La Fiscalía de EE. UU. podrá presentar nuevas pruebas contra Trump antes de las elecciones

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05/09/2024

La jueza que está al frente del caso en Washington DC contra Donald Trump por el asalto al Capitolio, Tanya Chutkan, indicó este jueves que permitirá a la Fiscalía dar a conocer nuevas pruebas contra el exmandatario antes de las presidenciales del 5 de noviembre.

La acusación tiene de margen hasta el 26 de septiembre para entregar nuevos documentos, como las transcripciones del gran jurado.

La orden de la magistrada, según señaló la cadena CBS News, abre la vía para que el material sea público antes de los comicios, en los que el magnate neoyorquino se enfrentará a la vicepresidenta y candidata demócrata, Kamala Harris.

La defensa de Trump había intentado posponer la difusión pública de pruebas en este caso hasta después de las elecciones.

El fiscal especial a cargo de la investigación, Jack Smith, apuntó en la audiencia de este jueves que habrá información no incluida en el acta de acusación que presentó en agosto.

La jueza fijó además al 17 de octubre el plazo para que el equipo de Trump responda a los argumentos de Smith y entregue su propia petición para desestimar la acusación, tras lo cual el Gobierno tendrá hasta el 29 de octubre para contestar y la corte podrá determinar si son necesarios nuevos procedimientos.

Chutkan había añadido este jueves que intentar poner una fecha al inicio del proceso era un «ejercicio de inutilidad» debido a las discusiones en torno a la inmunidad del exmandatario.

Trump está acusado de conspirar para anular los resultados de las elecciones de 2020, algo que acabó en el asalto al Capitolio el 6 de enero de 2021.

El 1 de julio el Supremo le concedió una inmunidad parcial al establecer que «un expresidente tiene derecho a inmunidad absoluta frente a un proceso penal por acciones dentro de su autoridad constitucional», pero que «no hay inmunidad para actos no oficiales».

Smith presentó el 27 de agosto una nueva acta de acusación manteniendo los cuatro cargos anteriores en su contra, como el de conspiración para obstruir un procedimiento oficial, pero rebajando las alegaciones para ajustarse a ese dictamen.

La jueza debe decidir qué partes de la acusación deben ser anuladas en virtud de esa sentencia, y antes de comunicar el calendario previsto ya había adelantado que el hecho de que haya elecciones en noviembre no era relevante ni para este juicio en sí ni para la eventual fecha del proceso.

Trump no acudió este jueves a la audiencia, pero tal y como había dicho esta semana, se declaró no culpable a través de sus abogados.

El día del asalto al Capitolio unas 10.000 personas -la mayoría simpatizantes de Trump- marcharon hacia la sede del Congreso y unas 800 irrumpieron en el edificio mientras se estaba certificando la victoria del demócrata Joe Biden. Hubo cinco muertos y cerca de 140 agentes heridos.

Eagles, reacios sobre juego en Brasil mientras se preparan para abrir contra los Packers

Por

Associated Press

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05/09/2024

Abrir su temporada con un denominado partido en casa, a 7.700 kilómetros (4,800 millas) del Lincoln Financial Field, no parece entusiasmar demasiado a los Eagles de Filadelfia.

Los Eagles se enfrentan a los Packers de Green Bay el viernes por la noche en Sao Paulo, el primer partido de la NFL en Sudamérica.

El cornerback de los Eagles Darius Slay expresó en su podcast que “no quiero ir a Brasil”, aunque luego se disculpó. El wide receiver DeVonta Smith simplemente dijo: “Sin comentarios”, cuando se le preguntó sobre el juego en Brasil.

Mucho se debe a preocupaciones de seguridad. El cornerback de los Packers Eric Stokes dijo que le dijeron que no saliera del hotel mientras estuviera en Brasil. El wide receiver de los Eagles A.J. Brown recibió un mensaje similar.

“Había un montón de ‘Lo que no se debe hacer’”, dijo Brown. “Solo estoy tratando de ir allí y ganar un partido de fútbol y volver a casa. Esa es la mejor manera en que puedo decirlo”.

