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Neo-Nazi, Klan ‘Cyclops’ and ‘Sadistic’ biker: Here’s who SPLC paid in its informant network

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The Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted this week on federal fraud charges stemming from a years-long covert paid informant program, which Justice Department officials said allocated millions of dollars in donations to a network of informants affiliated with or closely tied to White supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.

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The 11-count indictment accuses the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.

According to the Justice Department, the SPLC sent some $3 million to its paid informants between 2014 and 2023 — including persons affiliated with the United Klans of America, the National Socialist Party of America, and the Aryan Nations-linked «Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club,» among others.

Senior Trump administration officials took aim at the covert paid informant program, which funneled outside donations, at least in part, to informants affiliated with the same extremist groups the SPLC was founded decades earlier to oppose.

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SPLC FACES BLOWBACK FROM ‘HATE MAP’ TARGETS AFTER DOJ FRAUD INDICTMENT

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C., following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center on charges related to money laundering. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

​​»As the indictment describes, the SPLC was not dismantling these groups,» Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters Tuesday at a press conference. 

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«It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.»

The SPLC’s paid informant program funded individuals with ties to the Ku Klux Klan, the National Socialist Party of America, and others — including a member of an online «leadership chat group» that helped plan the deadly «Unite the Right» rally in Charlottesville, officials said.

Here are the top five most eye-popping paid informants revealed in this week’s indictment.

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1. The Charlottesville coordinator

Among the paid informants identified in the indictment is a member of an online «leadership chat group» that Blanche said helped plan the deadly 2017 «Unite the Right» event in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

The individual, referred to only as «F-37,» attended the event at the direction of the SPLC and was paid more than $270,000 for his or her work as an informant between 2015 and 2023, according to the indictment. 

The indictment alleges that the individual shared  «racist social media posts and helped organize transportation to events» associated with the deadly rally.

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The news that the informant helped coordinate logistics, at least in some small part, for the deadly rally while under SPLC supervision is significant, especially given that the aftermath of the event prompted a new influx of donations to the nonprofit.

«They lied to their donors, vowing to dismantle violent extremist groups, and actually turned around and paid the leaders of these very extremist groups — even utilizing the funds to have these groups facilitate the commission of state and federal crimes,» FBI Director Kash Patel said. «That is illegal — and this is an ongoing investigation against all individuals involved.»

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Clashes occurring at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia

Clashes occurred at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

2. A million-dollar burglar

One longtime member of the National Alliance, a White supremacist group tied to multiple violent attacks, profited handsomely from the SPLC in his role as a paid informant.

According to the indictment, SPLC paid the National Alliance member more than $1 million over a nine-year period for his role, which included clandestine activities such as breaking into the group’s headquarters to steal some 25 boxes of documents, which he photocopied and distributed to the SPLC.

The group appears to have later used those documents to create a report about the National Alliance.

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After the stolen documents were utilized partly in public, SPLC paid another National Alliance member $6,000 to falsely take responsibility for the theft.

The National Alliance and the writings of its founder have been closely associated with a litany of violent attacks since the 1980s, including a 1999 multi-state shooting spree targeting minorities and Jewish Americans, and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald leaving Justice Department

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General for the Fraud Division Colin McDonald leave the Justice Department after a news conference on the Trump administration’s anti-fraud efforts in Washington on April 7, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

3. The ‘extremist file’ chairman 

The SPLC also shelled out more than $140,000 to a paid informant who chaired the National Alliance neo-Nazi group. 

The indictment accuses the SPLC of funneling tens of thousands of dollars to the individual between 2016 and 2023.

At least some of the payments occurred at the same time the National Alliance chairman himself was listed on the SPLC’s website, as part of its public «Extremist File» website — a striking and somewhat ironic fact, given that the site was warning the public about how dangerous the individual was.

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4. Klan ‘Imperial Wizard’

Among the paid informants was an «Imperial Wizard» of The United Klans of America, a White supremacist group that the SPLC has linked to the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, that killed four young girls and injured more than a dozen others.

Martin Luther King Jr. described the bombing, which exploded 19 sticks of pre-laid dynamite beneath the steps of a local church, as «one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity.» It was unclear how much the paid informant received from the SPLC.

Separately, SPLC also funneled money to a Ku Klux Klan member and spouse of an «Exalted Cyclops» — or a local Klan leader tasked with overseeing membership, organizing meetings, and directing activities.

