International
The head of the Directorate of Intelligence of Colombia resissts linked to a corruption case
The head of the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI) of Colombia, Carlos Ramón González, resigned this Friday from his position, after he was linked to the corruption scandal in the state National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), which splashes several members of the Government and Congress.
The resignation of González, one of the people closest to the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, with whom he played in the M-19 guerrilla in his youth, was confirmed by the same president in a message on his X account from Paris, where he attends the inauguration of the Olympic Games today.
“I accept the resignation of Carlos Ramón, director of the Directorate of National Intelligence. His position as head of civil intelligence is incompatible with any judicial investigation and with the same justice apparatus in the country,” Petro said.
González, who was also Petro’s right-hand man as director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (Dapre), was pointed out on Thursday by the Prosecutor’s Office as the person who last year ordered the payment of bribes to two important congressmen in exchange for legislative support to the Government.
As revealed on May 3 by the former deputy director for Disaster Management of the UNGRD, Sneyder Pinilla, money from that entity was used in 2023 to pay millionaires of bribies to the then president of the Senate, Iván Name, and that of the House of Representatives, Andrés Calle.
That money was allegedly diverted from the one allocated for the purchase of 40 tanker trucks to supply water to the Caribbean department of La Guajira, a project in which resources were misappropriated because the vehicles acquired did not meet the technical conditions, among other failures.
The name of González, a very influential figure within the Government who had already been mentioned in the complaints, was officially cited yesterday by the Prosecutor’s Office at the accusation hearing against Pinilla and against the former director of the UNGRD Olmedo López, although the accusing entity has not yet filed charges.
At that hearing, the delegated prosecutor before the Supreme Court of Justice, Andrea Muñoz, said that the former Presidential Counselor for the Regions Sandra Ortiz, also involved in the corruption plot, received orders from González, as her direct boss when she was the director of Dapre, to allegedly deliver the co-ras to Congressmen Name and Calle.
“For the tranquility of prosecutors and judges, for their independence and good judgment and for the same defense work of Carlos Ramón’s lawyers, the best thing is the separation from his position,” Petro added in his message in X.
The corruption scandal in the UNGRD, the body that is responsible for attending to and preventing emergencies caused by natural disasters in the country, was uncovered by the press last February and since then has been growing to reach senior government officials.
Another of those indicated in this process is the Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, who according to the Prosecutor’s Office was decisive, in coordination with Olmedo López, for the award of three contracts for 92 billion pesos (about 23 million dollars) to benefit six congressmen in exchange for supporting the extension of the Government’s debt quota.
In this case, Petro gave Bonilla a vote of confidence this Friday, pointing out that his actions have not been different from those of other finance ministers.
“I believe in the innocence of the Minister of Finance, because I know what has happened to all the ministers of Finance to maintain the macroeconomic stability of the country,” the president said.
International
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
The United States has revoked nearly 900 temporary visas as part of measures promoted by President Donald Trump’s administration against so-called “birth tourism,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
“Nearly 900 visas have already been revoked just since this task force was established. And that is in addition to the actions we have taken since the beginning of this administration to dismantle birth tourism networks around the world,” Pigott said in an interview with Newsmax.
The visa revocations are the result of coordinated efforts between the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify people who allegedly use tourist visas to enter the United States with the intention of giving birth there.
The measures are part of Trump’s broader immigration policies. In January, the president signed an executive order describing birth tourism as a practice that undermines the integrity of the U.S. immigration system in an effort to obtain what the administration considers permanent immigration benefits.
The directive stated that some people enter the country through temporary visas issued for tourism, education, cultural exchanges or temporary employment, and later seek to benefit from the U.S. citizenship their children acquire by being born on American soil.
Trump targets birthright citizenship
The latest actions are also part of Trump’s broader efforts to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States.
The country has traditionally followed the principle of jus soli, under which citizenship is generally granted based on birth within U.S. territory, rather than solely on parental nationality, as is the case in other legal systems.
The administrative measures come after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action, ruling that the policy raised constitutional issues involving the Fourteenth Amendment.
The visa crackdown represents another step by the administration to target practices it associates with the use of temporary immigration permits to obtain long-term immigration benefits.
International
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya returned to office on Friday after taking more than three months of leave while facing an investigation into allegations by the U.S. government that he has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Rocha has denied the accusations.
His return has drawn criticism from Mexico’s federal government and the ruling Morena party, which have accused the governor of putting personal interests ahead of the public good.
Although she did not mention Rocha by name, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the situation Saturday in a post on X, warning about the dangers of placing personal ambitions above the interests of the country.
“Power without principles becomes arrogance,” Sheinbaum wrote.
The president stressed that no personal interest should take precedence over the interests of the Mexican people and the nation, particularly when the objective is not public well-being but the pursuit of power for its own sake.
“Mexico deserves public servants who understand that positions are temporary, but responsibility before the nation is eternal,” Sheinbaum said.
She added that public officials should prioritize the dignity, future and hopes of the Mexican people over individual names, political groups or personal interests.
Later Saturday, while attending the inauguration of new agricultural services facilities in Mexico City, Sheinbaum told reporters that she learned of Rocha’s return through the governor’s social media post.
The president said she would provide further comments on the matter during her daily press conference on Monday.
International
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
A pilot was killed and two Pennsylvania state police officers were injured when a Cessna 150 airplane collided with the helicopter they were traveling in during a routine training exercise at a regional airport in the state.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro identified the officers as Corporal Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, members of the Pennsylvania State Police aviation unit. Both are expected to recover from their injuries, according to ABC.
The county coroner’s office identified the pilot as 57-year-old Paul Sokoloski.
George Bivens, acting commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, said the collision occurred at around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday. The helicopter was flying several feet above a grassy area near a runway at Carlisle Regional Airport when the small plane approached from behind.
According to investigators, the Cessna suddenly veered to the right moments before the collision, striking the helicopter’s tail rotor before also hitting its main rotor.
The airplane crashed a short distance away and broke into several pieces, while the helicopter lost its tail and other components before crashing on its side.
Police said Corporal Corman opened a window and helped Trooper Mills escape from the helicopter because they feared the aircraft could catch fire.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
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Virginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
Honduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
Virginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
Argentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
Pilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027
Panama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
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International5 days agoFrance to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Alleged Attack on French Officials
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Central America4 days agoHonduran Lawyer and Protected Witness in Angie Peña Case Shot Dead
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International4 days agoVirginia Police Arrest Salvadoran Man in Great Falls Woman’s Killing
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International3 days agoArgentina’s Milei Links Low Birth Rates to Abortion and Feminism
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International3 days agoPilot killed and two Pennsylvania state troopers injured in mid-air collision
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Central America3 days agoPanama’s Geisha Coffee Retains Pure Ethiopian Genetics, Studies Find
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International17 hours agoSinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations
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International2 hours agoU.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’