International

Luis Arce claims exit to the sea for Bolivia

Photo: APG

March 23 |

The Bolivian president, Luis Arce, recalled on Thursday the 144 years of the historic defense of the territory of Calama in 1879 and claimed the right to a sovereign outlet to the sea for his country.

In a publication on Twitter, the Bolivian president said that “Today we remember 144 years of the historic defense of Calama by Bolivian heroes who gave their lives to preserve the integrity of the homeland”.

Likewise, Arce, who is in the United States at the World Water Forum, pointed out that “for truth, justice, history and reason, today and always sea for Bolivia”.

The day before, the Government of Bolivia reiterated on the occasion of the Day of the Sea, that it will maintain its claim for a sovereign maritime access and that it will insist on the dialogue with Chile to solve what it considers is still a regional “wound”.

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This was expressed by the Minister of the Presidency, María Nela Prada in the preamble of the commemoration, which began with the transfer of the remains of the hero Eduardo Abaroa from the basilica of San Francisco, in the center of the city of La Paz, to the square that bears his name.

Prada pointed out that the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2018 has not put an end to the Bolivian claim and urges Bolivia and Chile to dialogue, and that is what the country is now seeking.

The ICJ ruled that Chile does not have an obligation to negotiate in favor of Bolivia an outlet to the sea for a claim that country filed in 2013.

For this Thursday, President Arce is scheduled to participate in the official acts for the Day of the Sea and address a message to the country.

Bolivia commemorates the Day of the Sea every March 23 because on that date, in 1879, the first resistance of the country to the invasion by Chilean troops, which began on February 14 of that year.

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International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.