Pero también está el hecho de que los Eagles perdieron la oportunidad de jugar frente a su multitud de Filadelfia. Las Águilas son el equipo local designado en San Pablo.

Los Packers esperan haber aprendido de su último viaje internacional hace dos años.

Green Bay había ganado tres de sus cuatro partidos esa temporada, y el entrenador Matt LaFleur dejó claro en ese momento que no estaba ansioso por jugar en Londres. Los Packers cayeron ante los Giants de Nueva York en el Tottenham Hotspur Stadium y terminaron perdiendo cinco partidos seguidos.

Así que los Packers están siendo optimistas de que no habrá un efecto de resaca similar de este viaje porque no están cruzando tantas zonas horarias.

“Una vez que se enciendan esas luces, todo lo demás se irá por la ventana”, dijo Stokes.

Estos equipos terminaron la temporada pasada en direcciones opuestas.

Los Packers quieren aprovechar el impulso que establecieron al final de la temporada el año pasado que les permitió llegar a la ronda divisional en los playoffs de la NFC, con el equipo más joven de la liga.

Filadelfia comenzó con marca de 10-1 el año pasado, pero ganó solo una vez más el resto de la temporada y perdió ante Tampa Bay en la ronda de comodines de los playoffs. Este partido ofrece a los Eagles la oportunidad de dejar atrás el colapso.

“No estamos allí para ver la ciudad”, dijo Brown. “Esto no son unas vacaciones. Esto es un juego de fútbol americano. Eso es todo”.

Pennsylvania voters can cast a provisional ballot if their mail ballot is rejected, court says

Por

Associated Press

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05/09/2024

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A court decided Thursday that voters in the presidential battleground of Pennsylvania can cast provisional ballots in place of mail-in ballots that are rejected for a garden-variety mistake they made when they returned it.

Democrats typically outvote Republicans by mail by about 3-to-1 in Pennsylvania, and the decision by a state Commonwealth Court panel could mean that hundreds or thousands more votes are counted in November’s election, when the state is expected to play an outsized role in picking the next president.

The three-member panel ruled that nothing in state law prevented Republican-controlled Butler County from counting two voters’ provisional ballots in the April 23 primary election, even if state law is ambiguous.

A provisional ballot is typically cast at a polling place on Election Day and is separated from regular ballots in cases when elections workers need more time to determine a voter’s eligibility to vote.

The case stems from a lawsuit filed by two Butler County voters who received an automatic email before the primary election telling them that their mail-in ballots had been rejected because they hadn’t put them in a blank “secrecy” envelope that is supposed to go inside the ballot return envelope.

They attempted to cast provisional ballots in place of the rejected mail-in ballots, but the county rejected those, too.

In the court decision, Judge Matt Wolf ordered Butler County to count the voters’ two provisional ballots.

Contesting the lawsuit was Butler County as well as the state and national Republican parties. Their lawyers had argued that nothing in state law allows a voter to cast a provisional ballot in place of a rejected mail-in ballot.

They have three days to appeal to the state Supreme Court.

The lawsuit is one of a handful being fought in state and federal courts over the practice of Pennsylvania counties throwing out mail-in ballots over mistakes like forgetting to sign or write the date on the ballot’s return envelope or forgetting to put the ballot in a secrecy envelope.

The decision will apply to all 67 counties, lawyers in the case say. It’s not entirely clear how many Pennsylvania counties haven’t let voters replace a rejected mail-in ballot with a provisional ballot, although the plaintiffs’ lawyers listed nine other counties that they say may have had followed such a policy in April’s primary election.

The voters were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center. The state Democratic Party and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration also took their side in the case.

Approximately 21,800 mail ballots were rejected in 2020’s presidential election, out of about 2.7 million mail ballots cast in Pennsylvania, according to the state elections office.

