International
Chilean President promises to prioritize social rights and security
June 1 |
The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, declared today that his government’s roadmap in the next stage will have social rights, public safety and sustainable development as priorities.
During his second Public Account, from the seat of the National Congress in Valparaiso, the President mentioned some achievements of his administration, such as the increase in the minimum wage, the reduction of the working day and the elimination of health payments.
“But we must not be confident, nor relax in the fight against poverty”, said Boric, and called to move towards a country where equality of opportunities is effective, wage equality between men and women is achieved, and universal health and pensions are improved.
The dignitary insisted on the urgency of advancing in Parliament the Pension Reform, which seven months ago was presented in that instance and the vote on the project has not yet begun.
He acknowledged that one of the great scourges of society is the so-called waiting list in hospitals, and reported that in the first year of his government, the time for surgery was reduced by 32.7 percent and the time for specialist consultations by 22 percent.
“This is a great advance, but it is not enough: half of the people still have to wait more than 330 days for surgery and more than 261 days to see a specialist,” he said.
Boric promised to reduce these times by 40 percent by the end of his term, for which additional resources are necessary, one more reason to insist on tax reform.
In his speech to the nation, the President admitted that he had to order his priorities in view of the degree of tensions presented by society, its fears and uncertainties, and the delay of the State in responding to them.
“We have made the fight against crime our first priority, allocating more resources for the police, creating the National Policy against Organized Crime and the Streets without Violence Plan, which is already making progress in reducing crime, dismantling gangs and seizing drugs and weapons,” he said.
He stated that the State of Chile has been affected by this social pandemic for several years.
“It is hard to say it, but in terms of resources, technology and recruitment, crime, crime, drug and arms technology and recruitment, delinquency, drug trafficking and organized crime have modernized much faster than the state did to fight them and protect the population. to fight them and protect the population,” he said.
During the balance, the president reported that his administration increased the budget for security and order by 4.4 percent this year, the first increase after five years of stagnation.
In environmental matters, he mentioned the conclusion of an agreement for a marine protection corridor along the Pacific.
He added that in the coming weeks the Oceans Treaty will be deposited at the United Nations headquarters in New York after 16 years of discussion, and Chile presented its candidacy to become the world capital for its protection.
International
Senate Bipartisan Vote Moves Measure to Block Further U.S. Military Action in Venezuela
The U.S. Senate took a significant step on Thursday toward limiting President Donald Trump’s military authority in Venezuela, advancing a bipartisan war powers resolution that would block further military actions without explicit congressional approval, lawmakers said.
In a 52-47 procedural vote, the measure moved forward after five Republican senators joined all Democrats in supporting the effort. The resolution aims to require presidential authorization from Congress before the United States can engage in any new hostilities against Venezuela, a rare rebuke of Trump from both sides of the aisle following the controversial military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
If ultimately passed, the legislation would obligate the administration to withdraw U.S. forces from any imminent hostilities in or against Venezuela unless Congress explicitly authorizes such actions. However, the measure’s future remains uncertain as it heads next to the House of Representatives, where a Republican majority is less likely to approve it, and any final version would likely face a presidential veto. Overriding a veto would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers, a high threshold in the current political landscape.
President Trump has sharply criticized Republican senators who broke ranks to support the resolution, saying they should not be re-elected and arguing that the measure undermines his authority to act in national defense. Nevertheless, the vote signals growing bipartisan concern in Congress about unchecked executive military action in the absence of legislative authorization.
International
Petro and Trump Agree on Joint Action Against ELN Guerrillas After Tense Diplomacy
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump agreed on “joint actions” to combat the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group operating along the Colombia–Venezuela border, Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said on Thursday.
The announcement came after a period of heightened diplomatic tension triggered by recent U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela, the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and threats of possible U.S. military action in Colombia. The phone call Wednesday evening was the first direct conversation between Petro and Trump since both leaders took office, and it helped ease the strained relationship.
During the call, both presidents committed to carry out joint efforts against the ELN, a guerrilla group that has repeatedly attacked Colombian security forces and is accused of kidnapping soldiers. In December, the ELN declared a “armed strike,” confining civilians in areas under its control in response to perceived threats of U.S. intervention.
According to Benedetti, Petro welcomed Trump’s invitation to meet in Washington and asked for U.S. support to “strike hard” against ELN positions along the porous border with Venezuela, where guerrillas often flee after clashes with Colombian forces.
The border region is a longstanding flashpoint, where armed groups, drug traffickers and illegal mining networks compete for control. Previous attempts by Petro’s government to negotiate peace with the ELN have stalled after a major offensive in Catatumbo that left hundreds dead and displaced thousands.
International
Lula Vetoes Bill That Would Have Shortened Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vetoed on Thursday a bill that would have significantly reduced the prison sentence of his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving time for attempting a coup d’état.
Despite the veto, the conservative-majority Congress retains the power to override the decision through a vote.
In September, following a landmark trial, Brazil’s Supreme Court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after finding him guilty of conspiring to remain in power in an “authoritarian” manner following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 presidential election.
The 70-year-old former president has been incarcerated in a Brasília prison since late November. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected a request for house arrest on health grounds.
Under the current legal framework, Bolsonaro would be required to serve approximately eight years before becoming eligible for sentence leniency. However, a bill passed by Congress in December could have reduced that period to just over two years, prompting Lula’s veto.
Senate Bipartisan Vote Moves Measure to Block Further U.S. Military Action in Venezuela
Petro and Trump Agree on Joint Action Against ELN Guerrillas After Tense Diplomacy
Lula Vetoes Bill That Would Have Shortened Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence
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