International
Latin America divided on Russia-Ukraine conflict
AFP
Latin American countries are divided on Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine, with most condemning military action but a few asserting Moscow’s “right to defend itself” against perceived NATO encroachment.
– Critics –
Mexico and Brazil, the two non-permanent UN Security Council members from Latin America, condemned Thursday’s invasion of Ukraine, along with Argentina, Colombia and Chile.
Mexico was “very clearly against the use of force, against challenging the integrity of an independent country which is Ukraine,” said Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
Brazil’s foreign ministry called for the “immediate cessation of hostilities” and Argentina for an end to “military actions in Ukraine.”
Colombia’s President Ivan Duque on Twitter denounced “the premeditated and unjustified attack that has been perpetrated against the Ukrainian people by Russia,” which he said threatened “world peace.”
Chile’s outgoing President Sebastian Pinera condemned “the armed aggression of Russia and its violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
Ecuador, Uruguay and Peru also spoke out against the use of military force and called for a diplomatic solution.
– Allies –
Russian allies Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba — all targets of United States sanctions — have defended defend Moscow’s position in recent days, though none have made new statements since Thursday’s invasion.
On Wednesday, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro took to Twitter to “repudiate the perverse plans that seek to surround Russia militarily and strategically” and expressed “support for President Putin and his people.”
Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, due to receive a visit Thursday from Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s Duma or lower house of parliament, on Monday accused the United States and Europe of “using Ukraine to provoke Russia,” which he said was merely “demanding security.”
On Wednesday, Volodin met Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who invoked Russia’s “right to defend itself” and expressed solidarity with Moscow in the face of “sanctions and the expansion of NATO towards its borders.”
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
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