International
Ecuador bloodbath: Deadly unrest in Latin America’s jails
AFP
At least 118 inmates died in rioting in an Ecuador jail this week before police regained control Thursday. Following the latest carnage, here is a look at the deadliest clashes in recent years in Latin America’s notoriously overcrowded prisons.
– Deadliest –
Over the past three decades, there have been several massive prison riots that left more than 100 inmates dead.
In 2005, a fire ripped through an overcrowded prison in the Dominican Republic’s eastern city of Higuey after a dawn riot, leaving at least 135 people dead.
In 1994, 121 inmates were killed after prisoners set fire to three prison blocks during a riot at Sabaneta prison in Venezuela’s northern city of Maracaibo.
In 1992 in Brazil, 111 prisoners were killed when security forces put down a riot at the enormous Carandiru jail outside Sao Paulo.
The massacre was later portrayed in an acclaimed 2003 film, “Carandiru.”
– Ecuador’s ‘war’ –
Tuesday’s bloodshed in Guayaquil is believed to be linked to a “war” between Mexican drug gangs. It is the fifth major incident in the port city’s prison in just over a year.
In all, some 200 inmates have died in violence in Ecuador’s jails so far this year as they have become a battleground for thousands of prisoners with ties to powerful Mexican cartels.
More than 100 died in clashes last year — with many beheaded — with corruption allowing inmates to smuggle in arms and ammunition.
Ecuador’s prison system has 65 facilities designed for about 30,000 inmates but a population of 39,000, watched over by 1,500 guards — a shortfall of about 2,500, according to experts.
– Bloody Brazil –
Deadly riots are frequent in Brazil’s overcrowded prisons, which roughly hold twice the number of inmates they were built for.
With more than 702,000 prisoners, Brazil has the world’s third largest prison population after China and the United States.
In late May 2019, at least 55 prisoners were killed in several jails over two days in the northwestern state of Amazonas.
Two months later 57 died in a battle between rival gangs in a prison in Altamira in northern Brazil.
On April 11, 2018, at least 21 died in an attempted breakout from a prison near the northern city of Belem.
In early 2017, deadly riots left around 100 prisoners dead in the space of a month — many were decapitated and even disemboweled.
– Venezuela –
Venezuela also has a long and bloody history of prison unrest, almost matching Brazil’s grisly record of 756 deaths since 1992.
In May 2020, 47 prisoners died after a riot sparked by food shortages in a jail in the western city of Guanare.
In May 2019, at least 29 prisoners were killed in clashes at a jail in the western town of Acarigua.
March 28, 2018 saw one of the worst prison riots in Venezuela, with 68 people dying in a blaze in a police station jail in the northern city of Valencia.
In August 2017, 37 were killed in a jailhouse in the southern Venezuelan state of Amazonas.
International
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
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