Torrential rains that delivered 80 percent of Honduras’ projected annual rainfall in just 23 days have triggered landslides that destroyed homes and left dozens of families without shelter in Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela.

---

In just 23 days, the area received 80% of the rainfall projected for all of 2026, causing more than 250 severe incidents, according to the Honduran Centre for Atmospheric, Oceanographic and Seismic Studies (CENAOS) reports.

The collapses hit vulnerable areas hard. Residents said they lost houses that were under construction and complained of a lack of assistance from municipal authorities.

RELATED: El Niño Extreme Weather: 34 Days of Record Rain Raise Global Alarm

The Villa Unión neighborhood suffered some of the heaviest losses. Landslides there destroyed 13 homes completely. Several of the houses were still under construction when the ground gave way, burying years of savings in a matter of minutes.

Families said the destruction arrived without warning. They also reported that municipal authorities provided no assistance in the immediate aftermath, leaving them to dig through the rubble on their own and count their losses with no outside help.

In the nearby La Mololoa sector, the emergency unfolded with equal speed. Residents evacuated urgently across rooftops to get children away from advancing mud and water. Neighbors described moments of panic as the earth shifted beneath their feet.

#HonduredNoticias | Varias comunidades de Santa Cruz de Yojoa, Cortés, han tenido que abandonar sus hogares por las fuertes inundaciones ocurridas por la crecida del Lago de Yojoa. ® pic.twitter.com/vgDdiDuYCM

— Hondured 13 Oficial (@HonduredOficial) October 14, 2026

Text reads: “Several communities of Santa Cruz de Yojoa, Cortés, have had to leave their homes because of the severe flooding caused by the flood of Lake Yojoa.”

The risk is not confined to the sectors already buried. More than 700 neighborhoods and colonies across the Central District remain exposed to floods and geological failures, leaving whole hillside communities one storm away from the same fate. Residents of the hardest-hit areas said unfinished road works and inadequate drainage diverted torrents of water directly toward residential zones, causing damage for the second consecutive time.

En Tegucigalpa, Honduras, las lluvias provocaron derrumbes e inundaciones, dejando viviendas destruidas y personas albergadas.

Los cuerpos de socorro mantienen el monitoreo y las labores en los lugares de mayor vulnerabilidad.

📸: Cortesía. pic.twitter.com/dq1zjS52Sx

— Noticiero El Salvador 🇸🇻 (@NoticieroSLV) October 8, 2026

Text reads: “In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the rains caused landslides and floods, leaving homes destroyed and people sheltered. The relief corps maintain monitoring and work in places of greatest vulnerability.”

Families Demand Relocation

The scale of the losses triggered citizen protests over what residents described as an insufficient delivery of basic supplies. In response, the Municipal Mayor’s Office of the Central District announced a temporary rental subsidy for displaced families.

Affected residents dismissed the subsidy as a stopgap measure that does not address the root of the problem. They demanded that the contractors responsible for the infrastructure works pay full compensation for the material losses suffered by the community.

Despite warnings of further landslides, dozens of evacuees are refusing to permanently leave the ruins of their homes for fear of looting. Civilians are calling for urgent intervention by the central government through permanent relocation projects that guarantee safety and the right to decent housing.

The central government had not publicly responded to those demands at the time of writing, according to the information available. Heavy rainfall on steep, densely settled hillsides is a recurring cause of landslides in Honduras’ capital, and families living in the most exposed areas are often the poorest. Whether the municipal subsidy and any future relocation plans reach those families will determine how long the emergency lasts.

They appeared before Judge Hellerstein after the U.S. Attorney’s Office accused them of ‘conspiracy to commit torture.’

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and legislator Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to the new charges filed against them by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Oct. 8.

RELATED:

ALBA Movements Demand Immediate Release of President Maduro and First Combatant Flores

They appeared in the Southern District Court of New York before Judge Alvin Hellerstein after the Attorney’s Office accused them of “conspiracy to commit torture” and extended the charge of “conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism” to Flores. The latter charge, however, had only weighed against Maduro.

When asked by the judge about the charge of “conspiracy to commit torture,” Maduro pleaded not guilty and asserted that the charges are based on “false accusations and testimony against his person.” His wife, Flores, declared herself “completely innocent” and “not guilty” of the new charges.

