International

Police reinforce the suspicion that Bolsonaro was illegally spying on his adversaries

The Federal Police reinforced the suspicion that former President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro maintained an illegal espionage network, with resources from the State, to monitor his political adversaries while he was in power, according to documents declassified this Thursday by the Supreme Court.

The documents are part of an investigation initiated last year and reveal that illegal espionage reached parliamentarians, members of the Judiciary, journalists and governors, among many others considered adversaries of the leader of the far-right.

The decision to disseminate those documents was made by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, responsible for the investigation in the Supreme Court, on the same day that the Federal Police arrested four alleged members of that illegal network, among whom is a former official of the press office of the Presidency during the Bolsonaro Government (2019-2022).

According to the Federal Police, among those monitored was the current president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, despite the fact that at the time he was considered close to Bolsonaro, and at least four of the eleven members of the Supreme Court.

On the network, also according to the Police, the press office of the Presidency and the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin), whose director at the time, Alexandre Ramagem, would have been in charge of that illegal espionage, operated together.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

The documents also renew the suspicion that Ramagem, now a deputy for the extreme right, would also have used that network to spy on the Police itself in relation to proceedings taking place in the courts against three of Jair Bolsonaro’s sons.

The former president faces various processes in Justice, but so far he has only been charged in two, in which he appears as suspected of illegally appropriating gifts received during his term, which should be delivered to the State acquis, and in which he is accused of having used an illegal network to obtain a false certificate of vaccination against COVID-19.

In the most serious of the open processes, it is about having planned a coup d’état to prevent the investiture of the current president, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, who defeated him in the 2022 elections.

After the dissemination of the documents, Bolsonaro made no comments on the matter, at least immediately, but he had already completely rejected the existence of that alleged espionage network.

Last February, when the residence of his son Carlos Bolsonaro, a councilor in Rio de Janeiro, was raided within the framework of this investigation, the leader of the far-right reacted angrily and assured that there is “no proof” of that espionage to his opponents.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

As he said at that time, everything would be part of the “persecution” that he says he suffers since Lula came to power and only has as a basis “a lot of ‘fake news’” that will be “disassembled” by his lawyers.

International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.