Funcionarios del gobierno de Puerto Rico exigen respuestas de compañías eléctricas ante apagones

Por

Associated Press

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05/09/2024

Funcionarios-del-gobierno-de-Puerto-Rico-exigen-respuestas-de-compañías-eléctricas-ante-apagones — Trabajadores de electricidad realizan reparaciones en la comunidad de Puerta de Tierra tras el paso de la tormenta tropical Ernesto en San Juan, Puerto Rico, el jueves 15 de agosto de 2024. (Foto: AP/Alejandro Granadillo)

SAN JUAN.— Un creciente número de funcionarios del gobierno de Puerto Rico exigió el jueves respuestas de dos compañías eléctricas privadas mientras el territorio estadounidense batalla con persistentes apagones.

Decenas de miles de clientes, incluidas escuelas, viviendas y negocios, se quedaron sin luz esta semana en medio de apagones selectivos que se produjeron a causa de un déficit de generación, mientras varias unidades están fuera de servicio por mantenimiento.

El jueves, los legisladores exigieron que los presidentes de Luma Energy, que supervisa la transmisión y distribución de energía, y de Genera PR, que se encarga de la generación, comparezcan al día siguiente para responder preguntas sobre los continuos apagones que cada empresa atribuye a la otra.

“No hay más excusas, no queremos más explicaciones”, dijo Carlos Méndez, miembro de la Cámara de Representantes de la isla. “El pueblo se merece una respuesta clara y precisa”.

El miércoles, Luma emitió un comunicado en el que señaló que los apagones se debían a una falta de generación eléctrica y a la deficiente infraestructura que Genera PR opera, diciendo que “debería aceptar su responsabilidad”.

Por su parte, Genera PR ha dicho que Luma Energy le pidió que redujera la generación eléctrica, que dañó las unidades que estaban siendo reparadas.

Ambas compañías fueron contratadas luego de que la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica de Puerto Rico privatizó las operaciones mientras lucha para reestructurar una deuda de más de 9.000 millones de dólares y trata de modernizar una antigua infraestructura que data de mediados del siglo XX y cuyo mantenimiento fue descuidado durante muchos años.

El defensor de los derechos humanos para la isla, Edwin García Feliciano, pidió al gobernador del territorio que se reúna con los funcionarios energéticos para adoptar medidas concretas. En un comunicado el miércoles, García acusó a ambas compañías de mantener a los puertorriqueños como “rehenes”.

“No sienten la urgencia ni premura de resolver el problema”, señaló.

Los apagones se producen semanas después de que la tormenta tropical Ernesto azotó la isla y dejó a más de 730.000 clientes sin electricidad. Los equipos siguen haciendo reparaciones permanentes en el tendido eléctrico de la isla luego de que el huracán María impactó la isla en septiembre de 2017 como una tormenta de categoría 4.

Pharmaceutical company pays $25 million to resolve alleged false claims act liability for price-fixing of generic drug

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PR/CP

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05/09/2024

PHILADELPHIA. – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer located in Mahwah, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $25 million, based on its ability to pay, to resolve its alleged liability under the False Claims Act for conspiring to fix the price of a generic drug.

The government alleged that, between 2013 and 2015, Glenmark paid and received compensation prohibited by the Anti-Kickback Statute through arrangements on price, supply and allocation of customers with other pharmaceutical manufacturers for a generic drug manufactured by Glenmark, pravastatin, which is widely used to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

“At a time when excessive drug costs are already imposing unprecedented burdens on our country’s vulnerable citizens, an illegal conspiracy to fix the prices of generic drugs is alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office is proud to work with the rest of the department and our investigative partners to hold companies accountable when they illegally inflate prices on drugs used for the health and well-being of our citizens.”

“Conspiring to raise prices on generic medications is illegal and could prevent patients from being able to afford their needed prescription drugs. Americans have the right to purchase generic drugs set by fair and open competition, not collusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Philadelphia Regional Office. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of health care fraud that put the public and the Medicare program at risk.”

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, seeks to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for U.S. military members and their dependents,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “When pharmaceutical corporations artificially inflate prices, they place an unnecessary financial burden on the TRICARE program. The settlement agreement announced today demonstrates our commitment to partner with investigative agencies, the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to combat healthcare fraud.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits companies from receiving or making payments in return for arranging the sale or purchase of items such as drugs for which payment may be made by a federal health care program. These provisions are designed to ensure that the supply and price of health care items are not compromised by improper financial incentives. This settlement reflects the important role of the False Claims Act to ensure that the United States is fully compensated when it is the victim of kickbacks paid to further anticompetitive conduct.

