Latin America

At least 37 dead after prison riot in Puerto Ayacucho in southern Venezuela 

Saint Lucia plans to impose visa requirements on visitors from Venezuela in protest against Maduro regime, Caribbean island country has previously enjoyed close-knit relationship with Caracas 

Atlas Network, an American non-profit, has contributed significantly to libertarian think tanks shaping political opinion in Latin America, network's influence stronger in Brazil, Argentina and Chile 

Venezuela's Supreme Court sentences dissident mayor Ramón Muchacho to 15 months in prison and dismissal for defying orders to keep transit moving in area blocked by anti-government demonstrations 

Venezuela says crushes anti-government terror attack on military base near Valencia, seven people arrested, shots reported as hundreds demonstrated on Valencia's streets in support of attack 

Venezuela Chief Prosecutor and Maduro critic Luisa Ortega Díaz dismissed by new constituent assembly, replaced by loyalist Tarek William Saab 

Brazilian congress bars corruption trial of president Michel Temer, other charges may be coming though 

Thousands of truck drivers block highways throughout Brazil, protest gas and diesel tax hikes 

Cuba praises Venezuelan election of new legislative superbody, denounces well-orchestrated US-led international operation to silence voice of Venezuelan people 

41.5% turnout in Venezuelan constituent assembly election according to official sources, 12% according to opposition who refuses to recognise election, Maduro's wife and several close allies elected as representatives in what the President calls a "vote for the revolution" 

At least ten dead during weekend protests against Constituency Assembly election in Venezuela, soldiers fire rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters blocking highway in Caracas 

Venezuela bans protests that could "disturb or affect" Sunday's election for new constituent assembly, 5–10 years prison terms could be imposed on those contravening the ban, according to Interior Minister Reverol 

Brazilian blogger sued by judge and politician because of videos criticizing them, converted all of his assets into Bitcoin to avoid having his assets frozen, Bitcoin almost 30 times more valuable since 

Military forces of Venezuela back Nicolás Maduro, promising to protect next week's referendum, which will allow for constitutional changes in order to strengthen the power of the president, Trump threatens Caracas with economic measures 

Ecuador stops the construction of controversial wall along the Peruvian border, the former left-wing country wants to approach the second block on the continent with countries such as Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru 

7.2 million voted in Venezuelan opposition's unofficial referendum, with 98% voting no on three referendums, former Mexico president Vicente Fox declared "persona non grata" and banned for life from entering Venezuela after acting as observer 

Over 280,000 left without power in Santiago de Chile after heaviest snowfall in city in 20 years, reports of injuries caused by damaged cables 

Venezuela opposition holds unofficial plebiscite to defy Maduro, one of three questions is if early elections are wanted, public employees said to seek creative ways of voting without being noticed 

Private consortium discovers oil 60 kilometers off the coast of Mexico, fifth largest deposit found worldwide in 5 years; government of Mexico controls oil resources 

Former Brazil president Lula sentenced to 9.5 years in prison for accepting beachfront apartment in return for state oil company contracts, charges of bribery, money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice remaining 

Venezuelan police reportedly asking for bribes in Colombian Pesos due to hyperinflation, opposition leaders claim that protesters are being unjustly held 

Venezuela opposition leader Leopoldo López freed from jail, instead placed under house arrest, claims to be prisoner in own home like Venezuelan people  

Record Aztec gold treasure found with body of young wolf in Mexico City, believe to be sacrificial offering to war god Huitzilopochtli 

28 dead and 3 injured as fighting erupts between rival gangs inside prison in Mexican city Acapulco, many of country's prisons overcrowded and understaffed according to government report 

Around 100 Maduro supporters storm Venezuela National Assembly and beat up several lawmakers, regime condemns violence and says investigation will establish whole truth about what happened 

Óscar Pérez releases new video, calls June 28 helicopter attack on supreme court a success, calls for continued resistance against Maduro regime, says his plan now enters second phase 

Venezuela raises minimum wage by 50%, effectively down 17% in USD terms since last increase in May, currency down 99.7% in USD terms since Maduro was elected president in April 2013 

19 gang members shot dead in Mexican state Sinaloa in clash with police and army, violence in region in last five months up 76% compared to same period last year 

Brazil halts passport issuing due to insufficient funds, government requested Congress to transfer additional resources 

Civil service applicants in São Paulo have their skin color examined by commission as part of affirmative action program, applicants report humiliation (Portuguese)

Stolen police helicopter used to fire 15 shots at Venezuelan Interior Ministry social event and drop four grenades on Supreme Court while judges were meeting there, no one reported injured, Maduro calls incident armed terrorist attack against institutions of country 

