World Tour: Bolsonaro on trial

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MYNRA BROWN, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour.

This week, political drama in South America and nuclear talks in Iran.

WORLD’s Mary Muncy reports.

Jair Bolsonaro’s trial » We begin in Brazil, where the country’s former president is standing trial—accused of leading a coup while trying to stay in power after losing the 2022 election.

JAIR BOLSONARO: [Portuguese] What is a coup? It's to put tanks on the streets, it's guns, it's conspiracy. It's bringing the political class to your side, this is what a coup is. None of it was done in Brazil.

Jair Bolsonaro heard here maintaining his innocence, saying that a coup involves tanks, guns, and conspiracies, and none of that happened in Brazil.

After the 2022 election, Bolsonaro went to the United States as his supporters took to the streets. But prosecutors say there was a conspiracy to poison the ultimate winner, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Now, President Donald Trump has imposed a 50 percent tariff on the country, saying the trial is a witch hunt.

Brazil’s Supreme Court began the final part of the trial yesterday and deliberations are expected to last until the end of next week. If he’s convicted, he could face more than 40 years in prison.

Student unrest in Indonesia » Next to Indonesia, where thousands of people have been protesting a housing allowance for members of parliament. The allowance was nearly 10 times the minimum wage in the country’s capital.

The protests started last Monday outside the parliament building and spread across the country. They turned violent after a police officer hit a food delivery driver with his car and protesters started burning buildings and clashing with the police. So far, eight people have died and 700 have been injured.

PRABOWO SUBIANTO: [Indonesian] The leaders of the People's Representative Council have reported that they will revoke some of their policies, including the amount of allowances for members of parliament and a moratorium on official visits abroad.

Indonesia’s president saying that he’s revoking some of the parliamentary perks… and he’s launching an investigation into the police’s use of force.

Iran says no breakthrough yet in nuclear talks » Next to the middle east as negotiations over Iran's nuclear program continue...

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Ismael Baghaei says two rounds of talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency have not produced results.

BAGHAEI: [Speaking Farsi]

Speaking yesterday, he says U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims the United States is ready for diplomacy, but then he accused the United States of lacking seriousness or good will. He went on to urge European countries to, in his words, act honestly and responsibly, and encouraged them to adopt positions free of influences from Israel and the United States.

In a statement late last month, Rubio said the U.S. is available for direct talks with Iran. But he also encouraged the United Nations to begin the process of reimposing sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.

U.S. vessels near Venezuela » Heading now to South America,Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is warning the United States that his country will take up arms if attacked by U.S. forces.

His comments came in response to the U.S. boosting its maritime force in the Caribbean to combat drug cartels.

MADURO: [Speaking Spanish]

Speaking on Monday, Maduro says Venezuela is facing the greatest threat the continent has seen in a century. He accuses the U.S. forces of targeting Venezuela in what he calls an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral, and criminal, bloody threat.

The U.S. Navy has moved two destroyers into the Caribbean, as well as another destroyer and a cruiser into the waters off Latin America.

Maduro targeted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his comments, calling him the chief of war and accusing him of wanting to stain his hands with blood.

SOUND: [Celebrations]

Vietnam marks 80 years of independence » Finally, we head to Hanoi, Vietnam, where record crowds gathered yesterday to celebrate 80 years of independence from French colonization.

One of the largest military parades in decades marched down the street in Ba Dinh Square, where revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh made the original declaration of independence in 1945.

SOUND : [Soldiers marching in unison]

Onlookers waved flags and cheered as the country displayed advanced military equipment and machinery such as helicopters and tanks. An event at sea featured submarines and frigates in the festivities.

Thu Minh is a Vietnamese international studies graduate who watched the parade on her TV at home.

AUDIO: I’m really proud of my country. There is a celebration of our independence because our country suffered for a long time.

The country also released nearly 14,000 prisoners as a gesture of goodwill. And announced it would hand out money to every citizen, ultimately costing $380 million US dollars.

That’s this week’s World Tour. I’m Mary Muncy.

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