International

The campaign for the municipal elections in Brazil leaves a trace of violence not yet clarified

The campaign for the municipal elections that Brazil celebrates this Sunday has left a trail of violence with the murder of up to fourteen candidates since the beginning of the year, although the political nature of those attacks is not yet fully clarified.

The data is contained in a report prepared by the Tierra de Derechos institute, a non-governmental organization that studies political violence in Brazil and that, during this year, identified 145 cases of attacks, threats and aggressions directly or indirectly associated with the electoral process.

Among them is the blow with a chair that the center-right candidate José Luiz Datena instold to the far-right Pablo Marçal in an electoral debate in São Paulo, which had a great media impact because it was the largest city in the country and the aggression was broadcast live on television.

But there is also the murder of Marcelo Oliveira, mayor of João Dias, who aspired to re-election in that municipality of 2,000 inhabitants in the interior of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, shot dead in the middle of the street with his father in August.

Oliveira was one of the fourteen candidates for mayor or councilor murdered since the beginning of this year for alleged political reasons, although the police authorities have not yet reached conclusions in any of those cases.

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Corruption and organized crime add to violence

According to the Federal Police, the campaign has also left some 2,200 investigations open for suspected electoral crimes, which include attempts to “buy votes” and possible corruption cases, among many others.

The cases of violence have not been directly linked to the polarization that dominates the country between the progressivism embodied by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the far right led by his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

According to the authorities, they have been associated with local disputes, which are more acute in the small municipalities of the interior, where organized crime has more penetration.

Among the groups suspected of financing candidacies is the First Command of the Capital (PCC), which emerged three decades ago in the prisons of São Paulo and whose tentacles are now expanding throughout the national territory and reach some neighboring countries.

The numbers of the municipal elections in Brazil

The elections will be held in 5,569 cities, in which 500,183 tables are installed to elect the new mayors and members of the municipal assemblies.

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The only one of the 27 regional capitals that will not go to the polls is Brasilia, which is part of the Federal District and has a differentiated administrative regime.

In the 103 municipalities with more than 200,000 voters, there will be a second round on October 27 if none of the mayoral candidates exceeds 50% of the support.

There will be a total of 155,912,680 voters, represented by 52% by women.

Throughout the country there are 15,452 candidates for mayor, but with minimal female participation, since there are 13,128 men and 2,324 women.

Gender disparity also appears in the candidates for councilors. There are 277,869 men and 150,773 women.

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The largest polling stations are the cities of São Paulo, with 9.3 million voters, Rio de Janeiro (5,009,373) and Belo Horizonte (1,992,984).

To ensure peace of mind, all state security forces will be mobilized, as well as 23,000 members of the Armed Forces, who will also participate in the custody of the 571,024 electronic ballot boxes that voters will use.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.

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International

Trump says Iran seeks new talks after failed negotiations in Pakistan

Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has reached out to United States to resume negotiations, following the collapse of recent talks held in Islamabad.

“We’ve been contacted by the other side,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is eager to reach a deal “at all costs.” Speaking from the Oval Office, he reiterated that his main objective is to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and warned that he will not allow Iran to “blackmail” the international community.

After negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without agreement on Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil trade.

The waterway had already been disrupted by Iran in response to a U.S. and Israeli offensive launched on February 28, causing significant shocks to the global economy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump further warned that any Iranian vessel attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the strait would be “eliminated immediately.”