Next year's Rio de Janeiro carnival threatened by budget cuts, new Evangelical mayor wants to use funds for school meals but is accused of acting from conservative values 

Three men awarded right to marry each other in Colombia, government said to be extremely liberal in matters of sexuality 

Venezuela narrowly avoids OAS resolution which would have forbidden plan to abolish constitution, critical support received from Caribbean island nations dependent on country's oil industry 

Maduro asks Supreme Court to prepare prosecution of Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Díaz, despite being outside of court's authority, points to deeper split among rulers 

2,186 murder investigations in Mexico during May, highest monthly number since 1997, large part related to illegal drug industry, expected to hurt incumbent president i next year's election 

Maduro slams Twitter as fascist for suspending thousands of his supporters' accounts and calls for tweeting pictures of company's Venezuela head, president's salsa music show among blocked accounts 

Venezuela's chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega says her family has received phone threats and been followed by intelligence agents after she criticized Maduro, regime has previously questioned her mental sanity  

Peru asks Ecuador to stop building wall along border between countries, says it can cause flooding and hurt cross-border integration 

Panama's former dictator Manuel Noriega dies at 83 after brain tumor surgery 

Venezuela opposition accuses Goldman Sachs of aiding regime after report shows bank has bought USD 2.8 billion in bonds from state companies 

Raphaël Lima: Former president Lula da Silva spider in the web in corruption scandal that is now unfolding in Brazil, could lead to division of country 

Venezuelans reportedly using Bitcoin to escape hyperinflation and food shortages 

Brazil President Temer calls in armed forces to control 45,000 protesters in Brasilia, smaller group tried to get into government buildings 

Chávez statues destroyed in at least five Venezuelan cities and one of Chávez' childhood homes torched during past month, 16 arrested for tearing down statue sent to military tribunal and risk 27 years in prison 

Several medallists from Rio Olympics have to replace medals because of rust or damage 

Russian national socialist YouTube profile Aleksey Makeyev victim of lynching attempt in his Cancun home, alive but sedated, paralyzed and probably brain damaged 

Protesters demand release of Cuban libertarians imprisoned on political grounds, activists plastered Havana with posters in support of prisoners who have been in jail since February 2 

Mexico surpasses Iraq and Afghanistan to become world's second-most deadly conflict zone after Syria according to International Institute for Strategic Studies, fatalities from war among drug cartels in country grew to 23,000 in 2016 

14 dead and 22 injured by explosion in fireworks warehouse in Chilchotla, Mexico 

Hugo Chávez statue torn down to cheers in Venezuelan city of Valencia, further nationwide protests planned 

Self-governing indigenous community in Peru wins legal dispute that forces oil companies to seek approval from them to use the indigenous land, community still seeks formal recognition from Lima 

Riots continue in Venezuela with several dead and many injured, cars and buildings set on fire, military vehicles driven throw crowd of protestors 

All candidates in next year's Colombian elections are statists, no hope for libertarian ideals, according to PanAm Post 

Maduro raises Venezuelan minimum wage by 60% to USD 50 at black market rate, third raise this year, aims to benefit government workers and the military 

Eight perish as Cuban military plane crashes in mountains, cause of accident still under investigation 

Google launches cache servers in Cuba, makes material on the servers load faster, Internet only available through WiFi spots, one hour of Internet costs USD 1.50, average monthly wage is USD 25 

Brazilian police arrest suspects of "movie-like heist" of armored company in Paraguay, assault rifles and boats used in theft of what could amount to USD 30 million 

Nearly 50 Ladies in White arrested in Cuba, group formed by activists against political prisons reports violent arrests 

Venezuela threatens to leave OAS if meeting is held about country's ongoing crisis without its approval, foreign minister says arbitrary violations of ethical and legal principles will not be tolerated 

GM fires 2,700 employees in Venezuela after factory is expropriated, court ruled in favor of two resellers who sued company in 2000 for missed deliveries 

Ecuador fines four newspapers and three TV channels for not reporting on opposition leaders' alleged offshore businesses before election, accused refer to laws requiring verification and banning interfering in elections 

Venezuela opposition marches in silence in memory of killed during recent weeks of protests, at least 11 were killed Thursday 

GM factory in Venezuela expropriated including vehicles and other assets, company will use every legal possibility for defense, no comments from government 

Colombia president Santos worried about Maduro promises to hand out 500,000 guns to militias 

Maduro orders military into streets to quash protests ahead of Wednesday demonstration which opposition says will be largest so far 

