International
Governor in Colombia: A ceasefire can be a demonstration of peace before COP16
The governor of the Colombian department of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, believes that a ceasefire between armed groups in the Pacific “can happen” and would be “a demonstration of the will” of peace before the upcoming celebration of COP16 in Cali, the capital of that region.
“This has to serve, that nature, which is what reconciles us and is reconciling us at this moment, the conservation of life, serves for them to reflect and see that the most important thing is to be able to achieve peace, reconciliation and tranquility above all these communities so suffered,” Toro explains in an interview with EFE.
The objective of the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP16), to be held from October 21 to November 1, with the participation of about 12,000 people, is to address the loss of biodiversity, restore ecosystems, distribute the benefits in a fair and equitable way and protect the rights of indigenous peoples.
However, the armed groups operating in the Pacific region have intensified their attacks in the vicinity of Cali in recent months, which set off alarms before the upcoming celebration of COP16, especially after the Central Staff (EMC), the main dissident of the FARC, referred to this international summit.
“I believe that (a ceasefire) can be a demonstration of the will to reduce all that onslaught of violence and suffering that the people of the Pacific have had, because it is those of the Colombian Pacific who have suffered the most violence and conflict,” says the governor.
Despite this, Toro is “completely calm” that COP16 will take place with total normality and without setbacks. “We have the certainty and we want to give all the certainty and security to the entire Colombian and international community,” he says.
The governor insists that to guarantee security there will be a “very great reinforcement of capabilities by the Army, the Police” and the regional authorities, including the purchase of technology such as anti-drones.
“What we want is for everyone to live it, that they do not tell them about it, but that they live the diversity in our region” and that they discover that “we can do a lot of ecotourism and that there nature is taken care of by indigenous, Afro-descendant, peasant communities and also civil society,” he says.
Toro highlights among the events of COP16 the summit of mayors and regional authorities that will take place on October 26, where they do not want to discuss, but to listen to the communities of each of the regions that are represented to know “how they take care of life, how they take care of nature, how they do to have sustainable development.”
“It is an opportunity, not only to take care of the environment, but that (COP16) becomes a closure of social gaps and inequalities, generating a sustainable economic development for those communities that live and that take care of that nature,” and those communities are precisely the ones that will be the protagonists of the summit, emphasizes the governor.
As for the expectations with COP16, he is confident that not only will the high-level negotiations “come to a successful conclusion,” but that “will serve to be able to continue taking care of nature, continue caring for biodiversity by 2030 as it is established.”
“And the most important thing is that we as a region, as a department, have a legacy (…) of culture, of the awareness of taking care of nature,” he adds.
So far, 145 delegations have confirmed their attendance, in addition to observer organizations, youth groups, civil society, academies and the general public that will negotiate and discuss the importance of the protection and restoration of nature through 23 goals for 2030 and four objectives for 2050.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
International
Mexico Arrests CJNG Leader “El Jardinero” in Nayarit
Mexican authorities arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero,” on Monday during a naval operation in the western state of Nayarit, delivering another major blow to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
Flores was considered one of the top regional leaders within the cartel and had reportedly overseen criminal operations along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Security analysts viewed him as a potential successor to slain drug kingpin Nemesio Oseguera.
The arrest was carried out by Mexico’s Navy Special Forces in a planned operation, according to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch.
The United States Department of the Treasury had previously identified Flores as a “significant foreign narcotics trafficker,” while U.S. authorities offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture and extradition.
A U.S. grand jury indicted Flores in 2021 on charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin.
His capture comes months after the reported death of “El Mencho,” an operation that Mexican authorities considered a priority due to the cartel leader’s alleged involvement in a 2020 assassination attempt against García Harfuch.
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