Latin America

• Wednesday, June 20th 2018 - 07:25 UTC

  United States abandons UN Human Rights Council, “an organization not worthy of its name”

  

  The United States is leaving the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley announced on Tuesday, calling it “an organization that is not worthy of its name”, and marking the latest withdrawal by the Trump administration from an international institution.

• Monday, June 18th 2018 - 11:14 UTC

  Uruguay chair of Mercosur, targets accord with China, exhausted of negotiations with the EU

  

  Uruguay will be handed the rotating chair of Mercosur this Monday in a brief summit ceremony to take place in Paraguay. Attending will be Brazil's Michel Temer, Uruguay's Tabare Vázquez, the host Paraguay Horacio Cartes and in representation of Argentina, vice president Gabriela Michetti. President Mauricio Macri is in the midst of a cabinet reshuffle and waiting for market reaction this Monday following the naming of a new Central Bank chairman.

• Monday, June 18th 2018 - 07:20 UTC

  President elect Duque pledges to unite Colombia and change the peace accord with FARC

  

  Colombia's President-elect Ivan Duque, who swept aside leftist Gustavo Petro in Sunday's election, pledged to unite the nation after a divisive campaign but insisted he would change a landmark peace accord with leftist rebels

• Monday, June 18th 2018 - 07:10 UTC

  Uruguay and oil hopes: a permanent bidding round scheme, after failure of latest auction

  

  Uruguay will move towards a permanent offer process for offshore oil blocks as other Latin American countries have done, after an April auction failed to attract bids, Industry, Energy and Mining Minister Carolina Cosse said in an interview.

• Sunday, June 17th 2018 - 02:35 UTC

  Two radical options will decide the Colombian presidential runoff on Sunday

  

  The first round of presidential elections in Colombia ended with two leading candidates who will face off next Sunday: Conservative Ivan Duque led with 39% of the vote in the first round, and leftist Gustavo Petro followed with 25%. Centrist Sergio Fajardo came in third place with 23.8% of the votes, and his supporters will now help decide the run-off outcome.

• Saturday, June 16th 2018 - 10:02 UTC

  Collapse of Nicaragua's health system condemned by World Medical Association

  

  The collapse of the public health care system in Nicaragua and the breakdown of medical ethics and human rights in the country have been condemned by the World Medical Association. Referring to the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country, WMA President Dr. Yoshitake Yokokura said that attacks on health workers, medical vehicles and hospitals were unacceptable.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 16:21 UTC

  Nicaragua crisis: Many seek to flee the country

  

  As the crisis worsens in Nicaragua, pressure on the part of society that demands the resignation of President Daniel Ortega remains. This generates that, in many cities like Masaya, the streets are blocked with more than 200 barricades while their neighbors organize to guarantee security and collect food for the protesters who are entrenched, resisting the paramilitary siege against the city. However, there has been an overflow of passport applications in recent weeks.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:48 UTC

  Ortega launches deadly police and paramilitary repression against activists in Nicaragua

  

  Activists faced off with Nicaraguan pro-government forces in hours of deadly clashes on Thursday amid a nationwide strike to protest government repression of dissent that has left at least 162 dead, including an altar boy. Despite the 24-hour work stoppage that gave the capital Managua the air of a ghost town, fierce unrest in other areas persisted, leaving at least four dead during pro-government attacks on activists guarding barricades.

• Wednesday, June 13th 2018 - 09:31 UTC

  Start Fund announces financial support for Guatemala

  

  Following the recent Fuego Volcano tragedy in Guatemala, the Start Fund has agreed to provide £182,760 (1.8 million quetzals) to international humanitarian organisations, reported the UK embassy in Guatemala City..

• Wednesday, June 13th 2018 - 08:30 UTC

  Opinion polls confirm Duque as winner in Colombia's presidential runoff

  

  Right wing candidate Ivan Duque looks set to win Colombia’s presidential run-off on June 17, two polls published on Friday indicated, as he held on to his long-running lead over leftist Gustavo Petro.