International
Lula da Silva: Bolsonaro “will know that in this country the law is for everyone”
Former President Jair Bolsonaro “must prove his innocence” and, if he committed a crime, “he will know that in this country the law is for everyone,” said the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on Thursday in statements to a local radio station in Rio de Janeiro.
“They will have the right to defend themselves and say it’s a lie. But if it is proven (the complaint filed by the Prosecutor’s Office) there is no other final solution than the condemnation,” he said in his interview on Rádio Tupi FM.
Lula repeated that “he is not going to speak for Justice,” although he described the complaint filed this Tuesday by the Prosecutor’s Office against the far-right leader and 33 other people as a “serious” act.
“The Workers’ Party was persecuted for almost 50 years without having done even 10% of what the team of the former president (Jair Bolsonaro) tried to do in this country,” said the progressive president.
Lula said he finds it “funny” that the accused for the attempted coup d’état of January 8, 2023, when thousands of extreme right-wing radicals violently invaded the headquarters of the Presidency, the Supreme Court and the Parliament, appeal for an amnesty.
“What I find funny is that those people are condemning themselves asking for amnesty before being tried. The first thing they have to do is defend their innocence. They are saying that they are guilty asking for amnesty before being tried, and with that they deserve to be condemned,” he said.
“When the former president (Jair Bolsonaro) spends his time asking for amnesty, he is proving that he is guilty, he is proving that he committed a crime,” he said in the face of the efforts of conservative allies to present an amnesty project in the National Congress, which have become stronger after the complaint.
For the invasion of January 8, the Supreme Court has already convicted about 400 people for crimes similar to those that the former president may face.
In his first speech this Wednesday after the complaint, Lula had opted for a more moderate tone towards Bolsonaro, although in the same line.
In a press conference with the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luis Montenegro, the president of Brazil commented that “if they prove that they did not try to strike a coup and that they did not try to kill the president, the vice president and a judge of the Supreme Court,” as the complaint says, “they will be free and will be able to travel throughout the country.”
Even so, he stressed that “if the judges came to the conclusion that they are guilty, they will have to pay for the mistakes they made.”
Bolsonaro is one step away from sitting on the bench for five crimes, including “attempt to violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law”, “coup d’état” and “armed organization to commit crimes,” for which he can receive a 40-year prison sentence.
The defenses of the far-right leader and the other 33 accused of participating in the coup attempt now have a period of two weeks to present allegations.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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