International
Protesters block Brazil roads for second day after Bolsonaro loss
| By AFP |
Truckers and other protesters on Tuesday blocked highways for second day in support of President Jair Bolsonaro, who has yet to accept his election loss to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The country’s Federal Highway Police (PRF) reported more than 250 total or partial blockages in at least 23 of Brazil’s 27 states.
On Monday night, protests blocked roads outside Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos airport, the country’s main international hub, and several flights were cancelled, local media reported. These protests have since been dispersed.
Key routes in other cities such as Rio de Janeiro, were also blocked.
A banner reading “Lula No!” hung off a bridge in Sao Paulo.
“I hope that I can go back home,” said 62-year-old real estate agent Rosangela Senna at a bus station in Sao Paulo, where she was unable to take her bus back to Rio.
“I could afford to pay for a day to sleep in a hotel here but many people had to wait right here at the bus station.”
Bolsonaro has yet to concede defeat more than 36 hours after official results showed Lula had won the presidential election by only 1.8 percentage points.
The victory was recognized by several Bolsonaro allies and leaders the world over.
The state with the most roadblocks was southern Santa Catarina where almost 70 percent of voters backed Bolsonaro.
A Supreme Court judge on Monday night ordered the “immediate clearing of highways and public roads,” in a statement.
The court ordered the PRF to take “all measures” needed to free the roads, threatening to fine or imprison its director for “disobedience” if the order was not carried out.
Traffic police chief Silvinei Vasques came under fire for posting an Instagram story on election day urging Brazilians to vote for Bolsonaro.
International
Cuba accuses U.S. of pressuring countries ahead of UN vote on embargo
The Cuban government on Wednesday accused the United States of exerting “intimidating and deceptive pressure” on third countries to vote against the annual UN General Assembly resolution calling for an end to U.S. sanctions on the island.
In a statement to the international press, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez claimed that Havana possesses “reliable information” about Washington’s efforts to pressure countries in Latin America and Europe ahead of the vote.
The non-binding resolution, presented every year by Cuba since 1992, has consistently received overwhelming supportfrom the international community — with 187 votes in favor and only two against (the U.S. and Israel) in recent years. The next vote is scheduled to take place on October 28.
Rodríguez described the resolution as a diplomatic victory for Cuba despite its lack of practical effect, and asserted that his government had obtained U.S. documents sent to other nations urging them to “change their historical position” on the issue.
According to the foreign minister, the United States has allegedly “coerced allied nations” in recent weeks using tactics such as visa denials, trade tariffs, and pressure on private companies.
He further stated that in two written communications, dated October 8 and 17, Washington explicitly urged the recipients to “reject” the Cuban resolution “in accordance with applicable legal measures.”
Central America
U.S. and Panama hold joint jungle exercises to strengthen security ties
U.S. and Panamanian security forces carried out joint exercises in Panama’s jungle on Wednesday, focusing on the exchange of specialized knowledge as part of renewed bilateral cooperation in security and defense, according to official statements.
Joint operations between the two nations—Panama, which has had no standing army since 1990, and the United States—have been frequent since the 1989 U.S. invasion. The latest drills come after both countries renewed their security cooperation last April through a memorandum of understanding, which initially sparked some controversy in Panama due to provisions allowing greater temporary and rotational U.S. military presence.
The exercises also coincide with an unprecedented U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, part of Washington’s expanded anti-narcotics campaign, which it links to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government—currently the target of a $50 million U.S. reward offer.
“We are simply focused on creating mutual understanding and shared experiences that can be beneficial for both countries, Panama and the United States,” said U.S. Colonel Ada Cotton during a press briefing.
The U.S. contingent, composed of Marines and an Army officer, participated at the invitation of the Panamanian government, which, according to Cotton, “has clearly defined what we can and cannot do” during the training exercises.
International
Colombia conducts nationwide emergency drill focused on hidroituango dam
Colombians took part on Wednesday in the National Emergency Response Drill, an exercise aimed at enhancing citizens’ ability to react to risk situations and promoting a culture of prevention.
According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), the drill was conducted throughout the country.
This year’s main focus was Hidroituango, Colombia’s largest hydroelectric power plant, located in a mountainous canyon in the municipality of Ituango, in the northwestern department of Antioquia.
The head of the UNGRD, Carlos Carrillo, oversaw the exercise at Hidroituango, which is powered by the Cauca River, the country’s second most important waterway after the Magdalena.
“We simulated a rise in the Cauca River’s water level,” Carrillo explained, noting that evacuation sirens sounded at 7:30 a.m. local time (12:30 GMT) and that five municipalities upstream and five downstreamtook part in the drill.
Personnel operating the hydroelectric plant’s machinery also evacuated their work areas as part of the exercise.
Carrillo emphasized that the data collected during the simulation will be crucial to assess and strengthen the response capabilities of local governments and communities.
Cuba accuses U.S. of pressuring countries ahead of UN vote on embargo
U.S. and Panama hold joint jungle exercises to strengthen security ties
Colombia conducts nationwide emergency drill focused on hidroituango dam
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