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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa says last month's elections are a sign of the country’s “mature democracy.” HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday hailed recent elections as a sign of the country’s “mature democracy” and a victory over Western adversaries, as he took an oath of office following a vote whose credibility was questioned by both Western and African observers. Mnangagwa, 80, won disputed polls held on Aug. 26, garnering 52.6% of the vote ahead of main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s 44%. His ZANU-PF party, which has ruled the tiny nation of 15 million people since independence from white minority rule in 1980, also retained a parliamentary majority. “There are no losers but victory for the people of Zimbabwe against the neo-colonial tendencies of our country’s detractors and those who believe that might is right. … We have shamed our detractors,” he said before jubilant supporters, many of them bussed to pack a 60,000-seater Chi...

West African nations have given Niger’s coup leaders one week to reinstate the country’s democratically elected president and have threatened to use if the demands aren't met NIAMEY, Niger -- West African nations have given Niger's coup leaders one week to reinstate the country's democratically elected president and have threatened to use force if the demands aren't met. The announcement came at the end of an emergency meeting of West African countries Sunday in Nigeria, where the regional bloc, known as ECOWAS, convened to respond to last week's military takeover. President Mohamed Bazoum remains under house arrest and has yet to resign. “In the event the authority’s demands are not met within one week, (the bloc will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force ,” said the state ment. The bloc also imposted strict sanctions, including suspending all commercial and financial tr...

A banker and media owner says he filed a legal complaint against Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, alleging that his administration interfered in his child custody dispute SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- A banker and media owner said Tuesday he had filed a legal complaint against Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, alleging that his administration interfered in his child custody dispute . The animosity between Chaves and the complainant Leonel Baruch, who owns online news site CR Hoy, is well known. Baruch's complaint, which alleges influence trafficking by the president and top officials, is one that any citizen can file, and does not necessarily lead to any charges. The dispute came to light when the former head of Costa Rica’s child welfare agency, Gloriana López Fuscaldo, claimed she had received a phone call from Chaves’ chief of staff, telling her the president wanted her to “rule well” on the custody case. López Fuscaldo later went to neighboring Panama, claiming she feare...

A judge in Colombia has ordered President Gustavo Petro’s son freed from detention while he is investigated on allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering BOGOTA, Colombia -- A Colombian judge on Friday night ordered President Gustavo Petro’s son freed from detention while he is investigated on allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering. Nicolás Petro was arrested early Saturday, and this week was charged with the two crimes. He agreed to cooperate in the probe, and prosecutors said he acknowledged Thursday that his father’s 2022 election campaign received money of dubious origin. Mario Andrés Burgos, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said Nicolás Petro assured that he would deliver audios and documents to corroborate that part of the money given to him ended up financing his father’s candidacy. The Attorney General’s Office presented evidence that it said shows the younger Petro received money illicitly. But the judge said prosecutors did not substantiate th...

The son of Colombia’s president has been charged with money laundering and illicit enrichment BOGOTA, Colombia -- The son of Colombia’s president was charged Tuesday with money laundering and illicit enrichment at a hearing where prosecutors said he took thousands of dollars from drug traffickers and used it to buy luxurious homes and expensive cars. Nicolás Petro, 36, pleaded innocent to the charges, which have raised questions about the financing of President Gustavo Petro’s 2022 presidential campaign. But towards the end of the hearing he appeared to change his stance, saying he was willing to “collaborate” with prosecutors who are also trying to investigate President Petro's campaign. “I will do this for my family and for my baby who is about to be born,” said the younger Petro, who could face up to 30 years in prison if he is found guilty of money laundering. The investigation against Nicolás Petro stems from a shocking declaration made by his ex-wife Daysuris Vásquez to local...

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been welcomed in Zimbabwe by people singing songs criticizing the West HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi was welcomed in Zimbabwe on Thursday by people singing songs criticizing the West as he made his last stop on a three-nation Africa trip aimed at finding new trade alliances to soften the impact of U.S. sanctions on his nation. Raisi was greeted at Harare's international airport by Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa and dozens of supporters waving Zimbabwe and Iran flags and holding placards with Raisi's image. Both countries are under U.S. sanctions and Raisi's trip to Africa, which has already included stops in Kenya and Uganda, highlights Iran's efforts to counter those heavy economic punishments. Iran and Zimbabwe already have a joint permanent commission on political and trade relations and officials on Thursday signed 12 new memorandums of understanding, including agreements on agricul...

The president of Belarus says Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is in St. Petersburg and his Wagner troops have remained at the camps they stayed in before an attempted mutiny against Moscow MINSK, Belarus -- Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is in St. Pet ersburg and his Wagner troops have remained at the camps where they had stayed before a short-lived mutiny against Moscow, the president of Belarus said Thursday. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko helped broker a deal for Prigozhin to end his rebellion on June 24 in exchange for amnesty and security guarantees for himself and his soldiers and permission to move to Belarus. However, few details of the agreement have emerged, and the whereabouts and futures of the Wagner company's chief and his private army have remained unclear. The Kremlin has refused to comment on Prigozhin’s location or movements since the abortive revolt. After saying last week that Prigozhin was in Belarus, Lukashenko told internati...

Mexico's president says he will talk with U.S. President Joe Biden by telephone on Tuesday about immigration and the fentanyl crisis MEXICO CITY -- Mexico’s president said Monday he will talk with U.S. President Joe Biden by telephone on Tuesday about immigration and the fentanyl crisis. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the leaders will also discuss development programs to help stem the flow of migrants to the U.S. border. The conversation comes two days before the end of pandemic-era immigration restrictions that allowed U.S. authorities to quickly expel migrants who crossed the border illegally. López Obrador appealed to migrants not to use smugglers to travel to the U.S. border. “Don't allow yourselves to be fooled,” López Obrador said during his morning news briefing. “Don't allow yourselves to be blackmailed by coyotes, smugglers, who put you at risk." Mexico agreed last week to continue to accept migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba and Nicaragua w...

