International

The Peruvian Public Ministry denounces the former attorney general for an alleged corruption case

The Peruvian Public Ministry filed a complaint this Tuesday against the former prosecutor of the Nation (general) Patricia Benavides for an alleged corruption case by allegedly offering a congressman the dismissal of a process opened against her in exchange for the parliamentarian voting in favor of filing an investigation that affected the prosecutor.

The constitutional complaint was presented to Congress, the process that marks Peruvian legislation in cases in which an investigation is opened against a high authority of the State, for the crimes of specific active bribery and specific passive bribery.

“Patricia Benavides, in her capacity as prosecutor of the Nation, would have arranged – through her advisors – with Congressman José María Balcázar an exchange of favors of an illicit nature, for the dismissal of the criminal process she faced (…) in exchange for the parliamentarian (…) voting in favor of filing the constitutional complaints filed against the former prosecutor,” reads a statement from the Public Ministry.

The complaint also includes Balcázar as allegedly responsible for the crimes of specific active bribery and specific passive bribery.

At first, recalls the statement of the Public Ministry, Balcázar asked for the filing of his investigation and, later, the appointment of his daughter-in-law as deputy prosecutor.

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In May 2024, the National Board of Justice of Peru (JNJ), the highest body of the judiciary, decided to dismiss Benavides, for interfering in an investigation opened to his sister and judge, Enma Benavides, by dismissing the prosecutor who led the investigations.

The case refers to Benavides’ alleged interference in the investigation opened by prosecutor Bersabeth Revilla against his sister Enma Benavides, denounced for releasing alleged drug traffickers in exchange for gifts.

Also for the preparation of a controversial low productivity report prepared by the Supreme Prosecutor Azucena Solari, which served for the removal of Revilla.

In parallel, Benavides has an investigation against him for leading an alleged criminal organization of influence peddling in the Public Ministry for which he had a second request for suspension from office for 36 months.

The case began in November 2023, when a specialized group of the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office made arrests and raids of homes and offices of advisors and former advisors in Benavides, as part of the investigation of an alleged criminal organization “encysted in the senior management of the Public Ministry.”

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That organization allegedly sought to influence “illicitly in decisions of congressmen” for the dismissal of the holders of the JNJ, the appointment of the current ombudsman, Josúe Gutiérrez, and the disqualification of the former Prosecutor of the Nation Zoraida Ávalos.

International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.