International
The Court urges the judge to continue proceeding in the case of Obiang’s son
The National Court has urged Judge Santiago Pedraz to carry out a series of pending proceedings in the open investigation of a son of the president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, and two other members of his government for the alleged kidnapping and torture of four opponents in November 2019.
The second section of the Criminal has considered the appeal of relatives of the victims, which was adhered by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Movement for the Liberation of Equatorial Guinea-Third Republic (MLGE3R), against the order of the magistrate who refused to practice those proceedings having ceded jurisdiction to Guinea.
In its order, to which EFE has had access, the court recalls that that decision to cede jurisdiction has already been revoked, so that in the same way the denial of evidence agreed by the judge must be understood to be revoked.
And he specifies that these evidentiary proceedings requested by the accusations “had already been previously admitted” by the judge and therefore “must be practiced” unless, “for a reason other than the revoked transfer of jurisdiction, they were not considered necessary.”
Among the proceedings requested are the statements of several members of the working group on arbitrary arrests of the UN or that of a former UN rapporteur against torture.
The order of the Chamber, dated April 19, arrives a few days after the magistrate declared the summary concluded and raised it to the Criminal Chamber.
Judge Pedraz adopted that decision after the Chamber, also when resolving an appeal from the relatives of the opponents, warned him that he, as an investigating judge, was not competent to cede jurisdiction in this case to Guinea as he had agreed in January, but responded in “exclusively” to the Criminal Chamber itself.
In addition, last February, the Chamber forced him to issue European and international arrest and prison orders against those investigated.
These are the son of Obiang, current Secretary of State for the Presidency of Equatorial Guinea; the director of Presidential Security, Isaac Nguema; and the Minister of State, Nicolás Obama.
According to the complaint filed with Pedraz, the four victims, the deceased Julio Obama, Martín Obiang, Bienvenido Ndong and Feliciano Efa, left on a trip in November 2019 from Madrid to Juba (South Sudan), but were arbitrarily detained and transferred to Equatorial Guinea on a presidential plane to be imprisoned and tortured. EFE
Central America
Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, representing the state of Maryland, held a meeting in El Salvador with deported MS-13 gang member Kilmar Ábrego García, a member of the criminal group classified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.
“Kilmar Ábrego García, miraculously resurrected from the ‘extermination camps’ and ‘torture chambers,’ now sipping margaritas with Senator Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” wrote President Nayib Bukeleon X (formerly Twitter), sharing photos of Van Hollen, Ábrego García, and a lawyer sitting together at a Salvadoran hotel.
The deported gang member is seen wearing a plaid shirt and a flat-brimmed cap, seated at a table with glasses and coffee cups. The senator also shared images of the meeting on his own social media accounts.
Bukele reaffirmed that Ábrego will remain in El Salvador and will not be returned to the United States.
“Now that his health has been confirmed, he has earned the honor of remaining under the custody of El Salvador,” Bukele added.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the senator’s meeting with Ábrego on Truth Social, calling Van Hollen “a fool” for advocating for Ábrego’s return to the U.S.
International
Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom
Pope Francis, still recovering from pneumonia, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Easter Sunday and, with a faint voice, wished a “Happy Easter” to the thousands of faithful gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.
A month after being discharged from a lengthy hospital stay, the presence of the 88-year-old pontiff had remained uncertain, with the Vatican not confirming his attendance ahead of time.
Eventually, the pope made a brief appearance in a wheelchair shortly after 12:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT) to deliver his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing (“to the city and to the world”).
Although no longer wearing an oxygen cannula, the Argentine Jesuit relied on a close aide to read his Easter message, which touched on major global conflicts.
Francis condemned the “dramatic and unworthy humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and called for a ceasefire, while also expressing concern over the “growing climate of antisemitism spreading across the globe.”
He further emphasized the importance of religious freedom and freedom of thought, stating that without mutual respect, “peace is not possible.”
International
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
Thousands of protesters gathered on Saturday (April 19, 2025) in major cities like New York and Washington, as well as in small communities across the United States, in a second wave of demonstrations against President Donald Trump. The crowds denounced what they view as growing threats to the country’s democratic ideals.
In New York City, demonstrators of all ages rallied in front of the Public Library near Trump Tower, holding signs accusing the president of undermining democratic institutions and judicial independence.
Many protesters also criticized Trump’s hardline immigration policies, including mass deportations and raids targeting undocumented migrants.
“Democracy is in grave danger,” said Kathy Valyi, 73, the daughter of Holocaust survivors. She told AFP that the stories her parents shared about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1930s Germany “are happening here now.”
In Washington, demonstrators voiced concern over what they see as Trump’s disregard for long-standing constitutional norms, such as the right to due process.
Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React
Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom
Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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