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Two recent killings in Mexico’s Michoacan state — one of a lime growers’ representative and the other of a popular mayor — have laid bare the extent to which drug cartels dominate the region’s economy, politics and daily life. The violence underscores a grim reality long known to residents: organized crime controls large swaths of Michoacan, from its lime orchards and avocado farms to its most vulnerable towns. Even as U.S. President Donald Trump launches strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and offers military help to Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum faces intensifying pressure to rein in cartels that generations of leaders have failed to subdue. The crisis was brought into sharp focus when a farmer approached Rev. Gilberto Vergara in Tierra Caliente, saying cartel extortion was so severe that harvesting limes no longer made financial sense. Residents feared that speaking up meant death, but staying silent meant going hungry. Vergara drove home through cartel-controlled roads where land mines and drone attacks are constant threats. “They have the state in their hands,” he said. The assassination of Uruapan’s 40-year-old mayor, Carlos Manzo, shocked the country. The outspoken Morena politician, known for confronting criminal groups and firing corrupt officers, was gunned down during Day of the Dead festivities despite a 22-member security team. His killing — allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — sparked protests across Michoacan and Mexico City, with residents calling him “the Mexican Bukele” for his hard-line stance. Manzo’s death also intensified fear among other local leaders. In La Ruana, activist Guadalupe Mora, whose brother was murdered two years ago, now moves with a 20-person security detail. “It seems we made the government and organized crime uncomfortable,” he said. Cartels have expanded their tactics with drone-dropped explosives, improvised mines, surveillance networks and 3D-printed weapons. Extortion has become as profitable as drug trafficking, crippling industries from agriculture to transport. Even avocados — vital to U.S. consumers — have become more expensive due to cartel control. Sheinbaum’s government has deployed 2,000 additional troops, raising the regional presence to more than 8,000, and insists coordination and intelligence will make the difference. Yet many residents remain skeptical after decades of failed plans. Security analysts warn that targeting smaller groups may inadvertently strengthen the dominant Jalisco cartel. For farmers in the hills, the war feels endless. One woman, who fled her home earlier this year, returned only when the army arrived. She sent her teenage son to the U.S. fearing he would be recruited or kidnapped. Mines still detonate when animals cross them, and civilians remain trapped between shifting front lines. Communities are increasingly taking security into their own hands. In several Indigenous towns, residents have set up their own patrols after cartels stormed guard posts. Yet in lime-growing regions, the loss of key leaders has left producers voiceless. Growers say extortion has pushed them to abandon orchards, with prices controlled entirely by organized crime. Representative Bernardo Bravo, who called it “permanent commercial kidnapping,” was killed just weeks before Manzo. Without him, farmers say they have no one to advocate for them. “We don’t see a resolution,” one grower said. “The criminals are squeezing us tight.”  

