
Foreign Ministers of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur)—namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—gathered Friday in Buenos Aires at the San Martín Palace to advance regional integration amid global trade changes. They focused on eliminating intra-zone trade barriers, strengthening regional value chains, harmonizing regulations, and enhancing physical and digital integration.

Populist Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party surged into the lead in local elections across England and grabbed one of Labour’s safest parliamentary seats, trashing Conservatives and becoming head of Britain´s opposition, underline UK media.

Former Uruguayan President José Pepe Mujica criticized the PIT-CNT central labor union for its inaction during Luis Lacalle Pou’s government (2020-205), noting the absence of strikes and claiming the group only became active under the new leftist government of Yamandú Orsi, which took office on March 1.

Vatican firefighters installed a chimney on the Sistine Chapel roof for the upcoming conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor. The chimney, connected to two stoves—one from 1939 for burning ballots and a 2005 model for chemical additives—will emit black smoke for no election, white smoke for a new pope, and yellow smoke for pre-conclave testing.

The World Bank (WB) Friday approved a US$ 230 million loan for Argentina to enhance job creation and training, supporting the Promoting Employment and Back to Work programs. This financing, part of a US$ 12 billion three-year package following Argentina’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement, aims to benefit over 800,000 unemployed individuals through training, job search services, and socio-labor skill certification, it was explained.

Carlos Lupi resigned Friday from his post as Brazil's Social Security Minister after meeting at the Palácio do Planalto with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, given the ongoing fraud investigation at the National Institute of Social Security (INSS). Although Lupi was not named in the enquiry, he stepped down, emphasizing his commitment to transparency and justice. His second-in-command, Wolney Queiroz, has been chosen as his successor.

The government of Venezuela aggressively rejected a ruling from the UN International Court of Justice ordering Caracas to refrain from holding elections for officials who supposedly would oversee the resource-rich disputed region of Esequibo in neighboring Guyana.

Demonstrators across Brazil marked Workers' Day Thursday with protests demanding an end to the 6x1 schedule (six consecutive workdays followed by one day of rest) and advocating for a reduction in the standard 44-hour workweek.

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale struck the Drake Passage Friday, triggering a tsunami warning for Chile's Magallanes region and Antarctic Territory. Chile and neighboring Argentina carried out preventive evacuations, relocating thousands from coastal areas. Shortly after, a stronger 7.5-magnitude quake hit Puerto Williams, followed by a 6.1 aftershock in the Strait of Magellan. Chilean authorities later downgraded the tsunami alert but suspended maritime activities. No injuries or damages were reported, and both countries continue to monitor the situation, urging residents to remain in safe zones.

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) Alexandre De Moraes allowed Thursday former President Fernando Collor de Melo to serve his 8-year, 10-month sentence under house arrest, citing humanitarian grounds. The decision follows a defense request citing Collor's chronic health conditions, including sleep apnea, Parkinson's disease, and bipolar disorder—as well as his advanced age of 75. Collor must wear an electronic monitoring device and can only receive visits from his legal team.