International
Peru declares state of emergency as ousted leader remains in prison
| By AFP | Luis Jaime Cisneros and Patrick Fort |
Peru declared a nationwide state of emergency Wednesday amid violent protests against the ouster of ex-president Pedro Castillo that have left seven people dead.
The announcement came as a judge ordered Castillo to remain in prison, on charges of rebellion and conspiracy for another 48 hours ahead of a release hearing.
Castillo’s arrest last week after he tried to dissolve congress and rule by decree has sparked days of nationwide protests that quickly escalated into violence.
Defense Minister Alberto Otarola announced the new 30-day state of emergency due to “acts of vandalism and violence, road blocks.”
He said the measure involved “the suspension of the freedom of movement and assembly” and could also include a night-time curfew.
The new president, Dina Boluarte, again moved to ease tensions by calling for elections to be brought forward, this time to December 2023.
On Sunday, Boluarte had already said she would seek to advance elections from 2026 to 2024 but that did not appease Castillo supporters demanding his release and elections now.
Last week, a judge ordered Castillo to be held for seven days, and he was meant to be released on Wednesday.
However, prosecutors filed a request late on Tuesday to hold him in pre-trial detention for 18 months.
Judge Juan Checkley on Wednesday postponed a hearing on the new request until Thursday after defense attorneys argued they had not received all documents from the public prosecutor.
He also ordered Castillo to remain in detention for another 48 hours.
Castillo, a leftist former school teacher, was in power for only 17 months in the South American nation that is prone to political instability and is now on its sixth president in six years.
His short period in office was marked by a power struggle with the opposition-dominated Congress, and six investigations into him and his family mainly for corruption.
‘Serious social convulsion’
Castillo was facing his third impeachment bid when, last Wednesday, he announced he was dissolving Congress and would rule by decree.
But lawmakers went ahead and voted to sack him and he was quickly arrested while trying to flee to the Mexican Embassy and seek asylum.
Boluarte, who was Castillo’s vice president, was sworn in as his successor.
Her attempts to calm tensions have failed, including an earlier state of emergency in several flashpoint regions.
Boluarte has now twice proposed advancing elections.
“Legally it works for April 2024 but by making some adjustments we can bring them forward to December 2023,” she told reporters.
Rights ombudsman Eliana Revollar told AFP on Tuesday that things could still get worse.
“This is a very serious social convulsion. We fear that it will lead to an uprising because there are people calling for an insurrection, who are asking to take up arms,” said Revollar.
Five people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces on Monday following another two on Sunday.
Six of the seven deaths have been in the Apurimac region, where Boluarte was born.
‘I will never give up’
Castillo also appeared in court on Tuesday by video link as he appealed his initial seven-day detention.
He called his arrest unjust and arbitrary and said he would “never give up and abandon this popular cause that brought me here.”
He also called on security forces “to lay down their arms and stop killing these people thirsty for justice.”
Protests by Castillo supporters began almost immediately after his arrest.
Mexico’s leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said his country still recognizes Castillo as president, has joined other regional leftist leaders in pledging support for the ousted leader.
Protesters have set up road blocks in numerous regions.
The worst-hit areas are in the north and south, including the region of Cusco, a tourism lure that is home to the Machu Picchu Inca citadel, and Peru’s second city, Arequipa.
In Lima, dozens of demonstrators threw stones at the police on Tuesday evening as they tried to reach Congress, with the police firing tear gas to disperse them.
Indigenous and agrarian organizations called an indefinite strike to begin on Tuesday, forcing the train service between the city of Cusco and Machu Picchu to be suspended.
International
Lula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to be officially nominated for re-election by his Workers’ Party (PT), marking the start of his campaign for a fourth presidential term.
The nomination takes place during the party’s national convention in São Paulo, Brazil’s economic hub, where around 3,000 supporters gathered to back the veteran leftist leader.
“Today I’m here because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we finally own a home after eight generations without one,” said Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker attending the event dressed in the PT’s signature red.
Seeking the presidency for the seventh time in his political career, Lula is expected to face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
The 45-year-old senator is the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been jailed over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 election.
The party convention opened with videos highlighting Lula’s social initiatives and speeches by four women praising his leadership, while supporters waved PT flags and held signs reading “We Want Lula as President” and “Brazil Is Not for Sale.”
The campaign begins amid growing tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Bolsonaro family who has openly backed several conservative candidates across Latin America.
Last week, Lula warned against foreign interference, declaring, “In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
In July, the United States imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products, accusing the country of unfair trade practices. The measures followed earlier restrictions introduced in 2025, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, in response to legal proceedings against the former president.
Lula has vowed to wage what he called a “war of truth against lies” in response to Washington’s pressure and accused Flávio Bolsonaro of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly helping the United States damage the country’s economy. The senator has denied the accusations.
The Brazilian president also claims Washington is attempting to influence the country’s political landscape in an effort to prevent his re-election.
International
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
A truck loaded with explosives exploded on Saturday near a police station in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, close to the Venezuelan border, leaving 14 people injured in an attack that occurred six days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration.
The blast took place in the early hours of the morning and was allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN), who detonated a vehicle packed with explosives. According to the latest report from the Colombian Army, the attack injured 11 police officers and three civilians.
The explosion involved around 15 explosive devices, and two of the wounded officers are in critical condition and “fighting for their lives,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, the region where the attack occurred.
The incident comes amid Colombia’s worst wave of violence in the past decade, with armed groups expanding their presence in several areas of the country.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out in Cúcuta against our National Police. Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security,” De la Espriella said in a post on X.
The conservative lawyer, who has been described as a far-right figure, will take office on August 7, replacing Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The inauguration ceremony will be held in Cali, the country’s third-largest city and a frequent target of attacks by armed groups.
The United Nations condemned what it described as an “indiscriminate attack” that caused not only injuries but also “fear and distress among the population.”
De la Espriella has repeatedly warned about an alleged plot against his life. Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro, who is currently visiting Cuba, has not commented on the attack. During his visit, Petro met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss what Havana describes as the United States’ “policy of suffocation” toward the island.
International
EU Faces Migration Crisis After 60,000 Migrants Arrive in Spain’s Ceuta Enclave
The arrival of around 60,000 migrants from Morocco to Spain’s Ceuta enclave triggered a major European Union crisis on Friday, after Madrid described the situation as an “attack” on its territorial integrity.
At least 34 people died while attempting to reach the Spanish territory, according to local authorities.
Hundreds of migrants had begun arriving in Ceuta earlier in the week, either by swimming across the border or climbing security fences. Most of those who entered were young men and teenagers.
However, the situation escalated dramatically early Thursday morning, when the number of arrivals surged within a few hours, reaching nearly 60,000 people. According to the Spanish government, the vast majority of them — around 48,000 migrants — had returned to Morocco by Friday evening.
The episode represents one of the most serious migration crises faced by the autonomous city of Ceuta, which has a population of around 84,000 residents, in recent years.
Several European countries responded strongly to the crisis, with Italy announcing the temporary suspension of the Schengen free movement agreement with Spain, a measure supported by Finland and Denmark.
“The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary decision to protect the security of our citizens and defend Europe’s borders,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X.
Italy’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the country had tightened controls on maritime and air entry points from Spain, but clarified that the measure would not affect Spanish or European citizens traveling to Italy.
The additional checks will specifically target non-European citizens arriving from Spain, according to the ministry.
The measure will remain in effect for one month starting Saturday, authorities said.
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares responded to the Italian announcement through a statement on X, as European governments continued discussions over the consequences of the migration crisis.
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