INTERNACIONAL
Pope Francis dead at 88, Vatican says
Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, who worked to instill progressive influences on the global church while maintaining unity with conservatives amid years of turmoil, died Monday morning, Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced.
He was 88 years old.
«Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church,» Farrell announced.
«He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.»
U.S. Vice President JD Vance had just met with the pope on Sunday.
«I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul,» Vance said early Monday morning in a post on X.
Pope Francis meets with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his delegation during an audience at Casa Santa Marta on April 20, 2025, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
The pope preached frequently on the Catholic virtues of mercy, kindness and humility. He did not shy away from controversy, and American presidents, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, were not immune from his views.
Less than a month into President Donald Trump’s presidency, the pontiff criticized the Republican’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and «will end badly.»
In a strongly worded letter to U.S. Catholic Bishops, the pope appeared to counter remarks made by Vice President JD Vance — who had recently converted to Catholicism — after he suggested Americans should care for family, communities and the country before caring about others.
«Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups,» the pontiff wrote. «Worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations.»
POPE FRANCIS EXPOSES CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS ABOUT HIS ELECTION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN LENGTHY INTERVIEW
Pope Francis meets with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, on Sept. 15, 2022. (Reuters/Pavel Mikheyev)
Pope Francis in 2015 became the first pontiff to ever address a Joint Meeting of Congress where he spoke on a range of topics including immigration, family, the death penalty, climate change, extremism, religious freedom and the refugee crisis.
He joined American bishops and urged American leaders to abolish capital punishment and said Congress has a «role to play» in addressing global warming.
In 2022 he questioned then President Biden’s conscience on abortion in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief’s religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent. «A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life,» the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision.
He also weighed in on candidates Trump and Harris during the election campaign, where he bashed them both, saying, «Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ he said, according to the Associated Press.
Just weeks before President Trump’s second inauguration, he appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy to be the Archbishop of Washington. McElroy had been critical of Trump’s immigration policies during his first term as president.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents in Argentina, Francis made history as the first pope from the Americas — as well as the first Jesuit to hold the office.
He was elected pope in 2013 after the almost unprecedented retirement of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
Bergolio’s father, Mario, was an accountant for the railway industry, and his mother, Regina, was a homemaker and caregiver for her five children.
POPE FRANCIS FUELS NEW SPECULATION ON FUTURE OF PONTIFICATE
Pope Francis, born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is shown here with his family. From left to right, standing, brother Alberto Horacio, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Oscar Adrian and sister Marta Regina, sitting, sister Maria Elena, mother Regina and father Mario Jose Francisco. (API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Throughout his early years, the future pope worked a number of menial jobs. He labored briefly in the stocking factory where his father was an accountant before moving on to other opportunities, including jobs as a bar bouncer and janitor.
He eventually sought a career as a chemical technician, receiving a diploma in chemistry from the secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen. He also worked briefly in a food laboratory. However, his career in chemistry was short-lived.
He entered the priesthood at the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto in Argentina. Francis was ordained a priest in 1969 and made his final profession with the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, in 1973. The same year, he was appointed as a provincial for the order.
His appointment as provincial was concurrent with the Dirty War, a period of intense state-led persecution of left-wing leaders and political dissidents. Bergolio experienced constant threats to his own safety as he worked to hide or aid in the escape of government targets, including many Catholic faithful.
Pope Francis’ is a fan of Argentina’s San Lorenzo Futbol Club. (API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
During that time, two Jesuit priests under his supervision were disappeared by the government, drugged and left barely alive in a field five months after their kidnapping. Pope Francis has said he was forced to negotiate with the regime for their release.
Bergolio would spend the next two decades bouncing from position to position at the direction of his superiors. He served as a professor of theology, seminary instructor, rector, doctoral student and parish priest.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bergolio as titular Bishop of Auca and as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. This was done at the request of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who consecrated him to the episcopacy.
Bergoglio proved vital to the nation’s Catholic community, and he was quickly raised to the dignity of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires, serving alongside Quarracino and taking over the archdiocese entirely after his death the following year.
Bergoglio was given the crimson hat of a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, selecting the pontifical name «Francis» after St. Francis of Assisi — a choice that set the tone for the rest of his papacy.
