Latin America

• Wednesday, February 17th 2021 - 09:10 UTC

  Scandal and frustration in Peru: 487 officials secretly received early Covid-19 vaccines

  

  Peruvian interim president announced Monday night that 487 officials took part in the so-called “vacunagate” by taking advantage of their privileged positions to secretly receive early inoculations of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine that the government then bought for doctors and other health workers battling the pandemic. The list includes the former ministers of foreign affairs and health and the former president.

• Wednesday, February 17th 2021 - 08:48 UTC

  Re-wilding Project: the Jaguar has returned to South America wetlands after 70 years

  

  The largest predator in South America, the jaguar, has returned to the Iberá wetlands in Argentina 70 years after the species was driven to local extinction through hunting and habitat loss. Currently, only about 200 jaguars remain in Argentina.

• Saturday, February 13th 2021 - 08:48 UTC

  How Chile became an unlikely winner in the Covid-19 vaccine race

  

  By Veronica Díaz-Cerda (*) – At first glance, it may seem that the race to acquire COVID-19 vaccines has been won by western nations. But alongside the UK, Canada, USA and EU, another country has also secured a high number of doses relative to its population – Chile.

• Saturday, February 13th 2021 - 08:20 UTC

  Ecuadorean presidential candidates accept a partial recount of votes to decide on who goes on to the runoff

  

  Ecuador's Electoral Council announced on Friday a partial recount of Sunday's presidential vote following a request from the two candidates battling for second place.

• Friday, February 12th 2021 - 09:42 UTC

  Brazilian tourism industry lost some US$ 50bn and 13% of sector jobs in 2020

  

  The Brazilian tourism sector lost 261.3 billion Reais (some US$ 49bn) last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Confederation of Commerce, Goods, Service and Tourism (CNC) said on Thursday.

• Thursday, February 11th 2021 - 09:06 UTC

  Magallanes Region salmon farmers agree on an Ethics Code, first in Chile

  

  An Ethics Code to guide Chilean fish farms was announced and apparently accepted by the industry, the Salmon Breeders of Magallanes Region Association said in a release.

• Wednesday, February 10th 2021 - 10:17 UTC

  Next president of Ecuador will have to govern with a fragmented legislature

  

  The recent general elections in Ecuador defined a legislative panorama radically different from the previous one, with two forces that will hold more than 50% of the total of 137 seats, the Correista alliance Union for Hope (UNES) and the indigenous party Pachakutik (PK), and the disappearance of Alianza PAIS, the force founded by former president Rafael Correa and taken over four years ago by outgoing president Lenín Moreno.

• Monday, February 8th 2021 - 10:42 UTC

  Ecuadorean presidential runoff in April between a populist and a conservative banker

  

  Ecuadorean presidential candidate Andres Arauz, and protegé of ex populist president Rafael Correa claimed victory in Sunday's election, although exit polls indicate he will face a runoff on 11 April, according to primary results.

• Saturday, February 6th 2021 - 08:38 UTC

  Latin America's second economy grew 12% in third quarter but still 8,6%, below year to year

  

  Mexico’s economy contracted 8.5% in 2020, the largest single-year drop since 1932 and the second consecutive year of economic contraction, worsened due to the Covid-19’s pandemic. Latin America's second economy, the gross domestic product grew 3.1% in the final three months of the year, according to preliminary data released on Friday by the National Statistics and Geography Institute.

• Friday, February 5th 2021 - 12:25 UTC

  Ecuador Sunday election, a return to heterodox populist economic policies?

  

  Uncertain times ahead for Ecuador, if after four years of orthodox economic policies to try and balance government accounts and restructure foreign debt are followed by promises of heterodox economics and populist handouts.