MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — The leaders of 11 Latin American nations, including its two biggest economies, Brazil and Mexico, announced on Wednesday a plan to work together to address rampant inflation. The initiative was unveiled after a virtual meeting convened by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He said the aim was to give people access to “food and basic products at better prices” through steps such as removing import tariffs and other trade […]
Tag: Latin America
China-Taiwan battle lines run through Latin America
by Noe Leiva with Hugo Olazar in Asuncion Agence France-Presse TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AFP) — A battle in the intense diplomatic war between China and Taiwan is being fought in Latin America, where Honduras has become the latest country to ditch Taipei and align itself with Beijing. Paraguay will be the next front as it holds a presidential election in April, with opposition candidate Efrain Alegre having vowed to reevaluate relations with Taipei if he wins. […]
Biden sees unity on ‘substantive matters’ after summit criticism
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden insisted Thursday there was unity at an Americas summit, after the leaders of Argentina and Belize openly criticized him for excluding three leftist leaders. “Notwithstanding some of the disagreements relating to participation, on the substantive matters, what I heard was almost unity and uniformity,” Biden said. He said that he saw “almost total agreement” on issues such as managing migration and fighting climate change, and […]
Excluded from Americas Summit, Maduro visits Turkey
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — US, diplomacy, Latin America, summit, Maduro, Venezuela, Turkey, Russia Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for an official visit as other Latin American leaders gathered for a summit in Los Angeles, to which the United States did not invite him. The VTV state channel showed footage of Maduro arriving at the airport in Ankara, where he was received by senior officials of Turkey, an important ally of Venezuela. “I […]
At US border hole, asylum is still possible
by Paula Ramon Agence France-Presse YUMA, United States (AFP) — When a young Colombian man and his family arrived at the US border early one morning, they helped themselves to bananas and water, then sat down in the shade and waited for American patrol officers. Like dozens of others who enter the United States every day through this gap in the fence, they are not trying sneak into the country unnoticed. “We don’t want to cross […]
Mexico snub throws Americas’ summit into disarray
by Shaun Tandon Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — President Joe Biden’s plan to reboot US engagement with Latin America — especially on critical topics like migration — took a hit after key partner Mexico snubbed a regional summit opening Monday in Los Angeles to protest Washington’s exclusion of three far-left countries. What was meant to be a week-long showcase of cooperation risks becoming a display of division, underlining diminishing US clout over […]
Covid pandemic speeds up in Europe, Latin America
PARIS, France (AFP) — The Covid-19 pandemic continued to pick up speed across Europe this week and also began to accelerate in Latin America. Here is the global state of play based on an AFP database. – Global rise – The number of new daily cases increased globally for a fourth week in a row, jumping eight percent compared to last week, with an average of 472,800 daily infections, according to an AFP tally […]
Latin America’s Covid death toll surpasses 1.5 million: AFP tally
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AFP) — Latin America’s death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 1.5 million Friday, according to an AFP tally drawn from official figures. The toll is at least 1,500,350 deaths, with more than 45 million cases of the virus recorded. Brazil in particular surpassed 600,000 deaths on Friday, the second hardest hit country after the United States. After Brazil come Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Argentina in terms of deaths. Peru has the highest per capita […]
Miss Mexico crowned Miss Universe 2020 as Latin America dominates finals
Winning answers of Andrea Meza in finals clinch win .(Eagle News) — Miss Mexico’s Andrea Meza was crowned Miss Universe 2020 in Florida as the pageant returned to the stage on the evening of May 16 in the US (May 17 in the Philippines) after being postponed last year due to the COVID pandemic. The return of the Miss Universe pageant on television and on online livestreaming amid the pandemic was also historic. The panel […]
Chile reports Latin America’s first detected case of new virus strain
SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — Chile’s health authorities said on Tuesday they had detected a case of the new coronavirus strain initially found in Britain, the first such confirmed infection in Latin America. Experts believe this Covid-19 variant to be considerably more contagious than the original strain first detected in China. The case was found in a Chilean woman who returned to the country on December 21 from Madrid, having also traveled to Britain and […]
Latin American countries begin mass vaccinations as Europe fears new strain
by Barnaby CHESTERMAN with AFP bureaus Agence France Presse MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AFP) — Three Latin American countries launched mass immunization programs on Thursday as fears grew in Europe over a variant coronavirus strain that is believed to be far more contagious than the original version. Frontline medical staff in Mexico and Chile were among the first to receive their vaccines while Costa Rica began its own immunization program, with President Carlos Alvarado hailing what “may […]
Latin America to bear worst impact from coronavirus: World Bank
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Latin America and the Caribbean will suffer the worst economic and health impact from the coronavirus, the World Bank said Friday, forecasting a nearly 8.0 percent drop in regional GDP. “Our region is suffering the worst economic and health impacts of Covid-19 of anywhere in the world,” according to Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, the Bank’s regional vice president. He said the findings in the report “calls for clarity on how […]





