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Brazil’s Lula vows to renegotiate household debts if elected
Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pledged Thursday night to renegotiate household debts of Brazilians if he wins October’s election, making another promise seeking to lure support from tens of millions experiencing hardship.
The announcement came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden announced that some Americans will receive up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt forgiveness. Many Brazilians are eager for relief at a time when inflation is running at nearly 10% and the poor are struggling to make ends meet.
“We have almost 70% of Brazilian families in debt and the vast majority are women,” da Silva said in a prime-time interview on the television network Globo. “You can be sure that we will negotiate with the private sector and the financial system.”
The same program interviewed the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, on Aug 22.
Da Silva has already hinted that if voters return him to the job he held in 2003-2010, he likely would keep in place the sharp boost to social welfare payments approved recently. Those increases, scheduled to expire at year’s end, are part of Bolsonaro’s efforts to bolster his reelection bid. Whoever wins the October vote will assume office in January.
Read: Brazilians rally for democracy, seek to rein in Bolsonaro
The leftist da Silva, who is leading the far-right Bolsonaro in opinion polls, also criticized the incumbent for seeking political support by allowing huge chunks of public funds to be used by lawmakers at their discretion as part of what is known as the “secret budget.”
“Bolsonaro doesn’t command anything, Congress is holding him hostage. He doesn’t even control the budget,” da Silva said.
“Arthur Lira is in charge. Ministers call him, not Boslonaro,” he added, referring to the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
Da Silva also acknowledged for the first time that errors were made and corruption occurred during his own administration and that of his successor, Dilma Rousseff. Both are members of the leftist Workers’ Party.
“You can’t say there was no corruption if people confessed,” da Silva said when asked about massive corruption scandals under Workers’ Party governments. But he attributed such transgressions to individuals rather than an orchestrated scheme of his party.
Da Silva himself was found guilty of corruption and money laundering and spent over a year in jail, though the Supreme Court later annulled the convictions, paving the way for his presidential run this year. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
In the 2018 presidential race, Bolsonaro placed the fight against corruption, then symbolized by the Workers’ Party and an imprisoned da Silva, at the heart of his campaign.
Child of migrant, 5, drowns while crossing Rio Grande
A 5-year-old girl has drowned while attempting to cross the Rio Grande to enter Texas, Mexico’s National Immigration Institute said Tuesday.
The girl was attempting to cross the river with her mother Monday, when the current swept her away. The institute said two were from Central America, but did not specify which country.
Read: Thousands of migrants headed towards U.S. apply to Mexico for asylum
The mother told rescuers she was holding her child, but the current swept her daughter out of her arms.
The child’s body was found downstream near Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Four other migrants from South America were also found trapped in the river nearby and taken to safety.
Brazilians rally for democracy, seek to rein in Bolsonaro
Thousands of Brazilians flocked to a law school Thursday in defense of the nation’s democratic institutions, an event that carried echoes of a gathering nearly 45 years ago when citizens joined together at the same site to denounce a brutal military dictatorship.
In 1977, the masses poured into the University of Sao Paulo’s law school to listen to a reading of “A Letter to Brazilians,” a manifesto calling for a prompt return of the rule of law. On Thursday, they heard declarations defending democracy and the country’s elections systems, which President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly attacked ahead of his reelection bid.
While the current manifestos don’t specifically name Bolsonaro, they underscore the country’s widespread concern that the far-right leader may follow in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s footsteps and reject election results not in his favor in an attempt to cling to power.
“We are at risk of a coup, so civil society must stand up and fight against that to guarantee democracy,” José Carlos Dias, a former justice minister who helped write the 1977 letter and the two documents read Thursday, told The Associated Press.
In Sao Paulo, drivers stuck in traffic on one of the main roads to the law school applauded and honked as marching students chanted pro-democracy slogans. A huge inflatable electronic voting machine by the building’s main entrance bore the slogan “RESPECT THE VOTE”.
Read: Brazil confirms first monkeypox-related death
Inside, hundreds of guests gathered in the university’s Great Hall to hear speeches, while others stood outside watching on big flat screens.
