International
El Salvador formalizes the proposal for the exchange of Venezuelan deportees, according to Bukele
The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, reiterated on Tuesday the proposal to his counterpart Nicolás Maduro to exchange 252 Venezuelans deported by the United States for an equal number of “political prisoners”, and revealed that the proposal was formally moved through the Salvadoran Foreign Ministry.
“I reiterate our proposal, this time attaching the formal documentation sent to your Foreign Ministry,” Bukele said in a message in X, in which he shared the letter allegedly sent through diplomatic channels.
And he added: “I look forward to your response. And I hope that the Venezuelan people, and the whole world, can see clearly, if they still had any doubts, who you really are.”
The document, dated April 22, indicates that the 252 Venezuelans, accused by the United States of being members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua, are “under the custody of the Salvadoran prison system” and are imprisoned in the maximum security prison Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot).
It is indicated that these people “are being prosecuted for the commission of several crimes,” without detailing them and if it is under the jurisdiction of the United States or El Salvador.
“In this sense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (of El Salvador), formally transfers a proposal for the total repatriation of the 252 detained Venezuelan citizens, conditioned on the release and delivery, by Venezuela, of an equal number (252) of persons deprived of liberty for political reasons in Venezuelan territory,” the note indicates.
He adds that this includes the release of 50 citizens of different nationalities, such as American, German, Dominican, Argentine, Bolivian, Israeli, Chilean, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Spanish, French, Guyanese, Dutch, Iranian, Italian, Lebanese, Mexican, Peruvian, Puerto Rican, Ukrainian, Uruguayan, Portuguese and Czech.
“If this proposal is considered viable, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (of El Salvador) expresses that it is in a position to enable the necessary channels to technically coordinate the mechanisms for the implementation of this operation, guaranteeing its effective and safe execution,” underlines the letter.
Bukele also questioned Maduro in that message in X: “Did you think an exchange of 30 for 1 was fair, but now you reject an equitable proposal of 1 for 1?, Weren’t you the one who said that you would do ‘everything necessary’ to achieve the release of Venezuelans detained in El Salvador? Does it mean then that he was lying? Was the reception in Miraflores to the relatives of the detainees a simple media show?”
The Bukele Government reiterates, this time in an official document, that these people are in detainees in El Salvador, but without specifying under what regulations.
According to an analysis published by the Bloomberg portal, 90% of the more than 200 men that the US has imprisoned in El Salvador have no criminal record in the United States.
On Monday, the Attorney General of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, described the proposal made on Sunday by Bukele as “cynical”, while demanding a faith of life of that group of migrants, detained in the Central American nation.
The Administration of Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term after his questioned re-election, described on Tuesday as “morally inadmissible” the proposal of the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, to exchange the 252 Venezuelan migrants deported by the United States for the same number of those considered “political prisoners” of the Caribbean country.
Through a letter sent to the Foreign Ministry of El Salvador, the Chavista Administration indicated that the proposal of “illegal exchange” and “morally inadmissible”, aims to condition the release of “innocent people to an exchange by citizens deprived of liberty in Venezuela for completely foreign causes (commission of terrible punishable acts), without legal or ethical basis”.
“Additionally taking into account that none of the detainees he mentions has Salvadoran citizenship, the majority of these being Venezuelan citizens,” he added.
He also said that Bukele’s proposal constitutes a “legal aberration, unprecedented in the context of bilateral or multilateral relations, which violates elementary principles of justice, proportionality and human dignity.”
The Venezuelan Administration again demanded the “immediate and unconditional” release of the 252 migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador for allegedly belonging to the criminal gang Tren de Aragua, born in a prison in the Caribbean country, and held the Salvadoran government responsible “for any affectation to their physical and psychological integrity.”
Likewise, he demanded that the Government of El Salvador give an “immediate, truthful and complete” response to a questionnaire sent by the Public Ministry (MP, Prosecutor’s Office), “which contains fundamental requirements for the ongoing investigation and for the guarantee of the rights of persons deprived of liberty.”
For Maduro’s Executive, this note constitutes “an express confession of serious violations of international human rights law, as well as the commission of acts that could be classified as international criminal actions,” among which he mentioned “collective criminalization and institutional xenophobia”, “denial of the right to defense, due process and access to justice”, in addition to “kidnapping and forced transfer to a third country without a judicial order or legal process.”
International
From the transfer of the coffin to the funeral, three days to say goodbye to Pope Francis
The public funeral of Pope Francis will begin this Wednesday, with the transfer of the coffin to St. Peter’s Basilica to receive the tribute of the faithful, who will have three days to say goodbye to the pontiff, until Saturday, when the funeral and the funeral of the pontiff will be held.
