A Colombian woman living in Massachusetts was convicted on a series of federal identity theft and identity fraud charges, including voting illegally in the 2024 presidential election, the Justice Department said.

Federal officials have pointed to the case as a rare, documented example of noncitizen voting prosecuted at the highest level, highlighting it amid renewed debate over voter identification, citizenship verification and election security ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The Colombian national, Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, was convicted on federal charges of identity theft, passport fraud and illegal voting, including in the 2024 presidential election. She was captured on surveillance video displaying an «I Voted» sticker on Election Day, underscoring what Justice Department officials characterized as a flagrant disregard for U.S. laws.

«Her actions were not a one-time mistake or accident,» the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice said in a statement.

WATCHDOG SOUNDS ALARM OVER POTENTIAL NONCITIZEN VOTING AND FOREIGN INFLUENCE AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

Officials have highlighted Orovio-Hernandez’s case as an example of successful interagency cooperation and enforcement, as election security concerns have intensified in the run-up to the 2026 midterms.

The verdict «sends a clear message: identity theft and fraud against federal benefit programs will not go undetected or unpunished,» said Amy Connelly, special agent in charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General in Boston.

The Trump administration, for its part, has touted her conviction as an example of the pitfalls of weak voter identification standards or vetting procedures.

Officials in several U.S. states have already moved to tighten their individual verification standards and procedures in hopes of cracking down on any fraudulent voting efforts and shoring up voter confidence. 

SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS PENNSYLVANIA PROVISIONAL BALLOT RULING, IN A MAJOR LOSS FOR GOP

Then-candidate President Donald Trump raises his fist during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15, 2024. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)

The conviction comes amid renewed scrutiny of election administration nationwide, including a recent FBI raid at an election hub in Fulton County, Georgia, that authorized a broad seizure of election records, voting rolls and other data tied to the 2020 election, according to a copy of the warrant.

Some Senate Democrats have cited concerns over the news that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was present at the raid, though she stressed in a letter obtained by Fox News Digital that the ODNI’s Office of General Counsel «has found my actions to be consistent and well within my statutory authority as the Director of National Intelligence.»

BEHIND-THE-SCENES BATTLES: LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT COULD IMPACT THE VOTE BEFORE ELECTION DAY BEGINS

A Spanish-language voting sign is seen at a Denver polling location. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

The Republican Party has sought to embrace a new, litigation-focused «election integrity» strategy in the months ahead of the 2024 general election, as party officials told Fox News Digital at the time.

The effort saw dozens of lawsuits that sought to crack down on voter identification laws, tighten citizenship verification standards and add new requirements for mail-in ballots and provisional ballots accepted by certain states. 

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It is unclear to what degree the party might seek to replicate this effort ahead of the midterm elections. 

Panamá y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) reforzaron su agenda de cooperación de cara a 2026 tras una reunión sostenida entre el presidente José Raúl Mulino y el presidente del Grupo BID, Ilan Goldfajn, en el marco de la 39ª Reunión de Gobernadores del Istmo Centroamericano y República Dominicana.

El encuentro estuvo centrado en estabilidad macroeconómica, integración regional y crecimiento sostenible, en un momento en que Panamá busca consolidar su atractivo para la inversión internacional.

Durante la reunión, ambas partes coincidieron en que la confianza de los mercados, la disciplina fiscal y el fortalecimiento institucional son pilares clave para sostener el crecimiento económico.

En ese contexto, el Grupo BID reiteró su disposición a respaldar proyectos estratégicos mediante financiamiento complementario, incluyendo esquemas de asociaciones público-privadas y garantías para movilizar capital privado hacia sectores prioritarios.

Uno de los anuncios más relevantes se produjo tras el encuentro, cuando Goldfajn confirmó que el programa del BID para Panamá en 2026 superará los US$1.000 millones entre operaciones públicas y privadas.

La cifra incluye recursos para infraestructura, servicios públicos, modernización del Estado y apoyo al sector productivo, consolidando al organismo como uno de los principales socios financieros del país.

El propio presidente del BID destacó este compromiso en un mensaje difundido en redes sociales, en el que subrayó que el paquete de financiamiento busca respaldar las prioridades estratégicas del Gobierno panameño.

