Peru Declares 30-Day State Of Emergency In Lima Amid Protests and Crime

Peru Declares 30-Day State of Emergency in Lima Amid Protests and Rising Crime Peru Peru’s interim president José Jerí declared a 30-day state of emergency in the capital of Lima and the neighboring port of Callao this week, in an effort to quell weeks of anti-government protests and a sharp surge in violent crime that has destabilized the country, Agence France-Presse reported. On Tuesday, Jerí said the decree would take effect at midnight Wednesday, allowing the government to send troops onto the streets and restrict freedom of assembly and movement. The measure marks the new president’s first major action since assuming office nearly two weeks ago, following the impeachment of his predecessor, Dina Boluarte, over corruption allegations and her failure to curb organized crime. It follows weeks of youth-led demonstrations that have spread throughout the country, demanding government accountability amid worsening insecurity. The capital had already been under a partial state of emergency earlier this year following the murder of singer Paul Flores in an alleged extortion attempt. More than 200 people have been injured in the protests, including police officers and journalists. Last week, one person was killed during demonstrations demanding that Jerí resign. Jerí – who is expected to serve until July 2026 – has refused calls to step down. Meanwhile, critics and observers questioned whether the government has a concrete plan to address the root causes of organized crime, including a rise in extortion, Al Jazeera wrote. Authorities have said extortion cases have surged to an estimated 18,000 this year – a 30 percent increase over 2024 – while homicides rose to 1,690 between January and September, compared with 1,502 during the same period last year. At least 47 bus drivers have been killed in suspected extortion-related attacks, prompting widespread outrage over the state’s inability to maintain order. Share this story

Argentina: Milei Rocking and Rolling As The Election Approaches

Rocking ‘n’ Rolling: As Elections Approach, Argentina’s President Is Looking For a Miracle Argentina Argentine President Javier Milei headlined a rock concert for 15,000 supporters a few weeks ago, using his Presidential Band to belt out Argentine rock classics as giant screens flashed apocalyptic imagery and fans cheered. The concert was ostensibly to promote his new book, ‘La construcción del milagro’ (The Construction of the Miracle), but the president himself framed the event as a campaign rally meant to “rekindle the fervor” that propelled him to the presidency in 2023, ColombiaOne reported. That’s because this enthusiasm has turned to disillusionment and fury among many Argentine voters. As mid-term elections approach, the president, who had until recently enjoyed extraordinary success with his “chainsaw economics” approach to tackling Argentina’s problems, is starting to look much more vulnerable, especially in the wake of mass discontent with his austerity policies and fury over corruption scandals within his administration. Analysts say these elections, coming on the heels of big losses in a recent local election, lawmakers vetoing his cuts and curtailing his powers, and infighting within his far-right movement, could spell the end for Milei and his reform efforts. “Javier Milei has lost his lucky star,” wrote Spanish newspaper El País. “His redeeming power, emanating from the ‘forces of heaven,’ as he often likes to say, was mercilessly crushed… (and) exposed the king. The ‘best government in the history of humanity’ must now find an earthly formula to alleviate the ordeal that lies ahead – the national legislative elections – and it cannot afford another fall.” Milei, an eccentric libertarian economist and television commentator, was elected as Argentina faced a deep economic crisis with inflation running at more than 200 percent. Since he took office almost two years ago, he’s made deep cuts to government spending, frozen wages, disability benefits and pensions, and brought inflation down to around 2 percent. He delivered a fiscal surplus in his first year after nearly 15 years of deficits. And the country’s projected growth for this year, after two years of recession, could top 5 percent. Even though he has been hailed at home and abroad for starting to turn things around for Argentina, his policies have prompted weekly protests from Argentines who have struggled to survive. In June 2025, unemployment figures reached 7.9 percent – the highest level since 2021, partly because of the budget cuts. Meanwhile, the poverty rate reached a record high in 2024 of 54.8 percent, and although it has decreased, more than one-third of Argentines fall under the poverty line today, with double that number telling pollsters they can’t afford their monthly expenses. And Milei’s removal of currency controls has meant that the Argentine peso has appreciated significantly against the dollar, pushing up the cost of living. Argentina is now one of the most expensive countries in Latin America – with some of the lowest salaries. The situation came to a head for Milei during elections in Buenos Aires province last month. Boasting how he would trounce the opposition, his right-wing party, La Libertad Avanza, only secured about 34 percent of the vote, while its left-wing Peronist opponents won about 47 percent in an election seen as a referendum on his policies. Meanwhile, he has been grappling with corruption scandals involving his sister, his lawyer, and members of his administration. He himself is under investigation for his promotion of a cryptocurrency that turned out to be a scam. That has severely undercut his image as an outsider doing things differently, and his promise to stamp out corruption. “When Milei won Argentina’s presidency in late 2023, a large part of his appeal was his self-portrayal as a populist outsider fighting against the country’s corrupt political ‘caste,’” wrote World Politics Review. “Voters may have been willing to overlook a bit of corruption if they felt Milei’s government was delivering economic policies that were improving their daily lives. However, when people feel economic pain, alleged embezzlement on the part of the president’s lawyer and sister is exactly the sort of scandal that will bring electoral punishment.” Voters, angry over the scandals, threw rocks and bottles at Milei during a recent campaign appearance. Meanwhile, Argentina’s Congress, where his party has a minority, has repeatedly vetoed his proposals and also moved to tighten the leash recently. Earlier this month, Argentina’s lower house overwhelmingly passed a bill to limit his ability to use emergency presidential decrees. In an effort to push forward his austerity agenda, he has issued more than 70 decrees since becoming president in December 2023. Still, commentators say that a main problem for Milei is that he surrounds himself with a small group of advisors including his sister, Karina, known as “the boss” and members of the politically prominent Menem family – also implicated in corruption schemes – but burns bridges with everyone else including the business community, bankers, the country’s governors and other far-right and conservative political leaders as well as the opposition politicians willing to work with him. He also harmed his reputation as a reformer when the peso came under such pressure and threatened his presidency, that he was forced to ask for financial aid from the US last month, funds conditioned on the results of the mid-terms, say analysts. Now, in an election where half of the lower house and one-third of the Senate will be up for grabs, his party is expected to lose again, commentators say. What happens next is up to Milei, they add. “He is weakened, and yet his opponents underestimate his continuing appeal with voters exhausted by decades of political dysfunction,” wrote Time. “The big question is if Milei, off-balance now, can bounce back.”

