International
Bolsonaro says he does not fear “any trial” after being accused of coup by ex-military
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said this Saturday that he was not afraid of “any trial” and declared himself a victim of a “persecution,” after the testimony of two former commanders of the Armed Forces who accused him of attempting a coup d’état to annul the 2022 elections.
“It could be very good in other countries, but I preferred to return to Brazil with all the risks it entails. I am not afraid of any trial, as long as the judges are impartial,” the far-right leader said at a political event in Rio de Janeiro.
The former governor (2019-2022) participated in the launch of the candidacy for mayor of Rio of Deputy Alexandre Ramagem, who was head of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency during his Government and is in turn investigated in the Supreme Court for illegal espionage during that period.
Making a parallel with his difficult judicial situation, Bolsonaro told Ramagem: “There will be no shortage of people to chase you, to try to defeat you and to accuse you of the most absurd things, even to annoy a whale.”
The former head of state thus alluded to a case in which he is investigated for allegedly intentionally “annoying” a whale last year during an excursion on the coast of São Paulo.
Faced with this, Bolsonaro declared himself a victim of judicial “persecution”.
“But we are good citizens, we are the majority, we are the part that works the most in relation to the left,” he said.
Bolsonaro did not explicitly mention the revealing testimonies of the former heads of the Army and the Air Force, released on Friday by the Supreme Court and that place him at the center of the coup plot that sought to prevent the Government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking power on January 1, 2023.
Marco Antonio Freire Gomes and Carlos Baptista Júnior, former commanders of the Army and Aeronautics, declared to the Police that they met several times with Bolsonaro and his closest advisers, and that they proposed to join their plan to annul the 2022 elections and keep the far-right leader in power.
In those meetings, according to their testimonies, they were asked to activate various constitutional devices, such as a military intervention under the pretext of an alleged “serious disturbance of public order,” or a decree of the state of siege to investigate the legality of the electoral process that Lula won.
In this Saturday’s act, Bolsonaro, who barely appears as investigated in the case for coup d’ass, also questioned his eight-year disqualification dictated by the Superior Electoral Tribunal, which on June 30, 2023 condemned him for launching hoaxes and leading a discredit campaign against the institutions.
“Venezuela disqualified opponents, Nicaragua arrests them… And in Brazil, why was I declared ineligible, why?” he asked.
Despite this, he expressed his intention to “continue in politics” so that “no one outside the people decides who will be a candidate or not.”
In a more electoral tone, Bolsonaro criticized the policies of Lula’s government, which he accused of “threatening freedom,” “wanting to censor cell phones,” “increasing the tax burden” and putting restrictions on the sale of firearms for the civilian population.
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
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
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