Both told the judge they had been informed by their attorneys of the new indictment and had received a copy of it in Spanish. This was one of the few times both could be heard speaking since they were brought before the U.S. justice system in January.

After their statement, the hearing focused on the schedule ahead. The judge postponed the start of the trial until June 14, 2027, which initially had been set for June 1.

No other hearing is expected to be held until December. The last hearing before the trial begins will take place on June 7. The defense requested more time to prepare its response to the new indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Following the new indictment, Maduro and Flores are charged with conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S., possession and conspiracy to possess weapons of mass destruction, and conspiracy to commit torture.

⚖️ La defensa del presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro, secuestrado durante una operación militar en Caracas, pidió desestimar el caso en su contra en Estados Unidos, con base en la inmunidad soberana, según el archivo judicial digital.#teleSUR #Venezuela #EEUU pic.twitter.com/BmCjAbnLsj

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) September 3, 2026

The text reads, “The defense team for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro—who was seized during a military operation in Caracas—has requested the dismissal of the U.S. case against him, citing sovereign immunity, according to digital court records.”

A Maneuver to Extend Their Imprisonment

Legal analysts consider that the “conspiracy to commit torture” charge would seek to prevent the case against Maduro and Flores from collapsing given that there is no overwhelming evidence to cover multiple legal gaps.

The Attorney’s Office was forced to remove from the indictment the argument that President Maduro led the nonexistent Cartel of the Suns, which during the months before the invasion of Venezuelan soil the White House presented as a platform for drug trafficking.

On Oct. 8, Judge Hellerstein denied the request by Flores’ defense to grant her bail and allow her to serve pretrial detention under house arrest at a private residence in New York.

The defense’s request was based on the deterioration of Flores’ cardiac health — she turns 70 on Oct. 15 — with episodes of chest pain, arrhythmias and a weight loss of more than 11 kilos since her kidnapping.

Her defense attorneys stated that she requires medical treatment and recovery outside of prison, and included GPS monitoring and other security measures.

The magistrate argued that there is an alleged risk of flight. In addition, he noted that the guarantees offered are insufficient.

Upon presenting the new charge, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche — who was an attorney for President Donald Trump and is known for the political instrumentalization of the judicial system — stated:

“A new indictment has just been unsealed that replaces the previous one, charging Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture, including the alleged torture of U.S. citizens over more than two decades.”

From the first moment of this case, Maduro questioned the legality of the kidnapping and invoked sovereign immunity. “I am the president of Venezuela, I consider myself a prisoner of war,” he stated during the first hearing of the trial. For her part, Flores claimed immunity as first lady.

Added to the above are objections from the legal team defending them, which has objected to the legality of the kidnapping, questioned the territorial jurisdiction of U.S. courts and denounced the blocking of licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for the financing by the Venezuelan government of their legal fees. Defense attorneys Barry Pollack and Mark Donnelly denounced those obstacles as violations of the Sixth Amendment.

In September, Deputy Attorney Jason A. Richman, co-chief of National Security of the Federal Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, submitted his resignation amid questions over the judicial proceedings against the Venezuelan leaders.

Richman, who led and supervised the indictment against Maduro and Flores from its earliest stages, sent a letter to Hellerstein informing him that he is leaving the Federal Attorney’s Office as of Sept. 25. He offered no further details.

The official’s resignation is considered in legal circles as a significant loss for the U.S. government’s strategy and occurred less than nine months before the trial against Maduro and Flores, scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027, in the Southern District Court of Manhattan.

Manifestación en Brooklyn en apoyo el presidente venezolano, Nicolas Maduro y su esposa Cilia Flores. pic.twitter.com/5QjStnhDep

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) August 4, 2026

The text reads, “Demonstration in Brooklyn in support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.”

Brief Chronology of the Case

Jan. 3, 2026: After bombing Caracas and other Venezuelan cities, U.S. special forces kidnap President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores and illegally transfer them to the United States. The invasion left more than a hundred people killed, including civilians and military personnel, and a similar number of wounded. Delcy Rodriguez, then executive vice president, assumes as acting president.

Jan. 5: Maduro and Flores attend their first appearance in New York. Both plead not guilty and are held at the Federal Detention Center in Brooklyn.

July: Attorney’s Office and defense agree that the oral trial will begin on June 1, 2027, with a prior hearing on Nov. 17.

