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
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.
International
Suspect Armed With Shotgun and Knives Detained at White House Correspondents Dinner
U.S. authorities confirmed Saturday that the suspect who stormed into the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner while President Donald Trump was attending acted alone, adding that there is no ongoing threat to the public following the incident, which left one Secret Service agent injured.
Acting Metropolitan Police Department chief Jeff Carroll said during a press conference that the suspect was carrying “a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives” when he attempted to pass through a Secret Service security checkpoint inside the hotel lobby at approximately 8:36 p.m. local time.
“At this point, everything indicates that this was a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll stated, adding that investigators have found no preliminary evidence suggesting the involvement of additional suspects.
During the exchange of gunfire inside the hotel corridors, the suspect was not struck by bullets but was subdued by law enforcement officers and later transported to a hospital for medical evaluation.
A member of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division was shot during the incident, though the bullet was stopped by the officer’s ballistic vest, preventing serious injuries. The agent was taken to a hospital and is reportedly “in good spirits,” according to Carroll.
The shooting prompted the immediate evacuation of President Trump, Melania Trump, and several senior officials attending the event after multiple gunshots were heard outside the hotel’s main ballroom.
International
U.S. allows Venezuela to fund Maduro and Cilia Flores’ legal defense
Until now, the U.S. administration had blocked the Venezuelan government from covering the legal fees of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who is also jailed and facing drug trafficking charges, due to international sanctions imposed on Venezuela.
The couple’s legal team had relied on that argument in an attempt to have the indictment dismissed, claiming that preventing a defendant from accessing counsel of their choice violates rights guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
However, the U.S. Treasury Department will now allow “defense attorneys to receive payments from the Government of Venezuela under certain conditions,” New York prosecutor Jay Clayton wrote in a letter dated Friday to Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case.
According to the letter, the funds must have become available after March 5, 2026, and cannot come from Venezuelan oil sales regulated in the United States.
Since Maduro’s removal from power in early January, former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has served as Venezuela’s interim leader.
The United States effectively controls Venezuelan crude exports, with revenues deposited into special accounts supervised by Washington.
Court documents filed on Friday show that the defense acknowledged the sanctions exemption and, for now, withdrew its motion seeking dismissal of the charges.
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