International
US calls for ‘global effort’ to combat cybercrime
AFP
A top US Treasury official on Tuesday called for a “global effort” to combat cyberattacks and to prevent criminals from holding computer systems for ransom.
“It’s going to be critical that we not only do this in the United States, but that we have a global effort because many of these cyber criminals are domiciled outside of our country,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.
Governments, companies and individuals must focus on cybersecurity “to prevent criminal actors from being able to get into their system, and potentially use them to ransom.”
He testified before the Senate Banking Committee to present a Treasury report showing that growing use of cryptocurrencies outside of traditional payments systems undermines the effectiveness of US economic sanctions.
“Our goal ultimately, is to make sure that payments do not flow into the hands of criminal actors and … don’t flow into the hands of those people who have been sanctioned by the United States,” Adeyemo said.
Treasury sanctions work by blocking targets — individuals, government officials or companies — from using the US financial system, which in effect cuts them off from banking or profiting from trade in most of the world.
But the Treasury review said digital currencies and alternative payment platforms provide a way to skirt sanctions by moving funds and hiding profits outside the traditional dollar-based financial system.
The official said “it is true” that China is “trying to find means around our financial system to avoid sanctions.”
But “by taking actions in unison with other countries” governments are better able to “hold our adversaries accountable for actions that they take that are in violation of international laws and norms,” he said.
Asked about Afghanistan, Adeyemo said it is “essential” to maintain economic sanctions against the Taliban but also to “find ways for legitimate humanitarian assistance to get to the Afghan people.”
“I see under no situation in which we would allow the Taliban to have access to the reserves that belong to the Afghan people,” he said, referring to Washington’s decision to withhold about $9 billion of the nation’s reserves held overseas.
The Treasury report showed use of sanctions increased tenfold over the past two decades since the attacks of September 11, 2001, with 9,421 designations this year compared to just 912 in 2000.
International
Mexico City prepares for 13 million pilgrims at Basilica of Guadalupe
The Mexico City government is expecting at least 13 million pilgrims to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the December 12 celebrations honoring Mexico’s patron saint. To ensure the safety and care of visitors, authorities have launched the “Basilica Operation,” mobilizing more than 105,000 public servants.
Mayor Clara Brugada stated that the operation began on December 5 and will continue until December 14, covering the peak of visits to the basilica, located in the Gustavo A. Madero borough in the north of the city.
Key measures include reinforcement of the Metro public transport system, particularly at stations near the sanctuary, the installation of three helipads for medical emergencies, and the involvement of Civil Protection brigades, health ministry personnel, and public safety officers.
Secretary of Public Security Pablo Vázquez explained that the deployment also includes 255 patrol units and numerous specialized teams to manage crowds, traffic, and emergency situations, aiming to guarantee a secure experience for all pilgrims.
Central America
Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
The Government of Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has strengthened coordination with Guatemala following an armed confrontation in the community of Agua Zarca, in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango department, where a soldier was wounded in an attack attributed to organized-crime groups operating on both sides of the border.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that Mexico is exchanging information with Guatemalan authorities and that Mexican Army units have been deployed along the border to reinforce surveillance and assist in reconnaissance operations.
The attack, Guatemala’s Defense Ministry stated, reflects the “criminal dynamics” dominating that border region, where different groups compete for drug and arms trafficking routes.
According to Guatemala’s Defense Ministry, the clash left a soldier wounded in the leg after suspected criminals crossed from Mexico and opened fire. The wounded soldier is reportedly in stable condition. Authorities also seized high-caliber weapons, explosives, tactical gear and drones, which were handed over for forensic analysis.
Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced that a coordinated plan of operations will be launched involving both Mexican and Guatemalan forces along the border to counter these criminal networks.
Harfuch emphasized that the violence is not isolated but symptomatic of the ongoing struggle between criminal organizations for territorial control, and reiterated Mexico’s commitment to bilateral security cooperation and its intention to strengthen institutional presence in vulnerable border zones.
International
Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV in Italy, after pledging to deliver a response to the United States regarding the proposed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The meeting with the pontiff took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, where Leo XIV “reiterated the need to continue dialogue and renewed his urgent hope that the ongoing diplomatic initiatives may lead to a just and lasting peace,” the Vatican said in a statement.
His visit to Italy follows Monday’s meetings with European leaders in London and Brussels, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a peace plan that Zelensky said he is still reviewing.
According to Zelensky, the plan presented by Washington—originally consisting of 28 points—was reduced to 20 after discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives over the weekend. “We are going to work on those 20 points. We are not completely satisfied with the proposals from our partners,” Zelensky said during an online press conference on Monday.
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