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is projecting a softer image as U.S. military action looms, singing John Lennon’s Imagine and repeating a new English slogan, “No War, Yes Peace.” But behind the shift lies a hardened system of control built on rewarding loyalty and harshly punishing dissent, a structure that has kept his circle intact despite years of international pressure. Maduro’s sudden embrace of English is a stark contrast to past speeches where he urged Venezuelans to avoid foreign words like skatepark and fashion. Opposition supporters say the new tone shows desperation and insist that the threat of U.S. force should fracture the ruling elite. Months of pressure, however, have yet to trigger defections or force a transition. Analysts say the resilience comes from a loyalty-or-punishment strategy rooted in Chavismo, the political movement founded by Hugo Chávez. Officials who stay loyal, including ministers, judges and military commanders, benefit from corruption networks built during Chávez’s rule and strengthened under Maduro. Those who break ranks face prison, torture or worse, especially if they are part of the military. Ronal Rodríguez of Colombia’s Universidad del Rosario said Chavismo thrives under outside pressure, uniting its members to protect their power. He said the movement has used corruption and fear to keep rivals down and remove threats inside government. The Venezuelan opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, expected the military to help oust Maduro after credible evidence showed he lost the 2024 presidential election. But military leaders stood by him, just as they did in 2019 when soldiers pledged loyalty to Juan Guaidó during a failed revolt. Since returning to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has tightened pressure, doubling the reward for Maduro’s arrest to 50 million dollars on narcoterrorism charges. The U.S. recently designated the Cartel de los Soles, which Maduro is accused of leading, as a foreign terrorist organization. Maduro rejects the allegations. Trump on Saturday declared Venezuelan airspace “closed in its entirety,” prompting Maduro’s government to accuse Washington of making a colonial threat. The move energized ruling party supporters, who rallied against what they called an attack on national sovereignty. U.S. forces have already bombed boats accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing more than 80 people. The strikes increased fears of an operation aimed at removing Maduro. Two weeks after the first boat attack, U.S. officials tried to recruit Maduro’s pilot in a plot to capture the president. The pilot refused, calling Venezuelans loyal and unwilling to betray their leader. On Tuesday, supporters marched in Caracas to demonstrate Chavismo’s “anti-imperialist spirit.” At the end of the rally, Maduro lifted a jeweled sword once owned by independence hero Simón Bolívar and led his Cabinet in a public oath to defend peace and freedom. Susan Shirk, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, said authoritarian leaders depend on shows of unity to prevent divisions that could encourage protests. She said any sign of fragmentation could embolden the public to rise up. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the new terrorist designation gives Trump more options against Maduro, though he did not specify them. Analysts say Washington doubts any acceptable outcome includes Maduro staying in power. David Smilde, a Venezuela expert at Tulane University, said people misunderstand how Chavismo works if they believe military pressure will topple Maduro. He said force only strengthens the ruling movement and that no officer would trust the U.S. after being labeled part of a drug cartel. Maduro’s rule has coincided with deep political and economic crises that pushed millions into poverty and forced more than 7.7 million people to leave the country. Support for the ruling party has dropped sharply, but Maduro maintains a core base using long-standing tactics, including orchestrated marches. Zenaida Quintero, a 60-year-old school porter, said she remembers the food shortages of the late 2010s but remains loyal because Chávez handpicked Maduro to lead the revolution. She believes he will stand by his supporters. “I trust him,” Quintero said. “We have to remain united. We have to defend ourselves.”    

Former military officers from Argentina’s 1976-1983 dictatorship era and their families held an unusual public rally on Saturday, calling for the release of officers jailed for abuses committed during the junta’s rule — a move that critics say challenges the country’s long-standing promise of “Nunca Más,” or never again. The demonstration took place in Buenos Aires’ Plaza de Mayo, where the grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo have marched for decades demanding justice for thousands of people abducted and disappeared during the dictatorship. Their presence sparked anger among human rights activists and counter-protesters, who view the gathering as an alarming attempt to revise the nation’s history of state terrorism. The rally comes amid a political shift under President Javier Milei, who has repeatedly framed the dictatorship’s crimes as part of a broader conflict with leftist guerrilla groups. His vice president, Victoria Villarruel—long known for defending military personnel—has also pushed for recognition of what she calls “other victims” of the era. Human rights organizations accuse the government of legitimizing the junta’s widespread killings and disappearances, estimated at up to 30,000 people. Tensions rose further after Milei appointed Army chief Lt. Gen. Carlos Alberto Presti as defense minister, making him the first military official since Argentina’s return to democracy to hold that post. Supporters at the rally argued that the armed forces have been unfairly vilified and demanded “moral restoration” for imprisoned officers. But relatives of dictatorship victims condemned the event as deeply offensive, especially given its location. Their outrage followed a U.N. report warning that Milei’s government is rolling back programs dedicated to truth and justice while boosting military spending. Milei officials deny undermining human rights protections, insisting they are committed to an “unbiased historical memory.”

