International
A report blames the Secret Service for the security failures in the Trump attack
An internal report of the US Secret Service published this Friday concluded that the security failures committed by the elite body, in charge of monitoring presidents and top-level political figures, are responsible for the attack suffered by former President Donald Trump last July, in which he was injured in an ear.
The internal review carried out as a result of the event – one of the many investigations that are being carried out on the incident – concluded, among other things, that the agents who were watching the former governor (2017-2021) while offering a rally in Butler (Pennsylvania) did not have the technical capacity to communicate with the local police.
Nor to detect drones on the day of the rally, says the report, which also clarifies that the agents did not previously talk about how a complex of warehouses that surrounded the place should be protected.
On July 13, Trump was shot in the ear while participating in a rally. The shooter, a 20-year-old who was later shot down by Secret Service agents, managed to shoot from a roof about 140 meters from the former president, although outside the security perimeter.
The strong criticism that arose after what happened caused the resignation of the director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, who described the attack as “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades.”
The scrutiny on the agency has increased in recent days after last Sunday Trump, apparently, had also been at risk of a second murder attempt while playing golf in Florida, at the hands of a man who was wandering for hours the area armed with an AK-47 rifle and equipped with a telescopic sight, without firing shots.
At a press conference today, the current acting director of the Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, said that Trump is currently receiving “the highest level of protection possible,” a security equal to that of President Joe Biden and candidate Kamala Harris.
Thus, last Sunday, at the golf course owned by Trump in West Palm Beach (Florida) “there were elements of snipers who were present” and “a complete counterattack team that was there nearby.”
The agent who saw the attacker “identified a threat, an individual with a long gun, and made quick decisions and acted quickly to mitigate it.”
“He did not shoot at the former president, he was not exposed,” he said, and the arrest was a sign that “the procedures work” and “that high level of protection is working.”
Sunday’s event led several public figures, including President Joe Biden, to ask the Secret Service to receive more funds.
Precisely today the House of Representatives unanimously approved a two-party urgent legislation that would increase the protection of the Secret Service for the presidential candidates of both parties, Trump and Kamala Harris, as well as for their running mates for vice presidency.
The bill has only three pages and, if it becomes law, Trump and Harris would receive the same standard of Secret Security protection as President Joe Biden, something that according to Rowe is already happening.
In fact, it is not clear that the law will prosper because it has to go to the Senate, a chamber that is looking for additional funds for the Secret Service to be included in the provisional financing bill that Congress must approve before September 30 to avoid a government shutdown.
International
Senate Bipartisan Vote Moves Measure to Block Further U.S. Military Action in Venezuela
The U.S. Senate took a significant step on Thursday toward limiting President Donald Trump’s military authority in Venezuela, advancing a bipartisan war powers resolution that would block further military actions without explicit congressional approval, lawmakers said.
In a 52-47 procedural vote, the measure moved forward after five Republican senators joined all Democrats in supporting the effort. The resolution aims to require presidential authorization from Congress before the United States can engage in any new hostilities against Venezuela, a rare rebuke of Trump from both sides of the aisle following the controversial military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
If ultimately passed, the legislation would obligate the administration to withdraw U.S. forces from any imminent hostilities in or against Venezuela unless Congress explicitly authorizes such actions. However, the measure’s future remains uncertain as it heads next to the House of Representatives, where a Republican majority is less likely to approve it, and any final version would likely face a presidential veto. Overriding a veto would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers, a high threshold in the current political landscape.
President Trump has sharply criticized Republican senators who broke ranks to support the resolution, saying they should not be re-elected and arguing that the measure undermines his authority to act in national defense. Nevertheless, the vote signals growing bipartisan concern in Congress about unchecked executive military action in the absence of legislative authorization.
International
Petro and Trump Agree on Joint Action Against ELN Guerrillas After Tense Diplomacy
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump agreed on “joint actions” to combat the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group operating along the Colombia–Venezuela border, Colombia’s Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said on Thursday.
The announcement came after a period of heightened diplomatic tension triggered by recent U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela, the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and threats of possible U.S. military action in Colombia. The phone call Wednesday evening was the first direct conversation between Petro and Trump since both leaders took office, and it helped ease the strained relationship.
During the call, both presidents committed to carry out joint efforts against the ELN, a guerrilla group that has repeatedly attacked Colombian security forces and is accused of kidnapping soldiers. In December, the ELN declared a “armed strike,” confining civilians in areas under its control in response to perceived threats of U.S. intervention.
According to Benedetti, Petro welcomed Trump’s invitation to meet in Washington and asked for U.S. support to “strike hard” against ELN positions along the porous border with Venezuela, where guerrillas often flee after clashes with Colombian forces.
The border region is a longstanding flashpoint, where armed groups, drug traffickers and illegal mining networks compete for control. Previous attempts by Petro’s government to negotiate peace with the ELN have stalled after a major offensive in Catatumbo that left hundreds dead and displaced thousands.
International
Lula Vetoes Bill That Would Have Shortened Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vetoed on Thursday a bill that would have significantly reduced the prison sentence of his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving time for attempting a coup d’état.
Despite the veto, the conservative-majority Congress retains the power to override the decision through a vote.
In September, following a landmark trial, Brazil’s Supreme Court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after finding him guilty of conspiring to remain in power in an “authoritarian” manner following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 presidential election.
The 70-year-old former president has been incarcerated in a Brasília prison since late November. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected a request for house arrest on health grounds.
Under the current legal framework, Bolsonaro would be required to serve approximately eight years before becoming eligible for sentence leniency. However, a bill passed by Congress in December could have reduced that period to just over two years, prompting Lula’s veto.
Senate Bipartisan Vote Moves Measure to Block Further U.S. Military Action in Venezuela
Petro and Trump Agree on Joint Action Against ELN Guerrillas After Tense Diplomacy
Lula Vetoes Bill That Would Have Shortened Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence
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
-
International3 days agoU.S. faces worst flu season in decades as new strain spreads nationwide
-
Central America3 days agoEl Salvador reports safest year in its history, security cabinet says
-
International3 days agoFlorida’s ‘Tidal Wave’ operation detains 10,400 migrants in largest ICE joint effort
-
International3 days agoDelcy Rodríguez, key figure in U.S.-Venezuela transition, remains under EU sanctions
-
International3 days agoU.S. Energy Secretary to meet oil executives on reviving Venezuela’s crude industry
-
International3 days agoMaduro, Delcy Rodríguez sued in Florida over alleged kidnapping, torture and terrorism
-
International3 days agoChina urges immediate release of Maduro, seeks emergency UN security council meeting
-
International3 days agoColombia to maintain anti-drug cooperation with U.S. after Trump remarks
-
International4 days agoMarco Rubio warns Cuba could be Trump administration’s next target
-
International1 day agoBeijing Says International Support Strengthens Its Position on Taiwan Sovereignty Issue
-
International3 days agoColombia says border with Venezuela remains calm after U.S. arrest of Maduro
-
International9 hours agoPetro and Trump Agree on Joint Action Against ELN Guerrillas After Tense Diplomacy
-
International10 hours ago
Trump Signals Extended U.S. Influence Over Venezuela Following Military Operation
-
International1 day agoJustice Department Misses Deadline as Millions of Epstein Files Remain Under Review
-
International10 hours agoLula Vetoes Bill That Would Have Shortened Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence
-
International9 hours agoSenate Bipartisan Vote Moves Measure to Block Further U.S. Military Action in Venezuela