International

Divided Latin America faces geopolitical tensions ahead of OAS Assembly

The “divergent” reactions of Latin American governments to the U.S. decision to strike Iran have revealed the region’s complex and divided geopolitical landscape—something that could hinder a consensus at the 55th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which begins Wednesday in Antigua and Barbuda.

“The region’s varied responses to the U.S. strikes came as no surprise,” Jason Marczak, director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center at the Atlantic Council, told EFE. He explained that each country’s reaction reflected its degree of alignment with the administration of Donald Trump.

“This was largely evident in the nature of the responses from countries that rushed either to condemn or support Washington following the weekend bombings of three Iranian nuclear facilities,” Marczak added.

Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela expressed solidarity with their political and economic ally Iran, while Argentina reaffirmed its support for Trump. Meanwhile, Chile, Colombia, and Brazil condemned the U.S. bombings for allegedly violating international law and fueling further violence. Washington has justified the military action as a necessary step toward a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announced on Monday.

According to Marczak, “Havana and Caracas always seize the opportunity to challenge the United States,” but he noted that “just three years ago, it would have been surprising for the Colombian president to side with Iran.” “Much has changed with Gustavo Petro,” he said.

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“What we’ve seen is that most governments that have drawn closer to the U.S. during the Trump administration either took a measured stance or expressed unconditional support for the U.S. actions,” Marczak emphasized.

While these reactions may not directly shift bilateral relations, Marczak said they “shed light on how Latin American leaders currently view their relationship with Washington.”

“This will impact every other item on the regional agenda,” he added.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”