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro started serving a 27-year prison sentence Tuesday for leading a coup attempt, surprising many who doubted the far-right leader would face incarceration. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the case, ruled Bolsonaro will remain in custody after being preemptively arrested Saturday. Supporters and critics gathered outside the federal police headquarters, some demanding his release and others celebrating his imprisonment. Bolsonaro had been under house arrest since August but was taken into custody after attempting to remove his ankle monitor. The former president claimed “hallucinations” prompted the act, a claim dismissed by de Moraes. Bolsonaro is confined in a 12-square-meter room with a bed, private bathroom, TV, desk, air conditioning, and access to his doctors and lawyers; other visitors require Supreme Court approval. De Moraes stated that Bolsonaro’s legal team had exhausted all appeals, though the defense promised to continue seeking house arrest citing health concerns. Under Brazilian law, the 70-year-old could have been moved to a local penitentiary or military facility. Bolsonaro and several allies were convicted of attempting to overthrow Brazil’s democracy after his 2022 election defeat. Charges included planning to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Justice de Moraes, leading an armed criminal organization, and attempting the violent abolition of democratic rule. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing. Outside the prison, Bolsonaro supporters protested and called for amnesty, while detractors, including marches in Brasilia, celebrated. Fire forces evacuation at COP30 climate summit in Brazil Other convicted officials, including Army generals Augusto Heleno and Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, were sent to military facilities, and former Justice Minister Anderson Torres to the Papuda penitentiary. Former head of intelligence Alexandre Ramagem remains in the U.S., with his parliamentary seat stripped by the lower house speaker. Despite being barred from office until at least 2030, Bolsonaro remains influential in Brazilian politics. Polls indicate he would remain a competitive candidate if eligible. Bolsonaro is also an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized the trial as a “witch hunt.” While previous Brazilian presidents, including Michel Temer and Lula, have served prison time, Bolsonaro is the first convicted for attempting a coup. Source: AP 

Brazil’s federal police on Saturday arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro just days before he was due to begin serving a 27-year prison sentence for leading an attempted coup, officials said. Police confirmed that the operation was carried out on the order of Brazil’s Supreme Court, though neither the force nor the court released further details. Bolsonaro’s aide, Andriely Cirino, told the Associated Press that officers took the 70-year-old former leader from his home in the gated Jardim Botanico neighborhood of Brasilia at around 6 a.m. He was then taken to the federal police headquarters in the capital. Local media reported that Bolsonaro — who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022 — had exhausted all legal avenues to challenge his conviction and was expected to begin his prison term next week.  

Chileans voted Sunday in a presidential and parliamentary election dominated by public fears over rising organized crime and irregular migration, with the race expected to tilt toward the right. None of the eight presidential contenders is forecast to cross the 50% threshold needed to avoid a Dec. 14 runoff, but polls show Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, 51, and far-right former lawmaker José Antonio Kast, 59, leading the field. Despite their ideological gulf, both have campaigned heavily on promises to combat foreign criminal gangs, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, blamed for surging kidnappings, extortion and trafficking. Analysts say both candidates have moderated their platforms to appeal to centrist voters unsettled by rising insecurity. “They’re vying for the center,” said political scientist Rodolfo Disi. Trailing behind are libertarian congressman Johannes Kaiser, 49, and veteran center-right politician Evelyn Matthei, 72. This election is Chile’s first with mandatory voting in a presidential race, adding roughly 4 million people who had never previously cast ballots. Analysts say the impact of compulsory turnout remains uncertain. Chile is also electing its entire lower house and part of the Senate. Of 15.7 million eligible voters, more than 800,000 are immigrants with residency; although exempt from mandatory voting, many have historically favored right-wing candidates. Crime concerns have overshadowed economic debates in a country struggling with high living costs, sluggish growth and an influx of migrants. Kast has pledged deep spending cuts and tighter borders, while Jara has focused on infrastructure investment and a “living” minimum income. All major candidates back tougher immigration measures, though proposals range from border walls to expanded deportations. The vote marks a stark shift from Chile’s 2021 election, when voters swept leftist President Gabriel Boric into office on promises of social change.

At least 23 people, including children, were killed and a dozen others injured after a fire and explosion ripped through a convenience store in northwestern Mexico on Saturday, authorities said. The deadly blaze broke out in downtown Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora state, Governor Alfonso Durazo confirmed in a video message shared on social media. Sonora’s Attorney General Gustavo Salas Chávez said 12 injured victims were taken to six different hospitals in Hermosillo for treatment. He added that initial findings suggested most deaths resulted from inhaling toxic fumes. “So far, there is no evidence indicating that the fire was deliberately set,” Salas Chávez said, adding that investigators were still examining all possible causes. Death toll from torrential rains in Mexico climbs to 64 Videos shared on social media showed flames engulfing the Waldo’s store, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air. One distressing clip captured a severely burned man collapsing on the road just meters away from the store entrance. Authorities said rescue operations and a detailed investigation into the cause of the explosion are ongoing. Source: AP 

