International

Mexico Rises Slightly to 141st in Global Corruption Perceptions Index 2025

Mexico improved by one point in its rating and climbed to 141st place in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published Tuesday by the anti-corruption organization Transparency International, which gave the country a score of 27 out of 100.

The slight increase in score comes after Mexico recorded its lowest CPI result in history in 2024 during the final year of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s term, also scoring 27 out of 100. The CPI is widely regarded as the main global measure of perceived public-sector corruption, where 0 represents high corruption and 100 denotes very low corruption.

Within the region, Mexico ranks above only Guatemala (26), Paraguay (24), Honduras (22), Haiti (16), Nicaragua (14) and Venezuela (10), but trails key economic peers such as Brazil (35) and Chile (63).

Among the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mexico ranks last. In the G20 grouping, it sits in the penultimate position, ahead of only Russia. Experts say Mexico’s persistently low score reflects ongoing challenges in curbing corruption and protecting public funds.

Transparency International’s report also highlights structural corruption issues that have allowed organized crime to infiltrate politics and weaken governance, as well as risks to journalists covering corruption.

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International

MEPs Approve Plan That Could Fast-Track Rejection of Some Asylum Claims

With an overwhelming majority of 408 votes in favor, the European Parliament backed the creation of a list of safe countries of origin for asylum seekers.

People coming from Colombia, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia who apply for asylum in the European Union could see their requests rejected on the grounds that the bloc’s 27 member states consider those nations safe. Applicants would have to prove their individual circumstances, showing evidence of persecution or specific risks if they were to return.

At the same time, while their applications are processed or their return is arranged, migrants could be transferred to third countries outside the EU if the bloc has an agreement with them, if the individuals previously transited through those nations, or if they have family or cultural ties there. The measure provides legal cover for the creation of processing centers beyond EU territory, similar to an initiative previously pursued by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Albania.

Tuesday’s vote reflects the tightening of European migration policy in recent years, despite asylum applications having fallen by more than 20% last year and the issue not ranking among citizens’ top concerns, according to recent surveys.

International

Chile Unveils Latam-GPT to Give Latin America Its Own AI Model

Chile on Tuesday launched Latam-GPT, an initiative aimed at providing Latin America with its own artificial intelligence model in a field largely dominated by U.S. companies, while seeking to reduce biases identified in existing systems.

The project is led by Chile’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA), a private corporation funded with public resources.

Latam-GPT is backed by universities, foundations, libraries, government agencies and civil society organizations from across the region, including Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina.

“Thanks to Latam-GPT we are positioning the region as an active and sovereign player in the economy of the future. We are at the table — we are not on the menu,” President Gabriel Boric said during the presentation of the initiative on national broadcaster Televisión Nacional.

The tool aims to break down prejudices and prevent Latin America from being portrayed as a single, uniform reality, Chile’s science minister, Aldo Valle, told AFP.

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The region, he added, “cannot be merely a user or passive recipient of artificial intelligence systems. That could result in losing a significant part of our traditions.”

Despite its name, the initiative is not an interactive chatbot. Instead, it is a large regional database trained on Latin American information that can be used to develop technological applications, the minister explained.

International

Sheinbaum Urges Mexico to ‘Jealously’ Guard Sovereignty at Air Force Anniversary

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday underscored the need for the country to “jealously” safeguard its national sovereignty and highlighted the historic role of the Armed Forces in upholding that patriotic duty.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 111th anniversary of the Mexican Air Force at the Santa Lucía air base on the outskirts of Mexico City, the president warned that threats to the nation’s independence have not always come from abroad.

“Mexico must jealously protect its sovereignty, because throughout history the threats to our independence have not only come from outside, but also from those who opened the door to foreign interference,” she said.

Sheinbaum also emphasized the Air Force’s closeness to the public and its involvement in civil assistance missions. “It is not a distant institution; it is one that is close, deeply rooted in the people’s sentiment,” she stated.

The president added that the tribute reaffirms the commitment to “always serve the people, protect national sovereignty, and honor the history that gives us identity.”

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The Mexican Air Force traces its origins to 1915 during the Revolution and since 1944 has held constitutional status as an armed force. It also took part in World War II with Squadron 201 in the Pacific, one of the milestones that shaped its institutionalization and prestige in the country.

For his part, Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo defended the Armed Forces’ role as guarantors of the pillars of the state, saying that “integrity, independence and sovereignty” are foundations that sustain the nation’s viability and must be protected by military institutions.

The general also highlighted the international dimension of defense cooperation, particularly with the United States. “The bond we maintain with the United States Department of War through its Northern Command is solid and strong,” he said, adding that it is based on shared values such as “honor, loyalty, respect and patriotism.”