International
Lula asks for severe sanction if the guilt of general arrested for coup is proven
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Sunday that reserve general Walter Braga Netto, accused of leading an attempted coup d’état in 2022, has the right to the presumption of innocence, but must be severely punished if his guilt is proven.
The head of state referred to the arrest of Braga Netto in a brief comment that he slipped during the interview he gave after being discharged from the hospital where he was admitted on Monday and in which he underwent surgery to treat an intracranial hemorrhage.
“About what happened this week with the arrest warrant issued against General Braga Netto… I’m going to show you that I have more patience and that I’m democratic. I think he has every right to the presumption of innocence. I didn’t have it, but I want them to have it,” he said in reference to his imprisonment for two corruption processes that ended up annulled.
But, he added, “if those people did what they tried to do, they have to be severely punished.”
The arrest of Braga Netto
The former Minister of Defense and the Presidency in the Government of the far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro was arrested this Saturday at his residence in Rio de Janeiro by order of the Supreme Court after the Federal Police accused him of obstructing the investigation of the coup plot.
The Army reserve general, who was a candidate for vice president as Bolsonaro’s running mate in the 2022 elections, is accused of being the main articulator of an attempted coup d’état to prevent Lula’s investiture and an alleged plan to assassinate the progressive leader.
“It is not possible for us to admit that, in a generous country like Brazil, there are people of high military grade plotting the death of the President of the Republic, plotting the death of his vice president and plotting the death of a judge who was president of the Supreme Electoral Court,” Lula said in reference to the accusations against Braga Netto.
The defendants
Both the detained general and Bolsonaro are among the 37 defendants to whom the Federal Police requested that charges be opened for having planned a coup to prevent Lula’s investiture in January 2023.
Despite these accusations, Braga Netto arrested him preventively because, according to the Federal Police, he had been making steps to hinder the investigation and prevent the collection of evidence.
Magistrate Alexandre de Moraes, a member of the Supreme Court responsible for the case and for the arrest warrant, said in his sentence that the investigations “revealed the very serious participation of Walter Braga Neto in the facts investigated and his true role as leader, organizer and financier.”
The reserve general was taken to the headquarters of the First Army Division on the same Saturday, in the so-called ‘Military Villa’ in Rio de Janeiro, where he was placed in the custody of the Armed Forces for having the right to remain in a special cell in a military barracks.
International
Air Canada suspends JFK flights amid soaring fuel costs linked to Iran conflict
Air Canada announced on Friday that it will suspend its flights from Montreal and Toronto to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from June through late October, citing rising jet fuel costs driven by the conflict involving Iran.
“Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, some routes and less profitable flights have become economically unviable, so we are making adjustments accordingly,” the airline said in a statement.
Despite the suspension, the carrier confirmed it will continue operating 34 daily flights from six Canadian cities to New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Air Canada expects to resume its JFK operations after October 25.
Meanwhile, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz amid a temporary ceasefire in the region. However, jet fuel shortages could persist even if the truce holds.
Fuel accounts for between 25% and 30% of operating costs for most airlines, and carriers worldwide have responded to the crisis by raising fares and suspending select routes due to safety and profitability concerns.
International
UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions
The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.
According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.
Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.
The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.
“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.
While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.
To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.
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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