Latin America

• Friday, December 29th 2017 - 10:14 UTC

  UN human rights experts condemn pardon of ex president Alberto Fujimori

  

  Condemning the pardoning of former President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, a group of United Nations independent human rights experts have said that the move undermines the work of the judiciary and the international community to achieve justice.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:49 UTC

  Brazil supports Guyana's boundaries which are challenged by Venezuela

  

  Brazil maintains that the settlement of the Guyana/Venezuela Border is final and must be respected, according to the country's Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge. Following his attendance at the recently concluded Mercosur Summit held in Brazil, Greenidge said Brasilia has been updated on Venezuela’s contention that the 1899 Award is null and void, and remains resolute to its original position.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:44 UTC

  Latin America has started to look seriously at Indian economy and opportunities By R. Viswanathan  

  

  Latin America's GDP growth is projected to increase to 2.2% in 2018 from 1.3% in 2017. The Pink Tide  has receded for the moment, giving rise to more centre right governments in the region. In 2018, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Venezuela will have presidential elections. Venezuela’s political and economic tragedy could get worse.

• Thursday, December 28th 2017 - 09:40 UTC

  Brasilia/Caracas tit for tat: Venezuelan top diplomat declared “persona non grata”

  

  Brazil has declared Gerardo Maldonado, Venezuela’s top diplomat in the country, persona non grata in a tit-for-tat move that comes just days after Caracas expelled the Brazilian ambassador.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2017 - 10:54 UTC

  Fujimori from hospital apologizes to “those whom he let down”

  

  Peru's ailing former leader Alberto Fujimori on Tuesday asked the public for forgiveness, two days after receiving a presidential pardon that sparked street protests.”I am aware that the results of my government were well received on one side, but I admit that I have let down other compatriots, and I ask them to forgive me with all my heart,’ Fujimori said in a Facebook video filmed from his hospital bed.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2017 - 10:32 UTC

  FIFA bribes scandal: Peruvian official cleared by US court in New York

  

  A Peruvian football official accused of taking bribes has been cleared by a jury in the United States. Manuel Burga, who led football in Peru until 2014, was accused of taking cash in exchange for distributing marketing and media rights to matches. Two other South American football officials were convicted by the same jury on Friday.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2017 - 10:13 UTC

  Brazil has no plans to name new ambassador in Caracas

  

  The Brazilian foreign ministry has no plans to send a new ambassador to Venezuela, after Ruy Pereira was declared “persona non grata” by the government of Nicolás Maduro. With the ousting of ambassador Ruy Pereira the embassy will be the responsibility of the highest ranking diplomatic in Caracas, who is the business attaché. He is the second most senior and who has spent more time in Venezuela behind the ambassador.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2017 - 09:42 UTC

  Morales insists in involving the Pope in the ongoing sea outlet dispute between Bolivia and Chile

  

  Bolivian President Evo Morales implied in a Tweet that he and Pope Francis had discussed Bolivia’s territorial dispute with Chile during a meeting at the Vatican on December 15. According to the Vatican, the 30-minute private meeting “took place in a cordial atmosphere.”

• Tuesday, December 26th 2017 - 10:41 UTC

  Cuba preparing for transition to new generation: Díaz-Canel should replace Raul Castro in April

  

  The Cuban parliament enacted a proposal that extends Raúl Castro’s term from the original February 24 deadline. The Council of the State underscored that the extension was based on the “exceptional situation” Cuba finds itself in due to costly damages Hurricane Irma inflicted on the island last September.

• Monday, December 25th 2017 - 18:14 UTC

  Ex president Fujimori granted a medical pardon; he was serving 25-year sentence

  

  The Peruvian president announced on Sunday night that he granted a medical pardon to jailed former strongman Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski released a statement on Christmas Eve saying he decided to free Fujimori for “humanitarian reasons,” citing doctors who had determined the ex-leader suffers from incurable and degenerative problems.