by tyler | May 25, 2023 | americas, CNN
Peruvian security forces carried out widespread attacks against protestors with “extrajudicial executions “and “widespread use of lethal ammunition” earlier this year, while trying to contain mass protests that started in December 2022, according to Amnesty International.
The rights group researched the deaths of 25 people killed in the regions of Ayacucho, Apurimac and Puno between December 7, 2022 and February 9, 2023. In total, 49 civilians were killed during the protests.
Amnesty International’s report found that many of the victims were younger than 21 years old, with six children among the cases documented.
The Andean country’s weeks-long protest movement was sparked by the impeachment and arrest of former President Pedro Castillo in December and fueled by deep dissatisfaction over living conditions and inequality in the country.
While protests occurred throughout the nation, the worst violence was in the rural and indigenous south, which saw Castillo’s ouster as another attempt by Peru’s coastal elites to discount them.
According to Amnesty, the country’s armed forces and national police used lethal force such as bullets and weapons prohibited in law enforcement tasks such as pellets in “an unlawful manner” during the documented period.
Less lethal force such as tear gas was also used in an “excessive, disproportionate and, sometimes, unnecessary manner,” the report states.
Peruvian authorities have said that the country’s security forces acted in self-defense. However, according to evidence gathered by Amnesty International, the injuries that caused the 25 deaths “were sustained on parts of the body where they are most likely to prove fatal, which would indicate that they were not random shots, but intentional.”
“In none of the cases was evidence found that the deceased person posed a risk to the life or integrity of the officials,” the report says.
“In several cases those who were killed, as well as those injured, were mere bystanders or passers-by” the report concludes.”
Of the 25 deaths documented by Amnesty International, at least 20 were considered extrajudicial executions. Fifteen of those victims were younger than 21.
The first known casualty during the protests was a 15-year-old boy, David Atequipe, who was shot in the back while observing protests outside Andahuaylas airport in the Apurimac region on December 11, according to the autopsy report documented by Amnesty.
Another 15-year-old, Christopher Ramos Aime, was shot a few days later as he crossed the road in Ayacucho on December 15. Ramos worked in the local cemetery near the airport cleaning tombs and gravestones as well as helping visitors with flowers.
According to the autopsy seen by Amnesty International and the evidence the group gathered, Ramos was killed by a “firearm projectile” that caused chest trauma. Ramos was not armed and posed no threat to security forces, the organization concludes.
“They have killed innocent people, my son was innocent, he was crossing the road when they shot him,” Hilaria Aime, Christopher’s mother, told CNN in tears on Wednesday.
Aime hopes her family can find justice after the release of the report, adding that protesters and their communities have often been unfairly demonized by Peruvian authorities.
“We hope justice is made and people respect us, they are calling us terrorists, vandals and that is not the truth of what happened in Ayacucho.”
CNN has not verified the circumstances of these two deaths as described by Amnesty.
Amnesty also mentions the death Beckhan Quispe, an 18-year-old football coach who was shot in the head in Andahuaylas, Apurimac region in December. His case was previously reported by CNN.
As previously reported by CNN, Amnesty has also said that attacks against protesters were carried out “with a marked racist bias” in southern Peru, where protesters faced a more violent response by the security forces, leaving dozens dead.
Similar protests took place in Peru’s capital Lima but left only one death.
Amnesty’s preliminary findings were previously reported by CNN.
In this final report, Amnesty International points out that Peruvian authorities – including Peru’s President Dina Boluarte and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) – praised the country’s security forces during the protests and “consistently supported and justified the actions of law enforcement agencies, despite increasingly clear evidence of their unlawful actions.”
“In addition, the state narrative stigmatized protesters as terrorists and violent, contributing to the escalation of violence and encouraging law enforcement to continue to act in the same way,” the report highlights.
Authorities at the highest level did not demand accountability from the armed forces and police, despite “considerable evidence” pointing at the security forces’ responsibility in the dozens of deaths that occurred, Amnesty also says.
In a recent interview with local media and facing criticism for the way her government has handled the protests, President Boluarte said she and her ministers do not decide protocols for the Armed Forces or the Police.
