International
Lula and Petro meet in Colombia’s presidential palace with the environment in the background
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrived at the Casa de Nariño in Bogotá to meet with his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, with whom he will talk about environmental cooperation, economic issues and also the Venezuelan situation.
Lula, accompanied by the First Lady of Brazil, Rosângela ‘Janja’ Lula da Silva, was received with military honors in the Plaza de Armas of the Colombian presidential palace.
However, he was not received by Petro in the outside courtyard of the palace, as usually happens, but the Colombian president waited for him at the door, next to the first lady, Verónica Alcocer.
The Brazilian and the Colombian, who have established themselves as the main South American leaders who defend the environment, will address “bilateral strategic issues, among others, the protection of the Amazon,” the Colombian Presidency reported.
Thus, on the table are issues of trade and investment, sustainable development and Amazon cooperation, social programs, human rights and family agriculture, among others.
“The delegations of the two governments will hold meetings to discuss specific issues of binational interest, such as the implementation of the Belém do Pará Declaration of 2023, pharmaceutical regulation, biooceanic corridors, tourism, homologation of university degrees and electrical interconnection,” said the Casa de Nariño.
It is expected that they will also combine visions about Venezuela since both countries have expressed their “concern” about the obstacles imposed for the registration of some opposition presidential candidacies in the face of the elections on July 28, but they do not consider that “isolating” that country is the answer.
“The regional situation is a mandatory issue” and the electoral process in Venezuela is “of interest to both countries,” said last week the director of the South American department of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, João Queiroz.
Likewise, a road infrastructure plan proposed by Brazil to the countries of South America will be discussed, which aims at the construction of a wide road network and which has the endorsement of the main regional financial agencies.
The two presidents will also analyze commercial alternatives, both bilaterally and at the regional level, which include a push for the integration of South American production chains.
Brazil is today Colombia’s third largest trading partner, behind the United States and China, so the two governments intend to expand that exchange.
After the meeting and an official statement, both leaders will address a Brazil-Colombia Economic Forum, which will bring together 300 businessmen from both countries.
They will also inaugurate the XXXVI International Book Fair of Bogotá, one of the most relevant cultural events in Colombia and which is dedicated this year to Brazil.
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.
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.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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