In a wide-ranging speech at the UN, Pope Francis touched on an array of hot-button topics, including the persecution of Christians, the Iran nuclear deal, drug trafficking -- "silently killing millions" -- and the rights of girls to an education.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two brothers believed to be leaders of one of the most prolific cocaine-trafficking organizations in Central America were charged in a massive drug conspiracy case unsealed Friday in U.S. federal district court in Alexandria, Virginia.
AYOTZINAPA, Mexico – Mexico was confronted Saturday with one of the grisliest massacres in years of drug violence after gang suspects confessed to slaughtering 43 missing students and dumping their incinerated remains in a river.
Last week, a criminal court in the Caribbean slope town of Pococí found Colombian helicopter mechanic Andrés Camilo Ramírez Sánchez not guilty of drugs, weapons and money laundering charges. But photos obtained by The Tico Times raise questions about his presence in Costa Rica.
With the theme “Silence is not an option for us,” Solís called for a more proactive Security Council and criticized the use of vetoes by permanent members of the council to obstruct conflict resolution.
The U.S. State Department named Costa Rica among a list of 22 major drug-producing and transit countries that “significantly affect the United States,” including Afghanistan, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela, according to a statement released Monday.
Costa Rica's president and public security chief spoke with the U.S.' top military leader for the region about collaboration opportunities, border police training, humanitarian assistance and human rights.
"What I wasn't prepared for," Roland Griffiths says, "is people would come in two months later and I would say, 'Well, so what do you think of the experience?' And they'd say ... 'It was one of the most important experiences in my life.' "
"Anti-drug policies in Central America have not had their desired effect,” Public Security Minister Celso Gamboa said. "I can say that after 20 years experience fighting drug trafficking, ... the cases where white collar criminals are caught, those who never touch the drugs, these cases are scarce.”
