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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 14th 2026 - 14:59 UTC

Politics

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 16:21 UTC

    Nicaragua crisis: Many seek to flee the country

    As the crackdown progresses, the barrage of passport applications has increased markedly in the last two weeks.

    As the crisis worsens in Nicaragua, pressure on the part of society that demands the resignation of President Daniel Ortega remains. This generates that, in many cities like Masaya, the streets are blocked with more than 200 barricades while their neighbors organize to guarantee security and collect food for the protesters who are entrenched, resisting the paramilitary siege against the city. However, there has been an overflow of passport applications in recent weeks.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:57 UTC

    Petrobras ex-CEO becomes head of Brazilian giant food processor BRF

    Parente was elected BRF chairman in April when shareholders were seeking a management overhaul in the wake of a food safety probe and poor results.

    The board of Brazilian food processor BRF SA on Thursday elected Chairman Pedro Parente to the additional post of chief executive, the company said in a securities filing. Parente, the former CEO of state-controlled oil company Petrobras will hold both positions for an initial period of 180 days, BRF said.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:55 UTC

    Markets waiting for Trump's announcement on US$ 50bn tariffs against China

    It is not clear when Trump will activate the measures, rising Sino-U.S. trade tensions, and putting additional pressure on China’s economy

    Asian shares wobbled on Friday as investors braced for U.S. tariffs against China, while the Euro flirted with two-week lows after a cautious European Central Bank indicated it would not raise interest rates for some time. U.S. President Donald Trump has made up his mind to impose “pretty significant” tariffs and will unveil a list targeting US$ 50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday, an administration official said. Beijing has warned that it was ready to respond.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:51 UTC

    Theresa May again on the edge: Pro-EU Tories backing for crucial Brexit votes questioned

    Leading pro-Europe Tory rebel Dominic Grieve argues the wording of the compromise reached with PM Theresa May has been changed and is unacceptable

    A UK government's compromise to avoid a Commons defeat on Brexit has been rejected as “unacceptable” by leading rebel Dominic Grieve. Prime Minister Theresa May had convinced most rebels - who want MPs to have the final say - to back her in a key vote on Tuesday night by giving them assurances. But the wording of the promised compromise has now been published.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:48 UTC

    Ortega launches deadly police and paramilitary repression against activists in Nicaragua

    The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) raised to 162 the death toll from two months of sociopolitical upheaval against president Daniel Ortega

    Activists faced off with Nicaraguan pro-government forces in hours of deadly clashes on Thursday amid a nationwide strike to protest government repression of dissent that has left at least 162 dead, including an altar boy. Despite the 24-hour work stoppage that gave the capital Managua the air of a ghost town, fierce unrest in other areas persisted, leaving at least four dead during pro-government attacks on activists guarding barricades.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:32 UTC

    Oxfam GB banned from Haiti following on cases of sexual misconduct

    Haiti's government said the decision was taken because of Oxfam's “violation of its laws and serious breach of the principle of human dignity”.

    Oxfam GB has been banned from operating in Haiti after its staff were accused of sexual misconduct following the 2010 earthquake. Haiti's government said the decision was taken because of Oxfam's “violation of its laws and serious breach of the principle of human dignity”.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 07:22 UTC

    Lord West claims Royal Navy does not have enough vessels to look after the EEZ

    Calling for an urgent study, the former chief of naval staff and First Sea Lord said: “This will be a crisis post-Brexit unless something is done urgently.”

    The former head of the Royal Navy has warned of a developing negative situation over the number of ships available to patrol Britain’s coastal waters post-Brexit. Labour’s Lord West of Spithead told the Lords at question time there were not enough vessels to look after the inshore waters and the exclusive economic zone.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 06:56 UTC

    Forex run in Argentina: Macri appoints new Central bank president

    The appointment of Finance minister Luis Caputo to head the central bank follows several weeks of currency volatility that led Argentina to seek IMF support

    Argentine president Mauricio Macri appointed Finance Minister Luis Caputo as president of the central bank on Thursday, after the outgoing head of the bank resigned and acknowledged having lost credibility.

  • Friday, June 15th 2018 - 06:25 UTC

    'Brexit leaves UK isolated from allies and begging for trade deals with ex colonies'

    Lord Malloch-Brown said UK’s loss of influence was exposed at the G7 summit, where Mrs. May was left a “spectator” to a clash between US, Canada and the EU.

    Britain will be left a “mangy old lion” as a result of Brexit, isolated from its allies and reduced to begging for trade deals from one-time colonies, a former Foreign Office minister is warning. Lord Malloch-Brown, who chairs the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said that the UK’s loss of influence was exposed at last week’s G7 summit, where Theresa May was left a “spectator” to a clash between the US, Canada and the EU.

  • Thursday, June 14th 2018 - 21:23 UTC

    Legal abortion bill in Argentina faces an even steeper up hill in the Senate

    Rights groups have criticised a requirement for a judge’s permission, which often results in lengthy delays or denial of the procedure. (DPA)

    The lower house of Argentina’s Congress on Thursday narrowly passed a Bill to legalise abortion through 14 weeks of pregnancy after a tight vote on a proposal that has divided the South American nation.