International
Two police officers arrested for kidnapping a witness in the case opened to Boluarte’s brother
A group of seven people, two of them police, was arrested for the kidnapping in Lima of a key witness in the case opened for influence peddling the brother of the Peruvian president, Dina Boluarte, the special anti-corruption prosecutor and local media reported.
“This is a concern for the Public Ministry. This situation has brought with it an imminent risk for a protected witness by the Public Ministry, of the Special Team of Prosecutors against Corruption in Power (Eficcop),” Marita Barreto told the press in the Lima district of Surco, where the kidnapping that lasted for about an hour took place.
Various local media identified the kidnapped as Iván Siucho, a protected witness in the case called ´Waykis en la sombra´, in which Nicanor Boluarte, the president’s brother, is involved, as well as Mateo Castañeda, former lawyer of the president.
They are being investigated for allegedly having intervened in the appointment of prefects and sub-prefects (administrative authorities in the regions) in order to have their help to form a new political party.
Barreto explained that the kidnappers “have deceivedly entered the witness’s house and then took him in a hijacked car to threaten him and throw him on a street,” in addition to taking away his phone for several hours.
“After the kidnapping was made public,” the kidnapped have thrown their cell phone on the street, always according to the details offered by Barreto to the press.
“The worrying thing about the situation is that the Surco Police, which has intervened after an hour and a half and who had knowledge (of the case), did not immediately inform the prosecutor on duty as indicated in the protocol,” he stressed before qualifying that fact as “a very serious omission.”
Finally, and without confirming that he is a witness to the “Waikys in the shadow” case, Barreto said that “the concern” is that the information provided by the witness is that he has received “threats and would obstruct the investigations.”
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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