Latin America

• Monday, March 31st 2025 - 10:25 UTC

  Gellibert appointed again as Ecuador's VP in charge

  

  Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa appointed Cynthia Gellibert as Vice President on Saturday, replacing Veronica Abad, who was disenfranchised for two years by the Electoral Contentious Tribunal (TCE) in a 3-2 decision issued in a gender-based political violence counterclaim filed by Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld following Abad’s initial lawsuit against Noboa and others for alleged harassment.

• Saturday, March 29th 2025 - 10:14 UTC

  Slight drop in unemployment in Uruguay and Chile

  

  Uruguay's unemployment rate slightly decreased to 7.9% in February from 8.1% in January, according to a National Statistics Institute (INE) report released Friday. This represents a 0.2% drop month-over-month and a 0.4% decrease compared to February 2024, with approximately 150,900 people unemployed. The employment rate remained stable at 59.4%, while the activity rate saw a minor decline from 64.6% to 64.5%. It was President Luis Lacalle Pou's last month in office. Yamandú Orsi was sworn in on March 1.

• Friday, March 28th 2025 - 23:40 UTC

  Italy tightens citizenship rules to curb 'commercialization'

  

  Italy’s government has approved a reform to restrict automatic citizenship by descent, citing concerns over the growing number of requests—especially from Latin America—and what officials described as the “commercialization” of Italian nationality.

• Friday, March 28th 2025 - 19:26 UTC

  Ecuadorean President's family linked to cocaine shipments to Europe

  

  The banana producing and trading firm belonging to Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa's family has been linked to cocaine exporting to Europe, hidden in fruit shipments from the port of Guayaquil. Journalist Andrés Durán -known locally as “The Chochologist”- has fled the country due to death threats. He claims to have evidence against Noboa Trading.

• Friday, March 28th 2025 - 10:02 UTC

  Measures announced to tackle racism in sports

  

  Brazil's Government Thursday launched a comprehensive plan to tackle racism in sports, focusing on awareness, monitoring, and education. Key actions include creating a seal and award for anti-racist sports entities, launching educational campaigns at events, and developing a digital platform to track racial discrimination data. The initiative, supported by Ministers Anielle Franco (Racial Equality) and André Fufuca (Sports), emphasizes collaboration with sports justice, media, and government programs to promote equality and inclusion.

• Thursday, March 27th 2025 - 09:51 UTC

  Emergency decreed in Bolivia due to heavy rains

  

  Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora Wednesday declared a nationwide emergency due to severe natural disasters caused by unprecedented rainfall across all nine departments in the country. The move seeks to expedite aid, enable exceptional purchases, secure external funding, and mobilize resources to address the crisis.

• Thursday, March 27th 2025 - 08:25 UTC

  Falklands’ cricket team returns to Costa Rica after 14 years with an excellent performance

  

  The recently concluded visit of the Falkland Islands cricket team to Costa Rica marked a historic occasion, as the team returned after a 14-year absence to participate in a tournament. It was also an opportunity for the Islanders to meet British Ambassador to Costa Rica, Ben Lyster-Binns, a good friend of the Falklands which he visited while a previous appointment as British ambassador in Uruguay.

• Thursday, March 27th 2025 - 04:28 UTC

  The Economic Impact of Renewable Energy Investments in South America

  

  In recent years, renewable energy has emerged as a key driver of economic growth and environmental sustainability around the world. For South America, a region traditionally reliant on fossil fuels and hydroelectric power, the shift toward renewable energy presents both opportunities and challenges. As global concerns about climate change and energy security intensify, countries across South America are increasingly investing in renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass. These investments are not only helping to meet the region's energy demands but also fostering economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing energy independence.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2025 - 20:55 UTC

  PAHO warns of NCDs spreading in the region

  

  The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an urgent call to address the primary factors contributing to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which claim approximately 6 million lives annually in the Americas. At the Regional Meeting on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases held in Brasilia, PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa highlighted that over 240 million people in the region live with NCDs, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, requiring continuous treatment. However, many lack adequate care due to poor management and control.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2025 - 09:24 UTC

  Rubio off on strategic Caribbean tour

  

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will embark on a two-day tour of the Caribbean, visiting Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname on Wednesday and Thursday to address energy security, economic development, and overall stability while making the region less dependent on Venezuelan oil. It is Rubio's second trip to the Americas since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.