International
Paraguay justice minister sacked for letting guerrilla leader’s body into prison

| By AFP |
Paraguay’s President Mario Abdo Benitez on Tuesday sacked his justice minister and the director of a women’s prison for allowing a coffin with the body of a slain guerrilla leader into a jail where the man’s sister is serving a sentence.
“The Minister of Justice (Edgar Taboada) and the director of the Good Shepherd prison were dismissed,” the president’s office said in a statement.
Osvaldo Villalba, leader of the Marxist-Leninist Paraguayan People’s Army (EPP) was killed Sunday by the military in the northeast of the country, along with two comrades, police said.
His coffin was taken to the women’s prison by his relatives so that his convicted sister — a co-founder of the EPP — could say goodbye.
The family “arrived unexpectedly at the women’s prison, (the coffin) came as a surprise,” said the justice minister a couple of hours before being removed.
The minister explained that the remains of the 39-year-old Villalba, who had a $150,000 reward on his head, had already been delivered to a cemetery next to the prison and that his relatives then came and took it to the prison itself.
Accompanied by dozens of anti-riot police, it was allowed into the prison where his sister Carmen, 50, was given five minutes to say her final farewells.
She is one year into an 18-year sentence for kidnapping the daughter of former President Raul Cubas in 2004.
The justice ministry allowed the entry “for humanitarian reasons,” said Taboada, noting that in 2010, the remains of a deceased son of a prisoner were also taken to a jail before burial.
The EPP has been blamed for the killings of some 80 soldiers, police and civilians, and the kidnapping of over a dozen people.
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.
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