Latin America
Official: US Told Nicaragua It Will Respect Vote—If Free
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A senior U.S. official said Thursday that less than two weeks ago, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Nicaragua’s foreign minister that the Biden administration would respect the results of free and fair elections in November.
How El Salvador Adopted Bitcoin in Five Hours
El Salvador adopted the dollar in November of 2000, just eight days from the time of announcement. ‘Bitcoinization,’ meanwhile, took two and a half days, and just five hours from the time the bill reached the legislature. The most in-depth explanations of the two-page law weren’t given to the legislative committee in charge of analyzing it, nor to the Assembly itself. Rather, Bukele and two of his brothers fielded questions on the bill in a Twitter livestream, in English, with foreign investors.
I Am A Cholo (A Latino USA Podcast)
For many Latinos, the term “cholo” has a specific meaning.
Court Decision on TPS Puts Pressure on Biden Immigration Reform
Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court that “The TPS program gives foreign nationals nonimmigrant status, but it does not admit them.”
From El Faro English: Harris’ Rough Landing in Guatemala
In her first visit to the region this week, Vice President Kamala Harris’ blunt message to Central American migrants (“Do not come”) triggered a backlash among human rights defenders and Central America experts for contradicting international asylum laws and appearing insensitive to the reality driving migration.
El Salvador Makes Bitcoin Legal Tender
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly has approved legislation making the cryptocurrency Bitcoin legal tender in the country, the first country to do so, just days after President Nayib Bukele made the proposal at a Bitcoin conference.
Rights Group: Colombian Police Cause Deaths of 20 Protesters
BUCARAMANGA, Colombia (AP) — An international monitoring group on Wednesday accused police officers in Colombia of responsibility for the deaths of 20 people and other violent actions against protesters during recent civil unrest, including sexual abuse, beatings and arbitrary detentions.
‘Do Not Come’: Harris Seeks ‘Hope at Home’ for Guatemalans
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris offered an optimistic outlook for improved cooperation with Guatemala on addressing the spike in migration to the U.S. after her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday. She also delivered a direct warning to migrants considering making the trek: “Do not come. Do not come.”
Peru’s Presidential Runoff Election Too Close to Call
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A rural teacher-turned-political novice and the daughter of an imprisoned former president traded the lead Monday in a tight race for Peru’s presidency in a runoff election as the coronavirus pandemic continues to batter the Andean country.
From EL FARO ENGLISH: Bukele Wants Us to Talk About Bitcoin
The reason remains unclear against an increasingly complex political and economic backdrop in El Salvador.
Mexico President Appears to Hold Key Majority in Elections
MEXICO CITY (AP) — President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s party and its allies on Monday appeared poised to maintain their majority in Mexico’s lower chamber of the congress, but fell short of a two-thirds majority as some voters boosted the struggling opposition, according to initial election results.
Harris Says Leaders Need to Restore Hope in Guatemala
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday emphasized the need to restore hope for residents of struggling Central American nations to help address the increase in migration from the region as she faced the first major test of her diplomatic skills on a three-day foreign trip.
OPINION: The Racialization of Violence in Colombia
As protests grip Colombia, old wounds of structural racism have resurfaced through the criminalization of Indigenous and Black communities.
Daughter of Imprisoned Ex-President Leads Peru’s Election
LIMA, Peru (AP) — The daughter of an imprisoned former president was leading the race for Peru’s presidency late Sunday, hours after polls closed in a runoff election held as the coronavirus pandemic continues to batter the Andean country.
US Taps Groups to Pick Asylum-Seekers to Allow Into Country
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Biden administration has quietly tasked six humanitarian groups with recommending which migrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S. instead of being rapidly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers that block people from seeking asylum.
Corporate Media vs. Bolivian Democracy
Latino Rebels Radio: June 4, 2021
Mexico’s Midterms Raise Question of López Obrador’s Legacy
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president depicts Sunday’s congressional, state and local elections as the last opportunity to keep conservatives from returning to power, while opponents say it is a twilight battle to defend the country’s democratic institutions against a powerful populist. Security analysts worry that gangs and drug cartels are playing a role in local politics in some towns, after the killings of about three dozen candidates.
Bukele: Opposition Will Never Return to Power
El Faro confirmed that both the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the High Command of the National Civil Police also stood for the oath and pledged their loyalty to the president.
OPINION: Will VP Harris Continue to Overlook Guatemalan History?
The question to ask is simple: Will the message finally change or will we continue to see a tone-deaf administration ignore history?
The Crisis Continues in Brazil
May was a complicated month for Brazil and Brazilians. It was one more month in an endless series of catastrophes and governmental irresponsibility.
From the First Line of Colombian Youth Protesting the Government of Iván Duque
“People are on the streets because they realize what is happening, what is killing them right in their faces,” Marco explains.