International
Thousands of people in Chile ask Boric for “concrete actions” after a year of war in Gaza
Thousands of people in Chile joined this Saturday in Santiago the global mobilization for the anniversary of the war in the Gaza Strip and asked the Government of Gabriel Boric for “concrete actions and not just words” and urged him to break diplomatic relations with Israel.
The march, which started from the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center and in which chants such as “Israel kills and the Yankees sponsor” were heard, was called by the Palestinian community in Chile, considered the largest outside the Arab world, with about 500,000 people.
“Our country has always stood by Palestine and has always carried the name of human rights ahead. But we need concrete actions and not just words,” Nadia Gharib, of Palestinian descent and who attended the march with her family, told EFE.
What is the position of the president of Chile on Gaza?
Boric, a renowned defender of the Palestine cause, has repeatedly described the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip as “barbarism” and “criminal violence,” which has already left more than 41,000 people killed, mostly civilians.
During his speech at the last UN General Assembly, the president urged to “rebel against the double standard in human rights” and said that he refuses “to choose between Hamas terrorism or the massacre and genocide of Netanyahu’s Israel.”
“We don’t have to choose between barbarisms. I choose humanity,” added Boric, who has so far refused to break diplomatic relations with Israel.
In January, Chile, along with Mexico, presented a request to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate probable war crimes in the context of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Chile also formally joined on September 12 the accusation of genocide against Israel that South Africa presented before the International Court of Justice, the highest court of the United Nations that is also located in The Hague.
More forcefulness against Israel
For Felipe, another demonstrator, the actions carried out so far are not enough and he asked to go further: “Any type of economic, military and political relationship with a State that is complying with a real genocide must be cut. And that is the first point in the table of all of us who have focused today on this mobilization,” he added.
A few meters later, the embroiderer Rosa Esther carried with a classmate a loom with children’s faces and the slogan “The children of Gaza are not a threat.”
“We, through embroidery, capture that children are not a threat. Enough of making these innocent children suffer for a fight of egos, of adults,” he told EFE.
Chile recognized Palestine as a “free, independent and sovereign” state in 2011, during the first government of the conservative Sebastián Piñera (between 2010 and 2014).
Central America
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday criminal charges against three Guatemalan citizens accused of using false information to sponsor migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or guardian.
According to an indictment filed in Ohio, Maritza Cahuec Coc allegedly submitted at least 12 sponsorship applications, several of which were filed under aliases or contained materially false statements intended to secure custody of the minors.
Under U.S. procedures, unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for their care until they can be released to a qualified sponsor, such as a parent or relative living in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Cahuec Coc, who reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2018, received payments between late 2020 and 2023 for helping bring 12 migrant minors into the country. Authorities claim she submitted fraudulent documents and misleading information to obtain approval for the sponsorship requests.
The case was announced during a joint press conference led by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. However, officials provided limited details about the investigation and instead focused much of their remarks on criticizing immigration policies implemented under the previous administration.
Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials have frequently pointed to the increase in unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s term, arguing that the government failed to adequately oversee their care and placement.
During Thursday’s briefing, A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, alleged that Cahuec Coc used the identities of other individuals and falsely claimed family relationships in order to obtain custody of the children.
“Maritza submitted sponsorship applications using other people’s identities and falsely represented that the minors were the children of close relatives in order to secure their release,” Duva said.
The case remains under investigation, and federal authorities have not yet disclosed additional information regarding the other two Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the alleged scheme.
International
Iván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
Colombian presidential candidate Iván Cepeda said Thursday that he is willing to introduce “necessary changes” to the peace policy implemented by President Gustavo Petro, a strategy he helped design and promote during the current administration.
The future of Petro’s controversial “Total Peace” initiative has become one of the central issues in Colombia’s presidential runoff election, scheduled for June 21, where Cepeda will face right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.
De la Espriella, who narrowly won the first round of voting on May 31, has campaigned on a platform of tougher security measures and a stronger crackdown on drug trafficking and armed criminal groups.
Speaking to AFP in Bogotá, Cepeda acknowledged that adjustments to the peace strategy may be required after Petro’s efforts to negotiate with armed organizations failed to produce the expected results amid a surge in violence across the country.
“We are going to make the necessary changes, of course. We will conduct an assessment,” the 63-year-old senator said during the interview, held ten days before the decisive runoff vote.
Cepeda, a philosopher and longtime human rights advocate, explained that any modifications to the policy would emerge from a broad national dialogue involving political leaders, social organizations and other sectors of Colombian society. However, he did not provide specific details about the proposed changes.
President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” initiative sought to negotiate agreements with guerrilla movements, paramilitary groups and major criminal organizations, including the powerful Clan del Golfo cartel and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
The policy aimed to reduce violence through dialogue and negotiated settlements, but critics argue that it failed to significantly weaken armed groups or improve security conditions in several regions of the country.
As the runoff campaign enters its final stage, the future direction of Colombia’s security and peace policies remains one of the most closely watched issues in the election.
International
U.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the suspension of military strikes that had been scheduled against Iran later that evening, citing significant progress in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that erupted in late February.
In a message posted on social media, Trump said the decision followed high-level discussions with Iranian representatives, which he claimed led to broad agreements on the key elements of a future peace deal.
According to the president, the “final points” of the proposed agreement have been approved in principle and outlined by the parties involved. Trump identified the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt as participants in the diplomatic process.
The U.S. leader also stated that the naval blockade imposed on Iran will remain in place while negotiations continue. He added that the date and location for the formal signing of the agreement will be announced in the coming days. No specific details regarding the content of the deal have been released so far.
The announcement marks a significant shift from comments made by Trump just hours earlier, when he warned of additional military strikes against Iranian territory and reiterated threats involving key oil infrastructure within the Islamic Republic.
The decision comes amid a renewed escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran. In recent days, both sides have exchanged military attacks while diplomatic efforts intensified to prevent a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard recently claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting U.S. military facilities in several countries across the region. Iranian officials described the operations as retaliation for American strikes against Iranian targets.
Although Trump’s announcement has been viewed as a sign of de-escalation, questions remain regarding the viability of the proposed agreement and the long-term stability of the negotiations. International analysts warn that the situation remains fragile and that any new incident could quickly reignite hostilities between the two countries.
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
Iván Cepeda Open to Revising Colombia’s Peace Policy Ahead of Runoff Election
U.S. Halts Military Action Against Iran Amid Diplomatic Breakthrough
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