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☆ Newly released photos capture British commandos and American forces hunting down a narco-sub carrying $209 million of cocaine in the Caribbean
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewBritish and American forces recently intercepted a drug-smuggling narco-sub carrying millions of dollars worth of Cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. Military photos show the bust, which was the first time the Royal Navy had ever intercepted a narco-sub. The Trent team has seized over 20,000 pounds of drugs in the past eight months, valued at almost $1 billion. AdvertisementThe Trent team is now the best hunter of smugglers in the Royal Navy this century. Related storiesAfter the Royal Navy and US Coast Guard retrieved the drugs, they brought them aboard for inspection.

Persons: —, HMS, clambered, Tim Langford, HMS Trent's, Simon Doran, Kevin Ray J, Salvador Organizations: Service, American, Royal Navy, Business, US Coast Guard personnel, American Coast Guard, Royal Marine commandos, Trent, Royal, USCG, US Coast Guard, US Marine Corps, Marine Corps, Corps, . Marine Corps Locations: Caribbean, HMS Trent, Dominican Republic

☆ General says the Marine Corps 'stole' the narco-sub idea from drug runners to move missiles and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-05 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Marine Corps has a new unmanned, semisubmersible vessel to transport supplies and weapons. The general said the design is "just a narco-boat," an idea stolen from drug smugglers. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe Marine Corps got its inspiration for a new unmanned, semisubmersible vessel from narco-submarines used to transport drugs, a general said. The vessel is intended to transport equipment, weapons, and supplies to forward-deployed Marines, helping to make US forces more maneuverable and flexible.

Persons: —, Simon Doran Organizations: Marine Corps, Service, Corps, Business Locations: narco

It sounded like a story ripped from a narco thriller: One of the biggest drug lords in Mexico was lured onto an airplane, flown across the border and presented to American federal agents by the son of his former partner in crime. As improbable as it may seem, that is exactly what appears to have happened on Thursday evening, when a Beechcraft King Air turboprop landed at a small municipal airport outside El Paso, and off stepped one of the most wanted men in Mexico: Ismael Zambada García, a founder of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel. Mr. Zambada García, known as El Mayo, had for decades evaded capture by both Mexican and American officials, living a life of luxurious simplicity in the mountains of Sinaloa — despite the $15 million U.S. bounty on his head. But in the end, U.S. officials said, he was betrayed by an unlikely foe: a son of his closest criminal ally, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the infamous drug lord known as El Chapo, who is now serving a life sentence in an American federal prison.

Persons: Ismael Zambada García, Zambada García, Sinaloa —, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, El Chapo Organizations: Beechcraft King Air Locations: Mexico, El Paso, Sinaloa, El Mayo, U.S

☆ Former Honduran president sentenced to 45 years in prison on drug trafficking charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been sentenced to 45 years in prison and given an $8 million fine by a US judge for drug trafficking offenses. He has previously denied the charges against him and at his sentencing on Wednesday insisted that he is innocent and was “wrongly and unjustly accused.”In March, a jury in New York found Hernandez guilty on three drug trafficking charges after a two-week trial in Manhattan federal court. He was extradited from Honduras after the US Department of Justice filed three drug-trafficking and firearms related charges against him in 2022. In exchange, prosecutors said, Hernández received millions of dollars in bribes that he used to fuel his rise in Honduran politics. Hernández was president of Honduras from 2014 until 2022.

Persons: Juan Orlando Hernandez, ”, Hernandez, Prosecutors, Hernández, extraditions, “, ” Prosecutors, General Merrick Garland, Hernández “ Organizations: CNN — Former Honduran, US Department of Justice, Justice Department, ”, Honduran National Police Locations: New York, Manhattan, Honduras, United States

☆ Mexico's drug cartels and gangs appear to be playing a wider role in Sunday’s elections than before
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mexico's drug cartels and gangs appear to be playing a wider role than before in Sunday's elections that will determine the presidency, nine governorships and about 19,000 mayorships and other local posts. The country's powerful drug cartels have long staged targeted assassinations of mayoral and other local candidates who threaten their control. Security analyst David Saucedo says it's likely some drug gangs will try to force voters to cast ballots for their favored candidates. "It it is reasonable to assume that the cartels will mobilize their support bases during Sunday's elections," Saucedo said. While they did not say who was behind the attack, the town is completely dominated by two warring drug cartels, Jalisco and Sinaloa.

