International

North Korea amends its constitution and defines the South as a “hostile state”

North Korea confirmed some details about its recent constitutional amendment, where it has defined the South as a “hostile state”, in the first modification of its magna carta that eliminates references to a possible reunification.

“This is an inevitable and legitimate measure, in which South Korea is clearly defined as a hostile state, and it is due to the serious security circumstances that lead to the brink of war by the political and military provocations of hostile forces,” the North Korean state agency KCNA published today.

Changes in North Korea

Last week, North Korea concluded an important parliamentary session in which it was planned to amend its Constitution, but did not reveal any details about the changes then, although it did say that the vote had been held unanimously.

It was already expected that in this amendment references to reunification with the South would be removed and national borders would be redefined, as the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, had ordered.

Kim urged to reflect that the South – with which relations have been non-existent in the last five years – is the main national enemy, to eliminate clauses related to reunification and to clarify what the territorial limits of the country are, including the disputed western maritime border.

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CEL

Zero dialogues with the South

Experts believe that Kim’s desire to discard dialogue, formalize the existence of two clearly differentiated states in the peninsula and unilaterally define the northern borders can further worsen the terrible atmosphere that is breathed in the region.

Pyongyang’s constitutional amendment comes in a context of renewed resurgence of tensions with Seoul, after the latter’s Army fired shots south of the border with the North on Tuesday in response to the detonations used by the latter to destroy sections of roads in its territory that connect both countries.

The detonations occurred in northern sections of the Gyeongui and Donghae corridors and after Pyongyang announced last week that it was going to cut all transport routes to the neighboring country.

International

Trump urges Putin to reach peace deal

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his desire for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “reach a deal” to end the war in Ukraine, while also reaffirming his willingness to impose sanctions on Russia.

“I want to see him reach an agreement to prevent Russian, Ukrainian, and other people from dying,” Trump stated during a press conference in the Oval Office at the White House.

“I think he will. I don’t want to have to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil,” the Republican leader added, recalling that he had already taken similar measures against Venezuela by sanctioning buyers of the South American country’s crude oil.

Trump also reiterated his frustration over Ukraine’s resistance to an agreement that would allow the United States to exploit natural resources in the country—a condition he set in negotiations to end the war.

International

Deportation flight lands in Venezuela; government denies criminal gang links

A flight carrying 175 Venezuelan migrants deported from the United States arrived in Caracas on Sunday. This marks the third group to return since repatriation flights resumed a week ago, and among them is an alleged member of a criminal organization, according to Venezuelan authorities.

Unlike previous flights operated by the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, this time, an aircraft from the U.S. airline Eastern landed at Maiquetía Airport, on the outskirts of Caracas, shortly after 2:00 p.m. with the deportees.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who welcomed the returnees at the airport, stated that the 175 repatriated individuals were coming back “after being subjected, like all Venezuelans, to persecution” and dismissed claims that they belonged to the criminal organization El Tren de Aragua.

However, Cabello confirmed that “for the first time in these flights we have been carrying out, someone of significance wanted by Venezuelan justice has arrived, and he is not from El Tren de Aragua.” Instead, he belongs to a gang operating in the state of Trujillo. The minister did not disclose the individual’s identity or provide details on where he would be taken.

International

Son of journalist José Rubén Zamora condemns father’s return to prison as “illegal”

Guatemalan court decides Wednesday whether to convict journalist José Rubén Zamora

The son of renowned journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, José Carlos Zamora, has denounced as “illegal” the court order that sent his father back to a Guatemalan prison on March 3, after already spending 819 days behind barsover a highly irregular money laundering case.

“My father’s return to prison was based on an arbitrary and illegal ruling. It is also alarming that the judge who had granted him house arrest received threats,” José Carlos Zamora told EFE in an interview on Saturday.

The 67-year-old journalist was sent back to prison inside the Mariscal Zavala military barracks on March 3, when Judge Erick García upheld a Court of Appeals ruling that overturned the house arrest granted to him in October. Zamora had already spent 819 days in prison over an alleged money laundering case.

His son condemned the situation as “unacceptable”, stating that the judge handling the case “cannot do his job in accordance with the law due to threats against his life.”