International
Brazil’s Sao Paulo carnival canned over Covid-19
AFP
Sao Paulo, Latin America’s most populous city, on Thursday cancelled its annual street carnival for the second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The cities of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia have also scrapped their carnivals as infection rates soared after Christmas and New Year’s celebrations and with the arrival of the Omicron variant in hard-hit Brazil.
“The Sao Paulo street carnival is cancelled due to the epidemiological situation,” mayor Ricardo Nunes of the city of 12 million told reporters.
Like Rio, Sao Paulo hopes to maintain the colorful parade by samba troupes in its “Sambadrome” outdoor venue, though strict virus-control protocols would apply.
Unlike the street parades, access to the Sambadrome can be regulated, and officials are weighing whether to make proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test an entry requirement.
Many Brazilian cities host street carnivals, with musical bands and dancers gathering hundreds of thousands of revelers every year.
In 2020, carnival celebrations injected some $1.4 billion into the Brazilian economy, before the pandemic struck, according to government data.
On Wednesday, Brazil reported 27,267 new infections in 24 hours — its highest rate since September last year.
Almost 620,000 people in Brazil have died of coronavirus, second only to the United States.
International
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to meet Guatemalan leader Bernardo Arévalo next friday
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Monday that she will hold her first bilateral meeting with her Guatemalan counterpart, Bernardo Arévalo, next Friday.
During her press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum detailed that the August 15 meeting will include a brief visit to Guatemala, followed by a trilateral meeting with Belize’s Prime Minister, Juan Antonio Briceño, in Calakmul, Campeche, in southeastern Mexico.
Sheinbaum explained that the meeting was proposed by Arévalo during a phone call last Friday, in which the Guatemalan president invited her to visit Guatemala.
The agenda will begin on Thursday night when Sheinbaum travels to Chetumal to lead her morning press conference on Friday.
Afterwards, she will travel to Guatemala for the bilateral meeting with Arévalo, then return to Calakmul to meet Belize’s Prime Minister Briceño for a trilateral meeting with Arévalo.
Later, Sheinbaum will hold a bilateral meeting with the Belizean leader.
The president announced that many agreements will be announced during the meetings with the southern border countries but avoided providing details to keep them as a surprise for that day.
International
Mexico City airport resumes flights after heavy rain causes flooding and delays
Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport resumed operations on Monday after heavy rains on Sunday evening forced a temporary suspension of flights.
In a statement released Monday morning, the airport explained that due to rainfall measuring between 50 and 77 millimeters, operations were halted amid reports of poor visibility and flooding that caused damage to terminals and a collapse of the airport’s drainage system.
The four-hour suspension to drain water affected 104 flights and nearly 14,900 passengers, who had to be redirected to other airports across the country.
To address the flooding in the airside areas, buildings, and surrounding roads, vacuum trucks and motor pumps were deployed to ensure safe conditions on runways, taxiways, and platforms, allowing flight operations to resume, the Navy Secretariat said.
By 6:00 a.m. local time (12:00 GMT), traffic on runway 05 right – 23 left had not yet fully normalized, nearly six hours after runway 05 left – 23 right had been cleared for use.
International
Mexico supports 81 nationals detained in Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ says president
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that the government is monitoring and providing support to 81 Mexican nationals detained at a facility in Florida known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ She also expressed her opposition to this type of detention center.
During her morning press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum explained that the Mexican consulate in Miami has interviewed the detainees during visits between July 23 and August 11 and maintains ongoing communication with them.
“Our colleague, former Governor of Chiapas Rutilio Escandón, regularly visits the facility to check on the needs of those detained. At the same time, we are working diplomatically to ensure that they remain there for as few days as possible,” she said.
She also emphasized that legal support is provided to those wishing to expedite their deportation to Mexico, as well as assistance for those who choose to pursue legal proceedings in the U.S. before repatriation.
Sheinbaum noted that so far, there have been no reports of human rights violations and stressed the importance of constant communication with the nationals.
“Obviously, we do not agree with these types of detention centers. They are state-run, not federal; they belong to the state of Florida,” she added.
She also explained that in some cases, detainees are later transferred to federal facilities before deportation, provided there are no ongoing legal proceedings.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to meet Guatemalan leader Bernardo Arévalo next friday
Mexico City airport resumes flights after heavy rain causes flooding and delays
Mexico supports 81 nationals detained in Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ says president
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