The proclamations are contained in two letters. The first went online on July 26 and has been signed by nearly 1 million citizens, including ordinary people; popular musicians such as Caetano Veloso and Anitta; high-profile bankers and executives; and presidential candidates, among them former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who leads all polls ahead of the October election.
The second letter, published in newspapers last Friday, carries the endorsement of hundreds of companies in banking, oil, construction and transportation — sectors that traditionally have been averse to taking public political stances, said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. They appear to have made an exception now, given the fear that any democratic backslide would be bad for business, he said.
“Democracy is important for the economy,” he said.
Bolsonaro’s commitment to democracy has been scrutinized since he took office, in large part because the former army captain has insistently glorified the country’s two-decade dictatorship, which ended in 1985. Earlier this year he met with Hungary’s autocratic leader, Viktor Orban, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The president only spoke about the event late Thursday, saying it was crafted to support da Silva’s campaign. He also criticized the Workers’ Party for supporting leftist authoritarian regimes in Cuba and Venezuela.
For over a year, in actions that appear to be lifted directly from Trump’s playbook, Bolsonaro has claimed Brazil’s electronic voting machines are prone to fraud, though — like Trump — he never presented any evidence. At one point, he threatened that elections would be suspended if Congress didn’t approve a bill to introduce printed receipts of votes. The bill didn’t pass.
17 missing, 121 hurt as fire rages in Cuban oil tank farm
A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled Saturday in the city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured 121 people and left 17 firefighters missing, Cuban authorities said.
Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted. Authorities said about 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighborhood closest to the fire,
The government said it had asked for help from international experts in “friendly countries” with experience in the oil sector.
Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said the U.S. government had offered technical help to quell the blaze. On his Twitter account, he said the “proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination.”
Minutes later, President Miguel Díaz-Canel thanked Mexico , Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of help. The first support flights from Mexico and Venezuela were expected to arrive at Matanzas' airport Saturday night.
The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward Havana.
Read:Supreme Leader acknowledges Iran took Greek oil tankers
Roberto de la Torre, head of fire operations in Matanzas, said firefighters were spraying water on intact tanks trying to keep them cool in hopes of preventing the fire from spreading.
Cuba's health minister reported late Saturday that 121 people were injured with five of them in critical condition. There were no deaths. The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 people missing were “firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread.”
The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants.
“I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies,” resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press by phone. “The city has a strong smell of sulfur.”
He said some people also decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm than Dubrocq.
Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay.
Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana.
“That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long,” Pila wrote on his Twitter account.
17 missing, dozens hurt as fire rages in Cuban oil tank farm
A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled Saturday in the city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured nearly 80 people and left 17 firefighters missing, Cuban authorities said.
Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted. The governmeht said later that it had asked for help from international experts in “friendly countries” with experience in the oil sector.
The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank. As military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the blaze, dense column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward Havana.
The Facebook page of the provincial government of Matanzas said the number of injured had reached 77, while 17 people were missing. The Presidency of the Republic said the 17 were “firefighters who were in the nearest area trying to prevent the spread.”
The accident comes as Cuba struggles with fuel shortages. There was no immediate word on how much oil had burned or was in danger at the storage facility, which has eight giant tanks that hold oil used to fuel electricity generating plants.
“I was in the gym when I felt the first explosion. A column of smoke and terrible fire rose through the skies,” resident Adiel Gonzalez told The Associated Press by phone. “The city has a strong smell of sulfur.”
Authorities said the Dubrocq neighborhood closest to the fire was evacuated, while Gonzalez added that some people decided to leave the Versailles district, which is a little farther from the tank farm.
Many ambulances, police and fire engines were seen in the streets of Matanzas, a city with about 140,000 inhabitants that is on Matnzas Bay.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel traveled to the area of the fire early Saturday, officials said.
Local meteorologist Elier Pila showed satellite images of the area with a dense plume of black smoke moving from the point of the fire westward and reaching east to Havana.
“That plume can be close to 150 kilometers long,” Pila wrote on his Twitter account.
