International
Arizona, the U.S. border trophy that is contested by Democrats and Republicans in 2024
– Arizona, the only ‘hinge’ state that borders Mexico, has become one of the longed-for trophies for White House candidates who know that every vote counts there, after surprisingly opting for the Democrats in 2020 by only eleven thousand votes and with the help of Latino voters.
Both the Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and that of former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) are investing valuable resources in Arizona in search of their 11 electoral votes in the midst of a very close national campaign for next November’s elections.
This Friday Harris will hold together with his running mate, the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, a rally in Glendale (Arizona), 14 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of Phoenix, as part of a tour of key states.
It is the fourth visit of the Democrat to that state this year, the first since President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and supported her in her aspirations.
Harris participated on June 24 in an event that promoted reproductive rights on the second anniversary of the annulment by the U.S. Supreme Court of the Roe v. Wade, who protected the right to abortion, a crucial issue in Arizona.
But in Arizona there are long-standing battles that matter a lot to voters, such as immigration, one of the weapons of Trump’s campaign, and which was taken up last week by Vice-Presidential candidate J.D. Vance, on a visit to Cochise County.
At a conference on the border wall, the Republican senator for Ohio criticized Harris by saying that he had “failed” in his work of containing undocumented immigrants, whom he blamed for leaving schools and hospitals without resources.
But Vance stepped on moving land. The anti-immigrant speech that once promoted the approval in Arizona of SB-1070, one of the toughest state laws against the undocumented, took a toll on the ultra-conservatives, in a state that was one of its safest bastions.
After campaigns promoted by immigrant advocates and Latino organizations to repeal the law, Democrats have been gaining ground in election positions previously intended for Republicans as the two seats of the U.S. Senate.
The red party suffered its loss in 2020 when Biden won the state by 11,000 votes, a victory that did not take place since former President Bill Clinton won in 1996.
A greater registration and participation of Latinos were some of the factors for the Democrat to beat Trump. The electoral authorities endorsed the winner, despite the efforts of the former president’s allies, of whom more than a dozen are accused of electoral fraud, including a Trump lawyer.
Another factor for this change has been a greater participation of young Latinos, who through social networks have been key to spreading the message of the importance of the vote, a loot that Harris wants to capture.
The economy, inflation and security continue to be other important factors that will tip the balance, according to a recent CBS survey.
The most recent HighGround Public Affairs survey, conducted between July 31 and August 5, shows that Vice President Harris has a 2.8 percentage point advantage over former President Donald Trump in Arizona. A technical tie taking into account that the margin of error of the survey of 4.38%.
However, Harris could consolidate if you take into account the eleven percentage points that Democratic congressman Rubén Gallego, who is looking for a chair in the U.S. Senate, in front of Trumpist candidate Kari Lake.
In addition, several Republican figures, including the influential mayor of Mesa, John Giles, have turned their backs on Trump and seem to opt for the Democratic candidate.
International
Exclusive Tucson Neighborhood Shaken by Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of well-known U.S. journalist Savannah Guthrie, has shaken the exclusive Catalina Foothills neighborhood in northern Tucson, Arizona. For the past eleven days, the area has become the focus of an intensive investigation and constant media attention.
The 84-year-old woman was last seen on January 31, when she returned home after a family dinner. Since then, authorities have released few details about the suspected abduction.
“It is worrying that an elderly person could be the victim of a crime like this in her own home; we are a community of retirees,” Mario Ruiz, a resident who lives near the property, told EFE.
He explained that neighbors in the area tend to respect each other’s privacy, and many homes do not even have fences, surrounded only by the desert landscape about 110 kilometers from the Mexican border.
Support for the family is visible in an improvised altar set up outside Guthrie’s house. Flowers, candles and a message written on a stone — “Please pray, bring her home” — reflect the concern felt by the community.
During a visit to Catalina Foothills on Wednesday, a strong presence of FBI agents could be seen patrolling nearby roads and neighborhoods in search of any clue that might help locate Guthrie.
Officers have been checking bushes, trash containers and surrounding areas near the residence, which is located in one of Tucson’s most exclusive districts, close to shopping centers, private golf courses and resorts.
International
Over 50 Civil Groups Urge House to Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
More than 50 civil society organizations, including Latino collectives and migrant advocacy groups, on Tuesday urged the U.S. House of Representatives to open impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whom they accuse of leading a migration policy that is “violent, reckless, and contrary to the Constitution.”
The request was submitted through a letter sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson and other legislative leaders. In the document, the organizations argue that Noem has encouraged repressive practices that have left multiple victims and have “intentionally undermined the mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).”
Among the signatories are Voto Latino, Freedom for Immigrants (FFI), Hispanic Federation, UnidosUS, and the Latino Victory Project. The groups emphasized that at least 187 lawmakers already support the impeachment initiative introduced in January by Representative Robin Kelly for alleged “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
The accusations include the alleged obstruction of congressional access to migrant detention centers and the excessive use of force, with at least 14 people shot since July 2025. They also cite three documented deaths, including those of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
The organizations further criticized the detention of migrant children, pointing to the case of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, arrested in Minnesota last month, which sparked nationwide controversy.
They also denounced that operations carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have resulted in due process violations, unlawful detentions of Indigenous citizens, and disregard for court orders. According to the signatories, Noem has “dismantled” civil rights protections within the DHS and has shown a lack of understanding of constitutional principles such as habeas corpus.
Central America
Guatemala to Phase Out Longstanding Medical Cooperation Agreement with Cuba
Guatemala’s government announced on Tuesday that it will end this year a cooperation agreement with Cuba that has brought doctors from the Caribbean nation to work in the Central American country.
Guatemala’s Health Ministry told EFE that the program, which has been in place for nearly three decades, will be phased out progressively throughout 2026.
According to the same source, there are currently 412 Cubans in Guatemala under the agreement, including 333 physicians.
Cuban medical brigades assigned to Guatemala have traditionally been deployed to various regions of the country to provide primary health care to local communities.
“The decision follows a technical assessment aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the national workforce and consolidating the public health system’s own capacities,” the Guatemalan ministry said.
Earlier this week, lawmaker Sonia Gutiérrez, from the left-wing Winaq party, warned that the move “could be an inhumane act that threatens the health and lives of the country’s most vulnerable populations,” given the historic importance of Cuban doctors in providing medical care.
For that reason, the legislator summoned Health Ministry authorities to Congress, as permitted by law, to provide further details about the decision.
Former human rights ombudsman Jordán Rodas Andrade also weighed in on social media, recalling that “for 27 years Cuban doctors have been the backbone of health care in Guatemala’s most neglected areas,” and stressing that “ending this agreement is an act of ingratitude that leaves the most vulnerable unprotected.”
President Bernardo Arévalo’s government told EFE that, in order to guarantee continued care, it will implement a gradual replacement plan that includes hiring national personnel.
Exclusive Tucson Neighborhood Shaken by Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother
Over 50 Civil Groups Urge House to Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
Guatemala to Phase Out Longstanding Medical Cooperation Agreement with Cuba
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