POPE DERIDES BIDEN’S ABORTION VIEWS, CATHOLIC SELF-IDENTITY AS ‘INCOHERENCE’
Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after being elected by the conclave of cardinals, at the Vatican on March 13, 2013. White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney, and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out, signaling at the time that the Roman Catholic cardinals had elected a pope to succeed Benedict XVI. (Tony Gentile/Reuters)
Pope Francis’s teachings as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope were deeply influenced by his Jesuit vocation — viewing each person as a unique creation of God, with whom they can have a personal relationship. His ministry and leadership were committed to keeping doors open and making the church approachable to the public.
It was not only American politics that he had strong opinions of.
He faced criticism for specific remarks he made against Israel’s military operation in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave «very serious and shameful.» During that same speech, he condemned the growth of antisemitism throughout the world, Reuters reported. He also called for an end to the war in Ukraine and expressed concerns over climate change.
In 2023, seemingly looking to strike a balance, he formally allowed Catholic priests to give same-sex couples a blessing, which was seen as being a radical shift in church policy, the Associated Press reported at the time.
Pope Francis is also remembered for living a life of intense simplicity, denying himself a lavish papal apartment in the Vatican upon his election, and opting instead for a two-room suite in the Domus Santa Marta, a residence built by Pope John Paul II.
Pope Francis celebrates the traditional rite of the washing of feet at the Casal del Marmo juvenile penitentiary on April 6, 2023, in Rome, Italy. On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis went to the outskirts of Rome to celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Casal del Marmo juvenile penitentiary, where he carried out the traditional rite of the washing of the feet of twelve of the young people there. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
In contrast to his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis eschewed ornate robes or luxurious clothing. His outfit rarely consisted of more than a plain, white cassock tied with a papal fascia.
Pope Francis even dressed down his Ring of the Fisherman — a piece of gold jewelry worn by popes to signify their office — by having it made with silver and only wearing it for ceremonies.
Francis’s tenure continued the ongoing efforts to investigate decades of sexual abuse claims against priests across the world, including in the United States, with Francis vowing transparency in 2019.
«Transparency is now being implemented at the highest level,» said Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, after Francis gave legal authorities access to documents about sexual abuse cases and abolished the «pontifical secret» of the cases.
POPE FRANCIS DEFROCKS NOTORIOUS BISHOP WHO CONFESSED TO ABUSING HIS NEPHEW
Pope Francis meets President Donald Trump during his first term in the Private Library of the Apostolic Palace with his wife, Melania, his daughter, Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. (Vatican/Pool/Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori via Getty Images)
He continued Benedict’s work to root malicious clerics out of the Church hierarchy «with the wrath of God,» appointing task forces and establishing victim aid groups.
Pope Francis proved frustrating for a wide variety of conservatives, liberals, traditionalists and progressives.
His gentle — at times vague and confusing — language on key social issues, such as sexuality and divorce, frustrated conservatives hoping for a more aggressive champion of Catholic moral teaching.
In July 2017, a group of Catholic clergy and academics sent Pope Francis a «Filial Correction» document alleging seven serious theological mistakes made by the pontiff in public statements. The document’s assertions proved controversial within the Catholic Church and the document was never explicitly addressed.
Conversely, his refusal to back down from traditional church teachings on abortion, gay marriage, women’s ordination and priestly celibacy frustrated progressives hoping for a more modern church.
Echoing his time as a prelate in Argentina, Pope Francis was at times criticized from both sides of the aisle for his heavy hand enforcing Catholic unity on national and international levels.
Traditionalists voiced intense opposition to his apostolic letter «Traditionis custodes,» which restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin mass in an attempt to squash increasingly separatist conservative movements within the Church.
Pope Francis meets with then-President Joe Biden during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on Oct. 29, 2021 in Vatican City. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool)
He similarly shut down discussion of many social issues that progressives have sought to reform.
In 2019, Pope Francis told a nun asking him to approve the ordination of women that «if the Lord didn’t want a sacramental ministry for women, it can’t go forward,» adding, «We are Catholics, but if anyone wants to found another church they are free [to do so].»
The hyper-progressive leadership of the Catholic Church in Germany was a target of his ire after the country’s clerical leaders attempted an upheaval of traditional teachings regarding gender and sexuality. The Vatican issued a series of letters, approved by Pope Francis, accusing the German church of risking separation from the Catholic Communion.
