International

Justice rejects that the investigation of luxury watches has violated the rights of Boluarte

The Peruvian Justice declared this Sunday unfounded the protection of rights presented by the defense of Dina Boluarte, who argued that the rights of the president were violated during the investigation of the Prosecutor’s Office for the alleged commission of illicit enrichment in the case of the luxury watches that she wore without having declared.

“Judicial power declares unfounded protection of rights presented by the defense of President Dina Boluarte, in the investigation followed against her for the alleged crime of illicit enrichment and another in the grievance of the State,” the institution reported on social network X.

He added that this decision was issued by the Supreme Court of Preparatory Investigation, in charge of Judge Juan Carlos Checkley Soria, “who considered that the defense arguments raised in this appeal have no factual or legal basis.”

Last Tuesday, in the hearing in which this protection of rights was analyzed, the lawyer of Boluarte, Eduardo Barriga, maintained that the Prosecutor’s Office violates the rights to the defense and due process of the ruler during the investigation opened by the case of the luxury watches that Boluarte wore in public without having declared.

He questioned the alleged violation of the right to defense and equality of parties, because the Prosecutor’s Office would not have allowed him to intervene in open source information extraction proceedings (public media information).

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“(Boluarte) Requests before this Supreme Court Protection of Rights for being the subject of tax proceedings without the presence of technical defense and for violation of the constitutional right of defense and procedural equality by the Public Ministry,” reads the document of the complaint published on May 16 by the Judiciary in X.

Boluarte requested that, for that reason, the actions carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office during the investigation be declared null and void and that the information obtained in proceedings of the Public Prosecutor’s Office be excluded from it.

“As a corrective measure, it requests that the actions carried out by prosecutors Karina Llatance Mendoza and Walter Arlando Giles Paucar be declared null and void with respect to the tax proceedings of extraction and open source transcription act described in their application,” the complaint adds in this regard.

He also requested that the information generated as a result of the tax proceedings of extraction and open source transcription described in his application be excluded from the investigation.

A month ago, on April 24, the Prosecutor’s Office extended the preliminary investigation to Boluarte for the case known as ‘Rolexgate’ by including the possible commission of a crime of improper passive bribery, which is in addition to that of illicit enrichment and failure to record statements in documents.

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He also announced that he expanded the preliminary investigations to include the regional governor of Ayacucho, Wilfredo Oscorima, who assured that he lent the luxury watches to the president, for the alleged commission of generic active bribery crimes.

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.