International
“I had to swim out of the house,” says one of those affected by floods in Brazil
Entire neighborhoods in southern Brazil remained underwater this Monday, due to the unprecedented floods that have caused the death of 84 people and forced thousands to leave their homes by helicopter, boat or directly swimming.
More than 46,000 people have been rescued and about 150,000 have had to leave their homes, according to the most recent official data, since the worst floods in the history of Rio Grande do Sul, a state bordering Uruguay and Argentina, began.
After spending four days in isolation, Suzana Martins, a 50-year-old commercial representative, had to “swim out of her house” located in a residential neighborhood of the regional capital of Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million inhabitants.
The neighbors gave her an inflatable mattress of those used in the pool to put backpacks with clothes and the dog on top, while she and her son were still swimming.
“The water reached up to the neck and there were not enough boats or help to get us out of there,” he explained to EFE Martins, who assured that there were still many elderly people trapped in his neighborhood without being able to leave.
With more luck than Martins, Regina Ribeiro, a 62-year-old housewife, was rescued by boat after the water flooded the door of the building in the living for 14 years.
“On the way I got scared because the boat was swinging. If I had overturned, I don’t know how to swim…,” this neighbor of Porto Alegre told EFE, who plans to rent an apartment in another place further from the river when everything has happened.
Ribeiro’s husband didn’t want to leave and stayed in the apartment with two gallons of water, a few kilos of rice and pasta and a cell phone in case he had to ask for help.
“I’m hypertensive and I’m very nervous, wanting to cry. I never imagined that water would enter the building, ever,” she says incredulously.
Rescue work continues in forced marches with the participation of 42 aircraft, 243 boats and 15,000 soldiers, which are added to the teams of the regional and local authorities.
The flood in Porto Alegre began last Friday, the level of the Guaíba River reached its all-time high this Sunday, a level of 5.31 meters, more than two meters above the overflow level, and since then it has dropped only three centimeters.
However, the authorities believe that the floods will continue for several days because there is still a lot of water to evacuate.
International
German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz
The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.
Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.
“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”
The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.
The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.
Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.
“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”
Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”
International
Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation
Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.
The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.
“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.
He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.
For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.
The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.
Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.
International
Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.
Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.
“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.
Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”
Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.
The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.
German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz
Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation
Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”
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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