Politics

• Saturday, March 15th 2025 - 10:57 UTC

  Canada will never be the US' 51st State, Carney says

  

  Mark Carney was officially sworn in Friday as Canada's new Prime Minister before Governor General Mary Simon, the personal representative of King Charles. He insisted his country would not become Washington's 51st State, as suggested by US President Donald Trump. Canada “will never, ever, in any way, shape or form, be part of the United States,” he stressed.

• Saturday, March 15th 2025 - 10:31 UTC

  Cuba going through fourth nationwide blackout in six months

  

  Cuba has experienced its fourth nationwide blackout in six months, leaving nearly 10 million people without electricity following a failure at a key substation in Havana, which caused a chain reaction that led to the shutdown of multiple power generation units, resulting in a total collapse of the National Electric System (SEN). The new crisis is said to be the consequence of persistent underfunding, outdated infrastructure, and fuel shortages.

• Saturday, March 15th 2025 - 09:50 UTC

  Brazil's STF upholds ban on Rumble

  

  The Supreme Federal Court (STF) of Brazil unanimously upheld the suspension of the Rumble social network, citing its lack of a legal representative in the country. Minister Alexandre de Moraes highlighted Rumble's use for spreading hate speech and attacks on democracy. Separately, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) opposed former President Jair Bolsonaro's appeal to remove ministers Flávio Dino and Cristiano Zanin from his coup plot trial, stating there were no legal grounds for their dismissal. Bolsonaro's trial, involving seven others, is set for March 25.

• Saturday, March 15th 2025 - 09:44 UTC

  Bolivian President admits inability to cope with imported fuel demand

  

  Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora admitted Friday that his country imported 90% of the fuel it consumed at a cost of around US$ 3 billion annually, a significant adjustment from US$ 1.5 billion in 2019. Given the rise in smuggling and the scarcity of hard foreign currency, the crisis seems to have entered some loop. Reducing public sector vehicle use and prioritizing fuel for essential services may not be enough to meet national fuel demand. “What country is going to put up with this?” he wondered.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 19:03 UTC

  Putin invites Maduro over to Moscow for WWII Victory Day celebrations

  

  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday invited his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro during a videoconference over to Moscow for the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Allies over the Third Reich on May 9. In addition, Putin suggested signing a strategic partnership with the South American country as they exchanged their mutual views on current world affairs. In the end, the Chavista leader did not confirm his attendance to the event where representatives from several countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and World War II veterans are expected to be present.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 13:24 UTC

  UN: Bolivia loses voting rights over unpaid membership dues

  

  Former Foreign Minister Diego Pary (2018-19), who resigned as Bolivia's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) last year, has said that his country has lost its voting rights within the global organization due to unpaid membership dues for the 2024-2025 term, amounting roughly to US$ 780,000.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 10:04 UTC

  New euthanasia bill submitted before Uruguayan Congress

  

  Uruguayan lawmakers submitted a new euthanasia bill before the Lower House, reviving a proposal already passed there in 2022 but stalled in the Senate. The bill, introduced by deputies from the Colorado Party (PC) and the ruling Brooad Front (Frente Amplio - FA), is supported by a multiparty coalition including members of the Partido Nacional and Partido Independiente. The initiative seeks to allow assisted death for individuals with terminal, incurable, and irreversible diseases.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 09:34 UTC

  Argentina's CGT announces 24-hour general strike

  

  Argentina's General Labor Confederation (CGT) will be staging a 24-hour general strike against the government of Javier Milei, tentatively set for before April 10. Héctor Daer, one of the CGTs triumvirs, announced the plan Thursday during a meeting with social movements and at the closing of Juan Grabois' Union of Workers of the Popular Economy (UTEP) plenary at the CGT headquarters.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 09:28 UTC

  Venezuela to resume repatriation flights for irregular migrants in the US

  

  Venezuela's Chavista regime confirmed Thursday the resumption of repatriation flights for migrants deported from the United States under the “Return to the Homeland” Plan, following an agreement with US Special Envoy Richard Grenell. National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez announced the initiative and blamed Washington for the delays after President Donald Trump revoked Chevron's license to operate in the South American country. Since the program began, over 300 Venezuelans have been repatriated on three flights.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 19:25 UTC

  Uruguayan President backtracks on horsetaming restrictions

  

  Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi suspended for 180 days a regulation passed last month by the previous administration of Luis Lacalle Pou concerning the National Institute of Animal Welfare (INBA) to prioritize animal welfare in horsetaming (jineteadas). The newly-inaugurated head of State said the measure approved last Feb. 10 was too strict to rural sectors, forcing them to cancel several traditional events.