International

Brazil’s Bolsonaro gets in spat with heckler

AFP

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro got into an altercation Thursday with a social media personality who questioned and insulted him, grabbing the man by the shirt and arm after he called the leader a “bum.”

Video of the incident outside the presidential residence shows Bolsonaro clutching the heckler in an apparent attempt to grab his cell phone as the man filmed himself criticizing the far-right leader.

News site G1, which published the video, identified the man as Wilker Leao, a self-described lawyer, army corporal, politics junkie and military enthusiast with 127,000 followers on TikTok.

The incident happened outside the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia as a grinning Bolsonaro, looking casual in an untucked, short-sleeve blue shirt, greeted supporters who crowded around his waiting motorcade to take pictures with him.

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Filming with his phone, Leao approached the president and asked why he had entered an alliance with a corruption-stained group of parties known as the “Centrao” and signed legislation restricting plea bargains, often used in anti-graft investigations.

An unidentified person pulled Leao away and threw him to the ground. Undeterred, Leao approached again, calling the president — who had gotten in his car — a “coward,” “bum” and “the Centrao’s sweetheart.”

Bolsonaro then exited the car and appeared to make a grab at Leao’s phone.

“Come here, I want to talk to you,” the president said, first grabbing Leao by the front of his football jersey, then clutching his left arm with both hands.

The president’s security detail then intervened and escorted Leao away.

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Several minutes later, Bolsonaro allowed Leao to approach again — a line of bodyguards between them — and spoke briefly with him.

“I have to get things passed in Congress, right?” the president said, before returning to his car and leaving.

Neither Leao nor the president’s office immediately responded to requests for comment.

Bolsonaro, a 67-year-old ex-army captain, is running for reelection in October against leftist former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010).

Leao, who regularly posts videos of himself asking hostile questions of both left- and right-wing supporters, said he was no fan of Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT), either, calling them “bums” too.

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International

Family of “El Mencho” Seeks Return of Body After Deadly Military Operation

Relatives of Mexican drug trafficker Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” have formally requested the release of his body, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said Wednesday.

Oseguera died Sunday during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco. His death triggered a wave of violence, including the burning of businesses and highway blockades in 20 of the country’s 32 states.

The Fiscalía General de la República said in a statement that it “received a written request, submitted by a person claiming to be the legal representative of Oseguera’s relatives,” seeking the handover of his remains.

“El Mencho,” 59, led the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and had been considered the most wanted drug trafficker by the United States government, which had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture. His body was transferred to federal facilities in Ciudad de México.

Aftermath of the Operation

At least 27 security agents, 46 suspected criminals and one civilian were killed during the operation and subsequent clashes, according to authorities.

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It remains unclear where Oseguera, who was born in Aguililla, will be buried. He could be laid to rest either in his hometown in the mountainous region of Michoacán or in neighboring Jalisco, where he founded and expanded the CJNG.

The prosecutor’s office also reported that two alleged bodyguards arrested during the operation were transferred to a maximum-security prison in the central state of México.

International

Iran’s President Optimistic Ahead of Geneva Nuclear Talks with U.S.

Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, expressed optimism on Wednesday ahead of a new round of negotiations with the United States in Geneva, after U.S. President Donald Trump accused Tehran of developing missiles capable of reaching American territory and continuing its nuclear ambitions.

Trump has intensified threats of military action against Iran if no agreement is reached over Tehran’s nuclear program. He has also maintained pressure through a significant U.S. military presence in the Middle East, including aircraft carriers.

During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump stated that Iran is working to “build missiles that could soon reach the United States” and is pressing forward with what he described as “sinister nuclear ambitions.”

However, the U.S. president also indicated that he would prioritize diplomatic efforts ahead of the new round of talks scheduled for Thursday in Geneva, under the mediation of Oman.

Diplomatic efforts resume in Geneva

Pezeshkian said he sees a positive outlook for the upcoming discussions, which on the Iranian side will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has already traveled to Geneva.

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“We see a favorable perspective for the negotiations,” Pezeshkian said in a speech. “We continue the process under the guidance of the Supreme Leader to move beyond this situation of ‘neither war nor peace,’” he added.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqai rejected Trump’s claims, calling the statements “lies.”

According to Iranian authorities, the country’s longest-range missiles can reach up to 2,000 kilometers. However, the U.S. Congressional Research Service estimates their maximum range at approximately 3,000 kilometers—less than one-third of the distance to the U.S. mainland.

International

Nine People Killed in Two Armed Attacks in Manabí, Ecuador

At least nine people were killed Monday in two nearly simultaneous armed attacks in the province of Manabí, located on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, one of the areas hardest hit by violence in the country, according to the National Police.

The first attack left seven people dead and took place in Camarones, a rural area of the Jama canton. The second occurred in the sector known as La Y, in the seaside town of Canoa, part of the San Vicente canton, where two people were killed.

According to preliminary reports, both incidents occurred early Monday morning when armed men intercepted the victims. Authorities said the motives behind the attacks remain under investigation.

The assault in Camarones happened around 1:15 a.m. local time, when a group of armed individuals stormed a ranch in the area. The victims have not yet been officially identified.

About 15 minutes later, in Canoa, two men traveling in a motorized taxi were intercepted by armed suspects riding motorcycles and shot. One of the victims was identified as a 28-year-old passenger, while the identity of the driver has not yet been confirmed.

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The attacks occurred just days after another multiple homicide on February 12 at a ranch in San Juan de las Cucarachas, a rural area of the Santa Ana canton in Manabí, which left six people dead.

Manabí has been experiencing escalating insecurity linked to disputes among organized crime groups, including drug trafficking networks and territorial control conflicts. In response, the government has maintained a state of emergency in the province since August to address the surge in violence attributed to these criminal organizations.