International
Biden says that Floyd’s death at the hands of the police four years ago changed the world
President Joe Biden said on Friday that the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of the Police four years ago, which raised massive protests in the United States and other countries, changed the world and “shook the conscience of our country.”
“The day before Floyd’s funeral, his little daughter Gianna told me ‘Dad has changed the world,’” Biden recalled according to a statement from the White House. “Four years after the murder of his father, there is no doubt that he has done it.”
On May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis (Minnesota), Floyd was arrested by police officers from that city and one of them, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee for more than nine minutes on the neck of the victim who was handcuffed and asked for help.
The autopsy determined that Floyd’s heart had stopped beating while he was subjected to Chauvin and that his death had been a homicide caused by a cardiopulmonary arrest, although the consumption of fentanyl and a heart disease were factors that contributed to his death.
Floyd’s murder, recorded on video, triggered a huge wave of protests in several cities in the United States against racism and police violence that lasted for months and gave impetus to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.
“Floyd should be alive today,” Biden said. “His assassination shook the conscience of our nation and reminded us that our country has never fully fulfilled its highest ideal of a system of impartial justice for all.”
“As a result, we witnessed one of the largest civil rights movements in the history of our nation, in which people from all sectors marched together against racism and systemic injustice,” he added.
Biden pointed out that black and Latino communities “too often have endured the onslaught of injustice.”
After Floyd’s death, the city of Minneapolis reached a reconciliation for 27 million dollars with his family. Chauvin was prosecuted and convicted in June 2021, he received a sentence of 22 and a half years in prison.
Three other police officers involved in the incident were convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights.
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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