International

Brazil’s Bolsonaro defends police after custody death

AFP

President Jair Bolsonaro defended Brazil’s federal highway police Monday after officers were accused of asphyxiating to death a man they forced into the trunk of their patrol car in a traffic stop gone awry.

Brazil was shocked last Wednesday by eyewitness videos that showed police putting 38-year-old Genivaldo de Jesus Santos into the hatchback trunk of their SUV with what appeared to be a teargas canister emitting a thick cloud of white smoke.

Officials in the northeastern state of Sergipe, where the incident occurred, said an autopsy found Santos, whose family says he suffered from schizophrenia, died of asphyxiation.

“I regret what happened,” but the Federal Highway Police (PFR) “do an exceptional job,” said Bolsonaro, a former army captain who has cultivated close ties with the police and military.

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“Justice will be done in this case, beyond a doubt. We all want that,” the far-right leader told a news conference.

But the case should be handled “without exaggeration, and without pressure from the news media, who always take a side: that of the criminals,” he added.

Video from the scene in the city of Umbauba shows officers pinning Santos to the ground, then forcing him into the back of their car and tossing a smoking canister inside.

“They’re going to kill him!” a bystander shouted.

As Santos screamed and kicked frantically, the officers held down on the door until his legs, which were trapped outside, went limp.

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The federal highway police said Santos had become “aggressive,” leading officers to use “lower-impact immobilization techniques.”

The officers involved have been suspended, and prosecutors have opened both criminal and civil investigations in the case.

The death triggered outrage in Brazil and abroad.

Human Rights Watch called it “deeply disturbing” and urged a “prompt, thorough and independent investigation.”

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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.