Regional News Round-Up | Cayman Coalition Forms, International Crime Bust, and PNM Leadership Shake-Up
By Dacia Richards | HGP Nightly News
CAYMAN ISLANDS — A new coalition government will lead the Cayman Islands following a closely contested general election this week. Andre Ebanks will serve as Premier, heading a coalition comprising three independent candidates and two newly formed political parties: the Cayman Islands National Party and the Caymanian Community Party. Both parties won four seats each.
The People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) secured seven seats, falling short of the 11-seat majority in the 21-member parliament. Ebanks, formerly of the United People’s Movement, pledged to stabilize finances and tackle the island’s cost-of-living crisis.
In a national referendum, voters also approved marijuana decriminalization and the creation of a national lottery, while rejecting a controversial cruise ship berthing development opposed by environmentalists.
CHILE — Chilean police, in coordination with the FBI, arrested 23 suspects in “Operation Pennsylvania”, targeting an international crime ring linked to high-profile U.S. robberies. The gang allegedly carried out burglaries at the homes of celebrities and U.S. officials, including Travis Kelce, NFL star and partner of Taylor Swift, and even U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Authorities seized $1.36 million in stolen property, luxury goods, and real estate. Many detainees had no records in Chile but were career criminals abroad, said Chilean police, who began the probe in 2023 using FBI intelligence.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO — Stuart Young, the Chairman of the People’s National Movement (PNM), has resigned following the party’s election defeat in 2025. In his letter, Young cited “deep personal reflection” and acknowledged the blow delivered to the PNM, which lost its governmental hold and key constituencies after more than a decade in power.
The general elections, widely seen as a referendum on the PNM’s performance in economic recovery, crime control, and governance, have prompted calls for leadership renewal and party introspection.