The coffin with the body of Francisco, who died this Monday at the age of 88 due to a stroke after months of suffering serious respiratory problems, has been veiled since his death in his residence of the Casa Santa Marta at the express request of the pope, who made some changes in the rules to simplify the funerals of the pontiffs.
From today, the faithful, with whom Francisco liked so much to surround themselves to feel his closeness and affection, will be able to go to the basilica to say goodbye during three intense days in which the temple will be open Wednesday and Thursday until midnight.
At 9.00, local time (10.00 GMT), and after a moment of prayer, chaired by the carmarlengo, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, “the translation” of the body will begin, as decided by the 60 cardinals participating this Tuesday in the first general congregation or preparatory meeting for the conclave.
The procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Roman Protomartyrs Square and from the Arch of the Bells will exit to St. Peter’s Square and enter the Vatican Basilica through the central door.
Then on the Altar of Confession, under the canopy, the chamberlened cardinal will preside over the Liturgy of the Word, at the end of which the visit of the faithful will begin.
The funerals will be on Saturday, April 26 at 10.00, local time (8.00 GMT), in St. Peter’s Square, while tomorrow, Wednesday, the coffin will be transferred to the Vatican Basilica to receive the tribute of the faithful.
The ceremony, which is scheduled for the arrival of Heads of State from all over the world, will begin at 10.00 local time (8.00 GMT) and will be officiated by the dean of the college of cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re.
Then, the coffin will be transferred to the basilica of Santa María la Mayor to be buried, as the Argentine pontiff left in his will.
“Thank you for bringing me back to the Square,” Francisco said to his personal health assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti, for encouraging him to make his last trip on the papamobile on Sunday, after the Urbi et Orbi blessing, touring St. Peter’s Square among the faithful.
These words, among the last of the pontiff, according to the Vatican media, show once again the importance that “the pope of the disadvantaged” gave to contact with people, even in their last hours.
“Around 5.30 in the morning the first symptoms appeared, with the prompt intervention of those who took care of him. More than an hour later, after greeting Strappetti, who was lying in bed in his apartment on the second floor of Casa Santa Marta, the pope fell into a coma. He didn’t suffer, everything happened quickly, says someone who was by his side in those last moments,” Vatican news revealed.
According to the date chosen for the funeral and the rules governing the process, the conclave must be held between May 5 and 15, since no more than 20 days should pass and the funerals, the so-called Novediales, in which suffrage masses are held by the late pontiff, cannot be called during the successive days.
Despite having been elected mostly by Pope Francis, the 135 cardinals from 71 countries who will form the conclave that will choose their successor are a heterogeneous group that is not known and without a common idea about the future of the Church, which will make them present themselves in the Sistine Chapel strongly divided.
There are many differences with respect to the conclave that met twelve years ago to elect Jorge Bergoglio: one is the number of cardinal electors, that is, those who are under 80 years old on the day of the pope’s resignation or death, which is much greater than on other occasions, and another, the largest number of countries from which they come.
International
A very heterogeneous and divided conclave will elect the new pope
Despite having been elected mostly by Pope Francis, who died this Monday at the age of 88, the 135 cardinals from 71 countries who will form the conclave that will elect their successor are a heterogeneous group that is not known and without a common idea about the future of the Church, which will make them present themselves in the Sistine Chapel strongly divided.
There are many differences with respect to the conclave that met twelve years ago to elect Jorge Bergoglio: one is the number of cardinal electors, that is, those who are under 80 years old on the day of the pope’s resignation or death, which is much greater than on other occasions, and another, the largest number of countries from which they come.
“Yes, I think that the fact that the 135 voters come from 71 countries could have weight in the conclave, since a candidate needs two-thirds of the votes to be elected. In 2013, that meant 77 votes. In the next conclave, based on the current number of voters, it would be 91. To date, 68 voters come from Europe and North America,” analyzes Irish journalist Gerard O’Connell in his book “The election of Pope Francis: an intimate account of the conclave that changed history.”
In addition, “the fact that many of the cardinals do not know each other so well, except those who participated in the synod, could create some difficulties, so they will depend more on the ‘makers of kings’, who are esteemed and influential cardinals, many of them over 80 years old,” says the also correspondent in Rome of the magazine of the Society of Jesus, America Magazine.
For the analyst of the newspaper ‘Corriere della Sera’ Massimo Franco and author of several books on the Vatican, the conclave that chose Bergoglio “was born with a strong anti-Italian prejudice, because it was a conclave following the resignation of Benedict XVI and if then the unwritten slogan was no to an Italian pope, this time it will be no to a South American pope, perhaps he will probably become a European.”
Franco assures that “the conservative minority are the ones who have expressed themselves the most, but in reality there is a wide and silent gray area that he has obeyed out of loyalty, although in reality he has disapproved of many of Pope Francis’ behaviors.”
