International
Ecuadorian eyes on Constitutional Court after cross death

May 18 |
All eyes in Ecuador are focused today on the Constitutional Court (CC) awaiting a pronouncement from that judicial body on the cross death decree.
After the declaration of this measure by the Ecuadorian president, Guillermo Lasso, on Wednesday morning, several social organizations and political parties described it as illegal for not being justified in one of the grounds provided by law.
According to the Constitution, the cross death can be applied if the National Assembly arrogates functions to itself, if the legislative body obstructs the National Development Plan, or due to a serious political crisis and internal commotion.
In this sense, former Assemblymen Esteban Torres, from the Social Christian Party, and Yeseña Guamaní, from Izquierda Democrática, filed a claim of unconstitutionality before the CC.
If the decree lacks legality, the Assembly will remain standing with the expectations of the Ecuadorians these two years, but if on the contrary the document has the validity of the CC, we will go to elections, reiterated Torres when formally delivering the document at the headquarters of the public institution.
On his part, the former president of the Parliament Virgilio Saquicela assured that the pronouncement of the CC is a matter of national urgency because the Legislative power was dissolved without the existence of the social commotion of which the Chief Executive spoke.
Likewise, the head of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), Leonidas Iza, reiterated that despite the fact that the decree of cross death is a mechanism established in the Constitution, in this context its application is not justified because it does not prove the existence of the cause of social commotion and political crisis, denounced the indigenous leader.
By the way, Conaie declared itself in permanent vigil in view of the recent political events in the Andean country and although it did not call for mobilizations, its members announced that they will be attentive to the decisions of the Lasso government and in permanent defense of the interests of the Ecuadorian people.
Meanwhile, the National Electoral Council has already announced that it will call for early general elections before May 24, that is to say, in seven days, as determined by the regulations for these cases.
International
Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.
The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.
The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).
“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.
Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”
International
Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.
Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.
A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”
According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.
International
Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.
Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.
“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.
“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.
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