La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum ha hecho una nueva reivindicación de la soberanía nacional y una defensa de los mexicanos que viven y trabajan en Estados Unidos, en medio de una nueva turbulencia comercial y política por las decisiones del presidente Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, en torno a los aranceles. “Ahora que estamos en un estado frontera con Estados Unidos, hay que mandarle un saludo cariñoso, nuestra admiración, a todas las mexicanas y mexicanos que están del otro lado de la frontera, que sepan que su pueblo y su gobierno los quiere y los defiende. Los mexicanos que están allá nos ayudan en la economía de México, y que se oiga bien y que se oiga claro: Estados Unidos no sería lo que es si no fuera por los mexicanos que trabajan del otro lado de la frontera, son héroes y heroínas”, ha dicho durante su segundo día de gira en el estado norteño de Coahuila.

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Se ha ido el mayor de los diez hijos de una amorosa pareja del siglo pasado. Queda la sombra de Pedro Félix Hernández Ornelas, hermano mayor de mi padre. Padre por definición, por ser hijo ejemplar y de esos tíos cuya guía solo se entiende como paternal. Su cariñosa mirada sonreía, frunciendo cejas y nariz en una carcajada constante que nacía de pronto, y cuando cerraba los párpados, se le notaba leer con su memoria a ojos cerrados no solo la inmensa biblioteca que leyó durante un siglo, sino las emociones y la virtud, la capacidad de escuchar a los demás y abrazar al prójimo… incluso de lejos.

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El 24 de noviembre de 1988, en la sierra sur de Ayacucho, el periodista peruano Hugo Bustíos, corresponsal de la revista Caretas, fue asesinado en una emboscada militar mientras investigaba un crimen atribuido al grupo terrorista Sendero Luminoso. Bustíos murió por los disparos y la detonación de un explosivo que desfiguró su rostro, mientras que el fotógrafo Eduardo Rojas logró escapar. El crimen ocurrió en pleno conflicto armado interno, que dejó cerca de 69.000 víctimas según la Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación. Aunque hubo testigos, el caso enfrentó años de silencios y amenazas.

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Los líderes de Brasil y de la India han firmado este sábado en Nueva Delhi un acuerdo que contempla la cooperación bilateral en materia de minerales críticos en plena carrera global por esas codiciadas materias primas. El pacto, suscrito entre el presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva y el primer ministro Narendra Modi, durante una visita oficial del brasileño, es una declaración de intenciones sin compromisos firmes, pero refleja la voluntad de las dos importantes potencias medias de estrechar su colaboración en los ámbitos clásicos y los innovadores en defensa de los intereses comunes ante el fin del orden mundial de las últimas décadas.

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A escasos tres meses de la primera vuelta presidencial para elegir al sucesor del presidente Gustavo Petro -el 31 de mayo de 2026- el mandatario de izquierda se encuentra más vital que nunca.

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Peru’s transitional government said on Friday it has no plans “pending or scheduled” to grant presidential clemency, including pardons, one day after former president Pedro Castillo filed a request seeking such relief.

Bogotá, Colombia – The Colombian national parks agency announced the temporary closure of the Tayrona National Park on Tuesday, February 17, citing threats against park staff by armed groups.

Tayrona, located on the country’s northern Caribbean coast, is one of the country’s most visited national parks, attracting as many as 750,000 visitors from around the world each year.

The closure comes amid a war between two criminal organizations fighting to control territory and strategic drug trafficking routes in the region.

“The National Government announced the temporary closure of Tayrona National Natural Park as a preventive measure to protect the lives and safety of visitors, communities, and officials, and to ensure their security,” read a government statement on Tuesday. 

The dispute began with an operation on February 11 to dismantle “unauthorized constructions in the protected area” in the park. The director of the national parks agency explained that these included houses, bathrooms, and hiking trails built without state permission.

The demolition prompted threats online against park personnel, according to the government. The situation escalated on Monday, February 16, when locals blocked park employees from entering Tayrona. They also reportedly took over government functions, charging tourists for access and allowing people to enter without formal registration. 

“This created a situation that prevents a minimum level of security from being ensured within the protected area,” said authorities.

Rising armed group activity in the region

While the government did not specify who it believes to be behind the actions, the closure comes amid a mounting turf war in the area between two criminal organizations: the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN) and the Gaitanist Army of Colombia (EGC), or Clan del Golfo, designated a terrorist organization by the United States last December. 

“This latest escalation in Tayrona is yet another chapter in this very unfortunate territorial contest that’s been underway now for several years,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, deputy director for Latin America at the International Crisis Group. 

For decades, the ACSN – under different names – has controlled the Sierra Nevada, Tayrona and the city of Santa Marta through a web of powerful family clans. But in recent years, the EGC has been pushing east along the coast from its stronghold in the Gulf of Urabá, trying to displace the ACSN.

The EGC’s long-term goal is to reach the border with Venezuela and surround the key coca-producing region of Catatumbo, says Dickinson. 

“[The Sierra Nevada] is sort of a route on the route to their goal. And… the effect on the civilian population from both sides has been pretty devastating,” said the analyst, who noted a rise in forced confinement, recruitment, and targeted killings.

While tourists tend to be insulated from criminal violence in the area, with armed groups preferring to profit from drugs and prostitution, Tayrona’s closure may signal a shift. 

But local tourism operators tell a different story; they say the closure has nothing to do with the security situation. Instead, members of the community say the problem is that the government, which collects revenue from ticket sales, is not re-investing it in the park. 

“The communities are tired, and the Indigenous people are tired because they don’t receive the money either; it’s taken to Bogotá,” said Luis Eduardo Muñoz, a local leader. 

He explained that members of the community took action to renovate vital tourism infrastructure in the park because the national government failed to invest in it. When the state demolished it, they protested.

“Why do they have to resort to extreme measures and try to close the park if it is necessary for people’s livelihoods?” said Muñoz, who called for dialogue between the government and local leaders.

Although the cause of the closure remains disputed, security analysts nevertheless say it underscores increasing insecurity in the Sierra Nevada region around Tayrona. 

It also marks another setback for President Gustavo Petro’s peace process, with the government actively engaged in negotiations with both the ACSN and the EGC.

Petro said the ACSN had signed a deal after Tayrona’s closure to guarantee civilian safety and suspend attacks on state security forces. 

But the prospect of a peace deal remains uncertain as the group faces a mounting threat from the EGC.

“I think the fundamental question remains the tactical situation on the ground because, of course, they can’t negotiate if they’re under immediate threat from another force,” said Dickinson.

Featured image description: Tayrona National Park

Featured image credit: National Natural Parks of Colombia.

This article originally appeared on The Bogotá Post and was republished with permission.

The post Colombia’s popular Tayrona national park closes over alleged armed group threats appeared first on Latin America Reports.

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

By Isabella Serra & S. Shrestha  

On January 24, 2006, Estuardo Remache was criminally charged with domestic violence and removed from his position as head of Ecuador’s Human Rights Commission. The case was brought forward by his wife, Maria Lucrecia Nono, who had spent years seeking justice for the repeated abuse she endured. On numerous occasions Maria’s attempts to report the violence were dismissed, her credibility questioned, and her intentions painted as vindictive.

When Maria first turned to local authorities and Comisarías, state-run women’s centers meant to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), she was told her case was a personal matter to be resolved at home. Officials cited Article 191 of the Ecuadorian Constitution, which separates the federal and Indigenous legal systems, and told her she must seek justice within her own Kichwa community. 

Gender-based violence, which includes emotional, physical, and sexual harm rooted in gender inequality, is a widespread and deeply structural form of oppression. Maria’s abuse didn’t stop at home; it was reinforced by the very institutions intended to protect her. Each time she sought help, she was met with indifference, disbelief, or outright rejection, despite returning with visible bruises and ongoing emotional trauma. Her story points to a more systemic issue: the absence of female political power in Ecuador to challenge and transform these injustices. 

Maria’s ordeal highlights a troubling paradox: the greater presence of women – particularly Indigenous Kichwa women – in Ecuador’s political sphere, alongside the continued high rates of GBV in their communities. Why, despite growing political representation for women, does gender-based violence remain so entrenched, especially among Indigenous communities?

 Legal and Structural Context 

Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution marked a turning point, officially recognizing the country as plurinational and intercultural, thus legitimizing Indigenous governance structures alongside the national legal system. Yet this dual system has limitations. While intended to acknowledge indigenous sovereignty, in practice it often creates conditions of legal marginality, particularly for Indigenous women. In Maria’s case, the national judiciary abdicated responsibility, claiming the Kichwa system to be the appropriate jurisdiction, while Kichwa authorities sought to silence her to avoid casting their communities in a negative light. 

