Donald Trump's influence on Brazil's presidential election
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
US President Donald Trump's actions and statements are significantly impacting Brazil's upcoming presidential elections. Trump has a history of supporting Latin American allies, and an intervention in Brazil is anticipated. While he has expressed "excellent chemistry" with leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking re-election, Trump has also referred to candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, as a "smart young man." Both Lula and Bolsonaro have visited the White House recently. Following Bolsonaro's visit, Trump designated Brazil's two largest drug cartels as terrorist organizations, a move celebrated by Bolsonaro and his supporters. This decision is seen to benefit Flavio Bolsonaro and disadvantage Lula, who has historically opposed such designations. However, Trump also announced potential tariff hikes on Brazilian products, which displeased the Lula administration. Lula attributed these increased tariffs to Bolsonaro's influence in Washington, calling Bolsonaro a "traitor." Despite ideological differences, Lula has maintained a complex relationship with Trump. Lula is attempting to negotiate directly with Trump but claims to be blocked by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both leaders are expected to attend the G7 summit in France from June 15 to 17.
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Deyci Alejandra Oma帽a Ortiz, known by her stage name Amaranta Hank, has been sworn in as a senator in Colombia. She secured her seat in the March election, running on a platform to advocate for the rights and protections of adult entertainment workers. Ortiz will represent Colombia鈥檚 Norte de Santander region as part of the leftist Historic Pact bloc for the 2026-2030 parliamentary term. The Historic Pact is currently the strongest political force in the country, having secured 22.72 percent of the Senate vote, translating to 25 seats. Ortiz, who transitioned from journalism to the adult film industry before returning to public life, maintains that her past should not hinder her legislative work. She argues that women in the sexual economy contribute to the country鈥檚 finances and deserve legal recognition. In response to critics, she questioned why a woman from the adult industry cannot aspire to a popularly elected office. Her agenda in the Senate will also include initiatives for mental health and sexual abuse. Her emergence follows a previous controversy surrounding her appointment as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Equality.
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to expand his list of football records across club and international play, as well as on social media. The Portugal captain is the all-time leading scorer in men鈥檚 international football and holds numerous UEFA Champions League and UEFA European Championship records. Ronaldo is Real Madrid鈥檚 all-time leading scorer and was the first player to score at least 50 league goals in England鈥檚 Premier League, Spain鈥檚 La Liga, Italy鈥檚 Serie A, and Saudi Arabia鈥檚 Pro League. Off the pitch, he launched a YouTube channel in August 2024, gaining over 19 million subscribers in 24 hours, and remains the most-followed person on Instagram with more than 677 million followers. His achievements also include 975 official career goals, 233 international appearances, 146 international goals, and being Portugal鈥檚 youngest and oldest FIFA World Cup goalscorer. He holds the record for most hat-tricks by an active player with 66, and was the first to score 10 international hat-tricks. In the UEFA Champions League, he has the most appearances 183, is the all-time leading scorer 140 goals, scored a record 17 goals in a single season 2013/14, and holds the record for most goals in knockout-stage matches 67. Ronaldo is also the only player to score in three UEFA Champions League finals and in 11 consecutive UEFA Champions League matches. He has the most appearances 197 and goals 145 in UEFA club competitions, and the most UEFA European Championship appearances six tournaments a
BreakingRapper and content creator Chinedu, known as Triple Pin, shared his experience of surviving a runway excursion involving an Enugu Air aircraft at Benin Airport. He described how heavy rainfall affected visibility during the flight, leading to the pilot circling repeatedly before losing control and veering into the bush. Triple Pin expressed gratitude that the aircraft did not catch fire, attributing it to the rain. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred on Thursday, July 24, 2026, involving Flight 4264 with registration 5N-ENR. The aircraft, carrying 63 passengers and five crew members, overran the end of Runway 05 during landing. All occupants were safely evacuated with no injuries reported. Director-General of the NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., emphasized that while the safe evacuation was reassuring, every runway excursion is a serious aviation occurrence requiring thorough investigation. Enugu Air confirmed the incident and stated that flight schedules might be adjusted.