International
Trump’s attacker used a drone to obtain aerial images of the rally enclosure
The man who tried to kill the former president and Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States, Donald Trump, used a drone to obtain images of areas of the rally site before the event began last Saturday, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal, which cites security officials informed of the matter, says that Trump’s attacker, Thomas Crooks, used the drone with a “scheduled flight route” over the area where the event was going to be held in Butler (Pennsylvania) hours earlier and that the route suggests that he blew up the aircraft more than once.
The information, which reflects the important security flaws in the organization of the political meeting, is added to other details of the attack that have been leaked with a eyer ear, while the FBI leads the main investigation into the two great unknowns of the attack: what motivated Crooks to shoot Trump and how he managed to do it.
After a meeting between members of the FBI and the Secret Service with congressmen last Wednesday, details have been known about the history of searches on the attacker’s devices, which included Trump and the president, Joe Biden, and the upcoming public interventions of the two, among other things.
According to CNN, investigators also found a photo on his phone of Ethan Crumbley, the minor perpetrator of a shooting at a school in Michigan in 2021, which left four students dead and seven injured, and data about his parents, convicted of involuntary homicide.
On the day of the attack, according to ABC, the Secret Service snipers saw Crooks on the roof of the building from which he fired 20 minutes before he did it, and the security forces had identified him as a person of interest an hour earlier and even observed that he used a rangefinder.
Crooks, 20, was killed by the snipers seconds after he shot Trump while he was talking on stage; the former president came out unharmed with barely one wound in his right ear, while one person from the public died and two others were seriously injured.
Next Monday, the director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, is scheduled to testify before a committee of the United States Congress.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Panama’s president accuses U.S. Embassy official of visa threats amid China tensions
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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