For years Porto Alegre's conservative mayor Sebastião Melo pushed a 'riverfront revitalization' project that calls for ripping down 1km the flood containment wall and opening fancy restaurants. On Feb. 4, he auctioned 3km of riverfront to 2 private real estate companies.

The number of confirmed deaths from the floods in Rio Grande do Sul has risen to 134. 538,000 people are now sleeping in shelters or homes of friends or family.

Built in the 1960s to handle a 6 m rise in the Guaíba River, Porto Alegre's flood protection system would've prevented the city from flooding this month, if it hadn't been systematically neglected by 20 years of conservative mayors, writes Jeferson Miola+ bmier.substack.com/p/city-halls-r…

#Colombia | On 28 and 29 May 2024, in Bogota, the International Food Forum Alimentarte will be held. This event is an industry-leading platform and brings together leading national and international food leaders to explore crucial issues for the sector.
telesurenglish.net/news/Bogota-Ho…

Negligent mayors and governors, motivated by minimal state ideology and real estate interests, wrecked Porto Alegre’s once formidable flood protection systems, making catastrophe inevitable.

brasilwire.com/local-governme…

#Peru | The Judicial Branch of Peru ordered this Friday the preliminary arrest for ten days of Nicanor Boluarte, brother of the de facto president Dina Boluarte, for leading an alleged criminal organization and influence peddling at the State’s expense.
telesurenglish.net/news/President…

#INPHOTOS 📸 | In the Independencia municipality, Yaracuy state, #Venezuela 🇻🇪, a march is held in support of the Bolivarian Revolution and against the illegal blockade imposed by #USA 🇺🇸 on the country.