This tension reflects a broader legal failure: the promotion of state-sponsored multiculturalism but the failure to protect vulnerable populations within specific communities. The burden of representation falls heavily on Indigenous women like Mirian Masaquiza Jerez, a Kichwa woman staffing the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In an interview, she explained that any missteps are seen not as individual failings, but as reflections on her entire community. Despite these pressures, her greater visibility, along with that of many others, marks a notable shift in the gendered landscape of Ecuadorian politics 

 Gender-Based Violence in Context 

Ecuador has made substantial progress toward increasing women’s political representation, thanks in part to gender quotas implemented since the early 2000s. These measures mandate a minimum number of female candidates in national and local elections, enabling more women to ascend to political leadership. Despite recent infighting and a diminished presence in the national legislature, Ecuador’s Indigenous-led Pachakutik party has played a pivotal role in this shift over the past three decades, advocating for environmental justice and Indigenous rights, including those of women. 

Yet political representation does not always translate to structural change. The existence of women in positions of power can obscure the continued suffering of those on the margins. Indigenous women in rural areas still live under deeply patriarchal norms, face high rates of GBV, and often lack access to justice, health care, or safe housing. Nearly 6 in 10 women in Ecuador report having experienced GBV. The rate rises to 68 percent among Indigenous women, 10 percentage points higher than among their non-indigenous counterparts. These figures expose the intersectional nature of GBV: it disproportionately affects women who are poor, Indigenous, or otherwise marginalized. GBV is not just a personal issue; it is a societal failure sustained by socioeconomic inequality, cultural norms, and weak legal protections. 

In many Indigenous communities, patriarchal expectations remain strong. Divorce and contraceptives are taboo, and women who speak out like Maria risk being ostracized by their families and communities. Maria’s relatives warned her that if she pursued legal action, she might lose custody of her children. And she nearly did: Estuardo Remache was awarded custody of four of their five children before he was convicted. 

Eco-Politics, Exploitation, and Gendered Harm 

The entanglement of environmental exploitation and gender inequality has further exacerbated the issue. Since the 1960s, Ecuador’s adoption of a free-market model encouraged the expansion of oil extraction in the Amazon. While economically beneficial in the short term, these projects have devastated Indigenous lands and polluted vital resources. The resulting health effects, such as increased miscarriages and birth defects, are disproportionately born by women. 

Historically oil companies, empowered by deregulation, offered large financial incentives to communities in exchange for land. Communities that resisted remained poor and resource scarce. Those who accommodated faced social stigma, displacement, and environmental degradation. Both paths potentially deepened indigenous poverty. 

These developments have reshaped gender roles. As men leave to work for the very oil companies that displaced their communities, women are left to manage households, often under increased financial and social stress. This dynamic has continued to entrench patriarchal authority and contributes to higher rates of domestic violence. Workers exposed to exploitative labor, drugs, and alcohol often bring that trauma home. Women, already made vulnerable by poverty and legal liminality, often suffer the consequences. 

While the 2008 Constitution granted new rights, Ecuador’s laws have failed to notably improve conditions for indigenous women, and in some cases, have exacerbated hardships. The continued expansion of extractive industries under new hydrocarbons and related environmental laws, has led to further environmental contamination, social disruption, and increased gendered violence. 

Reassessing “Progress” 

After years of litigation, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court issued a judgment in 2014 finding that María Lucrecia Nono’s constitutional rights had been violated. Yet the ruling did not bring closure: the prolonged process left her struggle for justice fundamentally unresolved.

Maria’s story is often held up as an example of progress, offered as proof that Indigenous women can now access justice. But this interpretation is dangerously reductive. Maria’s case dragged on for years. She endured physical and emotional abuse, not only from her husband but from a system that refused to believe her. Even after winning she paid a steep price: continued violence, loss of custody, and pressure from Indigenous political leaders urging her to remain silent to protect their image. 

Her case exposes the limits of symbolic victory. Representation alone is not enough to dismantle cultures of impunity and deeply rooted systems of oppression. Real justice requires the transformation of legal systems, political norms, and economic structures that continue to marginalize Indigenous women. 

Conclusions  

Ecuador presents a complex landscape: a country lauded for increasing female political representation, yet plagued by high levels of GBV, especially within Indigenous communities. Maria Lucrecia Nono’s case is not a victory; it is a warning. It illustrates how cultural recognition, extractive capitalism, and patriarchal power can conspire to silence women, even when they appear to be gaining political stature. 

The emergence of Indigenous women in Ecuador’s political sphere is long overdue. But without corresponding reforms in legal protections, community norms, and economic structures, political power will remain largely symbolic. True liberation for Indigenous women in Ecuador will require dismantling the intersecting systems that perpetuate gender-based violence, which requires listening to women like Maria not only when they win, but when they are silenced. 

Isabella Serra & S. Shrestha  are Research Assistants at The Immigration Lab

Medellín, Colombia — Colombian President Gustavo Petro signed a new decree Thursday evening in Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar to increase the legal monthly minimum wage by 23.7%. This follows the suspension of the original wage hike by the Council of State last week.

Petro’s defiant announcement was met with applause in the Colombian capital from the assembled crowd as similar marches and protests were organized in major cities across the country, following the president’s call to action this Monday.

The new minimum legal monthly salary of COP$1,750,905 (USD$480) along with a transport allowance of COP$249,095 (USD$68) was originally announced on December 29. 

However it was provisionally suspended by the Council of State, the highest administrative court, on February 12 who gave Petro’s administration eight days to come up with a new transitional decree or justify the existing one.  

The judicial body said that the increase lacked a “verifiable legal and economic justification,” as it did not take inflation and productivity into account, as stipulated by a 1996 law. The suspension said that the measure represented a “misuse of power and violation of the principle of legality.”

The precautionary suspension of the salary increase, the first of its kind, followed lawsuits by business owners, citizens, and unions. The National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) expressed their support for its suspension that in their words protected “the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the strength of Colombian democratic institutions.”

In his Thursday evening speech, Petro defended the wage hike by highlighting the results of a study by the International Labour Organization that recommended a minimum salary of COP$2,000,000 (USD$540), arguing that the new decree complied with the Council’s wishes. 

The president said he didn’t want to “overdo it” and therefore decreed the same wage change as the original December increase. 

He also attacked the “mega-rich” and “parasites” of Colombia who opposed his decision, claiming that they only saw opportunities for “business in every square centimetre” of the country. 

Some conservatives have backed the minimum salary increase, such as independent presidential candidate Vicky Dávila who expressed her support for the climb, while criticizing Petro’s “politicized marches” in the run up to the election period. 

Featured image: Petro in Plaza de Bolívar last Thursday.

Featured image credit: @petrogustavo via X.

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Bogotá, Colombia – On February 10, the Grenoble Prosecutor’s Office launched a worldwide call for victims or witnesses of Jacques Leveugle, a teacher arrested in 2024 in France and accused of sexually assaulting at least 89 minors around the world since 1967.

During a press conference, French prosecutor Étienne Manteaux said that the sexual predator was reported in 2023 by one of his nephews, who discovered a USB drive containing written memoirs, pictures, and other documents related to the abuse of teenagers. 

The French Embassy in Colombia called for witnesses to come forward to identify potential abuse victims in the country, as Leveugle worked as a teacher in Bogotá on two occasions between 1996 and 2023.

The suspect was living in Morocco when the investigation began, but had spent his life moving between Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Algeria, Nigeria, the Philippines, New Caledonia, Colombia, and France. In all of these countries, he allegedly targeted minors while working in educational or social roles.

Authorities revealed that in his “autobiography,” the alleged abuser gave horrendous details about 89 teenagers, between 13 and 17 years old, being manipulated and abused from 1967 to 2022.

“We need Jacques Leveugle’s name to be known because the objective is to reach the victims and encourage them to come forward,” Manteaux confirmed.

He said that 40 of the 89 victims had been identified and that authorities were working to find the rest. 

“Sometimes names are not even mentioned; we are facing a wall in certain situations… This call for witnesses is to allow victims we haven’t been able to identify to come forward,” the prosecutor explained. “Perhaps not all victims are recorded in these documents.”

Manteaux also said that the man, who has been under arrest since 2024 and never officially graduated as an educator, also confessed in his writings to killing two women: his mother and one of his aunts.

The uphill battle to find victims in Colombia

Investigations revealed that Jacques Leveugle spent several years living in and visiting Colombia between 1996 and 2000, and again from 2000 to 2023. 

In an interview with Caracol Radio, the prosecutor confirmed that the sexual predator worked as a French teacher in a shelter for children and teenagers in the capital city, Bogotá.

“It’s hard to reach victims outside France; that’s why we have made a special invitation to Colombian victims. We need them and their experiences to understand what this man really did,” he said during the call, adding that they decided to take a “traditional” approach due to the difficulty of reaching witnesses.

Authorities are also trying to determine if Leveugle had collaborators and what his “modus operandi” was to ensure that none of the teenagers ever complained or reported the abuse to the police.

Latin America Reports contacted the Grenoble Prosecutor’s Office, and they confirmed that the investigation remains active and ongoing in Colombia. They also committed to briefing the media on any significant breakthroughs as they continue to work toward identifying more victims internationally.

