International
Maximum security prison riot leaves three injured in Brazil
July 27 |
Two prisoners and a security agent injured is the preliminary balance of a riot that broke out on Wednesday in the Antonio Amaro prison, located in the city of Rio Branco, capital of the Brazilian state of Acre, and it is not yet known if the police have the situation under control.
According to authorities, the riot began in the morning hours when a group of approximately 13 inmates took two policemen hostage in the isolation ward of the prison, one of them injured by a bullet grazing his face, detailed the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
The Secretariat of Justice and Public Security of Acre (Sejusp) reported that “two prisoners were injured during an internal confrontation between members of rival criminal organizations and were taken to a nearby medical center”. One of them was later released.
After being notified of the state of rebellion in the prison, the National Secretariat of Criminal Policies (Senappen) created a contingency team to manage the situation in the prison, in whose outskirts were grouped family members who came to the visiting day that was suspended by the situation.
Senappen summoned intelligence operators who are closely following the events in order to reinforce actions to control the situation and guarantee the safety of those involved, according to an official statement. The crisis cabinet is also formed by representatives of the military and criminal police, the Gefron and the Bope.
Although the authorities have not informed about the state of the injured, the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino, put his team “at disposal to help in any way possible”. For his part, Rafael Velasco, Secretary of Penal Policies, emphasized that “all necessary measures are being taken to reestablish order”.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Acre assured in a statement that it will investigate “the circumstances that led to this episode of violence”, especially after the accused requested the presence of the human rights prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Acre, Tales Tranin, who was acting as negotiator.
According to data released by Senappen, violent prison riots are very frequent in overcrowded prisons, such as those in Brazil, whose penitentiary system has a considerable shortage of places. As of December 2022, the South American giant had a prison population of 643,137 convicts.
International
Pope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that Pope Leo XIV will not attend the COP30 climate summit in Belém, but will visit Brazil “at the right moment,” following their meeting on Monday at the Vatican.
“I invited him to come to COP30, considering the historic importance of hosting a Climate Conference for the first time in the heart of the Amazon. Due to the Jubilee, the Pope told us he will not be able to attend,” Lula wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Although the pontiff will not be present at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, he assured that the Vatican will be represented and confirmed his intention to visit Brazil in the near future.
“We were very happy to hear that His Holiness intends to visit Brazil when the time is right. He will be warmly welcomed with the affection, hospitality, and faith of the Brazilian people,” the president said.
Lula also congratulated the Pope on his first exhortation, Dilexi Te, which focuses on poverty, and emphasized that “faith cannot be separated from love for the poor.”
“I told him we need to build a broad movement of indignation against inequality, and I see this document as a reference that should be read and practiced by everyone,” Lula added.
International
Venezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
The Venezuelan government stated on Monday that international pressure “must continue” until a “just peace” is achieved for Palestine, as the official end of the war in Gaza is expected to be signed later today—an agreement that follows the release of surviving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
In an official statement, President Nicolás Maduro’s administration emphasized that “the global popular mobilization, along with political and diplomatic pressure from the international community—including Arab and Muslim nations—has been decisive in paving the way for this peace process.”
The statement further urged that “such mobilization must continue until the full implementation of international law, particularly the United Nations Security Council resolutions that call for the withdrawal of occupying forces from territories invaded in 1967 and the establishment of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The Venezuelan government noted that the agreement comes “after the near-total destruction of the Gaza Strip, where more than 65,000 people—mostly children, women, and defenseless civilians—were killed by the criminal bombings of Zionist occupying forces, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Venezuela maintains that true peace can only be achieved through the application of international justice, which must include the investigation and prosecution of war criminals and human rights violators responsible for the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people,” the statement concluded.
The peace accord is expected to be signed Monday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Neither Israel nor the Palestinian group Hamas will attend the ceremony, which will be attended by around thirty heads of state, government leaders, and representatives of international organizations.
International
Mexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
The Mexican government reported on Monday that 64 people have died and 65 remain missing following the heavy rains that struck five central states between October 6 and 9. The storms left thousands affected and caused severe damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure across 111 municipalities.
According to Laura Velázquez, head of the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC), the fatalities were distributed as follows: Veracruz (29), Hidalgo (21), Puebla (13), and Querétaro (1). The figures were confirmed during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily press briefing.
Velázquez also stated that 65 individuals are still unaccounted for in the states of Veracruz (18), Hidalgo (43), and Puebla (4). “We understand the population’s anguish and concern. Everyone will receive assistance. Cleanup operations will be carried out in full, with no resources spared,” President Sheinbaum assured.
The Civil Protection chief explained that the rainfall report from October 6 to 9 showed maximum precipitation levels on October 8 — 280 millimeters in Veracruz and 286 millimeters in Puebla — causing rivers and streams to overflow in surrounding areas.
The updated report also detailed 111 municipalities affected: Veracruz (40), Hidalgo (28), Puebla (23), Querétaro (8), and San Luis Potosí (12).
Since October 10, the Mexican government has been holding continuous emergency sessions in coordination with state authorities to address the crisis and provide relief to affected populations.
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