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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 7th 2025 - 13:53 UTC

Latin America

  • Tuesday, May 16th 2023 - 10:39 UTC

    OAS wants Ecuador to offer Lasso a due process

    Lasso is going through a moment of political weakness after losing the Feb. 5 referendum

    As Ecuador's Parliament prepares to cross-examine President Guillermo Lasso Tuesday during his impeachment trial, the Organization of American States (OAS) Monday called for all guarantees of due process to be offered to the head of state.

  • Monday, May 15th 2023 - 10:45 UTC

    Petro downplays risk of coup d'état

    “What happened in Peru will not happen here,” Petro said.

    After a group of retired military officers made dubious statements, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said this weekend that a situation like the one Peru went through is unlikely to happen in his country and that he feared no coup d'état.

  • Saturday, May 13th 2023 - 10:35 UTC

    Repression in Nicaragua on the rise

    Anyone criticizing the government of Ortega can be arrested for treason

    The Nicaraguan regime of President Daniel Ortega and his Vice President wife Rosario Murillo ordered new arrests of journalists and activists for “treason,” it was reported this week. The country's judiciary also banned a group of 25 lawyers and notary publics from practicing because they were stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship.

  • Friday, May 12th 2023 - 10:59 UTC

    Brazil asks US to help Argentine with IMF talks

    Haddad said he feared the far right could gain momentum in Argentina if the economic crisis is not solved promptly

    The Brazilian Government of President Luiz Inàcio Lula Da Silva Thursday asked the US Treasury Department to exert some pressure on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) -of which the US is the largest shareholder- to help Argentina overcome the current crisis caused by the drought while still bound by commitments signed with the world entity, which are holding back the economic development of the South American country.

  • Friday, May 12th 2023 - 10:16 UTC

    Ecuador and China reach FTA

    The deal “puts Ecuador on the map of Asia,” Prado said

    Ecuador and China signed a free trade agreement (FTA) whereby the South American country will have access to a market of 1.4 billion people, it was reported in Quito on Wednesday. It was the second such pact signed under the administration of President Guillermo Lasso, following the one reached with Costa Rica.

  • Thursday, May 11th 2023 - 10:41 UTC

    Colombian president wants compulsory military service to end

    Petro also wants to increase the wages of the military personnel

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wants his country to have more professional armed forces and thus bring the compulsory military service to an end, it was reported Wednesday in Bogota. The head of state also insisted on further funding the activity. In September last year, then Interior Minister Alfonso Prada had spoken about the government's plan to replace mandatory military service with a voluntary one. In the last five years, 460,113 young people between 18 and 24 years of age served compulsorily in the Armed Forces.

  • Wednesday, May 10th 2023 - 10:07 UTC

    Ecuador: Congress to move on with President's impeachment trial

    It will be the first time in 44 years of democratic life in Ecuador that a president will face a possible impeachment

    Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso might be removed from office after the National Assembly approved Tuesday by 88 votes in favor of a motion to call for his impeachment for the alleged crime of misappropriation of public funds, it was reported in Quito.

  • Monday, May 8th 2023 - 10:59 UTC

    Chilean and Venezuelan authorities cooperate to repatriate stranded migrants

    “There is a firm determination of the government of President Gabriel Boric to take charge of migration in all its senses, in an orderly and safe manner,” Sanzana explained

    Venezuelan authorities Sunday flew back 115 migrants who were stranded in northern Chile through the Plan Vuelta a la Patria (Return to the Homeland Plan), it was announced by Caracas. The Foreign Ministry said on Twitter that: “115 Venezuelan men and women are happily returning to their homes thanks to a new day of the Plan Vuelta a la Patria,” an initiative in force since 2018.

  • Monday, May 8th 2023 - 10:45 UTC

    At least 27 miners killed in Peruvian mine fire

    There were people working at a depth of 80 meters when the short circuit took place

    At least 27 miners were killed Saturday in a mine fire in Arequipa, Peruvian authorities confirmed.

  • Saturday, May 6th 2023 - 11:16 UTC

    Ecuador bonds in debt for nature swap includes promise to upgrade Galapagos Islands conservation

    With Ecuador in severe financial turmoil, the bonds were trading well below face value as investors considered non-repayment to be likely

    In a debt for nature swap, Credit Suisse has announced buying Ecuadorian bonds worth US$1.6 billion. With Ecuador in severe financial turmoil, the bonds were trading well below face value as investors considered non-repayment to be likely. Effectively, Ecuador has now bought its own debt back at a knock-down price via a fresh loan from Credit Suisse.