Brasil's Embraer Has A Recod Of Unfilled Orders!

Dodging Trump's tariffs, Brazil's Embraer lands record orders By Miguel SCHINCARIOL, 10 hours ago Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva christens the Embraer E2-190 aircraft in April 2024 /AFP/File Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer on Tuesday reported a record order backlog in the third quarter of $31.3 billion after dodging the worst of US tariffs. The world's third-largest aircraft manufacturer hailed an "unprecedented high" in orders led by the commercial aviation sector with a backlog of 490 aircraft. US President Donald Trump in August imposed a further 40 percent tariff on Brazilian goods, but exempted aircraft. This was crucial for Embraer as the United States represents 45 percent of its commercial aircraft market and 70 percent of its executive aircraft market. The company was still affected by the baseline 10 percent tariff applied to all imports in April and has called for a swift return to "zero tariff rules for all aviation and aerospace industry." Brazil was slapped with higher rates over what Trump termed a "witch hunt" against his ally, far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting to overthrow President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after his 2022 election loss. Bolsonaro's trial and the resulting tariffs and sanctions on Brazil strained diplomatic ties between the two countries. However, in recent weeks there has been a thaw in tensions, with a 30-minute phone call between Lula and Trump and a meeting between the countries' top diplomats in Washington. Brazil's presidency has said it is possible that the two leaders could meet this weekend at the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Malaysian capital. A European diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity earlier this month that lobbying by Embraer and other major Brazilian companies had helped unlock the dialogue. Embraer said it had delivered 62 aircraft in the third quarter, including 41 business jets, 20 commercial aircraft, and one military aircraft. The order backlog represented a 38 percent increase from the third quarter of 2024. 25

China Accumulates Projects Worth $14 Billion In Argentina

Politics China accumulates projects worth $14 billion in Argentina By Banyeliz Muñoz, 13 hours ago BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- With $14 billion in investment projects and rising exports, China has consolidated its position as a key trading partner for Argentina. China is a growing investor and a major lender to Argentina, making it nearly impossible for the South American nation to distance itself from the Asian country, analysts say. File Photo by Enrique Garcia Medina/EPA The relationship between the two countries has been at the center of debate as the U.S. Treasury agreed to a $20 billion currency swap to support the economic reform program led by President Javier Milei. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the agreement with Argentina's Central Bank on X on Tuesday, describing it as "a bridge to a better future, not a bailout." "We don't want another failed state in Latin America, and a strong, stable Argentina as a good neighbor is explicitly in the strategic interest of the United States," Bessent said. Earlier, the Treasury secretary expressed an intent to limit China's presence in Argentina, particularly in strategic sectors such as ports, military bases and observation centers. China is a growing investor and a major lender to Argentina, making it nearly impossible for the South American nation to distance itself from the Asian country, analysts say. Under the Strategic Dialogue for Economic Coordination and Cooperation, China has 10 projects in Argentina worth $14 billion at various stages of implementation. Among them are a nuclear power plant, a hydroelectric complex and the rehabilitation of railway lines. They also include a power transmission project in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area and several renewable energy generation initiatives. Argentina is also part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which includes a memorandum of understanding and 13 cooperation agreements in areas such as energy, transportation and major infrastructure projects. However, none of those projects has begun. Other bilateral agreements include a Chinese-operated deep-space tracking station in Neuquén and the CART radio telescope in San Juan, which is being assembled. The Argentine Chamber of Exporters also notes the growing presence of Chinese brands in the country, mainly in technology and automobiles, as well as mergers and acquisitions abroad that have domestic effects. Fernando Landa, the chamber president, told UPI that the $18 billion currency swap the Central Bank of Argentina maintains with the People's Bank of China represents 43% of Argentina's gross reserves. The mechanism allows the country to access Chinese currency in times of need, serving as a financial cushion. Commenting on the U.S. Treasury secretary's remarks, Gonzalo Ghiggino, a professor at Zhejiang University of International Studies, told UPI, "It is very difficult to replace China in trade and investment. China is an important source of support for Argentina; the swap is a crucial backstop for the Central Bank's reserves." He added, "China's investment potential is enormous. It is technically impossible to set the country aside, and given the current situation and future outlook, Argentina needs China." According to Argentina's National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, China surpassed Brazil in September for the first time since 2023 to become Argentina's top trading partner. Trade with the Asian giant totaled $3.11 billion, leaving Buenos Aires with a $523 million deficit. Argentine exports to China rose 31.3% to $1.82 billion, while imports surged 201.7% to $1.29 billion. "China is a major buyer of agricultural products, but also a key player in mining," Landa said. The Central Bank of Argentina reported that as of the first quarter, China ranked 14th in accumulated foreign direct investment at $4.29 billion, just 2% of the total, with interests in agriculture and mining, among other sectors. "The investments are tied to China's interest in raw materials, especially lithium, where it holds a strong global position," Landa said. Ghiggino said Chinese companies are investing the most in the mining sector. "In recent years, they have invested heavily in infrastructure. A notable example is the Belgrano Cargas railway. But with the high demand for lithium, much of the investment is now concentrated in northern Argentina. Mining is a major draw and has enormous potential," he said.