The French Embassy in Bogotá has shared the channels established to find Colombian victims:

Anyone with information or seeking to report an incident can communicate via email at sr-grenoble-leveugle@gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr or by calling the international hotline at +33 800 005 321.

Featured image description: Timeline of Jacques Leveugle’s location.

Featured image credit: Grenoble Prosecutor’s Office.

This article originally appeared on The Bogotá Post and was republished with permission.

The post Frenchman accused of abusing 89 minors may have victims in Colombia appeared first on Latin America Reports.

Often when a lodging company has three resorts in one location, they’re scattered around town in different spots, even if it’s a big brand like Marriott. The Velas Resorts company has a very different situation in Los Cabos though, where their three resorts that appeal to different crowds are all a few minutes’ walk...

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By Dr. Isaac Newton

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 20, 2026: Few public officials anywhere in the world and the Caribbean hold the trust, respect, and admiration of their people for fifty years. Fewer still do so without pursuing it as a personal goal. Antigua & Barbuda’s Sir Robin Yearwood achieved this quietly, shaping a legacy built on purpose and service rather than recognition.

I first met Sir Robin during my college and post-university years. For more than thirty years, I watched a man whose leadership was guided by character, informed by conviction, and measured by attention to the lives of those he served. Whether in opposition or government, he acted with intelligence, courage, and attentiveness. He encountered challenges that might unsettle most, yet he faced them with calm deliberation, careful judgment, and firm  responsibility.

Sir Robin was more than a politician. He was a mentor, a guide, and a steady presence in his community. I remember his words, spoken in his own dialect with clear, deliberate force: “Dr Newton, always care for the people. Do not let them unsettle you. Never be so distant in principle that you cannot connect with them or serve them.”

He lived by these words. His home welcomed everyone. He attended funerals, graduations, weddings, and baby christenings without distinction. He stood as godfather to children of every faith and shared in both the successes and struggles of his constituents. His presence offered calm and reassurance. He turned leadership into a space where authority met humanity.

Sir Robin’s life offers three lessons for those who seek to lead.

The first is to lead with both heart and mind. Leadership is measured in presence, in listening, and in responding with thoughtfulness. Sir Robin built trust not only through speeches and initiatives but through relationships and deliberate acts that made people feel acknowledged, supported, and understood.

The second is to serve with integrity rather than ambition. His fifty years of service were never an exercise in titles or prestige. They showed that influence arises from steady commitment and moral clarity. Leaders who act from principle leave a mark far beyond the transient rhythms of politics.

The third is to remain grounded while anticipating the future. Sir Robin nurtured the soil of his own community while shaping the broader landscape of his nation. From supporting agriculture and animal husbandry to introducing innovations such as free incoming calls on APUA cell service, he combined careful stewardship with vision that embraced possibility. Leadership requires this balance between tending to what exists and guiding what can be.

Throughout his career, Sir Robin embodied strength and subtlety in equal measure. He was expansive in understanding, deliberate in manner, resolute in conviction, patient in approach, fearless in pursuit, generous in spirit, and discerning in judgment. His humor, humility, and faith deepened his leadership, making it both effective and human.

Fifty years of public service, countless offices held, initiatives advanced, and lives affected. Yet Sir Robin remains, first and foremost, a man connected to the people he serves. His legacy endures far beyond power and position. He constructed a life in which leadership and humanity were inseparable.

Those who aspire to lead can learn from him that service demands attention, that authority requires integrity, and that enduring impact requires navigating the needs of today while shaping the possibilities of tomorrow. Sir Robin Yearwood has shown that the measure of leadership is both in recognition and in the depth of transformation it brings to others.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr Isaac Newton is a globally experienced thought leader, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia trained strategist, and advocate for social justice and leadership excellence. With over thirty years of experience bridging cultural, economic, and ideological divides, he brings a nuanced perspective to complex issues shaping global and regional landscapes.

RELATED: Beyond Words, Beyond Fear: What Caribbean People Expect From CARICOM In Basseterre

By Dr. Isaac Newton

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 20, 2026: How will the Caribbean secure a future where our children, our workers, and our communities thrive within the region instead of seeking opportunity elsewhere? On February 24, 2026, the Fiftieth Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government will convene in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis. Citizens across the region are seeking commitments that translate into stronger families, resilient economies, and improved daily lives.

In every island, a teacher in Kingston wonders if she can continue educating her students without leaving for employment abroad. A nurse in Bridgetown faces a similar choice. A fisherman in St. Lucia worries that his livelihood will be lost to environmental decline. Immigration systems must provide certainty and fairness. Leaders should implement structured labour mobility agreements, expand professional and student visa pathways, and establish a permanent migration review council that publishes regular reports. Citizens require frameworks they can rely on and opportunities they can plan for with confidence.

Security demands transparency and accountability. Criminal networks exploit maritime corridors and digital systems, leaving small states to bear the social and economic consequences. Cooperation must rest on enforceable protocols and shared responsibility. Investment in coast guard capacity, forensic expertise, and judicial institutions is essential to protect citizens and reinforce governance.

Climate change poses immediate risks to homes, food supply, and water systems across the Caribbean. Hurricanes and rising seas place enormous pressure on national budgets and livelihoods. Governments must secure reliable climate financing, simplify access to concessional funds, and establish joint platforms for renewable energy, resilient water systems, and adaptive agriculture. Engagement with Haiti and Cuba is critical, and any approach involving Venezuela must protect regional stability while preserving sovereignty. Citizenship by Investment programmes must operate under strict oversight and transparency to ensure schools, hospitals, and infrastructure reach communities that need them most.

Economic transformation must be deliberate, measurable, and inclusive. The Orange, Blue, and Green economies present concrete opportunities. A Caribbean Creative Innovation Fund can support cultural enterprises that preserve heritage and generate revenue. A Blue Economy Accelerator can scale sustainable fisheries and maritime technologies. A Green Infrastructure Pact can deploy energy, water, and agricultural systems built for climate resilience. Connecting research institutions, private capital, and local communities ensures that each initiative generates employment, strengthens supply chains, and produces outcomes that are verifiable and lasting.

Integration should empower citizens directly. Mobility for students, entrepreneurs, and creators should be seamless, fostering collaboration, skills development, and knowledge sharing. Caribbean identity can be strengthened through four guiding pillars: peace, public health, paradise, and prosperity. Peace reflects political stability and respect for sovereignty. Public health emphasizes resilient healthcare systems and preparedness for crises. Paradise embodies environmental stewardship, cultural richness, and the beauty of our islands. Prosperity represents innovation, economic opportunity, and inclusive growth. These pillars attract investment, nurture talent, and reinforce cohesion across the region.

Citizens are observing progress carefully. Success will be evident in enforceable policies, implemented projects, and tangible results. Basseterre is an opportunity to demonstrate that the Caribbean can act with precision, implement with focus, and deliver improvements that transform communities.

As Caribbean folklore reminds us, “One hand cannot clap alone, but many hands can lift a mountain.” Meaningful progress requires governments, communities, and citizens to act with purpose, responsibility, and unity.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Isaac Newton is a globally experienced thought leader, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia-trained strategist, and advocate for social justice and leadership excellence. With over thirty years of experience bridging cultural, economic, and ideological divides, he translates strategy into measurable results. His work spans governance, economic development, and public policy, consistently delivering initiatives that create employment, strengthen institutions, and advance sustainable growth across the Caribbean.

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The Nuestra América Convoy to Cuba (NACC), a humanitarian aid mission to the island made up of an alliance of progressive groups, has reportedly significantly expanded and announced that it intends to reach Havana by March 21. 

According to the NACC’s most recent press release shared with Latin America Reports, “An international coalition of movements, trade unionists, parliamentarians, humanitarian organizations, and public figures … [will participate in] a coordinated global mobilization delivering humanitarian aid by air, land and sea converging in Havana’s Malecón on 21 March 2026”. 

The convoy had initially been a seabound mission but has reportedly “grown into a coordinated Convoy by air, land, and sea” because of an inundation “of requests to support this critical mission”. The appeal to join the flotilla is a universal one, as the NACC is calling “on communities everywhere to collect aid and converge in Havana on 21 March”.

American sanctions have severely restricted the oil supplies to the island. As a result, airlines have suspended Cuba-bound flights because of fuel shortages and the annual cigar festival, a key source of tourism and foreign currency, was indefinitely postponed due to the sanctions-induced energy crisis.

The convoy’s principal aim is, however, the alleviation of the humanitarian crisis caused by the intensification of American sanctions against the island. In the words of the NACC, “hospitals are without power, ambulances without petrol and the sick without medicine”. 

The United Nations has warned of a potential humanitarian collapse in Cuba. 

Read more: Cuba-bound humanitarian aid flotilla organized as economic sanctions tighten 

James Schneider, former public relations advisor to British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn and the current communications director for Progressive International — an international, left-wing, activist organization which is helping coordinate the flotilla — told Latin America Reports that the mission is “vital”. 

“UN experts are warning that intensive care units and emergency rooms are compromised. Trump openly boasts about creating a humanitarian crisis”, he said. 