The conflict with German bishops encapsulated his papacy’s recurring themes of authority and unity, best exemplified in a passage from his «Letter to the Pilgrim People of God in Germany.»
POPE FRANCIS URGES CATHOLIC VOTERS TO ‘CHOOSE THE LESSER EVIL’ BETWEEN TRUMP AND HARRIS
Pope Francis delivers a speech during the Holy Mass with newly appointed Cardinals. (Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In the letter, Pope Francis wrote, «The universal Church lives in and of the particular Churches, just as the particular Churches live and flourish in and from the universal Church. If they find themselves separated from the entire ecclesial body, they weaken, rot and die. Hence, the need always to ensure that communion with the whole body of the Church is alive and effective.»
Pope Francis visited dozens of countries, including the United States and Cuba in 2015, and went as far afield as Papua New Guinea, as well as visits to predominantly Muslim countries including Egypt, Morocco and Jordan.
Pope Francis struggled with health complications throughout his reign.
The pontiff dealt for many years with sciatica, a nerve condition that caused immense pain in his leg and at times hindered his ability to walk.
In 2021, Pope Francis was hospitalized for an intestinal surgery that removed 13 inches of his colon.
In March 2023, Francis was again taken to the hospital after experiencing intense chest pain and difficulty breathing. He was treated for a respiratory infection and released after antibiotic treatment.
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Pope Francis is welcomed as he arrives at the Apostolic Prefecture on Sept. 1, 2023 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. According to the Vatican, the trip was Pope Francis’s 43rd Apostolic Journey abroad and the 61st country he visited as Pope. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
In June of the same year, the pope was brought back for another abdominal surgery to repair an incisional hernia. He was released after making a full recovery.
He took a fall at his residence and suffered a contusion on his right arm in January 2025.
In February, he was once again hospitalized after a bout of bronchitis.
Following Pope Francis’ death, the Vatican has entered a time of sede vacante — in English, «empty seat.»
The Associated Press, Reuters and Fox News’ Annie Butterworth contributed to this report.
INTERNACIONAL
Tras cuatro años de guerra en Ucrania, no hay tregua en el frente y se agrava la situación humanitaria
A cuatro años del comienzo de la guerra de Ucrania, cerca de la línea del frente no hay tregua.
Sin calefacción, luz o agua caliente y con cientos de miles de desplazados, la situación humanitaria es grave bajo un invierno con temperaturas extremas.
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“La crisis es muy grave. Los que más sufren son los niños y ancianos. Este invierno ha sido horrible, con temperaturas de -20 grados y con ataques rusos contra la infraestructura energética”, dijo a TN el médico estadounidense James Kerwin, que se encuentra en Dnipro, en el centro de Ucrania.
Kerwin, gerente de actividades de Médicos Sin Fronteras (MSF) para las clínicas móviles en el este de Ucrania, llegó al país en octubre pasado y suele moverse por la línea del frente.
“En los pueblos cerca del frente de batalla no hay electricidad, calefacción ni agua corriente y muchos menos agua caliente. La temperatura fuera de las casas es la misma que la de adentro”, afirmó.
Este martes se cumple el cuarto aniversario del comienzo de un conflicto que dejó 1,8 millones de bajas, entre soldados muertos, heridos o desaparecidos en ambos bandos, según un informe del Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), divulgado en diciembre.
Moscú domina cerca del 20% del territorio ucraniano. Las negociaciones impulsadas por Donald Trump no han dado resultados concretos, aunque se mantienen en forma periódica.
Qué está pasando en el frente de batalla
La línea del frente se ubica en distintos puntos del este de Ucrania, en especial en la región del Dombás, de mayoría de población de origen ruso-ucraniana, y en algunas zonas de Zaporiyia y Kerson.
Muchos residentes abandonaron sus casas. No obstante, sin recursos y con pocas alternativas, los adultos mayores “eligen” quedarse hasta que las bombas destruyen sus casas y el colapso es inminente. Soldados ucranianos observan una bomba sin explotar en la región Zaporiyia (Foto: REUTERS)
Kateryna Murashkina, tiene 17 años y un bebé de dos meses, Damir. Ambos huyeron de la línea del frente y viven en un refugio en Dnipro. Solo pudo bañarlo dos veces desde que nació: una en el hospital y otra en un día excepcional en el que volvió la electricidad por unas horas.
