International
Lula visits the devastated south of Brazil and announces new support for workers
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, visited on Thursday some of the areas devastated by the floods that left 172 dead in the southern state of Rio de Grande do Sul, where he presented new financial measures to support the workers.
Lula announced that the Government will assume the payment, for two months, of a minimum wage of 1,412 reais (271 dollars or 247 euros) to 434,000 employees of companies that have not yet been able to recover their operations, as long as the jobs are maintained.
That measure is in addition to an aid package that exceeds 70 billion reais (13.5 billion dollars or 12.28 billion euros) to address the emergency, including direct subsidies, credits provided and other forms of financial assistance.
According to the latest official data, the storms have left at least 172 dead and 41 missing, and have affected 80% of the municipalities throughout the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
As of this Thursday, there were a total of 572,780 evicted, of which 30,442 remained in shelters set up by the authorities.
In what has been his fourth visit to Rio Grande do Sul since the storms were unleashed, at the beginning of May, Lula complained in a meeting with mayors of the bureaucracy, which prevents greater speed in attendance in the face of “the violence of climate change.”
The president was in the city of Cruzeiro do Sul, one of the punished, where half of its 13,000 inhabitants have not yet been able to return to their homes.
In the Passo de Estrela neighborhood, many will never do it, since 600 of the 850 residences in that area were totally destroyed by the waters.
Lula talked to many of the affected people in the middle of the rubble, tried to convey hope, guaranteed them that “they are not alone” and assured that the Government is working “hard” on a plan to rebuild homes and infrastructure.
However, he explained that “reconstruction will be done responsibly” and that the new residences will be built in areas far from the rivers that overflowed and aggravated the disaster.
“Nature has given a warning and we have to rebuild, but in safer areas, so that this event does not happen again,” he said.
International
Pope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that Pope Leo XIV will not attend the COP30 climate summit in Belém, but will visit Brazil “at the right moment,” following their meeting on Monday at the Vatican.
“I invited him to come to COP30, considering the historic importance of hosting a Climate Conference for the first time in the heart of the Amazon. Due to the Jubilee, the Pope told us he will not be able to attend,” Lula wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Although the pontiff will not be present at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, he assured that the Vatican will be represented and confirmed his intention to visit Brazil in the near future.
“We were very happy to hear that His Holiness intends to visit Brazil when the time is right. He will be warmly welcomed with the affection, hospitality, and faith of the Brazilian people,” the president said.
Lula also congratulated the Pope on his first exhortation, Dilexi Te, which focuses on poverty, and emphasized that “faith cannot be separated from love for the poor.”
“I told him we need to build a broad movement of indignation against inequality, and I see this document as a reference that should be read and practiced by everyone,” Lula added.
International
Venezuela calls for continued global pressure to secure ‘just peace’ for Palestine
The Venezuelan government stated on Monday that international pressure “must continue” until a “just peace” is achieved for Palestine, as the official end of the war in Gaza is expected to be signed later today—an agreement that follows the release of surviving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
In an official statement, President Nicolás Maduro’s administration emphasized that “the global popular mobilization, along with political and diplomatic pressure from the international community—including Arab and Muslim nations—has been decisive in paving the way for this peace process.”
The statement further urged that “such mobilization must continue until the full implementation of international law, particularly the United Nations Security Council resolutions that call for the withdrawal of occupying forces from territories invaded in 1967 and the establishment of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The Venezuelan government noted that the agreement comes “after the near-total destruction of the Gaza Strip, where more than 65,000 people—mostly children, women, and defenseless civilians—were killed by the criminal bombings of Zionist occupying forces, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Venezuela maintains that true peace can only be achieved through the application of international justice, which must include the investigation and prosecution of war criminals and human rights violators responsible for the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people,” the statement concluded.
The peace accord is expected to be signed Monday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Neither Israel nor the Palestinian group Hamas will attend the ceremony, which will be attended by around thirty heads of state, government leaders, and representatives of international organizations.
International
Mexico reports 64 dead, 65 missing after devastating central region floods
The Mexican government reported on Monday that 64 people have died and 65 remain missing following the heavy rains that struck five central states between October 6 and 9. The storms left thousands affected and caused severe damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure across 111 municipalities.
According to Laura Velázquez, head of the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC), the fatalities were distributed as follows: Veracruz (29), Hidalgo (21), Puebla (13), and Querétaro (1). The figures were confirmed during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily press briefing.
Velázquez also stated that 65 individuals are still unaccounted for in the states of Veracruz (18), Hidalgo (43), and Puebla (4). “We understand the population’s anguish and concern. Everyone will receive assistance. Cleanup operations will be carried out in full, with no resources spared,” President Sheinbaum assured.
The Civil Protection chief explained that the rainfall report from October 6 to 9 showed maximum precipitation levels on October 8 — 280 millimeters in Veracruz and 286 millimeters in Puebla — causing rivers and streams to overflow in surrounding areas.
The updated report also detailed 111 municipalities affected: Veracruz (40), Hidalgo (28), Puebla (23), Querétaro (8), and San Luis Potosí (12).
Since October 10, the Mexican government has been holding continuous emergency sessions in coordination with state authorities to address the crisis and provide relief to affected populations.
Pope Leo XIV to skip COP30 in Brazil but plans future visit, Lula confirms
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