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According to the indictment, the informant’s link to the SPLC became known during the KKK chapter’s application to partake in the «Adopt-A-Highway» program, resulting in the discovery of more than $3,500 in known payments from the SPLC.

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Northridge man standing outside Department of Justice building

The Department of Justice building is seen in Washington, D.C. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty)

5. $300K ‘Sadistic Souls’ biker

During the six-year period between 2014 and 2020, the SPLC sent a staggering $300,000 to one paid informant, F-27, who was an officer in both the National Socialist Movement group and the Aryan Nations-affiliated Sadistic Souls Motorcycle Club.

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The SPLC also sent some $160,000 to other extremist groups, including the former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

No individuals were named in the indictment, though Blanche noted during a press conference Tuesday that the investigation is ongoing.

According to federal prosecutors, the SPLC’s paid informant program began in the 1980s, shortly after its founding in the 1970s, and allegedly relied on a series of bank accounts set up for fictitious entities and used to funnel the covert payments to informants.

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«They’re required to under the laws associated with a nonprofit to have certain transparency and honesty in what they’re telling donors they’re going to spend money on and what their mission statement is and what they’re raising money doing,» Blanche said.

The news comes as the SPLC has seen an increase in public support in recent years — including a groundswell of donations following the 2017 Unite the Right rally, and from prominent donors including George Clooney and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

«Donors gave their money believing they were supporting the fight against violent extremism,» Kevin Davidson, the acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, said in a statement.

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«As alleged, the SPLC instead diverted a portion of those funds to benefit individuals and groups they claimed to oppose,» Davidson added.

«That kind of deception undermines public trust and social cohesion.»

A spokesperson for the Southern Poverty Law Center told Fox News Digital earlier this week they are reviewing the indictment. The group has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

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«Taking on violent hate and extremist groups is among the most dangerous work there is, and we believe it is also among the most important work we do,» interim SPLC president Bryan Fair said this week in a statement. «The actions by the DOJ will not shake our resolve to fight for justice and ensure the promise of the Civil Rights Movement becomes a reality for all.»

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The spokesperson for the SPLC defended its work monitoring White supremacist groups and other violent extremist organizations — including via the paid informant program — telling Fox News Digital that their use has «saved lives.»

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Francia: condenaron a la ultraderechista Marine Le Pen a 15 meses de inhabilitación para ejercer cargos públicos, pero podrá ser candidata

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La líder de la extrema derecha francesa, Marine Le Pen, fue condenada a 15 meses de inhabilitación para ejercer cargos públicos, una sentencia por malversación de fondos europeos que, aun así, le permite ser candidata en las elecciones presidenciales de 2027.

Sin embargo, su candidatura quedó en el aire, ya que el tribunal también la condenó a tres años de prisión, uno de ellos bajo vigilancia mediante una tobillera electrónica, una situación que ella había considerado recientemente incompatible con una candidatura.

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“Cuando uno es candidato a la presidencia, debe tener total libertad de movimientos, y ese no es el caso si lleva una tobillera electrónica”, había declarado el miércoles al canal LCI.

Se espera que oficialice su decisión durante el noticiero de las 20 (15 en la Argentina) del canal TF1.

Un fallo con un fuerte impacto político

La decisión de la Corte de Apelaciones de París era esperada por toda la clase política francesa, ya que tendrá un impacto decisivo en la elección del próximo jefe de Estado que sucederá a Emmanuel Macron en la primavera de 2027.

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Marine Le Pen, de 57 años, ya logró llegar en dos ocasiones a la segunda vuelta de las tres últimas elecciones presidenciales (2017 y 2022).

Los resultados de su partido, Agrupación Nacional (Rassemblement National, ex Front National), crecieron durante años y la extrema derecha encabeza actualmente las encuestas.

Marine Le Pen junto a su delfín, Jordan Bardella, de 30 años. (Foto: REUTERS/Tom Nicholson).

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Si finalmente Marine Le Pen no se presenta como candidata, su heredero político, Jordan Bardella, de 30 años y actual presidente del partido, será el candidato.

Una condena rebajada

El 31 de marzo de 2025, Marine Le Pen fue declarada culpable de haber instaurado, entre 2004 y 2016, un “sistema” para pagar con fondos del Parlamento Europeo a empleados del Frente Nacional (el antiguo nombre del partido), que en ese momento atravesaba dificultades financieras

Fue condenada a cuatro años de prisión, dos de ellos de cumplimiento efectivo, una multa de 100.000 euros y, sobre todo, a cinco años de inhabilitación con aplicación inmediata, lo que frenó su impulso hacia la elección presidencial. Le Pen denunció entonces una decisión “política” de los jueces y calificó el proceso como una “caza de brujas”.

