International
The pope celebrates a mass in the capital of East Timor for 600,000 people, half of the country’s inhabitants
The pope celebrated a mass on Tuesday on the esplanade of Taci Tolu, in Dili, on his second day of visit to East Timor, in which 600,000 faithful participated, half of the 1.3 million inhabitants of the country considered the most Catholic in the world, not counting the Vatican.
The country’s authorities reported that on the esplanade and in the adjacent areas the presence of about 600,000 people was calculated in one of the most massive events of the pontificate of Francis in proportion to the number of inhabitants.
Already from this Monday, the inhabitants of Dili and Timorese arrived from all over the country concentrated in this natural space where St. John Paul II also celebrated a mass in 1989, when East Timor was still a province invaded by Indonesia and that put the world’s demands for independence in the spotlight.
Francis was greeted by a tide of yellow and white umbrellas, the colors of the Vatican, in a totally festive and euphoric atmosphere in this place, where the guerrillas were buried in mass graves and independence was proclaimed after 25 years of war and the 1999 referendum.
To Taci Tolu arrived not only the inhabitants of the capital but from all parts of the country and also some pilgrims from Indonesia, from nearby West Timor and Australia, most of them dressed in commemorative T-shirts of the trip and that could be observed throughout the city, for which it has become one of the great events in the history of the young nation.
Upon arrival, the pope was tealed with traditional dances and greeted some of those present before the mass.
Due to the heat, he walked on the esplanade on a mobile to greet the faithful only after the ceremony.
In the homily, in Spanish and translated into tetum, Francisco spoke of the joy of the birth of a child and said that in East Timor “it is wonderful what happens when a baby is born” and that here in this country “there are many children” and it is “a young country in which in every corner life feels throbbing and bubbling.”
He also pointed out that “making room for the little ones, welcoming them, taking care of them, and also making all of us little before God and before the brothers, are precisely the attitudes that open us to the action of the Lord.”
A call for the protection of minors, which he also referred to yesterday, in a country where a few years ago the scandal of the abuses committed by the Nobel Peace Prize Bishop in 1996, Carlos Ximenez Belo, broke out.
The pope continued his homily asking the faithful of one of the poorest countries in the world: “Dear brothers and sisters, let us not be afraid to make ourselves small before God and against each other; to lose our lives, to give our time (…) to welcome others.”
The pope will end his visit to East Timor this Tuesday with a meeting with young people and then fly to Singapore, the last stage of his tour of Asia and Oceania.
International
Colombia to Send High-Level Delegation to Ecuador to Ease Trade Tensions
Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that, at the instruction of President Gustavo Petro, a high-level delegation will travel to Ecuador in an effort to normalize bilateral relations, which have deteriorated following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs.
“In line with Colombia’s policy of good neighborliness and the spirit of cooperation and integration that guides its foreign policy,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez.
“Following instructions from the Presidency of the Republic, and as has been publicly reiterated, the Colombian delegation expects to reaffirm Colombia’s offer of support to the Republic of Ecuador to strengthen control over phenomena stemming from transnational organized crime,” the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry noted that the delegation will attend the meeting with a full willingness to engage in dialogue and to seek concrete solutions to the unilateral measures that have affected the longstanding relationship between the two neighboring countries.
Trade tensions between Ecuador and Colombia escalated on January 21, when Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboaimposed a 30% tariff on Colombian products, citing a lack of cooperation in anti-drug efforts. Colombia responded with similar measures and the suspension of energy exports, while Ecuador increased transportation costs for Colombian crude oil.
Business associations in both countries have warned that the dispute is harming both economies and have called on the governments to resolve their differences through dialogue.
International
Super Bowl Halftime Show Puts Bad Bunny—and Immigration Politics—Back in the Spotlight
The long-standing argument that sports and politics should not mix may be put to the test on Sunday during the Super Bowl halftime show, which will be headlined by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, a choice that has sparked backlash from segments of the U.S. right wing.
Just one week after his headline-making appearance at the Grammy Awards—where he sharply criticized the United States’ anti-immigration policies—Bad Bunny will once again take center stage on the global spotlight with his performance at the NFL final in Santa Clara, California.
Beyond the expectations surrounding the show itself, speculation has grown over whether the artist could again use the platform to protest policies associated with the administration of former President Donald Trump, in front of an audience expected to exceed 120 million viewers in the United States alone.
In fact, one of the most popular Super Bowl prop bets this year revolves around whether the Puerto Rican singer will deliver a direct message against ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), similar to the one he delivered at the Grammys last Sunday.
While few expect Bad Bunny to repeat such a pointed statement, the mere speculation highlights the delicate balance the NFL must manage during the most-watched broadcast of the year.
The world’s most powerful sports league has drawn criticism from the MAGA movement since announcing in September that Bad Bunny would headline a halftime show largely performed in Spanish.
Trump himself declined to attend the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, despite having made history last year as the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl. He described the musical lineup—which also includes outspoken critics such as Green Day—as “a terrible choice” that would “sow hatred.” In response, his supporters have organized an alternative event dubbed the “All-American Halftime Show,” featuring like-minded artists such as Kid Rock.
International
Venezuela Debates Broad Amnesty Law Covering 27 Years of Chavismo
Venezuela’s Parliament began debating on Thursday a sweeping amnesty bill that would cover the 27 years of Chavismo in power, while explicitly excluding serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity.
The proposed legislation, titled the “Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence,” was introduced by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power following the capture of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation.
The legislative session was convened for Thursday afternoon, with lawmakers holding an initial discussion focused on the general principles of the bill. This phase precedes a consultation process with civil society, after which the proposal will move to a final debate examining each article individually.
According to a draft of the bill obtained by AFP, the amnesty would apply to individuals accused of crimes such as “treason,” “terrorism,” and “incitement to hatred,” charges that were frequently brought against political prisoners over the past decades. The scope also includes offenses ranging from acts of rebellion to punishments imposed for social media posts or messages sent through private messaging services.
The bill’s explanatory text emphasizes reconciliation, stating that it seeks to move away from “vengeance, retaliation, and hatred” in favor of “opening a path toward reconciliation.”
However, the proposal explicitly excludes from its benefits crimes such as “serious human rights violations, crimes against humanity, war crimes, intentional homicide, corruption, and drug trafficking.”
These exclusions, the text notes, are based on strict compliance with the Venezuelan Constitution, which already prohibits granting amnesties or pardons for such offenses.
Colombia to Send High-Level Delegation to Ecuador to Ease Trade Tensions
Super Bowl Halftime Show Puts Bad Bunny—and Immigration Politics—Back in the Spotlight
Venezuela Debates Broad Amnesty Law Covering 27 Years of Chavismo
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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