International
Feminicidal violence persists in Latin America: More awareness, more cries, but few answers
November 29 |
Despite advances in social awareness, legislation and statistics, feminicidal violence continues to plague the Latin American region, according to the latest report of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). In 26 countries and territories, a woman is murdered for gender-related reasons every two hours, revealing a stark reality that seems to refuse to let up.
Figures provided by the States indicate that in 2022 there were 4,050 victims of femicides in Latin America. However, feminist collectives argue that the magnitude of this tragedy exceeds what the official data show, underscoring the need to address the problem in a more comprehensive and effective manner.
The ECLAC report stresses that these femicides are “the extreme expression of inequality, discrimination and multiple forms of violence against women and girls”. Faced with this bleak picture, voices of protest were raised in various demonstrations that took place on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, last Saturday.
From the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to Mexico City, women raised their voices demanding a stop to violence. In the Mexican capital, the Zócalo became a symbolic “cemetery”, with pink cardboards representing tombstones, remembering the victims of femicide and crying out for justice in a silent but forceful manner.
Another significant event took place at the central campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where violet silhouettes of women were painted with messages and photographs in memory of the absent women, in anticipation of the marches planned for that day.
ECLAC warns about the prevalence of gender-based violence in the region, noting that around two thirds of women are victims of gender-based violence. Also, one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual aggression by a partner or ex-partner, raising the risk of lethal violence, according to the World Health Organization.
The report highlights that the threat affects 88 million women over the age of 15 in Latin America and the Caribbean, underscoring the normalization and invisibility of violence against women over the age of 65.
Alarmingly, 4% of the victims are girls under the age of 15, with documented cases of child marriages and unions in 1 in 5 girls. More than 400 minors lost their mothers or caregivers due to femicides in 2022.
José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC, emphasized the need for comprehensive and forceful state responses to prevent feminicidal violence, while stressing the urgency of profound transformations to guarantee violence-free lives for women and girls in the region. The report also points out the responsibility of States in private acts if they do not adopt measures to prevent and punish murders and assaults against women, as established by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2010. However, the contrast is evident: only three out of 19 countries report data on reports of violence, and in seven countries there are regulations to care for and compensate the children of women victims of femicide. The gap between reality and state response persists, unleashing more cries for justice in a region struggling to put an end to gender-based violence.
International
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 2,533,000 deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to an international study led by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and Stanford University in the United States, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Researchers calculated that one death was prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
The analysis also found that the vaccines saved 14.8 million years of life, equivalent to one year of life gained for every 900 doses given.
The study, coordinated by Professor Stefania Boccia, revealed that 82% of the lives saved were people vaccinated before becoming infected with the virus, and 57% of deaths avoided occurred during the Omicron wave. In addition, 90% of the beneficiaries were adults over 60 years old.
“This is the most comprehensive analysis to date, based on global data and fewer assumptions about the evolution of the pandemic,” explained Boccia and researcher Angelo Maria Pezzullo.
International
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that reinstated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, stressing that the immigration program was never intended to serve as a “de facto asylum system.”
On Thursday, Judge Trina Thompson extended protections for about 7,000 Nepalese immigrants, whose TPS was set to expire on August 5. The ruling also impacts roughly 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans, whose TPS protections were scheduled to end on September 8.
Immigrants covered by TPS had sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that the program’s termination was driven by “racial animus” and stripped them of protection from deportation.
DHS Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the decision to end TPS was part of a mandate to “restore the integrity” of the immigration system and return the program to its original purpose.
“TPS was never conceived as a de facto asylum system; however, that is how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin emphasized.
She also criticized Judge Thompson, calling the ruling “another example” of judges “stirring up claims of racism to distract from the facts.”
McLaughlin added that DHS would appeal the decision and take the legal battle to higher courts.
The Trump administration has also terminated TPS protections for approximately 160,000 Ukrainians, 350,000 Venezuelans, and at least half a million Haitians, among other immigrant groups.
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
Costa Rica faces historic vote on lifting presidential immunity for Rodrigo Chaves
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