Sept. 9: Cilia Flores’ defense requests bail and house arrest. The judge orders medical records to remain sealed.

Sept. 25: Deputy Attorney Jason A. Richman resigns.

Oct. 8: Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejects the request for bail for Cilia Flores. On the same day, the Attorney’s Office presents the new indictment.

Oct. 15: The hearing is held in which the Attorney’s Office presents new accusatory charges (conspiracy to commit torture). Maduro and Flores plead innocent.

The judge accepts a request from the Attorney’s Office and the defense to postpone the start of the trial by two weeks, which was rescheduled for June 14, 2027. The next hearing was scheduled for Dec. 17.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: EFE – teleSUR

Forest fires in the Peruvian region of Cusco have resulted in six deaths and one serious injury, official sources reported on Thursday. Authorities have bolstered response efforts by deploying aerial assets and have urged the public to refrain from burning grasslands and agricultural waste.

RELATED:

Ecuador Reports Seven Active Forest Fires in Four Provinces

The most recent fatality was a 75-year-old man who attempted to extinguish a fire that broke out in a locality within the Chumbivilcas province of Cusco. According to the official news agency Andina, the death was confirmed by officers from the Peruvian National Police (PNP), who notified the Public Prosecutor’s Office to facilitate the recovery of the body and its transport to the morgue.

Meanwhile, the Cusco Regional Health Department (Geresa) reported that a 65-year-old man sustained burns over more than 90% of his body while trying to escape a forest fire in the community of Santo Domingo, located in the Acopía district of Acomayo province. The patient has been admitted to the Cusco Regional Hospital, where his condition is described as critical.

Andina further reported that five other people have died in forest fires across various locations in the Cusco region this year, including the districts of Yanatile (Calca), Colquepata (Paucartambo), and Yanahuara (Urubamba). Additionally, two siblings—aged 11 and 18—perished in a separate incident in the Pomacanchi district of Acomayo.

La sierra peruana vive una de sus temporadas de incendios forestales más críticas. El 13 de octubre, el Serfor reportó más de 50 incendios activos en 14 regiones y 334 focos de calor. La falta de lluvias, las altas temperaturas y los vientos, agravados por el fenómeno El Niño,… pic.twitter.com/um5MxfkXrv

— Revista Lima Gris (@Limagris) October 15, 2026

The text reads, “The Peruvian highlands are experiencing one of their most critical wildfire seasons. On October 13, SERFOR reported more than 50 active fires across 14 regions, along with 334 heat hotspots. A lack of rainfall, high temperatures, and strong winds—exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon—led SENAMHI to issue a red alert, effective until October 16, for regions including Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Arequipa, and Puno. Cusco has been hit the hardest, with over 16,000 hectares affected this year and at least five deaths reported. Rural families are losing grazing lands, crops, and livestock—their primary means of subsistence. Experts warn that the state’s response is focused solely on extinguishing fires, while a coordinated prevention system remains conspicuously absent. In this video, a local resident records himself in front of the flames to denounce this neglect and call for action from the authorities.”

Authorities have advised the public not to attempt to extinguish fires on their own and have reiterated their call to avoid the burning of grasslands and agricultural waste. They also requested that any instances of fires being left unattended in local areas be reported to the authorities.

The Peruvian Air Force (FAP) deployed a C-27J Spartan aircraft and an MI-17 helicopter this week—both equipped with firefighting systems—to address active blazes in the Cusco region. Nationwide, 35 active forest fire emergencies were reported.

On Tuesday, President Keiko Fujimori took part in an overflight of the town of Calca to oversee response efforts and assess the situation in the affected areas.

Following the inspection, she confirmed that two fires had already been brought under control and stated that the aerial units would remain in Cusco until this coming November.

Brazil has launched joint operations to track down those suspected of deliberately setting fires in the Amazon rainforest, as a sharp rise in blazes blankets Manaus with toxic smoke and pushes air pollution to critical levels for the city’s 2.3 million residents.