Persons: David Saucedo, it's, Saucedo, Guerrero, Angélica Chávez, Chávez Organizations: Michoacan Civil Guard Locations: Michoacan, Morelia, Mexico, Chicomuselo, Chiapas, Jalisco, Sinaloa, La Concordia, Cotija

☆ ‘Narco-deforestation’ and the future of the Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Manuela Andreoni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There’s a struggle for law and order in many of the world’s tropical forests, and nature is losing. Last week, I wrote about the major progress Colombia made in 2023, slashing deforestation rates by 49 percent in a single year. But this week, we learned the trend reversed significantly in the first quarter of this year. Mostly because a single armed group controls much of Colombia’s rainforests. had largely banned deforestation and in recent months it seems to have allowed it again.

Persons: There’s, Susana Muhamad, ” Organizations: Colombia’s, Environment, Estado Mayor Central, United Locations: Colombia, United Nations

☆ Ecuadorians wanted an action man. President Noboa has fulfilled that role — embassy raid included
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The President of the Republic of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, during the Spain-Ecuador business meeting at the headquarters of the CEOE, on 25 January, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. "President Noboa has given a strong message to the nation," said Carlos Galecio, a political communications consultant and coordinator of the communications program at Ecuador's Casa Grande University. "I am in favor of President Noboa's actions. "The priority is to clean, sanitize, continue with a process as important as President Noboa's to put the house in order." "The United States takes very seriously the obligation of host countries under international law to respect diplomatic missions," said Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Daniel Noboa's, Ecuadorians, Noboa, Carlos Galecio, Rafael Correa, Nayib Bukele, Cedatos, Jorge Glas, Glas, Noboa's, Gabriela Sandoval, Roberto Aspiazu, Will Freeman, Freeman, Brian Nichols Organizations: Ecuadorian, Associated Press, Casa Grande University, Statistics, Police, Vienna Convention, America's Pacific Alliance, Foreign Relations, Mexico's, Jalisco New Generation, United, Western Hemisphere Locations: Republic of Ecuador, Spain, Ecuador, Madrid, Belgium, El Salvador, Quito, Vienna, Mexico, The Hague, Noboa, York, Latin America, Colombia, Peru, Mexico's Sinaloa, Jalisco, U.S, United States

☆ Ecuador’s former vice president hospitalized days after arrest in Mexican embassy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Marlon Sorto | Mitchell Mccluskey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Ecuador’s former vice president Jorge Glas has been hospitalized, days after his arrest during a high-profile raid of the Mexican embassy in Quito. Glas was taken a hospital in Guayaquil after falling ill, the country’s national prison agency SNAI said Monday. He became ill after he refused to eat food provided to him while in detention, the agency also said. The news came as Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa on Monday defended the controversial police raid on Friday that led to Glas’s arrest. Glas, who has previously been convicted twice on corruption charges, served under leftist ex-President Rafael Correa between 2013 and 2017.

Persons: CNN — Ecuador’s, Jorge Glas, Glas, SNAI, Daniel Noboa, Rafael Correa, ”, Noboa, “, ” Noboa, Argentina –, António Guterres Organizations: CNN, Ministry of Public Health, Naval Hospital of, International Court of Justice, Twitter, Brazil, Vienna Convention, Diplomatic Relations, United Nations Locations: Mexican, Quito, Guayaquil, Naval Hospital of Guayaquil, Mexico, Ecuador, Argentina, Nicaragua, Vienna

☆ Former Honduran president found guilty in drug trafficking trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Ana Melgar | David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández was found guilty Friday of drug trafficking by an American jury after a two-week trial in Manhattan federal court. Prosecutors had accused Hernández, 55, of conspiring with drug cartels during his tenure as they moved more than 400 tons of cocaine through Honduras toward the United States. In exchange, prosecutors said, Hernández received millions of dollars in bribes that he used to fuel his rise in Honduran politics. Hernández was president of Honduras from 2014 until 2022. He was extradited to the United States in 2022 after the completion of his second term in office on charges of conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, conspiracy to possess firearms and destructive devices for drug trafficking, and possession of this type of weapon during the drug trafficking conspiracy.