“Huge numbers of people around the world clearly feel the injustice of the world’s most solidaristic nation being punished in this way by the US. That’s why we’ve been overwhelmed with support since we announced this mission last week.”

“So we’ve decided to expand from a single flotilla to a global convoy, bringing aid by air, land and sea. We are excited to be joined in Havana on 21 March by people and aid from all over the world.” 

The organization’s latest press release features endorsements of the mission by Corbyn, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, co-chairs of the Democratic Socialists of America Megan Romer and Ashik Siddique, and Ada Colau, the former mayor of Barcelona. 

Cuba has indeed gained international prominence for its missions of solidarity; Cuban armed forces helped combat the South African apartheid regime, over 24,000 Cuban doctors work in 56 countries worldwide and the nation developed its own Covid-19 vaccine, which was then exported. 

However, the nation has also come under significant criticism over its human rights record; its medical missions have been accused of facilitating labor exploitation and human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have decried the nation over its alleged restriction of freedoms, state control over the media and the “arbitrary detention” of dissidents. 

Featured Image: The Havana Malecón, where the humanitarian aid convoy plans to meet on March 21st

Image Credit: Lukas Mathis via Wikimedia Commons

License: Creative Commons Licenses

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US President Donald Trump is considering a visit to Venezuela, though he did not specify when the trip might take place or what agenda it would entail. I’m going to make a visit to Venezuela, Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday. The US President addressed the press ahead of a trip to […]

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News Americas, PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Thurs. Feb. 19, 2026: Trinidad and Tobago, whose prime minister has alienated her CARICOM colleagues to cozy up to the new US administration, is now emerging as one of the most strategically important energy intermediaries in the Western Hemisphere, following the issuance of two new United States General Licenses authorizing certain oil and gas activities involving neighboring Venezuela.

The licenses, granted under U.S. Treasury Department authority, now provide a structured legal framework allowing Trinidad and Tobago to pursue energy development projects tied to Venezuelan offshore gas reserves while remaining compliant with U.S. sanctions and financial controls. But beyond their technical scope, the approvals signal a deeper geopolitical and economic shift – one that positions Trinidad & Tobago as a critical bridge between American energy policy and some of the region’s largest untapped gas reserves.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar described the development as a significant opportunity to strengthen Trinidad and Tobago’s role as a hemispheric energy hub.

“As a longstanding close partner of the United States, Trinidad and Tobago views this development as an important opportunity to deepen hemispheric energy cooperation, strengthen regional stability, and reinforce trusted commercial ties,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.

At the center of this strategic shift lies the Dragon gas field, located near the maritime border between Trinidad and Venezuela. The field is estimated to hold approximately four trillion cubic feet of natural gas and has been the subject of ongoing negotiations involving multinational energy companies Shell and BP, along with Trinidad’s state-owned National Gas Company.

The project had previously been stalled after the U.S. revoked licenses in 2025 amid sanctions and political tensions with Venezuela. The new licenses restore a pathway forward, albeit under strict financial oversight. Payments related to oil and gas activities must be routed through designated accounts controlled by the U.S. Treasury, ensuring compliance with sanctions and preventing direct financial benefit to Venezuela’s government.

For Trinidad and Tobago, which allowed the US military to use its shores in its so-called narco-war in the Caribbean, which led to the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and his wife, the implications extend far beyond a single project.

Energy has long been the backbone of Trinidad’s economy, but declining production from mature fields and global energy transitions have put pressure on the country to secure new supply sources. Access to Venezuelan gas – facilitated through U.S.-approved channels – could help stabilize domestic energy production, sustain petrochemical industries, and preserve thousands of jobs tied to the country’s energy sector.

More importantly, the licenses elevate Trinidad’s role from energy producer to strategic energy intermediary.

With existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, refining capacity, and decades of technical expertise, Trinidad is uniquely positioned to process and distribute gas resources within a framework acceptable to global financial markets and Western regulators. This makes the country a vital node in regional energy security, particularly as geopolitical tensions reshape global supply chains.

The timing is also significant. As global energy markets face continued volatility and the US seeks to diversify supply sources closer to home, Trinidad is gaining renewed strategic importance.

Industry analysts say the licenses reflect growing confidence in Trinidad’s regulatory stability and its reliability as a U.S. partner in managing sensitive energy operations near Venezuela. US President Donald Trump is considering a visit to Venezuela, though he did not specify when the trip might take place or what agenda it would entail.

Beyond direct economic gains, the development reinforces Trinidad’s influence with the Trump administration in the Caribbean. A strengthened energy sector enhances the country’s capacity to supply neighboring islands, support regional industrial activity, and anchor broader economic integration efforts.

The move also underscores a broader shift in how the Caribbean and the Americas are perceived by the US. Once viewed primarily as its backyard, the Trump administration has increasingly turned to dominate there as it now controls the oil in Venezuela.

For Trinidad and Tobago, the new licenses represent more than regulatory approvals. They mark a pivotal moment in the country’s evolution — from a regional energy producer to a geopolitical energy bridge linking Caribbean resources, American policy, and global markets.

As energy security becomes central to global economic stability, Trinidad’s role may prove increasingly indispensable.

RELATED: CARICOM’s Animal Farm? – Why The Caribbean Is United in Rhetoric, Divided In Reality

By Vijay Prashad

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Thurs. Feb. 19, 2026: In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security – a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council, which permits sanctions under strict conditions, the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

On 3 January, the United States attacked Venezuela and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro Moros and National Assembly deputy Cillia Flores. As 150 US military aircraft sat above Caracas, the United States informed the Venezuelan government that if they did not concede to a list of demands, the US would essentially convert downtown Caracas to Gaza City. The remainder of the government, with no leverage in the conversation, had to effectively make a tactical compromise and accept the US demands. One of these demands was that Venezuela cease to export oil to Cuba. In 2025, Venezuela contributed about 34 percent of Cuba’s total oil demand. With Venezuelan oil out of the picture in the short run, Cuba already anticipated a serious problem.

But this was not all. Mexico supplied 44 percent of Cuba’s imported crude oil in 2025. Pressure now mounted from Washington on Mexico City to cease its oil exports to Cuba, which would then mean that almost 80 percent of Cuba’s oil imports would disappear. In a phone call between Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and Trump, he claimed that he told her to stop selling oil to Cuba, but she denied that, saying that the two presidents only talked in broad terms about US-Mexico relations. Either way, the pressure on Mexico to stop its oil shipments has been considerable. Sheinbaum has stressed that Mexico must be permitted to make sovereign decisions and that the Mexican people will not buckle under US pressure. Cutting fuel to Cuba would cause a humanitarian crisis, so Sheinbaum said her government would not accept the Trump demand.

Trump’s savage policy has effectively cut off much of Cuba’s oil imports, which has created a major energy crisis on the island of eleven million people. There are rolling blackouts, fuel shortages for hospitals, water systems, and transportation, and rationing of electricity. Due to the lack of aviation fuel, several commercial airlines – such as Air Canada – have stopped their flights to Havana.

The United Nations has warned that the US pressure campaign – especially the policy to target fuel – threatens Cuba’s food and water supplies, hospitals, schools, and basic services. UN officials, including the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cuba, have condemned the US tightening of the blockade as a measure that directly harms ordinary citizens. They pointed out that restrictions make it harder for hospitals to obtain essential medicines, dialysis clinics to operate, and medical equipment to reach patients, worsening the health crisis on the island. The Special Rapporteur described the policy as “punitive and disproportionate,” emphasizing that it violates international law and deepens socio-economic hardships. The UN has urged the United States to lift sanctions and prioritize humanitarian exemptions, stressing that dialogue and cooperation—not coercive measures—are necessary to protect Cuban lives and human rights.

A group of United Nations human rights experts condemned Trump’s executive order as a “serious violation of international law” and “a grave threat to a democratic and equitable international order.” They argued that Trump’s order seeks to coerce Cuba and third states by threatening trade sanctions, and that such extraterritorial economic measures risk causing severe humanitarian consequences. Their statement made it clear that no right under international law permits a State to impose economic penalties on third States for lawful trade relations, and they called on the Trump administration to rescind the illegal order. The UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly against the blockade every year since 1992, often with only the US and Israel opposed.

The Blockade by the US has had a grave impact on Cuba’s development paradigm. Since the start of the Blockade over sixty years ago, the US has cost Cuba $171 billion or if adjusted for the price of gold, $2.10 trillion. Between March 2024 and February 2025, the Cuban government estimates that the Blockade caused about $7.5 billion in damages, a 49 percent increase since the previous period. If you take the $171 billion number, the Cuban people lose $20.7 million per day or $862,568 per hour. These losses are grievous for a small country that attempts to build a rational society rooted in socialist values.

