MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, July 7th 2025 - 08:53 UTC

Latin America

  • Wednesday, April 2nd 2025 - 09:49 UTC

    Maduro defends Venezuela's claim to Guayana Esequiba

    Maduro claimed “Trojan horses” wanted to hand over what is Venezuela's over to imperialism

    Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro staunchly defended his country's claim to the Guayana Esequiba territory, asserting during his weekly broadcast show that the disputed area was an integral part of the nation inherited from Simón Bolívar and backed by over 90% of Venezuelans in a 2023 referendum.

  • Wednesday, April 2nd 2025 - 09:24 UTC

    Panama Canal announces preferential treatment for low-carbon emission vessels

    The initiative will become effective on Oct. 5, with a new phase scheduled for next year

    The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is launching a sustainability initiative by introducing the “NetZero Slot,” an exclusive transit quota for low-carbon emission vessels starting October 5, 2025, in a move to reduce the environmental impact of maritime trade.

  • Tuesday, April 1st 2025 - 19:53 UTC

    Argentina starts pumping gas to Brazil through Bolivia

    Dorgathen said the gas no longer exported to Argentina will go to Brazil, where prices are “more competitive” and in greater demand

    Argentina began exporting natural gas to Brazil for the first time through the infrastructure of Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB), it was reported Tuesday.

  • Tuesday, April 1st 2025 - 10:26 UTC

    Panama extends former President Martinelli's safe-conduct

    Martinelli sought refuge in the Nicaraguan Embassy after being convicted to 10 years in prison for corruption

    The Government of Panama has extended a safe-conduct for former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), currently sheltering in the Nicaraguan Embassy since Feb. 2024 after being sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined US$ 19.2 million for money laundering.

  • Tuesday, April 1st 2025 - 10:16 UTC

    Uruguay: Orsi's first tour as president will be to Panama and Honduras

    President Orsi “could not miss” the Celac summit in Honduras, Lubetkin explained

    Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi will embark on his first international trip as head of state on April 7, 2025, visiting Panama and Honduras, Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin confirmed Monday.

  • Monday, March 31st 2025 - 18:58 UTC

    Evo insists on running for President of Bolivia despite reelection limits

    Evo's spinoff from the MAS has its own flag

    Despite a ruling from Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal (TCP) banning him due to reelection limits, former President Evo Morales (2006-19) is pushing forward with his bid for the Aug. 17 elections. He has yet to explain how he plans to overcome the legal barriers to his candidacy and has already admitted he does not have a Plan B.

  • Monday, March 31st 2025 - 10:25 UTC

    Gellibert appointed again as Ecuador's VP in charge

    Gellibert appointed again as Ecuador's VP in charge

    Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa appointed Cynthia Gellibert as Vice President on Saturday, replacing Veronica Abad, who was disenfranchised for two years by the Electoral Contentious Tribunal (TCE) in a 3-2 decision issued in a gender-based political violence counterclaim filed by Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld following Abad’s initial lawsuit against Noboa and others for alleged harassment.

  • Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 10:14 UTC

    Slight drop in unemployment in Uruguay and Chile

    February was Uruguay's last month under President Luis Lacalle Pou. Photo: Sebastián Astorga

    Uruguay's unemployment rate slightly decreased to 7.9% in February from 8.1% in January, according to a National Statistics Institute (INE) report released Friday. This represents a 0.2% drop month-over-month and a 0.4% decrease compared to February 2024, with approximately 150,900 people unemployed. The employment rate remained stable at 59.4%, while the activity rate saw a minor decline from 64.6% to 64.5%. It was President Luis Lacalle Pou's last month in office. Yamandú Orsi was sworn in on March 1.

  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 23:40 UTC

    Italy tightens citizenship rules to curb 'commercialization'

    The decision comes amid a surge in citizenship applications. According to Tajani, the number of Italians abroad has increased by 40% in the past decade—from 4.6 million to 6.4 million.

    Italy’s government has approved a reform to restrict automatic citizenship by descent, citing concerns over the growing number of requests—especially from Latin America—and what officials described as the “commercialization” of Italian nationality.

  • Friday, March 28th 2025 - 19:26 UTC

    Ecuadorean President's family linked to cocaine shipments to Europe

    The scandal unfolds as Noboa campaigns for reelection against González at the upcoming April 13 runoff, a rematch of when he was first chosen

    The banana producing and trading firm belonging to Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa's family has been linked to cocaine exporting to Europe, hidden in fruit shipments from the port of Guayaquil. Journalist Andrés Durán -known locally as “The Chochologist”- has fled the country due to death threats. He claims to have evidence against Noboa Trading.