Latin America
Thousands of Argentines Protest Against Judicial Reform and Lockdown
Rallying around the hashtag #17ASalimosTodos, protesters marched in Buenos Aires and many cities in the country’s interior.
Indigenous Protesters in Brazil Demand COVID-19 Protection
NOVO PROGRESSO, Brazil (AP) — Dozens of Indigenous people, many daubed in black paint representing their grief and fighting spirit, blocked a major highway in Brazil’s Amazon on Monday to pressure the government for help in protecting them from COVID-19.
Puerto Ricans Resume Primary Vote After Botched Election
Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced lost to Pedro Pierluisi in yesterday’s primary election for the governor nomination of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party.
Luis Abinader Sworn in as Dominican Leader; Pompeo Attends
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Luis Rodolfo Abinader was sworn in as president of the Dominican Republic on Sunday in a ceremony attended by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Reporter’s Notebook: Puerto Ricans Living In The Center Of The COVID-19 Outbreak (A Latino USA Podcast)
A recent investigation by the Puerto Rico-based Center for Investigative Journalism found that stateside Puerto Rican communities are concentrated in areas that have seen some of the highest rates of infection and death by COVID-19.
Protests of Election Delay in Bolivia Escalate
Nearly two weeks of protests against the delay of presidential elections by interim president Jeanine Áñez have escalated in recent days.
Bolivia’s Political Crisis Threatens Hospitals and Patients
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Hooked up to ventilators, 11 prematurely born infants struggled for survival Thursday in the intensive care ward of a Bolivian maternity hospital.
US Expands Influence in the Brazilian Amazon During Pandemic
The U.S. government and private sector have contributed to fighting the coronavirus in the Amazon. Their intentions for the region concern local advocates.
Close Adviser to Venezuela’s President Has Coronavirus
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s communications minister and close adviser to President Nicolás Maduro said Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, as the daily cases in the nation steadily rise.
Nerves Fray in Argentina, Where Some Flout Pandemic Lockdown
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — In Argentina’s capital, authorities closed a bar after customers were seen drinking beer on the sidewalk in violation of pandemic lockdown measures. Some Buenos Aires stores flouted a ban to stay shut, saying online sales are inadequate.
Former Mexican President Peña Nieto Accused of Taking Bribes
MEXICO: Emilio Lozoya, the former head of Mexico’s state oil company, Pemex, accused former President Enrique Peña Nieto of partially funding his 2012 election campaign with bribe money from the construction firm Odebrecht. In response, the Attorney General’s office opened an investigation yesterday. Lozoya was extradited from Spain last month and is also under investigation for corruption. He […]
EU Refuses to Monitor Venezuelan Election, Urges Delay
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The European Union said Tuesday it won’t send observers to monitor Venezuela’s upcoming congressional election, citing a lack of fair conditions for a vote that could erase the opposition’s last major domestic stronghold of power.
Constitutional Crisis Looms in El Salvador Over Reopening Plan
Congress has called on President Bukele to work with them on a new reopening plan, but Bukele has not yet responded.
Mexico City Lets Bars ‘Change’ to Restaurants to Reopen
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The government of Mexico City will allow bars to operate as restaurants starting Monday in order to reopen as part of an easing of the coronavirus lockdown.
El Salvador Waits for President, Congress to Act on Pandemic
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — If El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and the country’s congress can’t reach an agreement in the next two weeks on how to regulate the country’s economic reopening amid the pandemic, it will fall to individual businesses and their customers.
Candidates Denounce Puerto Rico Election Suspension
Many Puerto Ricans waited hours in line outside in the sun only to be told that voting would resume next Sunday.
Ex-Green Berets Sentenced to 20 Years for Venezuela Attack
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A Venezuelan court has sentenced two former U.S. special forces soldiers to 20 years in prison for their part in a blunder-filled beach attack aimed at overthrowing President Nicolás Maduro.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon May Be at 14 Year High
SÃO PAULO (AP) — Preliminary official data published Friday indicate that deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon region over the past 12 months could be at a 14-year high, adding to concerns that President Jair Bolsonaro has failed to rein in destruction of the world’s largest tropical rainforest.
Latin America Surpasses Europe in COVID-19 Deaths
While Europe was hit early by the pandemic, Latin America has struggled to contain the spread of the virus despite long-lasting lockdowns in many countries.
Brazilian Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Special Measures to Protect Indigenous Peoples From COVID-19
Most of the measures the court ruled on had already been introduced by top officials last month and were vetoed by Bolsonaro.
Economy Tanking, Cuba Launches Some Long-Delayed Reforms
HAVANA (AP) — With its airports closed to commercial flights and its economy tanking, Cuba has launched the first in a series of long-promised reforms meant to bolster the country’s struggling private sector.