International
Brazil burns boats in crackdown on wildcat Amazon gold miners
AFP
Brazilian authorities burned more than 60 river-dredging boats in a crackdown on wildcat miners drawn to a major Amazon tributary by rumors of a gold find, the government and Greenpeace said Sunday.
Justice Minister Anderson Torres said 69 vessels were destroyed Saturday, and he published photos and video of them on fire on the banks of the Madeira River.
“Minister, congratulations on the operation,” right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro tweeted.
At least 300 dredging boats lined up side-by-side on the Madeira last week following rumors that gold had been discovered.
As images spread of this gold rush, the authorities prepared an operation to end the flurry of illegal mining.
By Saturday, many boats had dispersed to other areas nearby, said Greenpeace Brazil, which also published photos of dredging boats on fire.
“This operation shows that Brazil has the capacity to confront illegal activity and ensure the protection of our rivers, rainforests and traditional peoples,” Greenpeace said. “All it takes is political will.”
While clandestine gold mining is commonplace in the Amazon, this precious metals rush, some 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the city of Manaus, attracted special attention, Greenpeace said last week.
The group demanded greater speed from the authorities to stop what it called an environmental crime.
Greenpeace said images from the river showed that the “garimpeiros,” as wildcat miners are known in Brazil, were dominating the area and operating “without fear.”
A report by the Federal University of Minas Gerais together with Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed last July that just 34 percent of the 174 tons of gold exploited in Brazil between 2019 and 2020 had a proven legal origin.
Environmentalists have accused Bolsonaro’s government of pursuing anti-environmentalist policies and weakening protections.
Since Bolsonaro assumed power in January 2019, Amazon deforestation has surged, mainly due to illegal mining and cattle ranching.
International
Erin brings strong winds and storm surge despite weakening offshore
Hurricane Erin weakened to a Category 2 storm on Tuesday but continues to pose a threat to parts of the U.S. East Coast with potentially dangerous flooding, according to meteorologists.
Although the hurricane’s eye is expected to remain offshore, experts are concerned about Erin’s size, as strong winds extend hundreds of kilometers beyond the storm’s center.
In its 18:00 GMT bulletin, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) lifted tropical storm warnings for the Bahamasand Turks and Caicos Islands, but kept them in effect for parts of North Carolina.
Erin was located several hundred kilometers southeast of North Carolina and was moving northwestward.
“This means there is a risk of potentially life-threatening flooding of 60 to 120 centimeters above ground level,” said NHC Director Michael Brennan.
He also warned of the possibility of destructive waves, combined with storm surge, that could cause severe damage to beaches and coastal areas, making roads impassable.
International
Three U.S. Warships deploy near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking
Three U.S. naval vessels are moving toward the coasts of Venezuela, according to international media reports on Tuesday, after White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump is ready to combat and curb international drug trafficking.
Reports indicate that the ships will reach Venezuelan waters within the next 36 hours as part of a recent U.S. deployment aimed at countering international narcotics operations.
The announcement coincides with Leavitt’s statement that Trump is prepared to “use the full extent of his power” to halt drug flows into the United States. The naval deployment involves approximately 4,000 military personnel.
“The President has been clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of U.S. power to prevent drugs from flooding our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela—it is a narco-terror cartel,” the spokesperson said during a press conference.
International
Cuban authorities free salvadoran convicted in 1997 hotel bombing
Salvadoran national Otto René Rodríguez Llerena was released after serving a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in a terrorist attack at a hotel in Cuba in 1997, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
During his trial, Rodríguez Llerena admitted to placing an explosive device at the Meliá Cohiba Hotel under the orders of anti-Castro exile leaders. He was arrested the following year when he returned to Havana with another load of explosives that failed to detonate.
“The Cuban government reiterates its commitment to combating terrorism, respecting human rights, and the need for the international community to hold accountable those who promote such acts,” the statement read.
He was released on August 15 and is the second Salvadoran to complete his sentence. In December of last year, another Salvadoran, Ernesto Cruz León, was released after planting bombs at tourist centers, one of which killed an Italian tourist identified as Fabio Di Celmo.
A third Salvadoran, Francisco Chávez Abarca, also received a 30-year sentence from Cuban courts in 2010 after being extradited from Venezuela through Interpol for actions against Cuba.
Rodríguez Llerena had requested conditional release in 2016, arguing that his actions had not caused any direct fatalities, but no further information was released about his situation until now.
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