Trump's $40 Billion Argentine Giveaway Hits Major Snag

Trump's $40B Argentine giveaway hits major snag as banks balk at loan: report By Tom Boggioni, Updated 03:43 PM PDT, Tue October 21, 2025 Raw Story Follow U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media aboard Air Force One after participating in a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, on his way back to the U.S., October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein A Donald Trump proposal to bail out struggling Argentina with a $40 billion loan is bumping up against economic reality with banks being asked to provide half of the amount demanding collateral or federal assurances. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, are “struggling” to come up with a loan they would feel comfortable with. Also Read: 'Fully MAGA now': Latest case has experts finally writing off 'arrogant' Supreme Court With Trump pushing to assist Argentine President Javier Milei’s government, the plan was to create a financial package made up of a “$20 billion currency swap with the U.S. Treasury Department and a separate $20 billion bank-led debt facility,” the Journal is reporting. According to the report, it is turning out to be far easier to make the proposal than it is to make it a reality. Want more breaking political news? Click for the latest headlines at Raw Story. “While banks normally arrange these types of rescue facilities on their own, Treasury has been controlling the broader package and banks feel they can’t act without backing from Washington, some of the people said," the Journal reported. "The loan facility hasn’t been finalized and might not come together if the banks’ collateral question isn’t resolved, they said. U.S. banks haven’t been lending to Argentina, and the country has been shut out of the international capital markets for years.” The report adds that Argentina has already been the recipient of 20 bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since the 1950s — and that has bankers nervous. There is also a risk to the U.S Treasury which would “swap $20 billion for a roughly equivalent amount of Argentine pesos,” which are rapidly depreciating. According to Brad Setser, a former deputy assistant Treasury secretary for the Obama administration, ”The risks from these operations are unusually large. Should the peso depreciate, which many think is not only likely but necessary, the Treasury would be left holding assets that have fallen in value.” Subscribe to Trump Tracker's newsletter to receive the latest news and updates directly in your inbox. Subscribe →

Centrist Candidate Wins Bolivia's Presidency

Centrist Candidate Wins Bolivia’s Presidency, Ending 20 Years of Leftist Rule Bolivia Centrist senator Rodrigo Paz won Bolivia’s presidential runoff Sunday, ending nearly two decades of dominance by the leftist Movement Toward Socialism Party (MAS) of former President Evo Morales, the Wall Street Journal reported. Preliminary results showed Paz secured almost 55 percent of the vote, while his conservative opponent, former President Jorge Quiroga, received about 45 percent. Bolivia’s electoral court said the figures are “preliminary and not definitive,” noting that official results will be released within seven days, according to The Guardian. In his victory speech, Paz thanked supporters and vowed to build “a new path after 20 years that have left us out of the economy … and geopolitics.” He has pledged to revitalize Bolivia’s struggling economy by attracting foreign investment, particularly in mining and lithium development – the country holds the world’s largest lithium reserves. He also plans to improve relations with the United States after years of left-wing rule saw Bolivia foster closer relations with Washington’s rivals, including China, Iran, and Venezuela. Sunday’s runoff comes after a first round of voting in August, which saw Paz and Quiroga in the lead. MAS candidate Interior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo only won around 3 percent, a stinging defeat for the socialist party that has dominated Bolivian politics since 2006. Observers attributed the party’s collapse to internal divisions between Morales and outgoing President Luis Arce, as well as public anger over the country’s deepening economic crisis. The deeply unpopular Arce decided to sit out the election. Analysts said the new president will inherit a nation facing its worst economic crisis in 40 years, marked by high inflation, fuel shortages, and falling bank reserves. The centrist leader said he would take a gradual approach to reduce the country’s massive budget deficit and cut spending, including slashing fuel subsidies that cost the state about $3 billion a year. Political analysts cautioned that Bolivia’s powerful unions and social movements will strongly oppose such moves. Another challenge will be to bring the country’s large underground economy – around 80 percent of the workforce is made up of self-employed or informal workers – into the formal market. Although Paz’s Christian Democratic Party (PDC) won the most legislative seats, it lacks a majority, and it will be forced to cooperate with Quiroga and moderate left-wing factions to pass key reforms. Share this story

