International
Von der Leyen asks Zelensky for explanations for the reform on anti-corruption agencies
The European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law, Michael McGrath, said on Wednesday that the president of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, has asked Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenski, for explanations for the controversial reform that places Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies under the control of the State prosecutor’s office.
“Von der Leyen conveyed (to Zelenski) her deep concern and asked for explanations,” McGrath said during a press conference after an informal meeting of the Council of Ministers of Justice of the European Union (EU) in Copenhagen.
The National Anti-Corruption Office (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) are “pillars” of the rule of law in Ukraine, “crucial” for the reform agenda in that country, and must maintain their independence to be effective in their task and preserve the confidence of the population, the commissioner said.
The standards that the EC demands from EU countries and candidates for access must be “consistent”, he remarked, despite the circumstances in which Ukraine finds itself.
In addition, McGrath stressed that the approach of the accession process involves first meeting the fundamental requirements and that the path to EU entry begins with a commitment to democracy, the rule of law and a strong anti-corruption regime.
“We do not want to see a setback in the progress made by Ukraine with hard work over the past few years,” said the commissioner, who described it as “very worrying” that the two agencies may be subordinate to the attorney general, who is appointed by the president’s office.
“We expect Ukraine to fully comply with (European) standards,” said the commissioner, according to whom there can be no “commitment” in this regard.
Many NGOs denounced the passage as a process of erosion of the mechanisms of control of the Executive.
Several European ministers, including those from Germany and Sweden, have also expressed concern about the measure, which removes independence from Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies.
Hundreds of Ukrainians took to the streets again in Kiev and other cities across the country on the second day of protests against a law approved on Tuesday by Parliament and later initialed by Zelenski that gives power to the attorney general appointed by the Executive over two anti-corruption agencies and thus deplens their independence.
Images broadcast live on Ukrainian public television show citizens, especially young people, who concentrate in squares and streets throughout Ukraine, shout slogans against corruption and abuses of power and show banners demanding Zelenski to repeal the law.
In his evening address to the nation on Wednesday, Zelenski stated that he is listening to the message he receives from the street and announced that he will propose to Parliament a bill to preserve the powers of investigative agencies while eliminating Russian influence in these structures.
Previously, Zelenski had announced that he will present a plan to fight corruption within two weeks.
The need to remove Russian influence is the reason invoked by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to justify the dozens of raids against detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Office of Ukraine (NABU) carried out this Monday, which were interpreted by the NABU itself and by much of civil society as an attack on the institution.
Ukraine’s main international partners have expressed concern about both the legal reform and the SBU operation, in which two senior NABU officials were arrested for alleged collaboration with Russia.
International
Authorities capture CJNG financial chief in international airport operation
A man identified as the main financial operator of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was arrested Thursday at Mexico City’s international airport, authorities reported.
The individual, named by Mexican media as Óscar Antonio Álvarez, was apprehended during an operation involving the army, navy, National Guard, police, and the attorney general’s office, according to a joint statement.
Álvarez is considered the primary financial operator of a criminal group originating in Jalisco, and the capture took place at Benito Juárez Airport as he arrived on a flight from Barcelona, Spain.
Authorities stated that Álvarez faces charges of organized crime and money laundering, specifically for receiving and transferring illicit funds. His work with the CJNG reportedly included purchasing properties and managing businesses in the tequila and livestock sectors.
According to El Universal, Álvarez was directly under the command of Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho”, the cartel’s top leader, for whom the U.S. offers a $15 million reward.
The CJNG, which operates throughout Mexico and in various parts of the world, was designated earlier this year as a “foreign terrorist organization” by the U.S. government.
Álvarez was handed over to the federal public prosecutor to determine his legal situation, the report added.
International
Jair Bolsonaro sentenced for leading armed criminal plot after 2022 election loss
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, 70, has been sentenced for leading an armed criminal organization that attempted to cling to power after losing the 2022 elections to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The alleged coup plot, which reportedly included a plan to assassinate Lula, was not carried out due to lack of support from the military leadership.
By a four-to-one vote of the judges overseeing the case, seven co-defendants, including former ministers and military chiefs, were also convicted.
“A criminal armed organization was formed by the defendants, who must be sentenced based on the factual circumstances I consider proven,” said the final judge to cast a vote, Cristiano Zanin.
Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, did not attend the court hearings, citing health issues.
Reacting on X, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president’s son, said: “They call this a trial a process whose outcome everyone already knew before it began.”
One of the first international reactions came from the White House. Former U.S. President Donald Trump called the sentence “very surprising,” while Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, stated that the United States will “respond accordingly” to the “unjust” ruling.
International
Poland invokes NATO Article 4 after russian drone incursion
The violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones on Wednesday triggered the most serious clash between Russia and NATO since the start of the war in Ukraine, prompting Poland to invoke Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, which calls for consultations among allies.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed Parliament on Wednesday, describing an unprecedented “aggression” in which at least 19 Russian drones breached Polish airspace, creating a situation that the Prime Minister described as “the closest to an open conflict since World War II.”
Speaking at the start of an extraordinary Council of Ministers session, Tusk stated that “this is the first time Russian drones have been shot down over the territory of a NATO member state, and that is why all our allies are taking the situation very seriously.”
Although he affirmed that “there is no reason to claim that we are in a state of war,” he labeled the incidents as “a large-scale provocation” and ordered the invocation of NATO’s Article 4 to call for consultations with allied nations.
Tusk also noted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had received “not only expressions of solidarity with Poland but, above all, concrete proposals to support the country’s air defense” during discussions with European leaders throughout the day.
The Polish leader specifically mentioned conversations with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands—Keir Starmer, Giorgia Meloni, Friedrich Merz, and Dick Schoof—along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
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Authorities capture CJNG financial chief in international airport operation
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