International
The reform of the Judiciary in Mexico is declared constitutional and awaits officialization
The Congress of Mexico declared constitutional the reform of the Judiciary proposed by the Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, which promotes the election of judges by popular vote, and only remains its publication in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) for its entry into force.
The declaration of constitutionality was first announced in the Mexican Senate and then in the Chamber of Deputies, in both cases in a few minutes, with the approval of the official ‘supermajorities’ in both chambers and the support of 23 local legislatures from 32 states.
Promulgation of the reform
“In order to comply with Article 135 of the Constitution (…) and once the 23 approval votes of the legislatures of the states have been counted, the Chamber of Senators declares approved the decree by which various provisions of the Mexican Constitution are reformed, added and repeals regarding the Judiciary,” he declared before the president of the Board of Directors of the Senate, Gerardo Fernández Noroña.
In the same sense, the president of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Deputies, Sergio Gutiérrez Luna, expressed himself.
Both acts were not attended by the opposition, after the refusal to reform, which they have qualified as a setback for democracy and judicial independence, as well as for the balance of power and the possible intrusion of “interest groups.”
This was announced by the parliamentary coordinators in both Houses of Congress of the opponents National Action (PAN), Institutional Revolutionary (PRI) and Citizen Movement (MC) who expressed that the action of constitutionality “is an exclusive party” of the ruling party, as well as the “consummated robbery of the nation.”
The action is parallel to the attempts by workers of the Judiciary of the Federation (PJF) and at least 1,200 judges in the country to stop this reform by resorting to national and international bodies.
Multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR); business organizations such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); rating agencies such as Fitch and Moody’s, as well as the US government have warned repercussions for Mexico for this reform, including panels and arbitrations within the framework of trade treaties such as the T-MEC.
Judicial remedies
On the date, a Mexican judge from the state of Colima ordered a suspension to stop the promulgation of the aforementioned reform in the DOF, despite the fact that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the main promoter of the reform, announced that it would be made official next Sunday, September 15, when Independence Day is commemorated in the country.
Later, Senator Ernestina Godoy, future legal advisor in the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, pointed out that such protection is inappropriate to prevent the reform from being published in the DOF.
“They forget that there are no challenges against constitutional reform,” Godoy said.
So far, the judicial reform has more than 17 votes for local legislatures required by the Mexican Constitution to declare itself constitutional and be referred to the head of the Executive, López Obrador, for its officialization and entry into force.
The states that have already said yes
The legislatures that have already given their endorsement are those of the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Colima, Durango, Guerrero, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas and the capital Mexico City.
Meanwhile, it was rejected in the local congresses of Jalisco and Querétaro.
Once the declaration of constitutionality has been made by the Chamber of Deputies, President López Obrador will be processed for its official publication and subsequent entry into force.
International
U.S. classifies CV and PCC as terrorist groups in major policy shift
The United States government announced on Thursday that it will add the Brazilian criminal organizations Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), a designation set to take effect on June 5, 2026.
The State Department justified the decision by stating that both groups are among the most powerful criminal organizations in Brazil and accused them of coordinating violent attacks against police officers, public officials, and civilians.
The designation comes just days after Brazilian senator and presidential hopeful Flávio Bolsonaro directly asked U.S. President Donald Trump to classify these groups as “narco-terrorist” organizations during a visit to the White House.
Bolsonaro, who is running in Brazil’s upcoming presidential election in October, has made tougher action against organized crime and prison-based gangs a central part of his campaign platform.
He is part of a political dispute with current Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has opposed the U.S. classification, warning it could open the door to potential foreign military intervention in Brazilian territory.
The Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital emerged in Brazilian prisons during the 1970s and have since expanded their influence, now controlling extensive criminal activities including drug trafficking, extortion, smuggling, and other illicit operations.
According to security experts and Brazilian authorities, both organizations have tens of thousands of members and support networks spread across multiple states in the country.
