International

NGO reports more than 80 kidnappings in Haiti in the month of July

Photo: EFE

August 6|

The UN Center for Analysis and Research on Human Rights (Cardh, for its French acronym) reported about 83 cases of kidnappings in Haiti throughout the month of July, 23 of them in Bas Artibonite, a locality under the control of the gangs that plague the Caribbean nation.

The organization not only criticized the increase in the incidence of this scourge, but considered that it could be associated with a kind of response to the sanctions imposed on politicians and businessmen accused of supporting the criminal activities of armed groups.

Cardh directly accused the Vitelhomme Innocent gang, based in Tabarre, a commune in the north of the capital, whose spiral of violence caused the internal displacement of around 400 families, some 2,000 people, including 229 children under 17 years of age, an indication of the increase in violence by these criminal groups.

The United Nations agency called on the police forces to put in place concrete means to ensure the protection of citizens while awaiting the deployment of the international force commanded by Kenya, which is still subject to the acceptance of the Security Council.

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He also considered that the international force should reinforce the police with materials, equipment and training of effective units. It should also provide state-of-the-art weapons, prison projects and standard police stations for the National Police once the foreign troops leave.

Since the end of April, the Caribbean country experienced a slight drop in violence with some decrease in kidnappings and killings, thanks to Operation Bwa Kale which eliminated suspected gang members. However, the number of victims increased considerably in recent days.

Human Rights platforms, such as the Citizens’ Organization for a New Haiti, reported this week 82 homicides during the whole month of July, which represents an increase of 44 percent compared to the previous month, underlining a spike in violence in the metropolitan area and in the Artibonite department.

International

Paraguay summons Brazilian ambassador over Itaipú espionage scandal

Paraguay summoned the Brazilian ambassador in Asunción on Tuesday to demand “explanations” and called its own representative in Brasília for consultations following Brazil’s acknowledgment of an espionage operation. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, attributed the operation to the previous administration.

The surveillance effort aimed to uncover Paraguay’s position in now-suspended negotiations with Brazil regarding the pricing of electricity from the binational Itaipú hydroelectric plant, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The Brazilian government “categorically denied any involvement in the intelligence operation,” stating in a Foreign Ministry communiqué on Monday that the espionage was carried out under former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration (2019-2023).

“The operation was authorized by the previous government in June 2022 and was annulled by the interim director of the (state intelligence agency) ABIN on March 27, 2023, as soon as the current administration became aware of it,” Brazil’s government asserted.

Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez announced that Brazilian Ambassador José Antonio Marcondes de Carvalho was summoned “to provide detailed explanations” regarding the operation. Additionally, Paraguay recalled its diplomatic representative in Brasília “to report on aspects related to the intelligence activity conducted by Brazil regarding Paraguay’s government affairs.”

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International

Elon Musk to step down as government advisor, per Trump insiders

President Donald Trump has informed his inner circle that Elon Musk will be stepping down from his role as a government advisor, according to a report by Politico today.

Citing three individuals close to Trump, Politico states that the president is pleased with Musk’s leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has implemented significant budget cuts. However, both have agreed that it is time for Musk to return to his businesses and support Trump from a different position outside the government.

A senior administration official told Politico that Musk will likely maintain an informal advisory role and continue to be an occasional visitor to the White House. Another source warned that anyone thinking Musk will completely disappear from Trump’s circle is “deluding themselves.”

According to the sources, this transition is expected to coincide with the end of Musk’s tenure as a “special government employee,” a temporary status that exempts him from certain ethics and conflict-of-interest regulations. This 130-day period is set to expire in late May or early June.

International

Milei vows to make Argentina so strong that Falkland Islanders “choose” to join

Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed his country’s claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina) and praised the role of the nation’s armed forces during a ceremony marking the “Veterans and Fallen Soldiers of the Malvinas War Day,” commemorating 43 years since the 1982 conflict with the United Kingdom.

Argentina continues to assert sovereignty over the islands, arguing that Britain unlawfully seized them in 1833.

“If sovereignty over the Malvinas is the issue, we have always made it clear that the most important vote is the one cast with one’s feet. We hope that one day, the Malvinas residents will choose to vote with their feet and join us,” Milei stated.

“That is why we aim to become a global power—so much so that they would prefer to be Argentine, making deterrence or persuasion unnecessary. This is why we have embarked on a path of liberation, working to make Argentina the freest country in the world and once again the nation with the highest GDP per capita on the planet,” he added.