Persons: Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández, Prosecutors, Hernández, ” Prosecutors, “ He’s, ” Raymond Colon, “, ”, Hernandez “, General Merrick Garland, Hernández “ Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, ”, Honduran National Police Locations: Honduras, Manhattan, United States

☆ EE. UU. indagó acusaciones de vínculos del narco con aliados del presidente de México
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Alan Feuer | Natalie Kitroeff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Ex-Honduras president worked hand in hand with violent traffickers to transport 'massive amounts of cocaine' into the US: prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Noah Hurowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementFormer Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández worked "hand in hand" with violent drug traffickers to send massive loads of cocaine into the United States, a federal prosecutor said on Wednesday in his opening statements at the high-profile New York trial of the fallen political leader. As the trial on drug and weapons charges kicked off, Hernández sat in the courtroom wearing a black suit. AdvertisementHernández's defense attorney, Renato Stabile, told the jury in his opening statements that Hernández "does not sit down with drug traffickers." Advertisement"There's gonna be a lot of talk at this trial, but not a lot of concrete evidence," Stabile continued. Speaking in Spanish through an interpreter, Josè Sànchez told jurors of 2013 meetings between Hernández and convicted drug trafficker Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez at the office of the company where Sànchez worked.

Persons: Juan Orlando Hernández, David Robles, Hernández, Joaquín, Moises Castillo, Robles, Renato Stabile, Stabile, they've, San Pedro Sula, Josè Sànchez, Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, Sànchez, Mr, they're Organizations: Prosecutors, Former Honduran, AP Locations: Honduran, United States, Manhattan, Honduras, America, Mexican, San Pedro

☆ Ex-Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernández, former US ally, to stand trial in NY for alleged cocaine smuggling empire
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Noah Hurowitz | Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández will stand trial in New York on drug trafficking charges. Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández in 2020. Juan Orlando Hernández, center in chains, is shown to the press at the Police Headquarters in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. In this courtroom sketch, Juan Orlando Hernández, center, speaks into a microphone while pleading not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges in 2022. Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández, the brother of Juan Orlando Hernández.

Persons: Juan Orlando Hernández, Hernández, —, Joaquín, Moises Castillo, Hernández's, James D, it's, Elmer Martinez, Hernández —, Juan Carlos Bonilla, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, " Pineda, Bonilla, Pineda, Juan Antonio, Tony, Tony Hernández, Tony Hernández's, El Chapo, ledgers, Elizabeth Williams Hernández's, Pamela Ruíz, Rúiz, Cachiros, Hondurans, Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, Alex Ardon, Fernando Antonio, Juan Orlando Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, AP, Embassy, of, Police, Honduran National Police, Central, International, Business, National Party, Sinaloa Cartel, Honduran Locations: Honduran, New York, Honduras, United States, America, Mexican, Manhattan, Tegucigalpa, Hernández, Southern, of New York, Washington, Brooklyn, Tigre, Miami, Colombia, El, Central America, El Paraiso, Guatemala, Sinaloa

☆ Ecuador’s drug kingpin José Adolfo ‘Fito’ Macías lived ‘like a king’ while locked up. His jailbreak shines a light on the country’s lawless prisons
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Tara John | David Culver | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Macías’ prison cell is seen in these videos filmed by members of the military last year. Los Choneros and their main rival, Los Lobos, are believed to be allied with Mexican drug cartels in a war for dominance over Ecuador’s drug trade. Los Lobos saw an opening amid a violent power struggle in Los Choneros when Macías became its leader in 2020, say experts. In a music video shared online last year, the Los Choneros leader can be seen petting a rooster, apparently inside Guayaquil prison complex. But the press secretary of Ecuador’s president reckons the Los Choneros leader was told about an impending prison transfer.

Persons: José Adolfo Macías, Adolfo Macias, Fito, ”, Pablo Escobar, Macías, ” Jean Paul Pinto, Glaeldys, Julio Cesar Ballesteros, SNAI, Lenín Moreno, Ballesteros, Diana Salazar, “, ” Jeremy McDermott, it’s, Choneros, González, Mariachi Bravo, Macías ’, Michelle, Bravo, Fito ’, Daniel Noboa, Noboa, Patricia Bullrich, reckons, ” Roberto Izurieta, jailbreak, Fabricio Colón Pico, Ecuador’s Organizations: CNN, Ecuadorean, Forces, Ecuadorean Armed Forces, AFP, roosters, Prisons, Crisis, Los, Los Lobos, US Treasury Department, Ecuavisa, Marriott, Argentina’s, Argentine, Teleamazonas, Police Locations: La Regional, Colombian, Latin America, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Colombia, SNAI, America, Americas, Los Lobos, Mexican, Choneros, Guayaquil, Guayaquil –, Argentine, Córdoba, Argentina, CNN Ecuador

On Tuesday, nearly two years after he was extradited to the United States, he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in a federal court in New York. By pleading guilty to a single drug trafficking charge, Bonilla avoided a trial scheduled to begin Monday and likely a much longer sentence. U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel confirmed Wednesday that Hernández’s trial would begin Monday. Hernández was extradited to the U.S. in April 2022, just three months after leaving office, and faces drug trafficking and weapons charges. Hernández’s rise to lead Honduras’ congress and then to run for president was fueled in part by drug money, prosecutors allege.