Response from Havana

Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel has strongly condemned the tightened US measures as an ‘economic war’ and has argued that the US policy is designed to weaken Cuba’s sovereignty. The government calls this an “energy blockade” and emphasises that the shortages on the island are a direct result of US coercive policies. In reaction, the Cuban Revolution has implemented emergency plans, including fuel rationing to prioritise essential services such as hospitals, water systems, and public transportation. Cuba has also announced state directives to manage diminished energy supplies, including shifts toward alternative and renewable energy sources where feasible. The Chinese government has donated equipment for large-scale solar parks to be built in Artemisa, Granma, Guantánamo, Holguín, Las Tunas, and Pinar del Río. In the long-term, China will assist Cuba to build 92 solar farms to add 2,000 megawatts of solar capacity. To assist households in remote areas, the Chinese government has sent 5,000 solar kits for rooftop energy harvesting. Fuel from Mexico and Russia, as well as other countries is now on the way to Cuba. Trump’s policy of isolation has not fully succeeded.

The Cuban government said it is in touch with Washington but has not yet held direct high-level talks. President Díaz-Canel has said that his government would speak to the United States but only under three important conditions. First, that the dialogue will be respectful, serious, and without pressure or preconditions. Second, the dialogue must respect Cuba’s sovereignty, independence, and political system. And finally, the Cuban government is unwilling to negotiate the Cuban Constitution (recently revised in 2019) or Cuba’s commitment to socialism. If the United States insists on a discussion on any of these three issues, there will be no dialogue. The Cuban Revolution’s defiance on these issues is rooted in its history, since the Revolution itself was an act of defiance against the US claim to control the Western Hemisphere through the 1823 Monroe Doctrine (now renewed by Trump in 2025 with his Corollary). This defiance has been contagious, building a Latin American resistance to US imperialism from the 1960s to the present – including at the heart of the Bolivarian process in Venezuela.

The Angry Tide

Latin America is going through a rapid and dangerous transformation. Country after country – from Argentina to El Salvador – have elected to power political formations from the Far Right of a Special Type. These are leaders who have committed themselves to strong conservative social values (rooted in the growth of reactionary Evangelical Christianity across the Americas), to a ruthless attack on the poor through a war on crime (shaped by a theory that calls for the arrest of any potential criminals and their incarceration, a policy pioneered by El Salvador’s Nabil Bukele), and by a sharply turn toward Western Civilisation that includes an orientation towards the United States and against China (this sentiment oscillates from a celebration of Western culture to a hatred of communism). The emergence of the Far Right of a Special Type appears as if it will be in charge for a generation if it can erase the left from power in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (in Brazil, this Right has already taken charge of the legislature).

The parallel attacks on Venezuela and Cuba are part of the United States’s contribution to this rise of the Angry Tide across the Americas. Trump and his cronies would like to install their kind of leaders – such as Javier Milei – across the Americas as part of the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. It is this that revives the idea of sovereignty in the Americas. When the Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny ended his performance at the US Super Bowl with a celebration of all the countries in the Americas, and when he named each of them, that gesture was itself part of the battle over the idea of sovereignty.

The Cuban Revolution holds out against US imperialism, but under great pressure. Solidarity with Cuba is for the Cuban people, for the Cuban Revolution, for the reality of sovereignty across the Americas, and for the idea of socialism in the world. This is now the frontline of the fight against imperialism.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. He is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World, The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South, and How the International Monetary Fund Suffocates Africa, written with Grieve Chelwa. He is the executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, the chief correspondent for Globetrotter, and the chief editor of LeftWord Books (New Delhi). He also appeared in the films Shadow World (2016) and Two Meetings (2017).

SOURCE: Globetrotter

Peru’s Congress late Wednesday elected José María Balcázar, an 83-year-old lawmaker from Peru Libre, as the country’s interim president following the removal of President José Jerí amid allegations tied to undisclosed meetings and suspected influence peddling. Balcázar is set to remain in office until July 28, when he must hand power to the winner of the general election scheduled for April 12.

By Dr. Isaac Newton

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Feb. 18, 2026: I was deeply touched by his incredible capacity to let words and meaning jolt the soul through the rhythm of hope, the call to faith, and his relentless pursuit of freedom, dignity, and justice for all, especially the downtrodden and outcast. Long before I met him, his voice had already crossed oceans and entered the crowded chambers of my own conscience. Then I met him in Jersey City when he attended an African American Interdenominational Convention. His presence was radiant, marked by his moving smile and infectious, confident humility, which drew people to him with a sense of wonder and whispering pride. In that room, I encountered a leader and a living sermon. Before my eyes stood a man whose very cadence carried the heartbeat of generations who had been told to wait their turn in history.

The man was Jesse Jackson, but the moment belonged to something larger than biography. He rose from the soil of segregation and shaped his public life with the discipline of Christian conviction and the daring imagination of prophetic faith. As a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., he learned that moral courage must be organized and that faith without public action is only private comfort. His declaration to keep hope alive evolved beyond a slogan into a theology of survival for people battered by exclusion. When he affirmed that he was somebody, he was restoring sacred worth to those who had been measured and dismissed. He taught that dignity is conferred by the Creator, not the powerful, and therefore cannot be revoked by prejudice, poverty, or political neglect.

For Caribbean and African peoples, his words traveled like trade winds across the Atlantic. In Kingston, Port of Spain, Bridgetown, Georgetown, Lagos, Monrovia, Accra, Nairobi, and Gaborone, communities wrestling with the aftershocks of colonialism and economic vulnerability heard in his voice a summons to believe again. Hope, in his lexicon, was nothing short of disciplined resistance. It was the courage to count the cost of freedom and to pay it with patience, organization, and sacrifice. He insisted that faith must move beyond sanctuary walls into voting booths, classrooms, boardrooms, and streets. He spoke to fishermen and factory workers, to teachers and taxi drivers, to students who feared their dreams were too fragile for harsh realities. His mission dignified ordinary labor and reminded entire regions that the foundation of justice is built by hands that history often overlooks.

Yet, his majesty did not depend on perfection. He faced his own foibles in public view, and critics were swift and relentless. What distinguished him was not an absence of flaw but an unwillingness to be imprisoned by it. He understood that moral authority will not share the same room with moral infallibility. His Christian faith compelled confession, correction, and continuation. In this he modeled a rare form of leadership for a skeptical age. He showed that one can stumble and still stand for something larger than the stumble. For communities accustomed to seeing their champions either idolized or discarded, his resilience offered a third path, accountability without annihilation. That lesson is vital for societies struggling to nurture leaders who are human yet heroic in purpose.

As he transitions from the center of public life into the solemn dignity of legacy, his meaning deepens. The majesty of Reverend Jackson lives in the marches he led, the speeches he delivered, and in the moral vocabulary he expanded for the world. He taught that hope is a discipline, that dignity is sacred, that freedom demands cost, and that faith can animate public courage across race, region, and religion. His love for ordinary men and women of all races transcended pedigree and geography because he believed each person bore a divine imprint. For Caribbean and African peoples, and for all who yearn to triumph over despair, his life stands as a testament that history can bend when souls refuse to bow. His legacy lives on, both as memory and as mandate for generations yet unborn to keep hope alive and to rise each morning declaring with conviction that they too are somebody.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Isaac Newton is a globally experienced thought leader, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia trained strategist, and advocate for social justice and leadership excellence. With over 30 years of expertise in bridging cultural, economic, and ideological divides, he brings a nuanced perspective to complex issues shaping global and regional landscapes.

RELATED: Two Visions, One Day: The Stark Contrast Between Donald Trump And Dr. King

The U.S. embargo (really a blockade) on Cuba is a “humanitarian threat.” Those aren’t my words. They’re Trump’s very words. Basically, what Trump is saying amounts to this: Someone puts a gun to some else’s head and tells the person to pull down their pants. He then says, if you don’t do what I'm telling you to do, I’m going to kill you and it’ll be your fault.

Peru’s Congress moved to a second-round vote to elect a new head of the legislature, who will automatically become president after José Jerí was removed on Tuesday amid allegations of influence peddling and suspicious links to Chinese businessmen.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held discreet talks with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson and caretaker of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, bypassing official Cuban government channels, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the outreach.

Peru’s Congress voted on Tuesday to remove interim President José Jerí, just four months after he took office, deepening political uncertainty only weeks before the April 12 general election.

I’m writing this post from a hotel, which is not unusual since I’m a travel editor. I’m on an open signal that anyone in the 400+ rooms here can access without a log-in, as can any random person here for a conference, a meal, or a drink. If I opened up my travel itinerary...

The post Protect Your Personal Data from Cyber Threats in Hotels appeared first on Luxury Latin America Blog.

Pam Bondi gets the award for coming up with the worst excuse ever made in all of history. At the hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, various Democratic Representatives asked her if she would apologize for the Justic Department’s failure to redact names of Jeffrey Epstein victims who were sitting just in back of her. She shouted back at the Democrats asking ‘have you apologized for the criminal charges you leveled against the greatest president in U.S. history for supposedly attempting to rig the 2020 presidential elections?’ Anybody who doesn’t see the pathetic nature of Bondi’s response, let me recommend an undergraduate course in “Introduction to Logic.”