“Ahora usamos toallitas porque hace mucho frío. La habitación no se calienta a tiempo para bañarlo. Tengo miedo de que mi hijo se resfríe”, dijo, citada en un reporte de Médicos sin Fronteras.
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Más de seis millones de ucranianos salieron del país desde el comienzo de la guerra, el 22 de febrero de 2022. Hay otros cuatro millones de desplazados internos.
“Muchos ucranianos prefieren quedarse cerca de sus casas en la zona de combates porque tienen esperanza de volver”, dijo Kerwin.
En la zona del frente los combates son continuos. “No hay tregua. Los ataques son constantes. Esta es una guerra de drones. No hay ningún lugar seguro en el país. Hay ataques masivos en Kiev. Los misiles pueden llegar a cualquier parte”, indicó.
Según afirmó, los rusos atacaron la infraestructura energética pero también la sanitaria.
“Muchos hospitales fueron destruidos. También clínicas en ciudades chicas. Han salido muchos médicos y enfermeras del país. Los que se quedan trabajan bajo condiciones precarias, sin medicamentos. Nosotros tratamos de llegar a los pueblos cerca de la línea de guerra para llevar medicinas”, contó.
De hecho, los distintos equipos de Médicos Sin Fronteras abandonaron siete hospitales y más de 40 zonas donde tenían clínicas móviles.
La guerra causó 1,8 millones de bajas en ambos bandos (Foto: AFP)
En una entrevista por videollamada, Kerwin afirmó: “Vamos con clínicas móviles a centros de desplazados. También hacemos teleconsultas con gente que vive muy cerca de la línea de batalla cuando no podemos llegar. Pero les mandamos las medicinas que necesitan”.
Familias divididas por la guerra
La guerra ha dividido familias. “La región del Dombás está habitada por población que habla ruso y ucraniano. Son una mezcla y muchos núcleos familiares quedaron separados por los combates.
“Mis padres se quedaron bajo la ocupación. Mi padre murió en 2024 y no pude volver para enterrarlo. Le envío mensajes de video a mi madre. Me duele no poder estar allí”, dijo Liubov Kuzmenko, de 65 años.
Kuzmenko huyó de Siverskodonetsk, en la región de Lugansk, este del país, cuando empezaron los combates. Según comentó, su casa fue saqueada por las fuerzas rusas.
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Kerwin pide ayuda: “Necesitamos más que nada el fin de la guerra. Pero mientras tanto nos hacen falta recursos para proveer ayuda médica a la gente que vive en la línea de combate”.
“Mucha gente aquí sufre de enfermedades crónicas porque son adultos mayores. Con las clínicas móviles llegamos con un médico, una enfermera, un psicólogo y un promotor de salud”, afirmó.
Además, aseguró: “Tenemos también un sistema de ambulancias para mover a los heridos, más un centro de rehabilitación y otro para el tratamiento de estrés postraumático”.
“La situación aquí es muy grave”, concluyó,
Ucrania, Rusia
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Government documents reveal the fall of drug kingpin «El Mencho» over the weekend was the culmination of an aggressive, more than yearlong strategy of «total elimination» pursued by the Trump administration against the ruthless Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), which is present in almost all 50 U.S. states.
Ruben «Nemesio» Oseguera Cervantes, known as «El Mencho,» the leader of the CJNG, was killed Sunday in a Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, Mexico, authorities said. Though the operation was carried out by Mexican forces, the United States laid the groundwork, making El Mencho’s fall possible.
On President Donald Trump’s first day in office, he signed an executive order directing the State Department to designate several cartels and international criminal groups «foreign terrorist organizations» (FTOs), a designation unlocking military-grade surveillance and «material support» prosecutions. Though lesser known than MS-13 or Tren de Aragua, CJNG was one of the groups designated an FTO by the administration.
Shortly after Trump’s executive order, on Feb. 5, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a policy memorandum to all Department of Justice employees, announcing a «fundamental change in mindset and approach» to cartels and transnational criminal organizations to a policy of «total elimination.»