State television cuts broadcast as protestors throw eggs at Maduro, several dead in escalating demonstrations against Venezuela dictatorship 

Protests intensify in Venezuela, demonstrators as well as hospital in eastern Caracas tear-gassed 

Large protests in French Guiana as demonstrators demand increased financial support from France's government, discontent over living standards and rising crime rates behind claim for USD 2.5 billion in aid 

Venezuela opposition leader Henrique Capriles prohibited from seeking political office next 15 years, accused of inciting violence during week of protests in Caracas 

Governing party's candidate Lenin Moreno wins Ecuador presidential election with 51.16% of votes, defeated conservative challenger Guillermo Lasso says he will appeal against results 

At least 193 dead and hundreds injured in southern Colombia as heavy rains trigger flooding and landslide, president Santos declares state of emergency 

Venezuela Supreme court reverses its ruling to deprive congress of legislative powers, decision shows power of dialogue according to Maduro 

Paraguay's Congress building stormed and torched in protest against secret Senate vote allowing president to run for another term, 30 injured in clashes between hundreds of demonstrators and riot police  

Death toll after floods in Peru rises to 94 with 700,000 evacuated, authorities pleading for calm while people complain they are responding too slowly 

Bitter cassava sold in Venezuela where starving people are desperate, unlike sweet cassava the bitter variety contains lethal hydrogen cyanide, hard to distinguish between them 

Former Argentinean president Cristina Kirchner to stand trial on charges of fraudulently administering state funds, claims she has been target of political persecution 

New UN chief Guterres recommends disbanding peace keeping force in Haiti, both Uruguay and US had previously signaled that their participation will end 

Four bakers arrested in Venezuela after making brownies instead of bread in conflict with requirement that 90% of flour be used for bread production, Maduro threatens to take over businesses currently under military supervision 

Brazil police raid companies suspected to have bribed health officials and processed rotten meat, false government certificates may have enabled exports to Europe according to investigator 

Venezuela threatens to expropriate bakeries violating rules on how to use flour, 90% should be used for bread and 10% for sweets 

Peruvian soldiers rescue people from flood with helicopter, remain in area as more might be in need of help 

Recession worsened in Brazil during 2016, GDP down 3.6%, rate of decrease unexpectedly high during last quarter but economists forecast slow recovery in 2017 

500 Cubans to be deported from Panama after US policy change, were en route to US before special rule for refugees from Cuba was repealed by Obama in January 

Bolivia raises cap for legal coca growing area from 12,000 to 22,000 hectares, estimates future legal production to 30,000 tonnes 

Guatemala's navy detains Dutch ship carrying supply of mifepristone and misoprostol, claims abortion violates constitution, organization Women on Waves provides free medical abortion for women pregnant up to ten weeks 

Nearly 75% of Venezuelans have lost an average of eight kilograms in past year due to lack of food according to nationwide survey, 93% say their income is not enough to cover food needs 

Proponents of increased soft drink tax in Mexico have spyware installed on their phones, get fake news aiming to trigger click on link, unclear who is responsible 

Hungry Venezuelans eat flamingos and anteaters as regular food sources become more scarce, biologists warn that slow-moving creatures are in danger 

Jürgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca arrested for suspected involvement in Brazil corruption scandal, attorney general of Panama calls law firm founded by the two criminal organization 

Crime and violence not symptoms of poverty and inequity according to World Bank report, evidenced by criminality in Latin America remaining high despite dramatic reduction of poverty 

Mises Cuba member arrested for not showing ID to undercover police officer, alleges political persecution 

Police strike in Brazilian state wreaks havoc, 51 murdered in a weekend compared to four in all January 

Colombia banana companies face prosecution for financing death squads, will be charged with crimes against humanity says Prosecutor General 

Sony Pictures miniseries El Comandante about life of Hugo Chávez banned in Venezuela, Maduro claims it disfigures a true leader and orders production of alternate series Chavez for Real 

Venezuelan vice president Tareck El Aissami granted extended powers by direct order of Maduro, can now control ministerial budgets and expropriate private companies as he sees fit — triggers speculation over succession plans  

Argentinian judge orders nationwide ban on Uber, denies arrest of executives requested by the prosecutors 

Banknotes worth five thousand and ten thousand bolivar begins to circulate in Venezuela after orders from Maduro 

Coral reef at mouth of Amazon river threatened by oil drilling says Greenpeace as first photographs of newly discovered formation is published 

Spain extradites to Colombia former Farc rebel accused of carriying out forced abortions, rebel group's female members were compelled to terminate pregnancies to maintain combat ability