International
A military judge sends the Supreme court trial against colonels accused of coup in Brazil
A military judge sent this Monday to the Supreme Court a process against four Army colonels accused of coup in Brazil for considering that the case is related to others already investigated by the highest court on the attempted coup d’état against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The federal military judge responsible for the case, Alexandre Augusto Quintas, considered that, because they are common crimes already investigated by the Supreme Court, the Military Justice has no competence in the process, the Military Court of Justice of the Union reported in a statement.
The four officers were accused of having written a letter at the end of 2022 to try to pressure their superiors, especially the Army command, to take measures to prevent the investiture of Lula, winner of that year’s presidential elections.
At the time, thousands of followers of the then Brazilian president and defeated in the elections, the far-right Jair Bolsonaro, camped in front of the barracks throughout the country with the intention of pressuring the Armed Forces to promote a coup.
The Army opened a military police investigation against the colonels for the authorship of the document, which concluded with the request for the opening of a trial against them for the crimes of incitement to disobedience and indiscipline.
According to the note, the process “noted that the officers participated in the authorship and review of the document, which consisted, in summary, of a public criticism of authorities and institutions, especially the commander of the Brazilian Army.”
According to Quintas, the facts investigated by the Military Justice have a connection with several investigated by the Federal Police in processes instructed by Magistrate Alexandre de Moraes, of the Supreme Court.
Such cases include the assaults against the headquarters of the Presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court on January 8, 2023 in which thousands of Bolsonaroists tried to force a coup d’état, and the alleged conspiracies of some members of the government of the far-right leader to try to prevent Lula’s investiture.
As part of one of such processes, the Federal Police requested last December the opening of a trial against 40 accused of plotting a coup d’état, including Bolsonaro and former Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto, who has been imprisoned since December.
According to the military judge, three of the colonels accused of drafting the coup letter are among the 40 investigated in the process for attempted coup d’état in Brazil, violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law and association to commit crime.
Quintas cited in his decision a sentence in which the Supreme Court determined as its competence to prosecute and judge all crimes related to coup acts, regardless of whether those investigated are civilians or military.
“Therefore, there is no competence of the Military Justice of the Union to prosecute or judge military personnel of the Armed Forces for the practice of crimes that occurred on January 8, 2023, especially those provided for in the Criminal Code such as terrorist acts, threat, persecution, incitement to crime, criminal association, violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law and coup d’état, all already under the appreciation of the Supreme Court,” the magistrate concluded.
International
Mexico, Brazil and Colombia left out of Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” summit
Left-wing governments in Latin America, including Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, were excluded from the “Shield of the Americas” summit convened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting, held in Miami, Florida, brought together 12 presidents from across the continent to discuss strategies to combat drug cartels and organized crime.
In Mexico’s case, President Claudia Sheinbaum had recently rejected the use of military force as a solution to the drug trafficking problem. She has argued that her administration’s security strategy is producing results and emphasized that force alone is not the answer.
During the summit, Trump said that most narcotics entering the United States come through Mexico and referred to his previous conversations with Sheinbaum on the issue.
“I like the president very much, she’s a very good person,” Trump said. “But I told her: ‘Let me eradicate the cartels.’ And she said, ‘No, no, no, please, president.’ We have to eradicate them. We have to finish them.”
The remarks highlighted ongoing differences between Washington and Mexico over how to confront drug trafficking networks operating across the region.
International
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the creation of a 17-nation alliance across the Americas aimed at dismantling drug cartels, during a regional summit held at his golf club in Doral.
Speaking to a group of allied leaders at the Shield of the Americas Summit, Trump said the initiative would rely on military force to eliminate powerful criminal networks operating throughout the hemisphere.
“The heart of our agreement is the commitment to use lethal military force to destroy these sinister cartels and terrorist networks. Once and for all, we will put an end to them,” Trump told the assembled heads of state.
The Republican leader argued that large portions of territory in the Western Hemisphere have fallen under the control of transnational gangs and pledged U.S. support to governments seeking to confront them. He even suggested the potential use of highly precise missiles against cartel leaders.
Before making the announcement, Trump greeted the roughly twelve leaders attending the summit, including close allies such as Javier Milei, Daniel Noboa and Nayib Bukele, whom he described as a “great president.”
The meeting forms part of Trump’s broader regional strategy inspired by his reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which seeks to reinforce Washington’s influence in the Americas, strengthen security cooperation and counter the growing presence of powers such as China.
Trump pointed to recent U.S. actions in the region as examples of his administration’s approach, including the operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
The summit also takes place amid escalating international tensions following the conflict launched last week by the United States and Israel against Iran.
International
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the departure of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, one of the key architects of the administration’s policy of deporting undocumented immigrants.
Noem, who has been assigned a new role as a “special envoy” to Latin America, will be replaced starting March 31 by Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, the president said in a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
According to media reports, Trump made the decision after Noem’s recent hearings in Congress, during which she faced tough questions regarding the awarding of a major public contract.
Mexico, Brazil and Colombia left out of Trump’s “Shield of the Americas” summit
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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