Latin America

• Monday, February 22nd 2021 - 08:54 UTC

  Conservative banker will dispute the presidential runoff in Ecuador; protests expected in Quito

  

  Ecuador's electoral authority announced on Sunday that conservative candidate Guillermo Lasso will dispute the presidential runoff next April after coming in second place in the fiercely disputed February 7 election. The third-placed finisher denounced fraud.

• Friday, February 19th 2021 - 10:14 UTC

  Investigation into Colombian forces extrajudicial killings of 6,402 civilians; 1,500 military involved

  

  Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) said on Thursday that there were at least 6,402 extrajudicial killings between 2002 and 2008. The figure is nearly three times the number the group received when it began investigations.

• Friday, February 19th 2021 - 08:40 UTC

  Former Colombian leaders confess war crimes and crimes against humanity

  

  During the 50-year war with the state, the demobilized Colombian FARC guerrillas committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, former commanders from the group accepted on Thursday in a transitional justice court.

• Thursday, February 18th 2021 - 08:44 UTC

  PAHO still uncertain about the delivery date of vaccines for the COVAX initiative to benefit 37 countries

  

  With COVAX delivery of new vaccines expected soon in the Americas, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa F. Etienne called for overcoming barriers to ensure “fair and equitable access.”

• Thursday, February 18th 2021 - 08:38 UTC

  Latin America demand rich countries stop hoarding the Covid-19 vaccines

  

  Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard during a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council called on rich countries to stop hoarding vaccines against Covid-19 impeding the poor from being inoculated.

• 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.