International
Haitian armed gangs mobilize before the arrival of the multinational force
The armed gangs of Haiti call for a series of demonstrations in repudiation upon the arrival, scheduled for May 26, of the multinational force to restore security in the nation and which will lead Kenya.
The demonstrations are organized by the armed coalition “Vivre Ensemble” (Living Together), led by the powerful Haitian ex-police officer Jimmy Cherisier, alias “Barbecue”.
Carrefour, south of Port-au-Prince, is practically paralyzed this Saturday, just like yesterday, since the armed structures that control the area require the population to prepare to go out to the street to demonstrate against the arrival of police forces.
To attract large crowds, bandits force thousands of people to take to the streets under threat of beating, killed or expelled if they refuse, as happened on Friday in Fontamara, in the south of the capital; in Bel-air, in the heart of the capital, and in Canaan, at the northern entrance of Port-au-au-Prince, where thousands of citizens demonstrated.
In the massive demonstrations, heavily armed men with sa balacers shouted slogans hostile to the international community and the multinational assistance force to the Haitian Police, approved last October by the Security Council of the United Nations (UN).
Information circulating on social networks suggests that gang leaders are putting pressure on their members to prevent them from fleeing inland in the face of the arrival of international force.
Meanwhile, the armed gangs gain new territories and on Friday night they took the police station of the town of Gressier, at the southern entrance of the capital, which until then was not under the control of the gangs.
A resurgence of kidnappings in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince has also been reported these days, at the same time that there is a timid resumption of school activities in the capital.
For several days, U.S. military aircraft have been coming and going through the runway of Port-au-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture airport, as part of the preparations for the initial deployment of the multinational force.
More than a hundred U.S. military flights are expected in the coming days, according to the local press.
Haiti is experiencing a crisis in all orders, aggravated by the terror imposed by the armed gangs, a situation that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, and gave way to the installation in April of the Transitional Presidential Council, which must pave the way for the holding of elections to choose a new president no later than February 7, 2026.
This country, the poorest in America, held presidential elections for the last time in 2016, when Jovenel Moise won, killed on July 7, 2021 by an armed group in his private residence in Port-au-Prince.
International
Pope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that Pope Leo XIV will not attend the COP30 climate summit in Belém, but will visit Brazil “at the right moment,” following their meeting on Monday at the Vatican.
“I invited him to come to COP30, considering the historic importance of hosting a Climate Conference for the first time in the heart of the Amazon. Due to the Jubilee, the Pope told us he will not be able to attend,” Lula wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Although the pontiff will not be present at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, he assured that the Vatican will be represented and confirmed his intention to visit Brazil in the near future.
“We were very happy to hear that His Holiness intends to visit Brazil when the time is right. He will be warmly welcomed with the affection, hospitality, and faith of the Brazilian people,” the president said.
Lula also congratulated the Pope on his first exhortation, Dilexi Te, which focuses on poverty, and emphasized that “faith cannot be separated from love for the poor.”
“I told him we need to build a broad movement of indignation against inequality, and I see this document as a reference that should be read and practiced by everyone,” Lula added.
International
Venezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
The Venezuelan government stated on Monday that international pressure “must continue” until a “just peace” is achieved for Palestine, as the official end of the war in Gaza is expected to be signed later today—an agreement that follows the release of surviving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
In an official statement, President Nicolás Maduro’s administration emphasized that “the global popular mobilization, along with political and diplomatic pressure from the international community—including Arab and Muslim nations—has been decisive in paving the way for this peace process.”
The statement further urged that “such mobilization must continue until the full implementation of international law, particularly the United Nations Security Council resolutions that call for the withdrawal of occupying forces from territories invaded in 1967 and the establishment of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The Venezuelan government noted that the agreement comes “after the near-total destruction of the Gaza Strip, where more than 65,000 people—mostly children, women, and defenseless civilians—were killed by the criminal bombings of Zionist occupying forces, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Venezuela maintains that true peace can only be achieved through the application of international justice, which must include the investigation and prosecution of war criminals and human rights violators responsible for the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people,” the statement concluded.
The peace accord is expected to be signed Monday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Neither Israel nor the Palestinian group Hamas will attend the ceremony, which will be attended by around thirty heads of state, government leaders, and representatives of international organizations.
International
Mexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
The Mexican government reported on Monday that 64 people have died and 65 remain missing following the heavy rains that struck five central states between October 6 and 9. The storms left thousands affected and caused severe damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure across 111 municipalities.
According to Laura Velázquez, head of the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC), the fatalities were distributed as follows: Veracruz (29), Hidalgo (21), Puebla (13), and Querétaro (1). The figures were confirmed during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily press briefing.
Velázquez also stated that 65 individuals are still unaccounted for in the states of Veracruz (18), Hidalgo (43), and Puebla (4). “We understand the population’s anguish and concern. Everyone will receive assistance. Cleanup operations will be carried out in full, with no resources spared,” President Sheinbaum assured.
The Civil Protection chief explained that the rainfall report from October 6 to 9 showed maximum precipitation levels on October 8 — 280 millimeters in Veracruz and 286 millimeters in Puebla — causing rivers and streams to overflow in surrounding areas.
The updated report also detailed 111 municipalities affected: Veracruz (40), Hidalgo (28), Puebla (23), Querétaro (8), and San Luis Potosí (12).
Since October 10, the Mexican government has been holding continuous emergency sessions in coordination with state authorities to address the crisis and provide relief to affected populations.
Pope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
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Venezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
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