Tension in the Caribbean and tributes in Paris dominate the news.

The United States intensifies its crackdown on drug trafficking in the Caribbean.

In recent months, the United States has increased military pressure in Latin America, especially in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, with attacks on vessels suspected of drug trafficking. On Thursday (13), a boat was bombed, resulting in four deaths, bringing the total number of victims to 80 in more than 20 attacks since September 2025. The Trump administration maintains a military operation focused on Latin American cartels, accusing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading the Cartel de Los Soles, classified as an international terrorist organization by the US.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, recently arrived in the region to support these operations, reinforcing the American military presence in the Caribbean. Military officials presented President Trump with new options for attacks on Venezuela, amid escalating tensions between the two countries. Maduro, in turn, accuses the US of promoting a campaign to overthrow him. The Atlantic magazine reported that Maduro would be willing to negotiate his departure in exchange for amnesty and security guarantees in exile.

European Commission launches plan to protect democracies.

In Europe, the European Commission presented the "Democracy Shield," a plan to protect electoral processes against foreign interference and manipulation of information, including internal threats to the bloc. The initiative comes in a context of political and social challenges, with rising unemployment in the European Union, which recently increased from 4.81 to 51.

France commemorates the Paris attacks 10 years ago.

Paris marked the tenth anniversary of the 2015 terrorist attacks, when gunmen and suicide bombers from the Islamic State attacked cafes, restaurants and the Bataclan concert hall, leaving 130 dead and hundreds injured. President Emmanuel Macron and the mayor led the commemorations, which reopened wounds for survivors and families of the victims.

China and Spain strengthen strategic partnership.

In Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and King Felipe VI of Spain highlighted their mutual trust and signed 10 agreements to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, amid a complex international landscape.

Photo by Ferdinand Stöhr on Unsplash