Glenmark previously entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to resolve related criminal charges. Glenmark paid a criminal penalty of $30 million based on its ability to pay and admitted to conspiring with two other generic drug companies to fix prices on pravastatin. The civil settlement payment announced today is in addition to the criminal penalty paid by the company.

The civil settlement is the sixth resolution arising from the Justice Department’s investigation of price fixing by generic drug manufacturers and was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with support from HHS-OIG, the Defense Health Agency Program Integrity Office and DCIS.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).

The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Landon Y. Jones III, Rebecca S. Melley, and Anthony D. Scicchitano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer L. Cihon and Senior Litigation Counsel Laurie A. Oberembt of the Civil Division.

Except for those facts admitted to by Glenmark in the deferred prosecution agreement, the claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Shapiro administration highlights work training program for SNAP recipients during hunger action month

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Por

PR/CP

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05/09/2024

Pittsburgh, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh yesterday toured an employment and training program job site that provides voluntary employment and training programs for people receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), giving participants the opportunity to develop job skills, gain real-world work experience, find good-paying jobs, and succeed in the workforce.

Secretary Arkoosh met with staff and crews from Landforce, a nonprofit that invests in Western Pennsylvania’s workforce while working to repair the local environment. DHS partners with Landforce on its SNAP 50/50 program, which is a collaboration between community-based non-profit organizations, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and DHS.

“Programs like SNAP help Pennsylvanians live with dignity and safety by ensuring they can feed themselves and their families. But we know that food insecurity does not happen in isolation and often there are underlying structural factors that contribute to someone not having enough food to eat,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “In addition to providing nutrition benefits, we also must address the root causes of food insecurity such as lack of stable employment, training, or access to good paying jobs and larger societal issues like racism and intergenerational poverty. Landforce shows that this is possible every day by serving those who face structural barriers to employment and giving them the skills and confidence to take a step forward.”

Non-profit organizations leverage their own funding and funds from USDA to provide career-specific skills training for people receiving SNAP benefits that can help them achieve greater economic security. The programs also help their graduates secure and retain employment and connect them to support services, like transportation and childcare assistance. SNAP 50/50 partnerships come at no cost to the Commonwealth and create great value by helping individuals achieve greater economic security.

Founded in 2015, Landforce combines workforce development and environmental stewardship to recruit, train, and hire individuals who have historically been excluded from jobs that pay family sustaining wages. This may include individuals returning from incarceration, with substance use disorders, mental health diagnoses, almost all of whom have experienced generational poverty. During their nine to 12 months with Landforce, all of which is paid, crew members receive intensive skills training, work on environmental restoration projects, and participate in career coaching sessions. Ultimately, more than 90 percent of program finishers retain jobs for at least the following 12 months after leaving Landforce.

“SNAP 50/50 funding enables us to provide intensive training and certifications, one-on-one career coaching, and meet many of the individual outstanding needs of our crew members,” said Landforce Executive Director Ilyssa Manspeizer, PhD. “Crucially, because it was the first federal or state funding that Landforce ever received, SNAP 50/50 played a critical role in enabling us to prove our model, increase our capacity, and ultimately to attract significant additional federal dollars into our program and our region. We will be forever grateful for their early support.”

There are currently 27 SNAP 50/50 programs throughout Pennsylvania, offering an array of education and training opportunities. Learn more about SNAP 50/50 partnerships in PA here.

September is Hunger Action Month, which recognizes the prevalence of food insecurity in Pennsylvania and nationally as well as the daily and long-term impacts of not having enough to eat. Inadequate food and chronic nutrient deficiencies have profound effects on a person’s life and health, including increased risks for chronic diseases, higher chances of hospitalization, poorer overall health, and increased health care costs.

For more information on DHS’ employment and training programs and to apply for SNAP or other public assistance programs, visit dhs.pa.gov.

