Brasil Orders Seizure Of Land Impacted By Environmental Crimes

Brazil Orders Seizure of Land Impacted By Environmental Crimes Brazil A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has ordered the federal government to seize private property when owners are found responsible for illegal deforestation or wildfires, the Associated Press reported. The judge, Justice Flávio Dino, also urged the federal and state governments to take steps to halt regularization – when illegally-obtained land is legally recognized – as it is a significant contributor to the deforestation of the Amazon, where land-grabbers clear land knowing it will likely become their property due to lax land laws or government amnesties. Dino also ordered the government to seek compensation from people who illegally and intentionally destroyed land. This case originated from a petition filed by the Sustainability Network (Rede Sustentabilidade) party, and supported by several environmental organizations, demanding stricter federal and state policies to safeguard the Amazon rainforest and the Pantanal wetlands close to the Bolivian border– both regions have been the victims of serious wildfires, mostly caused by humans, since 2020. Analysts told the AP this ruling could take effect immediately, as there have been multiple court rulings with convictions for illegal deforestation, especially in the Amazon region. The order, meanwhile, is subject to appeal. They added that the order could confiscate lands illegally deforested years ago or “regularized” illegally. Share this story

Globant-An Amazing Argentina A. I. Company

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Ecuador Warns Of Assassination Plot Against President Shortly After Election Win

Ecuador Warns of Assassination Plot Against President Shortly After Election Win Ecuador The Ecuadorian government declared a state of “maximum alert” over the weekend due to an assassination plot against President Daniel Noboa, saying the threat comes from criminal groups acting in coordination with political factions defeated in the country’s recent general elections, Al Jazeera reported. The country’s Ministry of Government announced there were plans for “an assassination, terrorist attacks and … violent protests” against Noboa and other officials. The warning followed the leak of an intelligence report earlier this week, which suggested hitmen had entered Ecuador from Mexico and elsewhere to carry out the alleged plot. The ministry said “all security protocols have been activated,” adding that the military and police were working to neutralize the threats. The government’s move comes days after Noboa defeated his rival Luisa González in the April 13 presidential runoff. Although no suspects were named, officials blamed the assassination plot on “bad losers” of the recent elections, including the Citizen Revolution Movement – led by González and linked to former President Rafael Correa. However, critics claimed that the authorities have not provided evidence of the alleged plot, with González rejecting the allegations as “desperation to silence us.” She reiterated claims of electoral fraud in the presidential elections, which she lost by more than one million votes. González said she will challenge the results, according to the Associated Press. The alleged plot comes as Ecuador grapples with escalating violence from drug trafficking gangs and cartels. In January, Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” to combat the criminal organizations. The incumbent rose to power with promises to fight organized crime and revive Ecuador’s economy. On Friday, gunmen killed at least 12 people at a cockfight being held in Manabí Province.

