International
Petro launches ‘Mission Cauca’ strategy to guarantee security in southwestern Colombia
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and the Minister of Defense, Iván Velázquez, presented this Friday ‘Mission Cauca’, a strategy that seeks to transform the region and guarantee security in this convulsive area of the southwest of the country.
The operation will focus on “strengthening military and police operations in the department in order to neutralize organized armed groups and organized criminal groups, as well as their illicit economies mainly associated with drug trafficking, illicit mineral extraction and extortion,” the Presidency said in a statement.
This initiative, which is part of the National Development Plan and will be carried out by the State, the communities, local authorities and the private sector, aims at a territorial transformation including economic, productive, cultural and social aspects to “guarantee full security and integral development in the region.”
The head of state ordered that the Military Forces be responsible for building roads, hospitals, schools, university headquarters and drinking water aqueducts in the conflict zones of the department (province).
He pointed out that the resources for these works will be provided by the General Budget of the Nation, while stressing that “the military take better care of the money than the politicians.”
The director of the National Planning Department (DNP), Alexander López, pointed out during the presentation that the initiative “has a strictly social component, which is linked to guaranteeing the security and rights of the population,” and added that this mission is the articulation for the transformation of the department of Cauca.
For his part, Minister Velásquez stressed that the objective is to have an “effective” control of the territory in which citizen security can be promoted, in addition to fighting against illicit economies (narcotrafficking) by cutting their financing, not only with military confrontation.
The departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca have been the scene for two months of terrorist actions of the Central General Staff (EMC) – dissidents of the extinct FARC guerrillas – against military and police facilities, which have left them dead and injured.
Just last week, the EMC, which is currently spart into two groups previously commanded by ‘Iván Mordisco’, intensified the number of violent actions in Cauca that began with four coordinated attacks that left a civilian and two policemen injured.
Likewise, Sigifredo Márquez, father of the Colombian vice president, Francia Márquez, was the subject of an attack on Sunday when he was traveling with a six-year-old nephew of the high official, between the towns of Timba, in Cauca, and the Robles hamlet, a rural area of Jamundí, in the interior of Colombia.
International
Lula invites Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay to BRICS Summit in Brazil
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has invited Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay to participate in the next BRICS summit, which will take place in Brazil this July.
“I am inviting all these countries here—Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico—to take part in BRICS in Brazil. Even if they are not official members, it is important for them to participate because this is a time for global discussion,” Lula stated.
Strengthening Multilateralism and Free Trade
While attending the presidential handover ceremony in Uruguay, Lula emphasized the importance of including these countries in the conversation, given that BRICS represents nearly half of the world’s population and global GDP.
“It is crucial that at this BRICS summit, we truly strengthen two fundamental pillars: multilateralism and free trade. Without trade freedom, there is no multilateralism, and there is no democracy,” he declared.
Lula also proposed drafting a serious document to present at the summit in Rio de Janeiro in July, reaffirming the commitment to respecting multilateralism and promoting free trade.
International
Navy warship saves lithuanian adventurer caught in Pacific Storm
An Australian warship rescued a Lithuanian rower on Monday after he encountered a tropical cyclone while attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean from California.
Aurimas Mockus was brought aboard the Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules, where he underwent a medical checkup, Vice Admiral Justin Jones said in a statement.
“Due to the highly unfavorable maritime conditions, Mr. Mockus’ vessel could not be recovered, except for two oars and some personal belongings,” stated the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which coordinated the rescue.
Three Days Adrift in the Coral Sea
The 44-year-old adventurer spent three days adrift in the Coral Sea, approximately 740 kilometers (460 miles) east of Mackay, a coastal city in Queensland. He had rowed non-stop from San Diego in a closed vessel, aiming to reach Brisbane.
Mockus began his 12,000-kilometer (7,500-mile) journey in October and was only days away from Brisbane when he encountered the storm, which is expected to make landfall in Australia soon.
Brisbane is located 800 kilometers (500 miles) south of Mackay in a straight line.
Mockus activated an emergency beacon on Friday after rowing into stormy seas and 80 km/h (50 mph) winds generated by Tropical Cyclone Alfred, according to the rescue authority.
A rescue aircraft established radio contact with Mockus on Saturday, where he reported feeling “fatigued,” the authority said.
International
UK investigates TikTok over teen data use in content recommendations
The UK’s data protection office announced on Monday that it is investigating how TikTok uses teenagers’ personal information to generate content recommendations on the social media platform.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) expressed growing concerns about how social media platforms use data generated by children’s online activity to fuel their recommendation algorithms. This raises the potential risk of exposing young users to inappropriate or harmful content.
The regulator stated that it aims to assess the strength of TikTok’s safety procedures regarding the personal data of users aged 13 to 17.
“It’s about what they are collecting and how their systems work,” said Information Commissioner John Edwards. “I expect to find that there are many benign and positive uses of children’s data in their recommendation systems.”
Lula invites Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay to BRICS Summit in Brazil
Navy warship saves lithuanian adventurer caught in Pacific Storm
UK investigates TikTok over teen data use in content recommendations
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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