分类： politics

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously voted to prolong the operational mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) through January 2027. This decision arrives amidst escalating condemnation of Haitian authorities for insufficient advancement in facilitating a stable political transition. The Council issued a forceful denunciation of the severe violence surging across the Caribbean nation, highlighting grave human rights abuses, rampant sexual violence affecting all demographics, child abductions, and extensive criminal operations run by armed factions.

The resolution, jointly sponsored by the United States and Panama, represents a consolidated international effort to address Haiti’s multifaceted crisis. U.S. Ambassador Jennifer Locetta characterized the move as a decisive step toward national stabilization, reiterating unwavering U.S. support for Prime Minister Fils-Aimé’s leadership as integral to combating terrorist gangs. The Haitian representative welcomed the resolution, acknowledging its reflection of a more integrated understanding of the challenges and the urgent need for concrete outcomes to protect civilians, restore the rule of law, and achieve institutional stability.

However, significant concerns were voiced during the proceedings. Trinidad and Tobago, speaking for CARICOM, expressed apprehension that internal disputes within Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council—including attempts to oust the prime minister—are complicating an already fragile governance process. China’s delegate raised alarms about the persistent influx of illegal weapons into Haiti, urging source countries to enforce stricter border controls and weapon regulations.

The enhanced BINUH mandate tasks the mission with six critical objectives, executed in an integrated manner with all UN entities on the ground. These include facilitating national dialogue, supporting the organization of elections by 2026, assisting in community violence reduction and disarmament programs, and strengthening judicial and penitentiary systems. The mission is also directed to monitor and report on gang violence and human rights violations, maintaining dedicated protection advisory capacity.

This renewal aligns with the upcoming deployment of the new Gang Suppression Force (GSF), with initial contingents expected in April. Authorized last September, the GSF aims to supplant the previous Kenya-led mission, focusing on restoring state authority, securing critical infrastructure, and reducing gang territorial control. BINUH is instructed to work in close coordination with this force and international organizations to help Haitian institutions address prolonged pretrial detention and handle high-risk individuals appropriately.

The UN’s deep engagement in Haiti traces back to 1986, following the departure of President Jean-Claude Duvalier, and has continued through various peacekeeping and political missions. Established in 2019, BINUH’s core function is to bolster political stability, good governance, the rule of law, and human rights, while coordinating international assistance.

BELMOPAN, Belize – In a significant diplomatic engagement, Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño announced ambitious plans to expand bilateral cooperation with Guyana across multiple sectors, including agriculture, tourism, and education. The announcement coincided with the commencement of a three-day state visit by Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, who arrived in Belize on February 1st.

President Ali’s itinerary includes a keynote address at the opening of Belize’s new parliamentary session, alongside high-level meetings with Governor General Dame Froyla T’zalam and Prime Minister Briceño. The Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the longstanding relationship between the two nations, noting their shared commitment to ‘regional solidarity, development and integration.’

Prime Minister Briceño characterized Guyana as an increasingly influential regional partner within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), acknowledging its rapidly evolving economic landscape driven by substantial oil discoveries. ‘It’s kind of ironic because at one time nobody wanted to go to Guyana; now everybody wants to go,’ Briceño remarked, highlighting the country’s transformation.

While energy cooperation emerged as a topic of discussion, Briceño indicated that any potential arrangements for Belize to access discounted Guyanese oil would likely require regional-level negotiations rather than bilateral agreements. He expressed skepticism about reviving initiatives similar to the Petrocaribe program, which Venezuela established in 2005 to provide preferential oil financing to Caribbean and Central American nations.

With President Ali holding the agriculture portfolio in CARICOM’s quasi-cabinet structure, both leaders identified agricultural collaboration as a priority area. The bilateral talks are expected to yield formal agreements facilitating knowledge exchange, investment, and joint initiatives across targeted sectors, potentially establishing a new framework for South-South cooperation within the Caribbean region.

