International
Kamala Harris defends her economic plan on television and reveals that she owns a gun
The US vice president and Democratic candidate for the White House, Kamala Harris, addressed in an interview on the program ’60 minutes’ of CBS News the right of Americans to possession of weapons, by saying that she owns a Glock pistol, and explaining her economic plan.
“I have a Glock and I’ve had it for quite some time,” Harris told journalist Bill Whitaker during an interview in an election special of the well-known program.
When asked if he had fired the gun, Harris sketched his characteristic smile and nodded. “Yes… In a shooting range. Yes, of course.”
Former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) has suggested that if Harris reaches the presidency he would try to limit the right to possession of weapons contemplated in the Second Amendment of the Constitution, something that the Democratic candidate has denied.
“I have the best plan”: Harris
Harris took advantage of the interview on the well-known program to talk about his proposals, especially those that point to the economy, one of the most important issues of voters in the United States, and to promote that his proposal is the best.
“Now we have an economy that is thriving according to all macroeconomic indicators,” he highlighted the achievements of the Government of President Joe Biden and promised to continue with the low unemployment figures.
Harris was asked how she will face the $3,000 trillion deficit facing the country, to which she replied that she will increase taxes on high-income people and hopes that Congressional leaders are willing to support her.
“There are many leaders in Congress who understand and know that Trump’s tax cuts exploded our federal deficit,” warned the vice president, who indicated that she is “a capitalist,” who knows the limitations of the Government.
Response to wars
The Democrat answered questions about the conflict in Israel and Gaza, just as the first anniversary of the Hamas attack, and assured that there is a need to end this war. However, he avoided answering several questions about whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “disobeying” the United States.
He warned that he would not meet bilaterally with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a solution that would end the war in Ukraine. “Ukraine must have a say in the future of Ukraine,” he said.
He also asked him to deepen immigration and the Biden Government’s response to contain the high number of irregular immigrants. “It’s a long-standing problem. And the solutions are at your fingertips. And since day one, we have literally been offering solutions,” he said.
Harris took advantage of the interview to attack Trump for canceling an interview with this program last week and preferring his rallies, where “he only talks about himself” and is dedicated to throwing grievances, he said.
The Democratic aspirant remains in the lead in voting intentions. According to the average of polls prepared by the FiveThirtyEight website, it is ahead of Trump by 2.5 percentage points at the federal level, although in key states that difference is not so significant.
International
Bogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions
Bogotá and Quito will hold an emergency bilateral summit next week amid recent developments that have strained relations between the two countries.
Tensions escalated this week after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa unexpectedly announced a 30% tariff on Colombian imports. Colombia responded with a reciprocal measure, imposing the same tariff on around 20 Ecuadorian products and suspending electricity exports to Ecuador.
Aware that electricity imports are critical to easing Ecuador’s recent energy crises, Quito further imposed a 30% tariff on the transportation of Colombian oil through its territory.
However, recent statements from the Ecuadorian government suggest that dialogue between the two sides has intensified in recent hours. Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, confirmed that active conversations are under way.
In Colombia, segments of the business sector have welcomed the prospect of negotiations. The National Business Council (Consejo Gremial Nacional, CGN), for instance, urged both governments to restore commercial relations, warning that the dispute “puts jobs and regional economic stability at risk.”
International
Trump-Era Defense Plan Prioritizes Border Security and Scales Back Global Commitments
The U.S. military will prioritize the defense of the homeland and the deterrence of China, while providing more limited support to its allies and elevating Latin America as a key focus of its agenda, according to a Pentagon strategic document released on Friday.
The 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) represents a significant shift from previous Pentagon policies, both in its emphasis on allies assuming greater responsibility with reduced backing from Washington and in its more moderate tone toward traditional adversaries such as China and Russia.
“As U.S. forces focus on defending the homeland and the Indo-Pacific, allies and partners elsewhere will assume primary responsibility for their own defense, with crucial but more limited support from U.S. forces,” the document states.
The previous defense strategy, published during President Joe Biden’s administration, described China as Washington’s most consequential challenge and characterized Russia as an “acute threat.”
The new strategy, however, calls for maintaining “respectful relations” with Beijing and makes no reference to Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by China and allied with the United States. It also describes the threat posed by Russia as “persistent but manageable,” particularly affecting NATO’s eastern members.
While both the Biden-era strategy and the Trump administration’s approach emphasize the importance of defending U.S. territory, they differ significantly in their assessment of the challenges facing the country.
The Trump administration’s NDS sharply criticizes the previous government for neglecting border security, arguing that this failure led to an “influx of illegal immigrants” and widespread narcotics trafficking.
International
Guatemala considers sending high-risk gang members to military prisons
Amid the escalating crisis in Guatemala’s prison system, the government is considering transferring high-risk gang members to military-run detention facilities, a move that analysts say could help address overcrowding and the lack of control in civilian prisons.
The debate has gained urgency following the killing of ten police officers by gang members, reportedly in retaliation after the government refused to meet demands made by Aldo Dupie Ochoa, alias “El Lobo,” leader of the Barrio 18 gang, which authorities identified as responsible for the attack.
Guatemala’s Minister of Defense, Henry David Sáenz, told local media that the possibility of relocating high-danger inmates to military brigades has not been formally discussed. However, he noted that the practice is not new to the Armed Forces and said it is something that “was already being done.”
One example is the detention center located within the Mariscal Zavala Military Brigade, in Zone 17 of Guatemala City, where several inmates are held under military supervision. The facility also houses high-profile detainees, including former official Eduardo Masaya, who faces corruption charges.
In 2015, a ministerial agreement authorized the establishment of the Zone Seventeen Detention Center within the brigade, with a maximum capacity of 114 inmates in Area A and 21 in Area B. The agreement specified that the facility would be used exclusively for civilians or military personnel considered at risk of assassination.
Additionally, since 2010, a prison has operated within the Matamoros Barracks in Zone 1 of Guatemala City, holding dangerous or high-profile inmates. However, media outlets have described these military detention centers as “VIP prisons,” particularly for former government officials such as ex-president Otto Pérez Molina.
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Guatemala’s president rules out negotiations with inmates after prison riots
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