Argentina angry after Spain accuses President Javier Milei of drug use
Sunday, May 5,2024,04:01

The two sides were engaged in a diplomatic feud after Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente suggested Milei was on drugs. .. read more..

Japanese PM discusses Mercosur FTA with Paraguay's President
Saturday, May 4,2024,10:59

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Friday in Asunción to strengthen bilateral ties as well as to further discuss a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). Peña, who holds the group's rotating presidency, expressed in a statement his “fervent desire” to “move forward with a free trade agreement between Mercosur and Japan.” .. read more..

Milei's Office condemns slanderous statements by Spanish official
Saturday, May 4,2024,10:55

The Government of Argentina was angered Friday after Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente said President Javier Milei was “ingesting substances.” Casa Rosada replied with a communiqué outlining the alleged involvement of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's wife in a case of corruption that nearly led to his resignation and insisted Madrid should remain focused on those affairs. .. read more..

Porto Alegre Airport shut down until further notice due to storms
Saturday, May 4,2024,10:47

In a move to preserve the safety of workers and passengers alike, the Salgado Filho Airport serving the city of Porto Alegre, the capital of the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul, has announced it would be suspending all operations until further notice, Agencia Brasil reported. The Gaúcho State is going through a heavy storm and subsequent floods that have already left nearly 40 people dead and the number is expected to grow given the number of persons still unaccounted for. .. read more..

President Lula tells Japan’s Kishida to try Brazilian beef in bid to score ex...
Saturday, May 4,2024,07:48

Lula pushed the visiting leader to buy Brazilian beef, saying ‘our meat is cheaper and of better quality than the meat you buy’. .. read more..

3 bodies found after Australian, US surfers go missing in Mexico
Saturday, May 4,2024,03:40

Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend Jack Carter went missing last week during a surfing trip in Baja California state. .. read more..

Lula pledges federal assistance to flood-ridden Rio Grande do Sul State
Friday, May 3,2024,21:16

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite that the federal administration would spare no effort assisting the southeastern State get through the current heavy storms that have left at least 32 casualties, Agencia Brasil reported. The number of confirmed fatalities is expected to be higher as dozens of people were still unaccounted for. .. read more..

Cinco De "Ut Oh": Mexico Investors Face "Dead Money" Scenario As Economy Slow...
Friday, May 3,2024,18:09

Banxico’s survey of economists on May  2 has GDP falling to 2.26%, and inflation rising to 4.16%, meaning interest rate cuts likely on hold. ‘De-Risking’ from China seen as a long-term positive for Mexico. Mexico investors may be in for a volatile few weeks with the economy petering out even as inflation rises, casting serious doubts about interest rate cuts next week. Global investors who like the long-term view of Mexico may want to sit on the sidelines to see if the Mexican stock market tracks the macro trends of the country. The iShares MSCI Mexico (ARCA: EWW) ETF is up 12.45% over the last six months, clobbering large Latin American rival, the iShares MSCI Braz... .. read more..

Mondino says all Chinese people look the same and becomes social media laughi...
Friday, May 3,2024,10:59

Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino took heavy social media flak Thursday after her remarks in a newspaper interview that all Chinese people looked the same. Therefore nobody could know whether or not the staff at the controversial base in the Neuquén province were scientists. .. read more..

Uruguay: Exports grow 27% interannually in April
Friday, May 3,2024,10:59

According to a study from the government's Uruguay XXI Institute released Thursday in Montevideo, the South American country's exports of soybeans, beef, live cattle, and cellulose drove the total sales abroad to a 27% growth in April from last year's figures during the same month and a 5% increase in the first third of 2024. .. read more..

Heavy storms: Rio Grande do Sul's number of fatalities updated to 29
Friday, May 3,2024,10:24

The number of fatalities in Southeastern Brazil was updated to 29 on Thursday after at least 203 cities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul were hit by heavy storms, which are also forecast to move on to neighboring Santa Catarina over the next few days. Some 60 people are still missing, it was also reported. A hydroelectric dam broke near Bento Gonçalves, raising the alert status. .. read more..

Argentina's BCRA again lowers basic interest rates in less than one week
Thursday, May 2,2024,19:39

Argentina's Central Bank (BCRA) once again lowered the benchmark interest rate from 60% to 50%. It was the fifth cutdown since the Libertarian administration of President Javier Milei took office in December last year. Thus, yields from fixed-term deposits will fall monthly from the current 5% per month to 4.2% for an annual effective rate of 64.8%. .. read more..

