Latin America

• Monday, February 19th 2018 - 08:13 UTC

  Mexico presidential race down to three names: Lopez Obrador, Anaya and Meade

  

  The campaign for Mexico's Jul 1 presidential election began in earnest on Sunday (Feb 18) as the country's top parties officially nominated their candidates, with all three front-runners trying to sell a message of change.

• Saturday, February 17th 2018 - 09:29 UTC

  Canada will begin free trade talks with Mercosur in Paraguay on 9 March

  

  The Canadian government plans to open free trade talks with the four-nation Mercosur trading bloc in South America at a time when the future of NAFTA is facing increasing uncertainty. Canada sends around 75% of its goods exports to the United States and is looking for new markets to reduce the reliance on its southern neighbor.

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 23:14 UTC

  Maduro will not be able to enter Peru or the Summit of the Americas

  

  The government of Peru announced through its prime minister, Mercedes Aráoz, that it has withdrawn the invitation it sent to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in November to attend the eighth Summit of the Americas, to be held in Lima on the 13th and 14th. of April; a week of the criticized presidential elections decreed by the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela.

• Thursday, February 15th 2018 - 23:25 UTC

  Maduro announces that he will attend the Summit of the Americas despite not being welcome

  

  Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, announced that he will attend the Summit of the Americas “at all costs” to bring “the truth of the country” at a press conference at the presidential palace in Caracas despite the Peruvian government reported that his presence would not be welcome in the Andean country.

• Wednesday, February 14th 2018 - 09:28 UTC

  “Lima Group” blasts Maduro's call for elections without an agreement with the opposition

  

  The “Lima Group” of Latin American nations plus Canada on Tuesday criticized the Venezuelan government’s decision to hold a presidential election on April 22 without reaching an agreement with an opposition coalition.

• Wednesday, February 14th 2018 - 09:04 UTC

  Another blow for Oxfam: chairman Fuentes arrested for his time as Guatemala finance minister

  

  The chairman of the charity Oxfam International, Juan Alberto Fuentes, has been arrested in Guatemala. Fuentes was detained as part of an investigation into a corruption scandal dating back to his time as Guatemala's finance minister, but no charges have been brought so far.

• Monday, February 12th 2018 - 16:13 UTC

  British government project to prevent corruption in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador

  

  The British Government is supporting a project to encourage municipalities from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to adopt practices which can prevent corruption. The initiative, under the “Islands of Integrity” concept, aims to address the root causes of corruption by encouraging free-market policies and enhancing efficiency.

• Friday, February 9th 2018 - 19:58 UTC

  Cancelled Machu Picchu airport triggers international dispute between Peru and contractors

  

  The Peruvian-Argentine consortium Kuntur Wasi said that it plans to sue Peru in an international arbitration court after failing to reach a deal with the government over the cancellation of its US$525 million Chinchero airport project.

• Friday, February 9th 2018 - 10:12 UTC

  Colombia and Brazil tighten controls along Venezuelan border: thousands pouring in

  

  Colombia and Brazil tightened border controls with Venezuela on Thursday as both nations grapple with a mounting influx of hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants fleeing a worsening economic crisis In a visit to the border region, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would impose stricter migratory controls, suspend new daily entry cards for Venezuelans and deploy 3,000 new security personnel along the frontier, including 2,120 more soldiers.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 09:11 UTC

  With NAFTA on the cliff, Mexico betting strongly to update free trade agreement with Europe

  

  Mexico believes it can conclude a new free-trade agreement with the European Union before the end of February, Mexican officials have said. The EU and Mexico intend to update a trade deal agreed 21 years ago that largely covers industrial goods. They want to add farm products, more services, investment and government procurement, and include provisions on labor standards and environmental protection.