Latin America

• Saturday, May 18th 2019 - 07:59 UTC

  Smog disaster in Mexico City, all residents “smoking” half a pack of cigarettes a day

  

  Scientists say breathing the heavily polluted air in Mexico City these days is like smoking somewhere between a quarter-and a half-pack of cigarettes a day.

• Friday, May 17th 2019 - 08:48 UTC

  Sargassum killing Mexico and Caribbean beaches and tourism industry

  

  Tourists looking for sun and sand in Mexican resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have been disgusted by foul-smelling mounds of sargassum – a seaweed-like algae – piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown, and experts are warning that it may be the new normal.

• Wednesday, May 15th 2019 - 09:57 UTC

  Brazilian General: Venezuelans military oust Maduro and lead a transition, or divisions risk a civil war

  

  Venezuela’s armed forces will either depose President Nicolas Maduro and lead a transition to democratic rule or face divisions that risk a civil war, the Brazilian government’s top security adviser said on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, May 15th 2019 - 09:56 UTC

  Environmental emergency in Mexico City; classes and football match suspended, and cars restricted on Wednesday

  

  Authorities declared an environmental emergency on Tuesday for metropolitan Mexico City, one of the world's most populous megalopolises, as smoke from nearby wildfires pushed pollution to levels deemed potentially harmful to human health.

• Wednesday, May 15th 2019 - 09:55 UTC

  Brazil withdraws from hosting a Latin America climate conference next August

  

  Brazil has withdrawn its offer to host Latin America and Caribbean climate week, a key milestone leading up to the annual UN negotiations. Initially set to take place from 19 to 23 August in Salvador, the event is part of a series of regional summits to encourage dialogue between governments and civil society, in support of national climate pledges.

• Wednesday, May 15th 2019 - 09:52 UTC

  Ex Lima mayor jailed after admitting benefiting from the Odebrecht corruption network in Peru

  

  A Peruvian judge on Tuesday sentenced former Lima mayor Susana Villaran to 18 months' preventive detention for accepting illegal campaign funds from Brazilian construction firms Odebrecht and OAS. The Odebrecht bribery scandal, which has washed through Latin America, runs deep in Peru, where the country's last four presidents are accused of receiving illegal payoffs.

• Wednesday, May 15th 2019 - 09:29 UTC

  Guatemala constitutional court bars presidential candidate because she's the daughter of an ex military ruler

  

  The constitutional court of Guatemala has barred Zury Ríos, the daughter of ex-military ruler Efraín Ríos Montt, from running for the presidency. Ms. Ríos was one of the frontrunners ahead of elections on 16 June. The court argued that Guatemala's constitution bars close relatives of coup leaders from serving as president.

• Tuesday, May 14th 2019 - 08:45 UTC

  Brazil will ban violent foreign fans from the Copa America next month

  

  Copa America hosts Brazil will stop known violent foreign fans from entering the country for the South American football tournament starting next month, officials said on Monday. Troublesome supporters identified by border control and immigration officers will be turned back, the justice and public security ministry said. The order takes immediate effect.

• Monday, May 13th 2019 - 13:18 UTC

  Belize votes to take Guatemala's territorial claim to the International court of Justice

  

  Belizeans have voted to ask the United Nations world court to decide Guatemala’s claim that it is the rightful owner of half of Belize’s territory, setting the scene for a resolution to a dispute that has rumbled on for centuries.

• Saturday, May 11th 2019 - 09:10 UTC

  LATAM Airlines for second year running, “Best Global Airline in South America”

  

  LATAM Airlines Group was named for the second year running as the ‘Best Global Airline in South America’ in the Passenger Experience Association of Airlines (APEX) Passenger Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California. LATAM was also recognized for the ‘Best Seat Comfort’, ‘Best Cabin Service’, ‘Best Entertainment’ and ‘Best Wi-Fi’ in South America.