International

Evidence filed against Chancellor Francisco Bustillo in Uruguay

Photo: EFE

November 2 |

The former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Carolina Ache, presented this Wednesday before the Prosecutor’s Office of that country the documentation that proves that the Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo suggested her to intentionally lose her cell phone to hide the dialogue between her and the Undersecretary of the Interior, Guillermo Maciel about the drug trafficker fugitive from Justice, Sebastián Marset.

The evidence shows how the government of the South American country tried to hide information about the chat messages that some of its members had about the issuance of a Uruguayan passport in record time for Marset, when he was imprisoned in a jail in Dubai for entering that country with a false passport.

According to local media, the evidence shows that Bustillo assured Ache that he would try to influence the course of the administrative investigation being conducted by the Foreign Ministry, while stressing that Maciel would not hand over his cell phone either because he would not do anything that could incriminate him, especially when he knew that there was an open investigation against drug trafficker Marset.

When the content of the evidence was revealed, Bustillo presented his resignation as head of the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry, and published a letter in which he said that Ache “decontextualized conversations and acted in bad faith” when he handed over the documentation to the Justice of that country.

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“I wish to state that there was nothing illegal in the processing of Mr. Marset’s passport, in which instance I had no participation or knowledge whatsoever. Of course, neither did I lie or deviate from the truth in the parliamentary interpellation,” he said in the text.

Bustillo expressed his willingness to speak to the media once he appears before the Public Prosecutor’s Office to give his version of what he called “a distorted account”.

Currently, Sebastián Marset and Gianina García Troche are fugitives from justice in the South American country and according to the authorities they move in a white Land Cruiser vehicle, accompanied by three minors.

International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.