International

Peruvian prosecutor’s office investigates prime minister for corruption

Photo: Presidencia Perú

October 20 |

The Attorney General’s Office of Peru initiated an investigation against the Prime Minister of Peru, Alberto Otárola, for an alleged corruption scheme after the contracting of a company that would provide services to the State.

The investigations are being carried out for the alleged irregular hiring of Rosa Rivera Bermeo in the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (Devida), a public agency attached to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) and which is responsible for conducting the national anti-drug strategy.

“Fiscalía de la Nación initiated preliminary investigation against Luis Otárola, president of the Council of Ministers, as alleged instigator of the crime of collusion, simple and aggravated modalities, to the detriment of the State; for the alleged hiring of Rosa Rivera Bermeo in Devida”, reads the publication made by the Prosecutor’s Office in the social network “X”.

This alleged corruption scheme would have come to public light last September 17 in the program Panorama, where they revealed that Rosa Rivera and Yaziré Pinedo, obtained positions in public institutions after meeting with Otárola in December 2022 and March 2023.

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Last March 2, according to Panorama, the Prime Minister and Rivera had a half-hour meeting at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

After that meeting, the woman said that two contracts were signed with Devida for 27,000 soles, that is, almost 7,000 dollars at the current exchange rate.

Subsequently, Pinedo obtained benefits with contracts in the Ministry of Defense (Mindef); from Panorama they affirmed that the contract was for 53,000 soles, that is, more than 13,500 dollars.

However, the preliminary investigation of the Public Prosecutor’s Office has started for the case in Devida.

These investigations also include Carlos Figueroa, executive president of Devida, as well as the general manager of the entity, Martin Villafuerte, who would have incurred in simple and aggravated collusion, respectively.

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International

White House says Cuba policy unchanged despite sanctioned fuel shipment

The White House said Monday that it has not changed its policy toward Cuba, despite allowing a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to deliver fuel to the island on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. officials emphasized that the decision was made as an exception and does not signal a broader shift in policy.

The administration added that similar decisions would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on humanitarian considerations.

The clarification comes amid ongoing restrictions related to U.S. sanctions policy, which continue to limit trade and financial flows involving Cuba.

International

Spain to grant citizenship to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López

The Spanish government is expected to grant citizenship this Tuesday to Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lópezthrough an extraordinary procedure known as “carta de naturaleza.”

The decision will be approved by royal decree, an exceptional legal mechanism used in special cases that require expedited resolution due to specific circumstances.

López has been living in Madrid since 2020, after leaving Venezuela following a prolonged political and legal conflict with the government of Nicolás Maduro.

According to government sources, López currently does not have a valid Venezuelan passport and faces difficulties in having his nationality fully recognized in his home country.

As a result, he applied for Spanish citizenship via a fast-track process at the end of 2025, after previously attempting to obtain it through regular procedures.

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The Spanish government justified the move based on López’s international relevance and foreign policy considerations.

López is the leader of the Voluntad Popular party and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, an initiative launched in 2022 alongside figures such as Garry Kasparov and Masih Alinejad.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.