Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General Albert Ramdin convened the first meeting of the Group of Friends of Haiti in Washington DC on Wednesday. This group serves as an informal platform for information sharing among stakeholders regarding the evolving situation in Haiti, aiming to improve coordination and alignment of efforts.
Amid the uproar surrounding the 50% tariffs on Brazilian products to be imported by the US administration of President Donald Trump, coffee producers saw some light at the end of the tunnel Tuesday when US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said in an interview with US network CNBC that some products not grown in the country could enter the United States without import tariffs.
Brazilian bank BTG Pactual has acquired the Uruguayan operations of British bank HSBC for US$175 million, marking BTG Pactual's entry into Uruguay and HSBC's exit from the market as part of its global restructuring strategy. The deal, announced on Monday, includes both equity and additional capital instruments and is subject to regulatory approvals.
Many rightwing leaders expressed their solidarity with former Colombian President Álvaro Urive (73) after he was convicted of bribery and procedural fraud by a Bogotá court earlier Monday.
Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez was found guilty Monday of witness tampering and procedural fraud, making him the first former head of state in the country to be convicted of a crime. The 73-year-old right-wing politician, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, was accused of attempting to bribe and pressure imprisoned paramilitaries to retract or alter their testimonies linking him to illegal armed groups.
Honduras has extended teleworking for public institutions and virtual classes until Aug. due to a surge in respiratory illnesses, including the detection of highly contagious Omicron XFG Covid-19 variants. The government has also made mask-wearing mandatory in various enclosed public spaces such as hospitals, airports, shopping centers, and public transport.
During his speech at the Argentina Rural Society's (SRA) Annual Exhibition in Buenos Aires, President Javier Milei emphasized his government’s first-year achievements, ongoing reforms, and vision for the future. Among other issues, Milei insisted that his government was seeking an FTA with the United States, circumventing Mercosur constraints.
Uruguay and Chile advanced their collaboration on policies related to memory, truth, and justice regarding past human rights violations.
Haiti has deployed 150 soldiers to Mexico for a two-month training program, part of a larger initiative to train a total of 700 soldiers. This move, announced by the Haitian government on Friday, is a significant step in the country's efforts to combat rampant gang violence, which has severely destabilized the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered the National Navy to intercept and stop any ships carrying coal bound for Israel in response to what he considers to be a genocide in Gaza. Coal exports to Israel had been banned by decree in August 2024, except for pre-existing contracts. However, some government officials apparently disregarded that order.