International
Migrants at the border suffer post-traumatic stress after the violence in Mexico
Citizen associations warn of an increase in post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) in migrants stranded on the northern border of Mexico in the face of cases of kidnapping, abuse and exploitation they experience when crossing Mexican territory.
Migrants present this psychological disorder that arises in response to extremely stressful events, and is characterized by symptoms such as retrospective sequences or flashbacks, nightmares, intense anxiety and difficulties in sleeping or concentrating.
The biggest trigger is kidnappings, Sara Villegas Torres, a lawyer for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Ciudad Juárez, one of the epicenters of migration on the border of Mexico with the United States, told EFE.
“What we have mostly detected is the issue of kidnappings, not only here in the entity (Chihuahua) but throughout Mexico, it is inevitable to encounter these stories because it is something that happens to most of the people with whom we have contact,” he described.
In July alone, there were two massive kidnappings of a total of 36 migrants in Chihuahua, according to the organization Alto al Secuestro, which documented a total of 196 foreigners kidnapped in the seventh month of the year, a monthly increase of more than 20%.
This organization reported 772 kidnappings of migrants in 2023, representing about a third of the total national victims of this crime.
This leaves sequelae in people like Cindy Vázquez, from Honduras, who told EFE how a crime cartel kidnapped the group with which she was traveling in Mexico.
“They told us ‘drem down’. But we thought it was the Police or Migration, because we had no problems with migration. But when they got us down and got us up, I lost all my belongings, I lost everything because I didn’t have time to take anything out of the lower part of the bus. And when they got us into a car, even then I knew we were kidnapped,” he said.
They were transferred to a warehouse, 15 minutes away before reaching the state of Chihuahua, where there were also many people kidnapped, according to him, and his family had to give a rescue.
“They told us that we were deprived of our freedom and that we were going to be there as long as our family paid a ransom. Our family had to pay a lot of money,” he said.
He mentioned that the kidnappers were wearing a uniform, brown pants and a navy blue shirt with a shotgun on the back, but without official logos.
In the end they were able to leave with a payment of 10,000 dollars for her and her family, so she warned her compatriots that it is very dangerous to go through Mexico.
“We just wanted to get to a better place, that we could work, that we could start from scratch, but no, the truth is that I wouldn’t stay living in Mexico,” Cindy said.
Another case is that of Roxana Yamilet Velázquez, originally from El Salvador, who described the difficult road she and two other relatives, her cousins Diego José and Adriana Elizabeth, who died in the desert of the northern border of Mexico.
“It gave him like a heat respiratory arrest and from there we were transferred, well, Migration grabbed them and took us to a hospital because we were dehydrated,” he said.
He said that the sand was very hot to the point of burning his skin, and the water they carried in bottles boiled after a short time due to temperatures that reached 40 degrees.
“It was boiling, already very hot, we couldn’t drink or anything and my cousin started fighting about halfway. Even me too, and she couldn’t resist, because she was the one who fought the most,” Roxana recalled about how her cousin’s life was going.
These events occur in the midst of a 193% year-on-year increase in irregular migration through Mexico in the first half of the year to over 712,000 people, according to the Government’s Migration Policy Unit.
International
Rubio signals possible engagement with Iranian factions amid internal divisions
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington is hopeful of engaging with factions within the government of Iran, noting that the United States has received positive private signals.
Speaking to ABC News’ Good Morning America, Rubio suggested that internal divisions exist within the Islamic Republic and expressed confidence that figures with the authority to act could emerge.
“We are hopeful that this will be the case,” Rubio said. “Clearly, there are people there who are communicating with us in ways that those previously in power in Iran did not. This is reflected in some of the steps they appear willing to take.”
Despite this, Rubio maintained a firm stance toward Iran, reiterating that the ongoing conflict seeks to eliminate its capacity to develop nuclear weapons—an objective that President Donald Trump has previously claimed was achieved during a military strike last year.
International
King Charles III to visit the U.S. on first state trip since taking the throne
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will undertake a state visit to the United States on the recommendation of the British government, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday, adding that further details will be released at a later date.
The visit aims to highlight the historic ties and current relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, as both countries prepare to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.
The trip is expected to take place at the end of April and follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom last year, which sought to strengthen bilateral relations.
This will be Charles III’s first state visit to the United States since ascending to the throne in 2022, although he previously traveled there 19 times as Prince of Wales.
By comparison, Queen Elizabeth II made four state visits to the United States—in 1957, 1976, 1991, and 2007—while U.S. presidents have carried out four state visits to the United Kingdom since 1952, in 2003, 2011, 2019, and 2025.
Following the U.S. trip, the monarch is also expected to travel to Bermuda, marking his first official visit to the territory since becoming head of state.
The visit comes amid tensions between the two countries due to differences between President Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. Starmer has reiterated that the United Kingdom will not take part in the conflict, although it will defend its interests and support allies in the Persian Gulf.
Trump has criticized that stance, urging countries not involved in the military campaign to act decisively, stating that “the hardest part is already done.”
The trip also follows a request by U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna, who called on the king to meet privately with victims linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his stay.
The case has also involved the king’s brother, Prince Andrew, who has faced scrutiny over his past associations with Epstein. The former royal, stripped of his titles and honors, has denied any wrongdoing despite ongoing allegations and investigations.
International
Leopoldo López thanks Spain for fast-track citizenship but says “I am still Venezuelan”
Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López expressed gratitude on Tuesday to the Government of Spain after being granted Spanish citizenship through an expedited process, following the revocation of his Venezuelan nationality by the administration of Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking in Madrid, López acknowledged the gesture but admitted having mixed emotions. “I am grateful to the Spanish government for granting me citizenship, but I have mixed feelings, as do millions of Venezuelans who have had to leave their country. It is not easy,” he said.
The opposition figure highlighted Spain’s role as a refuge for Venezuelans, while emphasizing that his identity remains unchanged. “Spain has been, for me, my family, and hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, a homeland away from home. That does not mean we stop being Venezuelan. I am Venezuelan, I carry Venezuela in my heart, and everything I have done has been for Venezuela,” he added.
López requested Spanish nationality after the Venezuelan government stripped him of his citizenship in October, accusing him of promoting a “military invasion,” a move that left him effectively stateless.
Initially, he applied through the standard process in late 2025 but, unable to meet the requirements, later sought nationality through a special mechanism known as “carta de naturaleza,” with the support of Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares.
To support his application, López submitted documentation from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which determined that he had been a victim of political persecution, arbitrary detention, imprisonment, and other actions by the Venezuelan government.
“For me, this has been a long journey. The persecution by the dictatorship against me began many years ago. I was banned, persecuted, censored, imprisoned, and sentenced to 14 years in prison. I had to escape from Venezuela, from prison,” he said.
Spain’s decision to grant him citizenship through an exceptional procedure was justified by his “very special situation,” including the lack of documentation and legal status.
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