International
Israel compares the protests in Columbia at the UN with a passage from Nazi Germany
Israel’s representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, compared on Wednesday the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University (New York), where 109 detainees took place on Tuesday night, with ‘The Night of Broken Glass’, a series of lynchings and combined attacks against the Jewish population coordinated by Nazi Germany in 1938.
“Those who resorted to Nazism at the time, are today breaking windows, attacking Jewish students and asking to be expelled from the university campus. The images we have seen in Columbia remind us of ‘The Night of the Crystals’,” said the diplomat at the plenary of the General Assembly on Wednesday, where the recent U.S. veto on the entry of Palestine as a full member was discussed.
On April 19, the United States vetoed in the Security Council the resolution that opened the door to the entry of Palestine as a full member of the UN, of which it is now only an observer.
With his words, Erdan referred to the moment when a group of pro-Palestinian students demonstrating on the Columbia campus broke several windows of the emblematic Hamilton Hall building and entrenched themselves inside.
“The anti-Semites did not manage to annihilate us during the Holocaust, neither in 1948, nor in 1967 nor in 1978. Today they are trying again, not only with terrorism and war, but also using the UN,” he stressed, in his already recurring speech against the organization, which he accuses of being favorable to Palestine.
“The elite universities, alleged bastions of liberalism, have become the breeding ground for racism and the most horrible hatred,” he added, also asking that “letters on the matter” be taken against the faculties and the presidents of the centers.
The protests over the war in Gaza that began in Columbia almost two weeks ago have spread like wildfire through other centers in the United States, ending in the arrest of hundreds of students and becoming the most massive and widespread university protests since the Vietnam War in 1968.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Panama’s president accuses U.S. Embassy official of visa threats amid China tensions
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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