International
‘No to animal abuse’, the clamor of a march of dogs and humans in Bolivia
Hundreds of police and activists raised their voices against animal abuse in a march in the Bolivian city of La Paz in which they were accompanied by dogs of different breeds and sizes, including a troop of canine agents and newly recruited puppies.
The march called by animal organizations and by the Bolivian Police, through the unit of the Forest Police and Environmental Preservation (Pofoma), whose national director, Colonel Raúl Rodríguez, explained to EFE that the objective of the activity was to “eradicate violence, mistreatment, cruelty and biocide” against animals.
“With this march the Bolivian Police is giving this message to our population that not to violence, not to mistreatment, not to cruelty, nor to biocide against our domestic and wild animals because they are living beings and as such, they have rights, they are animals that have no voice, but they do have rights,” Rodríguez said.
The police chief emphasized that animals “are living beings” that only ask for and require “a lot of affection.”
He also reminded those who own wild animals as pets, that this is “completely prohibited” by current regulations.
“The Bolivian Police already has the legal instruments to be able to proceed to the arrest and referral to the hands of Justice so that they cannot traffic in these animals,” he said.
He also mentioned that the country has rules such as Law 700, ‘For the defense of animals against acts of cruelty and mistreatment’, in force since 2015. Which included the criminal figure of the biocide to punish the murder of an animal with penalties of two to five years in prison.
According to Rodríguez, in 2023 Pofoma treated about 1,400 cases of animal abuse and so far this year there are already 600.
The director specified that eleven people have been sentenced to between three and seven years in prison for these crimes. In turn, about 70 cases are under investigation.
The mobilization traveled through the main streets of the historic center of La Paz. It was led by a troop of canine agents, most of them anti-drugs, who were well uniformed with vests.
Some k-9 agents, such as Vito, a black Labrador, stopped to greet affectionately. Also to receive affection from the people who came to see the march.
Among the most applauded were the new recruits, puppies of German and Belgian shepherds who were in the arms of human agents.
Behind them were groups of ‘civilian’ humans and dogs, such as Oslo, a chow chow puppy that carried a red handkerchief around his neck, and Tony, a huge San Bernardo who caught the attention of the public.
The march was nourished by animal groups and dog clubs of the sausage, pequinese and cocker spaniel breeds, among others. In addition to several police units, such as firefighters, who carried “disguised” cars with snouts and ears.
There was no shortage of boots of ‘Paquito’, the dog that is the mascot of the Bolivian Police, and an enthusiastic group of uniformed policemen with caps that had dog ears and makeup of snouts and whiskers on their faces, who were dancing coordinated choreographies.
International
OAS Election Mission to Monitor Claims of Political Interference by Colombia’s President
The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) has pledged to follow up on allegations regarding the alleged involvement of Colombian President Gustavo Petro in political campaigning ahead of Sunday’s presidential election.
The announcement was made by presidential candidate Claudia López after a meeting with the head of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission, former Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernández.
According to a statement released by López’s campaign, the OAS mission listened to the concerns raised by the candidate and committed to monitoring the complaints she has submitted to both national and international organizations.
The mission also reiterated its commitment to overseeing the electoral process to help ensure that the will of Colombian voters is respected throughout the election.
“We have turned to international forums and technical observation missions to warn that Colombian democracy cannot be left at the mercy of fear or undue pressure,” López, the former mayor of Bogotá, said following the meeting.
López has repeatedly expressed concerns about what she describes as political interference in the electoral process and has called on national and international institutions to closely monitor the conduct of the campaign.
The OAS observation mission is one of several international bodies deployed to Colombia to monitor the presidential election, which is taking place amid heightened political tensions and intense competition among candidates from across the ideological spectrum.
The election is expected to be closely watched both domestically and internationally as Colombians choose whether to continue with the country’s first left-wing administration or shift toward a new political direction.
International
Colombia Votes in Pivotal Election as Left Seeks to Retain Power
Colombians headed to the polls on Sunday in a crucial presidential election that will determine whether the country continues under its first left-wing government in modern history or shifts back toward the political right.
The election campaign has been marked by deep political divisions, with armed violence and economic concerns emerging as the dominant issues for voters.
A total of 11 candidates remain in the race following the withdrawal of three presidential tickets. The central question is which candidate will advance to a likely runoff election alongside ruling-party senator Iván Cepeda, who has led opinion polls for months with his platform of “democratic revolution” but is not expected to secure enough votes to win outright in the first round.
On the right, Senator Paloma Valencia of the Democratic Center party, the political movement founded by former President Álvaro Uribe, has lost momentum as support has grown for far-right attorney Abelardo de la Espriella. Known as “The Tiger,” De la Espriella has campaigned on a tough-on-crime agenda targeting criminal organizations and guerrilla groups, drawing comparisons to the security policies of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
Political analyst Sandra Borda, a professor at the University of the Andes, argues that Colombia is experiencing not simply greater polarization but a broader political landscape.
“The 2016 peace agreement with the FARC opened significant space for the left. Inevitably, it also created opportunities for the right,” Borda told CNN. The political scientist, who ran for the Senate in 2022 with the New Liberalism movement, believes the current election presents a more challenging environment for the left than four years ago.
According to Borda, left-wing candidates can no longer campaign solely as agents of change who have never had the opportunity to govern or who remained untouched by traditional politics.
“They can no longer make that argument. They have already governed and are no longer immune from criticism associated with political power,” she said.
The election is being closely watched across Latin America as voters weigh the record of the outgoing administration against promises of change from candidates across the political spectrum.
International
ICE agent arrested in Texas over shooting of Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota
U.S. authorities arrested an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Friday in Texas after he was accused of shooting a Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota earlier this year and later providing false information about the incident.
The suspect, identified as Christian Castro, faces four counts of second-degree assault, along with an additional charge related to filing a false official report. He was taken into custody after investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension located him, according to a statement from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
The case stems from a January operation carried out by ICE during which Castro shot Julio César Sosa, a Venezuelan migrant, in the leg. Prosecutors allege that the agent later submitted a misleading account of the incident, claiming that Sosa and another migrant had attacked officers with a shovel and a broomstick.
However, investigators say that video evidence and further findings contradicted that version of events, leading to the dismissal of charges initially brought against the migrants by federal prosecutors.
ICE’s acting director, Todd Lyons, acknowledged in February that agents involved in the incident had given “false sworn testimony” about what occurred.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty described Friday’s arrest as a “critical step forward” in the judicial process and reaffirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.
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