Mexico hopes to strike a deal with President-elect Donald Trump to limit the number of third-country deportees it could receive from the US, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday.

A similar deal to send deportees directly to their country of origin is already in place with the current Biden administration.

“We hope to have an agreement with the Trump administration,” Sheinbaum said Thursday during her daily press conference adding that Mexico is “in solidarity with everyone, but [Mexico’s] main function is to receive Mexicans.”

Faced with the prospect of mass deportations across the US-Mexico border, Sheinbaum said her administration is setting up meetings with Mexican border states governors — Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas — so “we can agree on how to receive our compatriots.”

“We hope [mass deportations] don’t happen, but if they do, we will be ready to receive them,” she said.

Sheinbaum’s comments come after a November 27 call with Trump about the two countries’ shared border and the fentanyl crisis, a conversation she described as “excellent” in a post on X.

Trump, too, said the call was “wonderful” in a post on Truth Social, and went further, claiming that Sheinbaum had “agreed to stop migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.” Sheinbaum has denied proposing to seal the border.

“Everyone has their own way of communicating, but I can assure you, I give you the certainty that we would never — and we would be incapable of it — propose that we would close the border,” Sheinbaum said. “It has never been our approach and of course we don’t agree with that.”

That was the first time they had spoken since Trump promised massive tariff hikes on goods from Mexico on the first day of his administration, in retaliation for illegal immigration and “crime and drugs” moving across the border. Sheinbaum has warned of possible counter-tariffs in response.

Mexico has also highlighted its actions to address the fentanyl trade and border crisis in recent days. On Wednesday, the Mexican government announced what it said was the largest fentanyl bust in the country’s history, with over a ton of the synthetic opioid seized in two raids in the cartel-ridden northern state of Sinaloa. Just hours later, the government released data showing that an average of around 5,200 migrants have been detained each day in Mexico since Sheinbaum took office on October 1.

The US southern border has become a global crossroads, where Mexican and non-Mexican migrants congregate with hopes of crossing into the US, often after making long and arduous journeys across the world. Since 2022, US Customs and Border Protection have recorded a yearly average of over half a million encounters with migrants from Central American nations, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Thousands of encounters have also involved migrants from Venezuela, Cuba and increasingly China, among others.

Reporting contributed by Veronica Calderon.

Paraguay on Thursday kicked out a Chinese envoy for allegedly interfering in its domestic affairs and urging the South American nation to break off ties and long friendship with Taiwan. The Chinese diplomat was given 24 hours to leave the country.

In a curt statement, Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had revoked the visa of Xu Wei, a senior Chinese envoy to Latin America who was in Paraguay for an annual UNESCO meeting, declaring him persona non grata “over interference in internal affairs.”

The day before, Xu skipped the UNESCO session and instead turned up at Congress in Paraguay’s capital of Asunción, where he caused a diplomatic stir by calling on Paraguay to ditch Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island of 23 million people that China claims as its territory.

Paraguay is the only nation in South America and one of just 12 worldwide that recognizes Taiwan as a country. The Paraguayan government has stayed firm in its commitment — even as Beijing ramps up its lobbying of foreign counterparts to stop recognizing the island.

In recent years, four countries in Latin America — Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador — cut ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing, whose one-China principle forces countries to choose between having full diplomatic relations with China or Taiwan.

From the halls of the futuristic Congress building in Asunción that Taiwan helped fund, Xu stressed Beijing’s interest in establishing relations with Paraguay, but said the onus was on officials in Paraguay to make the first move.

“It is either China or Taiwan,” he said. “I recommend that the government of Paraguay make a correct decision as soon as possible.”

Addressing lawmakers, Xu dangled the prospect of expanded trade with Beijing among “thousands of other advantages.” Some members of the Paraguayan Congress, citing farmers’ struggles to export soybeans and beef to China, have argued that the nation stands to benefit from a diplomatic flip in the long run.

China’s trade with South America has grown exponentially in recent years, reaching nearly $500 billion as of 2023, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

On Wednesday, the Taiwanese Embassy in Paraguay lashed out at China on social media platform X, calling Xu an “infiltrator” who seeks “to undermine the firm friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan” that dates back to 1957.

A Catholic nun with the Sisters of Charity Institute in Milan was among 25 people arrested early Thursday morning for a litany of mafia-related crimes, including aiding and abetting extortion, drug trafficking, receiving stolen goods, usury, tax crimes and money laundering.

Sister Anna Donelli, 57, was known among prison inmates as “Sister Collina” when she volunteered at several prisons in and around Brescia, a city in the northern region of Lombardy, where anti-mafia police said she did more than just offer blessings and comfort.

