MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, November 29th 2024 - 08:45 UTC

Latin America

  • Monday, December 18th 2023 - 09:58 UTC

    Covid-19: First Pirola case confirmed in Ecuador

    According to the WHO, “Pirola” is circulating worldwide and is considered a variant of concern

    Ecuadorian authorities confirmed Sunday the detection of the first case of the so-called Pirola variant (BA.2.86) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a woman in Quito, who has been reported to be stable and “receiving outpatient treatment at home,” according to a statement from the Health Ministry, which is carrying out an epidemiological follow-up and monitoring of the patient.

  • Monday, December 18th 2023 - 09:56 UTC

    Clearing the way for Guatemala elected president to take office in January

    The Constitutional Court commanded Congress “to guarantee the effective inauguration of all elected officials in the 2023 electoral process, in accordance with validation of results”

    Guatemala the Central American country long linked to political instability and extreme violence in solving many of its domestic conflicts, is again a hotspot in the region since an elected president, who should be taking office in mid-January, has been facing growing supposedly 'legal' impediments to his legitimate right, supported by an overwhelming majority of voters who surprised the “political establishment”.

  • Saturday, December 16th 2023 - 10:49 UTC

    Argentine company wants to launch satellites from Uruguay

    Aventura is a nano launch vehicle under development by Tlon Space

    The Argentine company Tlon Space S.A. has been reported to be involved in Uruguay's plans to build an aerospace launch platform on the coast of Rocha to send small satellites into space to collect images.

  • Friday, December 15th 2023 - 10:32 UTC

    Venezuela and Guyana not to use force over Essequibo dispute

    Ali and Maduro will meet again in three months in Brazil

    Presidents Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and Irfaan Ali of Guyana agreed Thursday in St. Vincent and the Grenadines not to threaten each other or use force in any circumstances. The 11-topic understanding was reached in the first round of talks brokered by host Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves as president pro-tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).

  • Thursday, December 14th 2023 - 12:07 UTC

    Can Brazil stop Venezuela from invading Guyana?

     President Lula da Silva with his neighbor Nicolás Maduro

    By Thiago de Aragão (*) The Brazilian government, eager to assert itself as South America’s preeminent power, finds itself at a crossroads. The victory of libertarian opportunist Javier Milei in Argentina’s recent presidential election has added a new element of uncertainty to Brazil’s relationship with its southern neighbor.

  • Thursday, December 14th 2023 - 10:59 UTC

    Ties between Brazil and Argentina to remain despite ideological differences, FM says

    The bilateral relationship will continue well beyond the fact that Lula did not attend Milei's inauguration, Vieira explained

    Brazil intends to keep a good relationship with Argentina despite the ideological differences between the governments of Javier Milei and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told the Lower House's Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

  • Thursday, December 14th 2023 - 10:50 UTC

    COP28 ends up in strong declaration to phase out fossil fuels

    “This is neo-colonialism called carbon colonialism,” Bolivia's Diego Pacheco warned

    Attendees at the closing plenary session of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) reached a final consensus to speed up climate action, it was announced. “It is a strengthened and balanced package,” COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber explained. The document also mentioned the gradual suppression of fossil fuels.

  • Wednesday, December 13th 2023 - 10:26 UTC

    Panama Canal drought hitting world trade

    Things may get worse by February if water levels remain low

    Global trade through the Panama Canal is being severely disrupted by a drought affecting the man-made corridor, which could force shippers to choose other, more costly routes, it was reported. The historic waterway in Central America connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans handles about 5% of international seaborne trade.

  • Wednesday, December 13th 2023 - 10:06 UTC

    New attempt to thwart trading of grains and oilseeds grown in South America's cleared forest land

    The move could bolster conservation for Brazil’s Cerrado, the world’s most bio-diverse savanna, most of which taken for commercial agriculture

    Mercosur and the European Union failed to sign the much-expected and long-awaited free trade and cooperation agreement during the South American block summit in Rio do Janeiro, mainly because of discrepancies over forestry and agricultural land. Brazilian President Lula da Silva said he was committed to signing the agreement with the EU, and will “not give up” until achieved but further hurdles could be in the way.

  • Tuesday, December 12th 2023 - 10:59 UTC

    Macri favors Mercosur single currency

    Dollarization has not been too good for Ecuador, Macri argued. A Mercosur currency would be better

    Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri said in Brazil he supported the idea of a single currency for all Mercosur countries because if the bloc was “serious” it needed “the same rules and the same currency, like the eurozone.”