Mexico's top court freezes electoral reform ahead of lawsuit

Mexico's Supreme Court temporarily suspended on Friday parts of a controversial electoral reform pushed by the country's President, while also confirming it will consider a lawsuit from independent electoral institute INE that seeks to overturn it.

The congressional electoral reform passed by allies of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador last month was a scaled-down version of a failed constitutional reform he originally sought, but it still managed to slash the institute's budget and headcount ahead of presidential elections next year.

The court stressed in a statement that it has frozen the articles of the reform challenged by INE. "The case before us involves the possible violation of citizen's political-electoral rights," according to the court statement, which noted the lawsuit also involves constitutional questions that must be settled.

Late last month,

Mexico's Senate gave its final approval to the electoral reform known locally as "Plan B," which critics warn will undermine democracy since it significantly downsizes the INE while giving more power to local officials, many of whom are members of Lopez Obrador's MORENA party.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets days after lawmakers approved the reform, in one of the largest protests so far against Lopez Obrador's four-year-old administra-

US citizens kidnapped in Haiti, US State Department working with local authorities

The State Department in the United States said that it has been notified of the kidnapping of two US citizens who were on a trip to visit family here.

It’s reported that Abigail Toussaint and Jean-Dickens Toussaint, both 33, from the state of Florida, were taken near the capital Port-auPrince and have been held for days.

The couple was reportedly kidnapped during a bus ride.

“We are aware of reports of two US citizens missing in Haiti,” said a spokesperson from the State Department.

“When a US citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as

Venezuela arrests 21 in corruption crackdown, 11 more wanted

An expanding anti-corruption probe in Venezuela has led to the detention of 10 officials and 11 businessmen, the country's Attorney General said on Saturday, adding that arrest warrants for 11 more people have been issued.

currency for official transactions was assigned oil cargoes for sale with no administrative control, Saab said. Many of the buyers did not pay for the oil correspondingly, he added.

they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with families however we can.”

In the aftermath of the 2021 assassination of

President Jovenel Moise, gangs have grown in strength, with large portions of the capital and other areas considered lawless territory. (Trinidad Guardian) tion.

In his two past unsuccessful runs for the presidency, in 2006 and 2012, Lopez Obrador bitterly clashed with electoral authorities, and in both cases claimed he was the actual winner.

The leftist leader who has also pushed budget austerity policies during his time in office has argued that the electoral reform will save US$150 million a year while reducing the influence of economic interests in politics. (Reuters)

The investigation, which began in October, is focused on state oil company PDVSA, a Government entity supervising crypto currency operations, and the Judiciary. This week, it led to the resignation of the country's powerful Oil Minister, Tareck El Aissami, who had served the Government for two decades.

"We are talking about one of the most lurid plots in recent years, which involves officials, businessmen who benefited from corruption and young people - including the so-called mafia women - who participated in corruption and money laundering," Attorney General Tarek Saab told journalists in a press conference.

A Venezuelan entity supervising the use of crypto

PDVSA has accumulated US$21.2 billion in commercial accounts receivable since 2020 including US$3.6 billion potentially unrecoverable, documents viewed by Reuters showed this week, after turning to dozens of little known intermediaries to export its oil under US sanctions.

The 21 people arrested face accusations of appropriation of public assets, money laundering, influence peddling and criminal association. Officials involved could also face charges of treason, the Attorney General said.

In the last five years, Saab's office has investigated 31 cases linked to corruption in Venezuela's oil industry, which provides most of the OPEC country's hard-currency revenue, leading to almost 200 people prosecuted. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US warns China's promises often empty, as Honduras wavers on Taiwan

China often makes promises in exchange for recognition that remain unfulfilled, the de facto US embassy in Taipei said on Saturday as Honduras moves ahead with ending its long-standing ties with Taiwan in favour of China.

The Honduran Foreign Minister travelled to China this week to open relations after President Xiomara Castro said her Government would move to forge ties with Beijing, Honduras being one of only 14 countries to formally recognise Taiwan.

At stake is China's growing footprint in Central America, once a steadfast base for Taiwan and where the United States is worried about Beijing's expanding influence in its backyard.

China views Taiwan as one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state ties, a view the democratically-elected Government in Taipei strongly disputes.

The American Institute in Taiwan said that while Honduras' possible severing of ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing was a sovereign decision, China does not always follow through on its promises.

"It is important to note the PRC often makes promises in exchange for diplomatic recognition that ultimately remain unfulfilled," a spokesperson said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

"Regardless of Honduras' decision, the United States will continue to deepen and expand our engagement with Taiwan in line with our longstanding one China policy," the spokesperson added.

Taiwan is a reliable, likeminded, and democratic partner, and its partnerships globally provide "significant and sustainable benefits to the citizens of those countries".

"We strongly encourage all countries to expand engagement with Taiwan and to continue to stand on the side of democracy, good governance, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law." (Excerpt from Reuters)