Latin America

• Sunday, December 24th 2017 - 17:18 UTC

  Pope coming visit to Chile and Peru; no reference to the sea outlet conflict with Bolivia

  

  During his visit to Chile and Peru, Pope Francis will honor the country’s religious roots and underline the plight of indigenous men and women. The Vatican said the pope will be in Chile Jan. 15-18, visiting the cities of Santiago, Temuco and Iquique. He then will fly to Peru and, from Jan. 18-21, he will visit Lima, Puerto Maldonado and Trujillo.

• Sunday, December 24th 2017 - 11:46 UTC

  Merry Xmas and Happy New Year !!!

  

  MercoPress wishes.a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to Everybody !

• Sunday, December 24th 2017 - 11:42 UTC

  Venezuela expels Brazilian and Canadian top diplomats

  

  Officials in Venezuela took the first step on Saturday toward expelling top diplomats from Brazil and Canada who have been accused of meddling in the country’s politics. National constituent assembly president Delcy Rodriguez declared both Brazil’s ambassador and Canada’s charge d’affaires as persona non grata, a move which does away with their diplomatic credentials.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 10:37 UTC

  Brazil and Paraguay soccer executives sentenced in US on corruption charges

  

  Two former top South American football executives have been found guilty of multiple charges at a US trial into corruption in the sport: Jose Maria Marin, the former head of Brazil's Football Confederation (CBF), and Paraguay's Juan Ángel Napout, who led South America's football governing body Conmebol, were convicted on Friday.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 09:58 UTC

  Petrobras corruption: Offshore corporation agrees to pay US$ 422 million in fines

  

  Keppel Corporation's offshore and marine unit has reached a global resolution with criminal authorities in the United States, Brazil and Singapore in relation to corrupt payments made by a former agent in Brazil. The resolution, involving three jurisdictions across the world, is unprecedented for a Singapore company.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 09:40 UTC

  Boeing's interest in Embraer conditioned by the Brazilian government

  

  United States manufacturer Boeing Co sought to calm Brazilian concern about a potential tie-up with Embraer SA after President Michel Temer and other officials warned they would veto any full takeover bid for the regional jet maker.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 09:35 UTC

  Chile calls for closer links between Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance

  

  Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Heraldo Munoz called for closer ties between Latin America's two leading trade blocs. Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance should work more closely together, Munoz told the 51st Mercosur and associate members summit held this week in Brasilia.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 09:23 UTC

  Divided Fujimori opposition helped Kuczynski avoid removal from office

  

  Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has thwarted a bid in Congress to force him out over a graft scandal, as an opposition lawmaker accused him of securing votes by promising to free ex-president Alberto Fujimori from jail. Before Thursday evening’s vote on a motion to push him out, Kuczynski urged lawmakers to set aside unproven allegations of graft against him to defend Peru from what he called a coup attempt by the right-wing Popular Force party.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 09:13 UTC

  Ecuador constitutional court allows process to dismiss imprisoned ex vice-president

  

  Ecuador's Constitutional Court gave lawmakers authority to start proceedings aimed at dismissing Vice President Jorge Glas -- in prison for graft -- from office. The court's judges gave unanimous backing to the National Assembly to go ahead with the procedure.

• Saturday, December 23rd 2017 - 08:47 UTC

  Trump administration recognizes reelected Hernandez as Honduras president

  

  The Trump administration on Friday recognized the results of Honduras’ disputed presidential election, despite problems found by poll observers and calls from the U.S. Congress for a new vote. In a statement, the U.S. State Department congratulated President Juan Orlando Hernandez on his re-election, but also urged the country’s electoral commission to examine all disputes to the result.