Authorities… pic.twitter.com/fMwYcgpg8h

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 15, 2026

A cargo ship that participated in the search located the 44-year-old woman and she found conscious while floating inside a lifebuoy, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

A cargo ship that participated in the search located the 44-year-old woman and she found conscious while floating inside a lifebuoy, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

The fifth Federal University March is taking place this Thursday, October 15, across Argentina. Participants are mobilizing toward the National Congress to demand compliance with the University Financing Law (No. 27.795), the restoration of salaries for both academic and non-academic staff, and the definitive rejection of the Javier Milei administration’s Emergency Decree (DNU) 70/23.

RELATED:

Argentina’s Basic Basket Costs Outpace Inflation as Poverty Line Climbs

Under the slogan Without funding, there is no science or education, the university community is calling for the immediate implementation of regulations that mandate the adjustment of operating funds, salaries, and scholarships in line with inflation. The protest was organized by the National Interuniversity Council (CIN), the Argentine University Federation (FUA), and the National Universities Trade Union Front.

Organizers report that academic and non-academic staff have seen their purchasing power decline by more than 32 percent so far this year. This action follows a judicial ruling that upheld injunctions and imposed financial penalties on the national government for failing to adjust funds and wages as required by law.

In the City of Buenos Aires, the main contingent—led by the University of Buenos Aires (UBA)—will gather at 1:00 p.m. at Plaza Houssay (at the intersection of Córdoba and Junín streets). Labor unions and social movements will begin assembling at 1:30 p.m. in the vicinity of the National Congress.

At 2:00 p.m., the march will proceed along Avenida Córdoba to Callao, then continue via Corrientes and Cerrito toward the parliamentary district. At 4:00 p.m., a joint statement from rectors, students, and labor unions will be read at Plaza del Congreso.

[AHORA] Estudiantes tomaron la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales en la previa de la Quinta Marcha Federal Universitaria.

Sumate a 'Diario de la noche' con @analiaargento, @eduardoprensa_ y @cotyvile 👉https://t.co/A3pv6QUv5q pic.twitter.com/H07gWnXj2U

— Argentina|12 (@argentina12ok) October 15, 2026

The text reads, “[NOW] Students took over the Faculty of Social Sciences ahead of the Fifth Federal University March.”

The protest coincides with a debate in the Chamber of Deputies regarding Emergency Decree (DNU) 70/23—a measure that has already been rejected by the Senate. The organizing groups aim to exert pressure to ensure the Lower House rejects the measure definitively.

The decree—viewed by the organizers as a cornerstone of the government’s ultraliberal agenda—impacts numerous sectors beyond education. Although the Supreme Court reversed its position, leaving the Land Law in effect following legal back-and-forth regarding its Article 154, universities have maintained their call to action due to the broad scope of the regulation.

Consequently, the day’s events bring together social, labor, political, and student organizations. The initiative also has the backing of the CGT, both branches of the CTA, ATE, and various scientific organizations—representing a coalition of workers and students united in defense of public education.

The protest movement spans the entire country. In Córdoba, the National University has suspended classes and is holding a march through the city center. In Santa Fe and Rosario, demonstrations are planned in response to disruptions in institutional operations, scholarship programs, and research activities. Higher education institutions across all provinces are staging strikes and protests.

This mobilization follows a series of strikes, open-air classes, and awareness-raising events. The organizers maintain that the implementation of Law 27.795 is essential to guarantee the continued operation of universities, sustain scientific research, and restore wages within the education sector.

🇦🇷 Argentine students have occupied the Education Secretariat to demand increased funding for public universities amid growing concerns about the future of higher education.

The student mobilization underscores the struggle to defend public education and secure the resources… pic.twitter.com/VGBlC1pZK0

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 9, 2026

Scientists in Bolivia have identified a new species of wild feline, named Leopardus tilcayo, following genomic studies that revealed evolutionary differences from other South American tiger cats. The discovery was made in the cloud forests of the Yungas, in the department of La Paz.

RELATED:

Ecuador Records 15 Ant Species for the First Time

The tilcayo—a name used by local communities in the region—is a small animal, similar in size to a domestic cat. It is brown in color, with rounded ears, a bushy tail, and a spotted coat. Its identification was made possible through genetic analyses conducted by a scientific team that contributed to the discovery in September.

Biologist Enzo Aliaga, a member of the research team, warned that the species faces risks that could lead to its extinction. Among the primary threats, he highlighted habitat destruction caused by gold mining, the clearing of vegetation for agriculture, and the capture of individuals to be kept as pets.