Argentina: Drop in retail prices expected soon
Thursday, May 2,2024,19:11

In line with President Javier Milei's chainsaw politics to curb inflation, Argentine supermarkets expect a drop in retail prices shortly once imported items arrive to compete with local production as agreed upon with the Economy Ministry in March, it was reported in Buenos Aires. .. read more..

Dengue fever causes over 2,000 deaths so far this year in Brazil
Thursday, May 2,2024,10:24

Dengue fever has killed over 2,000 people in Brazil while almost 4.2 million cases of the malady have been confirmed this year in South America's largest country. The incidence rate of the disease is 2,056.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. .. read more..

Colombia breaks up with Israel over Gaza deployment
Thursday, May 2,2024,10:16

Colombian President Gustavo Petro Wednesday announced that his country would be severing diplomatic ties with Israel as of Thursday over the latter's military deployment in Gaza at the behest of its "genocidal" head of government. Petro also insisted that "if Palestine dies, humanity dies." .. read more..

Petrobras hits new environmental achievement
Thursday, May 2,2024,10:04

Brazil's state-run Petrobras oil company announced this week a 41% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions between 2015 and 2023, Agencia Brasil reported. The result was “exceptional,” said Petrobras' Energy Transition and Sustainability Director Maurício Tolmasquim. .. read more..

Falklands upgrades compensation for redundancy/unfair dismissal
Thursday, May 2,2024,06:38

The Falkland Islands Executive Council (ExCo) agreed on Tuesday 23 April, legislation updates have been approved for the Employment Protection Ordinance, specifically on compensation for redundancy/unfair dismissal. .. read more..

Maritime traffic partially restored with temporary corridors at port of Balti...
Thursday, May 2,2024,05:15

CBS News is reporting that the port of Baltimore, in Maryland has seen the arrival of a first container ship since the tragic collision and collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in March, with the loss of six lives. .. read more..

The Fed leaves rates unchanged because of lack of further progress on lowerin...
Thursday, May 2,2024,05:08

The United States kept interest rates unchanged, given "a lack of further progress" toward lowering inflation. This means the Fed rate at 5,25% and 5,5% is at the highest level in more than two decades. .. read more..

Colombia to cut diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza war
Thursday, May 2,2024,03:51

President Gustavo Petro said Israel’s government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he described as ‘genocidal’ in its war in Gaza. .. read more..

Mondino assured of China's support for Argentina's stance regarding Malvinas/...
Wednesday, May 1,2024,23:50

Although Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino had the near-impossible task of putting her country on good terms with China despite President Javier Milei's disparaging campaign comments, some common ground was reached this week as the South American diplomat reaffirmed the one-China principle and Beijing backed Argentina's claim to the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. .. read more..

Argentine unions ratify May 9 general strike against Milei's policies
Wednesday, May 1,2024,21:28

Argentina's main unions insisted Wednesday during the Labor Day demonstrations that the plans for the May 9 general strike against President Javier Milei's economic reforms that are affecting people's purchase power were "not in doubt." Healthcare workers union leader Héctor Daer, who co-chairs the General Labor Confederation (CGT), also explained that "We are going to go ahead with the struggle plan that we have been developing. When the measure was announced, Argentina "was bad and now it is worse." .. read more..

Brazil: Unemployment reaches 7.9% in Q1
Wednesday, May 1,2024,19:23

The Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) released by Brazil's Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) this week showed that 8.6 million people (or 7.9% of the population) were unemployed in South America's largest country in the first quarter of 2024, which represented a 0.5 percentage-point increase from the previous measurement ending in December. .. read more..

Colombian Armed Forces report missing ammo
Wednesday, May 1,2024,14:38

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Tuesday that thousands of grenades, bullets, and 37 anti-tank missiles had gone missing from the Tolemaida and La Guajira Army bases. The head of state also explained during a press conference in Bogotá alongside Defense Minister Ivan Velásquez and Colombia's Armed Forces Commander General Helder Giraldo that “there have been networks for a long time – made up of people from the military and civilian forces – dedicated to a massive arms trade, using the legal weapons of the Colombian State.” .. read more..

Panama Canal Authority to explore desalinization plant's potential
Wednesday, May 1,2024,14:30

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced Tuesday that a pilot plan to test the viability of implementing a desalination process was to be carried out in a move to keep the century-old structure fully operational while maintaining the quality of water for human consumption. .. read more..