Mexico's president is visiting hospitals treating injured migrants in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, where 39 men died in a immigration detention center fire MEXICO CITY -- Mexico’s president promised to visit hospitals treating injured migrants in the border city of Ciudad Juarez Friday, where 39 men died in a immigration detention center fire late Monday. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he was personally devastated by Monday’s tragedy. But it appears he will bring little new with him in the way of immigration policy during Friday’s visit to Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas. “I confess it hurt me a lot, it damaged me,” López Obrador said before the trip. “It ripped my soul apart.” The president said the Ciudad Juarez fire was the second most painful moment of his administration, exceeded only by a 2019 pipeline fire in the central Mexico town of Tlahuelilpan that killed about 135 people. However, it hasn't cost him much politically. Many residents of Me...

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has acknowledged that serious human rights violations occurred across the country in recent decades and vowed to compensate victims and prevent such abuses from happening again in the future JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday admitted serious human rights violations had occurred across the country in recent decades and vowed to compensate victims and prevent such abuses from happening again in the future. In televised comments, Widodo acknowledged “with a clear mind and sincere heart” a total of 12 incidents categorized as gross human rights violations that occurred from the northernmost province of Aceh to the easternmost province of Papua between the 1960s and early 2000s. Widodo's remarks came a day before Human Rights Watch was to release its annual world report on human rights conditions in more than 100 countries and territories. “I deeply regret it,” Widodo said, flanked by Coordinating Minister for Politic...

Former Guatemala President Álvaro Colom, who governed from 2008 to 2012 and supported a United Nations anti-corruption mission that later investigated him, has died at age 71 GUATEMALA CITY -- Former Guatemala President Álvaro Colom, who governed from 2008 to 2012 and supported a United Nations anti-corruption mission that later investigated him, died Monday, lawmakers from his party announced. He was 71. “I deeply lament the death of ex-President Colom, a man of profound democratic convictions and great social sensibility,” said Guatemalan lawmaker Orlando Blanco, leader of the center-left National Unity of Hope Party in Congress. Current President Alejandro Giammattei expressed his condolences to Colom's family and friends via Twitter. No cause of death was given. Colom won office in a runoff election in 2007, defeating retired Gen. Otto Pérez Molina. It was his third attempt for the presidency. An industrial engineer, Colom was Guatemala’s first leftist president in more than 5...

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has told Pope Francis in a letter that war with China is “not an option” and said constructive interaction with Beijing, which claims the island as part of its territory, depends on respecting self-ruled Taiwan’s democracy TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen told Pope Francis in a letter that war with China is “not an option ” and said constructive interaction with Beijing, which claims the island as part of its territory, depends on respecting self-ruled Taiwan's democracy. Vatican City is the last European government to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan instead of Beijing, although the United States and other Western nations maintain extensive informal ties. Taiwanese leaders are uneasy about Vatican efforts to develop relations with Beijing. Tsai, in the letter released by her office, expressed support for Vatican positions on Russia’s war against Ukraine, “migrant-friendly policies” and public Health . “We identify profoundly ...

For three years, Juan Guaidó has led the Venezuelan opposition’s efforts to bring about new elections and remove socialist President Nicolás Maduro CARACAS, Venezuela -- For three years, Juan Guaidó led the Venezuelan opposition’s efforts to bring about new elections and remove socialist President Nicolás Maduro. But on Friday, dozens of politicians who once backed Guaidó voted in favor of removing the 39-year-old engineer and replacing his U.S.-supported “interim government” with a committee to oversee presidential primaries next year and protect the nation’s assets abroad. The vote reflects a changing balance of power within the opposition, which is trying to find new ways to connect with voters ahead of the nation’s 2024 presidential election. Three of Venezuela’s four main opposition parties backed the proposal to remove Guaidó, who was supported only by his own Popular Will party. After the vote, Guaidó said the move would create a “power vacuum” that could encourage more foreig...

Mexico's president is appealing to the country's citizens not to accept holiday handouts and gifts from drug gangs MEXICO CITY -- Mexico’s president appealed to the country’s citizens Tuesday not to accept holiday handouts and gifts from drug gangs, after videos posted online showed garish pickup trucks handing out loads of gifts while bystanders described the drivers as members of the Jalisco drug cartel. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed that some drug gangs were looking to resume such giveaways — often seen years ago — to gain the support of the local population. López Obrador said in his morning press briefing that local residents in some communities have tried to protect traffickers, stop drug seizures or oppose the installation of National Guard bases intended to fight drug trafficking. Authorities have not confirmed the source of the gifts — mostly toys — in the Dec. 21 handout in a low-income neighborhood in the city of Guadalajara, the capital of Jal...

Tunisian opposition figures have called for the president’s resignation after disastrous parliamentary elections in which less than 9% of voters cast ballots TUNIS, Tunisia -- Tunisian opposition figures called Sunday for the president’s resignation after disastrous parliamentary elections in which less than 9% of voters cast ballots. The mass voter disavowal was a dramatic development for the country that was the birthplace of the Arab Spring uprisings against autocratic leaders a decade ago — and the only one to emerge from that upheaval with a democratic political system. The elections Saturday were meant to replace and reshape a legislature that President Kais Saied dissolved last year. It was one of several moves he has made to consolidate his power and tackle Tunisia’s protracted economic and social crisis. The election results are expected in the coming days. Many opposition parties boycotted the vote, and many voters stayed away too. According to provisional figures announced ...