International
Argentine case into crimes against Rohingya begins
AFP
A representative for Myanmar’s Rohingya minority community testified in an Argentine court Thursday as a part of an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by the Asian country’s military rulers.
The court agreed to investigate the allegations based on the principles of universal jurisdiction, which holds that some acts — including war crimes and crimes against humanity — are so horrific they are not specific to one nation and can be tried anywhere.
A 2017 army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, which the UN says could amount to genocide, has triggered an exodus of more than 740,000 members of the community, mainly to Bangladesh.
“Recently they announced new orders of restrictions for the Rohingya people,” Tun Khin, president of the British-based Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK, told reporters outside the court in Buenos Aires ahead of the hearing.
“We worry that the situation may get worse so that is very important that we push the international community seeking justice, not only this court, but other cases for the international community to support.”
Other proceedings against Myanmar and its leaders are already under way at the International Criminal Court and the UN’s International Court of Justice.
It is not the first time Argentine courts have taken up cases of universal jurisdiction, having done so in relation to ex-dictator Francisco Franco’s rule in Spain and the Falun Gong movement in China.
In August, six women testified remotely to the court from refugee camps in Bangladesh, claiming to have been the victims of sexual violence and to have lost family members during the crackdown.
In a statement, the UK Rohingya organization said, “Tun Khin’s testimony will focus on his personal history, which in many ways reflects the tragic modern history of the Rohingya people.”
His parents were forced into exile in Bangladesh in 1978, and Khin himself left Myanmar in the 1990s after he was unable to attend university “simply because he was a Rohingya,” the statement said.
On Thursday, Khin said he appreciated the humanitarian aid the Rohingya have received, but that he wanted more support for court cases and much “stronger action… to restore the rights of the Rohingyas and to stop this genocide.”
Myanmar denies committing genocide, justifying the 2017 operations as a means of rooting out Rohingya militants.
International
Federal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
Federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man during an operation on Saturday, authorities confirmed, sparking new protests and deepening outrage over federal immigration enforcement in the city.
The victim, identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, was a U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital and was widely respected in his community, according to colleagues and news reports.
Officials said the shooting occurred during a targeted immigration raid in south Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the incident as an act of self-defense by agents who believed the man posed a threat.
However, videos reviewed by multiple outlets and eyewitnesses show Pretti holding a phone and not displaying a weapon before being pepper-sprayed, tackled by agents and then shot multiple times, raising serious questions about the official account.
The killing comes amid a broader federal immigration enforcement operation in the city and follows another controversial shooting in early January in which Renée Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent, leading to widespread protests and criticism of federal tactics.
International
Delcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, on Saturday called for “reaching agreements” with the opposition to achieve “peace” in the country, which the United States says it now controls following the military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, assumed interim leadership after the leftist leader was captured on January 3 during a military incursion that left nearly 100 people dead.
In her first public statements since taking office, Rodríguez signaled a shift in the strained relationship between Caracas and Washington, while also committing to the release of a “significant number” of political prisoners.
“There can be no political or partisan differences when it comes to the peace of Venezuela,” Rodríguez said during an address in the coastal state of La Guaira, broadcast on state television VTV.
“From our differences, we must speak to one another with respect. From our differences, we must meet and reach agreements,” she added.
The day before, Rodríguez instructed the head of Parliament — her brother Jorge Rodríguez — to convene talks with various political sectors in the country aimed at achieving “concrete and immediate results.”
International
Bogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions
Bogotá and Quito will hold an emergency bilateral summit next week amid recent developments that have strained relations between the two countries.
Tensions escalated this week after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa unexpectedly announced a 30% tariff on Colombian imports. Colombia responded with a reciprocal measure, imposing the same tariff on around 20 Ecuadorian products and suspending electricity exports to Ecuador.
Aware that electricity imports are critical to easing Ecuador’s recent energy crises, Quito further imposed a 30% tariff on the transportation of Colombian oil through its territory.
However, recent statements from the Ecuadorian government suggest that dialogue between the two sides has intensified in recent hours. Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, confirmed that active conversations are under way.
In Colombia, segments of the business sector have welcomed the prospect of negotiations. The National Business Council (Consejo Gremial Nacional, CGN), for instance, urged both governments to restore commercial relations, warning that the dispute “puts jobs and regional economic stability at risk.”
Federal immigration agents kill man in Minneapolis, sparking protests and outrage
Delcy Rodríguez seeks political agreements after Maduro’s ouster
Bogotá and Quito Seek Dialogue After Tariffs and Power Cut Escalate Tensions
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