Mexico And Colombian Cartel Members Reportedly Infiltrating Ukraine's International Legion To Boost Drone Warfare Skills

Military Mexican and Colombian Cartel Members Reportedly Infiltrating Ukraine's International Legion to Boost Drone Warfare Skills By Héctor Ríos Morales, 3 days ago Intelligence officials said individuals are joining Ukraine's International Legion to learn how to operate first-person view kamikaze drones AFP For years, authorities in both Mexico and the United States have known that drug trafficking organizations use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), such as drones, to carry out attacks on rival factions, transport drug shipments, and, in some cases, forcibly displace entire communities in northern Mexico through the use of explosives. However, according to a recent investigation, some cartel operatives from Mexico and Colombia are now infiltrating Ukraine's foreign fighter groups to strengthen their drone warfare capabilities. As reported by The Telegraph, Mexican intelligence officials alerted their Ukrainian counterparts in July about the presence of cartel members embedded in these groups. Officials said the individuals are joining to learn how to operate first-person view kamikaze drones, which give pilots a live aerial feed as they guide explosive-laden aircraft toward their targets. One of the most recent recruits is a drone pilot who goes by the callsign Aguila 7, or Eagle 7. According to intelligence reports, the individual is linked to the Los Zetas cartel and enlisted with Ukraine's International Legion to acquire drone combat skills for use in cartel conflicts back home. "Ukraine has become a platform for the global dissemination of first-person view drone tactics," a security official in Kyiv told Intelligence Online, a French security website that first reported on the investigation into Aguila 7, as cited by The Telegraph. "Some come to learn how to kill with a $400 drone, then sell that knowledge to whoever pays the highest price." The number of cartel members who have joined Ukraine's foreign fighter ranks remains unknown. However, previous investigations have identified at least three former members of Colombia's disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) among the ranks. Reports suggest cartel operatives are taking advantage of Ukraine's limited capacity to properly vet foreign volunteers. Several international fighters told The Telegraph that background checks are rare, and military or civilian credentials are often not reviewed, allowing individuals with criminal ties to enlist with little oversight. Alexander Marciniak, a Latin American intelligence analyst interviewed by The Telegraph, said cartel operatives are not joining Ukraine's military to support the war effort but rather to master combat tactics they can later use against rival groups in Mexico. "The cartels can use drones for all sorts of purposes, including attacks and surveillance on other cartels and security forces, and for smuggling contraband," Marciniak said. As reported by The Latin Times, criminal groups in Mexico have significantly modernized their tactics in recent years, with many investing heavily in drone operations. One example is the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," which counts with its own elite unit that operates modified drones. U.S. officials have warned that the increasing use of drones by cartels poses a growing threat to national security. In July, a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security said it is only a matter of time before American personnel are targeted. Steven Willoughby, deputy director of DHS's Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program, said cartels already use drones routinely to smuggle drugs and contraband into the United States and are also conducting what he described as hostile surveillance of law enforcement operations. "During the last six months of 2024, over 27,000 drones were detected less than 500 meters from the southern border. Most were flying at an altitude above 120 meters," Willoughby said. The Jalisco cartel is not the only Mexican group adopting this kind of technology. In June, The Latin Times reported that La Mayiza, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel led by Ismael Zambada Sicairos, the son of longtime cartel leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, had obtained military-grade drone-jamming equipment. According to the report, the group acquired the devices by exploiting legal loopholes and was using them to interfere with federal operations. In other parts of northern Mexico, groups including Los Salazar, one of the most violent factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, have deployed explosive-equipped drones to terrorize civilians and forcibly displace communities in areas believed to hold gold deposits. © 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Venezuela Condemns US Moves Targeting the Country

