International
Ali Khamenei calls for participation in Iran elections to “make our friends happy and disappoint our enemies”
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, called for participation in parliamentary elections on Friday to “disappoint the enemies,” marking the country’s first elections since the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
“Many people around the world, whether ordinary individuals or politicians and authorities, have their eyes on Iran, on you, to see what you will do in these elections,” said Khamenei in a message to Iranians after casting his vote shortly after the opening of polling stations, in an event televised by Persian channels.
“Make our friends happy and disappoint our enemies. Please vote,” urged the religious leader, who in recent days has appealed to Iranians to vote given the popular indifference. Iranian authorities often use the term “enemies” to generally refer to the United States, Israel, and opposition groups.
Some 60,000 polling stations opened at 08:00 local time (4:30 GMT) and will remain open for 10 hours nationwide, with over 61 million people called to the polls, as reported by the official IRNA news agency.
Around 15,200 candidates – 1,713 of whom are women – are competing for the 290 seats in Parliament, while 144 clerics are running for the 88 seats in the Assembly of Experts, which selects Iran’s Supreme Leader in case of vacancy. This body is elected every eight years and the outcome of these elections could be crucial for the future of the Islamic Republic, given the advanced age of Khamenei, 84 years old.
Electoral Process in Iran
The elections are dominated by the conservative bloc, which now holds a parliamentary majority, following the disqualification of numerous reformist candidates, raising doubts about the freedom of elections and, in some cases, calling for a boycott.
The electoral process is marked by some indifference and apathy among voters due to the country’s poor economic situation, the disqualification of many reformist candidates, and political detachment, which was exacerbated by the protests sparked by Amini’s death after being arrested for not wearing the veil properly.
For months, young Iranians protested in the streets of the country chanting “woman, life, freedom,” demanding freedoms and an end to the Islamic Republic, in protests that subsided after the death of about 500 protesters at the hands of security forces.
Polls estimate participation between 30% and 41%, compared to the 42% turnout in the 2020 legislative elections, the lowest level in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Hundreds of activists, politicians, student associations, teachers, as well as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, consider boycotting as “a moral obligation for Iranians who love freedom and seek justice.”
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.”
International
Trump-Era Defense Plan Prioritizes Border Security and Scales Back Global Commitments
The U.S. military will prioritize the defense of the homeland and the deterrence of China, while providing more limited support to its allies and elevating Latin America as a key focus of its agenda, according to a Pentagon strategic document released on Friday.
The 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) represents a significant shift from previous Pentagon policies, both in its emphasis on allies assuming greater responsibility with reduced backing from Washington and in its more moderate tone toward traditional adversaries such as China and Russia.
“As U.S. forces focus on defending the homeland and the Indo-Pacific, allies and partners elsewhere will assume primary responsibility for their own defense, with crucial but more limited support from U.S. forces,” the document states.
The previous defense strategy, published during President Joe Biden’s administration, described China as Washington’s most consequential challenge and characterized Russia as an “acute threat.”
The new strategy, however, calls for maintaining “respectful relations” with Beijing and makes no reference to Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by China and allied with the United States. It also describes the threat posed by Russia as “persistent but manageable,” particularly affecting NATO’s eastern members.
While both the Biden-era strategy and the Trump administration’s approach emphasize the importance of defending U.S. territory, they differ significantly in their assessment of the challenges facing the country.
The Trump administration’s NDS sharply criticizes the previous government for neglecting border security, arguing that this failure led to an “influx of illegal immigrants” and widespread narcotics trafficking.
International
Guatemala considers sending high-risk gang members to military prisons
Amid the escalating crisis in Guatemala’s prison system, the government is considering transferring high-risk gang members to military-run detention facilities, a move that analysts say could help address overcrowding and the lack of control in civilian prisons.
The debate has gained urgency following the killing of ten police officers by gang members, reportedly in retaliation after the government refused to meet demands made by Aldo Dupie Ochoa, alias “El Lobo,” leader of the Barrio 18 gang, which authorities identified as responsible for the attack.
Guatemala’s Minister of Defense, Henry David Sáenz, told local media that the possibility of relocating high-danger inmates to military brigades has not been formally discussed. However, he noted that the practice is not new to the Armed Forces and said it is something that “was already being done.”
One example is the detention center located within the Mariscal Zavala Military Brigade, in Zone 17 of Guatemala City, where several inmates are held under military supervision. The facility also houses high-profile detainees, including former official Eduardo Masaya, who faces corruption charges.
In 2015, a ministerial agreement authorized the establishment of the Zone Seventeen Detention Center within the brigade, with a maximum capacity of 114 inmates in Area A and 21 in Area B. The agreement specified that the facility would be used exclusively for civilians or military personnel considered at risk of assassination.
Additionally, since 2010, a prison has operated within the Matamoros Barracks in Zone 1 of Guatemala City, holding dangerous or high-profile inmates. However, media outlets have described these military detention centers as “VIP prisons,” particularly for former government officials such as ex-president Otto Pérez Molina.
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