Connect with us

International

Brazil’s Petrobras hikes prices, ignoring Bolsonaro

AFP

Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras announced hefty increases in gasoline and diesel prices Thursday in response to the Ukraine crisis, ignoring President Jair Bolsonaro’s criticism of what he calls excessive prices.

Petrobras said it would raise the price of gasoline from its refineries by 18.8 percent and diesel by 24.9 percent from Friday, citing the “worldwide surge in the prices of oil and oil derivatives as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine.”

The company said the move was in line with increases by other fuel suppliers, and emphasized that it had not raised prices in nearly two months.

But the move will likely irk the far-right president, who has been trying to rein in surging fuel prices and inflation more broadly, phenomena which are hurting his popularity as he gears up to seek reelection in October.

Advertisement
20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90
previous arrow
next arrow

Bolsonaro, who regularly criticizes Petrobras for high prices, said Monday the company’s policy of parity with international prices “cannot continue.”

Petrobras shares dove more than seven percent following the comment.

That echoed a stock plunge of more than 20 percent just over a year ago, when Bolsonaro changed Petrobras’s chief executive after saying the company should not be constantly “surprising people” with price increases.

Bolsonaro is pushing for Congress to pass legislation to bring fuel prices down, though experts say the short-term impact would be minimal.

He is also reportedly looking at decreeing emergency subsidies to lower prices.

Advertisement
20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90
previous arrow
next arrow

Both measures are unpopular with fiscal conservatives.

Surging prices in Brazil, where the annual inflation rate stands at 10.38 percent, are a weak spot for Bolsonaro as he eyes a tough reelection battle in seven months, likely against leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The international oil market has been rocked by volatility since Russia invaded Ukraine two weeks ago.

The Brent crude price hit a peak of $139 a barrel Monday, a 14-year high, before falling to around $116 Thursday.

Advertisement
20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90
previous arrow
next arrow
Continue Reading
Advertisement
20260101_dengue_balde_300x250

International

Iran Faces Mounting Economic Pressure as US Prepares ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’

Iran, already weakened by years of sanctions and a devastating military campaign by the United States and Israel, is facing another major challenge as President Donald Trump moves to intensify economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.

The United States is preparing a new package of measures that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as “the toughest sanctions in history.” The measures are expected to be unveiled at a news conference Monday, as negotiations aimed at ending the six-month war remain stalled and Iran continues to disrupt commercial shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, contributing to economic pressure around the world.

Iranian officials have acknowledged that the country is struggling under the combined impact of the conflict and economic restrictions.

“We regret that these problems exist, as we are caught up in a large-scale economic, military and security war,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, according to state media.

The Iranian president said his government was working to address inflation, public services, livelihoods, employment and the broader economic outlook.

Advertisement

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

previous arrow
next arrow

“As a government, we are doing everything in our power to steer inflation, public problems, people’s livelihoods, jobs, the future and people’s lives toward dignity and pride,” Pezeshkian added.

Signs of the economic strain have also emerged in major Iranian cities. Videos shared on social media last week showed nearly empty markets in Tehran and Karaj, with vendors complaining that they were unable to sell fresh produce.

Residents and business owners told CNN that the economic pressure has become increasingly difficult to withstand.

Nima, a 36-year-old Tehran resident, said the cost of living has surged while access to essential goods has also become increasingly difficult.

“Not only is everything expensive, but some of the important things we need, such as certain medicines, are not even available,” she said.

Advertisement

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

previous arrow
next arrow

The latest US measures could further deepen the economic challenges facing Iran, particularly as the conflict and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global trade and energy markets.

Continue Reading

International

U.S. Revokes Nearly 900 Visas in Crackdown on ‘Birth Tourism’

The United States has revoked nearly 900 temporary visas as part of measures promoted by President Donald Trump’s administration against so-called “birth tourism,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

“Nearly 900 visas have already been revoked just since this task force was established. And that is in addition to the actions we have taken since the beginning of this administration to dismantle birth tourism networks around the world,” Pigott said in an interview with Newsmax.

The visa revocations are the result of coordinated efforts between the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify people who allegedly use tourist visas to enter the United States with the intention of giving birth there.

The measures are part of Trump’s broader immigration policies. In January, the president signed an executive order describing birth tourism as a practice that undermines the integrity of the U.S. immigration system in an effort to obtain what the administration considers permanent immigration benefits.

The directive stated that some people enter the country through temporary visas issued for tourism, education, cultural exchanges or temporary employment, and later seek to benefit from the U.S. citizenship their children acquire by being born on American soil.

Advertisement

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

previous arrow
next arrow

Trump targets birthright citizenship

The latest actions are also part of Trump’s broader efforts to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States.

The country has traditionally followed the principle of jus soli, under which citizenship is generally granted based on birth within U.S. territory, rather than solely on parental nationality, as is the case in other legal systems.

The administrative measures come after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action, ruling that the policy raised constitutional issues involving the Fourteenth Amendment.
The visa crackdown represents another step by the administration to target practices it associates with the use of temporary immigration permits to obtain long-term immigration benefits.

Continue Reading

International

Sinaloa Governor Returns to Office Amid Political Backlash and Cartel Allegations

Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya returned to office on Friday after taking more than three months of leave while facing an investigation into allegations by the U.S. government that he has ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Rocha has denied the accusations.

His return has drawn criticism from Mexico’s federal government and the ruling Morena party, which have accused the governor of putting personal interests ahead of the public good.

Although she did not mention Rocha by name, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the situation Saturday in a post on X, warning about the dangers of placing personal ambitions above the interests of the country.

“Power without principles becomes arrogance,” Sheinbaum wrote.

The president stressed that no personal interest should take precedence over the interests of the Mexican people and the nation, particularly when the objective is not public well-being but the pursuit of power for its own sake.

Advertisement

20260101_dengue_cubeta_728x90

previous arrow
next arrow

“Mexico deserves public servants who understand that positions are temporary, but responsibility before the nation is eternal,” Sheinbaum said.

She added that public officials should prioritize the dignity, future and hopes of the Mexican people over individual names, political groups or personal interests.

Later Saturday, while attending the inauguration of new agricultural services facilities in Mexico City, Sheinbaum told reporters that she learned of Rocha’s return through the governor’s social media post.
The president said she would provide further comments on the matter during her daily press conference on Monday.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
20260101_dengue_balde_300x250

20260101_dengue_balde_300x250

20260101_dengue_balde_300x250

Trending

Central News