Redcuban1959 [any]

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced a plan to release up to 50% of the people imprisoned under a state of emergency under which authorities arrested more than 90,000 people since March 2022 in a campaign to wipe out violent criminal gangs.

The emergency, which was declared after a spike in violence, has drastically reduced the country’s homicide rate while also suspending fundamental rights, including the right to be informed of the reasons for detention, the right to access legal counsel and the right to visitation.

Human rights groups have condemned the emergency, saying it has led to widespread arbitrary arrests, and they have repeatedly called on Bukele to end the measure. The president has justified the measure as necessary to reign in warring gangs MS-13 and Barrio 18.

The president’s plan announced Tuesday night would focus on releasing people who were considered gang collaborators, a blanket term that can include anyone from gang lookouts to people who make extortion payments.

“There are many people who have indeed committed crimes, but their crime was collaborating with gangs,” Bukele said. “They deserve to be in jail, but we come from a country where collaborating with gangs wasn’t so unusual, and if we were to arrest everyone who collaborated with gangs, we would have to arrest 20% of the population.”

Without going into details, the president indicated that authorities plan to analyze cases to determine potential early release with monitoring, which could benefit half of those detained during the state of emergency.

Human rights organizations have registered more than 6,000 complaints during the emergency and documented the deaths of at least 575 people in government custody.

For some, the potential release of thousands of prisoners doesn’t go far enough to repair the damage of their prolonged imprisonment.

“The victims of arbitrary detentions don’t just deserve to recover their freedom, but they also deserve to be compensated for the harms caused by the State of El Salvador: the physical and mental harm that imprisonment causes, family suffering, loss of work or studies, reputational damage, among others,” wrote exiled Salvadoran lawyer Bertha Deleón on X.

Bukele dismissed criticism from national and international rights groups, saying that they should take the side of the victims of gang violence.

He defended the need to maintain the state of emergency, but expressed his intention to end it eventually.

Homicides have drastically decreased under Bukele, according to government figures, down from a peak of more than 100 murders per 100,000 residents in 2015 to 1.3 per 100,000 in 2025. However, the government has narrowed the definition for homicides to exclude killings by police, murders in prisons and bodies found in unmarked graves.

A PoderData/Aya poll shows the Workers’ Party candidate on a continuous upward trajectory, jumping from 47% to 50% of valid votes in one week and reopening the race for the presidency.

With nine days to go before the second round of voting for the presidential election, scheduled for October 25, the race for the Planalto Palace has taken on new dimensions. The latest round of the PoderData/Aya poll , released this Friday (16), indicates that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has made consistent progress and is now numerically tied at 50% of valid votes with Senator Flávio Bolsonaro ( PL ).

The result crowns a rapid reaction from the Workers’ Party. In the first round of voting, Flávio had registered 47.03% of the valid votes against Lula’s 45.16%, a difference of 1.87 percentage points. In the first post-election measurement, released on October 8th, the PL candidate opened up a six-point lead (53% to 47%).

Three days ago, on October 13th, the margin narrowed to two points (51% to 49%), and now the distance between the candidates has been reduced to zero, consolidating Lula’s recovery and reopening the electoral contest.

The survey data, which only considers valid votes (excluding blank and null votes), shows a reversal in voting intentions. In less than two weeks, the president’s campaign overcame the initial setback of the first round and altered the electoral dynamics.

• Poll from October 8th: Flávio Bolsonaro 53% vs. Lula 47% (a difference of 6 percentage points);

• Poll from October 13th: Flávio Bolsonaro 51% vs. Lula 49% (a difference of 2 percentage points, a technical tie);

• Poll from October 16th: Flávio Bolsonaro 50% x 50% Lula (absolute numerical tie).

Analysis of the electoral landscape suggests that the reversal of expectations and Lula’s advance result from a combination of militant mobilization, digital presence, and the coordinated use of the government’s institutional agenda. In recent days, street demonstrations and mobilizations, called for in various Brazilian cities, have been joined by a digital counter-offensive led by influencers, artists, and members of the youth caucus, which have given more dynamism to the Workers’ Party campaign.

Furthermore, the labor agenda, solidified with the recent Senate approval of the end of the 6x1 work schedule, has given the current president a positive image among a large part of the electorate. This is coupled with new commitments, such as the intensification of campaign promises like the announcement of free urban public transportation on weekends throughout the country, responding to popular demand.

While Lula mobilized institutional resources and expanded his public presence, Flávio Bolsonaro concentrated much of the first days of the second round on closed cabinet meetings and party alliances, losing some of the momentum on the streets. In response, the PL campaign plans to resume mass demonstrations with a large demonstration on Avenida Paulista this Sunday (18).

Paris, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) French President Emmanuel Macron called for calm from Brussels in the face of demonstrations planned across France, for which the Interior Ministry anticipates more than 500 actions.

The president insisted that demonstrating and expressing oneself constitutes a constitutional right, which must be respected, but he also demanded that respect be shown to people and property.

