Latin America

Thursday, January 2nd 2020 - 08:41 UTC
Mexican president openly admits the power of drug lords

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declared an end to the days of collusion between crime and government, saying in a holiday address there was a time when drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was as powerful as the country's president.
Thursday, January 2nd 2020 - 08:35 UTC
Colombia's capital first woman mayor promises to fight “racism, class distinctions and xenophobia”

Bogota's first woman mayor Claudia Lopez took office on Wednesday, promising leadership in the troubled Colombian capital and pledging to fight “racism, class distinctions and xenophobia.”
Tuesday, December 31st 2019 - 12:30 UTC
Bolivia/Spain/Mexico spat escalates with the expulsion of diplomats

Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Añez announced on Monday that the country will expel Mexico's ambassador and two Spanish diplomats, drawing a tit-for-tat response from Madrid as a dispute over an alleged attempt to extract an ex-government aide escalated.
Tuesday, December 31st 2019 - 12:24 UTC
Nicaragua president Ortega's authoritarian regime Ortega releases 91 opposition prisoners

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government on Monday released 91 opposition prisoners held following a deadly crackdown on 2018 protests in the Central American country. Among those released was Belgian-born student leader Amaya Coppens, her family and a local rights organization said.
Monday, December 30th 2019 - 09:50 UTC
Ex judge Moro chosen as one of the decade's personalities by the Financial Times

Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro was chosen as one of the fifty personalities of the decade by the Financial Times, a list which includes activists, politicians, business people and sports persons from all over the world.
Monday, December 30th 2019 - 09:40 UTC
Spain/Bolivia/Mexico spat over an alleged attempt to rescue ex president Morales aids accused of sedition

Bolivia accused Spain of an abortive attempt to extract a wanted former government aid from Mexico's embassy in La Paz, prompting a sharp denial from Madrid. It was the latest twist in a murky incident on Friday involving embassy personnel in the Bolivian capital that has sparked a bitter diplomatic spat.
Saturday, December 28th 2019 - 09:27 UTC
Outbreak of chicken pox among migrants returned to Mexico from US

An outbreak of chicken pox has forced the temporary closure of a shelter housing Central American migrants sent to Mexico from the United States, Mexican authorities said on Friday, as officials sought to contain the highly contagious virus.
Saturday, December 28th 2019 - 09:20 UTC
Peru fines McDonald's local franchise US$ 250.000 for safety violations that electrocuted two employees

Peruvian authorities on Thursday fined the local owner of a McDonald's franchise US$250,000 for serious safety violations after two employees were electrocuted to death. Two workers, an 18-year-old man and a woman, died on Dec 15 while cleaning the kitchen of a McDonald's in Pueblo Libre, in the Lima province.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Mexico/Bolivia spat over embassy security ring: both sides willing to take the case to The Hague

Mexico's government said on Thursday it was appealing to the International Court of Justice to ensure its diplomatic facilities were respected in Bolivia following its decision to grant asylum to nine people there.
Thursday, December 26th 2019 - 12:25 UTC
Morales claims he was ousted in a coup sponsored by the US aimed at taking over Bolivia's lithium resources

Former Bolivia president Evo Morales told news agencies in Buenos Aires last Tuesday that he was forced from office by a United States-backed coup d'etat aimed at gaining access to the South American country's vast lithium resources.