Tag Archives: South America

Colombian Constitutional Court Decriminalizes Abortion

The New York Times reports: Having an abortion is no longer a crime under Colombian law, the country’s top court on constitutional matters ruled on Monday, in a decision that paves the way for the procedure to become widely available across this historically conservative, Catholic country. The ruling by Colombia’s Constitutional Court follows years of organizing by women across Latin …

Read More »

Bolsonaro Hospitalized With Intestinal Obstruction

ABC News reports: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was taken to a Sao Paulo hospital early Monday with a suspected intestinal obstruction, the country’s media reported. Globo reported that Bolsonaro returned to the Brazilian capital during the night from a New Year break on the coast and was immediately taken to Hospital Vila Nova Star. Globo quoted Bolsonaro’s doctor, Antônio Luiz …

Read More »

Chilean Lawmakers Legalize Same-Sex Marriage [Video]

The New York Times reports: Lawmakers in Chile on Tuesday legalized same-sex marriage, a landmark victory for gay rights activists that underscores how profoundly the country’s politics and society have shifted in the past decade. By overwhelming majorities in both chambers, lawmakers put the unions of same-sex couples on par with others, making Chile the 31st nation to allow gay …

Read More »

Chile On Verge Of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

The Associated Press reports: A measure to legalize marriage and adoption by same-sex couples was approved by the lower house of Chile’s Congress on Tuesday, moving it close to final adoption. It had already passed the Senate. The bill approved 101-30 now awaits only final modifications related to the rights of same sex couples. President Sebastián Piñera has indicated he …

Read More »

Bolsonaro: I’ll Be Killed, Arrested, Or Declared Winner

Reuters reports: Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday that he had three options: victory in the 2022 presidential election, death or prison. “I have three options: arrest, killing, and victory,” he said at a rally of evangelical leaders. Bolsonaro later added that the first option was out of the question. “No one on earth threatens me.” Bolsonaro follows …

Read More »

Fears Rise That Bolsonaro Plans Military Takeover

The Washington Post reports: In a television interview two decades ago, the fringe congressman didn’t hesitate to say it: If he were president, he would shut down the Brazilian congress and stage a military takeover. “There’s not even the littlest doubt,” Jair Bolsonaro said. “I’d stage a coup the same day [I became president,] the same day. Congress doesn’t work. …

Read More »

Chilean Senate Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Michael Lavers reports at the Washington Blade: The Chilean Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. The vote took place less than a month after President Sebastián Piñera announced he supports marriage equality and urged lawmakers in the South American country to quickly act on the issue. The bill now goes to the …

Read More »

Full Trump: Bolsonaro Sows Distrust In Coming Election

Axios reports: In speeches, Bolsonaro, a former military captain, has been questioning the integrity of an electronic ballot system that’s been in place since 1996 and suggesting he might not even allow elections to happen. Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is currently the runaway favorite heading into the October 2022 contest. Driving the news: The Supreme Court opened …

Read More »

Argentine President: Brazilians “Emerged From The Jungle” But We Arrived On Boats From Europe [VIDEO]

The New York Times reports: During a recent visit to Argentina by the prime minister of Spain, President Alberto Fernández tried to connect with his guest by paying homage to Argentina’s European immigrant heritage. Instead, with a statement that was widely seen as xenophobic and offensive, Mr. Fernández managed to cause offense at home and across Latin America — including …

Read More »

“Biological Fukushima” – Brazil Tops 4000 Daily Deaths

Reuters reports: Brazil’s brutal surge in COVID-19 deaths will soon surpass the worst of a record January wave in the United States, scientists forecast, with fatalities climbing for the first time above 4,000 in a day on Tuesday as the outbreak overwhelms hospitals. “It’s a nuclear reactor that has set off a chain reaction and is out of control. It’s …

Read More »

Bolsonaro Regime Teeters As All Military Chiefs Resign

The Guardian reports: The commanders of the Brazilian army, navy and air force – Gen Edson Leal Pujol, Adm Ilques Barbosa and Lt-Brig Antônio Carlos Bermudez – met with the president’s new minister on Tuesday morning and reportedly tendered their resignations during a dramatic and heated encounter. On Tuesday afternoon the defence ministry confirmed all three would be replaced, a …

Read More »

Maduro Offers To Pay For Vaccines With Oil Shipments

The Washington Post reports: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro offered Sunday to pay for coronavirus vaccines doses with oil shipments, saying in a televised address that the cash-strapped yet oil-rich nation would dedicate some of its production toward acquiring the shots. “Venezuela has the oil tankers, it has customers ready to buy oil from us. It would devote part of its …

Read More »

Argentina’s Congress Votes To Legalize Abortion

The BBC reports: Argentina’s Congress has legalised abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy, a ground-breaking move for a region that has some of the world’s most restrictive termination laws. Senators voted in favour of the bill after a marathon session with 38 in favour, 29 against and one abstention. Until now, abortions were only permitted in cases of …

Read More »

Brazil’s Bolsonaro: “Stop Being Fags” About COVID

Agence France-Presse reports: President Jair Bolsonaro drew criticism Tuesday for telling Brazilians not to deal with Covid-19 like “a country of fags,” the far-right leader’s latest controversial outburst on the pandemic. Bolsonaro, who has consistently downplayed the virus even as it has killed 163,000 people in Brazil,  made the comment during a meandering speech at the presidential palace in which …

Read More »

Latin America’s Largest Airline Declares Bankruptcy

Axios reports: LATAM Airlines Group SA said in a statement early Tuesday the firm and its affiliates in in the United States, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Why it matters: Latam is Latin America’s largest airline and its shareholders include Delta Air Lines. CEO Roberto Alvo noted in the statement …

Read More »

BRAZIL: Daily Death Toll Surpasses US For First Time

Reuters reports: Brazil’s daily coronavirus deaths were higher than fatalities in the United States for the first time over the last 24 hours, according to the country’s Health Ministry. Brazil registered 807 deaths over the last 24 hours, whereas 620 died in the United States. Brazil has the second worst outbreak in the world, with 374,898 cases, behind the U.S. …

Read More »

WHO Declares South America New COVID Epicenter

The Washington Post reports: World Health Organization officials declared Friday that South America is the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, citing the rapid rise in cases in Brazil but in a slew of other countries across the region. The disease has been gaining momentum ion the continent for several weeks, but in recent days the number of cases has …

Read More »

Catholic Amazon Synod Proposes Married Priests

The Associated Press reports: Catholic bishops from across the Amazon called Saturday for the ordination of married men as priests to address the clergy shortage in the region, an historic proposal that would upend centuries of Roman Catholic tradition. The majority of 180 bishops from nine Amazonian countries also called for the Vatican to reopen a debate on ordaining women …

Read More »

Maduro Regime Yanks CNN Off The Air Amid Uprising

CNN reports: CNN has been taken off the air in Venezuela by the government. DirecTV, Net Uno, Intercable, and Telefónica all received orders from Venezuela’s government regulator Conatel to block CNN. CNN en Español was blocked in Venezuela in 2017. CNN obtained a video that appears to show the exact moment it was taken off the air by the Venezuela …

Read More »

VENEZUELA: Military Coup Attempt Underway [VIDEO]

The Associated Press reports: Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido [photo] has taken to the streets with detained activist Leopoldo Lopez and a small contingent of heavily armed soldiers in a military uprising. “This is the moment of all Venezuelans, those in uniform and those who aren’t,” said Lopez in his first public appearance since being detained in 2014 for leading …

Read More »