International
President Lula presented a group of actions to ensure the rights of Brazilian women
March 8th |
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presented a package of actions to ensure the rights of Brazilian women, on the occasion of today’s International Women’s Day.
The Minister of Women, Cida Gonçalves, also participated in the announcements and among the measures disclosed is the sending to the National Congress of a bill that seeks to guarantee the payment by the employer of equal salaries for men and women who exercise the same function.
“When we accept that women earn less than men in the same job, we perpetuate a historical violence against women,” said Lula.
He specified that “the project has only one word that makes the difference, one single word. That magic word is called obligatory payment”, he remarked.
He warned that there will be many people who “do not want to pay (equal salaries), but for that the justice system will have to work”.
The above, she continued, in order to force “the employer who does not want to pay what the woman deserves for her work capacity”.
This point is foreseen in the current legislation and, according to the Government, the text foresees measures to make companies more transparent and to strengthen the control and fight against wage discrimination.
The announcement was made at the Planalto Palace, seat of the Executive Power, in the presence of the First Lady, Janja Lula da Silva, government ministers and representatives of public banks.
The founder of the Workers’ Party also defended that the process to equalize rights be accelerated and, if it depended on the government, inequality would end “by a simple decree of the president”.
For Lula, “women played a leading role in several key moments of our recent history: redemocratization, amnesty, Directas Ya and the Constituent Assembly”.
He insisted that “respect for women is a non-negotiable value in all spheres of the Federal Executive. We have 11 women at the head of ministries, but all the ministries and each member of this government is co-responsible for policies and actions aimed at women”, she emphasized.
Gonçalves, for her part, pointed out that the government decided to mark March 8 with public policies to confront violence against women and promote gender equality, economic autonomy and women’s integral health.
The fight against the various forms of violence is a priority in Brazil on International Women’s Day.
According to the Elas Viver report, published by the Network of Security Observatories, the South American giant recorded 2,423 cases of violence against women in 2022, among them 495 resulted in femicides, which translated into one aggression every four hours and one murder per day.
International
UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions
The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.
According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.
Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.
The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.
“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.
While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.
To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.
Central America
El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program
The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.
Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.
The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.
According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.
In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.
International
Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela
Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.
In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.
“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.
For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.
“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.
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