International
Bolsonaro says he does not fear “any trial” after being accused of coup by ex-military

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said this Saturday that he was not afraid of “any trial” and declared himself a victim of a “persecution,” after the testimony of two former commanders of the Armed Forces who accused him of attempting a coup d’état to annul the 2022 elections.
“It could be very good in other countries, but I preferred to return to Brazil with all the risks it entails. I am not afraid of any trial, as long as the judges are impartial,” the far-right leader said at a political event in Rio de Janeiro.
The former governor (2019-2022) participated in the launch of the candidacy for mayor of Rio of Deputy Alexandre Ramagem, who was head of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency during his Government and is in turn investigated in the Supreme Court for illegal espionage during that period.
Making a parallel with his difficult judicial situation, Bolsonaro told Ramagem: “There will be no shortage of people to chase you, to try to defeat you and to accuse you of the most absurd things, even to annoy a whale.”
The former head of state thus alluded to a case in which he is investigated for allegedly intentionally “annoying” a whale last year during an excursion on the coast of São Paulo.
Faced with this, Bolsonaro declared himself a victim of judicial “persecution”.
“But we are good citizens, we are the majority, we are the part that works the most in relation to the left,” he said.
Bolsonaro did not explicitly mention the revealing testimonies of the former heads of the Army and the Air Force, released on Friday by the Supreme Court and that place him at the center of the coup plot that sought to prevent the Government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking power on January 1, 2023.
Marco Antonio Freire Gomes and Carlos Baptista Júnior, former commanders of the Army and Aeronautics, declared to the Police that they met several times with Bolsonaro and his closest advisers, and that they proposed to join their plan to annul the 2022 elections and keep the far-right leader in power.
In those meetings, according to their testimonies, they were asked to activate various constitutional devices, such as a military intervention under the pretext of an alleged “serious disturbance of public order,” or a decree of the state of siege to investigate the legality of the electoral process that Lula won.
In this Saturday’s act, Bolsonaro, who barely appears as investigated in the case for coup d’ass, also questioned his eight-year disqualification dictated by the Superior Electoral Tribunal, which on June 30, 2023 condemned him for launching hoaxes and leading a discredit campaign against the institutions.
“Venezuela disqualified opponents, Nicaragua arrests them… And in Brazil, why was I declared ineligible, why?” he asked.
Despite this, he expressed his intention to “continue in politics” so that “no one outside the people decides who will be a candidate or not.”
In a more electoral tone, Bolsonaro criticized the policies of Lula’s government, which he accused of “threatening freedom,” “wanting to censor cell phones,” “increasing the tax burden” and putting restrictions on the sale of firearms for the civilian population.
International
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Purse Stolen in D.C. Restaurant Heist

The purse of Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, was stolen on Sunday night at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., Fox News Digital confirmed through several agency sources.
The handbag, taken by a white male wearing a mask, reportedly contained $3,000 in cash along with personal documents, including her passport, keys, driver’s license, and DHS badge, according to an agency spokesperson.
“Her entire family was in town, including her children and grandchildren. She was celebrating her retirement by treating them to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,” the spokesperson added.
Crime continues to be a significant issue in the U.S. capital, particularly theft. However, violent crime reached its lowest level in 30 years last year, according to the Office of the Attorney General at the time.
International
Pope Francis: The Quiet Architect Behind the U.S.-Cuba Thaw

When then-U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in December 2014—after decades of hostility—there was a third figure present in both speeches: Pope Francis.
This thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations—later reversed by Donald Trump—was the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations personally encouraged by Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, just over a year after becoming head of the Catholic Church.
Upon learning the news of the breakthrough, the pontiff humbly stated, “This was made possible thanks to the ambassadors and to diplomacy,” which he called “a noble, very noble job.”
In 2015, months after the announcement, Raúl Castro visited the Vatican and met with the pope. Over time, Castro developed a fondness for Francis that he never had for his predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. “If the Pope continues talking like this, sooner or later I’ll start praying again and return to the Catholic Church—and I’m not joking,” said the younger Castro, who, like his brother Fidel (1926–2016), had been educated by Jesuits—the same order to which Pope Francis belonged.
Pope Francis visited Cuba later that year. Just days before his arrival, the Cuban government announced the pardon of 3,522 common prisoners as an act of clemency.
While in Havana, the pope met with Fidel Castro, who gave him a first edition of the book Fidel and Religion by Brazilian friar and liberation theologian Frei Betto.
Criticism from the Opposition
Francis’s diplomatic approach also drew criticism from parts of the Cuban opposition. In a 2022 interview with Univision, the pope revealed he had “a human relationship” with Raúl Castro.
International
Dominican Republic Declares Three Days of Mourning for Pope Francis

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has declared three days of national mourning starting Tuesday following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 in his residence at the Casa Santa Marta.
In an official decree, Abinader highlighted the pope’s legacy “as a global leader who promoted significant reforms within the Catholic Church and was known for his humility, openness to dialogue, and commitment to peace among nations.”
During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-staff at military facilities and public buildings.
According to a statement from the Office of the Presidency, although Pope Francis never visited the Dominican Republic during his papacy, he maintained a close relationship with the country. He expressed solidarity and empathy during difficult times, including offering prayers for the victims of the recent tragedy at a Santo Domingo nightclub on April 8, which claimed 232 lives and left more than 180 injured.
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