Venezuela Condemns US Moves Targeting the Country Venezuela Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned US President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize CIA covert operations and potential land strikes in Venezuela, denouncing it as a severe violation of international law and an attempt at regime change, MercoPress reported. Maduro’s administration said this week that it would file a complaint with the United Nations Security Council and the Secretary-General, calling for accountability and urgent measures to avoid military escalation in the region. Trump confirmed Wednesday that his administration secretly cleared the CIA to carry out covert and potentially deadly operations on Venezuelan territory, escalating a campaign against Maduro and his alleged role in smuggling drugs to the US. The US recently deployed about 10,000 troops, eight warships, a nuclear-power submarine, and fighter jets to the Caribbean. Over the past month, the US military has carried out at least five strikes targeting boats off the Venezuelan coast, arguing they are smuggling drugs, Politico noted. The operations have killed 27 people so far, including six during the latest strike on Tuesday. United Nations officials said the raids amount to “extrajudicial executions.” Trump told reporters that his administration has “almost totally stopped” drug trafficking by sea and is now considering strikes on Venezuelan territory. “We are certainly looking at land now because we have the sea very well under control,” Trump said. Maduro ordered military exercises and said he was mobilizing the military, police, and civilian militia to defend the oil-rich country. While the US emphasized that the recent strikes were carried out in international waters, the new clearance by the White House would allow the CIA to conduct lethal operations in Venezuela as well as a range of other activities throughout the Caribbean. While it remains unclear whether the CIA is planning attacks on Venezuela, the spy agency has previously conducted numerous operations in South America, a legacy that prompted Maduro to say “No to CIA-orchestrated coups d’état” while appealing for peace on TV on Wednesday. US officials have privately acknowledged that the ultimate goal of the campaign is to remove Maduro from power, the New York Times reported. The Trump administration does not recognize him as a legitimate president because of an election last year it deems fraudulent. At the same time, the US has accused him of leading the Cartel de los Soles – an accusation that he has denied. The US has also offered a $50 million bounty for Maduro, the BBC wrote. Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize last week, has been calling for greater US support to fight what she considers a “war” on her country by Maduro, and has praised Trump’s efforts to counter the Venezuelan leader, she told CNN.

Peru: Violent Anti-Crime Protests Leave One Dead

Violent Anti-Crime Protests in Peru Leave One Dead as Government Fails to Quell Unrest Peru One person died and more than 100 were injured Wednesday after protesters clashed with police at anti-crime demonstrations in the Peruvian capital of Lima, as weeks of unrest continued despite the ouster of the president over corruption and security failures, France 24 reported. During a protest organized on Wednesday by Gen Z groups, transport workers, and civil society organizations, some demonstrators tried to tear down metal barriers protecting Congress, while others threw stones and lit fireworks. Riot police responded with tear gas, Reuters noted. One death, of a 32-year-old male, was reported: According to prosecutors, he was shot to death but they did not identify the shooter. Newly appointed interim President Jose Jeri said the killing would be “objectively” investigated. Jeri blamed the violence on “delinquents who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos.” In an effort to de-escalate the unrest, Jeri vowed to “declare war” on organized crime and make it his top priority. The government’s perceived failure to deal with a worsening crime crisis has been drawing thousands of people to youth-led protests in Lima and other cities in recent weeks. Following demonstrations by bus companies, merchants, and students against extortion by criminal gangs, and attacks on those who refuse to pay protection money, lawmakers voted last week to impeach President Dina Boluarte, blamed by critics for the crisis. Extortion and contract killings have become daily events in the South American country. Gangs like Los Pulpos and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, active across Latin America, have escalated their kidnapping and ransom operations in the country. The impeachment, however, failed to quell the unrest. Jeri, meanwhile, will remain in office until next year’s elections. However, he already faced serious scandals, including corruption allegations and a now-suspended investigation for sexual assault. He has denied any wrongdoing and said he would cooperate with investigators. Still, analysts believe he won’t last long running the country. He is the country’s seventh president since 2016. Three of those are in prison.