“They come from 71 nations and this is a problem because they are cardinals who do not know each other, who come from peripheral realities not only from a geographical point of view, but also from a demographic and religious point of view,” adds the journalist of the Milanese newspaper.
For Franco, the curial model has failed and also the model of Casa Santa Marta (formed by the pope and his small group of collaborators), so “there will be a discontinuity”.
While Massimo Faggioli, professor of the history of Christianity at the University of Villanova (USA), assures that with respect to 2013, “today there is no factor of a candidate already examined in the previous conclave.”
“Similar to that of 2005 is the situation of division in the Church before the decisions of the pope, which however during the pontificate of Francis emerged harshly also on the part of cardinals and bishops, in a different way than Benedict XVI,” he says.
He emphasizes that “an essential difference is the international situation, much more complicated and dangerous than in 2013, especially because of what is happening in the US and consequently in the world.”
“There are several cardinals who have been very critical of Francis on certain issues, but have lost influence and voice in recent years. They have been cautious, but in the conclave they could find support among those who are surprised and tired of a pontificate with so much novelty and turbulence,” he emphasizes.
However, O’Donnel believes that “that most substantially share their vision and are committed to synodality.
After talking to many cardinals created by Francis, voters are more likely to vote for a candidate who substantially shares his vision.”
International
Modi returns to India and shortens his visit to Saudi Arabia after a deadly attack in Kashmir
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortened his visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on Wednesday after the deadly terrorist attack with 28 dead in the Pahalgam region, in Indian Kashmir, one of the worst attacks against civilians in recent years.
Upon his arrival in the Indian capital, the prime minister immediately held a high-level information meeting at the airport to analyze the situation resulting from the deadly attack against a group of tourists, which occurred yesterday, according to images from the Government.
Modi, who had just started an official visit to Saudi Arabia, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, according to images of the meeting.
The attack in Pahalgam occurred yesterday when alleged militants attacked a group of tourists, killing 28 people and injuring more than 20.
Survivors of the attack, quoted by Indian media, told how the aggressors approached them in the meadow and began shooting at close range, pointing, according to reports, to individuals who claimed not to be Muslims.
The attack marks a serious escalation with respect to other recent incidents in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Previously, the deadliest attack in recent years took place in February 2019, when a suicide attack killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police officers.
As for attacks against civilians, a notable incident took place in March 2000, when an insurgent attack on a village in the south of the region killed at least 36 people.
The Kashmir region has been a long-standing point of conflict between India and Pakistan since its separation from the British Empire in 1947. Both nations have fought wars and other minor conflicts for the control of the territory.
Since 1989, the region has been the scene of an armed revolt against the New Delhi Government, a conflict that has caused the death of tens of thousands of people. India maintains that Pakistan supports the insurgency, a statement that Pakistan denies.
In response to the attack, the Indian Army and Kashmir Police have launched a search operation in the Baisran area, Pahalgam, in the Anantnag district, to arrest the perpetrators.
The attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area, in the Anantnag district, has caused widespread condemnation throughout the country. Several political leaders, including Modi and Interior Minister Amit Shah, have denounced the attack.
International leaders, such as US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, also issued statements condemning the violence and expressing their solidarity with India.
Kashmir administered by India woke up this Wednesday paralyzed under strong security measures, even greater than usual in this heavily militarized region, while security forces try to find those responsible for the insurgent attack that killed 28 people yesterday.
Hundreds of police and soldiers are deployed today in Srinagar, the main city of the region, and in other cities such as Pahalgam, the closest to the place of the attack, with patrols that go through every street making loud sirens sound, according to EFE.
The region also observes a total closure of its activity, called by several local religious and political leaders, in addition to the main commercial organizations.
All stores, commercial establishments and educational institutions are closed while university exams scheduled for today have been postponed.
The attack occurred yesterday about five kilometers from Pahalgam, in a meadow frequented by locals and visitors, when alleged insurgents attacked a group of tourists, causing the death of 28 people and injuring at least a dozen people.
Survivors of the attack, quoted by Indian media, told how the aggressors approached them in the meadow and began shooting at close range, pointing, according to reports, to individuals who claimed not to be Muslims.
The security forces have not notified the arrest of any person so far, while a police investigation is already underway.
“A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is expected to arrive in Pahalgam to take charge of the investigation of the incident,” an official from the Kashmir divisional commissioner’s office told EFE.
According to a source close to the investigation cited by The Indian Express, there were four insurgents involved in the attack.
From the transfer of the coffin to the funeral, three days to say goodbye to Pope Francis
A very heterogeneous and divided conclave will elect the new pope
Modi returns to India and shortens his visit to Saudi Arabia after a deadly attack in Kashmir
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