“It is imperative to protect this unique species,” Aliaga stated to the digital news outlet Erbol, noting that the feline’s habits and reproductive patterns remain unknown.

🔵 #GrupoFides | #ANF Un equipo internacional de científicos identificó en los Yungas de Bolivia una nueva especie de felino silvestre, el Leopardus tilcayo o gato tilcayo. Se trata de la primera descripción de un nuevo gato salvaje en más de un siglo, hallado a partir del… pic.twitter.com/H9TgaSzNcl

— Agencia de Noticias Fides (@noticiasfides) September 17, 2026

The text reads, “An international team of scientists identified in the Yungas of Bolivia a new species of wild feline, the Leopardus tilcayo or tilcayo cat. This is the first description of a new wild cat in over a century, discovered through DNA analysis and described this Thursday in the journal Current Biology.”

The specialist also raised concerns regarding the trafficking of young animals: to obtain a young tilcayo, individuals might kill the mother, while the offspring could subsequently die in captivity due to malnutrition or other diseases.

To date, experts have not determined the total population of tilcayos in the Yungas forests, nor have they fully mapped their distribution. Consequently, researchers are pushing for further studies to expand knowledge about the species and strengthen the protection of its habitat.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | Luis Montaño has temporarily assumed the role of Acting Attorney General. The official announced the news to the nation from the Public Prosecutor's Office in Santa Cruz, eastern Bolivia. pic.twitter.com/sEfVVSKKIH

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 4, 2026

Brazil deploys 300 firefighters as a surge in fires worsens air pollution in Manaus and investigators probe suspected organized arson.

---

Brazil has launched joint operations to track down those suspected of deliberately setting fires in the Amazon rainforest, as a sharp rise in blazes blankets Manaus with toxic smoke and pushes air pollution to critical levels for the city’s 2.3 million residents.

RELATED: Petrobras Announces New Oil Discovery at Morpho Well off Brazil’s Amazon Coast

Authorities suspect an organized network is deliberately destroying native vegetation in preserved forest areas to facilitate the illegal seizure of public land, Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco said at a news conference Wednesday. Investigators are working to identify and prosecute both those who set the fires and those suspected of directing them.

Capobianco described the situation as an “impressive display of deliberate action.” He and Jair Schmitt, head of Brazil’s environmental protection agency Ibama, cited reports of people throwing fuel-filled bottles from moving vehicles along roads and repeatedly reigniting fires in areas where firefighters had already extinguished them.

The scale of the fires has escalated sharply. Amazonas state recorded 1,608 fire hotspots in the first part of October, already exceeding the 874 registered throughout October 2025, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE).

September saw more than 3,700 hotspots, four times the number recorded a year earlier. Fires burned 291,060 hectares that month, 38.8% above the historical average, according to official data.

In October, the area affected has approached 220,700 hectares, 249% above the usual level, according to the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Laboratory for Environmental Satellite Applications.

The government has deployed 11 aircraft and approximately 300 firefighters to the hardest-hit areas. Difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions have complicated efforts to contain the blazes. Authorities have also warned that extreme drought and high temperatures associated with El Niño are accelerating the spread of fires across northern Brazil.

Smoke from fires in Amazonas and Pará states has engulfed Manaus, where air quality has deteriorated to critical levels. Concentrations of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 have exceeded the maximum levels recommended by the World Health Organization, increasing the risk of acute respiratory problems, particularly among children, older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

The Civil Police of Amazonas has opened 120 investigative proceedings into suspected environmental offenses. Investigators are using thermal drones and conducting continuous ground patrols to gather evidence and identify those responsible.

The investigations come as Brazil prepares for a presidential runoff on Oct. 25 between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and opposition senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who received the most votes in the first round. Asked whether the fires could be politically motivated to undermine Lula’s candidacy, Capobianco said investigators were examining that possibility but stressed that the theory had yet to be substantiated.

Thousands protested budget cuts and economic reforms as clashes with police erupted in several Colombian cities.

---

Thousands of people took to the streets across Colombia on Wednesday in the first national strike against President Abelardo de la Espriella’s administration, as police used tear gas, rubber bullets and armored vehicles to disperse demonstrators in several cities.