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Por eso, la decisión de la Corte de Apelaciones de París se anunciaba crucial a diez meses de la presidencial. El Tribunal señaló al inicio de la lectura del fallo que, aunque los hechos imputados son “graves”, las penas de inhabilitación fueron ponderadas teniendo en cuenta “la libertad de las candidaturas” y “la libre elección de los votantes”, considerada una “condición de la expresión democrática”.

Si los jueces de apelación le hubieran impuesto más de dos años de inhabilitación, le habría sido imposible presentarse a las elecciones.

Marine le Pen fue condenada por malversación de fondos pero podrá sercandidata a las presidenciales de 2027, donde es favorita en las encuestas. (Foto: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier).

Marine le Pen fue condenada por malversación de fondos pero podrá sercandidata a las presidenciales de 2027, donde es favorita en las encuestas. (Foto: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier).

Hemos previsto todos los escenarios”, aseguró el lunes Bardella desde el Parlamento Europeo en Estrasburgo, afirmando sentirse “sereno y preparado para asumir las consecuencias” de la decisión judicial.

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Tras sus derrotas frente a Emmanuel Macron en la segunda vuelta de las elecciones presidenciales de 2017 y 2022 (y su eliminación en la primera vuelta en 2012), la hija de Jean-Marie Le Pen —figura histórica de la extrema derecha francesa— llega fortalecida a los comicios del próximo año, culminando un largo proceso de “desdemonización” de la imagen del partido.

Las encuestas la sitúan al frente de la primera vuelta, prevista para el 18 de abril. A finales de mayo, incluso un instituto de opinión la proyectaba como ganadora de la segunda vuelta, prevista para el 2 de mayo, independientemente de quién fuera su rival.

Sea cual sea la decisión final, “nunca nos desanimaremos, seguiremos luchando, iremos hasta el final, hasta la victoria”, declaró el sábado, junto a Jordan Bardella, en su bastión electoral del norte de Francia.

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Sanders remains quiet as pressure grows for Platner to quit amid rape claim

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A bombshell rape allegation has thrown Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s campaign into turmoil, but some of his most progressive supporters in Congress are standing by him.

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At least three Democratic lawmakers — Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. — have yet to withdraw their support or call on Platner to end his campaign after Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, accused him of rape in interviews with Politico and CNN.

Asked by Fox News Digital about Racicot’s allegation that Platner in 2021 barged into her home while intoxicated and forced her to have unprotected sex, none of the lawmakers responded by publication time.

The muted response marks the latest sign that some progressives are sticking with Platner despite mounting scandals threatening the viability of his Senate bid.

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Graham Platner, Democratic Senate candidate for Maine, and Sen. Bernie Sanders attend a Fighting Oligarchy event in Portland, Maine, on May 25, 2026. (Sophie Park/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

DEMOCRATS BREAK WITH SCANDAL-PLAGUED GRAHAM PLATNER, WARN OF ‘CIVIL WAR’ IN PARTY

Some Platner allies have viewed his rise as part of a broader fight over the Democratic Party’s direction, with the Senate hopeful embodying a more populist, far-left vision.

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Maine Democrats rejected Platner’s primary rival, Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, who was aligned with the party’s establishment, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Mills suspended her campaign weeks before the June primary amid poor polling and fundraising struggles.

Other leading leftists, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., quickly rescinded their endorsements of Platner and called on him to exit the race. Similarly, Schumer and Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, which had only endorsed Platner after his June primary victory, demanded the immediate suspension of his campaign.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who previously called a physical abuse allegation by former Platner girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield «a lot of nothing» in an interview with NOTUS, withdrew his support for Platner on Tuesday following Racicot’s rape accusation.

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His statement comes as Democrats face mounting scrutiny over their responses to the accusations against Platner, after years of taking a hard line on sexual misconduct allegations.

«A lot of people owe apologies to Lyndsey Fifield — most notably Sheldon Whitehouse, who dismissed her allegations on the grounds that she worked for ‘right-wing political operations,’» journalist Josh Barro wrote on social media.

Sanders, a leader of the party’s leftist base who campaigned with Platner several times, was notably silent after Racicot’s rape allegation. He continued to support the Senate hopeful after Fifield’s allegations first emerged in early June and similarly during reports that Platner sent sexually explicit text messages to at least half a dozen women while married.