Venezuela And Cuba Are Collapsing

Opinion: Venezuela is collapsing — and don’t look now, but so is Cuba By Daniel Allott, 1 days ago Rolling blackouts. A worthless currency. A once-mighty industry on life support. Doctors, engineers and students leaving in droves in search of a future. That all sounds like Venezuela, but I’m talking about Cuba. As Venezuela’s crisis deepens, another — quieter but just as dangerous — is unfolding just 90 miles from Florida. The drama may be smaller, but the danger is real. If Venezuela is wobbling, Cuba is starting to fall. On Sept. 10, Cuba’s entire electrical grid failed, plunging nearly 10 million people into darkness. It was the island’s fourth nationwide blackout in less than a year. Even before that, much of the country was losing power for half the day. Officials blamed machinery; Cubans blamed the system. The country’s energy network has become a patchwork of corroded plants and emergency repairs. Over the past 14 months, it has suffered a dozen nationwide outages. Years of neglect and the burning of high-sulfur crude have crippled its power stations. As U.S. sanctions tighten on Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s ability to keep its ally supplied with oil has withered. Fuel shipments from Venezuela — Havana’s economic lifeline for two decades — now fluctuate wildly, sometimes dropping below 10,000 barrels a day before rebounding. Russia and Mexico have stepped in with emergency cargoes, but neither offers stability. Without steady deliveries, plants sputter and nights become suffocating. In some towns, residents cook by candlelight, charge phones at work, and sleep on rooftops to escape the heat. The currency collapse has ground down daily life. Even average state salaries amount to less than $20 a monthat the informal exchange rate, far below the cost of living. Gasoline is scarce and ruinously expensive. In rural areas, bicycles and horse carts have replaced cars. Tourism, once the island’s economic engine, has fallen by more than half over the last decade. Even middle-class Havana now endures rolling blackouts, empty shelves, and rising petty crime. The peso trades near 400 to the dollar on the street, its weakest rate on record. Prices for staples climb relentlessly, and stores selling imported goods increasingly demand hard currency that most Cubans cannot earn. The result is a two-tiered economy that mirrors Venezuela’s descent into dollarization, where access to dollars — not work, skill or effort — determines who eats well and who doesn’t. Cuba’s signature crop has fared no better. This year’s sugar harvest is expected to fall below 200,000 tons, the lowest since the 1800s. In the 1980s, sugar harvests topped 8 million. Today, Cuba is importing raw sugar, a stunning reversal for a former agricultural superpower. The collapse gutted exports, weakened the peso and idled thousands of rural workers. The losses aren’t just economic. Over the last four years, roughly two million Cubans — nearly 20 percent of the island’s population — have fled. Hospitals lack doctors, universities lack professors, and small businesses lack skilled workers. Families are scattered, classrooms empty, innovation stalled. What appears to be a pressure valve for the regime is really a slow bleed of the nation’s lifeblood. The parallels with Venezuela are unmistakable. Both regimes chose political control over prosperity. Both leaned on external lifelines — oil, credit, remittances — that are now fraying. Both crush dissent when policy fails. Venezuela’s decay hollowed out a once-rich state. Cuba has the same script, only with a much larger arc and without the oil money. The Havana-Caracas partnership has always been more than transactional. For a quarter century, the two governments have portrayed themselves as revolutionary brothers defying U.S. power. The bond dates back to Hugo Chávez’s rise in 1999 and his admiration for Fidel Castro’s revolution four decades earlier. Cuba sent doctors, teachers, and security advisers; Venezuela paid in oil. Even today, as both regimes falter, each remains the other’s last dependable ally in a region that has largely moved on. Their bond, however, is finally fraying. Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba have collapsed, from roughly 56,000 barrels per day in 2023 to as few as 8,000 in June 2025. Havana still provides diplomatic cover for Maduro, but both governments are now propping each other up with diminishing strength — two exhausted revolutions clinging to the same fading ideology. In both countries, force has replaced persuasion. Independent journalists are jailed, critics harassed, and citizens whisper their frustrations in private. Once-proud social programs — universal education and health care — have decayed and are now mere shells of what they once were. All that remains are schools without teachers, hospitals without medicine, clinics without electricity. Meanwhile, Washington is again engaged in a high-stakes game in the Caribbean. U.S. warships patrol off Venezuela and have destroyed vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics — a show of force meant to pressure Maduro. Cuban dissident and former political prisoner Óscar Biscet sees the regimes as intertwined. “Cuba and Venezuela are twin dictatorships that sustain each other through corruption and transnational crime,” he told me. “The communist Castro regime effectively occupies Venezuela’s political and military institutions and uses them to export repression and to traffic drugs to the United States.” Formally, President Miguel Díaz-Canel leads Cuba. In reality, decisions still flow from a small cadre of aging revolutionaries — Raúl Castro, now 93, and a few longtime comrades in their nineties. Power moves through personal networks rather than institutions. Preservation, not renewal, is the guiding rule. Across the island, billboards still trumpet “Continuity.” For most Cubans, that no longer means stability — it means continued suffocation. To be sure, Cuba is not Venezuela. Its security forces remain disciplined. Tourism and remittances still bring in dollars that Caracas can only envy. Emigration keeps anger from boiling over. And the Communist Party has survived so many shocks that it is always risky to forecast its collapse. But the warning signs aren’t hard to see. The lights keep flickering. The peso buys less every day. The sugar mills are quiet. The young are leaving. The pillars that once held Cuban socialism upright are giving way all at once. Venezuela’s collapse dominates the headlines, but Cuba’s slow-motion breakdown could have far more profound consequences. A failed state just 90 miles from Florida would unleash new migration waves, invite rival powers into the region, and test America’s resolve. Havana’s flickering lights may be the hemisphere’s next alarm bell. Daniel Allott is the former opinion editor of The Hill and the author of “On the Road in Trump’s America: A Journey into the Heart of a Divided Country.” Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

Peru's President Ousted

Peru’s Congress Ousts President Dina Boluarte Over Corruption and Security Failures Peru Peruvian President Dina Boluarte became the latest leader in the country to be ousted over the weekend, following months of political turmoil marked by corruption scandals, deadly protest crackdowns, and a spiraling security crisis that has gripped the country, CNN reported. On Friday, lawmakers from across the political aisle voted to remove Boluarte for “permanent moral incapacity.” They accused her of failing to curb organized crime and cited a series of corruption allegations, including bribery, abuse of office, and misuse of state resources. The president denied the allegations and refused to attend the session. Boluarte became Peru’s first female president in December 2022 after the impeachment of her predecessor, Pedro Castillo. Her downfall comes amid a deepening crisis of governance in Peru, where more than seven presidents have faced trial or legal challenges related to corruption scandals or human rights abuses since 2000. Boluarte’s term was marked by growing backlash over the deaths of more than 60 protesters killed by security forces during unrest that followed Castillo’s ouster in early 2023. She also came under scrutiny for accepting luxury gifts and secretly undergoing cosmetic surgery while in office without delegating authority, violating constitutional protocol. The legislative vote followed closely after a shooting at a concert in the capital that ignited public outrage over rampant gang violence and rising crime in the country. Peru recorded 2,082 homicides last year – half of them contract killings – and more than 22,000 cases of extortion, underscoring the challenges ahead for the embattled nation. Boluarte will be replaced by Congress President José Jerí, who was sworn in as interim president. In one of his first acts, Jerí launched pre-dawn raids at four prisons, where authorities seized cellphones, weapons, and drugs from gang leaders. The new leader pledged he will make it a priority to tackle Peru’s rampant lawlessness, according to the Associated Press. Jerí will serve as interim president until July 2026, when Peruvians will select their new president in elections scheduled for April 12.