WASHINGTON — In a significant development fueling political controversy, the US Justice Department unveiled millions of previously undisclosed documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case on Friday. The release includes over three million pages of records, accompanied by 180,000 images and 2,000 videos, intensifying scrutiny around connections between the convicted sex offender and high-profile political figures, including former President Donald Trump.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the publication concludes an extensive document identification and review process designed to ensure transparency for the American public. The department emphasized that all images depicting girls and women—except those of convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell—were redacted to protect victims’ identities. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for trafficking underage girls for Epstein.

This document dump, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), follows months of political maneuvering and internal Republican Party pressure compelling Trump to authorize the disclosure. Epstein, a wealthy financier who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, had established extensive networks among business leaders, celebrities, and politicians.

While previous releases have revealed Epstein’s associations with figures including Trump and former President Bill Clinton, the latest trove is anticipated to contain previously unseen investigative materials. Notably, two FBI emails from July 2019 reference 10 unnamed ‘co-conspirators,’ though only Maxwell has faced charges related to Epstein’s crimes.

Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney, vehemently denied allegations that the Justice Department attempted to shield the president or any other individuals through selective redactions. He stated that the White House exercised no oversight during the review process, which prioritized protecting the identities of Epstein’s more than 1,000 victims.

The documents confirm Trump’s social connections with Epstein, including multiple flights on Epstein’s private jet between 1993 and 1996. Despite this, neither Trump nor Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing. Meanwhile, a Republican-led House panel has moved to initiate contempt proceedings against Bill and Hillary Clinton for refusing to testify in the Epstein investigation.

The Justice Department separately cautioned that some released documents contain ‘untrue and sensationalist claims’ about Trump, reflecting the highly charged political environment surrounding the case.

In a scathing critique of the government’s handling of systemic failures at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Opposition Health Spokesman Dr. Alfred Dawes has accused health authorities of prioritizing public relations over substantive reform. The condemnation came during a carefully timed press conference on Thursday, deliberately scheduled after the health minister’s media tour had concluded.

Dr. Dawes challenged the necessity of the newly established review panel tasked with examining the auditor general’s findings, characterizing it as redundant bureaucratic layering designed to delay accountability. He revealed that both the auditor general’s report, tabled in Parliament on January 13, and an internal investigative report from November had already documented identical concerns regarding governance failures, procurement breaches, and internal control deficiencies.

The audit uncovered years of systemic weaknesses including UHWI’s failure to submit approved procurement plans, awarding contracts without proper documentation, and misusing its tax-exempt status to import goods for private companies—resulting in millions in lost state revenue. The report further highlighted inadequate board oversight and non-compliance with public procurement regulations.

‘After every scandal, the health minister embarks on a cross-country media tour to drown out criticism,’ Dawes stated. ‘The panel serves as a distraction mechanism allowing public interest to wane over four months before moving to the next scandal.’

The opposition spokesman questioned why decisive action wasn’t taken when concerns were first identified last year, noting that investigative recommendations already included establishing board-approved procurement plans, digital procurement systems, staff training, and strengthened audit committees. Dawes linked current problems to prolonged governance instability, including the disbanding of a previous reform-oriented board.

He warned that continued delays threaten public confidence, patient care, and staff morale at Jamaica’s premier teaching hospital, describing UHWI as being in a ‘death spiral due to poor governance.’

HAVANA, Cuba – Long queues formed at gasoline stations across the Cuban capital Friday as citizens confronted an escalating fuel shortage following President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing punitive tariffs on nations supplying oil to the island nation. The move has been characterized by Cuban authorities as an economic stranglehold designed to destabilize the country.

