International
The Brazilian Supreme Court opens trial against six others accused of leading the coup attempt
The Supreme Court of Brazil approved on Tuesday the opening of a trial against six former senior officials of the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro, accused of participating in the organization of the coup attempt after the 2022 elections.
Among the defendants is Reserve General Mário Fernandes, who then served as executive secretary of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, and is considered by the Police as the mastermind of a plan to assassinate current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other authorities.
The complaint against the six defendants, for crimes of coup d’état, violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, qualified damage and deterioration of the protected heritage, was unanimously accepted by the five judges of the First Chamber of the Supreme Court, made up of magistrates with a progressive profile.
That same room decided last month to try Bolsonaro and seven other close collaborators of the far-right leader, who according to the investigation constituted the core of the coup plot.
Bolsonaro himself has admitted that he discussed with the military leadership the possibility of decreeing a state of emergency after the October 2022 elections, which Lula won, although he defends himself by arguing that it is a mechanism provided for in the Constitution.
A week after Lula’s inauguration, on January 8, 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro’s followers violently assaulted the seats of the Government, the National Congress and the Supreme Court, calling for military intervention.
The riots were controlled and for those events, so far, about 500 people were sentenced to up to 17 years in prison for crimes such as a coup d’état and violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.
Another 532 people, accused of less serious crimes, have signed non-prosecution agreements.
The extreme right, with the support of some center parties, is trying to promote a bill to grant amnesty to the condemned, but the Chamber of Deputies has not yet admitted it to processing.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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
-
International4 days agoCardinals seek a “unifier” as they prepare for conclave to elect new pope
-
International4 days agoTrump and Zelensky hold “very productive” meeting in Rome during Pope’s funeral
-
International2 days agoColombia sees deadliest surge in violence since FARC peace deal
-
International3 days agoNine dead after driver runs over crowd at Vancouver Street Festival
-
International3 days agoKing Charles III expresses deep sadness after Vancouver festival tragedy that left nine dead
-
International2 days agoConclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
-
International2 days agoSpain’s PM calls for calm and patience amid ongoing blackout
-
International2 days agoMexican activist who exposed pornography ring found dead in Veracruz
-
Central America2 days agoGuatemala sees road blockades amid protests against lawmaker pay hikes
-
International2 days agoMadrid carries out 286 elevator rescues amid massive blackout
-
International3 hours agoVatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
-
International2 hours agoKristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president