Latin America
Mexico: troops called in to curb violence after cartel leader killed
The government has deployed thousands of troops after deadly unrest followed the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho. Around 9,500 soldiers have been sent to western states, including…
Panama: government takes over control of ports from Hong Kong company
The two key ports at either end of the Panama Canal have been taken over by the Panamanian government. This follows a supreme court ruling last month that the renewed 25-year concession given…
Peru: congress ousts president after four months
There is continuing political instability in Peru after congress removed interim president José Jerí only four months after he was appointed. Secret meetings with businessmen and allegations of influence-peddling triggered public outrage and…
Venezuela: president says no to new presidential election
The president of Venezuela’s national assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, has said no presidential election will take place soon, stressing that the government’s priority is national stability. Following the controversial 2024 vote and the abduction…
Argentina: Patagonia wildfires bring criticisms of Milei’s austerity policies
Wildfires are tearing through Argentina’s Patagonia region, burning vast areas of native forest and threatening irreplaceable ecosystems. More than 450 square kilometres have already been destroyed, including parts of a national park, a…
Venezuela: over a hundred political prisoners freed
More than a hundred people held as political prisoners in Venezuela have been freed, according to the human rights group Foro Penal (FP). Among them were FP lawyer Kennedy Tejeda and communications student…
Guatemala: state of emergency after prison riots and ten police killed
A wave of coordinated gang violence which left ten police officers dead has prompted the government of Guatemala to declare a thirty-day state of emergency. The attacks began with riots at three prisons,…
Colombia: another church leader killed in targeted attack
A Colombian church leader has been killed in a targeted New Year’s Eve attack, highlighting renewed dangers facing pastors in the country. Pastor José Otoniel Ortega was shot repeatedly by armed attackers while…
Venezuela / USA: Trump’s increasing pressure on Maduro
On 21 November, weeks of escalating threats, military posturing, and diplomatic tension culminated not in conflict but in a stark phone call in which Donald Trump reportedly issued Nicolás Maduro an ultimatum: leave…
Honduras: manual recount necessary for presidential election result
The Honduran presidential election has become increasingly tense after the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced a full manual recount of the 30 November vote. Currently there is a wafer-thin margin between the two…