“They have their own law and protocols. Who do they comply with? Their commanders. We don’t have any power over them. I can be the Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, but I have no command (over them) and the protocols are decided by them”, Boluarte said.
CNN has reached out to the President’s office who declined to comment on the report’s findings. Peru’s Defense and Interior ministries have been also contacted. Both ministries told CNN in February they could not comment until an ongoing investigation carried out by the Prosecutor’s office is finished.
Peru’s Prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation on January 10 against President Boluarte, Peru’s Prime Minister, Alberto Otarola, and other ministers for alleged genocide, homicide and serious injuries committed in during the protests.
On Wednesday, Boluarte’s office told CNN en Espanol the President has been invited to give her testimony at the Prosecutor’s office on May 31.
Peru’s Public Prosecutor’s office was also criticized in this final report for failing to carry out criminal investigations related to the protest deaths “promptly, thoroughly and impartially”. CNN has reached to the Prosecutor’s office for comment.
by tyler | May 25, 2023 | americas, CNN
A game entitled “Slavery Simulator,” where players can “buy and sell” enslaved Black characters, has been taken down from Google’s app store after widespread criticism from Brazilian social media users.
The app, developed by Magnus Games, was launched on Google’s Play Store on April 20 and was downloaded more than 1000 times before it was removed on Wednesday, according to a statement from Google to CNN Brasil.
On Wednesday, Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into why the game was made available on the Play Store in the first place, it said in a statement.
Prosecutors requested “specific information about the game” from Google, adding a “great number of racist comments” were also identified in the Google platform.
Within the game, users could “exchange, buy and sell slaves,” images show. “Choose one of two objectives at the start of the slave owner simulator: the Path of the Tyrant or the Path of the Liberator. Become a wealthy slave owner or achieve the abolition of slaver,y” the game’s description said.
In one of the modes offered to players, the game said, “Use slaves for your own enrichment. Prevent the abolition of slavery and accumulate wealth.”
Throughout the game, prompts to users included: “Slave level: the highest the level, the highest the profit the slave will bring,” and “You need guards! You have slaves but no one is guarding them. Without guards, the slaves will run away or rebel. Hire some fighters. Usually, 1 guard is enough for 30 slaves,” screenshots of the game show.
The game quickly went viral on social media, with multiple people criticizing both the game developers and Google.
“The normalization of violence against Black people is so wide than then things like this happen,” Levi Kaique Ferreira, an influencer activist and professor, wrote on Twitter.
“Our country was built with the blood of the Black population. People were killed, tortured. A “Slavery Simulator” is not a theme for games,” lawmaker Denise Pessoa posted on Twitter.
Another lawmaker, Orlando Silva, made a formal complaint to the Public Prosecutor against the “macabre” game. “This is apology to crime, this is recreational racism, they have to answer criminally,” he said on Twitter.
In a statement sent to CNN Brasil, Google said: “We have a robust set of policies that are designed to keep users safe and that all developers must follow. We don’t allow apps that promote violence or incite hatred against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, or that depict or promote gratuitous violence or other dangerous activities. Anyone who believes they have found an app that violates our rules can file a report. When we identify a policy violation, we take appropriate action”.
According to Google’s own platform, the application had a rating for “all ages.”
Google itself details, on its website, that the classification of this category for Brazil indicates that “the content is suitable for all ages. Sometimes, it can present some element of very low impact, such as childish violence”.
According to the platform, the application had a 4-star rating out of five. Users’ reviews of the app included: “Great game to pass the time. But I think it lacked more torture options. They could click on the option to flog the slave too”, one user wrote, giving it a 5-star rating.
“It is unbelievable that this type of content is available and accessible to children,” wrote another reviewer on the same day.
Within the mobile app, MagnusGames said the “game was created solely for entertainment purposes. Our studio condemns slavery in any form. All game content is fictional and not tied to specific historical events. All coincidences are accidental”.
CNN has reached out to MagnusGames for comment.
Other games created by the developer remain available in the Google PlayStore, such as “Mafia Offline Killer Simulator,” a detective game, and an “Election Politics Simulator.”
