International

NATO accuses Russia and North Korea of “dangerously expanding” the war in Ukraine

NATO, along with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine, “strongly” condemned this Friday the decision of Russia and North Korea to “dangerously expand” the war against Ukraine by involving “thousands of troops” North Koreans in the war.

That decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Un, is a “dangerous expansion” of North Korea’s “already substantial support” for Russia’s war effort with “the supply of millions of ammunition and ballistic missiles” in its war against Ukraine, the Atlantic Council said in a statement, joined by Canberra, Tokyo, Wellington, Seoul and Kiev.

And it is that the deepening of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea “deeply” affects Euro-Atlantic security, but with implications also for the Indo-Pacific region, said the North Atlantic Council, NATO’s highest decision-making body.

Military cooperation between Russians and North Koreans

In addition, the increase in military cooperation between Russians and North Koreans constitutes “a violation of multiple resolutions” of the United Nations Security Council, including 2270 (2016), 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009), which is “especially scandalous if one takes into account Russia’s status as a permanent member” of it, they stressed.

For that reason, they urged Russia to comply again with those resolutions and to abide by its international obligations.

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They also pointed out that Russia’s statement of September 26 in which it stated that the denuclearization of North Korea “is not on the table” is “unacceptable.”

That position, they noted, “undermines the global non-proliferation regime, directly contradicts the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and further exacerbates regional tensions.”

Russian declaration

For the North Atlantic Council, the Russian declaration is part of its broader effort to undermine the global non-proliferation regime and dismantle United Nations sanctions.

Therefore, NATO and the five signatories urged all other countries not to provide any kind of help to Russia’s aggression and condemned “all those who facilitate and, therefore, prolong Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.”

In this context, NATO said it will continue to work with its partners, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, to promote peace and stability and prevent Russia and those who facilitate its war effort from undermining regional and global stability.

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While stressing that the allies remain “as determined as ever” to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary.”

International

Marco Rubio warns Venezuela against military action against Guyana

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela on Thursday that a military attack on Guyana would be “a big mistake” and “a very bad day for them,” expressing his support for Georgetown in its territorial dispute with Caracas.

“It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil. It would be a very bad day, a very bad week for them, and it would not end well,” Rubio emphasized during a press conference in Georgetown alongside Guyanese President Irfaan Ali.

International

Ecuador oil spill worsens as containment dam collapses

The collapse of a containment dam holding back part of the 25,000+ barrels of oil spilled from a pipeline rupture nearly two weeks ago has worsened the environmental crisis in northwestern Ecuador, contaminating rivers and Pacific beaches.

The Ecuadorian government attributed the March 13 pipeline rupture—which led to the spill of 25,116 barrels of crude—to an act of sabotage. The spill affected three rivers and disrupted water supplies for several communities, according to authorities.

On Tuesday, due to heavy rains that have been falling since January, a containment dam on the Caple River collapsed. The Caple connects to other waterways in Esmeraldas Province, a coastal region bordering Colombia, state-owned Petroecuador said in a statement on Wednesday.

Seven containment barriers were installed in the Viche River, where crews worked to remove oil-contaminated debris. Additional absorbent materials were deployed in Caple, Viche, and Esmeraldas Rivers, which flow into the Pacific Ocean.

Authorities are also working to protect a wildlife refuge home to more than 250 species, including otters, howler monkeys, armadillos, frigatebirds, and pelicans.

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“This has been a total disaster,” said Ronald Ruiz, a leader in the Cube community, where the dam was located. He explained that the harsh winter rains caused river levels to rise, bringing debris that broke the containment barriersthat were holding the accumulated oil for extraction.

International

Federal court blocks Trump’s use of Enemy Alien Act for deportations

A federal appeals court upheld the block on former President Donald Trump’s use of the Enemy Alien Act on Wednesday, preventing him from using the law to expedite deportations of alleged members of the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua.

With a 2-1 ruling, a panel from the Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed previous decisions by two lower court judges, maintaining the legal standoff between the White House and the judiciary.

On March 14, Trump invoked the 1798 Enemy Alien Act, a law traditionally used during wartime, to deport hundreds of Venezuelans whom he accused of belonging to Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization that originated in Venezuelan prisons.

The centuries-old law grants the president the power to detain, restrict, and expel foreign nationals from a country engaged in a “declared war” or an “invasion or predatory incursion” against the United States, following a public proclamation.