A mugshot of Ruben «Nemesio» Oseguera Cervantes, known as «El Mencho,» beside graffiti depicting the letters of the Jalisco New Generation cartel on an abandoned home in El Limoncito, Mexico. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP Images; Drug Enforcement Administration)
Rather than simply seeking to mitigate the harms of cartel activity, Bondi said the DOJ would be suspending red tape to «empower federal prosecutors throughout the country to work urgently with the Department of Homeland Security and other parts of the government toward the goal of eliminating these threats to U.S. sovereignty.»
The memo said the DOJ would be prioritizing cartel managers and leaders.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment, CJNG is one of the most ruthless cartels in Mexico and a key supplier of fentanyl to the U.S., making it «one of the most significant threats to the public health, public safety, and national security of the United States.»
The DEA said CJNG operates vast distribution networks within the U.S., with associates, facilitators and affiliates operating in «almost all 50 U.S. states.» The DEA also said CJNG has been increasing its involvement in non-drug crime, including extortion, taxing human smuggling and fraud schemes.
A 2019 DOJ statement to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs states that CJNG is «one of the most powerful and fastest growing cartels» and operates key drug distribution hubs in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Atlanta. The Department of National Intelligence estimates the group has approximately 15,000–20,000 members.
CARTELS OUTGUN POLICE: ROCKET LAUNCHERS SEIZED IN EL MENCHO RAID SPOTLIGHT CJNG FIREPOWER
A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle after it was set on fire in Cointzio, Mexico, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, after the death of cartel leader «El Mencho.» (AP Photo/Armando Solis)
Recognizing the threat posed by CJNG, the administration announced major results just over one month after Trump’s inauguration. On Feb. 27, Bondi announced the U.S. had secured the extradition of 29 high-ranking cartel leaders from Mexico, including top-tier CJNG leaders, a key money broker and a family member of El Mencho. Among those extradited and charged was Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as «Tony Montana,» El Mencho’s brother, who was charged in the District of Columbia for his alleged leadership role in the cartel.
On March 7, El Mencho’s son and heir apparent, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, known as «El Menchito,» was sentenced in Washington, D.C., to life in prison plus 30 years and ordered to forfeit $6 billion in drug proceeds. El Menchito had been extradited to the U.S. during the first Trump administration in 2020.
The next week, on March 15, the president again upped the ante against the cartels by designating fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, authorizing the use of advanced military assets for supply-side interdiction at the border. The move had a major impact on CJNG’s drug smuggling operations.
June was another high-impact month in the fight against CJNG. El Mencho’s brother-in-law, José González Valencia, «La Chepa,» was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. Another high-ranking leader, José González Valencia, co-founder of the CJNG’s financial wing «Los Cuinis,» was also sentenced to 30 years.
The same month, the Treasury Department used the FEND Off Fentanyl Act for the first time to cut off three major Mexican banks, CIBanco, Intercam and Vector, from the U.S. dollar system for allegedly laundering CJNG funds.
US DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS PLUMMET 20% AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON SOUTHERN BORDER
The Drug Enforcement Administration in Atlanta seized more than 1,000 pounds of meth linked to the violent Jalisco New Generation cartel in September. (Fox News)
In August, the administration secured the extradition of another 26 high-ranking cartel leaders from Mexico, including Abigael González Valencia, another brother-in-law of El Mencho known as «El Cuini,» who was the head of a major money-laundering organization for the cartel.
Not letting up, the next month, the DEA and Department of Homeland Security launched a massive, nationwide weeklong operational surge targeting CJNG distribution networks. The effort led to 670 arrests and the seizure of $18 million in currency and $29 million in assets. The operation also resulted in the seizure of 92.4 kilograms of fentanyl powder and 1,157,672 counterfeit fentanyl pills.
Announcing the seizures, DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said the administration «is targeting the Jalisco New Generation cartel as what it is—a terrorist organization—at every level, from its leadership to its distribution networks and everyone in between.»
MEXICO FLIES 37 CARTEL MEMBERS TO US UNDER PRESSURE FROM TRUMP ADMIN
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says murders plunged to historic lows as Trump ramped up arrests, deportations and gang crackdowns, citing new crime data. (Alex Brandon/AP)
«Let this serve as a warning,» said Cole at the time. «DEA will not relent… This focused operation is only the beginning — we will carry this fight forward together until this threat is defeated.»
By the end of 2025, the DEA was reporting that it had seized a total of 47 million fentanyl pills, enough to represent more than 369 million lethal doses, from cartel smugglers, including CJNG.