Brazil: Heavy storms kill at least 5 in Rio Grande do Sul
Wednesday, May 1,2024,14:27

At least five people were killed and 18 others went missing on Tuesday as heavy rains hit some 77 municipalities in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul bordering Uruguay and Argentina. A total of 3,742 people were reported to have been affected, while 95 lost their homes and 6 were injured. Almost 300 people needed to be evacuated and taken to shelters. .. read more..

South America as an expat destination
Wednesday, May 1,2024,14:25

South America is rising as an expat destination, and for good reason. It’s a part of the world where modern cities coexist with vast rural areas under varied climates, all while having a lower cost of living than what you’ll find in major North American and European cities. In addition to these reasons, let’s take a closer look at exactly why an expat might choose South America as their preferred destination. .. read more..

Why China should reassess its strategy in Argentina and Latin America
Wednesday, May 1,2024,08:30

No rational Argentinian politician would risk China’s substantial investments but US offers of free trade to Latin America and steelmaker complaints about cheap Chinese imports threaten to turn the tide. .. read more..

Argentina's Lower House okays extra powers to President Milei
Tuesday, April 30,2024,23:02

Argentina's Lower House Tuesday agreed to grant President Milei on a temporary basis certain decision-making powers originally reserved by the Constitution to the Legislative Branch, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The neverending Parliamentary session also decided in favor of the partial and full privatization of several state-owned companies, among other topics included in the so-called “Omnibus Law” bill -formally the Bases Law draft that Milei regards as the starting point of his “chainsaw” economic policies. .. read more..

Transport strike to paralyze Argentina in repudiation of taxation reforms
Tuesday, April 30,2024,20:32

As President Javier Milei's chainsaw economic policies begin to take shape following the approval at the Lower House of a series of reforms, many of the sectors to be affected by these changes announced Tuesday in Buenos Aires a nationwide air, land, and maritime transport strike for May 6. .. read more..

Argentina: Milei's chainsaw policies underway after Lower House's nod
Tuesday, April 30,2024,19:22

The shaping up of Argentine President Javier Milei's "chainsaw" economic politics kicked off this week with the broad approval by Congress' Lower House of the so-called "Omnibus Law" bill, also known for its formal name as the Bases Law: "It is a fundamental step to get Argentina out of the swamp," Milei stressed on social media. The Basic Law bill has ten titles totaling 25 chapters. .. read more..

UN court rejects Nicaragua’s request for Germany to halt arms exports to Isra...
Tuesday, April 30,2024,14:17

Judges at the International Court of Justice on Tuesday ruled against issuing emergency orders to stop German arms exports to Israel, adding that they remained deeply concerned about conditions in Gaza. .. read more..

China’s exports to Mexico are getting heavier tariffs – is it a sign of more ...
Tuesday, April 30,2024,13:00

With new tariffs being imposed by Mexico on most Chinese imports, observers and analysts disagree on whether stricter measures are being considered – but most say pressure from the US is at play. .. read more..

In 23 years bilateral trade between Latin America and China soared 35 times
Tuesday, April 30,2024,11:16

Trade between China and Latin American countries surpassed US$ 480 billion in 2023, compared to a mere US$ 14 billion back in 2000, based on data from the Customs Administration of the People’s Republic of China (AGA) and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC. .. read more..

President Lacalle Pou and other leaders send Pepe Mujica their support
Tuesday, April 30,2024,10:55

Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou Monday got in touch with his predecessor José Pepe Mujica to offer all the help he might need after announcing earlier in the day that he had esophagus cancer. Lacalle telephoned Mujica at around 5 pm, it was reported in Montevideo. .. read more..

USCG James arrives in Argentina for cooperation maneuvers
Tuesday, April 30,2024,10:42

Donning Coast Guard (PNA) jackets, Argentine President Javier Milei, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich (Security), and Presidential Secretary Karina Milei participated Monday in the ceremony welcoming the US Coast Guard cutter James (WMSL 754) to Buenos Aires for joint actions with local forces to prevent illegal fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South Atlantic. The James will stay in Buenos Aires until Friday. .. read more..

Brazil's TSE fines Lula's team for speaking evil of Bolsonaro in 2022
Tuesday, April 30,2024,10:22

Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) Monday imposed a R$ 250,000 (US$ 48,843.4) fine on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his team for boosting propaganda against his rival Jair Bolsonaro during the 2022 campaign. .. read more..

At least 25 dead in Peru after bus plunges into ravine
Monday, April 29,2024,22:27

A local official on Monday said the incident happened on a dirt road in the Andean region of Cajamarca and the bus carrying more than 50 passengers ‘fell into an abyss’. .. read more..