El autor del tiroteo en Georgia tiene 14 años y será juzgado como un adulto por asesinato

Por

EFE

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04/09/2024

Washington.- El autor del tiroteo registrado este miércoles en un instituto del estado estadounidense de Georgia tiene 14 años, está bajo la custodia de las autoridades, será acusado de asesinato y juzgado como un adulto, informaron las autoridades locales.

El adolescente mató a cuatro personas, dos de ellas estudiantes de la escuela de secundaria Apalachee de Winder y los otros dos profesores, apuntó en una conferencia de prensa el director de la Oficina de Investigaciones de Georgia, Chris Hosey.

Las fuerzas del orden recibieron una llamada de alerta a las 10.20 hora local. El agresor, un estudiante de ese centro educativo, fue hallado por los agentes minutos después de que estos llegaran al lugar y se entregó en cuanto se vio rodeado.

Según se precisó en la conferencia de prensa, cuando se dio cuenta de que si no se entregaba podía ser disparado se rindió, se echó al suelo y quedó bajo custodia policial.

No se sabe todavía si tenía relación con las víctimas, un vínculo que la investigación abierta está analizando, y tampoco se han facilitado detalles del arma utilizada ni de cuántos disparos efectuó.

Al joven se le ha sometido ya a un interrogatorio y está colaborando con las autoridades.

Las fuerzas del orden subrayaron que todavía es demasiado pronto para tener toda la información sobre lo sucedido.

En las imágenes distribuidas por los medios locales por la mañana se vio el centro escolar evacuado, con miles de alumnos en el exterior del mismo. Varias ambulancias y efectivos policiales acudieron a la zona y también un helicóptero médico, que evacuó a varias personas.

Winder, una comunidad a una hora de Atlanta, tiene una población de aproximadamente 18.338 personas, según la Oficina del Censo.

La CNN precisó que el sistema escolar del Condado de Barrow tiene registrados unos 15.340 alumnos, de los cuales 1.932 están inscritos en el instituto Apalachee. Esa escuela permanecerá cerrada el resto de la semana.

The Gun Violence Archive, una plataforma que documenta los actos de violencia con armas de fuego en Estados Unidos, indicó este miércoles que en lo que va de año ha habido en el país 384 tiroteos de masas, un término que incluye un mínimo de cuatro personas heridas o fallecidas, sin contar al agresor.

«No podemos continuar aceptándolo como algo normal», dijo el presidente estadounidense, Joe Biden, en un comunicado difundido por la Casa Blanca y en el que abogó por la colaboración de los republicanos en el Congreso para incrementar los controles y vetos a las armas de fuego.

Alumno de 14 años balea de muerte a 4 personas en secundaria de Georgia

Por

Associated Press

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04/09/2024

WINDER, Georgia, EE. UU.— Un estudiante de 14 años abrió fuego en una secundaria de Georgia y mató a 4 personas el miércoles, dijeron autoridades, obligando a los alumnos a refugiarse en sus aulas —y posteriormente en el estadio de fútbol americano— mientras la policía rodeaba el campus y los padres llegaban corriendo para averiguar si sus hijos estaban a salvo.

Los muertos fueron identificados como dos estudiantes y dos profesores de la secundaria Apalachee, ubicada en la ciudad de Winder, a una hora de Atlanta en coche. Al menos otras nueve personas fueron trasladadas a hospitales con heridas.

El director del Buró de Investigaciones de Georgia, Chris Hosey, dijo que dos agentes de seguridad de la escuela se encontraron al adolescente armado pocos minutos después de que se reportaran los disparos. El sospechoso, un alumno de la escuela, se rindió inmediatamente y fue detenido. Enfrenta cargos de asesinato como si fuera un adulto.

Las autoridades aún analizan cómo fue que el sospechoso obtuvo el arma que usó en la balacera y cómo la metió a la escuela.

La investigación sigue estando “muy activa”, dijo Hosey, ya que todavía quedan por hacer muchas entrevistas y mucho trabajo en la escena del crimen.