Brazil confirms first monkeypox-related death
Brazil on Friday confirmed the country's first monkeypox-related death, according to the Health Ministry.
The case was reported in Belo Horizonte, capital of the southeast Minas Gerais state, and the victim was a 41-year-old man who was undergoing treatment for other serious clinical conditions, including cancer, and whose health deteriorated after getting infected, the ministry said.
The man, whose name was not released, was admitted to a public hospital in Belo Horizonte, where he suffered septic shock aggravated by monkeypox.
Read: New York City declares monkeypox a public health emergency
In Minas Gerais, state health authorities said there were 44 confirmed cases of the disease and 130 suspected cases under investigation.
In Brazil, there were 978 confirmed cases of monkeypox as of Wednesday.
The World Health Organization has declared the current outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
Experts classify monkeypox as a rare viral disease that causes skin lesions and is transmitted through close contact with an infected person, including through hugs, kisses, massages or sexual intercourse, in addition to being transmitted through respiratory secretions or contact with clothing, towels, or other items used by the infected person. ■
Peru extends state of emergency due to COVID-19 amid fourth wave
Peru extended a state of emergency on Thursday over the COVID-19 pandemic amid a fourth wave.
The decision extends emergency conditions for another 28 days as of Aug. 1.
"The national state of emergency will be extended due to the serious circumstances that affect the lives and health of people as a result of COVID-19," the official newspaper "El Peruano" said.
Peru remains on alert amid the new wave, seeing an average of 11,000 new cases a day last week, official figures showed.
Read: Peru faces "community transmission" of monkeypox: top health official
The Health Ministry has issued 80,336,753 vaccines, of which 68.6 percent correspond to a third dose and 17.4 percent to a fourth.
According to the World Health Organization, Peru saw 14,186 new infections and 41 deaths from the disease on Thursday, for a total of 3,873,702 cases and 214,120 deaths.
Peru faces "community transmission" of monkeypox: top health official
Peru is experiencing "community transmission" of the monkeypox virus, with 203 cases detected so far, head of the National Health Institute Victor Suarez said on Monday.
Most of the infections are concentrated in Lima and its neighboring province of Callao, Suarez said during an interview with a private radio station.
The nation has set up specialized sites to identify cases and a laboratory where test results are available within 24 hours, he said.
Health Minister Jorge Lopez told journalists that most of those infected are men, between about 32 and 37 years old, and all of them are in stable condition.
Read: UN health agency chief declares monkeypox a global emergency
He added that Peru is heeding the international alert issued by the World Health Organization, which reported over 16,000 monkeypox cases in 75 countries on Saturday, and is evaluating the acquisition of vaccines against the disease.
Armed assailants kill 6 at Mexico rehab center
Six people were killed by armed assailants at a drug rehabilitation center in west Mexico's Jalisco state, authorities said Monday.
Police arrived at the scene on Sunday after receiving emergency calls, but were unable to make any arrest.
Read: 4 dead after sheriff’s office helicopter crash in New Mexico
Witnesses told local media that hooded gunmen burst into the facility and opened fire.
Jalisco state is one of the most violent areas in the country and a bastion of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. ■
Rio police raid leaves 18 dead in favelas
At least 18 people were killed on Thursday during a police raid targeting a crime group at the Almao favelas in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, police reported.
Among the dead were a 50-year-old woman, who was hit by a stray bullet during the raid, and a police officer, police spokesman Ivan Blaz said at a press conference.
Four suspects accused of killing police officers were arrested during the operation, in which 400 officers were involved and supported by four helicopters and 10 armored vehicles.
Read: Death toll from Brazil floods at least 91, with dozens lost
Blaz described the situation in the region as "very tense," saying that the criminal ring had expanded from drug trafficking to robbing cargo trucks entering the city of Rio de Janeiro.
The dragnet aimed to locate and arrest the gang members, who planned to enter other favelas Thursday to carry out vehicle thefts, Lieutenant Colonel Uira do Nascimento Ferreira of the Special Operations Battalion of the militarized police in Rio said at the press conference. ■