His message comes amid a climate of growing social tension, with the streets having become the scene of discontent for several weeks, especially due to the blockades of high schools and the marches of students demanding improvements in education.

“No insults, no destruction,” Macron summarized, demanding that the demonstrations be peaceful, although the left denounces that the figure of nearly eight thousand detainees in the aforementioned period speaks of a reinforced police activity in the protests.

The president argued that the responsibility for preserving that right also falls on those who organize the demonstrations, and he distinguished between marches called by political parties and unions and the actions of groups that, according to him, seek to provoke disturbances.

However, his speech emphasized the risks of violence rather than the social causes fueling the protests, according to experts participating in a debate on the BFMTV channel, dedicated to analyzing the reasons for the call for marches this Saturday.

The president expressed his confidence in the prime minister and the interior minister, whom he credited with the extensive preparation of the security operation, and reiterated his support for law enforcement.

Macron stated that officers face extremely difficult situations and denounced the attacks suffered in recent days, although he avoided referring to the injuries among students, something that parents’ associations in high schools are demanding.

Furthermore, his defense of the police also relegated to the background the debate on the actions of the security forces and the allegations of excessive use of force during the demonstrations.

At the time, the organizers of tomorrow’s demonstration referred to the preparation of more than 760 mobilizations from a wide range of social strata and various sectors, including students.

Between 60,000 and 110,000 people are expected to attend the demonstration, not counting those expected at a march in this capital.

Havana, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) A solidarity aid shipment of 425 tons of rice donated by Japan, destined for consumption by the population of eastern Cuba, was delivered today in this capital in the context of World Food Day.

The shipment is part of a one million US dollar contribution from the government of the Asian nation through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), to support the humanitarian response after Hurricane Melissa struck eastern Cuba in October 2025.

The reception was presided over by the Japanese ambassador to Havana, Nakamura Kazuhito, and the WFP representative in Cuba, Etienne Labande. Representing Cuba were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade, Oscar Pérez-Oliva, and the Minister of Domestic Trade, Betsy Díaz.

In statements to Prensa Latina, Kazuhito highlighted Tokyo’s current policy towards Havana in the development of the food security program in the largest of the Antilles.

“My country’s current position is to support the Cuban people through the various programs of the United Nations,” he stated.

Japanese cooperation with Cuba began in 1961 and has focused on sectors such as agriculture, health and the environment.

Following hurricanes such as Matthew, Irma, and Ian, Japan has provided emergency aid through the WFP, including one million dollars after Hurricane Melissa in 2025.

In response to that last natural phenomenon, the WFP was the executor and central coordinator of humanitarian aid in Cuba, converting donor funds into emergency rations for some 190,000 people, and taking on logistics and supply amid fuel shortages.

According to a statement from the Lebanese Presidency, the request took place during a telephone conversation in which both addressed the situation in the country and the region in light of recent events.

Aoun expressed his concern about the continued Israeli attacks on towns in southern Lebanon and urged Washington to work to get Israel to stop its destructive operations and allow farmers access to their land without harassment.

During the conversation, Aoun also assured that the Lebanese army and security forces are fulfilling their responsibilities in implementing decisions aimed at preventing armed displays, confiscating weapons and ammunition, and combating smuggling.

The president indicated that the measures adopted in recent days respond to these provisions and stressed that the judicial authorities investigate the cases they receive, without exceptions for those responsible.

Last Monday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pledged to reveal the identities of those involved in the case of a truck loaded with explosives intercepted days earlier in eastern Afghanistan as it headed toward Beirut. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah later claimed that the vehicle belonged to the movement.

Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have caused more than 4,300 deaths and 12,400 injuries, in addition to displacing more than one million people, according to Lebanese authorities.

On June 26, Beirut and Tel Aviv signed a US-mediated framework agreement that envisions the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, the deployment of the national army, and the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Despite the agreement, Israel maintains military operations in southern Lebanon and continues to occupy areas of the territory, some for decades and others taken during recent conflicts and operations.

Beijing, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) China today reiterated its support for the two-state solution as the fundamental way to resolve the Palestinian issue and called for the effective implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza and guarantees for humanitarian access.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stated that the Palestinian issue constitutes the core of the Middle East problem and requires a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution.

During a regular press conference, the spokeswoman noted that the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank remains tense and stressed that regional conflicts should not divert the international community’s attention from the Palestinian issue.

Mao indicated that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza must be implemented effectively and that humanitarian access must be fully guaranteed.

The spokesperson recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping recently proposed four principles to advance a solution to the Palestinian issue: uphold the two-state solution, support the principle of Palestinian self-governance in Palestine, maintain humanitarian commitment, and promote fairness and justice.

The spokeswoman stated that these proposals reflect China’s responsibility as a great power and meet the demands for justice from the international community.

China will continue to uphold international justice and firmly support the two-state solution together with all peace-loving countries, with the aim of achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, Mao concluded.

Wang Yi met on October 15 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Agabekian Shahin, in the context of the Shanghai Cooperation Council meeting on confidence- and security measures in Asia (CICA), Xinhua news agency reported.

