International

Ecuador to decide on new constituent assembly in controversial executive decree

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa announced on Friday, through an executive decree, a referendum for citizens to decide on the creation of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution—without first obtaining prior approval from the Constitutional Court, as normally required by law.

“The obstruction that certain politicized bodies try to impose on the change the country needs will not stop the will of the Ecuadorian people,” the Presidency stated in a press release.

The decree also confirmed the president’s decision to bypass the constitutional court, with which he is in conflict over limitations imposed on several government laws and actions that have faced challenges for alleged violations of fundamental rights.

According to the Constitution, a popular consultation can only be called after the high court issues a favorable ruling on the constitutionality of the proposed questions—a step Noboa has not taken, as he did not submit the referendum question to the Court.

However, in Friday’s executive decree, Noboa cited another constitutional article stating that a Constituent Assembly can only be convened through a popular vote, which may be requested by the president, by two-thirds of the National Assembly, or by 12% of registered voters.

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“The aforementioned provision is clear, specific, and special within the constitutional framework, prevailing over any general provision or contrary pronouncement, constituting an explicit and clear mandate for all state powers and bodies,” Noboa wrote in the decree.

He added that “the will of the constituent body not to establish additional requirements beyond those contemplated” in this article—which also details the method for electing representatives and the rules of the electoral process—“leaves no room for doubt regarding its application, making it unnecessary to employ other methods of interpretation.”

International

Trump says GOP ‘learned a lot’ after democratic election wins

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he and the Republican Party “learned a lot” from the Democratic victories in Tuesday’s state and local elections. He also compared Democrats to “kamikaze pilots” over the ongoing budget standoff.

Speaking at an event with Republican senators on Wednesday, Trump described the results as an unexpected setback.

“These were very Democratic areas, but I don’t think it was good for Republicans. In fact, I don’t think it was good for anyone. But we had an interesting night and we learned a lot,” he said during remarks broadcast by the White House.

Trump agreed with pollsters that two key factors led to Republican losses in New York’s mayoral race and the gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia.

International

Bolivia’s Jeanine Áñez freed after Supreme Court annuls her conviction

Former Bolivian interim president Jeanine Áñez was released from a women’s prison in La Paz on Thursday, where she had spent more than four and a half years for an alleged coup, after her conviction was annulled, AFP journalists confirmed.

Dozens of supporters and family members gathered outside the facility to celebrate her release. Áñez left the prison waving a Bolivian flag around 15:00 GMT.

“It is comforting to see that justice will once again prevail in Bolivia. She was the only woman who took on the role with bravery and courage,” said Lizeth Maure, a 46-year-old nurse who had come to show her support.

Áñez, a 58-year-old lawyer and conservative politician, governed Bolivia for nearly a year until November 2020, when she handed power to leftist leader Luis Arce.

She was arrested in 2021 and sentenced the following year to 10 years in prison for “resolutions contrary to the Constitution,” accused of illegally assuming the presidency after Evo Morales resigned in 2019 amid social unrest.

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Her sentence was overturned on Wednesday by the Supreme Court of Justice, Bolivia’s highest judicial authority.

The court ruled that Áñez should have been subjected to a “trial of responsibilities” before Congress— a constitutional process reserved for sitting presidents, vice presidents, ministers, and top judges — rather than prosecuted in an ordinary criminal court.

As she was welcomed by relatives and supporters upon release, Áñez declared:
“I feel the satisfaction of having fulfilled my duty to my country, of never having bowed down. And I will never regret having served Bolivia when it needed me.”

International

Peru declares Mexico’s president Persona Non Grata over political asylum dispute

Peru’s Congress declared Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum persona non grata on Thursday, accusing her of “unacceptable interference in internal affairs” after granting political asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez.

The motion, introduced by right-wing parties, passed with 63 votes in favor, 33 against, and two abstentions. Lawmakers argue that Sheinbaum has maintained a hostile stance toward Peru since taking office.

Peru severed diplomatic relations with Mexico on Monday following the asylum decision. Chávez, who is facing charges for her alleged involvement in former President Pedro Castillo’s failed coup attempt in December 2022, remains under protection at the Mexican embassy residence in Lima.

Following the diplomatic break, interim President José Jerí said on X that Mexico’s chargé d’affaires in Peru, Karla Ornela, has been notified by the foreign ministry that she must leave the country within a strict deadline.

The Mexican government condemned Lima’s decision as “excessive and disproportionate,” asserting that offering asylum to Chávez is a legitimate act grounded in international law and does not constitute interference in Peru’s domestic matters.