International
The Supreme Court of Brazil decriminalizes the carrying of marijuana for personal use
The Supreme Court of Brazil decriminalized on Tuesday the carrying, cultivation and consumption of marijuana for personal use, so that this is considered just as an illicit act of an administrative nature.
A majority of magistrates interpreted that drug use is not a crime because the current law, passed in 2006, has already decriminalized it and those convicted of it only face minor punishments such as the provision of community services.
“Consumption is not punishable by detention or imprisonment, therefore, it is not a crime. The user should not be criminalized, it must be treated with public health and socio-educational policies,” said Judge José Antonio Dias Toffoli during the discussion.
In addition, Toffoli pointed to the “stigma” associated with criminalization, which can keep users away from asking for the help they need.
However, and in the face of the criticisms made in recent months by legislators of the conservative majority in Congress, the magistrates insisted that consumption is not being legalized, a measure that is the responsibility of the Legislative Branch.
“The use of illicit drugs is a bad thing and the role of the State is to combat trafficking and treat dependents,” said the president of the court, Luís Roberto Barroso.
Most of the magistrates agreed on the need to set an amount of marijuana to distinguish the user from the trafficker, who does face prison sentences, because the current law does not establish it.
The absence of a limit opens the doors to arbitrary behavior by the police and judges, which according to the magistrates can lead to cases of discrimination that mainly affect poor blacks.
According to data cited during the debate in the Supreme Court, 20 grams of marijuana are enough for a young black and illiterate to consider himself a trafficker, while in the case of a white man with studies the amount is 58 grams on average.
“We want to avoid that discrimination between rich and poor, we want a rule that is the same for everyone,” Barroso said during a session last week.
The magistrates have proposed amounts ranging from 10 to 60 grams, although a minority within the court has pointed out that Congress should be the one who established it.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
International
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.
“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.
In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”
International
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.
The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.
“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”
Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
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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