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President Arevalo suspended public school classes on Wednesday and ordered remote work for those who are able to do so. On Wednesday, the Guatemalan government confirmed the deaths of two men who were traveling in a vehicle when it was crushed by a giant boulder following a landslide triggered by two earthquakes that struck Tuesday afternoon.

The deaths occurred on a road connecting the departments of Escuintla and Sacatepequez. The Volunteer Fire Department reported that a massive rock fell on the vehicle carrying the two men, ages 53 and 20.

On Tuesday, Guatemala was shaken by two earthquakes measuring 5.2 and 5.7 in magnitude on the Richter scale. The quakes caused minor damage to some properties near the epicenters. The earthquakes occurred between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time and were followed by several smaller aftershocks.

According to the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology, the epicenters of the quakes were in the southern part of the country, specifically in the department of Escuintla, about 30 miles south of the capital.

The text reads, “Guatemala: This afternoon, a strong 5.2 magnitude earthquake left devastation in various homes and businesses in the center and interior of the Central American country.”

“The safety of our families is the priority. After the earthquake, take precautions, follow the instructions of the authorities and the established protocols. We will be deployed to assist the population with calm and responsibility. Report any damage to 119 at the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction,” Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo wrote on social media.

He later ordered the suspension of classes in public schools and directed that those who could work from home on Wednesday. Authorities have reported some minor damage to properties near the epicenters, mainly in Sacatepequez and Escuintla.

On May 12, another strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 was felt across nearly the entire country, causing minor damage to some properties in the department of San Marcos, which borders Mexico, as well as small landslides on some highways. Guatemala’s last major earthquake, a 7.5-magnitude temblor, occurred in February 1976 and left an estimated 23,000 people dead, according to official figures.

Forbes described the move as the administration’s 27th policy ‘flip-flop’ since April 2, dubbed ‘Liberation Day.’ With the 90-day suspension of sweeping U.S. reciprocal tariffs scheduled to expire Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to extend the pause till Aug. 1 while trade negotiations continue.

Forbes described the move as the administration’s “27th policy flip-flop” since April 2, dubbed “Liberation Day,” when the White House launched its aggressive tariff campaign. The delay adds yet another twist to Trump’s original “90 deals in 90 days” promise — so far yielding only two vague trade agreements with Britain and Vietnam.

So where do things stand now — and could more deals be coming down the pipeline between Washington and its major trading partners? Here’s the latest:

ASIAN PARTNERS

Alongside the tariff reprieve extension, Trump on Monday announced new 25 percent tariffs — effective Aug. 1 — on imports from 14 countries, including key allies Japan and South Korea. The announcement came with a warning: retaliatory measures will be met with a tit-for-tat response. Still, Washington left the door open for negotiation.

In the previous seven round of bilateral talks, Japan had floated a package of concessions such as boosting imports of U.S. agricultural goods and liquefied natural gas in exchange for relief on automobile, which accounts for around 30 percent of Japan’s exports to the United States. But Washington showed little flexibility.

Trump described Japan as “very tough” and “very spoiled” last week, and threatened to raise tariffs to 30-35 percent unless Japan opens its market to U.S. rice and other products. Japan is reportedly pushing for an eighth round of talks, but political constraints ahead of its general election and a sluggish economy limit its room to make major compromises.

South Korea has adopted a more multifaceted strategy. In addition to requesting a 90-day extension previously, Seoul had dispatched its top trade and security officials to Washington to engage in tariff discussions with wider cooperation, including exchange rate and defense issues.

South Korea’s Trade Ministry said Tuesday it will accelerate talks with Washington to reach a “mutually beneficial” agreement before the new deadline. President Lee Jae Myung admitted, “It’s still not clear to each side what the other wants.”

EUROPEAN ALLIES

Despite Washington’s last-minute decision to extend the pause, the EU is still aiming to strike with the United States a deal by midweek.

“We’re working towards July 9 as the point where we want to have an agreement in principle at a minimum with the U.S.,” said Olof Gill, the Commission’s trade spokesperson, on Monday.

Over the past months, Washington and Brussels have remained divided over tariffs on cars and steel, agricultural market access and digital regulation. Brussels’ firm stance on protecting its food standards and tech sovereignty has irritated Trump, who called the EU “very nasty” and threatened to raise tariffs on European exports to as high as 50 percent.

As the largest trading partner of the United States, the bloc already faces a 10 percent baseline tariff, with autos at 25 percent and steel and aluminum at 50 percent. Should no agreement be reached by Aug. 1, EU exports may face a further tariff hike, as Trump has warned.

The EU executive said that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had a “good exchange” on trade with Trump on Sunday. But she also said: “What we are aiming at is an agreement in principle, because with such a volume, in 90 days, an agreement in detail is impossible … That is also what the UK did.”