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«We got a housing crisis. People can’t afford healthcare, they can’t afford groceries, they can’t afford to fill up their gas tanks. And I think it’s important for us to focus on the issues facing working families a little bit more than Graham Platner’s marriage,» Sanders told reporters in June in remarks obtained by NBC.

Murphy, too, publicly defended Platner after news broke about Platner’s infidelity to his wife, Amy Gertner, who he married in 2023. He continued to embrace the Maine Democrat’s Senate bid after Fifield and other women accused Platner of abuse.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., embraced Graham Platner’s Senate bid amid mounting scandals over his treatment of women and controversial online posts. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

SANDERS CAUGHT ON CAMERA SNAPPING AT REPORTER OVER PLATNER’S POSTS: ‘GET A BETTER JOB’

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And amid the piling up of controversies, Murphy suggested that Platner still had more character than incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

«Graham Platner is somebody who served our country, he’s served his community; he’s also made mistakes, and he’s admitted that,» Murphy said during an interview with CBS News in May. «Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.»

«And this race is going to be a contrast between somebody who has put his life on the line for this country, against somebody who is literally empowering the moral hollowing-out of our nation from the White House,» he went on.

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Meanwhile, Van Hollen, a progressive senator with leadership ambitions, went to the mat to defend Platner amid scrutiny over his Nazi-linked tattoo and controversial online posts in which he declared himself a communist, disparaged law enforcement and Black people and White rural Americans, and mocked a teenage girl’s suicide.

«He’s been very clear that he went into combat on behalf of the United States, he went through a really rough period, PTSD-type period,» Van Hollen told Punchbowl News in April.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner and his wife Amy Gertner waving to supporters in Blue Hill, Maine

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner and his wife Amy Gertner wave to supporters as they arrive at Platner’s primary election event in Blue Hill, Maine, on June 9, 2026. (CJ Gunther/Getty Images)

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«He himself said there are lots of things he’s done and said that he completely regrets, and I do believe people should have second chances and that people can learn from their mistakes, and I think he’s been doing that,» he said.

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Emmanuel Macron le ofreció a Siria ayuda francesa para convertirse en un nodo regional de energía y logística

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France’s President Emmanuel Macron meets Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano

El presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, afirmó este martes en Damasco que su país está dispuesto a acompañar la reconstrucción de Siria y ayudar a convertirla, con el tiempo, en un “centro regional” para nuevas cadenas logísticas y corredores energéticos.

Macron participó junto al presidente sirio, Ahmed al Sharaa, en un foro económico en la capital siria, en el que ambos defendieron una nueva etapa de cooperación económica y atracción de inversiones tras la caída del régimen de Bachar al Asad, resultado de una ofensiva encabezada por el propio Al Sharaa en diciembre de 2024.

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El presidente francés remarcó el interés de Francia en mantener e impulsar su apoyo para el desarrollo de Siria a través de una “asociación con efecto duradero” y “la construcción de ese nodo regional de corredores energéticos”.

Para ello, Macron, cuya visita a Siria es la primera de un líder de la UE desde el derrocamiento de Al Asad, sostuvo que la estabilización y reconstrucción del país deben generar oportunidades de empleo tanto para desplazados internos como refugiados en el extranjero.

“Es igualmente hacer de Siria, con el tiempo, un nodo regional”, afirmó al señalar que el país puede convertirse en un espacio donde se “desarrollen estrategias de largo plazo, nuevas cadenas logísticas y rutas energéticas que contribuyan a reducir los riesgos que afectan actualmente al funcionamiento de Oriente Medio”.

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France's President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa attend a press conference in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa attend a press conference in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano

En ese contexto, aludió a las tensiones registradas en el estrecho de Ormuz como ejemplo de la necesidad de diversificar las rutas comerciales y energéticas, una circunstancia que, dijo, abre oportunidades para empresas e inversores franceses.

Antes de participar en este foro, hubo dos explosiones cerca del hotel donde se aloja Macron -sin que ningún autor las haya reivindicado aún- que provocaron al menos 18 heridos.

El presidente francés destacó el compromiso de Francia y de la Unión Europea con el levantamiento progresivo de las sanciones contra Siria y recordó que París fue uno de los primeros gobiernos en impulsar ese proceso, además de intentar convencer a otros socios, entre ellos Estados Unidos, para avanzar en esa dirección.

Asimismo, insistió en que la prioridad pasa por generar un “impulso de confianza” que permita atraer inversiones internacionales mediante un sistema financiero transparente y fiable.

