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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 31st 2025 - 05:03 UTC

Stories for March 2025

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 10:09 UTC

    Peru: Pedro Castillo goes on hunger strike

    The former President wants a new court to try him because the current one is allegedly biased

    Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo Terrones (2021-2022) has begun a hunger strike to protest his ongoing trial for an alleged coup attempt in December 2022. Castillo, who has been imprisoned since the incident, argues that he is being unfairly prosecuted for rebellion, abuse of authority, and disturbing public tranquility, despite lacking military support. He is demanding a new court to oversee his case, as he believes the current one is biased. He also wants the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS) to protect his rights. The prosecution is seeking a 34-year prison sentence in addition to monetary reparations.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 10:05 UTC

    Opposition lawmakers file criminal case against Milei over IMF loan decree

    Milei's DNU is in violation, in the first place, of constitutional clauses, lawmakers such as Victoria Tolosa Paz argued

    A group of opposition lawmakers filed a criminal complaint against Argentine President Javier Milei for signing an Emergency Decree (DNU) to enable a new ten-year agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at canceling non-transferable Treasury bills held by the Central Bank (BCRA). The decree bypassed the traditional legislative process of sending a bill to Congress, which Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo said was necessary given the urgent need for IMF support.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 10:04 UTC

    Founding member of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo passes away aged 95

    “The disappearance of my daughter was a terrible thing, and it still is,” she once said

    Aída Bogo de Sarti, a founding member of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora, passed away aged 95 last Saturday, her family announced Monday in Buenos Aires. She became an icon of resistance after her daughter, Beatriz Sarti, was kidnapped and disappeared in May 1977 during the dictatorship (1976-1983). Joining other mothers like Azucena Villaflor in Plaza de Mayo, she turned her personal grief into a lifelong fight for memory, truth, and justice.“We mothers are saying goodbye little by little, leaving the best legacy we can,” the organization mentioned in a statement.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 10:00 UTC

    Falklands, VSAT Public Consultation Launched

    The proposed changes were recently considered by Executive Council in response to the community petition and Select Committee process that took place last year.

    The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) is seeking views from the public on the proposed changes to the policy that guides the issuing of VSAT licenses and the associated fee level. The proposed changes were recently considered by Executive Council in response to the community petition and Select Committee process that took place last year.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:59 UTC

    The FAO Food Price Index in February was up, boosted by sugar, dairy, and vegetable oil demand

    World maize prices continued to rise, but prices fell by 6.8% in February due to ample exportable supplies and weak import demand.

    The benchmark for global food commodity prices rose in February, propelled by increases in sugar, dairy, and vegetable oil prices, according to the new Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:59 UTC

    Falklands BFSAI stationed, support BAS in reconnaissance mission in Antarctica

    The A400M Atlas reached beyond the 79th parallel, in the most southerly mission the service has flown in recent years. (Pic RAF)

    The British Forces South Atlantic Islands, BFSAI continue to support the British Antarctic Survey following a reconnaissance mission over the Union Glacier, Antarctica.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:55 UTC

    Belgian Customs seize 547 kilos of cocaine in container shipped from Montevideo

    The drugs involved a container in the vessel Grande Nigeria, from the Grimaldi Group, during February according to Uruguayan prosecution sources.

    Customs officials in Antwerp, Belgium seized some 547 kilos of cocaine inside a container with rice that left the port of Montevideo. The catch took place at the end of February and involved the vessel Grande Nigeria, belonging to the Grimaldi Group, according to Uruguayan prosecution sources.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:51 UTC

    Europol and Latin America agree to tackle organized crime, drugs trafficking and resilience of ports

    Europol headquarters in The Hague, where Latin American law enforcement officers met with their EU counterparts

    Ministerial delegations from Latin America spent several days of high level meetings in Europol headquarters in The Hague, aimed at strengthening cooperation between Latin American law enforcement authorities and Europol, enhancing strategic dialogue on tackling security threats such as organized crime and terrorism.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:51 UTC

    Brazil’s trade suffering the impacts of lower prices for commodity exports and rise in imports

    The February trade deficit was driven by a decline in exports and a sharp rise in imports, mainly due to a US$ 2.7 billion oil platform purchases.

    Brazil’s trade balance during February experienced a monthly deficit of US$ 323.7 million, the first since January 2022, (US$ 59,1 million). This compares with a trade surplus of US$ 5.13 billion in the same month a year ago. However despite the negative result, Brazil maintained a trade surplus of US$1.9 billion for the first two months of the year, according to Valor Economico, the leading financial media of South America’s leading economy.

  • Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:08 UTC

    Philippines: Former President Duterte arrested upon landing in Manila

    Duterte was famous for his violent crackdown on drug trafficking

    Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested at Manila’s international airport on Tuesday upon arriving from Hong Kong, following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for crimes against humanity. His detention came in connection with the ICC's investigation into the mass killings during Duterte’s brutal anti-drug crackdown, which spanned his time as mayor of Davao and his presidency (2016-2022).