At the start of 2026, the administration again increased its targeting of CJNG and other cartels. The Department of War established the Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel (JIATF-CC) under U.S. Northern Command as the «next step» in the whole-of-government approach to «identify, disrupt, and dismantle cartel operations posing a threat to the United States along the U.S.-Mexico border.»
On Feb. 19, just 72 hours before the Tapalpa raid, the Treasury sanctioned Kovay Gardens, a CJNG-controlled resort in Puerto Vallarta, cutting off a $300 million revenue stream flowing into the cartel’s coffers.
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Following the raid, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the U.S. provided intelligence support to the Mexican government to assist in the operation.
Leavitt added that Trump «has been very clear the United States will ensure narcoterrorists… are forced to face the wrath of justice they have long deserved.»
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INTERNACIONAL
La hermana del dictador Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, fue ascendida en el congreso de Corea del Norte
La hermana de Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, obtuvo un ascenso como directora titular de departamento en el Partido de los Trabajadores de Corea del Norte, según confirmaron este martes los medios estatales.
De acuerdo con la Agencia Central de Noticias de Corea (KCNA), la decisión se tomó durante el congreso quinquenal del partido gobernante en Pyongyang, donde el Comité Central oficializó el nuevo cargo de la funcionaria.
Kim Yo-jong ocupaba hasta ahora el puesto de subdirectora de departamento y su promoción la coloca al frente de uno de los espacios de mayor influencia dentro de la estructura partidaria. El evento, que congregó a miles de miembros de la elite, marcó uno de los pocos momentos en que se permite observar el funcionamiento interno del régimen norcoreano.
El congreso, que se realiza cada cinco años, define las prioridades del Partido de los Trabajadores en áreas clave como la diplomacia y la planificación militar. La cumbre también sirve como escenario para que el líder norcoreano consolide su control sobre la estructura.
Nacida a fines de la década del ochenta, de acuerdo con datos del gobierno surcoreano, Kim Yo-jong es hija de Kim Jong-il y de Ko Yong-hui, quien fue bailarina y tercera pareja conocida del ex mandatario. Tanto ella como su hermano cursaron estudios en Suiza, antes del ascenso de Kim Jong-un tras el fallecimiento de su padre en 2011, y su avance en la jerarquía política se aceleró a partir de ese momento.
La KCNA indicó que se prevé que Kim Jong-un anuncie las próximas etapas del programa nuclear norcoreano en el transcurso del congreso, que continuará durante varios días.
El dictador norcoreano fue reelecto como secretario general del Partido de los Trabajadores de Corea del Norte durante este noveno congreso de la organización. La decisión, adoptada en la cuarta jornada del encuentro, recibió el respaldo unánime de los delegados y formalizó así su control sobre el poder político y militar del país.
El partido calificó el nombramiento como expresión de la “voluntad inquebrantable” de sus miembros y destacó la figura de Kim como el único dirigente capaz de encarnar la fortaleza del Estado.
“La disuasión bélica del país, con las fuerzas nucleares como eje central, ha mejorado radicalmente y nuestro Estado ha avanzado dinámicamente hacia la prosperidad, garantizando así el futuro del país y de su pueblo a pesar de los duros desafíos de la historia”.
El congreso, considerado el máximo órgano de decisión política del régimen, reúne a cerca de 7.000 participantes entre delegados y observadores. Su función es definir las grandes directrices del Estado, que abarcan desde los planes económicos y sociales hasta las prioridades militares.
“El nuevo plan quinquenal se convertirá en una etapa para estabilizar y consolidar nuestra economía y lograr su desarrollo cualitativo gradual”, señaló Kim en un discurso el lunes.
Según información difundida por el partido, la reunión incluyó la revisión de las normas internas de la organización, pero no se detallaron los cambios aprobados.
En la sesión de apertura, Kim Jong-un señaló ante los delegados: “Hoy, nuestro partido se enfrenta a difíciles y urgentes tareas históricas de impulsar la construcción económica y el nivel de vida del pueblo, y de transformar todos los ámbitos de la vida estatal y social lo antes posible”.
Las autoridades del partido adelantaron que el congreso servirá para presentar la siguiente fase del programa nuclear norcoreano y para avanzar en la sofisticación de la disuasión militar.
(Con información de AFP)
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