The directive, which effectively forces international partners to choose between trading with the United States or Cuba, arrives amid the Caribbean nation’s most severe economic crisis since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. Current conditions include power blackouts extending up to 20 hours daily and critical shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel condemned the measures as “fascist, criminal and genocidal” tactics employed by what he described as a US cabal intent on suffocating Cuba’s economy. The sentiment was echoed by citizens like Jorge Rodriguez, a 60-year-old IT specialist, who noted that ordinary Cubans would bear the brunt of these policies.

This development follows the complete cessation of Venezuelan oil shipments after US special forces deposed Nicolás Maduro’s government in January. According to analyzed official statistics, Cuba generated merely half of its required electricity in 2025.

The Trump administration, featuring several officials with strong ties to Florida politics including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has openly advocated for regime change in Havana. Trump himself declared “NO MORE OIL OR MONEY FOR CUBA: ZERO!” while labeling the nation an “extraordinary threat” to US national security—a designation that raises concerns about potential military escalation.

Mexico faces particular complications as both a remaining oil supplier to Cuba and a nation deeply integrated with US trade networks. President Claudia Sheinbaum warned of impending humanitarian consequences while attempting to navigate the diplomatic challenge. Although China voiced opposition to the measures, neither it nor Cuba’s traditional allies have announced concrete support plans.

Diaz-Canel confirmed no ongoing negotiations with Washington, vowing that Cuban citizens stand “ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood.”

CARACAS, Venezuela — The Venezuelan government has issued a forceful condemnation of the United States’ latest economic measures targeting nations that engage in energy trade with Cuba. This diplomatic rebuke follows President Donald Trump’s signing of a new tariff order on Thursday, which Caracas characterizes as an aggressive act of economic coercion.

In an official statement released Friday, Venezuela’s foreign ministry decried the US policy as a set of ‘punitive measures’ designed to penalize sovereign states for maintaining ‘legitimate trade relations with the Republic of Cuba.’ The declaration comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, following recent political upheavals that saw a change in Venezuela’s leadership through US military involvement.

The South American nation, itself struggling under severe economic sanctions, pledged unwavering ‘solidarity with the Cuban people’ who face potential energy shortages due to the restrictions. Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba, a longstanding economic lifeline for the island nation, now fall under US regulatory control following recent geopolitical shifts.

Venezuela’s foreign ministry called for ‘collective action by the international community’ to address what it described as the ‘humanitarian consequences’ resulting from such economic aggressions. The statement emphasizes the need for global cooperation to mitigate the impact of unilateral sanctions on civilian populations, positioning the conflict within broader debates about economic sovereignty and international law.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a landmark legislative move, Jamaica’s Parliament has passed the Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) (Amendment) Act 2026, significantly expanding opportunities for criminal record expungement. State Minister Senator Abka Fitz-Henley delivered a powerful address during Friday’s Senate debate, urging eligible citizens not to squander their ‘second chance’ at societal reintegration.

The amended legislation represents a substantial modernization of Jamaica’s justice framework, aligning the nation with progressive commonwealth countries and developed nations across North America and Oceania. Key reforms include extending eligibility to sentences up to 10 years (previously capped at five years) and introducing automatic expungement for minor, non-custodial convictions predating January 1, 2005.

Minister Fitz-Henley emphasized the transformative potential of the legislation: ‘This provides genuine opportunity for those whose progress has been hindered by past convictions to become positive contributors to their families and society.’ The minister clarified that the reform shouldn’t be misinterpreted as governmental softness on crime, highlighting simultaneous 54% reduction in murders as evidence of the administration’s comprehensive crime reduction strategy.

The rehabilitation mechanism requires applicants to have completed their sentences and maintained clean records for specified periods (typically 3-10 years depending on offense severity). Serious crimes including murder, rape, and drug trafficking remain ineligible for expungement. All applications will undergo rigorous review by the specialized Criminal Records Rehabilitation Board.

This legislative overhaul reflects Jamaica’s commitment to holistic social transformation through balanced approaches that combine punitive measures with rehabilitation opportunities, creating pathways for reformed individuals to contribute productively to national development.