International
The Colombian Senate approves the pension reform of the Petro Government
The Senate plenary approved in the second debate the pension reform of the Government of Colombian President, Gustavo Petro, which will now have to go through the House of Representatives before becoming law.
“Yes, it was possible, it could, it could be,” shouted the bench of the ruling Historical Pact about the approval of the initiative, which also happens just two days after the massive protests against the Government.
The objective of the project is to maintain the retirement age at 57 for women and 62 for men, but to expand the system so that everyone can benefit from resources even without having contributed enough in salaries.
The initiative aims to expand the life annuity for those who have not contributed enough and a subsidy for people in conditions of extreme poverty and vulnerable.
The life annuity will be for those over 65 years of age who have contributed between 150 and 999 weeks, and it will depend on the weeks and the contribution given by the State.
“This is the equity that this bill achieves, but above all that three million older adults can begin to enjoy this benefit from July 1, 2025, which is the validity of this bill,” said the Minister of Labor, Gloria Inés Ramírez, after approval in the Senate.
He added: “We will be able to make Colombia move towards a country of rights, but above all where we are going to make both private funds and the public system fulfill their function: to give pension and protection to the old age of Colombia.”
Now the project must pass, before June 20, two debates in the House of Representatives to become law, a procedure in which the Government is very fair in time.
“Tomorrow we will be living in the House of Representatives (…) and we hope that between now and June 20, Colombia will have the possibility of having this law that we need so much,” Ramírez added.
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.
International
New road and bridge explosions raise alarm amid indigenous protests in Ecuador
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating two explosions that occurred early Wednesday, one on a road in the southern part of the country and another under a bridge in Guayas province. These incidents follow the car bomb explosion in the coastal city of Guayaquil, also in Guayas, which occurred the day before and left one person dead and 30 injured.
Press reports indicate that one person was injured and several vehicles were damaged in the explosion on the Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje road in the south.
“Besides yesterday’s explosion in Guayaquil, we have received reports of explosives placed on bridges along the Guayaquil-Machala and Machala-Cuenca routes to disrupt traffic,” said Roberto Luque, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT).
On his X social media account, Luque reported that authorities have been deployed to the sites to assess the damage and determine the current condition of the structures.
“What they haven’t achieved with their call for a strike, some are trying to achieve through terrorism,” he stated, referring to the 24 days of protests organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie) against rising diesel prices and other demands.
The protests, called at a national level, have Imbabura province as their epicenter. Roadblocks have also been reported in the northern part of Pichincha province, whose capital is Quito, while activities in the rest of the country continue normally.
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Nicaragua grants 2,500-hectare mining concession to chinese firm in protected region
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
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
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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