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Brasilia, Aug. 13 (Prensa Latina) President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today dismissed allegations of human rights violations in Brazil, following the publication of excerpts from a US government report accusing the country of restricting political freedoms.

During the signing of the provisional measure to help sectors affected by Washington's 50 percent tariff increase on domestic exports, Lula criticized the Americans.

"No one is disrespecting human rights standards, as they try to present to the world. Our American friends, every time they decide to fight with someone, try to create an image of the devil against the people they want to fight," said the former union leader.

According to the president, criticizing the human rights situation in the South American giant “was important in the past,” but now, “we must analyze the accused country” before addressing the institutions.

Regarding former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies, who are being investigated for attempted coup, he reasoned that “they are not being judged by the opposition. They are being judged based on the testimony of those who participated in the coup attempt.”

He specified that the trial against Bolsonaro and his supporters, with the right to defense, “is democracy raised to its fifth power, something I did not have when I was tried. And I did not complain,” he said.

Among the measures announced by Lula's government in response to the tariffs are greater access to credit lines and insurance conditions, tax refunds, and expanded government purchases for sectors affected by the tariffs.

The main plan is a credit line of approximately $5.56 billion for companies. Priority will be given to those most affected and those that are smaller in size.

Guarantee Funds can also be used to protect against risks such as default or contract termination.

Another aspect of the measure is the increase in Reintegra, a federal program that refunds companies for taxes paid on goods destined for export.

Finance Minister Fernando Haddad clarified that the initiatives could be extended to sectors that are not currently on the radar but could be included, depending on new developments or measures adopted by Washington.

As a provisional measure, the package takes effect immediately but requires approval by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate within 120 days to remain valid.

US President Donald Trump justified the tariff hike as a response to Brazil's alleged attacks on freedom of expression and its treatment of his ideological ally Bolsonaro, who has been accused of being a coup leader.

Lima, Aug. 14 (Prensa Latina) The iron door of the prison for former high-ranking officials slammed shut today behind former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra, who must serve five months of preventive detention that could be extended to 20 years.

The white van belonging to the National Penitentiary Institute transported Vizcarra from the temporary detention center to the Barbadillo prison, which was originally built for former president Albert Fujimori and had to be expanded several times to accommodate other involuntary inmates.

In front of the prison, located on the grounds of a police barracks, small groups of Vizcarra's supporters and detractors chanted slogans in one direction or another, while a police barrier prevented them from crossing and approaching the prison gate.

The ruling handed down yesterday by Judge Jorge Chávez seemed to surprise the defendant, as his cheerful and optimistic face turned somber, and he even ruled out the possibility of an adverse ruling such as the one requested by the prosecution, which sought a 20-year prison sentence.

In a hearing lasting more than seven hours, Judge Chávez overturned the decision of a lower court judge who had granted Vizcarra conditional release while he faces trial on charges of receiving $657,000 in exchange for public works contracts, as confirmed by the businessmen involved.

The events took place before he became president (2018-2020), when he was governor of the southern region of Moquegua.

Judge Chávez argued that the evidence of Vizcarra's guilt makes a conviction very likely, which could lead to his flight, and therefore he must remain in prison until the trial is over.

Vizcarra's lawyer, Erwin Sicchia, announced that he will appeal the ruling and is confident that it will be overturned, but the coordinator of the Prosecutor's Office for high-level corruption cases, Rafael Vela, assured that the evidence against Vizcarra makes it almost certain that he will be convicted.

The former president is also facing two investigations for illegal contracts awarded by the highway agency (Provías) and for hiring a singer with no qualifications for the position as an advisor to the Ministry of Culture for $50,000, cases that occurred during his presidential term.

Vizcarra shares the prison with former presidents Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), Ollanta Humala (2011-2016), and Pedro Castillo (2021-2022), although they have no contact with each other.

Toledo and Humala have been convicted of corruption and sentenced to 20 years and six months each, while Castillo is on trial for attempting to dissolve Congress, with the prosecution seeking a 34-year prison sentence.