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Vila Cruzeiro, a favela in Rio de Janeiro’s Penha complex, on Friday, demanding the resignation of Rio state Governor Cláudio Castro following the city’s deadliest police raid that left over 100 people dead. The demonstration brought together local residents, activists, politicians, grieving mothers, and people from other parts of Rio to voice outrage over the raid. Days earlier, residents had collected and laid out scores of bodies from a nearby green area after the operation. At least 121 people were killed in Tuesday’s raid, including four police officers, according to official figures. The Rio public defender’s office reported 132 deaths. “Coward, terrorist, assassin! His hands are stained with blood,” said 30-year-old Anne Caroline Dos Santos, referring to Castro, an ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro and a critic of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Castro has defended the operation, accusing the federal government of abandoning Rio in its fight against organized crime, a claim denied by Lula’s administration. Many protesters, including Dos Santos who travelled from Rio’s Rocinha favela, accused law enforcement of torture and extrajudicial killings. “Mothers are now struggling to retrieve their sons’ bodies and bury them,” she said, adding that she had lost a friend in the raid. Though many shops have reopened since the unrest earlier this week, signs of the violence remain, including burned cars used as barricades. Protesters wore white to symbolize peace, some with T-shirts marked by red handprints, and carried signs reading “stop killing us” or “enough massacres.” “This is a disgrace to Brazil,” said 44-year-old Leandro Santiago, a Vila Cruzeiro resident who earns a living with his motorbike. “Nothing justifies this.” The raid involved approximately 2,500 police and soldiers targeting the notorious Red Command gang in the Complexo de Alemao and Complexo da Penha favelas. The operation aimed to capture gang leaders and limit the group’s territorial expansion, which has grown in Rio and other parts of Brazil, including the Amazon. Gunfire and retaliation by gang members during the raid caused widespread chaos across the city. Castro described the operation as a success and declared Rio to be at war against “narco-terrorism.” The state government maintains that those killed were criminals who resisted police. However, the unprecedented death toll drew international condemnation from human rights groups and the United Nations, and sparked scrutiny from Brazil’s Supreme Court, prosecutors, and lawmakers. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has scheduled a hearing with the state governor and police leaders on Nov. 3. Many protesters in Vila Cruzeiro held Castro personally responsible, calling him an “assassin” and demanding his resignation or imprisonment. Local councilwoman Mônica Benício, widow of slain councillor Marielle Franco, said, “Assassinating young people in favelas isn’t public policy; it’s a massacre. We need policies that target those financing crime, not the victims.” While some right-wing voters and politicians praised the operation against the heavily armed gang, critics questioned its long-term impact, noting that many of those killed were low-ranking and easily replaceable. The state government reported that of 99 suspects identified so far, 42 had outstanding arrest warrants and at least 78 had criminal records. However, O Globo reported that none had been formally indicted by the Rio public prosecutor. Protesters also condemned the brutal condition of the bodies, some decapitated or found with puncture wounds or tied up. Lawyer Adriana Miranda, 48, emphasized that even suspected gang members have rights under Brazilian law. “Suspicions must be investigated through due process. The constitution guarantees everyone’s rights,” she said. Source: AP