By Ernesto Castañeda

Bad Bunny’s halftime performance showed how much Latinos love America, even if some parts of America do not love them back. Performed mostly in Spanish, it showed the reality that Latinos and Spanish are part of America’s culture: its history, its present, and its future. As the performance’s references to salsa and Ricky Martin’s participation in it reminded us, Latinos’ contributions to U.S. and global culture are not a new phenomenon.

Performances like this weaken MAGA’s ideological project even without any direct references to the current administration. Most importantly, they are a reminder of what most people can see: that Latinos, Asians, and Africans are part of U.S. communities, schools, labs, and the art and music scenes.

That is why most people in the U.S. were against ICE and mass deportations before the Super Bowl halftime show. But the humanization of Puerto Ricans and brown people could have reached and created empathy or even admiration among some people who were on the fence, do not follow the news, or live in areas with few immigrants.

When Bad Bunny was announced, some said they would boycott, that ICE would be present and carry out mass arrests, that people would not watch the show, or that it would go badly. None of that happened. The hate and fearmongering just made Bad Bunny’s performance even more special and powerful.

The performance’s positive message about love and inclusivity is a strong antidote to the fear created by ICE operations and the hatred induced by anti-immigrant, anti-Latino, and anti-black discourse. As a Puerto Rican, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny, is a U.S. citizen. However, like many other minorities, on the street, he is racialized and treated as having fewer rights and valid political claims than white citizens who speak English as their first language.

Trusting his team to catch him after he fell backwards from the roof of the casita is a good metaphor for how he knew that Puerto Ricans, Latinos, immigrants, and Americans would have his back, despite the death threats against him that forced him to wear a bulletproof vest during the Grammys ceremony. The community was able to celebrate with him and through him as they watched the Super Bowl during a challenging time. Thus, in his own eyes, his music, lyrics, and his political statements against colonialism, calling Puerto Rica trash, and the dehumanization of people of color and the risks this entails, are worth it.

The halftime show made Latino kids and teenagers feel proud of who they are. It also made many Latinos and non-Latinos, whether they speak Spanish or not, proud of their musical tastes. Some of their parents or grandparents may not have known Bad Bunny’s music, but his fans are not alone. Bad Bunny recently won the Grammy for Album of the Year. He is the most-streamed artist globally on Spotify and other platforms, and the Super Bowl halftime show was enjoyed by over 130 million live viewers, plus over 80 million replays on the NFL YouTube page. This is as close as any cultural act can come to entering the U.S. and global mainstream. 

That is why the NFL selected the world’s leading artist. Bad Bunny is popular worldwide, singing in Spanish. He has no shame about his native language, accent, lingo, or culture. He is proudly Puerto Rican, which makes him emblematic of this multicultural reality.

MAGA proposes that these types of performances threaten US culture. But the USA is stronger than MAGA thinks. It is strong because of its diversity and its mixing of elements from around the world into new, creative products that sell very well. 

As I told Univision News, soon after Bad Bunny was announced as the performer for Super Bowl LX, and after he had hosted SNL and addressed the controversy the announcement caused, sending ICE to the Super Bowl would not have changed our multicultural reality; though it would have represented the fact that ICE and CBP act as if immigration equals crime. Santa Clara, California, is in the San Francisco Bay Area, where many residents were born abroad and work at Silicon Valley’s corporations. Thus, it would have been very difficult for ICE to patrol the streets around the Levy Stadium. Furthermore, it would have been economically and politically expensive if a large ICE operation in or around the stadium had caused the Super Bowl to start later or be severely understaffed. 

When criticized by conservatives for being selected, Bad Bunny defended himself. In doing so, he also indirectly defended other Latinos who are not as famous as he is, but who also contribute in their own way to daily life in the U.S.A. 

The U.S. continues living a practical contradiction on the one side being dependent on immigrant labor for affordability and economic growth but also complains about people arrivie to work and study. On the one hand, we have ICE detaining people for speaking Spanish, for being Latino, and hundreds of thousands of deportations happening. On the other hand, we have Latinos, the majority of whom are American citizens. Latinos are part of the economy, of culture, and of music. In the case of Bad Bunny, they make America great. 

All Puerto Ricans are citizens because Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. Nevertheless, many assume that being American means being white and speaking English without an accent, which is not true. There are U.S. citizens of all origins, races, skin colors, faiths, and mother tongues. This Super Bowl halftime show was a celebration of that diversity, which makes us strong. Bad Bunny was not out of place in the Super Bowl, but much discrimination against Latinos includes the belief that Latinos are not one hundred percent American.

The upset from MAGA spokespeople is because they do not have control over popular culture. They would like corridos and songs in all genres to be written in celebration of Trump. However, with a few rare exceptions, this is not the case. 

People vote every few years, but they listen to music every week. The “culture wars” are not what Fox News says they are. Fox and other right-wing organizations politicize social issues that are at the early stages of the popular opinion shifts that ultimately lead to social change. No cultural product is loved by one hundred percent of the public. Culture is about practice, consumption, and remixing. People choose what type of food, music, and movies to consume time and time again. In recent years, Pedro Pascal, Diego Luna, Oscar Isaac, Benicio del Toro, Marcelo Hernández, Zoe Saldana, Ana de Armas, Rosario Dawson, Sofia Vergara, to name a few, have played key roles in some of the most popular movies and shows. 

The takeaway is that Latinos are an important part of the United States and make cultural contributions that benefit the whole world. Besides many transnational influences, collaboration with other artists based in the U.S. and throughout the Americas creates a new cultural reality. This cultural reality is a blend of contributions from Latinos and other U.S.-based artists. Together, we are all stronger, and our music is more universal, as the broad national and international appeal of Bad Bunny’s performance clearly shows.

Ernesto Castañeda is a political, social, and cultural analyst.

By Danjha Leon Martinez

Peru has become one of the top destinations for Venezuelan migrants, second only to Colombia, with close to a million Venezuelans now calling it home. The Venezuelan diaspora started their mobilization journey after being forcibly displaced due to the socio-political situation in their home country.

Most migrants are young adults aged 18 to 34. About half hold technical or university degrees. Despite this, they had been encountering difficulties finding enough opportunities suitable for their professional or occupational credentials. In terms of resettlement, Peru still faces challenges in delivering the social services needed for effective migrants’ social integration. Specifically, the Peruvian system does not expedite their access to primary services such as documentation, healthcare, housing, and education during the early stages of their integration into the country. Thus, Venezuelans find themselves working in the informal economy as street vendors, construction workers, or housekeepers, taking any opportunities that they can find.

For many migrants, the choice to settle in Peru isn’t random. They are drawn by the country’s steady economic growth and its notable progress in reducing poverty. Others come to reunite with family or because Peru’s legal migration procedures are comparatively easier than those of other nations.

Diego: When I arrived in Peru, I said ‘Vaya! Hay Audis, Mercedes Benz, Starbucks…’ In Peru, I found opportunities… I was able to open a barbershop and take a loan to buy a car.

Venezuelan arrivals have put a slight increase in demand on Peru’s public services, with hospitals, schools, and social programs. But a growing population will grow the economy and produce more opportunities for all in Peru. Locals have noticed more competition for low-wage jobs, fueling worries about unemployment and sparking some anti-immigrant attitudes that are tied to xenophobic sentiment.

Given the high degree of informality in Peru’s economy, migrants can find work quickly, and open migration policies have made it easier for them to get temporary permits. Still, Venezuelans in Lima, the capital of Peru, face hurdles in getting formal jobs, leaving many with higher education degrees to work as street vendors, housekeepers, and in small trades just to get by.

For this reason, Venezuelans heavily rely on transnational and local social networks, which provide crucial support, including information about job opportunities, housing, and other resources that aid economic survival.

Pedro: (former employee at PDVSA, Petróleos de Venezuela): During the first three months that I was here in Peru, I could not find a job. I survived only with the support of my countrymen. 

Despite issues such as job precariousness and limited rights, Lima offers better economic opportunities than other potential destinations in Peru’s main cities. 

Saul: I feel like I really prospered. When I arrived, the challenges were overwhelming, but the benefits I gained from it are invaluable. Now I can give stability to my family, and I own a business which I’m proud of.

Jose (Venezuelan mechanic who moved to Lima in 2018): “The minimum wage here in Peru… it’s not feasible for a Venezuelan to live with dignity because the rent prices and groceries cost basically the whole salary.” 

Despite the funding and technical support from several international NGOs to implement humanitarian assistance, there has been a disconnect between the results of these initiatives and the intended outcomes. Almost 70% of the Venezuelan community still need to accelerate their migration process and acquire a formal status, requiring international protection. Coping strategies for financial survival include juggling multiple informal jobs, entrepreneurial activities, and sharing housing to reduce living costs, often under precarious conditions. Venezuelan migrants who plan for a future in Peru balance hopes for stability with the need to adapt to informal economic contexts and local cultural idiosyncrasies.

