International

The Colombian Prosecutor’s Office will bring former President Álvaro Uribe to trial for bribery of witnesses

A Colombian prosecutor filed an accusation on Tuesday against former President Álvaro Uribe “as an alleged determiner of the crimes of bribery of witnesses in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud,” which indicates that he will be called to trial, the Prosecutor’s Office reported.

The accusation was presented by the first prosecutor delegated to the Supreme Court of Justice Gilberto Villareal, who took over the case on January 16.

This case dates back to 2012 when Uribe sued Iván Cepeda, senator of the left-wing Party Polo Democrático Alternativo (PDA), who at that time was preparing a complaint in Congress against him for alleged ties to paramilitarism, for alleged ties.

However, the Supreme Court of Justice decided not to open an investigation against the congressman and, instead, initiated a lawsuit against the former president for manipulation of witnesses.

According to sources of the Prosecutor’s Office, from the physical evidence and evidence, it was concluded that there were reasons to accuse Uribe, who was president of Colombia between 2002 and 2010.

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“The decision of the delegated prosecutor was adopted after two requests for pre-exclusion from different prosecutors that were rejected by the criminal judges of the competent circuit,” the first in April 2022 and the second in May 2023.

The Prosecutor’s Office added that once the judicial distribution process is completed, “the hearing to formalize the accusation will be held, on the date and time set by the judiciary.”

Upon assuming the case, prosecutor Villarreal had 90 days to file the accusation against Uribe, a deadline that will be met on April 15.

The accusation of bribery in criminal proceedings has to do with the alleged payment of bribes to Carlos Enrique Vélez and Juan Guillermo Monsalve, who are imprisoned in the prisons of Palmira and La Picota in Bogotá, respectively, as well as a woman identified as Eurídice Cortés, to benefit the former president with his statements.

While the procedural fraud involves all the irregularities of the case.

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Despite the accusation, Uribe will be able to respond to the process in freedom since that is usual in all cases and the deprivation of liberty is an exceptional measure, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, recognized as a victim in the process against Álvaro Uribe for bribery of witnesses and procedural fraud, assured on Tuesday that the decision of the Prosecutor’s Office to call the former president to trial is “fair.”

“Today comes to the end a decision that we consider to be fair,” Cepeda told journalists, also assuring that former President Uribe “has the full right to due process, to defense, but also we have the truth and justice to prevail.”

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.