MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, August 2nd 2025 - 15:45 UTC

Latin America

  • Tuesday, July 22nd 2025 - 10:55 UTC

    Santiago Summit: Leaders agree that democracy is under threat

    “it is never a bad time to strengthen democracy,” Boric underlined

    Progressive leaders convened in Santiago de Chile Monday at the “Democracy Forever” event hosted by President Gabriel Boric Font, during which they concurred on the importance of strengthening multilateralism in a world facing “deep uncertainty.” This summit was a continuation of the “In defense of democracy: fighting extremism” initiative, previously held during the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

  • Tuesday, July 22nd 2025 - 10:54 UTC

    Argentina relaxes visa requirements for Chinese and Dominican nationals

    Milei has publicly shifted his position, now viewing China as an “interesting partner”

    The Argentine government of President Javier Milei has implemented a new policy allowing automatic entry for Chinese and Dominican Republic nationals who possess a valid US visa, effective Tuesday. This measure, outlined in Resolution 316/2025, is a reciprocal gesture following China's decision in May to waive visa requirements for Argentine citizens for tourism and business purposes until May 31, 2026. The Dominican Republic also exempts Argentines from visa requirements for tourism.

  • Tuesday, July 22nd 2025 - 10:03 UTC

    Pharmaceutical industry crisis deepens Bolivia's plight with measles

    Outdated reference prices is also affecting Bolivia's pharmaceutical industry

    Bolivia, currently grappling with a measles outbreak, has reported a pharmaceutical industry crisis exacerbated by a dollar shortage. Additionally, the country is also dealing with low influenza vaccination rates among vulnerable groups.

  • Monday, July 21st 2025 - 19:48 UTC

    Ecuador extradites alias “Fito” to the United States

    If convicted, Macías could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years

    Ecuadorean drug trafficking gang leader José Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias “Fito” was extradited late Sunday to the United States. The head of the “Los Choneros” organization was considered one of the country's most notorious criminals, whose escape from jail in 2024 triggered a violence wave that forced President Daniel Noboa to declare an internal “armed conflict.” Fito was recaptured on June 25.

  • Monday, July 21st 2025 - 10:59 UTC

    Five progressive leaders holding key summit in Santiago

    The proposals developed at this summit will be presented at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September in New York

    The Presidents of Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Colombia, plus Spain's Prime Minister, are to convene on Monday in Santiago to share the so-called “Democracy Forever” event, a follow-up to a 2024 initiative focused on combating extremism. This year's agenda will cover strengthening democracy and multilateralism, reducing inequalities, as well as combating disinformation and regulating emerging technologies.

  • Monday, July 21st 2025 - 10:45 UTC

    Argentina raises alert level over possible presence of Iranian agents

    In addition to the Triple Frontier, authorities know they need to keep an eye on the Bolivian border given that country's ties with Iran

    Argentine authorities have upped the security measures around the so-called Triple Frontier encompassing Puerto Iguazú (Argentina), Foz do Iguaçú (Brazil), and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) out of concerns over the possible entry of Iranian agents, in addition to the suspected presence of Hezbollah “sleeper cells” in the country.

  • Monday, July 21st 2025 - 10:13 UTC

    Bolivia stepping up efforts to tackle measles

    The exercise simulated the arrival of a flight from abroad with suspected measles cases

    Bolivia is stepping up its efforts to combat a potential measles outbreak, with the Health Ministry conducting an international health emergency drill at El Alto International Airport and the Education Ministry implementing mandatory vaccination checks for students.

  • Saturday, July 19th 2025 - 10:45 UTC

    Demand for Bolivian coffee on the rise

    Bolivian coffee has potential for further growth and diversification of destinations, it was explained

    Although not typically associated with Bolivia, this South American country has exported over 27,000 tons of high-quality coffee in the past decade, generating over US$108 million in revenue.

  • Friday, July 18th 2025 - 16:27 UTC

    The Role of Slurry Pumping in Modern Oil, Gas, and Mining Operations

    Photo: Bombas & Dragas Ecuador

    The oil, gas, and mining sectors are the backbone of industrial progress and energy supply. These industries rely on large-scale extraction, transport, and processing of heavy materials. One of the critical technologies that enable these operations to function smoothly is slurry pumping — a process essential for handling abrasive, dense, and often corrosive mixtures of solids and liquids.

  • Friday, July 18th 2025 - 09:53 UTC

    Petro's rift with Márquez deepens over possible porn actress' appointment

    Márquez used to be Petro's Equality Minister until she resigned

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro's rift with Vice President Francia Márquez became more evident Thursday during a televised cabinet meeting during which the possible appointment of former porn actress Amaranta Hank (born Alejandra Ocaña) as Minister of Equality and Equity was discussed. That position had been held by Márquez, who chose to reisgn earlier this year.