7th "Election" Win

Hi Global Recap readers,

I saw this old gif making the rounds after the latest clash between Trump and Colombian President Petro.

Some find it funny, while others are calling it a disgusting display of US imperialism.

What do you think?

So, before diving into the 7th "election win" of the Belarusian President, let’s take a look at Trump’s latest clash with the Colombian President. 👇️ 

🇺🇸🇨🇴 UNITED STATES VS COLOMBIA
Trump VS Petro

On Sunday, the Presidents of the US and Colombia clashed, but it ended up embarrassingly one-sided.

Here’s what happened:

The Initial Blowup

The dispute started when Colombia refused US military flights carrying deported illegal immigrants, despite previously accepting 475 such flights from 2020 to 2024.

In other words, this was not an unusual move by the Trump administration.

• Learning about this refusal, Trump imposed “emergency 25% tariffs” on Colombian exports, doubling to 50% if Petro didn’t comply within a week.

• Colombian President Petro briefly fought back with his own tariffs of 50% on all American goods, but quickly surrendered, allowing flights to resume.

  • That’s because ~27% of Colombia’s exports go to the US, while only ~0.9% of US exports head to Colombia.

  • He even said that he will send his Presidential plane to bring in the deportees.

Observations

As I watched this play out, I was sure the Colombian President would eventually let his own citizens return. Remember, this has been the norm for years.

Still, people are wondering why Petro refused in the first place.

• Petro claimed it was because the US used military planes, which he argued stripped the illegal immigrants of their dignity.

• However, many from both the right and left believe the refusal was due to the dangerous criminal records of those being deported.

Petro’s Rant

Before striking a deal with the US, President Petro posted a lengthy message on X, which even those on the left described as “sounding like the ravings of a lunatic mind.”

In essence, he criticizes US imperialism, pledges to resist, and gets fired up about nationalism.

AOC

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also shot back at Trump, claiming that Americans would have to “pay even more for coffee,” hurting the working class.

But it soon became clear her statement was posted too soon.

• People are criticizing her for blaming “billionaires” for everything while letting other nations push the US around, putting American interests second.

Spelling

After Petro caved and Trump’s critics lost their main point of attack, they shifted to criticizing his administration for misspelling Colombia as Columbia.

But of course, Trump supporters fired back with this:

🇺🇸🇲🇽 UNITED STATES VS MEXICAN CARTEL
Cartel Gunfire at Border

US Border Patrol agents exchanged gunfire with suspected cartel members near the US-Mexican border.

Gunfire Exchange

Border Patrol agents found themselves in a shootout with Mexican cartel members.

• The exchange happened at around 2 pm local time today, near Fronton, Texas.

• A group of illegal aliens attempted to cross the Rio Grande during the gunfire.

• Thankfully, no one was hit in the crossfire.

Cartel Island

The shootout took place near Fronton Island, also known as "Cartel Island."

• Commissioner Dawn Buckingham declared the land as Texas territory to allow law enforcement to patrol the area.

• The land had not been officially declared Texas territory before.

Here’s a video explaining the area:

Trump's New Measures

President Trump has been busy beefing up border security since his inauguration.

• Trump designated Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

• The gunfire exchange occurred exactly one week after Trump began ramping up security.

Drop in Illegal Encounters

Trump's measures seem to be having an immediate impact.

• A sharp drop in illegal immigrant encounters was observed in the first days of the Trump administration.

• There were 3,908 encounters in the last few days of the Biden administration compared to 2,523 in the first three days of the Trump administration.

🇧🇾 BELARUS
Lukashenko Wins 7th Term

Surprise, surprise!

Belarusian “President” Alexander Lukashenko has secured his seventh term in an election widely criticized by the opposition as a sham.

The election, held was held on January 26, 2025.

Election Day Drama

Lukashenko's campaign posters were plastered across Belarus, proclaiming him as “Needed!” by the people.

• The Central Election Commission announced Lukashenko's landslide victory with nearly 87% of the vote.

• Opposition leaders, many imprisoned or exiled, denounced the election as a farce.

Fear of Unrest

Fearing a repeat of the 2020 protests, Lukashenko scheduled the vote in January to avoid mass demonstrations.