The U.S. measure aims to increase financial and operational pressure on these groups by restricting funding sources, limiting international mobility, and expanding cooperation in security enforcement efforts.
International
U.S.–Iran pre-agreement aims to de-escalate tensions and secure key trade route
The United States confirmed on Thursday that its negotiators have reached a preliminary agreement with Iran aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and extending the current ceasefire, though the understanding still requires final approval from U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. government sources confirmed information first reported exclusively by Axios, stating that the deal now only awaits the president’s endorsement.
According to Axios, citing two senior U.S. officials, the draft agreement stipulates that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz—previously blocked by Iran in response to U.S. and Israeli military actions—would be “unrestricted.”
The agreement reportedly includes provisions under which Iran would not impose transit fees in the strategic waterway, a critical route for global oil shipments. In parallel, the United States would lift maritime restrictions on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports.
The memorandum of understanding also contains a commitment from Iran not to develop nuclear weapons, a key red line for President Trump. However, discussions on limiting Iran’s uranium enrichment would be postponed to later negotiations.
These issues are expected to be addressed during a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, which has been in place since April.
In addition, the United States would consider easing sanctions on Iran and releasing frozen Iranian assets as part of the broader diplomatic framework.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have intensified over the past week with mediation from Pakistan, as both sides seek to formally end the conflict that began on February 28 involving the United States and Israel.
The White House has recently stated that a deal was “a matter of days away,” while Tehran has tempered expectations, suggesting that an agreement is not yet imminent.
International
Interpol Operation Leads to 8,700 Arrests and Massive Drug Seizures Across Latin America
Interpol and the Organization of American States (OAS) announced the arrest of more than 8,700 people and the seizure of over 3,300 firearms and 56 tons of illegal drugs across 20 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean following a six-week multinational security operation.
According to a statement released by the OAS, the operation — known as Operation Orca XI — was carried out between October 15 and November 30, 2025, under the coordination of Interpol, with support from the OAS and funding from the European Union.
The operation resulted in 8,701 arrests linked to illegal firearm possession, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities. Authorities also confiscated nearly 200,000 rounds of ammunition, $256,025 in cash, and 210 vehicles connected to criminal operations.
Participating countries additionally reported the seizure of 6.9 tons of cocaine, 659,403 coca plants, 9.3 tons of coca paste, 38.5 tons of marijuana, two tons of methamphetamine, and 11 kilograms of ketamine.
In its statement, the OAS emphasized that illegal arms trafficking in the region is closely tied to other forms of organized crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and cybercrime.
“Criminal organizations behind these crimes often use the same routes for multiple illicit goods,” the organization stated, adding that Operation Orca XI exposed the strong links between these criminal networks.
U.S. classifies CV and PCC as terrorist groups in major policy shift
U.S.–Iran pre-agreement aims to de-escalate tensions and secure key trade route
Interpol Operation Leads to 8,700 Arrests and Massive Drug Seizures Across Latin America
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International21 hours agoU.S. classifies CV and PCC as terrorist groups in major policy shift
-
International3 days agoDiplomatic Talks Continue as Iran Accuses U.S. of Ceasefire Violations
-
International3 days agoOmar García Harfuch Announces Arrest of “El Chapo’s” Nephew
-
Central America4 days agoOpposition leader highlights migration crisis in Panama speech
-
International2 days agoMexico Denies Interpol Red Notice Against Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya
-
International3 days agoRubio and Lavrov Hold Talks After Large-Scale Russian Assault on Ukraine
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala Dismantles Largest Cocaine Lab Found in 15 Years Near Mexico Border
-
International21 hours agoU.S.–Iran pre-agreement aims to de-escalate tensions and secure key trade route
-
International4 days agoEcuador’s Noboa vows to continue “war” on criminal groups
-
International2 days agoInterpol Operation Leads to 8,700 Arrests and Massive Drug Seizures Across Latin America