During the meetings, the Chinese foreign minister reiterated that peace and regional reconciliation are pillars of Beijing’s Middle East policy and defended the two-state solution as the way to resolve the Palestinian issue. He also urged ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza and halting the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Ramallah, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsine Agapekian Shahin stated that achieving peace is impossible without an end to the Israeli occupation and respect for international law, the Wafa news agency reported today.

During her speech at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, the foreign minister addressed the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to a statement from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.

Shahin also denounced the intensification of settler attacks against Palestinians and their property, as well as settlement plans, particularly the E1 project, which, he warned, threatens the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state.

The project, located east of Jerusalem, plans to connect the settlement of Maale Adumim with the city by occupying Palestinian land, which would separate East Jerusalem from other areas of the occupied West Bank.

The minister stressed that a just and lasting peace requires respect for international law and an end to the occupation.

He also urged that political and diplomatic efforts be translated into concrete measures to stop hostilities, alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population, and create conditions for a sustainable solution.

In that regard, he called for the application of the relevant United Nations and Security Council resolutions, as well as actions to curb the expansion of settlements and annexation plans.

The Palestinian foreign minister reiterated the need to guarantee the establishment of an independent, sovereign and viable state, in accordance with international law and UN resolutions.

He also urged CICA members to take practical steps to protect the Palestinian population, support their continued presence in their territories, counter displacement plans, and facilitate the urgent and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Since the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza in October 2023, military operations and settler attacks have also intensified in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, against a backdrop of settlement expansion and displacement of Palestinian communities.

Brasilia, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attended the Senate today for the promulgation of the constitutional amendment that ends the 6x1 work scale and reduces the maximum weekly working hours without lowering salaries.

The ceremony was led by the head of the Senate and the National Congress, Davi Alcolumbre, who formalized the Constitution Amendment Proposal (PEC) 221/2019, approved by both chambers.

“October 16th, a historic day for Brazil. Today we celebrate the end of the 6x1 scale. This was a victory for Brazilian society,” Lula said in a message posted on his social media.

The president also called for continued vigilance in protecting labor rights and warned that there are sectors interested in eliminating them. The new law establishes two paid days off per week, preferably Saturday and Sunday, and a gradual reduction of the maximum workday, from the current 44 hours to 40, without a decrease in pay.

According to the implementation schedule, two months after promulgation, the maximum working hours will be reduced to 42 hours per week.

After an additional year, the limit will drop to 40 hours, with a maximum of eight hours per day.

The Senate approved the initiative on October 14th, in two votes with 75 votes in favor and one against, after the Chamber of Deputies had given its support to the text in May.

A study by the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies estimated that eliminating the 6x1 scale and reducing the maximum working day could benefit 26.8 million workers, including formal and informal employees who work more than 40 hours per week.

The 6x1 scale, which includes six days of work and one day of rest, is common in activities such as commerce, hospitality and food.

This promulgation occurred nine days before the second round of the presidential elections, scheduled for October 25.

On that day, Lula, the Workers’ Party candidate for re-election, will face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party.

Brasilia, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) Internal messages from Meta reveal today restrictions that harmed the accounts of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and algorithmic recommendations that favored the visibility of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro’s profiles during the election campaign.

An investigation by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, based on internal employee communications, exposed problems on Instagram and WhatsApp related to content visibility and the promotion of political profiles during the campaign for the second round of the presidential election on October 25.

In one of the episodes, on October 9, Lula’s official account was unable for almost 24 hours to pay to expand the reach of posts already disseminated on Instagram.

According to an estimate from the president’s team, approximately 1.3 million people stopped seeing ads due to this limitation. Internal communications also indicated that Meta employees considered the president’s account to be “limited” compared to that of his election rival, Flávio Bolsonaro, and warned of potential legal repercussions.

The engineers in charge of solving the problem were questioned about the delay in responding to the urgency of the case.

This investigation also described differences in search results and profile recommendations. At the beginning of October, Flávio’s profile appeared among Instagram’s suggestions, while Lula’s did not appear even when his exact name was entered.

Likewise, on WhatsApp, when searching for the channel Exército do Lula (Lula’s Army), the results that appeared were Canal do Lula, the Workers’ Party’s channel, and Tropa do Flávio, the latter being favorable to the senator.

Internal exchanges also alluded to other incidents that affected both campaigns, such as disruptions to advertising accounts and ads rejected for potential violations related to the use of artificial intelligence.

Meta denied that its systems deliberately favor or harm any candidate and attributed the episodes to different causes, including global technical failures, specific errors, and the application of Brazilian electoral rules.

The company maintained that the problems affected different advertisers and countries, and assured that its rules apply equally to all candidates.

For its part, Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign denied having suffered interruptions that affected its profiles or channels and assured that it complies with the rules of the platform and the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

These revelations come amid complaints from Lula’s team to the electoral court regarding alleged algorithmic selection.

Given this scenario, the TSE asked Meta for explanations regarding the restrictions and distribution of content, as well as the preservation of relevant technical and advertising records.