U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his acceptance of a Boeing 747 jet from Qatar, comparing the gesture to France’s historic gift of the Statue of Liberty.

In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump shared an image of the Statue of Liberty edited to show a sign around its neck reading: “Gift from a foreign nation.” In the caption, he noted that the statue had also been a gift—from France to the United States.

The $400 million Boeing jet donation from Qatar to Trump has sparked legal and ethical scrutiny, drawing criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Some argue that accepting such a lavish gift violates the U.S. Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, while others see it as a troubling attempt by Qatar to buy influence.

Several of Trump’s own allies, including Senators Josh Hawley and Rand Paul, have publicly broken ranks with the former president over the issue. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced he would block all Department of Justice nominations on the Senate floor until further answers are provided regarding the aircraft donation.

The public began entering Montevideo’s Legislative Palace on Wednesday afternoon to pay their final respects to former Uruguayan President José Mujica, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 89.

After the arrival of Mujica’s coffin at the seat of the Legislative Branch around 1:15 p.m. local time (4:15 p.m. GMT), the wake was initially closed for a few hours to a select group of individuals.

Among those present were Mujica’s widow, Lucía Topolansky, as well as Uruguay’s President Yamandú Orsi and Vice President Carolina Cosse.

Around 3:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT), the general public—many of whom had formed a long line hours earlier—began entering through the Libertador Avenue entrance to say goodbye to the former leader. As they passed the coffin, many left offerings such as flowers and flags.

The wake will continue at the Legislative Palace until midnight on Thursday (3:00 a.m. GMT), when the building will temporarily close.

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The doors will reopen at 8:00 a.m. local time (11:00 a.m. GMT), though the total duration of the wake has not yet been confirmed. It has been officially announced, however, that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Chilean President Gabriel Boric will arrive in Montevideo on Thursday to attend the ceremony.

Earlier in the day, at 10:00 a.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT), a funeral procession departed from the Executive Tower toward the Legislative Palace, accompanied by thousands. Along the route, it passed the headquarters of the Tupamaros National Liberation Movement, the Popular Participation Movement, and the Broad Front.

Pepe Mujica passed away on Tuesday in Montevideo, nearly one week before his 90th birthday, a year after being diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his esophagus.

“With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our compañero Pepe Mujica. President, activist, leader, and guide. We will miss you dearly, old friend. Thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for your people,” President Orsi wrote on X.

On April 29 of last year, Mujica publicly revealed he had a tumor in his esophagus. Shortly after, he confirmed it was malignant and underwent radiotherapy in Montevideo. Earlier this year, he told local weekly Búsqueda that the cancer had spread to his liver.

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The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the BBVA Microfinance Foundation (FMBBVA) announced on Wednesday the renewal of a four-year agreement aimed at promoting sustainable development initiatives for rural communities across the Americas.

IICA Director General Manuel Otero highlighted the alignment between both organizations in addressing “crucial issues such as agricultural development and the well-being” of rural communities throughout the continent, with a particular emphasis on women and youth.

The renewed agreement will take shape through various forms of cooperation, including training programs, courses and seminars; technical support to foster financial inclusion and innovation in agriculture and rural settings; human capacity-building; organization of international events and forums; dissemination of key messages; and other joint efforts to strengthen agricultural development and the welfare of rural populations, according to a joint statement.

“For the Foundation, it is a priority to support vulnerable entrepreneurs in rural areas where poverty and financial and digital exclusion are more pronounced. Renewing this alliance is very important because we are confident that, with IICA, we will continue reaching more people who need that support,” said FMBBVA Director General Javier M. Flores.