Persons: Juan Carlos Bonilla, El, ”, Bonilla, Juan Orlando Hernández, Kevin Castel, Mauricio Hernández Pineda, Hernández’s, Marlon Duarte, Duarte, Hernández, General Merrick Garland, Hernández “, ” Bonilla, Porfirio Lobo Organizations: National Police, District, U.S . U.S, U.S, Prosecutors Locations: TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, El Tigre, United States, New York, U.S, Honduran, Manhattan

“It is necessary to conduct this operation unilaterally and without notifying Venezuelan officials,” reads the 15-page 2018 memo expanding “Operation Money Badger,” an investigation that authorities say targeted dozens of people, including Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Within weeks, senior DEA officials plotted to deploy at least three undercover informants to surreptitiously record top officials suspected of converting Venezuela into a narco state. And “to limit or mitigate the exposure of the unilateral activities,” the document advised DEA officials to protect their informants and curtail in-person meetings with targets. I think they figured they had nothing to lose.”RELEASED BY ACCIDENTThe Operation Money Badger memo was never intended to be made public. The DEA memo authorized three informants to secretly record undercover meetings with the targets.

Persons: –, ”, Nicolás Maduro, Maduro’s, Alex Saab, Wes Tabor, “ We’re, Maduro, “, Biden, ” Maduro, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Joe Biden, ” —, Evan Criddle, William & Mary, there’s, Mike Vigil, Manny Recio, John Costanzo Jr, Costanzo, ” Michael Nadler, Washington –, launderer, Jose Vielma, Hugo Chávez, Vielma’s, Luis Motta, Vielma, Motta, Motta’s, Zach Margulis, Hugo Carvajal, Jennifer Farrar Organizations: MIAMI, The Associated Press, U.S . Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, Justice, AP, CIA, State, Justice Department, U.S, Attorney’s, Democratic, Supreme, William &, Saab, Miami Field Division’s, IRS Locations: Venezuela, United States, U.S, America, Venezuelan, Miami, Manhattan, Russia, China, OPEC, Mexico, Virginia, “, Colombian, New York, Houston, Washington, Investigative@ap.org

MIAMI (AP) — It was a plan the United States knew from the start would arguably violate international law. Here are some of the takeaways from the AP's exclusive report on the secret memo:Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesWHAT DOES THE MEMO REVEAL? The 15-page memo spells out a secret DEA plan directing confidential informants to record Venezuelan officials suspected of converting the South American country into a narco state. “It is necessary to conduct this operation unilaterally and without notifying Venezuelan officials,” officials wrote in the memo. None of the indictments of Venezuelan officials before or after the 2018 memo made any mention of U.S. spying.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, ”, Wes Tabor, Jose Vielma, Hugo Chávez, ” Michael Nadler, Maduro’s, Alex Saab, Maduro, “, Biden, Evan Criddle, William & Mary Organizations: MIAMI, Associated Press, U.S . Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, IRS, U.S, Attorney’s, Justice Department, CIA, Supreme, William & Locations: United States, Venezuela, U.S, Manhattan, Miami, VENEZUELA, Latin America, Virginia, Investigative@ap.org

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador immediately interpreted the reports as a U.S. attack on his government and his Morena party before Mexico’s June 2 presidential election. The stories described testimony by traffickers that they passed about $2 million to confidants of López Obrador in 2006, when he narrowly lost the race for president. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“It is completely false, it's slander,” López Obrador said Wednesday at his daily media briefing. López Obrador is notoriously touchy about anything that tarnishes his own moral authority or reputation, upon which his entire party rests. Campaign operators linked to López Obrador have been caught on video several times receiving large sums of cash, but with no proof he knew about it.