CNN Brasil has also contacted the Brazilian Association of Game Developers (Abragames) and is awaiting a response.
by tyler | May 22, 2023 | americas, CNN
At least 19 of the 20 people who died in a “horrific” school dormitory fire were children, officials said on Monday, after a blaze tore through the building in the Caribbean country of Guyana.
Fourteen children died at the scene, Department of Public Information (DPI) said in a statement, while five died at the Mahdia District Hospital, according to a statement from Guyana’s Fire Service.
Seven others were critically injured and “numerous others hospitalized and injured,” it added.
“It is with great sadness that we bring to you a heart-wrenching update on the fire at the dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary school” in central Guyana, an earlier DPI statement said. “We have lost many beautiful souls in that fire.”
The Guyana Fire Service said when they arrived at the dormitory, the building was already engulfed in flames “completely,” according to a statement. Investigations are ongoing into what started the blaze.
“Firefighters did manage to rescue some 20 students by breaking holes in the north-eastern wall of the building,” the Fire Service explained. “Our team is still on the ground investigating as we seek to provide clarity regarding how the fire started and all other necessary information.”
The Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory, where the fire happened, is at the center of the Guyanese government’s push to improve the education level in the less developed part of the country. lt mostly served indigenous children, although authorities couldn’t immediately confirm if any of the children who were killed were from indigenous communities.
Guyana’s President Mohamed Ifran Ali said the students hailed from not only Mahdia but the villages of Campbelltown, Micobie, El Paso, and several other villages in the North Pakaraimas.
Children who require immediate medical attention will receive it, according to a statement from Guyana’s president. and all other individuals who remain injured and traumatized will be given with medical and psychological assistance.
The Guyanese government earlier mobilized a “full-scale medical evacuation-supported response” after the fire broke out.
In an initial statement, the government said the “Cabinet is being briefed and kept updated on a horrific fire at the dormitory in Mahdia.” Bad weather had complicated the early response, the statement added.
Authorities are attempting to locate some of the victims’ parents, Ali said. “This is a major disaster. This is horrific, it’s painful. And many responses have to occur at the same time. So, we’re putting all of that in place,” Ali said at a press conference on Monday morning.
Ali alongside other ministers had visited students and families on Monday, according to a press release.
by tyler | May 22, 2023 | americas, CNN
Millions of people in Mexico have been warned to prepare for a possible evacuation after increased activity from the country’s most dangerous active volcano, which has been spewing ash into several nearby towns since last week, according to authorities.
Ash from Popocatépetl volcano, which is in a central part of the country, has delayed flights in Mexico City and led authorities to close schools in dozens of municipalities.
Some 25 million people live in a 60-mile radius of the volcano, which is about 45 miles southeast of Mexico City and located between the states of Morelos, Puebla and state of Mexico.
On Sunday, the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) increased its volcanic threat level to “yellow phase 3,” which calls on some 3 million people who live in towns and villages adjacent to the volcano to stay alert and prepare for a possible evacuation.
The CNPC also warned of greater volcanic activity and the dispersion of ash into several nearby towns at high speed. It also recommended that residents nearby avoid outdoor activities.
“In the case of Mexico City, the risk is ash fall. We are prepared for that scenario and we know what to do. Let’s stay alert,” Mexico city’s mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said in a tweet on Sunday.
Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM) was temporarily closed on Saturday and some flights were delayed on Monday due to the presence of volcanic ash, according to airport authorities.
“Air travelers may continue to experience additional flight delays, cancellations, or temporary airport closures with little or no warning,” the US embassy in Mexico said, with the airport also issuing a similar alert.
State authorities have also suspended in-person classes in schools across 40 municipalities in Puebla, five municipalities in the state of Mexico and seven in Tlaxcala and said the classes will be held remotely.
The US embassy in Mexico issued a warning on Saturday saying the Popocatépetl volcano “has exhibited increased activity since May 15, registering hundreds of tremors and smoke and ash exhalations.”
The embassy also recommended people to not travel within a 7.5 mile radius of the volcano, citing warnings from local authorities.
