标签： South America

A catastrophic power failure left millions of Cubans without electricity on Wednesday, marking one of the most severe blackouts in recent history as the nation grapples with an escalating energy crisis. The outage engulfed approximately two-thirds of the island, including the capital Havana, following an unexpected technical failure at the Antonio Guiteras thermal power plant located 100km east of Havana.

This incident represents the latest manifestation of Cuba’s deteriorating energy infrastructure, which has been crippled by chronic fuel shortages exacerbated by intensified U.S. sanctions. The national electricity utility UNE immediately initiated restoration efforts, though the scale of the outage presented significant challenges to recovery operations.

The current energy crisis has been compounded by multiple factors including aging infrastructure, reduced fuel imports from key ally Venezuela, and stringent U.S. embargo measures. Venezuela had previously supplied approximately 35,000 barrels of oil daily—covering nearly half of Cuba’s requirements—before the U.S. intervention in Venezuelan oil exports earlier this year.

The repercussions extend beyond household electricity, with critical services including hospital emergency wards, dialysis treatment facilities, and water pumping stations experiencing severe disruptions. The energy shortage has also crippled public transportation systems and garbage collection services, creating secondary public health concerns.

In a related development, Air France announced the suspension of its Havana services from late March through mid-June, citing insufficient aviation fuel availability. This follows similar decisions by other international carriers, further isolating the island nation and damaging its vital tourism industry.

The current situation reflects the prolonged geopolitical tensions between the United States and Cuba that have persisted since the 1959 revolution. Recent measures under the Trump administration have explicitly targeted Cuba’s energy imports, threatening tariffs on nations providing oil to the Caribbean nation and actively intercepting fuel shipments destined for Cuban ports.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — In his first public appearance since being released from Venezuelan custody, Argentine military police officer Nahuel Gallo made an emotional appeal Wednesday for the international community to secure the freedom of two dozen foreign nationals still detained at the notorious Rodeo I prison in Venezuela.

Gallo, who endured 448 days of incarceration in a facility outside Caracas before his Sunday release, declared that he cannot truly consider himself free while these detainees remain imprisoned. “My mind is still in prison,” the officer stated during a press conference in the Argentine capital, where he was flanked by high-ranking officials including Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno.

The Argentine government maintained that Gallo had traveled to Venezuela in December 2024 on personal leave to visit his Venezuelan partner and their son. However, Venezuelan authorities under then-Attorney General Tarek William Saab arrested him on espionage charges, alleging he had attempted “irregular entry” into the country while concealing what they described as a “criminal plan” beneath the pretext of a romantic visit. Saab further accused Gallo of connections to “international far-right groups.”

Foreign Minister Quirno expressed gratitude to several nations including the United States, Italy, and Israel for their diplomatic efforts in securing Gallo’s release. The development occurs against a backdrop of heightened international scrutiny regarding Venezuela’s judicial system and human rights record.

In a significant judicial development hours before the press briefing, Argentine Federal Judge Sebastián Ramos summoned Gallo to testify as a witness in an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity attributed to the administration of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. According to the summons obtained by The Associated Press, Gallo potentially possesses knowledge of “events carried out by the Venezuelan state apparatus” that are under examination.

The recently freed officer declined to address the summons during the conference, instead requesting patience from journalists, indicating he remains unprepared to fully disclose his experiences. “I still can’t talk about the atrocities they committed,” Gallo stated, suggesting deeper revelations may emerge in time.

Ecuadorian and United States military forces have initiated coordinated operations targeting organizations designated as terrorist entities within the South American nation, according to an official announcement from the U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday. The joint mission aims to combat illicit drug trafficking networks that have established significant operational presence in Ecuador, though specific operational details remain classified.

The development follows Monday’s declaration by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa that American forces would participate in a ‘new phase’ of the country’s intensified campaign against drug cartels. Noboa has identified Ecuador’s extensive port infrastructure as a critical vulnerability, noting that approximately 70% of global cocaine shipments now transit through these facilities, creating highly profitable opportunities for transnational criminal organizations.

Ecuador’s geographical positioning between Colombia and Peru—the world’s two primary cocaine producers—has made it increasingly vulnerable to narcotics trafficking operations. This security collaboration emerges just four months after Ecuadorian voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have permitted the reestablishment of foreign military bases within the country, dealing a significant political setback to Noboa’s security agenda.

On Monday, President Noboa convened high-level discussions in Quito with U.S. Southern Command leader General Francis Donovan and Mark Schafer, commander of U.S. Special Operations forces in Central and South America. The meetings produced agreements on enhanced intelligence sharing and coordinated operational activities at key transportation hubs, including airports and seaports.

The U.S. Southern Command characterized the operations as ‘decisive action against narco-terrorists who have long inflicted terror, violence, and corruption throughout the hemisphere.’ This announcement follows Washington’s temporary deployment of Air Force personnel to the former U.S. military installation in Manta three months ago.

The Trump administration has demonstrated increased focus on counter-narcotics operations in the region, conducting over 40 lethal strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters since September. Recent actions include the high-profile seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on narco-terrorism charges and tense diplomatic exchanges with Colombian President Gustavo Petro regarding drug interdiction efforts.

In a lavish ceremony underscoring the persistent influence of organized crime, the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) founder Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” was laid to rest in a golden casket on Monday. The 59-year-old drug lord, Mexico’s most-wanted criminal with a $15 million U.S. bounty on his head, died following a late February firefight between his armed guards and Mexican special forces operatives attempting his capture.

The funeral proceedings near Guadalajara in CJNG’s home state of Jalisco unfolded under heavy National Guard surveillance, reflecting authorities’ concerns about retaliatory violence. Despite security measures, the event displayed extravagant narco-culture symbolism, including monumental floral arrangements requiring multiple transport vehicles. Among these was a prominent rooster-shaped tribute nodding to Oseguera’s passion for cockfighting.

Local media reported the funeral procession featured narcocorridos—ballads glorifying drug traffickers—and traditional ranchero music, with the song “El Muchacho Alegre” (The Cheerful Boy) accompanying the golden casket’s arrival at the cemetery chapel. Many attendees concealed their identities with face masks during the hour-long ceremony, highlighting the pervasive climate of fear and anonymity surrounding cartel activities.

While the burial plot was noted as relatively modest compared to the grandiose mausoleums of other narcos, the spectacle contrasted sharply with the violence that followed Oseguera’s death. Cartel members previously unleashed coordinated attacks across 20 Mexican states, torching vehicles and blockading roads in retaliatory strikes.

El Mencho’s death represents both a tactical victory for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration—which faces mounting pressure from the U.S. to combat drug trafficking—and a potential catalyst for escalated violence. Security analysts warn that power struggles within the tens-of-thousands-strong CJNG could trigger intensified factional conflicts, creating new security challenges for Mexican authorities.