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A30 world news
Diabierna 22 aPriL 2022

UK lawmakers OK probe into PM Boris Johnson’s alleged lies

hold “the simple principle fense — initially saying there islator William Wragg. “Each
that honesty, integrity and were no illegal gatherings, time part of us withers.”
telling the truth matter in our then claiming it “did not
politics.” occur to me” that the birth- Lawmaker Steve Baker, until
day event was a party — has now a prominent supporter,
“It is a British principle ... drawn derision and outrage said that Johnson “should
guiding members from every from opponents, who have be long gone” for violating
political party in this House,” called for him to quit. the “letter and spirit” of the
Starmer said. “But it is a prin- rules.”
ciple under attack.” “The truth is simple and it’s
this – he lied to avoid get- “I’ll certainly vote for this
Johnson was not present for ting caught, and once he got motion,” he said. “But really,
the decision on a scandal caught, he lied again,” Scot- the prime minister should
that has rocked his leader- tish National Party lawmak- just know the gig’s up.”
ship of the country and the er Ian Blackford said in the
Conservative Party. He was House of Commons. The Committee of Privileges
(AP) — British lawmak- sure on a Conservative prime more than 4,000 miles (6,400 probe will not start until twin
ers on Thursday ordered minister whose grip on pow- kilometers) away in India, in- Usually lawmakers are for- police and civil-service in-
a parliamentary investiga- er has been shaken by claims sisting he wanted to “get on bidden from accusing one vestigations into “partygate”
tion into Prime Minister he flouted the pandemic rules with the job” of leading the another of lying, but Black- have concluded.
Boris Johnson for alleg- he imposed on the country, country. ford was not reprimanded by
edly lying about whether then repeatedly failed to own the Speaker. Senior civil servant Sue Gray
he broke coronavirus re- up to it. Johnson was fined 50 pounds is investigating 16 events,
strictions by attending il- ($66) by police last week for A growing number of Con- including “bring your own
legal gatherings during The move was instigated by attending his own birthday servatives are uncomfortable booze” office parties and
the pandemic. the opposition Labour Party party in his office in June about defending a leader who “wine time Fridays” in John-
and passed after the govern- 2020, when people in Britain broke rules he imposed on son’s 10 Downing St. of-
The move, approved by cries ment abandoned efforts to were barred from meeting up the country. A few have called fice and other government
of “aye” and without a formal get Conservative lawmakers with friends and family, or openly for Johnson to go, and buildings. Police are probing
vote in the House of Com- to block it. Johnson’s Con- even visiting dying relatives. the number is rising. Others a dozen of the events and so
mons, means Parliament’s servatives have a substantial Johnson is the first British are waiting to see whether far have handed out at least
Committee of Privileges will majority in Parliament, but prime minister ever found to public anger translates into 50 fines, including ones to
investigate whether Johnson many lawmakers are uneasy have broken the law while in Conservative losses at local Johnson, his wife Carrie and
knowingly misled Parliament with the prime minister’s be- office. elections on May 5. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak.
— historically a resigning of- havior. Johnson is believed to have
fense if proven. He has apologized, but de- “It is utterly depressing to be attended about six of the
Labour leader Keir Starmer nied he knowingly broke the asked to defend the indefen- gatherings and could face
The probe piles more pres- said the move sought to up- rules. Johnson’s shifting de- sible,” said Conservative leg- more police fines.

More Cubans immigrating to the US by crossing from Mexico

(AP) — For years after undertook a 20-day journey, Cubans travel by land to re- highest monthly mark in 22 thority on May 23.
leaving Cuba, the moth- starting with a plane ride mote stretches of the U.S. years.
er of two tried to get her from Havana to Managua, border with Mexico – mainly Jorge Duany, director of the
children and parents into Nicaragua. From there, they in Yuma, Arizona, and Del Cubans who cross the U.S. Cuban Research Institute at
the U.S. through legal took buses, vans and taxis Rio, Texas – and generally border illegally face little risk Florida International Uni-
channels. across Honduras, Guate- turn themselves in to Border of being deported or expelled versity, and other experts es-
mala and Mexico, until they Patrol agents. under a public health law timate the number of Cubans
Finally, she decided she arrived at the U.S.-Mexico that has been used to deny leaving could exceed other
wouldn’t wait any longer: border. The Biden administration asylum to thousands of mi- mass migrations from the
She paid more than $40,000 has been leaning on other grants of other nationalities island, including the Mariel
dollars to someone to help “I saw that other people were governments to do more to on the grounds of slowing boatlift of 1980, when more
them sneak in through Mex- coming through the border stop migrants from reaching the spread of COVID-19. than 124,700 Cubans came to
ico. and they were happy, and I, the U.S., most recently dur- the U.S.
who had done things legally, ing a visit this week to Pana- Barely 500 Cubans stopped
“I said to myself, `Enough. I was still waiting for my chil- ma by Secretary of State Ant- in March, or about 2%, were “There are several inter-
am going to risk everything,’” dren,” the woman said. ony Blinken and Homeland subject to Title 42 authority, twined factors that have pro-
said the 30-year-old woman, Security Alejandro Mayork- named after a public health duced a perfect storm for the
who spoke to The Associated U.S. border authorities en- as. The actions of Nicaragua, law. The Biden administra- intensification of the Cuban
Press on condition of ano- countered Cubans almost a U.S. adversary, complicates tion plans to end Title 42 au- exodus,” Duany said.
nymity for fear of reprisals 32,400 times in March, ac- that effort.
from U.S. authorities. cording to figures released
Monday. That was roughly Cuban and U.S. officials will
Her family’s story is an exam- double the number in Febru- meet Thursday in Washing-
ple of what tens of thousands ary and five times the num- ton for immigration talks —
of Cuban immigrants look- ber in October. the first in four years.
ing to escape political and
economic troubles are going The increase coincided with U.S. Customs and Border
through as more risk their Nicaragua’s decision start- Protection stopped Cubans
lives and arrive illegally in the ing in November to stop re- more than 79,800 times from
United States. It’s a very dif- quiring visas for Cubans to October through March —
ferent reality from years ago, promote tourism after other more than double all of 2021
when Cubans enjoyed special countries, such as Panama and five times more than all
protections that other immi- and the Dominican Repub- of 2020. Overall, the Border
grants did not have. lic, began mandating them. Patrol stopped migrants of
all nationalities more than
Her children and parents After flying to Nicaragua, 209,000 times in March, the