Argentina: The Chainsaw Massacre

Read today's edition in your browser Share Today's Edition GlobalPost Listen to Today's Edition The Largest Daily Newsletter Devoted to World News The World Today — Friday, April 18, 2025 In The Spotlight The Chainsaw Massacre: Hailed and Reviled for His Deep Cuts, Argentina’s Leader Faces the Axe Argentina Every week, seniors like Gabriela hit the streets of Buenos Aires to protest President Javier Milei’s cuts to government, spending freezes, and other austerity measures he has imposed to bring down Argentina’s debt and inflation and put the country’s economic house in order. They do so because their low pensions and high inflation mean they struggle to survive, they say. Sometimes, youngsters come, too, to protect them from riot police. Scenes such as these where frail octogenarians are manhandled by police officers in full riot gear don’t go down so well with the public, which is highly sympathetic to the protesters’ plight. “We have worked all our lives and have fought for our rights, and on top of that, they beat us,” Gabriela, a retiree, told the Associated Press. “They want us to die.” More than a year into Milei’s term, many Argentines across the generations are struggling. The poverty rate increased 11 percent in mid-2024 to a two-decade high of 53 percent, before falling recently to 38 percent. Seniors have been especially hit hard: Some of the biggest savings for the government came from holding down the real value of pensions. The average minimum monthly pension is just $300, and it has lost 22 percent of its purchasing power over the past year. As a result, it buys very little these days because of how expensive Argentina has become, with consumer spending falling 20 percent over the past year. Even so, economists and business folks say the tough medicine of the self-declared “anarcho-capitalist” who rode to power in 2023 promising to “blow up” the central bank, punish elites, axe a bloated government, and defeat sky-high inflation is working. Argentina’s monthly inflation rate dropped from 25.5 percent in December 2023 to 2.7 percent in October 2024. In annual terms, that means an inflation rate of 211 percent in 2023, one of the highest in the world, fell to 66 percent a year later. Also, bonds have rallied, economic growth has inched upward after multiple contractions, and the country has seen its first budget surplus in 14 years. Meanwhile, Milei’s approval rates have not bottomed out. Argentines may not like the bitter medicine, but they like its effect, analysts say, adding that many Argentines blame previous administrations for the high poverty rate. “He managed to persuade the people that traditional politicians are a corrupt class (who) seek to preserve their privileges at the expense of the people, and that traditional parties are responsible for all their problems,” Julio Montero of the University of San Andrés in Argentina told the Guardian. “So in spite of the economic crisis, many people see Milei as a messiah that is here to protect and represent them.” In fact, his economic measures have made such a difference that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently granted Argentina, which owes it more than $40 billion, another loan of $20 billion. Also, the World Bank recently announced a $12 billion support package for Argentina, and the Inter-American Development Bank said it will provide up to $10 billion in financing for the public and private sectors. The irony here, says World Politics Review, is that while most nations reluctantly impose strong austerity measures as a result of IMF conditions, Milei has gone even further than the lender would have asked, and ahead of the loan. “The International Monetary Fund has never dealt with a leader like Javier Milei: Argentina’s president has flipped the script on the international organization that is the lender of last resort for countries in crisis,” it wrote. “Usually, the IMF demands economic reforms and budget cuts. However, as it currently negotiates with its largest debtor, the IMF faces a country and a leader engaging in radical reforms that are moving faster than seems safe politically or economically.” Now, Milei is promising more pain. He lifted capital and currency controls this week to boost investment and growth, which could spike inflation again – already it has inched up slightly over the past two months, Reuters wrote. He told the public he wants another round of budget cuts. Unions and other protesters are still protesting the last round. Last week, they brought the country to a halt in a 24-hour strike to protest his “chainsaw” austerity measures. It was the third general strike in Milei’s 16-month-old presidency. The demonstrators say the cuts he has made to the government and to social spending over the past year go too far: He has slashed subsidies for transport, fuel, and energy that have increased electricity and gas prices by 430 percent. He has fired tens of thousands of public servants and shuttered entire government departments, causing a 5 percent spike in unemployment. He has also imposed wage and pension freezes below inflation. The pause on infrastructure projects has led to a 29 percent contraction of that sector. While economists hail his approach, politically, the president is “going through his toughest moments of his short but remarkable career yet,” wrote Juan Pablo Ferrero, of the University of Bath in The Conversation. In addition to regular and relentless protests, he’s facing pushback from Congress and calls for his impeachment. For example, earlier this month, the Senate rejected the two Supreme Court candidates he nominated by decree earlier this year, dealing a major blow to the president – he was hoping to fill the Supreme Court vacancies with appointees who would rule favorably on challenges to his economic reforms. He’s also facing a cryptocurrency scandal known as “cryptogate” involving a highly speculative meme coin and his brief promotion of it before its value collapsed within hours of its launch. He’s now under investigation in corruption probes by the Office of Anti-Corruption, Congress, and a judge, as well as legal complaints of fraud. He denies the charges, calling them politically motivated. Meanwhile, his approval ratings are also falling – from 54 percent approval in November to 43 percent in February, according to Americas Society/Council of the Americas. Still, in an interview with the Economist late last year, he pledged to stay the course, no matter how tough things get for his presidency or his people. Faced with impending disaster, swift and decisive action was the only way forward, he said. “Nobody can be surprised by what I am doing, because I promised it in my campaign,” he added. “And I am doing it.”

