International
Authorities retake control of Tacambú prison, Paraguay
October 12 |
The general director of Intelligence and spokesman of the National Police of Paraguay, commissioner Ever Paris, confirmed Wednesday that the prisoners who since last Tuesday had taken control of the Tacambú prison reached an agreement with the authorities, which allows the reestablishment of order there.
In statements given to the media in the vicinity of the penitentiary, the largest in the South American country, Paris reported that the inmates released the 22 guards they held captive for almost 15 hours and that the weapons they had taken from the officers were recovered.
He also explained that several women who were inside the penitentiary for family visits were released and that 11 women who were there with their respective husbands, in the section for private meetings (which last one day), will be released soon. He confirmed that they did not participate in the events.
He said that at this moment the control of the penitentiary is being reestablished and its director is again in charge of his functions. He assured that the situation is back to normal, no deaths or injuries were reported, and that the National Police will continue its preventive work in the surroundings of the prison.
Paris commented that the inmates requested a 15-day period for the reopening of family visits and for the return of a group of prisoners who were transferred to other prisons. He said that this Wednesday afternoon the Ministry of Justice is expected to hold a press conference on the case.
According to local media, a vice-minister of the Ministry of Justice, Rodrigo Nicora, who visited the place and refused to give statements, went to inform the head of the sector, Ángel Ramón Barchini, about the end of the negotiation.
Days before, the latter assured that the inmates had murdered and dismembered a former policeman held in Tacambú for homicide, Oliver Lezcano, who actually escaped from the prison. This accusation would have provoked the riot.
For his part, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña denied that there is a prison crisis in the country and that what happened is another expression of the State’s confrontation with crime. He gave his full support to Barchini, whose immediate resignation is already being demanded by legislators of the National Republican Association (Colorado Party) for his role in the events.
The rioting inmates were led by the head of the Rotela clan, Javier Rotela, who is serving time for crimes related to micro-trafficking in the metropolitan area of Asunción (capital). He is considered the king of micro-trafficking in that region of the country.
Tacambú houses 3,000 prisoners and has an overcrowding rate of 607 percent, according to criminologist and professor Juan Martens. There are approximately 16,000 prisoners in 18 penitentiaries throughout the country.
International
Rubio rules out 2028 presidential bid if Vance runs
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would not seek the presidency in 2028 if current Vice President JD Vancedecides to run as the Republican nominee to succeed President Donald Trump.
“If JD Vance runs for president, he will be our candidate, and I will be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio said in an interview with Vanity Fair, in which he appeared alongside other senior members of the presidential cabinet.
Rubio, 54, and Vance, 41, are widely viewed as two of the leading Republican figures who could headline the party’s ticket in the 2028 election. Under the U.S. Constitution, Trump is barred from seeking another term after completing two presidential mandates.
In a lighthearted moment during the interview, Vance jokingly offered photographers $1,000 if they managed to make him look better than Rubio in the photos. Both leaders have received public backing from Trump, who last October floated the idea of a joint ticket featuring Rubio and Vance, without clarifying who would lead it.
“I think that if they ever teamed up, they would be unstoppable. I don’t think anyone would run against us,” Trump said at the time.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who also took part in the interview, confirmed that Trump does not intend to violate the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits a third presidential term, though she acknowledged that the president is “having fun” with speculation about a possible return to office.
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, served as a Republican senator from 2010 to 2025. He sought the party’s presidential nomination in 2016 but was defeated by Trump after a bruising primary contest. His name was floated as a potential vice presidential pick in 2024, but Vance ultimately secured the spot. After taking office, Trump appointed Rubio as secretary of state, making him the first Latino to hold the position.
International
Authorities search for armed and dangerous suspect in fatal Brown University attack
According to the statement, investigators are “seeking the public’s help to identify and speak with an individual” who was seen “near” the suspect at the time of the attack.
The Providence Police Department in Rhode Island released three photos of the person of interest, whose face has been blurred. In the images, the individual is wearing navy blue clothing, what appears to be a green hood, and carrying a light-colored backpack.
Earlier, authorities had released several photos and videos of a suspect described as “approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a stocky build,” dressed in dark clothing, with their face covered by a surgical mask and wearing a beanie. The suspect’s identity remains unknown.
Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible for the killings, who is considered armed and dangerous.
The gunman opened fire on Saturday at Brown University’s engineering and physics building, where exams were being held, killing students Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. The names of the nine people injured have not been released.
International
Police investigate deaths of Rob Reiner and wife as apparent homicide
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reinerand his wife as an “apparent homicide,” amid a wave of tributes to the director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally.
According to U.S. media reports on Sunday, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds.
Several political figures shared messages of condolence following the reported deaths of the director of A Few Good Menand his wife.
While the LAPD did not officially confirm the identities of the victims, it stated that homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiner residence.
“At this time, no additional details are available and the investigation into an apparent homicide is ongoing,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement posted on social media.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that no arrests have been made and that no individuals are currently being questioned as suspects.
“I’m not going to confirm whether anyone is being questioned at this moment or not. We are going to try to speak with as many family members as we can,” Hamilton said.
CNN reported that a family spokesperson confirmed the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Kamala Harrisissued statements expressing their condolences.
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