Meanwhile, EU countries remain split on strategy. Countries like Italy and Germany support a quick deal and are willing to make significant concessions in exchange for lower duties on strategic sectors, while France and Spain have so far taken a more confrontational approach, urging the Commission to adopt a tougher stance.

NEIGHBORS

The United States’ neighboring countries appear to be faring better, thanks to tariff exemptions under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which covers goods primarily produced in North America. But the pain is still real.

To continue trade talks with Trump, Canada recently scrapped a proposed 3 percent digital services tax targeting U.S. tech giants, a leavy Trump had slammed as “a blatant attack,” after Trump called Canada “very nasty” and threatened to suspend trade talks if Canada imposes the tax. Referring to the repeal, the White House said last week that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canada “caved” to Trump and the U.S.

According to Canada’s Department of Finance, Trump and Carney are now aiming to finalize a trade deal by July 21. U.S. tariffs on Canadian metals — a 50 percent levy on aluminum and 25 percent on steel — as well as Canada’s dairy supply management system could still return to the table.

Mexico has weathered the storm more effectively. Roughly half of its exports to its northern neighbor already meet USMCA rules of origin, and that share is expected to rise to 85-90 percent as companies adapt. That is much higher than Canada’s 38 percent in 2024.

Mexico is also in talks with Washington over a quota system to allow a set volume of steel exports to enter at lower tariffs. Additionally, Mexico is pushing for an early review of the USMCA, potentially by September, to secure longer-term trade certainty. However, the quota proposal has yet to materialize, and the early review could become a bargaining chip for Washington in further negotiations.

While negotiations are clearly active, it remains far too early to predict any concrete deals. The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated in February that tariffs would reduce U.S. GDP growth by around 0.25 percentage points.

Moscow, Jul 5 (Prensa Latina) President Vladimir Putin today sent a telegram to the delegates of the congress of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), emphasizing the importance of the grouping in initiatives of national relevance.

Putin noted that CPRF supporters are actively involved in projects aimed at strengthening Russia’s sovereignty, as well as taking part in the patriotic education of young people and promoting an open dialogue with the citizenry.

“Today, when we face serious challenges and protect and defend the future of the Fatherland, a broad and truly national consolidation is essential. In this regard, I welcome your commitment to constructive cooperation with other political parties and public associations in key tasks for national development,” he emphasized.

In his message, the head of state stressed that today, in the context of serious challenges, it is especially important to strengthen society and cooperate constructively with all political forces.

Officially known as Krome Detention Center, the 5,000-bed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration detention facility located on the grounds of a rarely used municipal airport approximately 20 miles west of Miami last week began receiving people arrested during the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. While U.S. President Donald Trump and other proponents of the prison have sadistically joked about alligators eating escaping prisoners, the biggest dangers faced by detainees are found inside the facility’s walls.

“I don’t know their motive for doing this, if it’s a form of torture,” he added. “A lot of us have our residency documents and we don’t understand why we’re here.”

Another inmate, the Cuban reggaeton artist Leamsy La Figura, said guards “only brought a meal once a day and it had maggots.”

“They’re not respecting our human rights,” one detainee told CBS News Miami during a phone interview. “We’re human beings; we’re not dogs. We’re like rats in an experiment.”

“They never take off the lights for 24 hours,” he claimed. “The mosquitoes are as big as elephants,” and “there’s no water to take a bath, it’s been four days since I’ve taken a bath.”

A Colombian detainee said his mental health is breaking down. “I’m on the edge of losing my mind. I’ve gone three days without taking my medicine,” he said. “It’s impossible to sleep with this white light that’s on all day.”

“They took the Bible I had and they said here there is no right to religion,”

Montevideo, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) The union of the National Administration of Fuels, Alcohol and Portland (Fancap) is holding a strike today in all its plants in Uruguay, including the only oil refinery in the country.

“We will go on general strike on Thursday for 24 hours and it will affect all non-essential services”, informed union leader Salvador Sprovieri, who clarified that in the distribution of fuels “there will not be any problem”.

Fancap has decided to toughen its position in defense of labor rights and working conditions in the agency, which covers fuel, alcohol and cement industry.

The conflict has been going on for a long time and in recent weeks the union has carried out surprise actions and partial shutdowns.

The union's actions take place in a context of negotiations between the union and the authorities of the agency with questions about the restructuring plans, the outsourcing of tasks and the working conditions in the plants.

The union opposes measures of Ancap's board of directors which it considers to be a disguised privatization, particularly at the aerocombustibles plant and the state cement factory in Paysandú.