• Official results showed Lukashenko winning 86.82% of the vote, with his nearest rival at 3.21%.

• The trauma of the 2020 protests led Lukashenko to opt for a more controlled election process.

Opposition Suppressed

Leading opponents have been imprisoned or exiled, with nearly 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus.

• Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski is among those imprisoned.

• Authorities have arrested hundreds more in raids targeting relatives and friends of political prisoners.

• Lukashenko's challengers on the ballot are all loyal to him, with one candidate even stating, “I’m entering the race not against, but together with Lukashenko.”

At this point, why bother with elections?

Lukashenko's Iron Grip

Lukashenko, in power since 1994, has maintained his rule with support from Russia.

• He allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine in 2022.

• Despite hosting Russian tactical nuclear weapons, he campaigned on a “Peace and security” platform.

• Lukashenko claimed, “It’s better to have a dictatorship like in Belarus than a democracy like Ukraine.”

International Condemnation

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called the election “a senseless farce.”

• The European Union rejected the election as illegitimate and threatened new sanctions.

• Lukashenko dismissed the need for recognition from the EU, stating, “The main thing for me is that Belarusians recognize these elections and that they end peacefully.”

Fears of Vote-Rigging

Concerns about vote-rigging were rampant, with early voting creating opportunities for irregularities.

• The Central Election Commission reported a record 85.70% turnout, but independent verification was lacking.

• Voters were forbidden from photographing their ballots to prevent evidence of rigging.

🇸🇪 SWEDEN
Baltic Sea Cable Breach

Swedish authorities have boarded a ship suspected of damaging an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea. This incident has triggered a NATO response and a sabotage investigation.

Why does it feel like this keeps happening over and over again?

Swedish Authorities Board Ship

Swedish authorities boarded the Maltese-flagged ship seized in connection with the cable breach.

• The ship, Vezhen, is suspected of damaging the undersea cable between Latvia and Sweden.

• The cable was damaged early on Sunday in Sweden's exclusive economic zone.

• Swedish Security Services spokesperson Johan Wikstrom confirmed the boarding but declined further comments.

NATO Deploys Patrols

NATO has deployed patrol ships to the area following the cable breach.

• The damage prompted NATO to send frigates, patrol aircraft, and naval drones to the Baltic Sea.

• NATO reserved the right to take action against ships posing a security threat.

Investigation Details

The investigation into the cable breach is ongoing, with Swedish authorities leading the efforts.

• MarineTraffic data showed the Vezhen was escorted to Swedish waters by a coastguard vessel.

• The ship's anchor might have struck the cable due to high winds, according to the head of the Bulgarian shipping company.

• The crew was initially held at gunpoint but has been instructed to assist authorities.

Estonia's Skepticism

I am not the only one questioning the frequency of these undersea cable damages.

• Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna expressed doubts about the frequent damage to underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

• He stated, “I don't believe in coincidences when it comes to frequent cases of damage to underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.”

🇿🇦 SOUTH AFRICA
Ramaphosa Signs Land Seizure Law

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a controversial bill into law, allowing land seizures without compensation. 😬

This move has sparked a mix of praise and outrage within the country.

Land Reform

Ramaphosa's ANC party hails the new law as a significant step in South Africa's transformation.

• The law replaces the 1975 Expropriation Act, which required the state to pay landowners.

• It aims to address the slow pace of land reform post-apartheid, where black people own only a small fraction of farmland.

Conditions for Expropriation

The law outlines specific conditions under which land can be seized without compensation.

• Expropriation is allowed if the property is unused, poses a risk, or if it's in the “public interest.”

• The state must attempt to reach an agreement with the owner before expropriating the property.

Opposition and Legal Challenges

Not everyone is on board with the new law, and some are gearing up for a legal battle.

• The Democratic Alliance (DA) opposes the law and is consulting with lawyers.

• The Freedom Front Plus plans to challenge the law's constitutionality, citing threats to private ownership.

Radical Views and Criticism

Outside the coalition government, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have their own take on the law.

• The EFF calls the law a “legislative cop-out” and believes it won't resolve land restitution issues.

• The party is known for its radical stance on nationalization and land distribution.