International

President of Bolivia stresses the need for regional integration

Photo: teleSUR

May 31 |

The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, highlighted on Tuesday the need for true regional integration for the benefit of the peoples.

In the framework of the meeting of South American presidents held in Brazil, the Bolivian president affirmed that an “ideologization of integration and a vision subordinated to the North prevented the consolidation of this effort”.

“The lack of tolerance and the impossibility of assuming that we are diverse and different, but that we can integrate in spite of this for the benefit of our peoples, truncated the union of the nations of the South”, he asserted.

The President added that there have always been interests within and outside the region that have prevented the consolidation of a true space for integration and coordination among the countries.

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On the other hand, he said that they are at a crucial moment in history, with the context of world geopolitics in the last two years that has demanded a deep reflection on the role of cooperation, integration and multilateralism in their efforts to build a more just, democratic, equitable and secure world.

“We are facing a critical juncture that can propel our integrationist aspirations to higher levels for the benefit of each and every one of our peoples. It depends on us,” he said.

The head of state stressed that they have witnessed significant changes in the international scenario, with the tendency to configure a new world order based on the balance of powers and the principle of non-interference.

“The transition to a multipolar world may be delayed, but it will not stop. But the inflection in the history of Latin America and the Caribbean, and within it in South America, has not been without great difficulties and setbacks. Old and new types of coups d’état were carried out in the name of democracy and this cannot be repeated,” he said.

Arce recalled various current global challenges such as the climate, health, food, energy, water, poverty and inequality crises, among others, which do not recognize borders and are not limited to a single country, as they require a collective and coordinated response.

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“The core of these problems is the multidimensional crisis of the hegemonic system of the planet and of a world order that is intended to be maintained on the basis of imposition, domination and not dialogue,” he said.

He also reaffirmed the relevance of working to declare the world a zone of peace.

International

Federal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage

Federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man during an operation on Saturday, authorities confirmed, sparking new protests and deepening outrage over federal immigration enforcement in the city.

The victim, identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, was a U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was widely respected in his community, according to colleagues and news reports.

Officials said the shooting occurred during a targeted immigration raid in south Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the incident as an act of self-defense by agents who believed the man posed a threat.

However, videos reviewed by multiple outlets and eyewitnesses show Pretti holding a phone and not displaying a weapon before being pepper-sprayed, tackled by agents and then shot multiple times, raising serious questions about the official account.

The killing comes amid a broader federal immigration enforcement operation in the city and follows another controversial shooting in early January in which Renée Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent, leading to widespread protests and criticism of federal tactics.

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International

Delcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, on Saturday called for “reaching agreements” with the opposition to achieve “peace” in the country, which the United States says it now controls following the military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro from power.

Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, assumed interim leadership after the leftist leader was captured on January 3 during a military incursion that left nearly 100 people dead.

In her first public statements since taking office, Rodríguez signaled a shift in the strained relationship between Caracas and Washington, while also committing to the release of a “significant number” of political prisoners.

“There can be no political or partisan differences when it comes to the peace of Venezuela,” Rodríguez said during an address in the coastal state of La Guaira, broadcast on state television VTV.

“From our differences, we must speak to one another with respect. From our differences, we must meet and reach agreements,” she added.

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The day before, Rodríguez instructed the head of Parliament — her brother Jorge Rodríguez — to convene talks with various political sectors in the country aimed at achieving “concrete and immediate results.”

International

Bogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions

Bogotá and Quito will hold an emergency bilateral summit next week amid recent developments that have strained relations between the two countries.

Tensions escalated this week after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa unexpectedly announced a 30% tariff on Colombian imports. Colombia responded with a reciprocal measure, imposing the same tariff on around 20 Ecuadorian products and suspending electricity exports to Ecuador.

Aware that electricity imports are critical to easing Ecuador’s recent energy crises, Quito further imposed a 30% tariff on the transportation of Colombian oil through its territory.

However, recent statements from the Ecuadorian government suggest that dialogue between the two sides has intensified in recent hours. Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, confirmed that active conversations are under way.

In Colombia, segments of the business sector have welcomed the prospect of negotiations. The National Business Council (Consejo Gremial Nacional, CGN), for instance, urged both governments to restore commercial relations, warning that the dispute “puts jobs and regional economic stability at risk.”