International
Peru’s embattled president names fifth PM in 16 months
| By AFP |
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo on Friday appointed the culture minister as the country’s prime minister after her predecessor resigned over a row with parliament.
Betssy Chavez, a 33-year-old lawyer who also did a stint as labor minister, was sworn in as the fifth prime minister since the beleaguered Castillo took office 16 months ago.
The pair reshuffled the cabinet after former premier Anibal Torres quit on Thursday amid an ongoing clash between the leftist Castillo and the conservative-controlled parliament.
Castillo, in power since July 2021, has already faced two impeachment attempts in parliament and is under investigation in six corruption cases, including accusations against his family and political entourage.
“For the respect to the rule of law and the restitution of the balance and separation of powers, I do swear”, said Chavez when she took her oath before Castillo, an allusion to the confrontation between the president and parliament.
Chavez herself is facing a preliminary investigation by Peru’s prosecutor’s office into allegations of misuse of power and hiring close associates for public positions.
She must request a parliamentary vote of confidence within 30 days before formally taking office.
The new cabinet includes 12 ministers whose portfolios have been confirmed, with Cesar Landa taking over foreign affairs, the interior ministry going to Willy Huerta, Daniel Barragan taking defense and Kurt Burneo handling the economy.
All but Burneo were sworn in at a Friday night ceremony at the Government Palace in Lima. The new minister of economy and finance took part via videoconference as he is isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.
Earlier this month, thousands marched in the capital to demand the removal of former rural school teacher Castillo, who unexpectedly took power from Peru’s traditional political elite.
Castillo has denounced the charges against him as politically motivated and enjoys immunity until the end of his term in July 2026.
International
Mexico Arrests CJNG Leader “El Jardinero” in Nayarit
Mexican authorities arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero,” on Monday during a naval operation in the western state of Nayarit, delivering another major blow to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
Flores was considered one of the top regional leaders within the cartel and had reportedly overseen criminal operations along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Security analysts viewed him as a potential successor to slain drug kingpin Nemesio Oseguera.
The arrest was carried out by Mexico’s Navy Special Forces in a planned operation, according to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch.
The United States Department of the Treasury had previously identified Flores as a “significant foreign narcotics trafficker,” while U.S. authorities offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture and extradition.
A U.S. grand jury indicted Flores in 2021 on charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin.
His capture comes months after the reported death of “El Mencho,” an operation that Mexican authorities considered a priority due to the cartel leader’s alleged involvement in a 2020 assassination attempt against García Harfuch.
International
Suspect Armed With Shotgun and Knives Detained at White House Correspondents Dinner
U.S. authorities confirmed Saturday that the suspect who stormed into the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner while President Donald Trump was attending acted alone, adding that there is no ongoing threat to the public following the incident, which left one Secret Service agent injured.
Acting Metropolitan Police Department chief Jeff Carroll said during a press conference that the suspect was carrying “a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives” when he attempted to pass through a Secret Service security checkpoint inside the hotel lobby at approximately 8:36 p.m. local time.
“At this point, everything indicates that this was a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll stated, adding that investigators have found no preliminary evidence suggesting the involvement of additional suspects.
During the exchange of gunfire inside the hotel corridors, the suspect was not struck by bullets but was subdued by law enforcement officers and later transported to a hospital for medical evaluation.
A member of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division was shot during the incident, though the bullet was stopped by the officer’s ballistic vest, preventing serious injuries. The agent was taken to a hospital and is reportedly “in good spirits,” according to Carroll.
The shooting prompted the immediate evacuation of President Trump, Melania Trump, and several senior officials attending the event after multiple gunshots were heard outside the hotel’s main ballroom.
International
U.S. allows Venezuela to fund Maduro and Cilia Flores’ legal defense
Until now, the U.S. administration had blocked the Venezuelan government from covering the legal fees of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who is also jailed and facing drug trafficking charges, due to international sanctions imposed on Venezuela.
The couple’s legal team had relied on that argument in an attempt to have the indictment dismissed, claiming that preventing a defendant from accessing counsel of their choice violates rights guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
However, the U.S. Treasury Department will now allow “defense attorneys to receive payments from the Government of Venezuela under certain conditions,” New York prosecutor Jay Clayton wrote in a letter dated Friday to Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is overseeing the case.
According to the letter, the funds must have become available after March 5, 2026, and cannot come from Venezuelan oil sales regulated in the United States.
Since Maduro’s removal from power in early January, former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has served as Venezuela’s interim leader.
The United States effectively controls Venezuelan crude exports, with revenues deposited into special accounts supervised by Washington.
Court documents filed on Friday show that the defense acknowledged the sanctions exemption and, for now, withdrew its motion seeking dismissal of the charges.
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