Latest news with #Inter-AmericanCommissiononHumanRights
Sharjah 24
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sharjah 24
Drug lord 'Fito,' criminal mastermind in Ecuador
The former taxi driver turned crime boss became the prime target of law enforcement early last year after escaping from a prison in the southwestern port of Guayaquil. President Daniel Noboa's government then released "WANTED" posters with images of his face and offered $1 million for information leading to his capture. In a country plagued by crime, members of Macias Villamar's gang, Los Choneros, have responded with violence, using car bombs, holding prison guards hostage and taking over a television station during a live broadcast by force. After months of pursuit, Fito was captured in the coastal city of Manta in a massive military and police operation in which no shots were fired. According to local media, he was found hiding in a bunker accessible by lifting a trap door in the floor of a luxury home. After his recapture, President Noboa predicted that more crime bosses would fall. "We will take back the country. Without respite," he declared. Noboa also said his government was awaiting a response from US authorities regarding Fito's extradition. American prosecutors have charged him, in absentia, with seven counts of cocaine distribution, conspiracy and firearms-related crimes, including weapons smuggling. They allege his gang worked with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel to control key drug trafficking routes between South America and the United States. Prison boss Before his escape in January 2024, Fito was the boss of his Guayaquil prison, which was adorned with images glorifying him, weapons, dollars and lions. Videos show celebrations he held inside the prison, including with fireworks and a mariachi band. In one clip, he appears waving, laughing and petting a fighting rooster. Fito exercised "significant internal control over the prison," the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) noted in a 2022 report following a meeting with the gang leader. He earned his law degree in prison, where he was serving a 34-year sentence for weapons possession, drug trafficking, organized crime and murder. Los Choneros, which first engaged in common crimes, later established links with Colombian and Mexican drug traffickers. The gang currently has ties to the Sinaloa cartel, the Gulf Clan -- the world's largest cocaine exporter -- and Balkan mafias, according to the Ecuadorian Organized Crime Observatory. The defense ministry has estimated that the gang is present in 10 of Ecuador's 24 provinces. Virtual army On social media, Los Choneros threatens journalists and issues warnings to other gangs in videos set to music. "Active, Choneros, we are lions here. With Uncle Fito, as expected, controlling the neighborhood, we are bosses here," they say in one of their songs. When Fito escaped from prison, he was identified as the mastermind behind the assassination of presidential candidate and anti-corruption crusader Fernando Villavicencio in August 2023. Then-president Guillermo Lasso ordered his transfer to a maximum-security prison in a law enforcement operation that sparked protests by prisoners. The investigation later took a turn and focused on Los Lobos, a rival gang, as being behind Villavicencio's murder. Fito had also escaped prison in 2013, but he eluded authorities for only three months.
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Haiti, Venezuela, migration on agenda as OAS General Assembly opens in Antigua
The Organization of American States opened its general assembly on Wednesday in St. John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, where for the first time its top leader hails from the Caribbean region. Albert Ramdin, a former number two of the hemispheric agency and foreign minister of Suriname, was elected in March and took over the reins last month. He faces many challenges, from the governance crises in Haiti to Cuba and Venezuela — and the OAS' inability to make a dent on those issues over the years — to the Trump administration's move away from multilateral organizations. While Ramdin's election has been welcomed by the United States, Washington did not publicly endorse any candidate in the race for secretary general. Still, the U.S. is backing a candidate for commissioner on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and is planning to address a number of issues with regional partners including illegal migration. The United States' delegation is being led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who will find that Caribbean governments have their own concerns about U.S.-Caribbean relations. Ahead of Wednesday's opening, Ramdin said he would like to 'focus on the critical issues which are currently playing out in the hemisphere.' 'Haiti is foremost, but also electoral processes, democracy, human rights issues,' he said. 'I hope that Antigua and Barbuda will not only demonstrate a… constructive-forward looking agenda, so we hope to set a tone for that here.' Ramdin acknowledged that for a country the size of Antigua to host such a gathering 'is no small feat.' Antigua is among four countries in the Eastern Caribbean at risk of being placed on a new travel ban by the Trump administration, the Miami Herald previously reported. Haiti, Cuba and Venezuela were added to travel ban list last month. While new reports have suggested that the four Eastern Caribbean countries may be on a new list of 36 additional nations due to their participation in programs that make it easy for investors to become citizens, there are concerns that the administration is using the program to pressure the Caribbean nations to serve as third countries for undocumented migrants expelled from the U.S. During a recent meeting with foreign ministers from Antigua, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia, U.S. State Department officials refused to confirm press reports about the proposed travel ban. However, an official confirmed that the United States is assessing immigration matters and is particularly concerned about the Citizenship by Investment programs, which allow foreign investors to obtain passports. The 55th regular session of the OAS general assembly is taking place at a critical time for the agency, which continues to be dogged by questions over it relevancy amid serious governance issues in the hemisphere. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that the OAS lead the security response in Haiti, where an underfunded security mission led by Kenya has been unable to stem gang violence. The violence has led to a record number of people having to flee their homes, now estimated by the United Nations at 1. 3 million. Wednesday marked a year since the first contingent of about 200 Kenyan police officers arrived in Port-au-Prince.
