News from across Latin America

[AlbertC]

Colombia protests: Troops stay on streets as unrest continues

Colombia's President Iván Duque has said security forces will remain on the streets to maintain order, as protests continued for a third day.

Colombia protests: Troops stay on streets as unrest continues

Police fired tear gas at protesters, as anti-government protests entered their third day.

www.bbc.com

 

[AlbertC]

Colombia protests: First protester dies as marches press on

A teenager who became an icon of ongoing protests in the country has died from his injuries. He had been injured by a tear gas canister during demonstrations.

Colombia protests: Call for general strike after deaths – DW – 11/26/2019

Protest leaders in Colombia have called for a general strike after talks with President Ivan Duque failed to bring a breakthrough. Four people have been killed in the conflict with police, among them a young student.

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Keiko Fujimori: Peru opposition leader walks free from jail

Rightwing leader imprisoned for more than a year pending corruption trial says release corrects a ‘process full of abuse and arbitrariness’

Reuters in Lima
Sat 30 Nov 2019 04.04 GMT

Keiko Fujimori: Peru opposition leader walks free from jail

Rightwing leader imprisoned for more than a year pending corruption trial says release corrects a ‘process full of abuse and arbitrariness’

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

Chile football season called off early amid protests

The football federation in Chile has announced it is to cancel the rest of the season due to security concerns following weeks of anti-government protests.

Chile football season called off early amid protests

All matches were suspended six weeks ago due to security concerns amid anti-government protests.

www.bbc.com

 

[AlbertC]

Mexican President Lopez Obrador says Bolivia's leader Morales was a 'victim of a coup'

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has spoken out in support of his Bolivian 'brother' who he believes was unfairly ousted from the presidency last month. Evo Morales has been living in exile in Mexico since November 12.

Mexican president says it was a 'coup' in Bolivia – DW – 12/02/2019

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has spoken out in support of his Bolivian "brother" who he believes was unfairly ousted from the presidency last month. Evo Morales has been living in exile in Mexico since November 12.

www.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Swedish toxic waste poisons Chilean community for 30 years

A ban on exporting hazardous waste comes into force this week — too late for a Chilean community still falling ill and fighting for justice three decades after Swedish mining waste was dumped on its doorstep.

Swedish waste poisons Chilean community – DW – 12/04/2019

A ban on exporting hazardous waste comes into force this week — too late for a Chilean community still falling ill and fighting for justice three decades after Swedish mining waste was dumped on its doorstep.

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Mexican gunmen kidnap 23 people from rehab clinic

Armed gang members have stormed into a Guanajuato drug addiction center and kidnapped 23 people. The incident is the latest in a string of violent attacks that have wreaked havoc across the country.

Mexican gunmen kidnap 23 people from clinic – DW – 12/06/2019

Armed gang members have stormed into a Guanajuato drug addiction center and kidnapped 23 people. The incident is the latest in a string of violent attacks that have wreaked havoc across the country.

www.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

UN: Chilean police abused human rights during protests

Investigators found that authorities have used unnecessary levels of aggression against protesters resulting in serious injuries and even deaths. The anti-government unrest has been ongoing for almost two months.

UN: Chilean police abused human rights – DW – 12/14/2019

Investigators found that authorities have used unnecessary levels of aggression against protesters resulting in serious injuries and even deaths. The anti-government unrest has been ongoing for almost two months.

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Colombia begins exhuming 'false positives' scandal victims

Authorities believe they have found the remains of 50 civilians who were executed and falsely identified as guerillas. About 5,000 cases have been linked to the military's "false positives" policy since the late 1980s.

Colombia begins exhuming 'false positives' mass grave – DW – 12/15/2019

Authorities believe they have found the remains of 50 civilians who were executed and falsely identified as guerillas. About 5,000 cases have been linked to the military's "false positives" policy since the late 1980s.

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Argentina clings to wreckage of Macri economics

Argentina’s Senate approved new president, Alberto Fernandez’s emergency economic package last week. But will the chronically indebted country find a way out of an economic crisis that finished ex-President Macri?

Argentina’s debt dilemma – DW – 12/27/2019

Argentina’s Senate approved new president, Alberto Fernandez’s emergency economic package last week. But will the chronically indebted country find a way out of an economic crisis that finished ex-President Macri?

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Mexican police chief arrested in connection to Mormon family killings

Nine women and children of US-Mexican origin were shot dead by suspected drug cartel hitmen last month

Reuters in Mexico City
Fri 27 Dec 2019 21.20 GMT

Mexican police chief arrested in connection to Mormon family killings

Nine women and children of US-Mexican origin were shot dead by suspected drug cartel hitmen last month

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

'The salt they pump back in kills everything': is the cost of Chile's fresh water too high?

Antofagasta, situated on the edge of the Atacama Desert, relies on a vast desalination plant which provides the city with drinking water – but the waste brine is killing wildlife, say fishermen

'The salt they pump back in kills everything': is the cost of Chile's fresh water too high?

Antofagasta, situated on the edge of the Atacama Desert, relies on a vast desalination plant which provides the city with drinking water – but the waste brine is killing wildlife, say fishermen

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

‘You can’t recover from death’: Argentina’s Covid-19 response has been the opposite of Brazil’s

Argentina closed swiftly, while Brazil downplayed the crisis. The difference is reflected in their pandemic figures

‘You can’t recover from death’: Argentina’s Covid-19 response the opposite of Brazil’s

Argentina closed swiftly, while Brazil downplayed the crisis. The difference is reflected in their pandemic figures

www.theguardian.com

 

[urbanflight]

Iranian Arms, Fighters Bolster Maduro Dictatorship in Venezuela, U.S. Says
Top U.S. military commander for Central and South America cites ‘alarming and concerning’ presence of elite Quds Force

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1334361731011907584

WASHINGTON—Iran has sent arms and dispatched paramilitary operatives to help Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro maintain his hold on power, the top U.S. military commander for Central and South America said Wednesday.

“We see a growing Iranian influence in there,” Adm. Craig Faller, the head of the U.S. Southern Command, told reporters, citing the “alarming and concerning” presence of military personnel from the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran has used the force to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other foreign allies and proxies.

Iran’s and Venezuela’s missions to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iran is just one U.S. adversary backing the embattled Venezuela leader. Thousands of Cubans have been “basically owning” the country’s intelligence service and guard force that protects Mr. Maduro, Adm. Faller said. Hundreds of Russians have also been instrumental in providing support to “keep key elements of Maduro’s military just ready enough" he added.

 

[Northern Light]

Reviving this thread for both major news from Argentina, for Argentina, but also a potentially significant Canadian impact.

Argentina's banking system is teetering on collapse.

The gov't has halted withdrawls and............here's the Canadian bit, ordered the closer of the local outpost of Scotiabank (which is a large player there). The closure is not necessarily permanent, the gov't hasn't seized the bank. But is apparently doing this as leverage to get SB to put money into its Argentina operation, which SB is expressly refusing to do until banking rules are made clear (as opposed to on-the-fly)

Argentina orders banks to close

Argentina slid further into financial crisis last night when the government ordered the indefinite closure of the country's banks in an attempt to prevent the wholesale collapse of the economy.

www.theguardian.com

Argentina's current gov't has only been in place since December after widespread public demonstrations that left at least 27 dead; the country is seeking emergency aid of 9B to avoid national default.