Peru’s political will towards the integration of the Venezuelan diaspora could be reflected by future policy frameworks that help secure legal immigration statuses and access to social programs with fewer bureaucratic hurdles. Even after facing a difficult journey, Venezuelan migrants have significantly contributed to Peru’s economy and society. They have filled critical labor gaps in sectors such as construction, food services, and informal vending, thereby driving economic growth, particularly in low-wage jobs. Many have also opened small businesses, diversifying local economies and creating jobs.

Overall, migration brings development opportunities to a country. As of now, the Venezuelan diaspora is still in the process of integration and organizing mutual support. Given the diaspora’s positive impact on the country’s development and Peru’s long-standing history of economic growth driven by the arrival of diverse migrant clusters, it would be beneficial for both the vulnerable community and the host country to advocate for the protection and effective integration of the Venezuelan diaspora.

Danjha Leon Martinez is a Research Assistant for the Immigration Lab at the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies. She is a Development Management graduate student at American University with a focus on humanitarian aid and global migration.

Edited by Ernesto Castañeda, Director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS) and the Immigration Lab, Katheryn Olmos, Research & Data Coordinator, and Vincent Iannuzzi-Sucich, Research Intern at the Immigration Lab.

Football teams have 22 players in addition to punters and kickers. Of those 22, one player, the quarterback, gets 60 % of the attention and credit (and blame) for a team’s performance. Five other players (the backs and the two ends) get 35% (in other words each get 7%) of the attention. The remaining 5% goes to the 11 members of the defensive team (that is, each get less than a half of 1%). The 5 members of the offensive line (excluding the ends) get 0%. Why is that? The performance of the defensive line can get measured by the number of tackles, sacks and fumble recoveries. But all the offensive line does is block. How can you measure that?

Caracas, February 4, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Chavista supporters filled the streets of Caracas on Tuesday to demand the release of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady and Deputy Cilia Flores. The rally marked one month from their kidnapping on January 3 as part of a US military attack against Venezuela. Heavy gunfire erupts near Presidential […]

The post Venezuela stages Massive Rally demanding Maduro Liberation & Return to Caracas appeared first on New Jetpack Site.

Bolivia will honor lithium agreements concluded by the previous government with Russia and China if the integrity and transparency of those deals are confirmed, President Rodrigo Paz said. The deals will be reviewed and made public to allow proper scrutiny, Paz told the Financial Times in an interview published Tuesday. Bolivia controls the Price of […]

The post Bolivia to honor transparent Lithium Deals with Russia & China appeared first on New Jetpack Site.

The luxury resort scene in Los Cabos keeps getting more heated all the time. This has clearly become the go-to spot for high-end hotel chains to make their mark in Mexico. The home-grown Mexican companies are no slackers, however, and Grand Solmar Land’s End is worth considering for its impressive pool complexes, large rooms,...

The post Tour Grand Solmar Land’s End at the Tip of the Baja Peninsula appeared first on Luxury Latin America Blog.

by Jonathan Valenzuela

During President Trump’s first term (2017-2021), a variety of immigration policy changes were implemented, which contributed to a shift in migration from Central America away from the United States and towards Europe. Now, in his second term more extreme anti-immigration policies alongside the rollback of Biden-era practices, such as the ending of the CBP One app, similar shifts of destination countries for Central American immigrants may continue. In 2023, it is estimated that there are about 4.3 million Central American immigrants in the United States, and 323,000 Central American immigrants in Spain.  

Migration of Central Americans to the United States and Europe began during the armed conflicts of the 80s and 90s. It marked the start of a migration pattern which has only continued to grow. The most recent wave of Central American migrants to Europe began with Nicaraguan women in the mid-2000s to the early 2010s. 

The largest Central American population is in Spain, with Hondurans most prevalent in Catalonia, Nicaraguans in the Basque Country, and Salvadorans in Madrid and increasingly in Seville. These populations have concentrated in these regions primarily because of established immigrant communities, strong labor markets, and an unmet need for labor in sectors such as elder or childcare. Notably, the population of Central Americans in Europe is composed primarily of Hondurans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans. Costa Rican and Panamanian immigrants remain at a smaller number than those from the other four countries.

The outlook of Central American immigrants in Spain is both different and like those in the United States. On one hand, many female members of both communities work in domestic jobs such as childcare or housekeeping, but a main difference is that the Central American home in Europe is headed by the women of the household, who struggle less to find jobs than men do.  

The acceleration of Central American immigration to Europe has notably grown because of the increased militarization of the United States’ southern border and policy changes since the first Trump administration. The increased difficulty of migrating to arrive to the United States made Central Americans seek other destinations. Spain is a solid option because of the ease of entering the country due to a lack of visa requirements, a perceived welcoming environment, an easier immigration process, a shared language, and similar cultural elements. From 2021 to 2024, the number of Central American immigrants in Spain grew by some 60,000. 

The United States is the preferential destination for most Central American as it is the home of the largest diasporas. Experts agree that increased hostility on the Mexico-U.S. border, especially during the first Trump administration, is tied to the increase of Central American immigration to Europe. Through increased collaboration with Spain, the United States seeks to reduce the flows of immigration from the region towards itself, but not necessarily to stop it altogether. 

Now, it is only a matter of time until this pattern further evolves with the second Trump administration, which has signaled its desire to further deter immigrants from entering the country. Regardless of the paid ads or policy changes the administration pushes, people will continue to immigrate.  

Spain has continued to receive immigrants from Latin America and is considered to have “solved” immigration and it has the fastest growth of any European economy thanks to immigration. However, with anti-immigration protests in the country and throughout the world, the question remains whether these deterrent efforts will successfully push Central American immigrants to other destinations? And how long will these destinations such as Spain remain open to Central Americans before they decide to implement stricter migration policies as well? Or whether we are starting to see an equilibrium between the people needing to leave Central America, the people settling in other countries in the region, Mexico, the United States, and Spain, and the decrease in gang violence and economic opportunities in Central America.   

Jonathan Valenzuela Mejia is a Guatemalan-American legal professional based in New York City. He completed a B.A. in Global Studies and a B.A. in Public Affairs with a minor in Central American Studies from UCLA. 

Edited by Ernesto Castañeda, Director of the Immigration Lab and the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies. 

Trump has issued the following statement on Truth Social: “We will guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists. There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles or at our Patriot Warriors. If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence.”

The USA began overthrowing governments in Latin America in the 1890’s, often working with internal elements, usually the military and the business community, to do so, Peter Kuznick, the director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University, told Sputnik. Its the internal betrayal that is sometimes even more disturbing, because that is not a […]

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By Maria Muradyan 

Most of the narratives about immigration are wrong. They are simplistic, outdated, and dangerous. — Ernesto Castañeda.  

This quote carries particular weight here in Washington, DC, where harmful rhetoric and harsh policy are produced just a couple of blocks away from immigrant communities who face its consequences directly. For decades, the topic of immigration has been at the forefront of American political discourse. Americans on opposite ends of the aisle have consistently disagreed on immigration policy and whether or not we as a country have a responsibility to accept people who cross the border and enter America “illegally”. Opinions on the topic, though always polarizing, have transformed and intensified drastically in the last decade, with the election of President Donald Trump and the emergence of the “MAGA” movement. The slogan “Make America Great Again” can be most often associated with right-wing populism, conservative nationalism, but perhaps most famously, a narrative that casts Latin American immigrants as threats to national security and as a strain on American society. 

The current administration’s rhetoric and policy on immigration have single handedly created one of the most polarized political environments in American history. As the political climate has shifted, these ideological divisions have fueled a wave of widespread misconceptions and stereotypes about Latino immigrants, who they are, why they come, and the impact they have on American society. These harmful misinterpretations not only distort public attitudes but also pave the path for harsh immigration policies and are used to justify the unlawful and inhumane deportation practices carried out by ICE in Washington, DC, and across the nation. 

In an effort to better understand these stereotypes and the effects they have on victims and their families, I conducted an interview with Dr. Ernesto Castañeda, a migration scholar, professor, and Director of Immigration Lab at American University’s Center for Latin American and Latino Studies. Dr. Castañeda is a leading voice on how misconceptions shape the lived experiences of immigrant communities in DC, and how enforcement, family separation, and uncertainty shape the lives and psychological well-being of youth. 

The first false assumption he addressed is the belief that America has become ‘overflooded with immigrants’. Dr Castañeda pointed out that actual population data proves just the opposite. According to a Pew Research study conducted in 2023, immigrants make up roughly 15% of America’s population (52% being from Latin America). Not only this, but out of the total number of individuals not born in America, undocumented immigrants made up a mere 27% (Pew Research 2025). Locally, immigrants constitute about the same share of the D.C. population as they do nationally. All immigrants make up about 13% of the population, out of which 11.3% identify as Latino (American Immigration Council 2025) 

When looking at data from the 2024 election year, an analysis of tens of thousands of statements made by Trump showed that he repeated the sentence ” [South American countries are] emptying out their prisons and their mental institutions into the United States ” or similar ones over 560 times during his most recent re-election campaign (Marshall Project 2024). Dr. Castañeda explains how these repeated claims are what perpetuate stereotypes such as Latinos are ‘dangerous criminals, ‘ invading the country, and ‘using up public resources. ’ When average Americans, with little knowledge or exposure to immigrants, hear these statements repeatedly, they will inevitably begin to accept them as facts. However, long-term empirical studies show us otherwise. Research analyzed by the Journal of Criminology over the span of 24 years showed that no evidence exists that links undocumented immigrants to the number of violent crimes in the country. Not only this, but this study found that increases in the immigrant population within the states correspond to decreases in the prevalence of violence and crime (Light & Miller, 2018). 