UPI
24-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
55th OAS General Assembly to start on Wednesday
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is sending Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to represent the United States during the 55th Organization of American States' General Assembly scheduled Wednesday through Friday in Antigua. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo June 24 (UPI) -- Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will lead the U.S. delegation at this week's Organization of American States General Assembly in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. The OAS event is scheduled from Wednesday through Friday at the American University of Antigua, and Landau will open the event by delivering the United States' opening address. "Deputy Secretary Landau's trip underscores the United States' commitment to addressing the shared challenges and opportunities in our hemisphere, consistent with the OAS's founding charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter," a State Department news release said. Landau also will advocate for the election of Rosa Maria Paya of the United States to serve on the OAS's Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Other goals for Landau include urging OAS member states to address illegal immigration and "dire situations" in Venezuela and Haiti, according to the new release. Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez is scheduled to discuss matters in Haiti, urge the international community to assist Haitians and address related regional security concerns. The OAS General Assembly has met annually since 1971 and has four sessions scheduled on Thursday and Friday. During this year's assembly, member states will elect three members each for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Juridical Committee. The states also will elect two members of the Justice Studies Center of the Americas, one member of the Administrative Tribunal and one member of the Audit Committee. The General Assembly is the "supreme organ" of the OAS, and each of its 34 member states has one vote per ballot. Its purpose is to strengthen and coordinate cooperation with the United Nations and its agencies, promote regional collaboration, assess OAS reports and establish requirements of its member states.
Los Angeles Times
13-06-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
A letter demanding data on Cuban medical missions roils the Caribbean and the Americas
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — An unusual request from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights about Cuban medical brigades that operate worldwide and provide much needed help has roiled countries in the Caribbean and the Americas. In a letter obtained by the Associated Press, the commission asks members of the Organization of American States, OAS, for details including whether they have an agreement with Cuba for medical missions, whether those workers have labor and union rights and information about any labor complaints. 'This was an unprecedented move,' said Francesca Emanuele, senior international policy associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. 'It's deeply troubling.' Cuba has more than 22,000 doctors working in more than 50 countries, including in the Caribbean and the Americas, according to its government. A breakdown for the region was not available, but many impoverished nations in the Caribbean rely heavily on those medical professionals. The commission, an independent body of the OAS, which is heavily funded by the U.S., said it plans to analyze the data collected as well as offer recommendations 'given the persistence of reports of rights violations.' A spokesperson for the commission declined comment, saying the letter is private. The letter was sent after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions in late February for Cuban or foreign government officials accused of involvement in Cuba's medical missions, which he called 'forced labor.' 'The timing is really suspicious,' Emanuele said, noting that the information requested 'falls squarely' within the member states' sovereign decision-making. 'The role of this organization should not be distorted.' In June, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump slapped several unidentified officials from Central America with visa restrictions. Silence has prevailed since the human rights commission issued its May 24 letter giving OAS member states 30 days to respond. 'I'm awaiting a regional approach,' said Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He said in a phone interview that he would raise the issue next week during a meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States as chairman. 'There are no human rights issues involved here,' he said, noting that St. Vincent is party to several international and labor conventions. 'They have not been breached and will not be breached.' Gonsalves said Cuban doctors run the sole hemodialysis center in St. Vincent that provides free care to 64 patients at a rate of $5 million a year. 'Without the Cubans, that dialysis center will close,' he said. When asked if he worried about potential visa restrictions, Gonsalves said he met earlier this year with Rubio and provided a lengthy letter that he declined to share detailing the work of Cuban medical professionals in St. Vincent. 'We didn't scrimp on any of the details,' he said. 'I didn't walk away from that meeting thinking that there was any possibility or threat of sanctions.' Guyana 's foreign minister, Hugh Todd, told The Associated Press on Friday that the government plans to amend its payment and recruitment system involving Cuban medical professionals. He said their main concern 'is to make sure we are compliant with international labor laws.' Todd did not say whether the planned amendments are related to concerns over U.S. visa restrictions. Late Thursday, Guyanese Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said the government wants to ensure that 'the conditions of work here don't run afoul of the requirements set by the United States of America.' Guyana depends heavily on the U.S. for support, especially given an ongoing and bitter border dispute with neighboring Venezuela. Some Caribbean leaders have said they would risk losing a U.S. visa, noting that Cuban medical professionals provide much needed help in the region. 'If we cannot reach a sensible agreement on this the cost of it is the loss of my visa to the U.S., then so be it,' Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Mottley told Parliament in March as legislators pounded a table in support. No Cuban medical workers are currently in Barbados. Echoing Mottley's sentiment was Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley. 'I just came back from California, and if I never go back there again in my life, I will ensure that the sovereignty of Trinidad and Tobago is known to its people and respected by all,' he said in March. In April, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized what he described as a campaign against the Caribbean country. 'There is no doubt that that desperate campaign to block Cuban cooperation has two clear objectives: to close off any avenue of income for the country, even in an activity as noble and necessary to other nations as healthcare services,' he said. 'The other reason is political and ideological: they want to sweep Cuba away as an example. And they resort to methods as immoral as threatening any foreign official involved in that activity,' he added. Rubio has defended visa restrictions, saying they promote accountability. Coto writes for the Associated Press. AP reporters Bert Wilkinson in Georgetown, Guyana, and Andrea Rodríguez in Havana contributed to this report.
