International
The Parliament of Portugal begins its new legislature with a predominance of right-wing deputies
The Parliament of Portugal began a new legislature on Tuesday after the selections of March 10, with a majority of right-wing deputies, of which 80 are moderates of the winning coalition Democratic Alliance (AD), 50 ultras of the Chega party and 8 of Liberal Initiative (IL).
The deputies arrived early in the morning at the unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Parliament), where they greeted each other and chatted in a relaxed way.
In the seats of the Government sat the appointed Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, leader of AD, and his collaborators, although the political leader has not yet announced his Executive, which will take office on April 2.
In the absence of a president of the chamber, the person in charge of opening the session was the head of the bench of the main formation that makes up the AD, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, who was sitting next to Montenegro.
In a brief speech, Miranda Sarmento welcomed the 230 deputies, “who now begin functions, without forgetting those who served this Assembly and the country in the last legislature, the 15th legislature, and who now do not resume their place as deputies, and thank those who have ceased their functions for the work they carried out in favor of the country and the Portuguese.”
He wished that when this legislature ends, “in September 2028, the country could be better, the country could be more developed, richer, more prosperous and also more just.”
Despite the fact that Miranda Sarmento spoke of the end of the legislature in September 2028, the truth is that there are doubts that Montenegro and its future Government can complete it due to its tight victory against the Socialist Party, which has 78 seats, and its refusal to agree with Chega.
Miranda Sarmento gave way to the deputy who has been in Parliament for the longest time, António Filipe, of the Portuguese Communist Party, to preside over this session, waiting for the candidate proposed by the PSD to be president of the chamber, José Pedro Aguiar Branco, to be voted on Tuesday afternoon.
Filipe rose from his seat to occupy the position of president of Parliament and joked that he would never have imagined when he first entered the assembly at the age of 26 that he would one day be in this situation.
Also elected the two temporary secretaries for this session, Filipe went on to present the first draft resolution of this legislature, supported by all the parliamentary groups, to constitute a provisional commission that verifies the powers of the elected deputies.
After reading the names of the members of that commission, Filipe suspended the session until 3:00 p.m. local time (same time GMT), when the president of the chamber will be voted on.
After the absolute majority of the Socialist Party in the previous legislature, AD has 80 seats (78 of the PSD and 2 of the CDS-PP), followed by the socialists with 78 deputies and the far-right Chega, with 50.
The far-right formation was the party that grew the most in the elections of March 10, more than quadrupling its seats, which went from 12 to 50.
International
Mexico City prepares for 13 million pilgrims at Basilica of Guadalupe
The Mexico City government is expecting at least 13 million pilgrims to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the December 12 celebrations honoring Mexico’s patron saint. To ensure the safety and care of visitors, authorities have launched the “Basilica Operation,” mobilizing more than 105,000 public servants.
Mayor Clara Brugada stated that the operation began on December 5 and will continue until December 14, covering the peak of visits to the basilica, located in the Gustavo A. Madero borough in the north of the city.
Key measures include reinforcement of the Metro public transport system, particularly at stations near the sanctuary, the installation of three helipads for medical emergencies, and the involvement of Civil Protection brigades, health ministry personnel, and public safety officers.
Secretary of Public Security Pablo Vázquez explained that the deployment also includes 255 patrol units and numerous specialized teams to manage crowds, traffic, and emergency situations, aiming to guarantee a secure experience for all pilgrims.
Central America
Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
The Government of Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has strengthened coordination with Guatemala following an armed confrontation in the community of Agua Zarca, in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango department, where a soldier was wounded in an attack attributed to organized-crime groups operating on both sides of the border.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that Mexico is exchanging information with Guatemalan authorities and that Mexican Army units have been deployed along the border to reinforce surveillance and assist in reconnaissance operations.
The attack, Guatemala’s Defense Ministry stated, reflects the “criminal dynamics” dominating that border region, where different groups compete for drug and arms trafficking routes.
According to Guatemala’s Defense Ministry, the clash left a soldier wounded in the leg after suspected criminals crossed from Mexico and opened fire. The wounded soldier is reportedly in stable condition. Authorities also seized high-caliber weapons, explosives, tactical gear and drones, which were handed over for forensic analysis.
Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced that a coordinated plan of operations will be launched involving both Mexican and Guatemalan forces along the border to counter these criminal networks.
Harfuch emphasized that the violence is not isolated but symptomatic of the ongoing struggle between criminal organizations for territorial control, and reiterated Mexico’s commitment to bilateral security cooperation and its intention to strengthen institutional presence in vulnerable border zones.
International
Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV in Italy, after pledging to deliver a response to the United States regarding the proposed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The meeting with the pontiff took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, where Leo XIV “reiterated the need to continue dialogue and renewed his urgent hope that the ongoing diplomatic initiatives may lead to a just and lasting peace,” the Vatican said in a statement.
His visit to Italy follows Monday’s meetings with European leaders in London and Brussels, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a peace plan that Zelensky said he is still reviewing.
According to Zelensky, the plan presented by Washington—originally consisting of 28 points—was reduced to 20 after discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives over the weekend. “We are going to work on those 20 points. We are not completely satisfied with the proposals from our partners,” Zelensky said during an online press conference on Monday.
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