Persons: —, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Salvador, López Obrador, ” López Obrador, “, ” “ It's, Mike Vigil, “ It's, ” Vigil, Cienfuegos, Vigil, Claudia Sheinbaum, López Obrador's, Mexico's, Beltran Leyva, didn't, Guadalupe Correa, Cabrera, ”, Correa, “ That's, Manuel López Obrador, Mexico’s Organizations: MEXICO CITY, ., Mexico’s, . Drug, Administration, López, ProPublica, Deutsche Welle, George Mason University, U.S, Republicans, Republican, DEA, Cienfuegos ’, United Locations: MEXICO, U.S, Mexico, Mexican, Salvador Cienfuegos, Cienfuegos, United States, López Obrador's Morena, ‘ Mexico, Los Angeles

☆ 'I Think It's the Fentanyl': Philippines' Marcos Hits Back at Predecessor Duterte
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. struck back on Monday at his firebrand predecessor Rodrigo Duterte who called him a "drug addict", saying the former leader's fentanyl use could have affected his judgment. "I think it's the fentanyl," Marcos told reporters shortly before leaving for Vietnam in response to claims made by Duterte on Sunday while speaking at a rally in his hometown Davao against moves to amend the country's constitution. In 2016, Duterte admitted he used to take the highly addictive synthetic opioid fentanyl for pain relief after a motorcyle accident. Former president Duterte has earned international rebuke for unleashing a brutal campaign against illegal drugs when he assumed power in 2016, killing more 6,000 dealers whom police said resisted arrest during anti-drug operations. The International Criminal Court has allowed an investigation into the killings to resume, but Marcos said his government will not cooperate.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos, Duterte, Mikhail Flores, Michael Perry Organizations: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Locations: MANILA, Philippine, Vietnam, Davao

☆ ‘Nothing is moving:’ Families’ anger grows in Israel as hostages mark 100 days in Hamas captivity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

A hostage release deal agreed between Israel and Hamas in late November ended after six days, with more than 100 freed. Others are angry at what they see as a failure by the Red Cross to help them. Cohen accused the Red Cross of failing in its mission to protect civilians. He was also critical of the Red Cross, which he accused of failing in its mission to protect civilians. “The countries that support the Red Cross should turn off the tap and tell them there’s no more money,” he said Monday.

Persons: There’s, It’s, ” Naama Weinberg, Itai Svirsky, Be’eri, ” Weinberg, “, Itai, Orit, Rafi – Itai’s, Aviva Sela, Grace Cabrera, Weinberg, Dror Weinberg Almog, ”, Saleh, Lianne Kolirin, Svirsky’s, Israel’s, Yahya Sinwar, they’ll, Shai Wenkert, Omer, Ilia Yefimovich, Wenkert, Echoing Weinberg, Benjamin Netanyahu, Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters Wenkert, Cross, “ Omer, Kfir Bibas, Bresler, Noa Argamani, ” Bresler, ” Moshe Cohen, Cohen, ’, Moshe Cohen, Argamani, She’s Organizations: CNN, Aviva, IDF, Hamas, Nova, Forum, Reuters, International Committee, Hostage, Nvidia, Ministry of Health, ICRC Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv’s, Lebanon, Arouri, Gaza, Tel Aviv's, Bresler, South America, Mexico, Geneva, Switzerland

☆ All prison staff held hostage by inmates in Ecuador now free, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —All prison guards and administrative employees held hostage by inmates at correctional facilities across Ecuador have now been freed, the national prisons agency said Saturday night. Earlier on Saturday it had said 133 guards and three administrative employees were still being held after at least 41 were released. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa welcomed the news and congratulated SNAI, the armed forces and the national police for securing their release. The agency had also reported an armed confrontation at a prison in the southern region of El Oro between inmates and members of the armed forces and the National Police. More than 3,000 police officers and members of the armed forces have been deployed to find him.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, SNAI, Jorge Rendon, ”, Rafael Correa, Adolfo “ Fito, Oliver, Fito, Fernando Villavicencio, Rodrigo Buendia, Villavicencio Organizations: CNN, Ecuadorian, National Police, Catholic, Security, Authorities, Getty Locations: Ecuador, Esmeraldas, El Oro, ”, Peru, Colombia, Guayaquil, Fito, Mexico, United States, Sinaloa, AFP, Quito

☆ Ecuador’s Attorney General Took on Drug Gangs. Then Chaos Broke Out.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Annie Correal | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just weeks before Ecuador descended into chaos, with prison riots, two escaped criminal kingpins and the brief siege of a television station, the country’s top prosecutor launched a major operation aimed at rooting out narco-corruption at the highest levels of government. The investigation, called “Caso Metastasis,” led to raids across Ecuador and more than 30 arrests. They had been implicated by text chats and call logs retrieved from cellphones belonging to the drug trafficker, who was murdered while imprisoned. When the attorney general, Diana Salazar, announced the charges last month, she said the investigation had revealed the spread of criminal groups through Ecuador’s institutions. She also warned of a possible “escalation in violence” in the days to come, and said that the executive branch had been put on alert.