Al jefe de la comisaría del condado Barrow, Jud Smith, se le quebró la voz al empezar a hablar durante la rueda de prensa. Dijo que nació y creció en la comunidad y que sus hijos estudian en una escuela local.

“Me duele el corazón por estos niños. Me duele el corazón por nuestra comunidad”, dijo. “Pero quiero dejar muy claro que el odio no prevalecerá en este condado. Quiero que eso quede muy claro y se sepa. El amor prevalecerá sobre lo que ocurrió hoy”.

El superintendente Dallas LeDuff dijo que las escuelas del condado permanecerán cerradas el resto de la semana para colaborar con la investigación, pero se ofrecerá ayuda psicológica a quien lo solicite.

Este tiroteo escolar fue el más reciente entre docenas de tiroteos similares ocurridos en todo Estados Unidos en los últimos años, incluidos los de Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida, y Uvalde, Texas, los cuales fueron especialmente letales. Los asesinatos en las aulas han desencadenado acalorados debates sobre el control de armas y han exacerbado el nerviosismo entre los padres, cuyos hijos crecen acostumbrados a la realización de simulacros de tiroteos en las aulas. A pesar de ello, las consecuencias de estos casos no han logrado inclinar la balanza a favor de una legislación más estricta sobre el control de armas a nivel nacional.

Jacob King, jugador de fútbol americano de segundo año, dijo que se había quedado dormido en su clase de historia mundial después de un entrenamiento matutino cuando escuchó unos 10 disparos.

King dijo que no creyó que el tiroteo fuera real hasta que escuchó a un agente gritarle a alguien que soltara su arma. King señaló que, cuando su grupo fue evacuado, vio a varios agentes protegiendo al que parecía ser un alumno lesionado.

Antes del tiroteo del miércoles, se habían producido 29 masacres en Estados Unidos en lo que va del año, según una base de datos elaborada por The Associated Press y el periódico USA Today en colaboración con la Universidad del Noreste. Al menos 127 personas han muerto en esas masacres. Estos incidentes son clasificados así cuando hay cuatro o más muertos en un periodo de 24 horas, sin incluir al asesino, la misma definición que utiliza el FBI.

El año pasado hubo 42 masacres en Estados Unidos en los que 217 personas fueron asesinadas, con lo que el 2023 se convirtió en uno de los años con el mayor número de muertes ocurridas en ataques de este tipo que se han registrado en el país.

Mothers of victims, survivors of femicide denounce institutional violence in Mexico

Por

EFE

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04/09/2024

Mexico City.– Survivors and mothers and daughters of femicide victims in Mexico accused the government and the justice system on Tuesday of perpetuating institutional violence, amid the reform of the judicial branch promoted by the ruling party in Congress.

Lorena Gutiérrez Rangel, mother of Fátima Varinia Quintana Gutiérrez, who was murdered in 2015, denounced that one of the perpetrators received a minimum sentence for being a minor and was released in 2022, now threatening another of her children.

Gutiérrez called on the government to reform the justice system to eliminate the «privileges» for underage criminals and, especially, «listen to the victims.»

Paz Rodríguez García, daughter of Melesia García, who was murdered in 2021 in Milpa Alta, Mexico City, said that to date there have been no arrests over the death of her mother, who was tortured and sexually assaulted.

«We demand that the laws be reformed so that minors who commit femicides are tried as adults and that the concealing relatives are also punished. It is not fair that a minor receives only five years in prison while our lives are destroyed,» she said.

Fabiola Posadas, survivor of femicide, speaks at a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sep. 3, 2024. (Foto: EFE/José Méndez)

Collateral victims of femicide

Gutiérrez accused the Mexican State of the 2020 death of her son Daniel, who died due to negligence in a psychiatric hospital in Monterrey while under protective measures.

«My son was murdered by the State through omission and indolence, because the victims do not have access to the health system in this country (…) They displace you and tell you that it is for your safety, they send you to another state, but they tell you that you cannot access the health system to safeguard your integrity,» she said.

She warned that displacement, mainly of collateral victims of femicide, such as her son Daniel, «is a crime against humanity, a State crime.»