A large-scale police operation targeting a drug gang in Rio de Janeiro’s low-income neighborhoods has left at least 119 people dead, sparking protests, accusations of excessive force, and calls for the state governor’s resignation. Dozens of residents from several favelas gathered outside the state government headquarters on Wednesday, shouting “assassins” and waving Brazilian flags stained with red paint, a day after Rio’s deadliest police raid. Hours earlier, grieving families had placed dozens of bodies on a street in one of the affected communities to highlight the scale of the tragedy. Authorities confirmed that 115 suspected gang members and four police officers were killed in the raid, which involved around 2,500 police and soldiers in the Penha and Complexo do Alemão favelas. The toll was almost double the initial figure of 60 suspects reported on Tuesday. Felipe Curi, Rio state’s police secretary, said additional bodies were found in a nearby wooded area, claiming that some suspects had been wearing camouflage and carrying weapons. He added that residents removed clothing and gear from the bodies, which will be investigated as evidence tampering. Residents and witnesses described scenes of horror. Many bodies were found with gunshot wounds to the head or back, while others appeared disfigured or stabbed. “We saw people executed—shot in the head, tied up. It was a massacre,” said local activist Raull Santiago. In Penha, residents displayed the bodies in a public square before forensic teams arrived, chanting “massacre” and “justice.” One resident, Elisangela Silva Santos, said, “They could have taken them to jail. Why kill them like this? Yes, they were traffickers, but they were human.” Authorities said 113 suspects had been arrested, and security forces seized about 90 rifles and over a ton of drugs. Police and soldiers launched the raid using helicopters, armored vehicles, and foot patrols, targeting the powerful Red Command gang. The operation triggered heavy gunfire and chaos across the city, forcing schools to close, halting public transport, and blocking roads with hijacked buses. Brazil’s Supreme Court, prosecutors, and lawmakers demanded detailed explanations from Rio’s Governor Claudio Castro about the raid. Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Court ordered Castro to appear at a hearing on Monday alongside the heads of the civil and military police. The UN human rights office and several NGOs condemned the high death toll and urged an independent investigation. “Brazil must break this cycle of extreme brutality and ensure law enforcement operations comply with international standards,” said UN spokesperson Marta Hurtado. Governor Castro, a member of the conservative Liberal Party, defended the raid, calling it a “success” despite the loss of four police officers. He described the state as being at war with “narco-terrorism,” echoing language used by the Trump administration in past anti-drug campaigns. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded late Wednesday, saying he had ordered the justice minister and federal police chief to meet with Castro. “Brazil cannot accept that organized crime continues to destroy families and spread violence across cities,” he said. However, Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski questioned the methods used. “We must reflect on whether such actions are compatible with the democratic rule of law,” he said. Experts warned that the operation’s scale and violence would likely do little to weaken Rio’s entrenched drug networks. “Killing over 100 people won’t stop the Red Command. The dead will soon be replaced,” said Roberto Uchôa of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety. The raid marks the deadliest police operation in Rio’s history, surpassing previous crackdowns in 2005 and 2021, and has reignited debate over Brazil’s long-standing cycle of violence, impunity, and militarized policing. Source: AP

In one of the bloodiest police operations in Brazil’s recent history, around 2,500 police and soldiers stormed Rio de Janeiro’s favelas on Tuesday, killing at least 60 suspected gang members and four police officers, and arresting 81 people, officials said. The large-scale raid targeted the Red Command, one of the country’s most powerful drug cartels, in the impoverished neighborhoods of Complexo do Alemão and Penha. Heavily armed officers backed by helicopters and armored vehicles took part in the operation, which authorities said followed a year-long investigation. Rio state Governor Claudio Castro described the raid as the biggest in the city’s history, saying the suspects were “neutralized” after resisting police action. Authorities also reported seizing 93 rifles and over half a ton of narcotics. Human rights organizations condemned the raid and demanded a thorough investigation into the high death toll. The UN human rights office said it was “horrified” by the incident and reminded Brazilian authorities of their obligations under international law. César Muñoz, Brazil director at Human Rights Watch, called the killings a “huge tragedy” and urged prosecutors to investigate every death. Footage circulating on social media showed fires and smoke rising from the densely populated communities as gunfire echoed through the area. City officials closed 46 schools, while the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro suspended evening classes and instructed students and staff to shelter in place. Local media reported that gang members retaliated by blocking major roads and setting buses on fire, causing widespread transport disruption. The city’s bus operators said about 70 vehicles were hijacked and damaged. Governor Castro, a member of the opposition Liberal Party, criticized President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government for not doing enough to support state-level crime-fighting efforts. In response, senior officials in Brasília convened an emergency meeting to discuss the escalating violence. Experts said the size and death toll of Tuesday’s raid set it apart from previous police operations. “These are war numbers,” said Luis Flavio Sapori, a public safety analyst. “Such raids rarely dismantle organized crime networks—they only eliminate low-ranking members who are quickly replaced.” The Marielle Franco Institute, a rights organization founded in memory of a slain Rio councilwoman, denounced the police tactics, calling the raid “a policy of extermination” that turns life in the city’s poor, predominantly Black neighborhoods into “a daily Russian roulette.” Tuesday’s assault added to Rio’s long history of deadly police crackdowns, including the 2021 Jacarezinho raid that killed 28 people and the 2005 Baixada Fluminense massacre, which left 29 dead.   Source: AP