International
Brussels is still “available” in the negotiation on the CGPJ
The European Commission remains “available” in mediation in the negotiations between the PSOE and the PP to try to renew the General Council of the Judiciary, despite the postponement of the fourth meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Madrid.
“The discussions between the parties continue. The Commission is still available to participate,” the Justice spokesman of the Community Executive, Christian Wigand, told EFE on Monday when asked about the reasons for the postponement of the fourth meeting.
The decision to postpone to an unspecified date is not due to reasons on the agenda of the Commissioner of Justice, Didier Reynders, nor to the fact that he has been elected today as one of the three official candidates to occupy the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe, community sources told EFE.
The positions between the two parties are still far away, other community sources added.
The last meeting of Reynders, Bolaños and González Pons to try to resolve the blockade of the renewal of the CGPJ, whose mandate has expired for more than five years, took place on March 13 in Strasbourg (France) and, like the two previous ones held in Brussels, it was concluded without agreement.
Reynders had then been “convinced” that it was possible to reach an agreement, but at the last appointment he already warned that for this the “political will” on the part of the negotiators was necessary.
While the PSOE insists on agreeing on the renewal of the members of the CGPJ before undertaking the reform of the appointment process, the PP maintains that both must happen in parallel; the European Commission, for its part, is in favor of the renewal of the members of the CGPJ being addressed as a priority and “immediately” after the process for the reform is initiated.
When the talks began, Brussels set a period of two months, which in theory would expire on March 31, the date on which Reynders should leave his position as commissioner to campaign for the presidency of the Council of Europe, although it has not yet been reported when his leave of absence will begin.
The Assembly of the Council of Europe will hold the election during the meeting it will hold between June 24 and 28 in Strasbourg (France), so that the next secretary general will assume the position on September 18.
Reynders, a 65-year-old Belgian French-speaking liberal, has been a European commissioner since December 2019, after during the previous twenty years he occupied different ministerial portfolios in his country (Finance, Foreign Affairs and Defense). He was also deputy prime minister between 2004 and 2019.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
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