According to Castañeda, current narratives fail to take into account that the vast majority of Latino immigrants come to America to ‘study, work, contribute to science, to work in hospitals, to get married, and that is rarely part of the story’. Furthermore, as he explains both in his book Immigration Realities and in our interview, immigrants actually rely on public assistance at lower rates than U.S. citizens, and this is true even for their U.S born children. They also play an essential role in keeping the economy and population growing. Immigrants contribute to scientific progress, cultural creativity, and the continuation and spread of American ideas and culture. Any evolving society needs new people to sustain itself, and throughout history, immigrants have taken on that role in the United States. 

While these negative narratives dominate the national conversation, their most immediate impact becomes visible in places like DC, where families must confront fear and instability while navigating their day to day lives. The Shrine of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic Church, which is just a short bus ride from the White House, has long served as a place of worship for the Catholic Latin American community in DC. However, in the last several months, it has become a hub for ICE attacks this October. The Associated Press reports that over 40 members of the parish have been recently deported as churchgoers are ‘fearful to leave their homes, get food, medical care or attend Mass’. The Archdiocese of Washington describes these mass deportations as “instruments of terror” for the Latino community of DC. The climate in the city remains especially volatile for mixed status families, who must live with the fear that their loved one will be detained while doing their daily tasks. This became a reality for one member of the Sacred Heart Church whose husband was detained by ICE while selling fruits and vegetables at the family owned fruit stand. She says, “ It’s been a very difficult, bitter month of crying and suffering…our lives changed forever one day to the next” (Associated Press, 2025) 

Stories like these are not limited to Sacred Heart but are a reflection of the unique set of challenges that mixed-status families face in DC and across the nation. These effects are already being felt in DC high schools and universities, where Dr. Castañeda notes the current political environment is having consequences on youth in these mixed status families. He states, “Youth are afraid for themselves and are afraid for their families, for their friends, for the communities…that makes it harder to focus on school, we see that in the universities, we see that with colleagues, we see that with staff members who have undocumented family members”. A 2024 study published by the Journal of Latinx Psychology followed a sample of youth who are US citizens but lived in mixed status families. They discovered that exposure to current violent immigration enforcement, such as witnessing a parent or loved one deported, significantly increases severe anxiety, fear, and depression among the sampled youth. These psychological effects extended beyond the immediate family members, as the trauma was felt even when enforcement actions targeted people in their community rather than someone directly inside the home. Their study also confirmed that anti-immigration stigma quickly becomes internalized, as adolescents in the study reported feeling ashamed of their background, immigrant family, and language (Lieberman et al., 2024). 

These effects could be expected to be felt especially strongly in DC due to the high prevalence of Latino youth immigrants who arrived a decade prior. Beginning in 2014, DC saw a large surge in unaccompanied youth, between the ages of 13-18, who came to America to unite with their parents, grandparents, or extended families. Castañeda explains that since this group of youth has reached a legal adult age, ICE agents might be ‘looking for an excuse to deport them’. As ICE revisits these old cases of unaccompanied minors, they are also using this as an opportunity to track down their immediate and extended families as well as their sponsors. Subsequently, the result is a painful cycle in which youth who once struggled to reunite with their family, once torn apart by borders, must now live in psychological torment and fear of losing each other once more. Current immigration enforcement practices are undoubtedly a form of psychological violence that produces hypervigilance, fear, and depression, and will cause long term trauma in immigrant communities. 

Looking ahead, it is clear that America is in dire need of immigration reform, one that is based on facts, research, and empirical evidence, rather than stereotypes. However, Castaneda notes that the general public is not to blame, as one cannot expect regular Americans to understand topics as complex as immigration law. Rather, this responsibility falls on our lawmakers who must put aside partisanship and focus on creating solutions that maintain the dignity of immigrants, while addressing the realities of the current day border.  

Castañeda explains the best form of immigration reform would be what he calls “generous amnesty”, or a broad pathway to legalization. Individuals and families who have been living in America for an extended period of time and have built entirely new lives must be given a path to citizenship. This is both a moral imperative but also it is a sentiment that, according to him, is largely supported by most Americans on both sides of the aisle. Recent Gallup polls confirm this fact, as 64% of Republicans and 91% of Democrats classify immigration as a positive (Gallup, 2025). A generous amnesty does not mean an open borders concept. Rather, it is a way to create legal paths to citizenship, so that migrants have other options rather than resorting to crossing the border. It is only natural that individuals and families desperate for survival will resort to the only option available to them.  

Second, the US is becoming an aging nation with a retiring workforce and a declining birth rate. With the declining population and lowered birth rates, many key industries, such as agriculture, are having projected worker shortages, unable to meet the labor demands. The Economic Policy Institute finds that “Achieving historically ‘normal’ GDP growth rates will be impossible, unless immigration flows are sustained” (Bivens 2025). Employment based immigration is one way through which the government can offset this issue. Granting a greater number of H-1B and H-2B visas can help balance these effects by bringing in younger and eager individuals who are ready to work in these essential positions. 

In conclusion, data, decades of research, the realities in DC, and Dr. Castañeda’s expertise make one point unmistakably clear. The narratives that dominate our national conversation about immigration are misinformed, outdated, and harmful to those who live with its consequences daily. The political rhetoric from our nation’s leaders creates instability, fear, and psychological trauma in immigrants while simultaneously distorting the public’s perception of the issue. Research continues to show that immigrants make America stronger, enriching society, unifying communities, and bettering the economy. Dr. Castañeda’s work reminds us that looking ahead, we must demand from our lawmakers a change that is rooted in the recognition of these principles and the creation of dignified paths to citizenship.  

As I reflect on my childhood and the little girl I was when I first arrived in America, I see no difference between myself and another little girl today arriving from El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras, Cuba, or Guatemala. We all carried the same fears of an unfamiliar place, the same uncertainty, the same dreams of a brighter, better future in this country. The only difference between the treatments we received was the country we came from and the political implications that country brought with it. It is time that we begin to approach immigration with greater empathy, remembering that we ourselves, or our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, once stood in these very same shoes. Latino immigrants have positively shaped this nation from the beginning of its history, and they continue to do so today. These facts are unmistakable, the human suffering is devastating, and the need for humane immigration reform has long been overdue. 

Maria Muradyan is a senior at UCLA studying Political Science with a strong interest in American politics and public policy. She participated in UCLA’s UCDC program in Washington, DC. Her interests include immigration policy and community advocacy, with a particular emphasis on how political institutions and policy frameworks shape social and economic outcomes. Through her research and writing, Maria aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of contemporary policy debates and their real-world implications. 

References 

Castañeda, Ernesto (2025, November 21st), Personal Interview on Immigration. 

Geiger, A. (2025, August 21). What the data says about immigrants in the U.S. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/08/21/key-findings-about-us-immigrants/  

Immigrants in the District of Columbia – American Immigration Council. (2025). American Immigration Council. https://map.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/locations/district-of-columbia/?utm_source=chatgpt.com  

The Marshall Project. (2024, October 21). Fact-checking Over 12,000 of Donald Trump’s Statements About Immigration. The Marshall Project. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/10/21/fact-check-12000-trump-statements-immigrants 

Light, M., & Miller, T. (2018). Does Undocumented Immigration Increase Violent Crime? Criminology, 56(2), 370–401. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.12175  

Henao, L. A., & Stanley, T. (2025, October 27). Immigration crackdown sows fear among Catholic church community in US capital. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/immigration-crackdown-catholic-church-washington-874e6deca9e54a4e14081c63adca7718  

Jamile Tellez Lieberman, Dsouza, N., Valdez, C. R., Pintor, J. K., Weisz, P., Carroll-Scott, A., & Martinez-Donate, A. P. (2024). Interior immigration enforcement experiences, perceived discrimination, and mental health of U.S.-citizen adolescents with Mexican immigrant parents. Journal of Latinx Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000263  

Saad, L. (2025, July 11). Surge in U.S. Concern About Immigration Has Abated. Gallup.com; Gallup. https://news.gallup.com/poll/692522/surge-concern-immigration-abated.aspx  

The U.S.-born labor force will shrink over the next decade: Achieving historically “normal” GDP growth rates will be impossible unless immigration flows are sustained. (2025). Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/the-u-s-born-labor-force-will-shrink-over-the-next-decade-achieving-historically-normal-gdp-growth-rates-will-be-impossible-unless-immigration-flows-are-sustained/?utm_source  

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