International

Ousted Peruvian Attorney General denounces plot against her

Photo: RPP

December 9 |

The attorney general of Peru, Patricia Benavides, who was suspended the day before, will hand over her position next Monday, after denouncing that she is being sanctioned by the highest judicial body for what she called a “political plot” against her.

In this regard, Benavides accused the National Justice Board (JNJ) of not respecting due process and stressed, in a video posted on digital networks, that the “express resolution issued against her has political motivations that have converged to suspend her and thus achieve that the forces that were behind this political plot, evidently coordinated, return to install themselves in the Public Ministry”.

Benavides charged against the JNJ that suspended her on Wednesday and for six months as part of the process that this entity has opened against her as a result of the investigation of her environment for allegedly forming a network of influence peddling.

She pointed out: “I reaffirm and reiterate: I have no responsibility in the facts imputed to third parties and I do not lead any criminal organization”. Likewise, the suspended prosecutor called on the prosecutors “not to let themselves be intimidated and to continue with the investigations” they have in progress.

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In the same way, she added that “those dark hands that plotted to achieve this suspension cannot be allowed to stop investigations in cases such as those where families need justice”.

For this reason, Benavides accused the JNJ of not having respected the due process in her case, despite the fact that she stated on Wednesday in a hearing that she would submit to the investigations “as long as guarantees are given”.

Meanwhile, Benavides’ lawyer, Juan Peña, declared that she will hand over her position on Monday because this Thursday and Friday are holidays in Peru, reason why “it is impossible” to do it before.

He explained that after the announcement this Wednesday of the temporary suspension of Benavides, they will try to obtain “some report or some document” that will tell them how the investigation against advisors of the Attorney General for an alleged network of influence peddling in the Public Prosecutor’s Office is going.

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International

Florida judge sets 2027 trial in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against BBC

A federal judge in Florida has scheduled February 2027 for the trial in the lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump against the BBC, in which he is seeking $10 billion in damages for defamation.

Trump accuses the British broadcaster of airing a misleading edit of a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021, which, he says, made it appear that he explicitly urged his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

The president filed the suit in December in federal court in Florida, alleging defamation and violations of a law governing business practices when the program was broadcast ahead of the 2024 election.

Trump is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the two claims.

Lawyers for the BBC unsuccessfully asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Trump had not suffered a “legally recognizable harm,” since the investigative program Panorama, which included the edited footage, aired outside the United States.

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International

Head-of-state diplomacy key to guiding China–U.S. ties, Beijing says

Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China–United States relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday during a regular press briefing, when asked about high-level exchanges between the two sides.

Lin added that in a recent phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump once again expressed his intention to visit China in April, while Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his invitation.

Both sides remain in communication regarding the matter, the spokesperson said.

Lin noted that the essence of China–U.S. economic and trade ties lies in mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

“Both parties should work together to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, injecting greater certainty and stability into China–U.S. economic and trade cooperation, as well as into the global economy,” he said.

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International

Trump administration to end special immigration operation in Minnesota

The administration of Donald Trump is bringing to a close its special operation targeting illegal immigration in the northern state of Minnesota, border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday, following weeks of unrest and the fatal shootings of two activists by federal agents.

Thousands of federal officers had been deployed to Minnesota in December to carry out large-scale raids against undocumented immigrants.

The operations triggered strong reactions from residents and advocacy groups, leading to daily confrontations and the deaths of two people who were shot by federal agents.

“I proposed, and President Trump agreed, that this special operation should end in Minnesota,” Homan said during a press conference in the state capital, Minneapolis.

“A significant drawdown began this week and will continue into next week,” he added.

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Homan indicated that similar enforcement efforts could be launched in other cities.

“Next week we will redeploy the agents currently here back to their home stations or to other parts of the country where they are needed. But we will continue to enforce immigration laws,” he said.