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En ese sentido, ofreció la cooperación de expertos franceses para apoyar la reforma del sistema bancario sirio, colaborar con el Grupo de Acción Financiera Internacional (GAFI), reforzar la cooperación con el Banco Central sirio y avanzar en la reestructuración de la deuda junto con el Fondo Monetario Internacional y el Club de París.

Según Macron, ese marco permitirá consolidar la estabilización del país y sentar las bases para una colaboración duradera que favorezca la creación de nuevos corredores energéticos y de conectividad regional.

Por su parte, Al Sharaa presentó a Siria como un país decidido a recuperar su papel económico gracias a su posición geográfica entre el Mediterráneo, el golfo Pérsico e Irak.

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El mandatario afirmó que la reciente crisis en Ormuz puso de relieve el valor estratégico de contar con rutas marítimas seguras y sostuvo que Siria ha recuperado su relevancia como centro neurálgico para el comercio internacional.

“Queremos que Francia sea nuestro principal socio en este proyecto”, aseguró.

Asimismo, recordó que el grupo naviero francés CMA CGM firmó hace 14 meses un contrato para desarrollar el puerto de Latakia con una inversión de 230 millones de euros y posteriormente decidió ampliar el proyecto con otros 200 millones para incrementar la capacidad de la terminal hasta 625.000 contenedores antes de finales de este año.

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Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani and France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot hold documents next to France's President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, at a signing ceremony in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani and France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot hold documents next to France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, at a signing ceremony in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano

Al Sharaa también expuso una amplia hoja de ruta para la reconstrucción que incluye la modernización de puertos, aeropuertos, navegación aérea, redes de electricidad y agua, exploración de recursos energéticos, digitalización de servicios públicos e impulso a las ciudades industriales.

Además, aseguró que su Gobierno trabaja en una reforma bancaria y regulatoria para reconectar el sistema financiero sirio con los mercados internacionales y facilitar la actividad de los inversores extranjeros mediante un entorno “seguro y transparente”, al tiempo que definió la alianza con Francia como un modelo para las futuras relaciones de Siria con Europa.

Macron, aseguró este martes que “nada podrá sofocar la aspiración de los sirios a vivir en una Siria plenamente soberana, segura, plural y unida”, después de las dos explosiones registradas en el centro de Damasco durante su visita oficial al país.

“He conocido esta mañana Siria en toda su diversidad. He visto dignidad, coraje y determinación. Mi visita continúa”, escribió el mandatario francés en sus redes sociales mientras proseguía su agenda oficial.

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El Elíseo confirmó que Macron mantiene sin cambios el programa de su visita de dos días a la capital siria, pese a las explosiones registradas en las inmediaciones del hotel donde pasó la noche.

Momento de la explosión en Damasco durante la visita de Macron 1

Momento de la explosión en Damasco durante la visita de Macron 2

“El programa continúa”, indicaron fuentes de la Presidencia francesa, que precisaron que, en el momento de las detonaciones, el jefe del Estado se encontraba en el Palacio Presidencial, donde mantenía una reunión con el presidente interino sirio, Ahmed al Sharaa, y las delegaciones de ambos países.

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Macron realiza la primera visita de un jefe de Estado o de Gobierno de la Unión Europea a Siria desde la llegada al poder de la coalición islamista. Durante el encuentro con Al Sharaa, ambos dirigentes abordan la reactivación de la cooperación económica, la reconstrucción del país y cuestiones de seguridad.

Según la televisión estatal siria Al Ijbariya y la agencia oficial SANA, dos artefactos explosivos improvisados detonaron cerca del Ministerio de Turismo y del hotel Four Seasons. El Ministerio del Interior indicó que los explosivos habían sido detectados por las Fuerzas de Seguridad Interna durante operaciones sobre el terreno y que se abrió una investigación para identificar a los responsables.

Las autoridades sirias informaron de que al menos 18 personas, entre ellas cuatro agentes de policía, resultaron heridas en las explosiones, sin que por el momento se haya reivindicado su autoría.

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Los atentados se producen pocos días después de otro ataque con bomba en una cafetería frecuentada por abogados, que causó diez muertos y 21 heridos, coincidiendo con el inicio de los juicios contra altos cargos del derrocado régimen de Bachar al Asad, acusados de asesinatos y de la represión de las protestas de 2011 que desencadenaron la guerra civil siria.

(Con información de EFE)



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