International
The Prosecutor’s Office asks Boluarte to hand over the documents that justify the surgery he kept hidden
The Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office gave 24 hours to President Dina Boluarte, or her legal defense, to deliver the documents that motivated a surgery in 2023 that it kept hidden, as well as the rules she signed during that period, as part of the investigation into a possible abandonment of office.
Through the Area of Illicit Enrichment and Constitutional Complaints, the Prosecutor’s Office required the president “to comply with sending – within 24 hours the 91 rules in original that she assures she signed between June 28 and July 9, 2023, and the documents on her state of health that motivated the surgical intervention.”
On the social network X, the Public Ministry specified that it makes this request after the statement that the president provided on January 13, as part of the investigation opened for the alleged commission “of the crime of omission of functions and, alternatively, for the crime of abandonment of office, to the detriment of the State.”
Boluarte went this Monday to the office of the attorney general, Delia Espinoza, to testify about the nose operation that kept Congress hidden for more than a year and that has motivated the investigation of the Public Ministry.
His lawyer, Juan Carlos Portugal, said after the diligence that “there is no omission of the charge” because Boluarte “was always aware of the country.”
He explained that the surgery lasted between 40 and 50 minutes, during which “the president was never unconscious,” because it was an “almely simple” intervention.
“At all times she was lucid” and the subsequent treatment was outpatient, despite the fact that that night (June 29, 2023) she spent the night in the clinic, Portugal said.
For that reason, the lawyer maintained that “there is no omission (of functions) because the obligation to communicate (to Congress) is not covered by a rule.”
Boluarte admitted on December 12 that she underwent “a surgical intervention, it was not aesthetic”, that “it was necessary, essential”, for her health, and that it did not generate “any kind of disability, or impediment to exercise” her functions.
“When the Public Ministry deigns to summon me, I will voluntarily renounce my right to medical confidentiality and deliver my medical record,” he said.
After the opening of the investigation, Espinoza said in an interview that the president is not being investigated because she has undergone surgery, but because, allegedly, “she would have left office for hours or days without justification, without having communicated to Congress as appropriate.”
In this sense, he reiterated that the investigation is “about the hours that the Presidency would have stopped exercising because, perhaps, having been incapacitated or unconscious” in the period from June 29 to July 9, 2023.
International
Vatican speeds up Sistine Chapel preparations for upcoming conclave
Work is accelerating inside the Sistine Chapel as the Vatican prepares for the papal conclave set to begin on Wednesday. The preparations include the installation of a wooden floor, the setup of a stove for burning secret ballots, and the iconic chimney that will signal the election results.
A nearly five-minute video released by the Vatican on Saturday shows technicians assembling scaffolding beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes and laying a false wooden floor, where large tables will be placed to accommodate the 133 cardinals expected to vote.
Elsewhere in the chapel, workers are installing the heavy stove that will be used to burn the ballots. The footage, dated Friday, also shows firefighters climbing the tiled roof to prepare the chimney flue, which will emit either white smoke when a new pope is elected, or black smoke if no decision has been reached.
“This is a key stage for the Catholic Church,” said Silvio Screpanti, deputy director of Vatican infrastructure, on the Vatican’s official website. The stove has been discreetly tested, and in case of any issues, a technician will remain in a nearby technical room with a remote control to manage the stove, which now operates electronically.
A team of five electricians, five technicians, and two florists will remain on-site throughout the conclave. After taking an oath, they will stay within Vatican grounds with no outside contact, including with their families.
Some of these workers have participated in previous conclaves, while younger staff will receive guidance from more experienced colleagues, ensuring a smooth transition for future conclaves.
International
Venezuela achieves 22% drop in maternal mortality in first months of 2025
Maternal mortality in Venezuela decreased by 22% during the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced on Saturday.
The significant reduction is attributed to a combination of public health policies focused on primary care, obstetric surveillance, and the promotion of community health, Rodríguez explained during a broadcast on the state television channel, following a meeting of the Sectoral Vice Presidents Council.
“These are lives saved thanks to the joint efforts of medical teams, community brigades, and the national healthcare system,” she said.
Contributing factors include the strengthening of prenatal care programs, free access to safe childbirth services, and the deployment of mobile medical units in remote areas. Additionally, emergency obstetric protocols were reinforced and specialized staff received further training.
The council meeting also addressed other areas of government action.
In the economic sphere, officials reviewed progress in the “13 Productive Engines” initiative, designed to boost key sectors such as agriculture, energy, tourism, and the pharmaceutical industry. The goal is to stimulate domestic production, generate foreign currency, and reduce external dependency.
In education, over two million students participated in the 19th edition of the National School Sports Games, held between March and April. Authorities highlighted the importance of these events in supporting the comprehensive development of the nation’s youth.
The government also assessed the national rain mitigation plan, which includes structural and preventive measures such as drainage maintenance, reinforcement of vulnerable areas, and the activation of early warning systems.
International
Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to halt federal funding for two public media outlets, PBS television and NPR radio, accusing them of being biased.
NPR and PBS are partially funded by American taxpayers but rely heavily on private donations.
Trump has long maintained a hostile relationship with most media outlets, which he has referred to as the “enemy of the people.”
An exception is the conservative Fox News channel, some of whose hosts have played important roles in the administration of the Republican magnate.
“National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),” Trump said.
“Therefore, I direct the CPB board and all executive departments and agencies to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” he added.
The Republican leader argued that “neither of these entities provides a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to the taxpayer citizens.”
At the end of March, Donald Trump called on Congress to end public funding for these two “horrible and completely biased networks.”
Vatican speeds up Sistine Chapel preparations for upcoming conclave
Venezuela achieves 22% drop in maternal mortality in first months of 2025
Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS
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