Entre ellas figuran el acercamiento a la OCDE, la mejora del clima de negocios y el impulso a proyectos regionales bajo el programa “América en el Centro”, orientado a reducir costos logísticos y fortalecer la competitividad.

En materia educativa, Mulino invitó formalmente al BID a participar en el proceso de modernización del sistema educativo, con énfasis en tecnología y digitalización.

La propuesta fue acogida favorablemente, y el organismo anunció que trabaja junto con Google en un programa regional que contempla 60.000 becas, del cual Panamá figura entre los principales beneficiarios, con miras a cerrar brechas en habilidades digitales.

La agenda abordó también proyectos estructurales como la interconexión eléctrica con Colombia, el desarrollo del centro logístico de Puerto Armuelles, obras de agua potable y saneamiento, y planes de integración regional. Goldfajn informó, además, que el BID puso a disposición asistencia técnica para fortalecer la gobernanza, la transparencia y la adopción de estándares internacionales en la gestión pública.

El respaldo del organismo se refleja en una amplia cartera de proyectos financiados en Panamá en los últimos años.

Entre ellos figuran el apoyo al desarrollo del Metro de Panamá y el cable aéreo de San Miguelito, programas de saneamiento en el área metropolitana, iniciativas de acceso universal a la energía, proyectos ambientales en la Bahía de Parita, y planes de fortalecimiento para microempresarios y pueblos indígenas.

Estas operaciones han abarcado sectores como transporte, agua, energía, inclusión social y modernización institucional.

En el ámbito fiscal, los datos oficiales muestran que el BID se mantiene como uno de los principales acreedores multilaterales del país. Al cierre de 2025, el saldo de la deuda con el organismo superaba los US$4.400 millones, dentro de un componente multilateral cercano a los US$9.700 millones.

Esta relación financiera convierte al BID en un actor clave tanto en el financiamiento del desarrollo como en la sostenibilidad de las cuentas públicas.

Desde el Ejecutivo, Mulino ha defendido que la estrategia con el BID no se limita al endeudamiento, sino que apunta a generar retornos económicos y sociales mediante proyectos productivos, mejoras en servicios básicos y fortalecimiento institucional.

El mandatario ha insistido en que los recursos deben traducirse en empleo, competitividad y mayor inclusión, evitando que se conviertan en una carga estructural para las finanzas públicas.

En el plano regional, Goldfajn resaltó que la elección de Panamá como sede del encuentro de ministros de Finanzas y autoridades económicas refleja su papel como articulador regional. Según el BID, el país se perfila como un eje estratégico para impulsar soluciones conjuntas en logística, energía, comercio e infraestructura, en un entorno marcado por la volatilidad global y los desafíos geopolíticos.

Los ministros de Economía y Hacienda de Centroamérica se darán cita este martes en Ciudad de Panamá en el marco de la 39ª Reunión de Gobernadores del Istmo Centroamericano, Panamá y República Dominicana, organizada por el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID).

El encuentro tendrá como sede el Centro de Convenciones de Panamá, ubicado a orillas del Canal, y reunirá a autoridades responsables de las políticas fiscales, financieras y de desarrollo de la región.

Entre los asistentes confirmados figuran el presidente José Raúl Mulino, el ministro de Economía y Finanzas, Felipe Chapman, y sus homólogos de Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras, además de presidentes de bancos centrales y altos funcionarios del área económica.

La agenda contempla discusiones sobre productividad, integración regional, finanzas públicas y adaptación al cambio climático, en un contexto de presiones fiscales y desaceleración en varios países.

También participará el presidente del BID, Ilan Goldfajn, junto a representantes de BID Invest y BID Lab, con el objetivo de articular iniciativas conjuntas entre el sector público y privado.

Las autoridades regionales prevén que este foro sirva para coordinar estrategias comunes, atraer inversión internacional y fortalecer la cooperación financiera, en momentos en que Panamá busca consolidarse como plataforma de diálogo económico y centro logístico del istmo.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country would not negotiate on its ballistic missile program, rejecting a core U.S. demand and further dimming prospects for a breakthrough deal.

He again warned in an interview with Al Jazeera that Tehran, Iran, would target U.S. bases in the Middle East if provoked, calling Iran’s missile program «never negotiable.»