On the anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on Sep. 3, Gutiérrez regretted that President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who assumes power on Oct. 1, denied the responsibility of the Mexican State in the death of her son, and urged her to recognize the collateral victims of femicide and to guarantee «non-repetition.»

«One of my demands is to stop pretending and apply all the resources to the (victims’) commissions as they should be, but above all, to our children,» she said, and denounced that since January of last year, the Victims’ Commission of the State of Mexico withdrew support to avoid electoral «proselytism.»

Ana María López, mother of Julianne Zoé Sánchez López, victim of disappearance, speaks at a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sep. 3, 2024.(Foto: EFE/José Méndez)

Survivors and vicarious violence

Fabiola Posadas, survivor of an attempted femicide in 2019, denounced the lack of will of the authorities to prevent and eradicate gender-based violence in which she said survivors are invisible.

«Survivors do not know about Victims’ Commissions (…) We do not have support, we are not seen, we do not exist. We survived and that’s it, we must continue,» she said.

She also pointed out that no one mentions the possibility of corruption in the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection or in the prosecutor’s offices, and expressed concern that reform could worsen the situation for victims, if justice ends up in the hands of organized crime.

Meanwhile, Ana María López Pérez, mother of Julianne Zoé Sánchez López, who disappeared more than four years ago during a visit with her father, expressed desperation and fear for her daughter, a victim of vicarious violence.

«I have expressed this both in the seventh family court and in the Prosecutor’s Office, however, they answer: it is her father, there is no crime to pursue,» denounced the mother who has custody of the girl due to the violence exercised by the father.

«The fact that they told me that she is with her father does not give me peace of mind. The authorities must fulfill their duty and look for my daughter,» she declared, while showing a portrait of Julianne Zoé, who would now be 8 years old and who her mother hopes is still alive.

Mexico will have its first female president next month, while the country faces a wave of gender-based violence with an average of 10 women murdered a day.

Governor Shapiro joins legislators, educators, and students at Highlands High School in allegheny County to celebrate historic K-12 education funding in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget

Región

Por

PR/CP

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04/09/2024

As students across the Commonwealth return to school, the 2024-25 budget signed by Governor Shapiro last month includes a historic $1.1 billion increase for K-12 education — marking the largest single-year investment in the Commonwealth’s history

Highlands School District will benefit directly from the new adequacy formula, receiving more than $740,000 through that formula designed to ensure schools with the greatest need receive the most support

Natrona Heights, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro visited Highlands High School in Allegheny County to meet with students, teachers, and legislators and mark the historic investments in public K-12 education secured in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget – including the creation of a new adequacy formula to drive dollars to the public schools that need them most like Highlands.

As students across the Commonwealth return to school, they are benefitting from substantial new investments secured by Governor Shapiro and a bipartisan group of legislators. The 2024-25 budget includes a historic $1.1 billion in total increases in K-12 public education funding, the largest year-over-year increase in Commonwealth history. This budget delivers significant progress on building strong and safe school communities, adequately and equitably funding public schools, supporting our teachers, and ensuring that every Pennsylvania child has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.

«In the bipartisan budget I signed this summer, Pennsylvania is making an unprecedented commitment to K-12 public education with $11 billion in funding — an increase of $1.1 billion from last year, the largest increase in history. There’s nothing more important than investing in our children’s future, and we’ll keep working together to deliver for them,» said Governor Shapiro. «This budget builds on our progress by funding student teacher stipends, enhancing mental health resources, and addressing environmental repairs in schools. Additionally, we’re refining our school funding formula to ensure that resources reach the schools that need them most.»

Highlands High School will significantly benefit from the 2024-25 bipartisan budget’s investments and the new adequacy formula. The high school is part of Highlands School District — set to receive approximately $1.5 million more than last year thanks to this budget, bringing their total to $19.2 million for the 2024-25 school year. The district serves around 2,200 students across three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school and is located about 20 miles from Pittsburgh.

