MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, July 23rd 2025 - 00:48 UTC

Latin America

  • Monday, January 13th 2025 - 06:00 UTC

    Boliviana de Aviación riddled with complaints for delays and cancellations

    BoA's main problems stem from the Janine Áñez years, Montaño argued

    Bolivian flag carrier Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) faces substantial fines worth up to 1,472,416 bolivianos (US$ 211,864) for its 2024 noncompliances while five incidents have already been recorded this year for constant delays, flight cancellations, and poor handling of passenger complaints, Bolivia's Telecommunications and Transport Regulation and Supervision Authority (ATT) explained.

  • Friday, January 10th 2025 - 10:32 UTC

    Uruguay advises against traveling to Venezuela

    Montevideo insisted that this was just a recommendation and that travelers may go anywhere at their own risk

    Uruguay's Foreign Ministry issued a statement this week advising against traveling to Venezuela, where “arbitrary detentions and kidnappings” by authorities and paramilitary groups are known to have been occurring. There is even a Uruguayan national among those missing, Montevideo insisted.

  • Wednesday, January 8th 2025 - 10:00 UTC

    Former Chilean guerrilla set free by Bolivian authorities

    Muñoz Hoffman was convicted in Chile for the murder of Senator Jaime Guzmán, among other crimes

    Former Chilean guerrilla Pablo Muñoz Hoffman of the Manuel Rodriguez Patriotic Front (FPMR), who was captured in Bolivia on Monday after 29 years at large, was set free on Tuesday instead of being extradited to his country as previously announced. He had escaped from prison in 1996 in a movie-style flight after which he vanished into thin air until this week.

  • Tuesday, January 7th 2025 - 09:45 UTC

    Fugitive Chilean guerrilla captured in Bolivia

    Muñoz Hoffman was the last fugitive of the four guerrillas who staged the legendary “Flight of Justice” in 1996

    Former Chilean guerrilla fighter Pablo Muñoz Hoffman was arrested Monday in La Paz, Bolivia, after 29 years at large following a movie-style jailbreak using a helicopter. Together with Mauricio Hernández Norambuena, Ricardo Palma Salamanca, and Patricio Ortiz Montenegro, all members of the now-defunct Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front (FPMR), they staged the so-called “Flight of Justice.”

  • Monday, January 6th 2025 - 22:00 UTC

    Paraguay recognizes Edmundo González Urrutia as President-elect and breaks diplomatic ties with Caracas

    Paraguay gave Venezuela's diplomatic mission 48 hours to leave the country

    The Paraguayan Government of President Santiago Peña Monday announced it was recognizing Edmundo González Urrutia of the opposition Unitarian Democratic Platform (PUD) as the legitimate winner of the July 28, 2024, elections in Venezuela, which prompted a diplomatic breakup with Nicolás Maduro's regime.

  • Monday, January 6th 2025 - 09:02 UTC

    Bolivian inflation soars amid political unrest and poor weather

    Road blockades promoted by former President Evo Morales in US$ 3 billion worth of losses

    According to a report released Sunday by Bolivia's National Statistics Institute (INE), the South American country's inflation last year stood at 9.97% amid poor weather, social conflicts, and road blockades that deteriorated the economy considerably. INE Director Humberto Arandia also pointed out that the 2024 figure was the highest in the last 16 years.

  • Saturday, January 4th 2025 - 11:56 UTC

    The challenge for Edmundo González, touring Argentina and Uruguay: can he avoid a new Guaidó scenario?

    After Jan 10th, what happens in Caracas may be key for the region's future.

    Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia visits Montevideo this Saturday as part of a regional tour aimed at obtaining international backing to assume the Presidency of Venezuela next January 10, after declaring himself the winner of last July's elections, according to the voting tallies collected by the opposition. During his stay, he will meet with President Luis Lacalle Pou and Foreign Minister Omar Paganini, who reiterated Uruguay's support to the legitimacy of his electoral triumph.

  • Friday, January 3rd 2025 - 10:26 UTC

    Brazil's Ambassador to attend Maduro's inauguration

    Colombia and Mexico to be represented at Maduro's new inauguration

    President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be sending Brazil's Ambassador in Caracas to Nicolás Maduro's Jan. 10 inauguration of another six-year term in office. Once regarded as close allies and friends, Maduro and Lula do not see eye to eye after the controversial July 28 elections where the Chavista leader was declared the winner despite fraud allegations by Edmundo González Urrutia's Unitarian Democratic Platform (PUD).

  • Friday, January 3rd 2025 - 10:10 UTC

    Covid-19 resurfaces abruptly in Bolivian Dept. of Santa Cruz

    Last week 14 Covid-related deaths were reported in Chile

    Health authorities in the Bolivian Department of Santa Cruz Thursday said that an “abrupt” increase in Covid-19 cases had been detected, due to which they encouraged residents to update their vaccination schemes and adopt all biosecurity protocols. A total of 290 infections were reported last week, 11 of which required hospitalization, including three under ventilation in intensive care units, and one death on Dec. 28. All 11 are unvaccinated patients, it was also explained.

  • Thursday, January 2nd 2025 - 10:04 UTC

    Barbados PM says 2025 will define “the legacy of our generation”

    “In our unity lies our strength,” Mottley underlined

    Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley underlined Wednesday that 2025 would define “the legacy of our generation.” She said those words upon taking over the 15-member Caribbean Community (Caricom) rotating presidency from her Grenada colleague Dick­on Mitchell