She is accused of being an intermediary, “exploiting the very spiritual role she carried out” to pass messages and orders between bosses on the inside and foot soldiers tied to Italy’s notorious ’Ndrangheta organized crime syndicate based in Calabria, in the south of the country.

“She carried orders, directives, moral and material aid to associates, receiving in turn from the prisoners useful information to better plan criminal strategies,” according to prosecutor Francesco Prete during a press conference announcing the arrests Thursday.

A total of €1.8 million ($1.9 million) in cash was sequestered in the operation carried out by 300 anti-mafia officers and special police dogs used to sniff out drugs and cash in several locations, which saw 25 people arrested in total.

Weapons and drugs were also recovered from locations in Bergamo, Verona and Treviso.

A member of prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party who is a physician was also arrested for treating injuries suffered by mobsters during mafia-related crimes to avoid suspicion in the public health system, according to the prosecutor.

Officially, Donelli worked as a liaison between prison officials and prisoners in addition to acting as a soccer referee during prisoners’ free time, according to an interview she gave the religious news network TV2000 in 2020 about her work.

Prete said that Donelli, who is currently under house arrest, was “at the disposal of the criminal association to guarantee the connection with the associates detained in prison and those outside.”

The goal of Syria’s rebel coalition, as it wrests another major city from government control this week, is ultimately to overthrow authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the militant leader of the main group driving the country’s armed opposition.

“When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” said al-Jolani.

“The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it… the Iranians attempted to revive the regime, buying it time, and later the Russians also tried to prop it up. But the truth remains: this regime is dead.”

Since bursting out of their pocket of territory in the northwest of the country more than a week ago, the rebels’ progress has been stunningly swift, taking control of the country’s second-largest city Aleppo before capturing the strategic city of Hama. The shock offensive delivered a huge blow to Assad and his backers in Iran and Russia, while reigniting a civil war that had been largely dormant for years.

Syria’s opposition forces are decentralized and made up of different ideologies, albeit united by a common goal of upending the Assad regime. But HTS and al-Jolani’s roots in extremist Islamist movements cast a shadow over his ambitions.

Despite al-Jolani’s effort to distance his new group from al Qaeda, the United States designated HTS a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2018 and placed a $10 million bounty on him.

Emerging from the shadows

Inside rebel-controlled territory in Syria, it’s clear he operates less like a wanted man and more like a politician. After forces loyal to him took control of Aleppo, he made a public appearance in the city’s historic citadel.

Al-Jolani says he has gone through episodes of transformation through the years. “A person in their twenties will have a different personality than someone in their thirties or forties, and certainly someone in their fifties. This is human nature.”

Al-Jolani cut his teeth as a young fighter for al Qaeda against the US in Iraq. Returning to his homeland during the Syrian civil war, he led the terror group’s affiliate in Syria when it was under the name Jabhat Al Nusra. He would go on to break ties with al Qaeda and his organization evolved into Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, also known as the Organization for the Liberation of the Levant, in early 2017.

The US, Turkey, the United Nations and several other Western nations continue to designate HTS as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, despite the group’s attempts to distance itself from its roots.

On Thursday, al-Jolani projected a different vision for the war-torn country. In a sign of his attempted rebranding, he also publicly used his real name for the first time – Ahmed al-Sharaa – instead of the nom de guerre by which he is widely known.

As the rebel coalition’s military advances expand the territory and population under their control, al-Jolani insisted that civilians had little to fear in the management of rebel-held areas of Syria. “People who fear Islamic governance either have seen incorrect implementations of it or do not understand it properly,” he claimed.

If opposition forces succeed in toppling Assad’s regime, it will transition into “a state of governance, institutions and so on,” he envisioned.

The group said it is working to reassure civilians and groups that suffered persecution at the hands of extremist and jihadist groups in Syria’s decade-long civil war. It also said it has gone out of its way to publicly tell Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities that they will live safely under its rule.

“There were some violations against them [minorities] by certain individuals during periods of chaos, but we addressed these issues,” al-Jolani said when asked about concerns for their safety.

“No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them,” he said.

Al-Jolani also pushed back against the enduring terror designation of HTS, calling the label “primarily political and, at the same time, inaccurate,” arguing that some extreme Islamist practices had “created a divide” between HTS and jihadist groups. He claimed that he was opposed to some of the more brutal tactics used by other jihadi groups which led to his severing ties with them. He also claimed that he was never personally involved in attacks on civilians.

Assad’s chokehold on the country has been reinforced by his allies. As anti-government forces grew in the aftermath of the 2011 Arab Spring, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as well as its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah helped fight the armed rebel groups on the ground. In the skies, the Syrian Air Force was bolstered by Russian warplanes.

