International

Armed group intercepts humanitarian caravan in Colombia

Photo: @CICR_co

September 26 |

A delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Ombudsman’s Office and the Church was intercepted in a rural area of Arauca by armed men who presented themselves as alleged members of the ELN to rescue eight of their own who had previously been kidnapped by FARC dissidents after a confrontation on Sunday.

The humanitarian mission had planned to transfer on Monday the eight freed by FARC dissidents, who had been deprived of their freedom after a previous armed confrontation.After the frustrated transfer, the eight released returned to the ELN, their group of origin.

This situation was rejected by the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo, who expressed his concern at the lack of respect by the armed groups for the humanitarian missions in the territories they currently control.

“As Ombudsman I see with absolute concern the degradation that the armed conflict in Colombia is suffering, particularly with what happened in Arauca to a humanitarian mission led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in which the Ombudsman’s Office, the Catholic Church, the Mission to Support the Peace Process of the OAS (MAPP-OAS), the UN Verification Mission and the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace participated”, stated Camargo.

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For Camargo, this act was a violation of the ceasefire with the government, so both the Ombudsman’s Office and the Red Cross rejected the operation of these subjects.

“We regret that a humanitarian mission aimed at rescuing people who were being held by FARC dissidents, and who were handed over to a team headed by the ICRC, was intercepted by armed men who identified themselves as members of the ELN and took the people who had been rescued, under the argument that they belonged to their troops,” argued the Colombian Ombudsman.

Although no member of the mission that was intercepted was injured by the ELN, the International Committee of the Red Cross called for their humanitarian actions to be respected as “failure to do so will have a direct impact on communities affected by armed conflict”.

“It is paramount that armed actors allow impartial humanitarian organizations access to all territories so that they can alleviate the suffering of those who do not or no longer participate in the hostilities,” the Red Cross said.

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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.”

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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.