International
Armed attack on Mexican prison leaves 14 dead
| By AFP |
Gunmen attacked a prison in the northern Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez on Sunday, leaving 14 people dead and allowing 24 inmates to escape, the Chihuahua state prosecutors’ office said.
An unknown number of gunmen aboard armored vehicles took part in the attack, and the dead included 10 prison guards and security agents, the office said in a statement.
About five hours after the dawn incursion began, security forces managed to control the situation, which had also erupted into fighting between inmates within the sprawling state prison, near Mexico’s border with the United States.
Moments before the attack, armed men fired on municipal police along a nearby boulevard, setting off a car chase that ended with the seizure of a vehicle and four men, the statement added.
Later, assailants in a Hummer fired on another group of security agents outside the prison, it said.
Scenes of chaos ensued as relatives of some prisoners waited for New Year’s visits outside the compound.
Inside, some rioting inmates set fire to various objects and clashed with prison guards, local media reported.
Prosecutors said the outbreak of violence at the prison, where inmates from differing criminal bands and drug cartels are housed in separate cell blocks, also left 13 people injured.
Four people were detained, prosecutors said, without specifying if they were inmates or armed assailants.
Details were not immediately available about how the 24 inmates were able to flee or who they were.
History of violent clashes
Prosecutors in the city, which sits across the border from El Paso, Texas, said they were investigating the motive of the attack.
Ciudad Juarez has been the scene of years of violent clashes between security forces and the rival Sinaloa and Juarez drug cartels, which have left thousands dead over the past decade.
The prison itself has seen multiple breakouts of fighting and riots, including a bloody March 2009 episode that left 20 dead.
In August 2022, a clash between rival gangs left three prisoners dead.
According to a February 2022 report by the State Human Rights Commission, more than 3,700 people are detained in the prison, above its maximum capacity of 3,135.
In February 2016, as part of his visit to Mexico, Pope Francis officiated mass in the state prison’s courtyard with 700 prisoners and their families in attendance.
Mexican detention centers, particularly those run by the state, suffer from chronic overcrowding and violence, which has worsened in recent years due to conflict between criminal groups.
International
Two fans killed in gate collapse outside Chile’s Estadio Monumental
Two people lost their lives near the Estadio Monumental in Santiago, Chile, following a chaotic incident that occurred before the Copa Libertadores match between Colo Colo and Brazil’s Fortaleza on April 10. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the victims were crushed after a fence on the stadium perimeter collapsed, though authorities are investigating whether a police armored vehicle may have played a role.
It was a black Thursday at Chile’s Estadio Monumental. Two local fans died outside the stadium after a yet-unclarified incident caused a metal gate to fall on them, leading to fatal asphyxiation.
Local media reports indicate that a group of fans attempted to force their way into the stadium before kickoff. In response, local police allegedly deployed armored vehicles to block the breach.
Preliminary reports cited by local newspapers and news agencies like EFE identify the victims as two young individuals—one 18 years old and the other just 13.
International
Dominican Republic mourns over 200 dead in Jet Set nightclub collapse
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, the Dominican Republic began mourning the more than 200 victims of the collapse of Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, although many families are still desperately waiting for the remains of their loved ones.
The roof of the Jet Set club collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, during a live performance by iconic merengue singer Rubby Pérez.
Rescue workers were completing the recovery of human remains from beneath the rubble of corrugated metal and steel beams, as search efforts ended with no further hope of finding survivors.
Around the morgue, the atmosphere was one of grief, anguish, and despair. A list of the deceased was posted on a canvas covering a nearby tent, where crowds gathered in distress. Health Minister Víctor Atallah stated that forensic teams are working at full capacity and urged patience. “No one will go unidentified, and no one will be left without answers,” he promised. “We will turn over every last stone if we have to.”
The tragic collapse also claimed the lives of several foreigners, including a significant number of Venezuelan nationals who were present at the club, according to local newspaper Listín Diario. The outlet reported the official death toll at 221, which included one Haitian, two French nationals, one Italian, and one Kenyan.
Meanwhile, relatives, friends, and fans of Rubby Pérez released white balloons outside the National Theater shortly before the hearse departed with the remains of the beloved singer, known for hits like “Enamorado de ella” and “Buscando tus besos.” Draped over his coffin were both the Dominican and Venezuelan flags, the latter symbolizing the country where his fame took off.
International
Venezuelan oil shipments resume after tariff-induced delays
Many buyers of Venezuelan oil have resumed loading tankers after a week of pauses and delays at the country’s ports, caused by tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on importers of crude from the OPEC member nation, according to shipping data and documents.
In March, the United States gave Chevron and other foreign partners and clients of Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, until May 27 to gradually wind down operations and cease crude exports from the country. Days later, Washington imposed tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil and gas.
The measures triggered the suspension of some shipments at the country’s main oil port, Jose, and caused delays at smaller terminals. Many vessels that had left the Jose port and moved away from the coast amid the announcement of the measures have since returned to complete their loadings. In recent days, tankers have begun departing Venezuelan waters en route to destinations such as India and China, according to data and internal documents from PDVSA.
“There was a moment of panic when ships pulled away, but they later received instructions to finish loading,” said a source at PDVSA.
Two fans killed in gate collapse outside Chile’s Estadio Monumental
Dominican Republic mourns over 200 dead in Jet Set nightclub collapse
Venezuelan oil shipments resume after tariff-induced delays
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
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