International

Cardinal sent by Pope says amnesty for prisoners in Cuba is “on the table”.

Photo: Catholic Press Photo

February 9^th |

Cardinal Beniamino Stella, special envoy of Pope Francis, said Wednesday in Havana that a potential amnesty for Cuban prisoners jailed after an anti-government protest in July 2021 is “on the table”, although the answer was not up to the Catholic Church.

Stella told reporters that the Vatican had commented to the island’s authorities on the issue of a possible amnesty and “undoubtedly the Church that is, seeks, (and) has manifested on several occasions this purpose.”

“Obviously it has been a topic of our conversations. The issue is there on the table, but the answer does not depend on Cardinal Stella,” the Vatican diplomat said after a speech delivered at the University of Havana.

Stella’s comments come as Cuba faces strong criticism from U.S. and European Union human rights groups following the jailing of hundreds of protesters after riots erupted on the island on July 11, 2021, the largest street protest since the 1959 revolution led by former President Fidel Castro.

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“I ask a lot (…) that there be a positive response, whatever it is called, amnesty, clemency, whatever it is called. Words can also be secondary, but it is important that the young people who at one time have expressed their thoughts and have done so in the way we know can return to their homes,” he said.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who was present in the university auditorium during Stella’s lecture, has previously defended the role of domestic courts in upholding the country’s law at times when the unrest occurred in 2021.

Authorities in Cuba claim that those arrested are guilty of various crimes including public disorder, resisting arrest, theft and vandalism, among others.

Havana did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statements by Stella, who arrived on the island to mark the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s pastoral trip to Cuba.

The Vatican played a key role in brokering the historic resumption of diplomatic ties between Cuba and the United States. In 2016 under former President Barack Obama a series of events occurred as part of the bilateral thaw.

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In September 2015, just prior to the announcement of renewed ties, Cuba pardoned 3,522 common prisoners in what it called a humanitarian gesture ahead of an earlier visit by Pope Francis, repeating similar actions it took before two previous Popes’ trips to the Caribbean island.

International

Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka

Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.

The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.

An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.

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Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.

Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.

Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.

Internacionales

Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages

May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.

In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.

Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.

International

Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.

During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.

“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.

“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”

Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.

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On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.