International
Colombian Peace Tribunal identifies 2,000 “false positive” victims in major step for justice
The Peace Tribunal in Colombia identified nearly 2,000 victims of “false positives” on Thursday, a term used to describe extrajudicial killings of civilians who were falsely presented as guerrilla fighters killed in combat with the military. This is a way to confirm their existence and combat sectors that question the scale of these crimes.
“Today, we are called by a civic, ethical, and moral duty: the need to honor the memory of those who were murdered and disappeared by those who were supposed to protect them,” said Alejandro Ramelli, president of the tribunal, in front of the victims’ mothers.
This symbolic act was held in memory of the 6,402 “false positive” victims identified in the tribunal’s investigations into Colombia’s internal conflict, the majority of whom were killed between 2002 and 2008.
For Ramelli, the symbolic act was necessary to “combat the relentless and shameless denialism of those who are still concerned with the numbers, not the events.”
The tribunal has received requests from some right-wing politicians to reveal exact details, such as names, identity documents, and the specifics of the murders of the 6,402 “false positive” victims, a new figure that the tribunal established through its investigations, which is three times the numbers previously known.
However, the tribunal stated on Thursday that the full list of names would be disclosed once the verification process is completed, to protect the judicial investigation and out of “respect and dignity for their families.”
More than 800 former military personnel have provided their accounts of these crimes before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the tribunal established after the peace agreement signed eight years ago between the state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Dozens of ex-soldiers have accepted responsibility for the extrajudicial executions.
The reading of the victims’ names was part of the exhibit “Women with Boots On,” presented by the mothers and relatives who have dedicated themselves to denouncing these cases and seeking justice.
International
Authorities Say Teotihuacán Gunman Was Obsessed With Mass Shootings and Extremist Symbolism
Julio César Jasso Ramírez, identified by authorities as the gunman behind the armed attack at the archaeological site of Teotihuacán, had allegedly spent years building a personal narrative shaped by an obsession with historical mass shootings, extremist symbolism, and an increasing detachment from reality.
According to preliminary findings from the Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de México, the 27-year-old suspect, originally from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, acted alone and appeared to have carefully planned the attack.
Investigators also pointed to signs of a severe psychological or psychiatric disorder. One official involved in the case stated that the suspect seemed to live in “his own reality,” disconnected from the world around him.
“I would not speak of a motive; I would speak of psychopathy, a condition, an illness,” the official said while discussing the ongoing investigation.
Authorities reported that Jasso Ramírez was allegedly fixated on mass violence incidents that occurred outside Mexico, particularly in the United States.
Among the items found in his possession were writings, images, and materials reportedly linked to the Columbine High School massacre, the school shooting that took place on April 20, 1999.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue analyzing evidence connected to the suspect’s background and mental state.
International
Iran refuses to reopen strait of Hormuz amid ongoing U.S. Naval blockade
Iran reaffirmed on Wednesday that it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the United States maintains its naval blockade against Iranian ports and vessels, amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf warned that reopening the crucial maritime route depends on Washington honoring the ceasefire agreement. According to Qalibaf, Iran considers the deal to be violated due to ongoing U.S. actions.
The Iranian official accused the United States of carrying out a “naval blockade and the hijacking of the global economy,” while also pointing to Israeli military operations in Lebanon as part of the broader conflict affecting the region.
Qalibaf stated that military and economic pressure would not force Iran to change its position. “The United States and Israel failed to achieve their goals through military aggression, and they will not succeed through intimidation. The only path forward is to recognize the rights of the Iranian nation,” he said.
His remarks come amid stalled negotiations between Iran and the United States following direct talks held on April 11 and 12 in Islamabad.
The discussions, led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives, have shown little progress in recent days, increasing uncertainty over whether dialogue between the two sides will resume.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced an extension of the ceasefire but decided to keep the naval blockade in place, a move Tehran considers incompatible with ongoing negotiations.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intensified operations in the area by seizing two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing them of operating without the required permits and escorting them into Iranian territory.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical oil trade routes, and any prolonged disruption could have significant consequences for global energy markets.
International
Maradona’s daughter accuses medical team of “horrible manipulation” in court
One of the daughters of Diego Maradona testified in court this Tuesday, breaking down in tears as she denounced what she described as “absolute and horrible manipulation” by her father’s medical team, during an emotional hearing in Argentina.
Gianinna Maradona stated that she and her siblings agreed to home hospitalization after doctors presented it as the best option following the neurosurgery Maradona underwent on November 3, 2020.
The football icon died on November 25 of that year, and the ongoing trial seeks to determine whether the conditions of his home care were appropriate.
According to Gianinna, what the family found at the residence where Maradona was recovering did not match what had been promised. She testified that there was no adequate medical equipment, constant monitoring, or even an ambulance available, despite assurances of continuous care.
“The manipulation was absolute and horrible,” she said during the hearing in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires.
She accused members of the medical team, including neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, and psychologist Carlos Díaz, of misleading the family.
“I trusted these people, and all they did was manipulate us and leave my son without a grandfather,” she added.
Later in her testimony, recalling that six years have passed since her father’s death, she became emotional and said she struggled deeply with grief in the aftermath.
Authorities Say Teotihuacán Gunman Was Obsessed With Mass Shootings and Extremist Symbolism
Iran refuses to reopen strait of Hormuz amid ongoing U.S. Naval blockade
Maradona’s daughter accuses medical team of “horrible manipulation” in court
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Authorities Say Teotihuacán Gunman Was Obsessed With Mass Shootings and Extremist Symbolism