Valerie Love from Canada took our photo of the day: "Flying Over the Island", above Granma, Cuba.

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Bogotá, Colombia – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has demanded that United States authorities provide evidence for their claims that several senior politicians have ties to drug cartels.

Yesterday, the U.S. Justice Department indicted Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha, Senator Enrique Inzunza, and eight other current and former officials for drug trafficking and weapons offenses.

Sheinbaum said that without proof, the charges would be treated as politically motivated, marking the latest flashpoint in tense relations between the two neighbors. 

“If there isn’t clear evidence, it ⁠is obvious that the objective of these indictments by the Department of Justice is political,” said Sheinbaum at a press conference this morning.

Her statement came a day after the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced the indictments against the ten officials from Sinaloa.

In addition to the governor and senator, justice officials charged Sinaloa’s deputy attorney general, several former police officials, and the current Mayor of Culiacán – the state capital. 

“These politicians and law enforcement officials have abused their ​authority in ⁠support of the cartel, exposed and subjected victims to threats and violence, and sold out their offices in exchange for massive bribes,” read the indictment.

Rocha was charged with narcotics importation conspiracy and weapons possession, which carry a minimum sentence of 40 years and up to life in prison.

In the indictment, authorities accused the governor of receiving help from a faction of the Sinaloa cartel in his 2021 election campaign.

They alleged that “Los Chapitos”, a group run by the sons of jailed kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, had kidnapped and threatened Rocha’s political rivals in exchange for guarantees of impunity.

But Rocha denied the charges, writing on X, “They lack any truth or foundation whatsoever.”

Both the governor and Senator Inzunza are members of Sheinbaum’s ruling Morena party, threatening to embarrass the president as she leads a crackdown on organized crime. 

In February, authorities killed “El Mencho”, the head of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), in an operation with U.S. intelligence assistance. Last week, they took out a possible successor to lead the CJNG, alias “El Jardinero”. 

The Mexican government’s offensive comes amid U.S. pressure to deliver results on drug trafficking as the Donald Trump administration takes a renewed interest in tackling hemispheric organized crime.

During his election campaign, Trump pledged to stop the flow of illegal drugs, primarily Fentanyl, which contributed to the nearly 80,000 deaths from overdose in the U.S. in 2024.

In addition to pressuring regional governments to take firmer action against organized crime, Washington has overseen a boat bombing campaign in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific aimed at stopping drug trafficking.

But drug experts note that the use of military force has failed to stem the illegal narcotics trade during the decades-long U.S.-led ‘war on drugs’.

Featured image description: Claudia Sheinbaum pictured at her desk on April 30, 2026.

Featured image credit: @Claudiashein via X.

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“The repeated use of water as a weapon by Israel is not an isolated act, but part of a recurring, systematic, and cumulative pattern.”

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January 3 is a date that marks a before… and a still. Yes, it is supposed to mark a before and an after, but the still prevails in Venezuela.

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For the second consecutive year, Nicaragua is the Latin American country with the worst score in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index.

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Key Points —A bilateral Brazil-Argentina report confirms Vaca Muerta gas can meet Southern Cone demand for over 50 years at competitive production costs. —Brazil’s Energy Ministry proposes a $1.6 billion, 593-km pipeline from Uruguayana to Porto Alegre to carry Argentine gas. —Argentine gas at $5-5.50/MMBTU competes against $16-17 in Brazilian industry, creating a massive price […]

The post Vaca Muerta Can Supply Southern Cone Gas for 50 Years, Brazil Says appeared first on The Rio Times.

Key Points —The Venezuela BP gas deal covers the Cocuina-Manakin cross-border field with Trinidad and the offshore Loran gas field on the Deltana Platform. —BP will open a permanent office in Caracas. Shell has also expressed interest in the Loran project. —BP joins Eni and Repsol in signing exploration agreements with the Rodríguez government since […]

The post BP Signs Offshore Gas Deal With Venezuela in Post-Maduro Push appeared first on The Rio Times.

Key Points —President Santiago Peña will visit Taiwan in May in his second trip as president, reinforcing Paraguay Taiwan diplomatic ties. —Paraguay is one of only 12 countries worldwide — and the only one in South America — that maintains formal diplomatic relations with Taipei. —The visit comes amid sustained Chinese pressure on Taiwan’s remaining […]

The post Paraguay’s Peña to Visit Taiwan in May, Defying Chinese Pressure appeared first on The Rio Times.

Key Points —Sheinbaum approval dropped to 51% in April, three points below March and at least 15 points below a year ago, per Bloomberg-AtlasIntel. —Corruption (59%), crime (39%), and inflation (31%) are voters’ top three concerns. Nearly half rate the economy as bad. —The drop coincides with a GDP contraction, the Rocha narco indictment, and […]

The post Corruption Fears Drive Sheinbaum Approval to All-Time Low  appeared first on The Rio Times.

Key Points —Decree 302/2026 applies a partial 0.5% Argentina fuel tax increase from May 1, while deferring the full backlog of 2024-2025 adjustments to June. —The government froze fuel taxes entirely in April after Brent surged past $120 due to the Hormuz crisis, causing a 23% pump price spike in March. —Repeated deferrals since 2024 […]

The post Argentina Resumes Fuel Tax Increases After April War Freeze appeared first on The Rio Times.