ICJ: Now Ecuador files case against Mexico
Monday, April 29,2024,21:38

Ecuador's conservative government of President Danie Noboa Monday filed a case against Mexico before the International Cout of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague (The Netherlands) for granting asylum to a fugitive at the Embassy in Quito. Former Ecuadorean Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been sentenced to 8 years in jail for corruption, had sheltered at the mission until local authorities stormed it in disregard of all international conventions on diplomatic immunity and arrested him. .. read more..

Fujimori to undergo medical procedure under anesthesia
Monday, April 29,2024,20:43

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has been hospitalized in Lima to undergo surgery for a tongue ailment after being released from the Barbadillo prison in December last year following a Constitutional Court ruling that brought his 16-year stay at the facility to an end. Fujimori was seen walking through the streets of the country's capital in good spirits on the days before his admission at the Delgado Clinic. .. read more..

Peru seeks to avoid arbitration over Chinese-built megaport
Monday, April 29,2024,20:37

In March, Peru’s port authority said ‘administrative error’ had given Cosco Shipping exclusivity at Chancay megaport and asked a judge to annul the decision. .. read more..

JetSmart: Fate of Argentine national claiming to carry a bomb yet to be decided
Monday, April 29,2024,19:52

Paraguayan Prosecutors were still wondering Monday which course of action to take against the Argentine national who was arrested on Sunday when he claimed there was an explosive device in his luggage as he boarded a JetSmart flight bound for Buenos Aires. .. read more..

Negotiations for a Falklands third humanitarian project confirmed by UK ambas...
Monday, April 29,2024,14:45

Kirsty Hayes, British ambassador in Buenos Aires admitted that relations between Argentina and UK have been “complex”, and London has always made efforts to improve them, but ”there will be no sovereignty discussions on Falklands' sovereignty because what is most important is not our (British) perception or that of Argentina but the Falkland Islanders opinion.” .. read more..

US Seeks To Counter China's Economic Clout In Latin America With New Trade Deals
Monday, April 29,2024,11:23

The United States is reportedly planning to enact legislation that could pave the way for additional free trade agreements with Latin American nations. This development comes as concerns mount over China’s growing economic influence in the region. What Happened : Chris Dodd, former senator and President Joe Biden’s special adviser for the region, is hopeful about the Americas Act being passed by Congress this year, Financial Times reported on Sunday. The Act is designed to consolidate and broaden existing U.S. trade agreements with Latin American countries, and incentivize the shift of production from China to closer locations, a strategy known as “nearshoring.” Ch... .. read more..

Mondino seeking to soothe ties with China after Milei's campaign announcements
Monday, April 29,2024,10:59

Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino is on a crusade in China to discuss bilateral issues with an economic giant with whom President Javier Milei had pledged during his campaign that he wanted no ties. “Not only will I not do business with China, I will not do business with any communist,” Milei announced repeatedly on his way to Casa Rosada. .. read more..

Embraer announces investment for new plant
Monday, April 29,2024,10:27

Brazilian Aircraft manufacturer Embraer, arguably the world's third-largest, plans to invest R$ 2 billion (about US$ 390 million) in a new plant this year, it was announced last week before President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The manufacturer hired 1,500 new workers last year for a 19,000 labor force it had before the pandemic. .. read more..

Milei needs to change the course of his government, warns CFK
Sunday, April 28,2024,12:36

Former two-time Argentine head of State Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) made a rentrée under the limelight Saturday at the opening of the President Néstor Kirchner Stadium in Quilmes, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, in her first public appearance since completing her first term as vice president on Dec. 9 last year. She seized the opportunity to criticize the Libertarian administration of Javier Milei for the unnecessary hardships imposed on the people. .. read more..

She left Malaysia to sail the world seeking freedom, adventure – and the ‘sof...
Sunday, April 28,2024,08:00

Syasya Syahirah Nor Azmi gave up her life in Penang for the gentle sway of a sailing boat thousands of miles from home. Life is good, even if it can get lonely at times. And she misses the food. .. read more..

A woman might win the presidency of Mexico. What could that mean for abortion...
Saturday, April 27,2024,13:54

In a country of more than 98 million Catholics, neither of the two leading candidates – both women – has shared specific proposals on abortion. .. read more..

Peru's PM calls for an end to the "political noise" that earned the country b...
Saturday, April 27,2024,10:56

Peru's Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzén urged his countrymen to hush down the "political noise" that erupted following the decision by the credit rating agency Standard 6 Poor (S&P) to downgrade the South American country from BBB to BBB-. .. read more..