RELATED: Colombia Holds First National Strike Against De la Espriella

Protests spread across more than a dozen departmental capitals and municipalities, including Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Ibagué, Popayán and Bucaramanga. In Bogotá, four columns of demonstrators converged on Bolívar Square under a security operation monitored by a Unified Command Post.

In Medellín, demonstrations escalated into clashes between protesters and the Mobile Anti-Riot Squadron (ESMAD). Security forces deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and armored vehicles, leading to several arrests. Assaults on members of the press were also reported.

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

Una publicación compartida por teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)

Clashes and serious public disturbances were also recorded in Ibagué and Popayán following police interventions. Human rights organizations, including the NGO Temblores, denounced the presence of armed men carrying rifles on the rooftops of government buildings in Bogotá, describing their deployment as a direct threat to protesters.

The demonstrations brought together trade unions, teachers, university students, Indigenous communities, LGBTQ+ groups and feminist organizations. Opposition figures, including former President Gustavo Petro and Senator Iván Cepeda, also took part.

Protesters called for labor, education and social protections, seeking to preserve measures introduced under the previous administration, including free access to public universities and increases in the minimum wage. They opposed what they described as a neoliberal shift under De la Espriella’s government, citing budget cuts and the administration’s initial economic reforms.

Colombianos:

Me dirijo a ustedes esta noche para entregarles un balance claro, objetivo y contundente de la jornada de manifestaciones que vivió hoy nuestro país.

¡Que quede absolutamente claro! El 98% de las movilizaciones transcurrió de manera pacífica.

La inmensa mayoría de… pic.twitter.com/CmllZVPBtu

— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) October 15, 2026

Text Reads: Colombians: I address you tonight to deliver a clear, objective, and unequivocal report on the day of demonstrations that our country experienced today. Let it be absolutely clear! 98% of the mobilizations took place peacefully. The vast majority of those who took to the streets exercised their legitimate right to protest in an orderly and respectful manner toward the institutions. That is democracy, and as President of the Republic, I will always defend and guarantee it. At the close of this day, the national tally records a total of 62,000 citizens mobilized. A figure that represents a very small proportion of the Colombian population, but whose rights and guarantees deserve the full respect of the State. From the first day of my Government, I have issued a directive that admits no interpretations: peaceful protest is respected, protected, and guaranteed. But violence, vandalism, and any attempt to violate the rights of others will have no place under my mandate. Because as legitimate as the right to demonstrate is the right of millions of Colombians to work, move freely, and live in tranquility. Here there is a State, here there is authority, and here there is a Government that respects freedoms, enforces the law, and protects the millions of Colombians who rise early every day to work and build the Nation. Firm for the Nation! Long live Christ the King! (A.D.L.E.)

Demonstrators also rejected the restoration of diplomatic relations with Israel and what they described as U.S. interference in Colombia’s affairs.

Tensions mounted after the government signed a decree hours before the marches that changes the rules governing police conduct during public demonstrations. De la Espriella defended the measure as necessary to combat “urban terrorism,” while opposition politicians and social organizations condemned it as an attempt to intimidate protesters.

Senator Cepeda warned that the decree risked returning Colombia to a situation in which fear enabled arbitrary actions by security forces.

“They want to take us back to a time when fear becomes the means through which the security forces act arbitrarily,” Cepeda said.

Trade union sources said organizers were already drawing up a schedule of further mobilizations for the coming months following Wednesday’s mass protests. The campaign could culminate in a general strike in November.

Thousands rally for better-funded public schools as a teachers’ strike in Madrid leaves two people injured and five students arrested.

---

Five students were arrested and two people injured during police confrontations in Madrid on Wednesday, as thousands of teachers and supporters took to the streets on the first day of a regional teachers’ strike demanding better funding, smaller classes and improved working conditions in public education.

RELATED: Marches in Spain Honor Maricarmen, the Evicted Woman Who Died Amid the Housing Crisis

Demonstrators wearing green gathered at Puerta del Sol before marching through central Madrid towards the regional Education Department. The protests targeted the education policies of regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, whom demonstrators accuse of weakening public schools by diverting taxpayer funds to private education and refusing to negotiate with teachers and parent associations, according to teleSUR correspondent Álvaro Fragua.

Police also confronted students at Madrid’s Complutense University during a demonstration in support of the strike. Two people were taken to hospital with injuries. Five university students and a woman participating in a separate demonstration in central Madrid were arrested. No further arrests had been reported at the time of the report.

