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Brasilia, Jun 23 (Prensa Latina) Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) resumes today the trial after the majority of its ministers voted in favor of holding social networks responsible for the illegal publications of their users.

So far, the entire court advocates for the platforms to be civilly liable before the courts for improper content, such as anti-democratic publications and against the electoral system.

Also for hate speech (racism and homophobia), incitement to crimes against the authorities and live broadcasts that induce suicide and self-harm in children and adolescents.

Justices Antonio Dias Toffoli, Luiz Fux, Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Gilmar Mendes, Alexandre de Moraes and the president of the STF, Luís Roberto Barroso, voted in favor of the commitment of social networks.

The only dissenter was Justice André Mendonça. Justices Edson Fachin, Kassio Nunes Marques and Cármen Lúcia Antunes have yet to issue their opinions.

The court is ruling on the constitutionality of article 19 of the Civil Framework of Internet Rights, a rule that also established the duties for the use of the network of networks in the South American giant.

One of the actions discusses whether or not this section is constitutional.

Such article requires that a specific court order be issued before websites, Internet service providers and social networking applications are held liable for harmful content posted by others.

The law, which came into force in 2014, functions as a sort of Constitution for the use of the virtual scenario in Brazil, as it establishes principles, guarantees, rights and duties for users and companies.

The majority criterion in the Supreme Court is that companies such as Google, Meta and X can be held civilly liable for illegal content even without a court order, in specific cases, such as serious crimes, systemic failures and sponsored publications.

During his vote, the rapporteur of one of the cases, Dias Toffoli argued that this liability model provided for in Article 19 of the Internet Civil Rights Framework is unconstitutional because, since its enactment, it has failed to provide effective protection of fundamental rights in virtual environments.

Fux, rapporteur of the other action, also voted in favor of the partial unconstitutionality of the norm, pointing out that the provision compromises the protection of fundamental rights and the fight against disinformation.

In De Moraes' opinion, the failure of self-regulation was demonstrated by the call for anti-democratic acts on January 8, 2023, carried out openly by social networks without any intervention by the platforms.

‘Protecting the candidates means ensuring peace for the country and for democracy,’ Interior Minister Benedetti said. On Tuesday, Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti announced that his government has deployed more than 1,000 state security personnel and 500 vehicles to protect 41 presidential pre-candidates and congressional hopefuls ahead of the 2026 elections.

“Protecting the candidates also means ensuring peace for the country and for democracy,” Benedetti said at the conclusion of the Third Follow-up Meeting on the Comprehensive Electoral Security Plan (CORMPE).

The announcement comes in the wake of a June 7 attack on Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a presidential pre-candidate from the far-right Democratic Center party founded by former President Alvaro Uribe.

Uribe Turbay was shot twice in the head and once in the left leg while addressing supporters at a rally in Bogota. His condition has improved, and his critical status has lessened 16 days after the attack, according to a statement from Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, the hospital where he remains under care.

The attack has heightened concerns over the safety of presidential contenders and other candidates ahead of the upcoming elections. Colombia is entering an electoral year, with legislative elections scheduled for March 8, 2026, and the presidential election set for May 31, 2026.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said intelligence mechanisms have been activated, including the Integrated Electoral Intelligence Information Center. Cyber capabilities have also been deployed to prevent threats, disinformation campaigns and polarization on social media platforms.

As part of the government’s “Democracy Plan,” President Gustavo Petro’s administration also announced that the military will contribute nearly 80,000 service members to secure more than 13,000 polling stations across the country.

Santiago de Chile, Jun 30 (Prensa Latina) After winning the primary elections of the Unity for Chile pact, Jeannette Jara called for the unity of progressivism to continue working today for the country and offer it an alternative in the next elections.

Jara, who competed for the Communist Party (CCP), was elected this Sunday as the ruling party's candidate for the November presidential elections, with 60.20 percent of the votes.

"This is a collective project in which everyone has played a fundamental role. I have said it several times, I do not come to sell empty promises, nor easy solutions. I do not come with miracles, but with the guarantee that we will work tirelessly for our country," she said.

The representative of the PCCh, supported by Acción Humanista and the Christian Left, won widely against Carolina Tohá, of the Partido por la Democracia, who obtained 28.07 points, despite having the support of the Socialists, Radicals, Liberals and Christian Democrats.

Gonzalo Winter, of the Frente Amplio (9.02) and Jaime Mulet, of the Federación Regionalista Verde Social (2.74) also participated in the race.

"This road has been traveled together by two men and two women who accepted the challenge of building a common path from our positions. Without them none of this would be possible and it is with them that we are going to continue walking," he said.

Before a crowd gathered at Ricardo Cumming Avenue, in this capital city, Jara especially greeted the Communist Party of Chile, of which he is a member, as well as the other left-wing, progressive and social-democratic groups that make up Unity for Chile.

She also thanked former President Michelle Bachelet for charting the way forward for the women of this country.

The also former Minister of Labor considered among the main tasks of her program to advance economic growth, achieve a living wage for all workers, strengthen and modernize the health system, emphasize mental health and continue with housing programs. Public safety will also be among his priorities, in order to ensure that people live in peace in neighborhoods, towns and workplaces.

Jara will face Evelyn Matthei of the conservative Chile Vamos alliance, José Antonio Kast of the far-right Republican party, Francesca Muñoz of the Social Christian party and Johannes Kaiser of the National Libertarian party at the polls next November.

In his speech, he called "not to let go of our hands, but to keep them together to face the far right from the widest possible political and social unity and stop it. That is our task for what is to come," he said.