International

Lula doesn’t want to rub against Argentina or Venezuela: “Let them choose the presidents they want”

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said this Friday that he sees no reason to “fight” politically with “Venezuela, Nicaragua or Argentina” because what matters is the relationship between States, beyond the Governments.

“Why am I going to fight with Venezuela, Nicaragua or Argentina? Let them choose the presidents they want. What interests me is the relationship from State to State,” Lula said in an event to announce investments in infrastructure, in São José dos Campos, in the interior of São Paulo.

In his speech, the progressive president stressed that “everyone likes Brazil and that everyone has to like Brazil.”

“We have no litigation with anyone,” the Brazilian head of state proudly said.

Lula also wanted to distance himself from the previous government presided over by the far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), a time during which Brazil was “a kind of international pariah”, in his opinion.

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“We went through a period in which no one wanted to come here and no one wanted to receive it,” he said in allusion to his predecessor in the Presidency and greatest political adversary, without mentioning his name.

Lula’s statement comes at a time of tension in diplomatic relations between Brazil and Argentina, as a result of the deep divergences he maintains with his counterpart, Javier Milei.

Brazil’s ambassador to Argentina, Julio Bitelli, traveled to Brasilia this week to meet with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and meet with Lula, in order to discuss how to “take the relationship in the best way” with the Government of Milei.

About two weeks ago, Milei made his first visit to Brazil since he took power in Argentina, last December, although the reason for it was not to meet with Lula or any member of the Government, but for a far-right congress organized in the city of Balneário Camboriú, where he met with Bolsonaro.

On the other hand, Lula has publicly distanced himself from the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who aspires to re-election in the elections on July 28.

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The Brazilian leader has always advocated for elections within the consensus of the Barbados Agreements, with the full participation of the opposition and with results that are recognized by all.

At the same time, he has defended the wide presence of international observers and expressed his “concern” about the veto of María Corina Machado, which received a response in harsh terms from the Venezuelan Government.

International

Hiroshima survivor who embraced Obama dies at 88

The emotional embrace between Barack Obama and Hiroshima survivor Mori—who was eight years old when the United States dropped the atomic bomb in 1945—resonated around the world.

According to Asahi Shimbun and other local media, Mori died on Saturday at a hospital in Hiroshima.

Mori, known for his research on the fate of American prisoners of war in Hiroshima, was thrown into a river by the force of the explosion on August 6, 1945, during the atomic bombing of the city.

In a past interview with AFP, ahead of his meeting with Obama at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in 2016, Mori recalled the chaos and desperation that followed the blast.

He described how, after emerging from the water, he encountered injured civilians seeking help amid the devastation, an experience that stayed with him throughout his life.

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In 2016, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, where he paid tribute to the victims of the first atomic bomb used in warfare. During the visit, Mori was visibly moved as he met the president, sharing a brief but powerful moment that symbolized remembrance and reconciliation.

The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 people, including those who succumbed to radiation exposure in the aftermath.

Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people and contributing to the end of World War II.

International

Colombia seeks ‘total suffocation’ of armed groups with regional support

Colombia is advancing a strategy aimed at the “total suffocation” of illegal armed groups, seeking to corner them in border regions with the support of Ecuador and Venezuela, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said in an interview with AFP.

According to the minister, coordinated pressure from neighboring countries—backed by United States—aims to dismantle criminal networks that use cross-border routes to traffic Colombian cocaine toward North America and Europe.

For decades, armed groups involved in Colombia’s internal conflict have relied on border territories as strategic rear bases to evade military operations and maintain logistical support.

However, Sánchez said that dynamic is beginning to change.

“We expect a total suffocation between both nations so they have no spaces where they can live or feel safe […] to close off any room they might have,” he stated during the interview in Bogotá, less than five months before the end of President Gustavo Petro’s term.

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Regional developments have reinforced this strategy. Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation, Washington has increased its influence in Caracas, where interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has implemented a renewed anti-narcotics policy.

Meanwhile, in Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa—a key U.S. ally in the region—has launched a two-week security plan under strict curfews to combat criminal gangs, with U.S. support.

Sánchez argued that these combined efforts leave illegal organizations with fewer escape routes and operational spaces, effectively placing them in a “dead end.”

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.