Al-Jolani expressed a desire to see foreign forces leave Syria. There are currently forces from the US, Turkey, Russia and Iran as well as Iranian proxies in the country. “I think that once this regime falls, the issue will be resolved, and there will no longer be a need for any foreign forces to remain in Syria.”

“Syria deserves a governing system that is institutional, not one where a single ruler makes arbitrary decisions,” he added. The Assad dynasty has been in power for 53 years, since 1971. To maintain its decades-long rule, the regime has killed hundreds of thousands of people, jailed dissidents and brutally displaced millions internally and abroad.

“We are talking about a larger project – we are talking about building Syria,” Al-Jolani continued. “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is merely one part of this dialogue, and it may dissolve at any time. It is not an end in itself but a means to perform a task: confronting this regime.”

The head of South Korea’s ruling party said Friday it is necessary to suspend the president’s constitutional powers and suggested the party would change its earlier opposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over his declaration of martial law.

The People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon told reporters on Friday that he had received “credible evidence” that Yoon had attempted to use troops to arrest key political figures “under the pretext of them being anti-state forces” during the president’s short-lived martial decree on Tuesday evening.

“Yesterday, I stated that I would work to prevent the passage of this impeachment motion to avoid unprepared chaos and harm to the people and our supporters. However, in light of these newly emerging facts, I have concluded that it is necessary to suspend President Yoon Suk Yeol’s powers promptly to protect South Korea and its people,” Han said, compounding the pressure building on the country’s leader ahead of a looming impeachment vote in parliament.

“If President Yoon continues to hold the presidency, there is a significant risk that extreme actions like this martial law declaration could be repeated, putting South Korea and its citizens in grave danger,” Han added. “I firmly believe that now is the time to think solely of South Korea and its people.”

Han, who has vocally criticized the president over his unexpected decree, said he met with Yoon on Wednesday and told him that what happened Tuesday evening had “left a big scar on Korea and our party.”

Some South Korean lawmakers have been camping out in the parliamentary building since Tuesday evening amid fears that Yoon could potentially declare martial law again, after plunging the country into political chaos and uncertainty after his declaration, which lasted just six hours, earlier in the week.

Yoon faces growing calls to resign as lawmakers debate moving forward on a motion to impeach the president, with a vote expected in the next two days.

Under the South Korean constitution, an impeachment motion must be approved by two thirds of the 300-person legislature to pass onto consideration in one of the country’s highest courts, the Constitutional Court. The Democratic Party, minor opposition parties and independents have a combined 192 seats, meaning they would need the support of at least eight members of Yoon’s People Power Party to pass the motion.

Declaring martial law in a stable and boisterous democracy was an audacious gamble – and one that appears to have backfired spectacularly for South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Now, the former prosecutor and conservative firebrand’s political career hangs by a thread, with an impeachment motion against him underway and the country’s leader rapidly losing support even within his own ruling party.

Dramatic scenes from South Korea on Tuesday night showed military helicopters landing near the National Assembly in the capital Seoul, soldiers breaking through windows to try and prevent lawmakers from gathering, and protesters confronting riot police.

But the operation was unsuccessful. TV stations and news media continued to report unhindered, people traveled freely and there were no mass arrests. When lawmakers voted to overturn Yoon’s surprise decree, security forces backed away.

In the days since the streets of Seoul have been busy with commuter traffic, there was little extra security presence on the ground, businesses and restaurants were open, and the country was functioning as normal.

At one rally in the capital on Wednesday, teacher Kyung-soo said Yoon’s attacks on his opponents – including calling them “communist forces” – were “the behavior of a dictator, and clearly clashes with the wishes of the people.”

Last year, Yoon was serenading United States President Joe Biden with a rendition of ‘American Pie’ by Don McLean at a White House state dinner and toasting their “iron clad” relationship.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that South Korea is “one of our closest partners and allies” and said it was important to “see this process play out peacefully and according to the constitution and the rule of law.”

As a nation tries to understand why Yoon chose the nuclear option of martial law, many are relieved that the fiasco may well be remembered as the week when democracy was threatened in South Korea, but ultimately survived.

Who is Yoon and what was he thinking?

Yoon, a political newcomer, took office in 2022 with the conservative People Power Party, winning the presidential election by a margin of less than 1%.

He had spent almost 30 years as a prosecutor, leading high-profile investigations into corruption scandals that included a graft probe against former President Park Geun-hye that led to her impeachment and landed her in prison.

On the campaign trail, Yoon appealed to the country’s growing anti-feminist movement, and committed to abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which he claimed is unfair to men.

