International

Commemoration of the Day of Indigenous Resistance

Photo: Xinhua

October 13 |

Numerous Latin American nations commemorated this October 12 the Day of Indigenous Resistance, in homage to the struggles initiated in 1492 by the native peoples of the region in defense of their culture against Spanish colonization.

In Venezuela, the Jivi, Cuiba and Pumé indigenous communities, among others, marched in Caracas (capital) from Carabobo Park to the corner of San Francisco, to highlight the struggle of native peoples against colonialist interests, for the defense of the Essequibo and in support of President Nicolás Maduro.

The indigenous communities in Colombia commemorated the date with rituals, as an expression of the resistance of which they have been protagonists in spite of the violence that has affected their lands.

In Bogotá (capital), where more than 18,000 indigenous people currently live, the representatives of the native peoples demanded the Government and the armed actors to cease hostilities in their territories.

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Numerous streets of Asunción, Paraguay’s capital, welcomed hundreds of indigenous people who demanded their land rights and access to drinking water. The demonstrators initially gathered outside the Congress and marched in silence to the Plaza Italia, to the beat of the traditional tangará music of the Mbya Guaraní people.

The native peoples of El Salvador paid tribute to the victims of Spanish colonization in the region, vindicating the struggle of several centuries of plundering and persecution.

They also denounced that the State and its institutions have violated their rights, reaffirmed the spirit of struggle and rebellion and recalled the barbarity of the massacre of Las Hojas, where more than 200 members of the Salvadoran Army murdered members of that indigenous community in 1983.

The Salvadoran communities demanded the State to respect their self-determination, the restitution of the communal land system, the halt of constructions in sacred places and the cessation of harassment and repression of indigenous leaders.

Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Spain, a rally was held under the title “For an anti-colonial October 12”, with the participation of hundreds of people belonging to different movements, who also demanded many of the rights of migrants, to regularize many of those who have been residing for decades in that European nation and have not been able to update their documents.

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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.

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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.

International

Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition

he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.

Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.

The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”

International

Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may

The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.

The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”

The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”

Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.

The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.