Daily Archives: April 2, 2021

2021-04-02: News Headlines

Brett Wilkins (2021-04-02). 'Major Political Crisis' in Brazil. zcomm.org 'Military Chiefs Quit Amid Bolsonaro Purge of Top Ministers…

Staff (2021-04-02). Brazil Diplomat Celso Amorim on Bolsonaro, Lula & Why Biden's Foreign Policy Is So "Disappointing" democracynow.org As the number of COVID-19 cases surges in Brazil, the country is also facing a major crisis on the political front. The heads of Brazil's Army, Navy and Air Force all quit in an unprecedented move, a day after far-right President Jair Bolsonaro ousted his defense minister as part of a broader Cabinet shake-up. The developments have alarmed many in Brazil who believe Bolsonaro, who is a former Army captain, will install ultra-loyalists to the military posts to consolidate his power ahead of next year's election, when he is expected to be challenged by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro is trying…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). COVID-19 Surge Forces Chile To Close Its Borders in April. telesurenglish.net Chile's Health Minister Enrique Paris announced new COVID-19 restrictions due to the resurgence of the pandemic. | RELATED: | On Thursday, he reported 7,830 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number of new infections since the outbreak of the pandemic. Measures to curb the spread of the virus include a border closure during April. Permits to enter and depart will only be issued for humanitarian emergencies. | The curfew will now…

orinocotribune (2021-04-01). Piñera's Elections-Postponement Maneuver Passes in Lower House of Parliament 'Due to Coronavirus'. orinocotribune.com This Wednesday, March 31, the Chamber of Deputies of the Chilean Congress approved the constitutional reform presented by President Sebastián Piñera to postpone until May 15 and 16 the elections scheduled for April 10 and 11 in the South American country," due to the Covid-19 pandemic." | In those elections the new governors, mayors and councilors of the country will be elected, as well as the members of the Constitutional Assembly, who will be in responsible for drafting the new Constitution of the country, reported RT. | In case a second round is necessary in the elections of governors, the approved initiative…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Peru Saw Last Presidential Debate Ahead of April 11 Elections. telesurenglish.net Peru's National Elections Jury (JNE) Wednesday concluded the last presidential debate, an event in which six candidates presented their promises to tackle the pandemic and corruption. | RELATED: | The debate was attended by Rafael Lopez(Popular Renovation), Yonhy Lescano (Popular Action), Julio Guzman (Purple Party), Daniel Salaverry (We Are Peru), Rafael Santos (Safe Homeland), and Ciro Galvez (United National Rebi…

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2021-04-01). Bolsonaro Government in Crisis. Pro-American or Pro-Chinese? globalresearch.ca Many changes are about to happen in the Brazilian political scenario, …

WSWS (2021-04-01). Bolsonaro sacks military command to consolidate authoritarian rule in Brazil. wsws.org In an action unprecedented in Brazilian history, the country's fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro has fired his defense minister and the commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Jose Manuel Blanco Diaz (2021-04-01). What is the Connection Between El Coqui, Cota 905 and Apure Clashes? orinocotribune.com This Tuesday, March 30, the argument for a possible connection between the actions of criminal gangs such as the one headed by El Coqui in the Caracas sector of Cota 905, and those of criminal organizations promoted from Colombia and the United States, gained strength again in recent hours. | In the morning and part of the afternoon of this Tuesday, March 30, there were complaints on social media networks about suspicious movements of armed individuals in the surroundings of the area known as El Pinar in El Paraíso parish, Caracas. | By different means, users reported detonations in other areas of Cota 905, a nei…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Colombia Allows Second Fracking Project in the Magdalena Basin. telesurenglish.net Colombia's National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) authorized ExxonMobil to carry out a second pilot fracking project. | RELATED: | The "Platero" research project will be developed in the Magdalena Valley basin where the Colombian oil company Ecopetrol is also developing its own pilot. | Investments for Ecopetrol's Kale and ExxonMobil's Platero projects are valued at US$130 million. The ANH is also analyzing two othe…

_____ (2021-04-01). Tens Of Millions In Florida Properties Linked To Ecuadorian Candidate. popularresistance.org In March 2017, ahead of Ecuador's second-round presidential election, CEPR reported that Florida-based shell companies linked to then-candidate Guillermo Lasso owned 144 properties in Broward and Miami-Dade counties valued at over $30 million. In that election, voters approved a referendum barring politicians and civil servants from holding assets in tax havens and giving them one year to divest or transfer their holdings. Though Florida is not included among the list of tax havens, it is considered a "low tax jurisdiction," which authorities will handle on a case-by-case basis. | Four years later, Ecuador is aga…

Staff (2021-04-01). Brazil in Crisis: COVID Deaths Soar & Hospitals Overflow Amid Unprecedented Political Upheaval. democracynow.org Brazil now accounts for about a quarter of all COVID-19 daily deaths worldwide, more than any other country, and its overall death toll of more than 310,000 is surpassed only by the United States. Far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro faces intense pressure to abandon his opposition to vaccinations, lockdowns and mask-wearing. Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, professor of neurobiology at Duke University and former coordinator of the largest scientific COVID-19 task force in Brazil, says Bolsonaro "has played on the side of the virus" by opposing any efforts to control the outbreak. "Since the beginning, he downplayed…

Staff (2021-04-01). Headlines for April 1, 2021. democracynow.org Witness in Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Breaks Down After Viewing Footage of George Floyd's Killing, Four Killed as Gunman Opens Fire on Office Complex in Orange County, California, Biden Defends Infrastructure Plan as Progressives Push for $10 Trillion to Fight Climate Crisis, Wisconsin Supreme Court Voids Governor's Mask Mandate as COVID-19 Cases Rise Across U.S., Brazil's Cemeteries Hold Nighttime Funerals as COVID-19 Deaths Reach New Highs, Yemen Receives First COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments as Doctors Report Surge in Cases, Global Deforestation Increased by 12% in 2020 with Amazon Most Severely Affected, U.S. Cour…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Panama Detects Nine Cases of Brazilian COVID-19 Strains. telesurenglish.net Panama's Gorgas Memorial Institute Director Juan Pascale confirmed nine patients with the SARS-CoV-2 strains originated in Brazil. | RELATED: | The P.1. and P.2. strains have been detected in community transmission cases in San Francisco, Don Bosco, Parque Lefevre, and San Miguelito. | The Health Ministry warned that the P.1. variant is the most contagious and reduces vaccines' effectiveness by 30 percent. | At least two patients with these strain…

Brasil Wire (2021-04-01). Fallout: US Suppression of Russian Vaccine in Brazil Becomes Diplomatic Incident. globalresearch.ca On Sunday March 14 2021,

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-04-01). 'Threat to Democracy': Brazil's Bolsonaro Faces Growing Calls to Resign. commondreams.org "We have a president who is trying to pressure the armed forces into serving his coup-mongering, authoritarian delusions," said one elder statesman as lawmakers pursue impeachment. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/brazil_2.jpg

RT (2021-04-01). Russian diplomats reveal 'acute shortage' of essentials in North Korea caused by Covid-19 restrictions, embassies almost empty. rt.com Diplomats serving in North Korea are enduring a shortage of goods and a lack of medicine, as restrictions to battle the Covid-19 pandemic have caused the already-secretive country to isolate itself even more than before. | Writing on Facebook, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang revealed that 38 foreign nationals have recently left their diplomatic missions in the country, with representatives from the likes of the UK, Brazil, and Germany also flying home. | "The exodus of foreigners will continue," an embassy statement read. "There are now hardly any foreigners left — fewer than 290 in all. One can understa…

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