International

A man found dead among the rubble of the collapsed building in Argentina

A man of about 80 years old was found dead among the rubble of the ten-story building that housed an aparthotel in the Argentine coastal town of Villa Gesell and that collapsed this morning, a spokesman for the Ministry of Security of the province of Buenos Aires informed EFE.

The deceased man, who has not been identified, is the first confirmed fatal victim after the building collapsed, while emergency services continue to search for survivors among the rubble.

A woman, also about 80 years old and who had given signs of life this morning, moved in an ambulance to receive medical attention.

Rescue work after the collapse of the building in Argentina

More than 200 people work in the place and remove the debris by hand and with buckets to find more survivors, the press office of the Ministry of Security of the province of Buenos Aires informed EFE, which specified that dogs of the emergency services gave signs that there may be another person alive.

On the other hand, four bricklayers who slept in an area of the building that did not collapse were transferred to the police station to give their testimony.

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It is estimated that there are between seven and nine people among the rubble, according to Security.

The municipality of Villa Gesell reported today that the Aparthotel Dubrovnik was carrying out a work “in a clandestine way, without complying with municipal regulations, nor did it have the corresponding municipal authorization.”

“At the moment, although it is not possible to talk exactly about the details of the collapse, it can be said that in the collapsed part (the rear part) the structure would have been modified illegally and irregularly,” the municipality added in a statement.

The causes of the collapse are not known

So far, the precise causes of the collapse are unknown, in which approximately 80% of the structure of the aparthotel collapsed, in addition to part of a nearby building that was affected.

Volunteer firefighters from the nearby towns of Madariaga, Pinamar, Mar de Ajó and Santa Clara have moved there, in addition to rescue brigades arriving from the city of Mar del Plata, according to the municipality.

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The Minister of Security of the province of Buenos Aires, Javier Alonso, and the mayor of Villa Gesell, Gustavo Barrera, are also on site.

Villa Gesell is a tourist city, on the coast of the province of Buenos Aires, whose population multiplies in the summer months. Currently, spring in the southern hemisphere, there is no great occupancy.

International

Maduro signs Economic Emergency Decree to counter U.S. sanctions on Venezuela

The National Assembly of Venezuela approved on Thursday an economic emergency decree presented this week by the government of President Nicolás Maduro, in response to sanctions and tariffs imposed by the United States.

In March, the government of Donald Trump began suspending licenses for foreign oil companies operating with the state-owned Venezuelan oil company PDVSA and imposed secondary tariffs on crude oil and gas exports. Maduro signed the decree on Tuesday, invoking constitutional articles that allow him to declare states of exception, temporarily restrict constitutional guarantees, or declare a state of emergency in the event of disasters, public calamities, or events that seriously threaten the country’s security.

The emergency decree “is to support national production,” said Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President and Minister of Hydrocarbons, during the document’s presentation.

“The affected oil markets, the fall in oil prices, have already surpassed 30% in our measurement, and this, as we say, is just the beginning,” Rodríguez stated, clarifying that Venezuela’s oil and gas production continues.

Rodríguez also mentioned that foreign oil companies are welcome to operate in Venezuela in accordance with local laws.

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The United States has set a deadline of May 27 for oil companies operating in Venezuela, including Chevron (U.S.), Eni (Italy), and Repsol (Spain), to wind down their operations and exports.

The decree grants Maduro the authority to implement measures he deems necessary to ensure economic growth, contain inflation, offer special treatment to investors, suspend taxes, or apply exceptions to tax laws, and establish import substitution mechanisms, among other measures.

Maduro and his government have consistently rejected sanctions imposed by the United States and other countries, arguing that they are illegitimate measures constituting an “economic war” designed to cripple Venezuela.

The president and his allies have celebrated what they describe as the country’s resilience despite these measures, although they have historically attributed some economic difficulties and shortages to the sanctions.

This is not the first time Maduro has governed under an emergency decree. In 2016, he signed a similar decree, which was extended until 2021 under the argument of sanctions imposed on Venezuela by Washington.

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With the Assembly’s approval, the decree must now be sent to the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.

Central America

U.S. Government says deported migrants should remain in El Salvador for life

The United States government believes that the 238 migrants recently deported to El Salvador should remain in the country “for the rest of their lives.”

This was stated by Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, during a press conference. The following day, in a televised cabinet meeting, she reiterated the government’s commitment to continue its campaign to deport over 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal immigration status.

“We are confident that the people (sent to El Salvador) should be there, and they should stay there for the rest of their lives,” Noem told a group of reporters on Wednesday.

Despite the Trump administration’s defense of its decision to transfer the migrants to the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), both testimonies from their families and reports from U.S. media outlets have shown that most of those currently detained there have no criminal backgrounds.

International

Italian biologist found dead in Colombia; investigation underway

An Italian scientist has been found dead in Colombia, local authorities confirmed, after body parts were discovered along a trail in the coastal city of Santa Marta on Sunday.

Municipal police said that a bracelet found among the remains belonged to Alessandro Coatti, a biologist who had recently embarked on a journey across South America. Additional human remains were later discovered in two other locations within the city.

According to the police, Coatti had been staying in a local accommodation and was reportedly visiting the scenic Tayrona coastal area on April 5. His whereabouts since that date remain unknown, prompting an urgent investigation.

“There are currently no further details available; the case remains under investigation,” Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office said on Thursday. “It is still unclear what happened or where.”