The 2024-25 budget delivers significant progress for K-12 education that will give every student the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. This budget includes funding for:

Historic Basic Education Funding: Building on the investments in the Governor’s first budget, the 2024-25 budget makes another historic down payment in K-12 education funding in Pennsylvania with an increase of $1.1 billion. Of this funding, nearly $526 million will be distributed through a new adequacy formula to drive dollars to the schools that need them most.

Increases to Special Education: Governor Shapiro’s budget increases special education funding by $100 million to ensure that school districts have the basic resources necessary to provide high-quality special education services to students with disabilities and special needs.

Cyber Charter Reimbursement: The 2024-2025 budget sets aside $100 million to reimburse schools for payments they must make to cyber charter schools.

Career and Technical Education and Dual Enrollment: Creating real opportunity for students includes expanding options for them to gain experience, training, and advanced credit for college while still in high school. The Governor’s budget includes a $30 million increase for Career and Technical Education and continues $7 million in support of dual enrollment.

School Safety and Security and Mental Health Services: Every student deserves to be safe and feel safe in their school. The 2024-25 budget continues a $20 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements and provides $100 million in sustainable funding for environmental repairs and other facility projects in schools – $25 million of which is set aside for solar projects at schools. This budget also delivers $100 million to put more mental health and physical safety resources in our schools.

Providing Period Products for Students: No student should have to miss school due to not being able to afford basic necessities like menstrual hygiene products. The Governor’s budget invests $3 million to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost to students in schools.

Investing in Early Childhood Learning: Every child in Pennsylvania deserves the support and resources to succeed, from infancy through adulthood. The budget invests an additional $2.7 million in the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and an additional $15 million for the Pre-K Counts program.

Universal Free Breakfast for Students: Students cannot be expected to focus, learn, and succeed on an empty stomach. The Governor’s budget ensures that 1.7 million students across Pennsylvania will receive free breakfast at school, regardless of their income.

Supporting Student Teacher Stipends: To further strengthen the educator pipeline and address the education workforce shortage, the 2024-25 budget doubles funding for student teacher stipends, for a total of $20 million tosupport Pennsylvanians training to become certified and committed educators in the Commonwealth.

The Governor was joined for a ceremonial bill signing by Highlands School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Cathleen Cubelic, Highlands High School teacher Michelle Dickerson and student Agastya Narang, as well as local and state legislators.

“Over the course of my 30 year career, I’ve had the privilege of working with educators across Pennsylvania who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their students, often in the face of limited resources and support — their dedication and tireless efforts to provide a quality education, nurturing environment, and guidance to their students has truly been inspiring,” said Dr. Cubelic. “This dynamic has never been more evident than here at Highlands, and with the generous support and foresight of the Commonwealth — Highland School District is positioned to embark on a journey that will transform our students’ futures.”

“Schools really are the center of a community. They bring people together — it’s where you meet your friends and our families make connections. They give us a mascot and someone to cheer for on the stage and on the field. They provide our children with their first opportunities to prepare for their next chapter,” said Dickerson. “A true commitment to public schools is multifaceted — not only is it the dollars and the cents that are dedicated to schools across the Commonwealth, but is also the time, energy and passion that educators pour into their students and schools. Public education thrives when policymakers, administrators, teachers, staff, families, and communities all commit to support our schools and strive to provide the resources necessary for all students.”

“Being born in India, there was always a sense of family and community. When I left India in 2017, I was not only leaving behind my school, but also a way of life. On the first day of school, I had no friends, no family except my parents, and no idea what I was doing in a country I used to dream of being. I didn’t even know who Michael Jordan was,” said Narang. “But, from that moment on, I knew that I wanted this, but it wouldn’t be without the unlimited support that I received from the students, teachers, and administrators here at Highlands, who spent countless hours to make sure students like me feel welcome. We have to reach for the stars, because even if we stumble, then we land on the moon.”

“The $1.1 billion increase for education funding in the bipartisan budget we crafted this year is strong evidence that Democrats and Republicans can actually get stuff done when we work together,” said Representative Mandy Steele. “Under the leadership of Governor Shapiro, all of Pennsylvania’s public school students are in good hands, including students here at Highlands High School.”

For more information on how the 2024-25 budget will create opportunity for Pennsylvanians, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.

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