Mario Abdo Benítez, president of Paraguay, announced on Thursday the rupture of diplomatic relations with Venezuela after threats from the Venezuelan president in response to the repudiation of his new mandate by the Lima Group, of which Paraguay is a member.
Uruguay and Bolivia will be the only South American countries attending this Thursday the inauguration of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro for a second five year mandate. A regime which has become an increasingly international pariah for its non democratic practices, human rights abuses, and disastrous management of the economy creating a major humanitarian crisis with food and essential pharmaceutical shortages while some three million of Venezuelans have fled the country in desperation.
Trade talks between China and the United States this week were extensive, and helped establish a foundation for the resolution of each others' concerns, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday, but gave no details on the issues at stake.
With some eight months to the Argentine primaries when presidential hopefuls for the October election to reelect or oust Mauricio Macri will be chosen, pollster Opinaia, shows that most pre-candidates have a greater negative than positive image. This is possible because of the disenchantment of Argentines with their political system and economic situation.
Car sales in China, the world's biggest vehicle market, have seen their first annual fall in twenty years. Sales fell 6% to 22.7 million units in 2018, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
A coalition of rightwing parties will rule Spain's most populous region, Andalusia, for the first time in 36 years under a deal with the far right. The conservative Popular Party (PP) will rule along with the centre-right Citizens.
Rebel Conservative MPs joined forces on Wednesday with Labour to inflict a fresh blow on Theresa May's government in a Commons Brexit vote. It means the government will have to come up with revised plans within three days if Mrs May's EU withdrawal deal is rejected by MPs next week.
President Donald Trump has walked out of a meeting with Democratic leaders as negotiations broke down on the 19th day of a US government shutdown. The Republican president ended talks after Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer stuck by their refusal to fund his planned US-Mexico border wall.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday warned he could take “diplomatic measures” against Latin American nations that signed a statement last week describing his second term, which starts on Thursday, as illegitimate.
Venezuela’s defense minister told socialist President Nicolas Maduro to step down last month, and said he would offer his own resignation if he did not, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing an anonymous U.S. intelligence official.