Argentina Congress Limits Melili's Decree Power

Argentina’s Congress Limits Milei’s Decree Power in Latest Blow to the Right-Wing Leader Argentina Argentina’s lower house on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to limit President Javier Milei’s ability to use emergency presidential decrees, the latest in a series of setbacks for the right-wing leader, whose party has a minority in Congress, Reuters reported. According to the bill, a decree can now be overturned by a single house of parliament. Before, a majority of both houses of parliament had to vote to reject a presidential order to overturn it, France 24 added. The Chamber of Deputies approved the measures by 140 votes in favor to 80 against, and 17 abstentions. The bill was already approved by the Senate, but it will now return to the upper house, where it is expected to be approved, following modifications. Milei could still veto the legislation. Milei’s party argued that the bill would be destabilizing and create legal uncertainty but critics say that the president has excessively used executive decrees, causing institutional damage. In an effort to push forward his austerity agenda, he has issued more than 70 decrees since becoming president in December 2023. Milei, who campaigned on being an outsider, described Congress as a “nest of rats” and its members as a “political caste.” The move is a fresh blow to the libertarian leader, who is already grappling with corruption scandals involving his sister, a peso crisis that forced him to obtain financial aid from the US last month, and three previous congressional votes that have overturned some of his spending vetoes. Meanwhile, Milei appears increasingly vulnerable in the run-up to midterm elections on Oct. 26, where half of the lower house and one-third of the Senate will be up for grabs. Last month, his party only secured about 34 percent of the vote in legislative elections in Buenos Aires province, while Milei’s left-wing Peronist opponents won about 47 percent in a vote seen as a referendum on his policies. Share this story

Argentina' Chainsaw Massacre

Argentina’s chainsaw massacre FT author Edward Luce US National Editor and Columnist ‌ ‌ PREMIUM October 10 2025 The speed of Javier Milei’s reversal of fortunes has been brutal. A few months ago, Argentina’s libertarian president was hailed as an economic miracle-worker and a lodestar for the global populist right. It was Milei who donated that infamous chainsaw to Elon Musk a couple of weeks after Donald Trump took office. At that point Milei was seen as a populist iconoclast who had scythed his way through bureaucracy to deliver inflation-beating austerity. This he had pulled off in terminally ill Argentina of all places. He had also written the road map for Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge). It was not just Musk, Trump, JD Vance and other Maga figures who hailed Milei’s magical touch. Centre-left leaders such as Britain’s Keir Starmer, also felt obliged to pay their compliments. So complete was Milei’s status as the populist right’s foreign darling that America’s conservative CPAC gathering was held in Buenos Aires last December. This put him on a par with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, who also played host to the conference. “We could call ourselves a rightwing international,” Milei told the audience. “In the hands of Trump, [El Salvador’s Nayib] Bukele and us here in Argentina, we have a historic opportunity to breathe new winds of freedom into the world.” A couple of months later Milei told the Economist, “I am today, one of the two most relevant politicians on planet earth . . . I find it fascinating that the chainsaw has become an emblem of a new golden era of humanity.” Pride goeth before the fall but in Milei’s case Trump is trying to catch him first. The irony of the libertarian nationalist who opposed foreign handouts now turning to Trump for urgent assistance is lost on no one. Those who want to explore the balance of payments challenges Milei faces should read this exemplary Alphaville note by Brad Setser and Stephen Paduano. Their assessment of whether Trump’s $20bn credit swap line will stem the Argentine peso’s fall is technical, so for those in a hurry, here is the gist. Milei slashed inflation from more than 160 per cent when he was elected in 2023 to 32 per cent by ending the use of central bank money printing to finance government spending and propping up the peso with Argentina’s dollar reserves. This kept import prices down and curbed inflation. But the impact on incomes of a high peso and sharp spending cuts was severe. When Milei’s party did badly in local elections last month, an-all-too familiar run on the peso was triggered. Having run through most of his reserves trying to prop it up, Milei had little choice but to turn to Trump (the IMF already gave Milei a $20bn soft loan earlier this year). The US Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, obliged with an unconditional $20bn swap line on the softest terms possible. As was reputedly said by another South American strongman, Oscar Benevides, “For my friends everything; for my enemies, the law.” Either way, Setser and Paduano doubt if Trump’s help will be enough. “The problem with Milei is you eventually run out of other people’s money,” they quip. Argentina’s midterm elections later this month poses Milei’s most critical political test. If the opposition Peronists do well, Milei’s strategy could become untenable and the peso’s slide would continue. It is hard to imagine Trump throwing good money after bad. To be clear, and as history repeatedly tells us, the Peronists’ familiar expansionist recipe would be an inflationary cure worse than the disease. Milei’s exceptionalist moment may nevertheless be over. This means he and Musk still have a lot to talk about. I’m turning this week to my colleague Ciara Nugent, the FT’s Southern Cone correspondent, in Buenos Aires. Ciara, we haven’t met but I’ve enjoyed your coverage of Milei’s rollercoaster ride. I know he is the latest among several economic Wunderkinder that Argentina thrown up over the last few decades — though with a uniquely Trumpian flavour. My question is whether he has now exhausted Argentina’s libertarian option for another few years or does he still have scope to rebound? Recommended reading ‌ ‌

