International
Judge says Brazil was governed by groups with paramilitary ties
February 3rd |
Justice Gilmar Mendes, dean of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court, denounced today that during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2023) the South American country was “being governed by people in the shadows” with the support of paramilitary groups in Rio de Janeiro.
“What it shows is that we were being governed by people in the shadows. This is a fact of reality, people from the militia (paramilitary groups) of Rio de Janeiro with a leading role in national politics,” Mendes said today in declarations to journalists in Lisbon in the framework of the Portuguese-Brazilian business forum LIDE.
The magistrate was referring to statements made yesterday, Thursday, by Brazilian senator Marcos do Val, who accused Bolsonaro of trying to convince him to stage a coup d’état and not recognize the victory in the elections of leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who assumed the presidency of Brazil last January 1.
“We lowered the scale of political degradation,” the magistrate added.
He also advocated reforming the area of public security and the Armed Forces, since, during the attacks perpetrated in Brasília last January 8 on the headquarters of the three branches of government by radical Bolsonaristas, “there was a breakdown of the security system”.
The forum, which began today and concludes tomorrow, Saturday, in a Lisbon hotel, was attended by former Brazilian President Michel Temer, as well as members of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court and the Superior Electoral Court, among others, who have defended that normality is being restored in the country.
Among the participants was the president of the Brazilian Court of Auditors, Bruno Dantas, who defended before journalists that those responsible for the attacks of January 8 have to answer to Justice.
“History teaches that leniency is not the best way to deal with criminals. The criminal needs to be punished with the rigor of the law,” he argued.
He clarified that the damages caused by these protests are still being analyzed and that, once quantified, those responsible for the vandalism will be identified through their tax records and fined.
“It is a job that is in charge of the police, the identification of people, but when we have the list of vandals, we will hold them responsible”, measures that may even include the blocking of patrimony, he asserted.
So far, they have more than 18 million reais (about 3.2 million euros) blocked from the assets of these people.
On the other hand, Temer acknowledged that he does not believe that protests like those that occurred last January 8 will be repeated, and predicted that “absolute tranquility” will return to the country in the next few days.
“I think there was a movement that was not useful for the country. It created an image that was even negative, but, in the face of the very fast action of the Brazilian justice system, I think it is also being overcome with extraordinary speed,” he said.
Temer told EFE that Brazil “has already gone through many political, economic and social crises and overcame them all (…). A few days from now, the country will be in absolute tranquility”.
International
At Least Eight Dead and 19 Injured in Deadly Bus Crash in Veracruz, Mexico
A tragic bus accident in the eastern state of Veracruz left at least eight people dead and 19 others injured on Wednesday afternoon, according to local authorities.
The vehicle was traveling through the town of Zontecomatlán when it crashed near a ravine, state Civil Protection officials reported late Wednesday night. “Regrettably, the prosecutor’s office has confirmed eight fatalities,” the agency stated in an official release.
Emergency Response and Medical Care Rescue teams worked into the night to assist the survivors. The 19 injured passengers were stabilized at the scene before being transported to hospitals in the nearby municipalities of Chicontepec and Huayacocotla. While the identities of the victims have not yet been released, Mexican press reports indicate the bus was en route from Mexico City to Chicontepec.
A Recurring Issue on Mexican Highways Road accidents involving long-haul passenger buses and freight transport are a frequent occurrence in Mexico. Experts often cite excessive speed, mechanical failure, or driver fatigue as the primary catalysts for these tragedies.
This latest incident follows another major disaster in late November, where 10 people were killed and 20 injured in a similar bus crash in the western state of Michoacán. The recurring nature of these accidents continues to spark national debate regarding the enforcement of stricter safety regulations for commercial transport units.
International
Jair Bolsonaro Hospitalized for Inguinal Hernia Surgery While Serving Sentence for Attempted Coup
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup, underwent surgery this Thursday for an inguinal hernia. The procedure took place at the DF Star Hospital in Brasilia, according to his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro.
The 70-year-old former leader left prison on Wednesday for the first time since his incarceration in late November to prepare for the operation. “My love has just gone to the surgical center,” Michelle Bolsonaro posted on Instagram, where she has been documenting her accompaniment during his hospitalization.
Surgical Expectations and Health History Medical professionals treating the far-right ex-president (2019-2022) anticipate the operation will last approximately four hours. His recovery period in the hospital is expected to extend between five and seven days.
Dr. Claudio Birolini explained on Wednesday that while the surgery is standardized, it remains complex due to the patient’s history. Bolsonaro continues to suffer from the long-term effects of a 2018 campaign rally stabbing, an injury that required several major abdominal surgeries in the years following the attack.
“There is no such thing as a simple surgery. However, this is a scheduled and standardized procedure, so we expect it to be carried out without major complications,” Dr. Birolini stated.
Potential Additional Procedures Following the hernia repair, the medical team will evaluate whether Bolsonaro can undergo a second procedure: an anesthetic block of the phrenic nerve. This nerve controls the diaphragm, and the intervention would aim to resolve a chronic case of recurrent hiccups that has plagued the former president for years.
Bolsonaro remains under heavy security at the medical facility as he serves his lengthy sentence related to the events surrounding the January 2023 institutional crisis in Brazil.
International
Trump Orders Construction of New ‘Golden Fleet’ to Revitalize U.S. Naval Superiority
President Donald Trump issued an executive order this Monday for the immediate construction of two new warships that will bear his name. These vessels will be the pioneers of what he described as the “Golden Fleet,” a future generation of “Trump-class” battleships that he claimed would be “100 times more powerful” than those currently in service.
The announcement took place at his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The President indicated that following the initial two ships, the administration aims to commission up to 25 additional vessels. He is scheduled to meet with Florida-based contractors next week to expedite production, criticizing existing defense firms for failing to deliver results efficiently.
This naval expansion is a cornerstone of Trump’s goal to revitalized the American shipbuilding industry and address the strategic gap between the U.S. and competitors like China.
The move comes amid heightened geopolitical tension. Just last week, Trump ordered the seizure of all sanctioned tankers involved with Venezuela’s “ghost fleet” to cripple the country’s crude oil industry. Since December 10, the U.S. military—deployed in the Caribbean under the guise of counter-narcotics operations—has already detained two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil transport.
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