The Hill
13-06-2025
- Health
- The Hill
A letter demanding data on Cuban medical missions roils the Caribbean and the Americas
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — An unusual request from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights about Cuban medical brigades that operate worldwide and provide much needed help has roiled countries in the Caribbean and the Americas. In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the commission asks members of the Organization of American States, OAS, for details including whether they have an agreement with Cuba for medical missions, whether those workers have labor and union rights and information about any labor complaints. 'This was an unprecedented move,' said Francesca Emanuele, senior international policy associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. 'It's deeply troubling.' Cuba has more than 22,000 doctors working in more than 50 countries, including in the Caribbean and the Americas, according to its government. A breakdown for the region was not available, but many impoverished nations in the Caribbean rely heavily on those medical professionals. The commission, an independent body of the OAS, which is heavily funded by the U.S., said it plans to analyze the data collected as well as offer recommendations 'given the persistence of reports of rights violations.' A spokesperson for the commission declined comment, saying the letter is private. The letter was sent after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions in late February for Cuban or foreign government officials accused of involvement in Cuba's medical missions, which he called 'forced labor.' 'The timing is really suspicious,' Emanuele said, noting that the information requested 'falls squarely' within the member states' sovereign decision-making. 'The role of this organization should not be distorted.' In June, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump slapped several unidentified officials from Central America with visa restrictions. Silence has prevailed since the human rights commission issued its May 24 letter giving OAS member states 30 days to respond. 'I'm awaiting a regional approach,' said Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He said in a phone interview that he would raise the issue next week during a meeting of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States as chairman. 'There are no human rights issues involved here,' he said, noting that St. Vincent is party to several international and labor conventions. 'They have not been breached and will not be breached.' Gonsalves said Cuban doctors run the sole hemodialysis center in St. Vincent that provides free care to 64 patients at a rate of $5 million a year. 'Without the Cubans, that dialysis center will close,' he said. When asked if he worried about potential visa restrictions, Gonsalves said he met earlier this year with Rubio and provided a lengthy letter that he declined to share detailing the work of Cuban medical professionals in St. Vincent. 'We didn't scrimp on any of the details,' he said. 'I didn't walk away from that meeting thinking that there was any possibility or threat of sanctions.' Guyana 's foreign minister, Hugh Todd, told The Associated Press on Friday that the government plans to amend its payment and recruitment system involving Cuban medical professionals. He said their main concern 'is to make sure we are compliant with international labor laws.' Todd did not say whether the planned amendments are related to concerns over U.S. visa restrictions. Late Thursday, Guyanese Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said the government wants to ensure that 'the conditions of work here don't run afoul of the requirements set by the United States of America.' Guyana depends heavily on the U.S. for support, especially given an ongoing and bitter border dispute with neighboring Venezuela. Some Caribbean leaders have said they would risk losing a U.S. visa, noting that Cuban medical professionals provide much needed help in the region. 'If we cannot reach a sensible agreement on this matter…if the cost of it is the loss of my visa to the U.S., then so be it,' Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Mottley told Parliament in March as legislators pounded a table in support. No Cuban medical workers are currently in Barbados. Echoing Mottley's sentiment was Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley. 'I just came back from California, and if I never go back there again in my life, I will ensure that the sovereignty of Trinidad and Tobago is known to its people and respected by all,' he said in March. In April, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel criticized what he described as a campaign against the Caribbean country. 'There is no doubt that that desperate campaign to block Cuban cooperation has two clear objectives: to close off any avenue of income for the country, even in an activity as noble and necessary to other nations as healthcare services,' he said. 'The other reason is political and ideological: they want to sweep Cuba away as an example. And they resort to methods as immoral as threatening any foreign official involved in that activity,' he added. Rubio has defended visa restrictions, saying they promote accountability. ___ Associated Press reporters Bert Wilkinson in Georgetown, Guyana, and Andrea Rodríguez in Havana contributed.
