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
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
International
U.S. and Iran Maintain Ceasefire as Trump Expresses Optimism Over New Talks
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that there are “good chances” of reaching an agreement with Iran, as both sides maintained a ceasefire for the third consecutive day following weeks of escalating hostilities.
Trump expressed optimism about the possibility of resuming diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, which began in late February and has raised international concerns over its impact on global markets and energy supplies.
The fighting has remained suspended since Saturday, after the United States resumed airstrikes against Iran amid a dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. The renewed military action had previously caused the collapse of an earlier ceasefire agreement.
Asked about the prospects for negotiations aboard Air Force One, Trump said: “I have a lot of patience… We’ll see what happens. I think there are good chances that something could happen.”
The U.S. president also highlighted Washington’s military capabilities, saying: “We have a lot of ammunition,” while adding that he would like to have more resources due to U.S. support for Ukraine.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump was allowing diplomatic efforts more time, explaining that the president was “giving some space to the talks” while maintaining that Washington remains prepared to take action if necessary.
Meanwhile, tensions continue in other areas of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia reported that it intercepted drones launched from Iraq by groups allied with Tehran and urged the Iraqi government to take measures to prevent further attacks.
International
Police Investigate After Remains of Five Newborns Found in French Apartment
French authorities have opened a murder investigation after the discovery of human remains believed to belong to five newborn babies inside an apartment in the historic center of a city, the local prosecutor’s office reported Monday night.
According to prosecutors, a 32-year-old woman had given birth at home on Sunday to a healthy baby before being taken to a hospital for medical care.
The discovery was made after the woman’s 32-year-old partner began searching the residence after reportedly learning, once again and at a late stage, that she had been pregnant.
During the search, the man found what appeared to be human remains and informed the hospital, which then alerted prosecutors.
A forensic doctor determined that the remains likely belonged to five newborn infants. Authorities have not yet established the circumstances or motive behind the case.
Investigators have not been able to interview the mother, who remains hospitalized following the delivery.
Prosecutors also confirmed that the couple has two other children, aged eight and nine years old. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to clarify the events surrounding the discovery.
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
U.S. and Iran Maintain Ceasefire as Trump Expresses Optimism Over New Talks
Police Investigate After Remains of Five Newborns Found in French Apartment
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