“Impunity does not hide the crime, it aggravates it”, stated the CNDHHH, pointing out that the amnesty opens the way to impunity for military and police officers charged in 600 trials for extrajudicial executions, torture and forced disappearances.

The measure was approved with the votes of 16 right-wing members of the Permanent Commission against 11 votes against cast by legislators of the left and center.

It also benefits senior citizens (70 years of age or older), which includes the perpetrators of the massacres of unarmed civilians in Barrios Altos and La Cantuta, under the iron fist government of Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) during the so-called internal conflict (1980-2000).

The promoters of the amnesty alleged that the trials against those now amnestied who fought against terrorism (as the armed groups that operated in the country are called here) have dragged on for 25 years or more without being sentenced.

Congressman Alex Flores refuted the right-wing majority by pointing out that the amnesty does not benefit those who fought against terrorism, but the bad police and military who committed serious human rights violations and their victims were unarmed civilians.

“Fujimorism and its allies have consummated an act of impunity that offends the victims, their families and the memory of the country,” said legislator Flor Pablo, alluding to the first minority of the Popular Force party, to which the promoter of the questioned measure belongs.

Progressive legislator Ruth Luque, said that the measure is used to favor President Dina Boluarte, investigated for civilian deaths at the hands of military and police during the prolonged protests against her ascension to the Presidency, by succession, in December 2022.

The center-right legislator Francis Paredes pointed out that the decision of the Permanent Commission -in charge of the Legislative due to the recess of the full Congress- was too fast and should have waited for the resumption of the plenary sessions for a broader debate.

: "In view of US President Donald Trump's public statement on a social network on Wednesday afternoon (9), it is important to emphasize that Brazil is a sovereign country with independent institutions that will not accept being tutored by anyone: Brazil is a sovereign country with independent institutions that will not accept being tutored by anyone.

The judicial process against those who planned the coup d'état is the sole responsibility of the Brazilian justice system and is therefore not subject to any kind of interference or threat that would harm the independence of national institutions. In the context of digital platforms, Brazilian society rejects hate content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, speeches against human rights and democratic freedom.

In Brazil, freedom of expression is not to be confused with aggression or violent practices. In order to operate in our country, all national and foreign companies are subject to Brazilian law. In the case of the trade relationship between Brazil and the United States, the information about the alleged US deficit is false. The US government's own statistics show a surplus of 410 billion dollars in trade in goods and services with Brazil over the last 15 years.

In this sense, any measure to raise tariffs unilaterally will be responded to in the light of the Brazilian Law of Economic Reciprocity. Sovereignty, respect and the uncompromising defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world."

Caracas, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) The electoral campaign for the July 27 elections to elect mayors and councilmen will officially begin tomorrow, Friday, announced the secretary general of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello.

In his Wednesday night program Con el Mazo Dando, the political leader pointed out that 335 mayors and 2,471 councilors will be elected for this electoral process -the 33rd since the arrival of the Bolivarian Revolution- with an equal number of alternates.

He added that in parallel, on Sunday, July 27, the youth will vote in a popular consultation for 37 thousand projects that were presented, discussed and evaluated by the youth in the assemblies of their communities.

The PSUV leader described this exercise as “participative and protagonist democracy”.

Commenting on the opposition sectors, Cabello stated that “they lost control of the territory” and, what they had, they will end up losing because of the “political stupidity of not participating in the elections”.

He predicted that in the elections at the end of July “the panorama that is foreseen is that the Revolution will win the 335 mayoralties”.

The head of the Unified Command of the Bolivarian Revolution, Jorge Rodríguez, predicted weeks ago the triumph of the forces of the Simón Bolívar Great Patriotic Pole (Gppsb) in all the mayoralties, for which they have been preparing themselves organizationally.

In the regional elections of last May, the Gppsb obtained an overwhelming triumph in the governorships by winning in 23 of the 24 states of the country, while it dominated by ample majority the number of seats in the National Assembly.

Cabello disqualified the reiterated message of opposition leader María Corina Machado that the Bolivarian government is going to fall and about alleged setbacks, to which he responded that in the last years there has been a process of consolidation of the Popular Power around the victories of the revolutionary forces.

She assured that nobody believes her anymore, which is evidenced by the data reflected in the polls in which her popularity is low and going downhill.

The National Electoral Council planned the electoral campaign from July 11 to 24, in which 53 political formations will participate, divided into 36 national political parties, 10 regional ones, three national indigenous organizations and four regional ones.

Of the total number of councilmen, 1,420 candidates will be elected by list vote, equivalent to 60 percent; 982 by nominal suffrage, 40 percent, and another 69 will represent the native peoples.

For these municipal elections, 21 million 524 thousand 126 voters are summoned, of which 227 thousand 281 will vote abroad.