
Argentine Health Minister Carla Vizzotti Wednesday announced people who have taken a full COVID-19 vaccination treatment will be forced to spend five days in isolation after being in close contact with a positive case of SARS-CoV-2, while the 10-day quarantine will remain in force for the unvaccinated.

Uruguay's Health Minister Daniel Salinas Wednesday confirmed the presence of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the country, which also heralds an overall increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Russian officials Wednesday insisted the launch of the plant to manufacture Kalashnikov rifles in Venezuela had to be postponed during 2021 as a consequence of sanctions imposed by the United States, but the final works have been gaining pace lately thanks to cooperation from local authorities.

The Government of Argentina Tuesday announced an agreement had been reached to keep prices frozen for the 2022 of all items related to tourism for the 2022 summer season.

The Chilean Government of President Sebastián Piñera Tuesday announced the return to active duty of former Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza, who will now be in charge of handling the transition to the new administration of President-elect Gabriel Boric from a sanitary point of view focused mainly on COVID-19.

Brazilian opposition lawmakers Tuesday voiced their disapproval of President Jair Bolsonaro being on holiday for New Year's Jubileum while the state of Bahia was still trying to recover from the lethal consequences of unprecedented storms which have left some 20 people dead after other victims have died after the weekend and thousands remained evacuated from their homes.

Peru's President Pedro Castillo Terrones was questioned Tuesday by Prosecutors regarding his alleged involvement in the unlawful promotion of Army and Air Force officers, a scandal which has already led to the resignation of former presidential aide Bruno Pacheco and Defense Minister Walter Ayala.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has agreed to accept the case of former Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo against the Paraguayan State for his removal of office through impeachment in June 2012.

Peru's Foreign Minister Óscar Maúrtua de Romaña Tuesday received the credentials from Venezuela's new ambassador Alexander Yáñez Deleuze during a ceremony at Lima's Torre Tagle Palace.

At least four people have been reported dead after a group of unidentified gunmen fired shots on two public transport buses late Monday. Another four people have been reported wounded following the attack in southern Port-au-Prince.