The warnings came as U.S. and Iranian negotiators met in early February in Oman, even as Washington continued to build up military forces across the region — a posture U.S. officials say is meant to deter further escalation but which analysts argue also underscores how far apart the two sides remain.

Despite the imbalance in military power, analysts say Iran believes it can withstand U.S. pressure by signaling greater resolve — and by betting that Washington’s appetite for war is limited.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS

While the U.S. possesses overwhelming military capabilities, Defense Priorities analyst Rosemary Kelanic said Iran is relying on the logic of asymmetric conflict.

«One country is much stronger, but the weaker country cares more,» Kelanic said. «And historically, the country that cares more often wins by outlasting the stronger one.»

«Iran is trying to signal resolve as strongly as it can, but it likely doubts U.S. resolve — because from Tehran’s perspective, the stakes for Iran are existential, while the stakes for the United States are not,» she added.

IRAN’S PRESIDENT STRIKES SOFTER TONE ON NUCLEAR TALKS AFTER TRUMP’S WARNING THAT ‘BAD THINGS WOULD HAPPEN’

Behnam Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Tehran’s primary leverage is its ability to threaten wider regional instability, even if it cannot win a prolonged conflict.

«The Islamic Republic’s leverage is the threat of a region-wide war,» Taleblu said, noting that while U.S. and Israeli defenses could intercept most attacks, «something will get hit.»

Iran buying time

Analysts across the spectrum agree that Iran is using negotiations less as a path to compromise than as a way to delay decisive action.

Oren Kessler, analyst at global consulting firm Wikistrat, said Iran is using talks to stabilize its position internally while avoiding concessions on core security issues.

«Both sides want a deal, but their red lines are very hard for the other side to overcome,» Kesler said. «The talks are going well in the sense that they’re happening, but they’re not really going anywhere.»

Taleblu echoed that assessment, arguing that Tehran is treating diplomacy as a shield rather than a solution.

«The regime is treating negotiations as a lifeline rather than a way to resolve the core problem,» he said.

Taleblu added that Iran’s leadership sees talks as a way to deter a strike in the short term, weaken domestic opposition in the medium term, and eventually secure sanctions relief to stabilize its economy.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that limits on Iran’s ballistic missiles must be part of any agreement to avoid military action.

«At the end of the day, the United States is prepared to engage, and has always been prepared to engage with Iran,» Rubio said in early February. «In order for talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles. That includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region. That includes the nuclear program. And that includes the treatment of their own people.»

Anti-government protests beginning at the start of 2026 led to a brutal crackdown in Iran. The regime has admitted to 3,117 deaths linked to the demonstrations, though human rights groups and Iranian resistance organizations peg the death toll as much higher. 

The U.S. also has demanded that Iran give up all enriched uranium stockpiles, which can be used for civilian energy at low levels but for nuclear weapons at higher concentrations.

Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran is willing to negotiate on nuclear issues but insisted enrichment is an «inalienable right» that «must continue.»

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pictured sitting next to senior military official in Iran. (Getty Images)

«We are ready to reach a reassuring agreement on enrichment,» he said. «The Iranian nuclear case will only be resolved through negotiations.»

Iran’s atomic chief said Monday that Tehran would consider diluting its 60% enriched uranium — a level close to weapons-grade — but only in exchange for the lifting of all sanctions.

As negotiations unfolded, the U.S. continued to expand its military footprint in the Middle East.

In late January, the U.S. dispatched a carrier strike group centered on the USS Abraham Lincoln to the North Arabian Sea, accompanied by multiple destroyers and other naval assets. Additional F-15E strike aircraft and air defense systems have also been repositioned at bases across the region, alongside thousands of U.S. troops.

Taleblu said the administration may be using diplomacy to buy time of its own.

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«The charitable interpretation is that the president is buying time — moving assets, strengthening missile defense, and preparing military options,» he said. «The less charitable interpretation is that the United States is taking Iran’s threats as highly credible and still chasing the optics of a deal.»

In 2025, five rounds of talks similarly stalled over U.S. demands that Iran abandon enrichment entirely — talks that ultimately collapsed into Operation Midnight Hammer, a U.S.-led bombing campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities.