Get our news on your inbox! x

Remember me Forgot password

MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, July 1st 2025 - 14:25 UTC

Latin America

  • Tuesday, October 22nd 2024 - 10:32 UTC

    Former Peruvian President Toledo gets 20 years in prison for corruption

    If Monday's conviction is upheld, Toledo, 78, would not be eligible to leave jail until the early 2040s

    Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was sentenced Monday to over 20 years in jail for his involvement in the Odebrecht corruption scandal in which he was found to have received US$ 35 million in bribes for the construction by the Brazilian company of a road linking the two countries. The 78-year-old Toledo was deemed guilty of money laundering as well and disenfranchised for three years.

  • Tuesday, October 22nd 2024 - 08:35 UTC

    Cuba lives through Hurricane Oscar amid power shortages

    Díaz-Canel had to cancel his trip to the BRICS Summit due to the power shortage coupled with the weather crisis

    In addition to the current electricity supply crisis, Cuba's eastern province of Guantanamo, near Baracoa, was hit by Category I Hurricane Oscar late Sunday with maximum sustained winds of nearly 80 mph (130km/h). Oscar later waned to a tropical storm with 70 mph winds, the US National Hurricane Center said but it could still cause significant flash flooding and mudslides.

  • Monday, October 21st 2024 - 09:01 UTC

    Petro lashes out at 21st Century “slavers” who cry “freedom”

    “It is fundamental today to change debt for climate action,” Petro insisted

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro Sunday lashed out at those he dubbed “slavers” who cry “freedom” but “take human beings and living beings to the market for sale.” The leftwing leader also pointed out during the opening ceremony of the 16th United Nations Conference on Biodiversity (COP-16) in Cali that “the buyer is a specter of death.”

  • Saturday, October 19th 2024 - 10:49 UTC

    Holsey to take over from Richardson as SOUTHCOM Chief

    Holsey will be the first African-American SOUTHCOM Chief

    US Army four-star General Laura J. Richardson is to be replaced as Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Chief by her current second-in-command US Navy Vice Admiral Alvin Holsey, who is to be promoted to full Admiral for his new role, it was announced this week.

  • Saturday, October 19th 2024 - 10:10 UTC

    Bolivia's economy seriously hit by Evistas blockading roads

    “The only thing they are doing is harming the distribution and logistics of products,” Siles also pointed out

    Four days into the road-blockading protests staged nationwide by followers of former President Evo Morales, Government sources said Friday that up to US$ 1.5 billion worth of exports had been affected by the move. In addition, private entrepreneurs have also complained about the damages caused to them by the populist defense of the former head of state under prosecution for rape and human trafficking.

  • Saturday, October 19th 2024 - 09:58 UTC

    Cuba slowly recovering from mass blackout

    Díaz-Canel blamed the US blockade for Cuba's poor maintenance of its electricity-generating equipment

    Cuba was gradually and slowly returning to normalcy late Friday after a power outage that hit most of the country, the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) pointed out in its latest update.

  • Thursday, October 17th 2024 - 06:13 UTC

    Panama Canal posts significant setback in FY2024

    The number of crossing vessels was cut down from 38 to 22 on average between July 2023 and May 2024

    The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reported this week a 29.3% drop in passing ships during Fiscal Year 2024 as a result of the severe drought affecting the interoceanic crossing. A total of 9,944 transits were recorded this year, a significant setback from 14,080 crossings in 2023. A fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 of the following year.

  • Wednesday, October 16th 2024 - 09:59 UTC

    Evistas hold Bolivia hostage of road blockades

    What they seek is impunity for Morales, Alcón argued

    Followers of former Bolivian President Evo Morales keep blocking strategic roads in the South American country causing numerous troubles to ordinary citizens. Although they invoke a series of plausible reasons, the main ground for such a deployment is believed to be the protection of their leader who is being prosecuted for human trafficking and child abuse.

  • Tuesday, October 15th 2024 - 09:11 UTC

    EPP guerrilla suspects no longer refugees in Argentina

    Villalba is currently in jail for a kidnapping perpetrated by the EPP

    Relatives of Paraguayan guerrilla leader Carmen Villalba sheltering in Argentina were stripped of their refugee status by the administration of President Javier Milei and could soon be extradited to stand trial, it was reported in Asunción. “The news that we have confirmed is that their political asylum was withdrawn, they are not politicians,” Interior Minister Enrique Riera confirmed.

  • Monday, October 14th 2024 - 17:47 UTC

    In a dull campaign and dull candidates, Uruguay votes new president and parliament on Sunday October 27

    In less than two weeks time, Sunday 27 October, 2,8 million Uruguayan voters will be electing a new president, and a new parliament, 99 Lower House members and 30 Senators for the 2025/2030 period.