International

Brazil’s Bolsonaro backtracks on ‘menstrual poverty’ row

AFP

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree Tuesday providing for free menstrual supplies for low-income women and girls, five months after drawing criticism for vetoing a similar measure.

The far-right leader signed the executive order at a ceremony on International Women’s Day, two days before Congress was due to vote on overriding his veto.

Bolsonaro blocked the earlier legislation in October, arguing there was no funding to provide free menstrual supplies for more than five million low-income women and girls.

The new decree will be funded by a budget of 130 million reais ($26 million), according to the health ministry, but will reach fewer people — an estimated 3.6 million.

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“Menstrual poverty” is a major issue in Brazil, where women unable to afford tampons and pads often resort to scraps of cloth, diapers, bread or whatever else they can find when they get their periods.

A lack of menstrual supplies keeps one in four girls home from school each month, according to a 2021 report by a United Nations Foundation program called Girl Up.

Bolsonaro has been criticized for a history of remarks condemned as anti-women, including telling a congresswoman in 2014 she was “not worth raping” because she was “too ugly.”

“When we speak of women, we must also speak of the family…. Respect above all, and the preservation of family values,” he said at Tuesday’s signing ceremony.

“You are beyond essential, you are indispensable for the future of this great nation. May you continue participating more and more with us in building it.”

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He added that if women decided, “we would have no wars in the world.”

Bolsonaro is also due to speak Thursday at a privately organized event on promoting women’s participation in politics.

However, it has been hit by backlash, as well, over the fact that all five speakers invited are men, including two of the president’s ministers.

International

Arsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals

Arsenal enjoyed a “historic night” on Wednesday after defeating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, knocking them out of the Champions League quarterfinals, midfielder Declan Rice said.

“It’s such a special night for this club, a historic night for this club,” said Rice, who scored twice in the first leg in London, speaking to TNT Sports.

The English international was named Man of the Match in both legs — the 3-0 win in London and the second leg in Madrid.

“It’s amazing. I knew we were on an upward trajectory and we’ve done incredibly well in this competition. We deserve it and we have full confidence in our coach. Reaching the semifinals is unbelievable,” Rice added.

International

DeSantis’ immigration crackdown sparks alarm in Venezuelan Communities in Doral

Florida, the U.S. state with the third-largest immigrant population, has become the most aggressive in targeting undocumented immigrants, largely due to pressure from Governor Ron DeSantis. This shift has led Latino-majority cities like Orlando and Doral to authorize their police forces to assist in immigration enforcement.

In Doral — part of the greater Miami area where 70.7% of residents are immigrants and 48% are of Venezuelan origin — the City Council is expected to approve a measure this Wednesday allowing local police to collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), despite opposition from neighborhood groups and human rights activists.

“It’s yet another betrayal,” said Susana Ríos, a 57-year-old Venezuelan woman currently under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), whose extension was denied by the White House and is now being challenged in court.

Meanwhile, José González, a 21-year-old immigrant, said he feels “abandoned.” He can’t stop thinking about the images of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador without due process. “We’re all in danger,” he warned.

International

Bogotá residents line up for yellow fever vaccine amid national alert

David Suárez went to a public health center in Bogotá on Wednesday to get vaccinated against yellow fever. It wasn’t originally in his plans, but he responded to a call made just hours earlier by President Gustavo Petro, who announced he will declare a health and economic emergency due to a new outbreak of the disease that has already left more than 30 people dead, mostly in the central-western region of the country.

“I got vaccinated for two reasons: first, for my own health because I’m traveling, and second, for a social reason — simply to follow the president’s guidance and be aware that this is a problem for all of us,” said Suárez, a 39-year-old teacher, to The Associated Press.

Like Suárez, dozens of people were waiting in line for the vaccine at Bogotá’s main intercity bus terminal, a key transportation hub especially crowded during travel seasons like Holy Week.

The teacher is traveling with his family to the department of Huila, which has activated a contingency plan due to its proximity to Tolima — the epicenter of the yellow fever outbreak — where a state of public calamity has been declared.