International
In Chile, 6,281 couples have married after three years of the same-sex marriage law
Three years after the entry into force of the Equal Marriage Law in Chile, a total of 6,281 homosexual couples have married, the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (Movilh) reported on Tuesday, after obtaining figures from the Civil Registry.
55% of marriages have been between women (3,456) and 45% between men (2,825), and 56 divorces and 70 nullities have been recorded to date, whose sum corresponds to 1.1% of the total ceremonies held since the approval of the rule until December 2, 2024.
A total of 824 people have been registered as sons and daughters of same-gender couples, 710 as children of two mothers (86.2%), and 114 as children of two fathers (13.8%).
“This is not only a legal transformation, but also a profound cultural change,” said Movilh spokeswoman Javiera Zúñiga in the statement.
“In all regions there have been equal marriages and registrations of people as children of same-sex couples, which is good news, because it ends inequalities due to sexual orientation or gender identity of families,” he added.
The Metropolitan region concentrates 54.5% of marriages contracted (3,428), followed by Valparaíso (790), Biobío (308), Bernardo O’Higgins (262) and Antofagasta (247) as the territories where more couples have married.
Aysén (14), Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica (47), Arica and Parinacota (70), Los Ríos (79) and Ñuble (80), the least populated regions of the country, are the ones with the fewest marriages.
The registration of sons and daughters of homosexual couples also corresponds to the number of inhabitants of each region, being the Metropolitan the one that has registered the highest number (466, representing 56.5% of the total), followed by Valparaíso (102), Antofagasta (38) and Biobío (36).
Majority of marriages between women
In all territories, except in Aysén, the number of marriages between women is higher than that of men, and in all cases there have been more children recognized by female couples than male couples.
Equal marriage was legalized in Chile after in 2016 the Chilean State and Movilh signed an Amicable Settlement Agreement before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where the country committed to create, process and approve the rule.
Until then, homosexual couples could resort to the Civil Union Agreement, promulgated in April 2015, which allows the regularization of “the legal aspects of a common, stable and permanent affective life,” the law indicates.
Since its entry into force on December 10, 2021, this agreement has resulted in 12,830 links, 6,566 between women (51.1%) and 6,264 among men (48.9%).
The third anniversary of the publication of the Equal Marriage Law in the Official Journal of Chile coincides with International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.
International
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has once again appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene on his behalf and seek his transfer from the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, is currently serving a sentence of more than 50 years in the United States after being convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to reports, the latest request was made in a letter dated June 2, one of several messages that Guzmán has reportedly sent to Sheinbaum in recent months in an effort to secure his repatriation. In the letter, he expresses hope that the Mexican government can support the efforts of his legal team.
Written in English and by hand, the letter asks that he be allowed to complete his sentence in Mexico, arguing that such a transfer would enable him to receive visits from family members more easily.
Guzmán is currently being held at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, commonly known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
As in previous communications, the former cartel leader complained about his prison conditions, stating that he remains in near-total isolation and has little to no contact with other inmates.
He also reiterated his long-standing claim that he did not receive a fair trial in the United States and argued that the Mexican government bears responsibility for much of the violence associated with organized crime in the country.
In the letter, Guzmán maintains that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect himself and his family amid the violence linked to criminal organizations in Mexico.
Mexican authorities have not publicly indicated whether they plan to respond to the request. Guzmán remains one of the most notorious figures in the history of international drug trafficking and is serving his sentence under some of the strictest security measures in the U.S. prison system.
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.
‘El Chapo’ Guzmán again asks Mexican president to seek his return from U.S. prison
Energy chief says U.S. will restore Gulf oil shipments and refill strategic reserves
U.S. Authorities Accuse Guatemalan Nationals of Using False Information to Sponsor Migrant Minors
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
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