Page 6 - Aruba-today-17 Sept 2020

A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 17 sepTember 2020
EU chief says U.K. cannot change EU-U.K. withdrawal agreement

By RAF CASERT of his Conservative Party.
Associated Press The compromise would al-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The presi- low lawmakers to vote be-
dent of the European fore the government took
Union's executive arm said any actions that broke in-
Wednesday that the Unit- ternational law.
ed Kingdom cannot unilat- Von der Leyen said the EU
erally change the bilateral would always respect the
Brexit agreement without agreements that get its sig-
destroying global trust in nature and "we will never
the country. backtrack on that."
Insisting that chances for The U.K. withdrew from the
a future trade deal were EU's political institutions on
slipping away by the day, Jan. 31 but remains in a
European Commission tariff-free transition period
President Ursula von der until the end of the year
Leyen told EU lawmakers while negotiators work out
that plans by British Prime the terms of a future trade
Minister Boris Johnson to relationship.
renege on parts of the U.K.- The European Parliament
EU withdrawal agreement would need to approve
dimmed those hopes even any trade deal, and the
further. leader of the biggest group
What's more, von der Leyen European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses the plenary during her first State of the legislature, said that
asserted, Britain is throwing of the Union speech at the European Parliament in Brussels, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. any deal would stand no
its good name to the wind Associated Press chance with EU lawmak-
by not respecting a deal it ers if the U.K. disrespected
signed in December. with the rest of the world cause the EU might "go to taken, and perhaps they even the slightest para-
"It cannot be unilaterally and bad for any future extreme and unreasonable will prove my suspicions graph of the Brexit agree-
changed, disregarded,"" treaty on trade," von der lengths" in its treatment of wrong." ment.
she said in her State of the Leyen quoted Thatcher's former member Britain. Five former British prime "It makes no sense to nego-
Union address. "This is a speech as saying. Under persistent question- ministers have criticized tiate a future agreement
matter of law and trust and Johnson has called his ing by Labour lawmaker Johnson's willingness to (with) a British prime minis-
good faith." plan to unilaterally rewrite Hilary Benn during a parlia- break international law. The ter who is throwing out of
Von der Leyen drove home Britain's divorce deal with mentary committee hear- government's top law of- the window the agreement
the point by quoting from a the EU an insurance policy ing Wednesday, Johnson ficer for Scotland resigned that he signed himself,"
1975 speech by former Brit- against any unreasonable was asked whether the EU Wednesday because of Manfred Weber of the cen-
ish prime minister and con- behavior by the bloc. was "negotiating in good concerns about Johnson's ter-right European People's
servative icon Margaret The prime minister said his faith." legislation. Party said.
Thatcher. proposed law gives the "I don't believe they are," Johnson later secured sup- Weber warned: "Great
"Britain does not break trea- U.K. government the power he said. Johnson added port for an amendment Britain, you are losing your
ties. It would be bad for Brit- to override portions of the later in the hearing: "It is al- meant to assuage the dis- credibility at the global
ain, bad for our relations withdrawal agreement be- ways possible that I am mis- comfort among members level."q

Nicaragua's Ortega threatens life sentences for opponents

The maximum punishment cause they were given an A decision to reform the law
under Nicaragua's penal amnesty," he said, refer- to favor life imprisonment
code is currently 30 years ring to the more than 700 had been announced last
in prison. The 74-year-old people detained in the Monday by the vice presi-
former guerrilla command- protests who were released dent and first lady, Rosa-
er said there is no capital in 2018 and 2019. "Well, pay rio Murillo, who said the
punishment in the Central attention, they've already amendment would be ap-
American country because been given the opportunity proved in the Sandinista-
of "an international agree- for an amnesty, but there controlled parliament.
ment" against it. But he won't be another amnesty." Opposition leaders react-
warned: "We are not com- Ortega said "atrocious ed with alarm to Murillo's
mitted to not applying life crimes were committed" announcement, now con-
sentences to criminals." against police officers and firmed by Ortega, fearing
In a speech on the 199th activists of the ruling San- the reform would be "used
anniversary of Nicaragua's dinista Front during the as a new tool of intimida-
In this June 1, 2018 file photo, a masked protestor holds up a independence, Ortega protests. He reiterated his tion and repression" by the
Nicaraguan flag above the Spanish graffiti phrase: "The state did
it," during a protest against the government of President Daniel lashed out at the "fighters charge that his opponents government.
Ortega on National Children's Day in Managua, Nicaragua. of imperialism," alluding to were backed by the United The opposition National
Associated Press his opponents and students States in what he called a Coalition says at least 100
who in 2018 held street pro- failed coup. people arrested for dem-
MANAGUA, Nicaragua tences of life in prison and tests demanding his ouster. "They are children of the onstrating against the gov-
(AP) — Nicaraguan Presi- threatened to use it against The protests were violently devil, they are children of ernment and considered
dent Daniel Ortega said some government oppo- repressed by the police hatred and they are full of "political prisoners" are still in
Tuesday he has proposed nents, accusing them of and paramilitaries. hatred, they are loaded prison, many with sentenc-
a legal reform to allow sen- committing "hate crimes." "They feel untouchable be- with hatred," Ortega said. es of 10 and 20 years.q