International
Death toll from storms in southern Brazil rise to 137
The number of deaths from the storms that hit southern Brazil causing floods never before seen in the region already has 137 victims, according to the latest report released by the Civil Defense.
At least 141 people are still missing, while more than 400,000 displaced, of which about 340,000 have had to take refuge in the homes of friends and family and about 71,000 in shelters improvised by the authorities.
In total, 444 cities affected and 1,950,000 people affected by the storms in the region.
The most dramatic situation is in Rio Grande do Sul, a state bordering Argentina and Uruguay, where at least 136 deaths and 756 injuries have been reported.
The other deceased was reported in the neighboring state of Santa Catarina, also affected by the catastrophe, but to a lesser extent.
The rains that had given a slight truce since Thursday resumed their intensity this Saturday, especially in the Taquarí Valley, one of the most affected regions in the last week, and in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.
The storms that have been punishing the region since the end of April have left a trail of chaos and destruction in which dozens of cities have been totally or partially under the waters, as is the case of Porto Alegre.
Hundreds of roads destroyed or hindered and the victims suffer from the lack of public services; hospitals are collapsed and without adequate conditions to care for patients.
The event has also hindered the work of the nearly 28,000 personnel – including firefighters, security forces and volunteers – who help in the rescues and distribute humanitarian aid.
In the last few hours, new cities were taken over by the waters after the overflow of the Lagoa dos patos, where the waters are already one and a half meters above normal.
The situation may get worse in the next few hours, where in addition to the heavy rains, strong winds and a drastic drop in temperature are expected.
Rio Grande do Sul, an important agricultural center and a fundamental sector for the growth of the country, will need at least 18,839 million reais (3.7 billion dollars or 3.4 billion euros) to recover from the floods, according to the calculations of the regional government.
At the moment, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, announced an aid package of 50 billion reais ($9.8 billion) for that state, which includes direct assistance measures, subsidized credits for companies and aid for rural producers, among others.
International
OAS Election Mission to Monitor Claims of Political Interference by Colombia’s President
The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) has pledged to follow up on allegations regarding the alleged involvement of Colombian President Gustavo Petro in political campaigning ahead of Sunday’s presidential election.
The announcement was made by presidential candidate Claudia López after a meeting with the head of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission, former Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández.
According to a statement released by López’s campaign, the OAS mission listened to the concerns raised by the candidate and committed to monitoring the complaints she has submitted to both national and international organizations.
The mission also reiterated its commitment to overseeing the electoral process to help ensure that the will of Colombian voters is respected throughout the election.
“We have turned to international forums and technical observation missions to warn that Colombian democracy cannot be left at the mercy of fear or undue pressure,” López, the former mayor of Bogotá, said following the meeting.
López has repeatedly expressed concerns about what she describes as political interference in the electoral process and has called on national and international institutions to closely monitor the conduct of the campaign.
The OAS observation mission is one of several international bodies deployed to Colombia to monitor the presidential election, which is taking place amid heightened political tensions and intense competition among candidates from across the ideological spectrum.
The election is expected to be closely watched both domestically and internationally as Colombians choose whether to continue with the country’s first left-wing administration or shift toward a new political direction.
International
Colombia Votes in Pivotal Election as Left Seeks to Retain Power
Colombians headed to the polls on Sunday in a crucial presidential election that will determine whether the country continues under its first left-wing government in modern history or shifts back toward the political right.
The election campaign has been marked by deep political divisions, with armed violence and economic concerns emerging as the dominant issues for voters.
A total of 11 candidates remain in the race following the withdrawal of three presidential tickets. The central question is which candidate will advance to a likely runoff election alongside ruling-party senator Iván Cepeda, who has led opinion polls for months with his platform of “democratic revolution” but is not expected to secure enough votes to win outright in the first round.
On the right, Senator Paloma Valencia of the Democratic Center party, the political movement founded by former President Álvaro Uribe, has lost momentum as support has grown for far-right attorney Abelardo de la Espriella. Known as “The Tiger,” De la Espriella has campaigned on a tough-on-crime agenda targeting criminal organizations and guerrilla groups, drawing comparisons to the security policies of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
Political analyst Sandra Borda, a professor at the University of the Andes, argues that Colombia is experiencing not simply greater polarization but a broader political landscape.
“The 2016 peace agreement with the FARC opened significant space for the left. Inevitably, it also created opportunities for the right,” Borda told CNN. The political scientist, who ran for the Senate in 2022 with the New Liberalism movement, believes the current election presents a more challenging environment for the left than four years ago.
According to Borda, left-wing candidates can no longer campaign solely as agents of change who have never had the opportunity to govern or who remained untouched by traditional politics.
“They can no longer make that argument. They have already governed and are no longer immune from criticism associated with political power,” she said.
The election is being closely watched across Latin America as voters weigh the record of the outgoing administration against promises of change from candidates across the political spectrum.
International
ICE agent arrested in Texas over shooting of Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota
U.S. authorities arrested an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Friday in Texas after he was accused of shooting a Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota earlier this year and later providing false information about the incident.
The suspect, identified as Christian Castro, faces four counts of second-degree assault, along with an additional charge related to filing a false official report. He was taken into custody after investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension located him, according to a statement from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
The case stems from a January operation carried out by ICE during which Castro shot Julio César Sosa, a Venezuelan migrant, in the leg. Prosecutors allege that the agent later submitted a misleading account of the incident, claiming that Sosa and another migrant had attacked officers with a shovel and a broomstick.
However, investigators say that video evidence and further findings contradicted that version of events, leading to the dismissal of charges initially brought against the migrants by federal prosecutors.
ICE’s acting director, Todd Lyons, acknowledged in February that agents involved in the incident had given “false sworn testimony” about what occurred.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty described Friday’s arrest as a “critical step forward” in the judicial process and reaffirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.
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