The volcano had been dormant for decades until it erupted in 1994. Since then, its rumblings have become a part of daily life for residents.
by tyler | May 22, 2023 | americas, CNN
At least 20 people have been killed and several others injured in a “horrific” school dormitory fire in the South American country of Guyana, officials said on Monday.
“It is with great sadness that we bring to you a heart-wrenching update on the fire at the dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary school” in central Guyana, a Department of Public Information statement said. “We have lost many beautiful souls in that fire. The death toll currently stands at 20, while several others received injuries.”
The statement did not say whether the victims were students, teachers or other members of staff.
But it added that officials were preparing to transport seven children to the capital, Georgetown, for medical treatment.
The Guyanese government earlier mobilized a “full-scale medical evacuation-supported response” after the fire broke out.
In an initial statement, the government said the “Cabinet is being briefed and kept updated on a horrific fire at the dormitory in Mahdia.” Bad weather had complicated the early response, the statement added.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our children and their families at this time,” the statement added.
The Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory, where the fire happened, is at the center of the Guyanese government’s push to improve the education level in the less developed part of the country. In previous government statements, they describe the construction of the school dormitory as an effort to “bridge the gaps between the hinterland and coastal areas.”
by tyler | May 18, 2023 | americas, CNN
A Colombian government official said she was “very confident” four children have been found alive more than two weeks after their plane crashed in the Amazon jungle – but was awaiting further proof.
The director of Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF), Astrid Caceres, said her team received second-hand confirmation that search teams rescued and identified the children, who have been missing since the crash of a small airplane in southern Colombia on May 1.
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro initially tweeted that the group were found alive, but later noted that official confirmation had not yet been received. What would be an extraordinary survival story is yet to be fully confirmed, with government officials battling poor communications and yet to make direct contact with the children.
According to the ICBF, the children, aged between 11 months old and 13, were found after the Colombian Armed Forces followed a trail of small objects such as hair scrunchies, plastic wrappings and baby bottles that led them to the missing group.
When asked why the police and military were continuing search efforts despite reports that the children had been rescued, Caceres, the government official, said: “It’s hard to communicate in the jungle and yesterday it was raining, too.”
“The information I have is that they are fine, we also understand they had very hard days, but these are kids who moved around the area, and they seemed ok,” she added.
“We are still missing that very, very last link that confirms all our hopes. Until we have the photo of the kids we won’t be stopping. We are not underestimating the information we received but we want to confirm [directly] ourselves.”
The Colombian Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement earlier that they found a “shelter built in an improvised way with sticks and leaves.”
Rescuers have been searching for the remnant of the Cessna plane since it crashed on May 1 in the country’s southern region of Guaviare in the Amazonas province.
While the children were said to be found alive, Aerocivil said they found another three bodies inside the small aircraft.
The Colombian Armed Forces launched a massive search operation, supported by dog units, local indigenous communities, planes and helicopters, which flew over the region broadcasting a message recorded by the childrens’ grandmother.
The charter company whose aircraft crashed told CNN they are still waiting to contact the children, reiterating they have not received proof of their arrival.
Giselle Lopez, co-owner of Avianline Charters SAS said the bodies of the three adults who were killed in the crash are yet to be recovered.
“We just pray (to) god that in a few hours we all have the news we are waiting for, and see these kids: you must understand, the storms there are really strong, sometimes we lose radio contact for over an hour due to the electrical storms, and with these rains the navigation over the river is difficult, there are debris and strong currents on that river,” Lopez added.
President Petro posted a new message on social media Thursday, noting that the information provided by Colombia’s Family Affairs Institute on Wednesday evening has yet to be confirmed.
On Wednesday evening, Petro tweeted that the Colombian Armed Forces had found the four children alive, but his post was deleted Thursday morning local time, prompting much speculation in local media.
No photos or videos have yet emerged showing the children “I have decided to delete this tweet because the information provided by the ICBF could not be confirmed,” Petro tweeted. “I’m sorry about what happened. The Military Forces and the indigenous communities will continue their tireless search to give the country the news it is waiting for. At this moment, there is no other priority other than moving forward with the search until you find them. Children’s lives are the most important thing.”