And while his predecessor Moon Jae-in favored dialogue with North Korea, Yoon took a tougher stance, promising to bulk up the South’s military, and even hinting he would launch a preemptive strike if he saw signs of a launch against Seoul.

In office, Yoon clashed fiercely with the opposition. Earlier this year, opposition parties overwhelmingly won elections seen as a referendum on Yoon’s rule, and took control of the National Assembly.

This left him a lame-duck president prevented from moving forward on legislation to cut taxes and ease business regulations, as his main rivals in the Democratic Party used parliament to impeach key cabinet members and hold up a budget bill.

It was this gridlock that Yoon used to try and justify his fateful decree.

In his speech declaring martial law Tuesday, he labelled the opposition’s actions “clear anti-state behavior aimed at inciting rebellion” and referenced “threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces,” vowing to “eliminate anti-state elements.”

While Yoon had previously “claimed to advocate for fairness and common sense,” as president, “his words and actions reflect a dictator’s,” said Park Sung-min, analyst at Min Consulting in Seoul.

“It seems like a political suicide.”

But Yoon’s eventual decision to rescind the decree shows he “is not a man who’s trying to seize power, or create a second term, or prolong his rule,” said Sydney Seiler, senior adviser for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“From the ruling party’s perspective, (he’s) trying to get the ball moving. He probably thought he had much more support within the ruling party for his actions than he actually did.”

The designer handbag at the center of the controversy

Observers say Yoon’s decision to declare martial law may have been more self-serving.

Since taking office, he has faced plummeting approval ratings over economic issues and a series of scandals involving his wife and political appointments that prompted calls for him to resign.

First Lady Kim Keon Hee was accused last year of accepting a $2,200 Christian Dior bag as a gift – a potential violation of anti-graft laws. A secretly filmed video that surfaced online purported to show Kim receiving a cloud-blue “Lady Dior Pouch” from a Korean-American pastor.

The first lady is no stranger to controversy – over the past few years, she has apologized for resumé-padding and has faced allegations ranging from academic plagiarism to stock manipulation, which the presidential office has repeatedly denied.

The main opposition Democratic Party accused the president of “concealing suspicions” surrounding his wife, and the mounting public backlash even caused a rift between Yoon and senior members of his party.

“Yoon tends to act more on instinct than rationality, embodying a reckless ‘lonely hero’ persona,” said Ahn Byung-jin, professor at the global academy for future civilizations at Kyung Hee University.

“He perceives the current situation as an existential crisis, especially with attempts to impeach members of his cabinet, cut the budget, and push for special investigations against his wife. He believes he is seriously cornered.”

What comes next for Yoon?

Yoon said he recently began practicing golf in preparation for “golf diplomacy” with US President-elect Donald Trump, but his overreach on Tuesday leaves his position on the world stage, and domestically, seriously in doubt.

Parliamentary wrangles have recently toppled a government elsewhere. This week in France, Prime Minister Michel Barnier was forced to resign in a no-confidence vote after his attempt to ram through part of his government’s annual budget.

For some South Koreans, such as pastor Kwak Dong-seok, Yoon has worked to address economic issues, and is correct in his claims of “anti-state” forces in the country.

“Martial law is often criticized as excessive, but in some cases, it has been justified as a measure to prevent the establishment of a communist regime,” said Kwak, who organizes regular conservative rallies and political activities.

But others say Yoon’s decision shows how far removed he is from public sentiment.

“Korean democracy started late but we made it by ourselves and are very proud of it,” said school principal Kim Hyeon. Yoon’s attempt at martial law demonstrates that “the president’s way of thinking doesn’t match our society,” she said.

In the days since Yoon’s botched martial law attempt, extraordinary details have emerged of just how many senior figures, both within the political establishment and the military, were caught completely off-guard.

However, on Friday morning, Han appeared to signal a dramatic change in his thinking, saying he now felt it is necessary to suspend the president’s constitutional powers after learning that Yoon had allegedly attempted to use troops to arrest key political figures “under the pretext of them being anti-state forces.”

Meanwhile, little has been heard from Yoon himself, deepening the mystery around both his future and what led him to make his martial law announcement in the first place.

Lawmakers are expected to vote on an impeachment motion in the next two days, and police have launched an investigation into Yoon and other top officials on treason allegations.

Many believe the botched martial law and subsequent democratic proceedings show that South Korean democracy is alive and well.

“Korean democracy has the awareness and capability to prevent any impulsive actions by a dictator,” said Park from Min Consulting.

Yoon’s actions appear to be a dramatic miscalculation that could cost him the presidency, as protesters in Seoul continue to press for his resignation. The people may have saved democracy in South Korea this week, though months of political uncertainty lie ahead.