Former Peruvian President Gets 15 Years In Prison For Money Laundering

Former Peruvian President Sentenced for Money Laundering Peru A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced former President Ollanta Humala to 15 years in prison for laundering funds received from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht and from the government of then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to finance his campaigns, Al Jazeera reported. The National Superior Court found that Humala and his wife Nadine Heredia received almost $3 million from the Brazilian firm and $200,000 from the then-Venezuelan government for the 2006 and 2011 campaigns. Heredia’s brother has also been sentenced to 12 years for money laundering in the same case, according to the Associated Press. While Humala is in jail, Heredia requested asylum at the Brazilian embassy in Lima, according to Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The trial lasted three years, following an investigation launched about a decade ago. Humala called the charges politically motivated, and his lawyers plan to appeal Tuesday’s decision. Humala is the third former Peruvian president to be imprisoned for corruption in the past 20 years, joining Alejandro Toledo, also sentenced for Odebrecht-related financial crimes, and the late Alberto Fujimori, sentenced for corruption and human rights abuses. Numerous presidents elected in the past 25 years, as well as other prominent political figures in Peru, have faced legal challenges because of their connections with Odebrecht. In 2016, the firm agreed to pay $3.5 billion in fines to Brazil, the US, and Switzerland after admitting to paying over $788 million in bribes to foreign leaders and government officials to secure infrastructure contracts.

Matt Damon Is Married To An Argentine Lady!

Icon for The Galactic Void The Galactic Void · Follow Posted by Sabina Voleckova Feb 16 Luciana Barroso was a young waitress from Argentina. She was twenty years old, a single mother, and had been left by the father of her only child. She was struggling to make a living in America. One day, while working behind the counter, a young man asked if he could "hide" behind the counter with her. He said he was an actor and explained that there were some journalists and people in the restaurant who recognized him. He was annoyed and overwhelmed by the attention since he was still new to being famous. Luciana didn’t know who he was, but she told him, “You can hide here, but you have to at least help me!” So he helped her by making cocktails, serving customers, and washing dishes. Luciana and the stranger talked for a while. At the end of her shift, she asked him his name. "Matt Damon," he said. They have now been married for eighteen years and have four daughters. Matt also adopted her oldest child. 846.5K views View 8,465 upvotes View 79 shares 430 comments from Rebecca Donner and more

Protestors In Brasil Call For Amnesty For Bolsonaro

Begging For Forgiveness: Protests in Brazil Call For Amnesty For Former Leader Bolsonaro Brazil Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro led a demonstration over the weekend in São Paulo to push for an amnesty law that would drop criminal charges against him and also his supporters who stormed the country’s Congress in 2023 after his successor’s election win, the Associated Press reported. Speaking to thousands of demonstrators wearing yellow Brazilian soccer jerseys, the former president said he had faith in the Brazilian people and hoped Congress would pass the amnesty law proposed by his supporters. On Jan. 8, 2023 – a week after Luis Inácio Lula da Silva’s inauguration – Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed key government buildings in the capital of Brasília to protest the election results. Brazilian prosecutors have charged Bolsonaro with attempting to orchestrate a coup after his election loss to Lula. Investigators also say Bolsonaro and 33 others plotted to poison Lula and kill a Supreme Court judge. The panel of Supreme Court judges agreed that the right-wing former leader should be tried for involvement in an armed criminal organization and threatening the state’s assets and heritage sites – among other charges. On Sunday, Bolsonaro denied the charges and said they are part of a campaign of political persecution targeting him and a ruse to disqualify him from the 2026 election, wrote MercoPress. Bolsonaro has already been barred from running for office until 2030 by Brazil’s Electoral Court for attacking the integrity of the voting system. He said he would appeal the ruling and is preparing to run for president in 2026.