Persons: kingpins, Caso, ”, Diana Salazar Locations: Ecuador

Instead, they addressed terrorism and the Middle East conflict as well as domestic issues such as Social Security and abortion. On foreign policy, Haley offered an unapologetic and determined vision, saying America needs to stand by its ally Israel and support Ukraine. On Social Security, both Haley and Christie said the retirement age needed to be raised for younger workers, though neither would state a specific age. Christie also called for means-testing, saying rich people did not need Social Security as a safety net. "As governor of Florida, I know a few people on Social Security," DeSantis quipped.

Persons: Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, Sen, Tim Scott of, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ramaswamy, Haley, winnowed, Israel, Putin, Scott, DeSantis, Joe Biden, Christie, Trump, Ronna McDaniel, Dick Cheney, we've Organizations: GOP, Social Security, Former South Carolina Gov, Florida Gov, Former New Jersey Gov, Trump, Miami, Ukraine, Capitol, Senate, Republican Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Former, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Ramaswamy, America, New Jersey, Virginia , Kentucky, Ohio, Florida

☆ Ecuador presidential rivals agree tough stance on crime, differ on economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Alexandra Valencia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Leftist Luisa Gonzalez, a lawyer and protege of former president Rafael Correa and young businessman Daniel Noboa will compete in a run-off vote on Oct. 15. Gonzalez won the first round with almost 34% of the votes while Noboa took a surprise second place. Both candidates promised in Sunday's debate to get tough on organized crime gangs, to strengthen the security forces and to seek international help to tackle spiraling insecurity. Gonzalez pledged to boost oil production and reiterated plans to inject $2.5 billion of international reserves into the economy. However, he also clarified that a previous proposal to use $1.5 billion of international reserves was for worst-case scenarios only.

Persons: Luisa Gonzalez, Daniel Noboa, Karen Toro, Rafael Correa, Gonzalez, Noboa, Guillermo Lasso, Alexandra Valencia, Oliver Griffin Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, El, Thomson Locations: Quito, Ecuador, Rights QUITO

☆ Ecuador Presidential Rivals Agree Tough Stance on Crime, Differ on Economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Gonzalez won the first round with almost 34% of the votes while Noboa took a surprise second place. Outgoing President Guillermo Lasso called early elections in May when he dissolved the legislature to avoid an impeachment process. Both candidates promised in Sunday's debate to get tough on organized crime gangs, to strengthen the security forces and to seek international help to tackle spiraling insecurity. Gonzalez pledged to boost oil production and reiterated plans to inject $2.5 billion of international reserves into the economy. However, he also clarified that a previous proposal to use $1.5 billion of international reserves was for worst-case scenarios only.

Persons: Alexandra Valencia, Luisa Gonzalez, Rafael Correa, Daniel Noboa, Gonzalez, Noboa, Guillermo Lasso, Oliver Griffin Organizations: Alexandra Valencia QUITO, El

☆ Syria’s drug problem casts shadow over Assad’s rehabilitation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Jordan was one of the biggest proponents of its rehabilitation, being one of the main victims of Syria’s drug trade, but it feels now that the regime is either unwilling or unable to clamp down on the trade. He blamed the lack of progress on normalization with Arab nations on the incompetence of Arab politics. Gulf states and Jordan routinely report drug busts, with massive amounts of the drug found in everything from building panels to baklava shipments. Assad may not have found a powerful enough incentive to give up his lucrative drug trade. Arab states may now find themselves backed into a corner.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, Ayman al, Assad’s, Jordan, “ Jordan, “ Bashar, al, Jordan …, disgruntlement, Hossam Zaki, “, ” Zaki, Emile Hokayem, it’s, ” Hokayem, isn’t, ”, he’d, ” Hellyer, Safadi Organizations: CNN, Jordanian, Arab League, Al, Awsat, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Sky News, Hellyer, Carnegie Endowment, International, United Arab Locations: Syrian, Syria, Jordan, Captagon, Saudi, Damascus, London, United Arab Emirates

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