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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, June 18th 2026 - 23:21 UTC

Politics

  • Friday, May 8th 2026 - 15:37 UTC

    Venezuela confirms death of political prisoner Víctor Hugo Quero, ten months after he died

    His mother, 82-year-old Carmen Teresa Navas, had submitted multiple petitions to the prosecutor's office and the Ombudsman's Office.

    Venezuela's Ministry for Prison Services confirmed on Thursday the death of political prisoner Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, a 51-year-old merchant, nearly ten months after he died in state custody and following more than a year of forced disappearance complaints filed by his family.

  • Friday, May 8th 2026 - 05:08 UTC

    Lula and Trump declare bilateral relationship reset after three-hour meeting at the White House

    “We discussed many subjects, including trade, specifically tariffs,” Trump wrote at the conclusion of the encounter

    The presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the United States, Donald Trump, held a meeting of close to three hours at the White House on Thursday in which both leaders declared an end to one of the most severe bilateral crises in two centuries of relations between the two largest economies in the Americas. The encounter, formalized as a working meeting, unfolded in a climate of personal fluency and allowed for the agreement to establish bilateral channels to address commercial, security, and regional cooperation matters.

  • Friday, May 8th 2026 - 02:14 UTC

    United States imposes new sanctions on Cuban military conglomerate GAESA amid escalating pressure

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday a new package of sanctions against the Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), the conglomerate linked to the Cuban Armed Forces that controls approximately 40% of the island's economy, in a fresh escalation of the economic pressure deployed by the Trump administration against the Havana regime. The measure is part of the implementation of Executive Order 14404, signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, which authorizes sanctions against those responsible for political repression and threats to US national security.

  • Friday, May 8th 2026 - 01:51 UTC

    First counts confirm Reform UK's advance in Labour heartlands and open the door to a leadership crisis

    Still pending are the results of the elections to the devolved parliaments of Scotland (Holyrood) and Wales (Senedd), expected on Friday afternoon

    The first ballots counted in the local elections held on Thursday across the United Kingdom confirmed the advance of the far-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, in territories historically dominated by Labour in the north of England and triggered the first public expressions of discontent within Prime Minister Keir Starmer's own party, in what various analysts already describe as one of the most adverse electoral nights for the ruling party since taking office in July 2024. The vote, in which more than 5,000 municipal seats across 136 local authorities and the devolved parliaments of Scotland and Wales were contested, opened the door to a potential internal crisis over Starmer's leadership.

  • Friday, May 8th 2026 - 01:20 UTC

    Falklands brace for Middle East fallout with fuel, shipping and supply contingencies

    MLA Goss said supply is covered under the agreement with Stanley Services Limited

    The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and its consequences for the global supply of oil and other derivative products have not bypassed the Falkland Islands, which, as one local lawmaker put it, sit “at the tail end of global distribution.”

  • Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 15:08 UTC

    Lula arrives at the White House to mend fences with Trump after a year of tariffs and disputes

    The Trump administration imposed in August 2025 a 50% tariff on Brazilian products that it explicitly linked to the Bolsonaro trial, a chapter that Lula handled with diplomatic firmness

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was received on Thursday by his American counterpart Donald Trump at the White House, in his first official visit to Washington since his return to power in 2023 and the second face-to-face meeting between the two leaders, following a brief 45-minute encounter on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur last October. The meeting, formalized as a working session rather than a state visit, seeks to consolidate the fragile bilateral truce reached after one of the most severe diplomatic crises in two centuries of relations between the two most populous democracies in the Americas.

  • Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 14:06 UTC

    United Kingdom votes in key local elections that put Starmer's leadership to the test

    This British electoral day is compounded by international tensions that have marked the recent months of the Labour government

    British voters head to the polls on Thursday, May 7, in an election that will see the renewal of more than 5,000 seats across 136 local councils in England, six directly elected mayoralties, and the devolved parliaments of Scotland and Wales, in what various analysts and pollsters describe as the toughest electoral test for Prime Minister Keir Starmer since he took office in July 2024. Polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. local time and will close at 10:00 p.m., with most results expected by Friday afternoon.

  • Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 09:31 UTC

    Brazil central bank cuts Selic interest rate 25 points to 14.50%

    The cut anticipated by markets, marked the second consecutive 25 basis point cut since the Central Bank initiated its current loosening cycle last month.

    Brazil’s Central Bank following its two days meeting 28–29 April of the Monetary Policy Committee (COPOM) announced the reduction of its SELIC rate by 25 basis points to 14.50%.

  • Thursday, May 7th 2026 - 09:18 UTC

    Gun salutes to mark third anniversary of King’s coronation

    The 13-pounders that were used in the First World War are still seeing service – albeit ceremonial this time (Picture: BFBS)

    Regular soldiers and members of the Army Reserve have paid their respects to King Charles and Queen Camilla by firing a number of royal gun salutes on the third anniversary of their coronation.

  • Wednesday, May 6th 2026 - 16:38 UTC

    El Salvador puts 486 MS-13 leaders on trial for 29,000 killings in process Bukele compares to Nuremberg

    President Nayib Bukele described as “historic” and compared to the Nuremberg trials against Nazi leaders after the Second World War

    El Salvador launched in late April the largest trial in the country's history against 486 alleged leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha-13, accused of ordering more than 29,000 killings committed between 2012 and 2022, in a process President Nayib Bukele described as “historic” and compared to the Nuremberg trials against Nazi leaders after the Second World War. The proceedings, held before a specialized tribunal with anonymous judges, represent the first case worldwide in which the “command responsibility” principle has been applied to a gang structure.