International
“I had to swim out of the house,” says one of those affected by floods in Brazil
Entire neighborhoods in southern Brazil remained underwater this Monday, due to the unprecedented floods that have caused the death of 84 people and forced thousands to leave their homes by helicopter, boat or directly swimming.
More than 46,000 people have been rescued and about 150,000 have had to leave their homes, according to the most recent official data, since the worst floods in the history of Rio Grande do Sul, a state bordering Uruguay and Argentina, began.
After spending four days in isolation, Suzana Martins, a 50-year-old commercial representative, had to “swim out of her house” located in a residential neighborhood of the regional capital of Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million inhabitants.
The neighbors gave her an inflatable mattress of those used in the pool to put backpacks with clothes and the dog on top, while she and her son were still swimming.
“The water reached up to the neck and there were not enough boats or help to get us out of there,” he explained to EFE Martins, who assured that there were still many elderly people trapped in his neighborhood without being able to leave.
With more luck than Martins, Regina Ribeiro, a 62-year-old housewife, was rescued by boat after the water flooded the door of the building in the living for 14 years.
“On the way I got scared because the boat was swinging. If I had overturned, I don’t know how to swim…,” this neighbor of Porto Alegre told EFE, who plans to rent an apartment in another place further from the river when everything has happened.
Ribeiro’s husband didn’t want to leave and stayed in the apartment with two gallons of water, a few kilos of rice and pasta and a cell phone in case he had to ask for help.
“I’m hypertensive and I’m very nervous, wanting to cry. I never imagined that water would enter the building, ever,” she says incredulously.
Rescue work continues in forced marches with the participation of 42 aircraft, 243 boats and 15,000 soldiers, which are added to the teams of the regional and local authorities.
The flood in Porto Alegre began last Friday, the level of the Guaíba River reached its all-time high this Sunday, a level of 5.31 meters, more than two meters above the overflow level, and since then it has dropped only three centimeters.
However, the authorities believe that the floods will continue for several days because there is still a lot of water to evacuate.
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.
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