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.
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.
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
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
International
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in the early hours of Thursday (Wednesday afternoon in El Salvador) that France will take part in “Operation Arctic Resistance,” after Denmark announced it would expand its military presence in Greenland amid rising tensions with the United States over Washington’s stated ambitions regarding the semi-autonomous territory.
“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, ‘Operation Arctic Resistance,’” Macron said in a brief message posted on social media at 5:18 p.m.
The French president added that “the first French military elements are already on their way, with others to follow,” though he did not specify the number of troops being deployed or the scale of France’s planned contribution.
The governments of Sweden, Norway and Germany have also confirmed the deployment of military contingents to Greenland. Germany’s armed forces will send a 13-member reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, to take part in a mission scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, according to the German Ministry of Defence.
Denmark’s announcement came shortly before a Danish delegation met at the White House with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s plans regarding Greenland. Copenhagen said the military activities would be carried out “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
International
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Iranian authorities closed the country’s airspace in the early hours of Thursday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, amid growing threats of a possible U.S. attack as protests across the country continue and have reportedly left thousands dead.
According to FlightRadar24, the Iranian government suspended all flights to and from the country, except for international flights that have received special authorization. The notice was initially issued for a duration of just over two hours.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump in recent days threatened to strike Iran if its security forces failed to halt the deaths linked to weeks-long protests that began in Tehran and later spread to other Iranian cities. Despite the threats, the White House said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “the deaths in Iran have stopped” and said there would be no executions of protesters following his warnings to Tehran. He added that his administration would seek to verify those claims.
“I’ve been told the deaths in Iran are stopping. They’ve stopped, and that there are no plans for executions,” Trump told reporters, cautioning that the United States would be “very upset” if those assurances proved to be untrue.
The statements contrast with reports from rights groups. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that more than 3,400 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, Kurdish-Iranian rights group Hengaw reported this week that a 26-year-old Iranian man, Erfan Soltani, was facing execution as of Wednesday.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
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
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