Peru:A Massive Crime Rate Is Bringing The Country To Its knees

Home Alone: Rule By Might Brings Peru to its Knees Peru On March 16, renowned Peruvian singer Paul Flores was shot to death by hitmen who attacked a bus he was on with his Armonia 10 group bandmates after a concert outside the capital of Lima. The musicians had been threatened by a criminal gang who had attempted to extort them for money. That’s not uncommon anymore, however – extortion and murder are now an everyday occurrence in Peru. “We’ve been abandoned and left to fend for ourselves,” local resident Pedro Quispe, 48, of Lima, told the Associated Press. “If you get on a bus, you can get shot; if you go to work, you can get asked for extortion payments.” Between 2019 and 2024, reported extortions increased sixfold to almost 23,000 incidents. In 2025, one out of every three Peruvians said they knew someone who had been extorted. Homicides, meanwhile, have doubled since 2019 to almost 2,000 in the country of 34 million. In 2025, more than 75 percent of Peruvians reported being scared to leave home. And yet, for years, the government downplayed the situation, say observers. “Well, homicides aren’t a simple problem, and they’re not unique to this country,” said Peru’s health minister César Vásquez in January. “Violence has increased dramatically around the world, and other nearby countries are much worse off.” Still, soon after Flores’ murder, the Peruvian government declared a state of emergency in Lima and sent soldiers onto the streets. Protests broke out soon after with Peruvians outraged over the killing of the Cumbia musician and also the government’s inability to stop the crime wave that is bringing Peru to its knees. As a result, in a country that has grappled for years with deep political and economic instability, it’s the crime wave that has now become the top priority for voters, according to recent polls. Many are calling for a strongman leader, such as President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who has filled prisons with thousands of suspected gang members to stop the criminal gangs but has also repeatedly violated civil rights to bring order to the streets. The government of deeply unpopular President Dina Boluarte – her approval ratings are around 5 percent, while Congress’ is at 4 percent – has moved to institute states of emergency – three in the past year – which allow the government to use the military for civilian purposes and suspend civil liberties, for example making arrests without a warrant. The government says they have dismantled more than 60 criminal gangs. Meanwhile, in March, lawmakers designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization. Yet the murders and violence continue, wrote Bloomberg. The northern city of Trujillo is known for its economic ties to organized crime and illegal gold mining and is a good example of how out of control the situation is, say analysts. Trujillo has been under a state of emergency for months due to high levels of criminal activity. One reason for that is that organized crime gangs are cashing in on a boom in illegal mining supported by high gold prices. Protests have been breaking out since last year over a rise in extortion demands there. Then, in January, the prosecutor’s office was bombed as it was investigating cases against organized criminals. Still, analysts say that if Peru doesn’t do more to address the obstacles in stamping out the crime wave, it won’t be able to halt the slide into gang totalitarianism. Meanwhile, Boluarte’s announcement of fresh elections next year won’t stop that slide, they add, without addressing corruption and collusion by politicians. “In 2024, the Peruvian Congress passed laws and adopted other decisions that undermined judicial independence, weakened democratic institutions, and hindered investigations into organized crime, corruption, and human rights violations,” wrote Human Rights Watch. “President Dina Boluarte made little or no effort to stop these congressional attacks against democracy and the rule of law, and her administration also pursued policies that contributed to the erosion of democratic norms and civil rights. These included efforts to suppress protests and a growing disregard for judicial independence.” Last year, Boluarte herself came under investigation for corruption and bribery: She allegedly received illegal contributions to her political campaign and failed to declare the many Rolexes and other expensive watches and jewelry she sports – some of which were allegedly on loan from a provincial governor – in a scandal known as “Rolexgate.” Meanwhile, more than half of all 130 members of Congress were also under criminal investigation for corruption and other offenses, local media reported. As officials come under investigation, they have also acted to blunt investigation tools necessary by police and prosecutors that are also being used against themselves, say observers. For example, the legislature passed a law in 2024 narrowing the definition of “organized crime,” hindering investigations into corruption and extortion while weakening the Attorney General’s office in a move the Lima Bar Association called “a setback” in the fight against organized crime. Also, the president vetoed a bill in 2024 that would have made it easier to detain suspected criminals. Still, Peruvian analyst Martin Cassinelli of the Atlantic Council warned that a crackdown on crime or a change in government might not be the panaceas that voters hope for unless there is institutional change along with them. After all, Peru has had six presidents in seven years, some of them currently jailed. For example, he said Peru might soon fall into the same trap it did in 2021 – when angry voters elected populist Pedro Castillo as president and then, afterward, as public corruption ran rampant, the president tried to undermine democracy with an unsuccessful “self-coup,” for which he was later impeached and imprisoned. “Yet, while authorities focus on crackdowns against violent crime, they risk ignoring the deeper cause of the crisis: a decade of institutional decay marked by jailed presidents and pervasive corruption,” he wrote, “(and) any real solution must also tackle crime’s institutional roots. Candidates (for office) should promote a comprehensive political reform that reduces organized crime’s influence in the country’s political bodies.” Share this story