Text Reads: 📚 Non-university teachers in the Community of Madrid, Spain, began an indefinite strike this Wednesday—called by trade unions—to demand better working conditions and more resources for quality public education. No end date has been set for the stoppage.
🧑‍🏫 Their demands include better conditions for teaching staff, increased resources for public education, smaller class sizes, and proper care for all students.
📢 Demonstrations have been organized for the initial days of the strike: a march from Atocha to Puerta del Sol this afternoon and a human chain on Thursday at the Department of Education.

Teachers said educational inequality was reflected in disparities between neighborhoods, arguing that children’s access to quality education depended on where they lived, with poorer communities bearing the greatest burden.

The strikers are demanding changes to class sizes, teaching workloads and specialist support for students with additional educational needs. Their proposals include capping classes at 13 students in early childhood education, 15 in primary school, 20 in secondary school, 23 in upper secondary education and 15 in vocational training.

They also want weekly teaching loads limited to 17 periods for secondary school and vocational training teachers and 22 for primary school teachers. The proposed limits would include tutoring, department leadership and coordination duties.

Improving support for students with disabilities and other educational needs is another central demand. Teachers are calling for at least one guidance counselor for every 250 students, one community services professional at each school, one therapeutic education teacher for every eight students and one speech and language specialist for every 12. They also want a compensatory education teacher at every school and additional staffing guarantees for special education.

On pay, the strikers are seeking a €600 monthly increase in the regional general teaching supplement, along with pay parity for vocational training teachers and specialists in community services, therapeutic education, and speech and language support. They are also demanding a special allowance for hazardous working conditions in special education and at least one full-time administrative assistant at every school.

The demands extend to school infrastructure and workplace safety. Teachers want a comprehensive, sustainable climate-control plan for schools, the removal of asbestos, an end to phased construction of public schools and stronger occupational health and safety measures. They are also calling for an equity plan to ensure adequate support for students facing socioeconomic hardship, those with special educational needs and other vulnerable groups.

Teachers announced a larger demonstration for Wednesday afternoon, with a march planned from Atocha to Puerta del Sol, where people were continuing a protest camp in support of the public education movement. The strike’s first day brought demands for changes to staffing, funding, pay and school conditions alongside opposition to the regional government’s education policies.

José Raúl Mulino received a team of 51 Venezuelan specialists sent by Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez following an Oct. 9 earthquake.

---

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino received a Venezuelan humanitarian delegation of 51 specialists on Wednesday, sent by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez to provide technical assistance following the earthquake that struck Panama on Oct. 9.

RELATED: Panama Thanks Venezuela for Assistance Following the 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake.

The delegation, led by Venezuelan Public Works Minister Juan José Ramírez and Francisco Garcés, head of the Commission for Infrastructure Habitability Assessment, is tasked with helping evaluate infrastructure affected by the earthquake, Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and Information said.

Mulino thanked the Venezuelan government for sending the team, highlighting its role in assessing critical infrastructure in the aftermath of the seismic event.

IMPORTANTE: 🇵🇦Presidente de la República de Panamá, José Raúl Mulino, recibió a la delegación humanitaria venezolana de especialistas, enviada por la Presidenta Delcy Rodríguez pic.twitter.com/NOkYIGtcCK

— Ministerio de Comunicación e Información (@mippci_ven) October 15, 2026

Text Reads: IMPORTANT: 🇵🇦 The President of the Republic of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, received the Venezuelan humanitarian delegation of specialists, sent by President Delcy Rodríguez.

“I thank the government of Venezuela for sending 51 experts in infrastructure evaluation. It will be of great help,” Mulino wrote on social media.

Before the meeting with Mulino, the Venezuelan delegation held talks with senior Panamanian officials at the Government Palace to coordinate technical cooperation. Panama was represented by José Ramón Icaza, minister for Canal Affairs and secretary of Presidential Goals; Deputy Presidential Minister Virna Luque; Deputy Public Works Minister Iván de Icaza; and Deputy Education Infrastructure Minister Delia Marcela Herrera.

Agradezco al gobierno de Vzla el envío de 51 expertos en evaluación de infraestructura. Será de gran ayuda.

— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) October 14, 2026

Text Reads: I thank the government of Venezuela for sending 51 experts in infrastructure evaluation. It will be of great help.

According to Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and Information, the mission was dispatched under instructions from Delcy Rodríguez to extend support and solidarity to the Panamanian people through technical assistance and expertise in responding to seismic emergencies.

The delegation’s arrival marks a bilateral cooperation effort focused on assessing infrastructure safety after the Oct. 9 earthquake.

Brazil’s Senate on Wednesday approved a historic constitutional amendment that cuts the maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours and guarantees two days of rest without a reduction in pay, ending the six-days-on, one-day-off model known as the 6×1 schedule.

---

The Brazilian Senate approved Wednesday the end of the 6×1 work schedule, a constitutional reform that shortens the workweek from 44 to 40 hours and adds a second weekly rest day without cutting wages.

The amendment cleared the Senate five months after the Chamber of Deputies passed it in a historic vote.

RELATED: Brazil’s Lula Announces MEI 12.6 Billion Reais Debt Relief

The measure, Constitutional Amendment Proposal (PEC) 221/2019, received 75 votes in favor and one against in both rounds, well above the 49 votes required among the Senate’s 81 members. The only vote against, in both rounds, came from Senator Hamilton Mourão of the Republican party. Senators Rogério Marinho, Sergio Moro, Márcio Bittar and Ciro Nogueira were absent from the first round.

The vote was made possible after senators approved a special calendar to speed up the process, at the request of government leader in the chamber Teresa Leitão, of the Workers’ Party (PT), with the backing of Senate President Davi Alcolumbre.

The proposal had already cleared the Deputy chamber in a landmark session five months earlier. Its path through the Senate took longer than government allies wanted, and labor leaders kept up public pressure for a vote before the campaign’s final stretch.

The approval is seen as a political victory for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, coming 11 days before the October 25 presidential runoff, in which he faces Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party.

✊🇧🇷 O FIM DA 6X1 AGORA É REALIDADE!

Lutamos, discutimos e pressionamos para garantir que o Congresso votasse ainda este ano o fim da 6×1!

Mas a voz do povo foi a voz que me conduziu para que, juntos, garantíssemos mais tempo para descansar, acompanhar os filhos e estar com… pic.twitter.com/52RZBsxVvu

— Lula (@LulaOficial) October 15, 2026

Text reads: “The end of 6×7 is now reality! We fought, argued and pushed to ensure that Congress voted this year for the end of 6×1. But it was the voice of the people that guided me so that, together, we would ensure more time to rest, accompany our children and be with those we love. More dignity and quality of life for the Brazilian people!…”

Gradual Transition Planned

The amendment provides for a phased implementation. Two months after it is promulgated, the maximum workweek will fall to 42 hours and workers will receive two paid rest days. After another 12 months, the limit will drop to 40 hours a week, with one of the two rest days preferably on Sunday.

The text states that the reduction in working time will not lower salaries and preserves the possibility of collective agreements to regulate specific situations. Unions estimate that about 22 million workers will be benefit.

Ending the 6×1 schedule is one of the main demands of Brazilian workers and unions, who argue that shorter hours improve quality of life, expand rest time, favor family life and help prevent physical and mental exhaustion.

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

Una publicación compartida de teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)

Politics Before Runoff

The debate was marked by differences between the governing coalition and the opposition, in an electoral context in which the measure has broad public support.

Flávio Bolsonaro changed his position this week and announced he would vote in favor of the initiative, after consistently opposing it. He had previously called the discussion opportunistic and defended an alternative proposal based on pay per hour worked. The report does not include any comment from Bolsonaro on the final vote.

“We fought, debated and pressed to make sure Congress voted this year to end 6×1. But the voice of the people was the voice that guided me so that, together, we could get more time to rest, spend with our children and be with those we love,” Presiden Lula said in his first reaction on X.

After the vote, members of the progressive bloc were seen chanting Lula’s name in recognition of his leadership on the issue. The approval allows Lula’s government to showcase a commitment to more rest time and better working conditions in a campaign marked by a dispute over social rights and the future of Brazil’s labor market.

The amendment still needs to be promulgated to be effective. Once promulgated, the law will set a 40-hour limit spread across five days, with two days off and no loss of salary. Companies will get a gradual transition, giving employers time to reorganize shifts without cutting staff pay.