Venezuela Thwarts Terrorist Attack On US Embassy

Venezuela Foils Terrorist Attack at US Embassy Amid Worsening Ties with Washington Venezuela Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced this week that his security forces prevented a “false flag operation” by a “local terrorist group” to plant explosives at the United States Embassy in the country’s capital, Caracas, MercoPress reported. During his weekly TV show on Monday, Maduro said that two credible sources, one domestic and one international, had told the government about the possible attack by “extremist sectors of the local Venezuelan right.” Security forces were sent to reinforce security around the embassy, and authorities are searching for those involved in the failed plan. The president also shared details and information about the threat with the US government, and he said he received a positive response. Maduro described the foiled attack as a “provocation,” warning it was part of a larger destabilization attempt aimed at justifying further aggression against his country and heightening tensions with Washington – the US is expanding its military presence off the coast of Venezuela as part of a campaign against drug cartels, Al Jazeera noted. After the rupture of diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington in 2019, the US embassy in Venezuela has remained closed, only maintaining necessary staff for security and the upkeep of the premises. Despite the difference between the two countries, Maduro insisted that the embassy is protected and respected by his government under international law. News of this alleged attack arrives as US President Donald Trump reportedly called off efforts to find a diplomatic agreement with Venezuela. The Trump administration does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president and has accused him of being one of the world’s biggest drug traffickers and also the head of the Cartel de los Soles. The US military campaign in Venezuela currently focuses on attacking Venezuelan ships in the Caribbean Sea, which it believes are carrying drugs. Last Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said four people were killed during a strike on a small vessel in the Caribbean, which the White House considered involved in drug trafficking. Venezuelan officials have condemned the US’s targeting of shipping, saying it constitutes a campaign of extrajudicial killing.

Argentina's Bail Out Benefits One Billionaire

Trump’s Argentina bailout enriches one well-connected billionaire A $20 billion taxpayer-funded rescue package for Argentina is a gift for a hedge fund manager with personal and professional ties to the Treasury Secretary Judd Legum Sep 29, 2025 Hedge fund manager Rob Citrone attends a charity dinner in New York City on November 15, 2022. (Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a $20 billion package to rescue the Argentinian economy. The risky taxpayer-financed deal, which involves trading U.S. dollars for Argentine pesos, has little upside for ordinary Americans. Argentina is not a significant U.S. trading partner, and its economy, long in turmoil, has little impact on the United States. However, Bessent’s announcement had massive economic benefits for one American: billionaire hedge fund manager Rob Citrone, who has placed large bets on the future of the Argentine economy. Citrone, the co-founder of Discovery Capital Management, is also a friend and former colleague of Bessent—a fact that has not been previously reported in American media outlets. Citrone, by his own account, helped make Bessent very wealthy. Since Javier Milei, a right-wing populist, became president of Argentina in December 2023, Citrone has invested heavily in Argentina. Citrone has bought Argentine debt and purchased equity in numerous Argentine companies that are closely tied to the performance of the overall economy. Due to Argentina’s massive debt load and chaotic economic history — in 2023, Argentina’s inflation rate was over 200% — Citrone purchased Argentine bonds with an interest rate of nearly 20%. (Citrone has declined to detail exactly “how much of the $2.8 billion he manages is invested“ in Argentina.) Citrone, who is also a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is effectively betting on Milei’s right-wing economic program, which emphasizes deregulation and sharply reduced government spending. Citrone viewed “the probability of default as minuscule,” even though Argentina has defaulted on its debts many times in the past. In the short term, this appeared to be a savvy investment. After taking office, Milei fired tens of thousands of government workers, cut spending on welfare and research, and achieved fiscal balance. Inflation was reduced to around 40%, which spurred economic growth and foreign investment. Argentina’s economic rebound contributed to Discovery Capital’s 52% return in 2024. Then it all came crashing down. The austerity measures slowed economic growth, and unemployment spiked to nearly 8%. Millions had a harder time making ends meet after Milei reduced or eliminated subsidies for transportation, medicine, and other necessities. Milei’s popularity slumped, leading to speculation that his party could be routed in the 2025 midterm elections, which would hamstring Milei’s ability to implement his agenda. This created an economic panic, with investors dumping the peso and liquidating other Argentine assets. Milei has desperately attempted to keep inflation in check. Last week Argentina’s “central bank spent more than $1 billion to shore up the peso.” But Argentina was running out of foreign currency. That spelled trouble for Citrone. Then Bessent and the Trump administration came to the rescue, floating a $20 billion economic package that helped stabilize the Argentine peso and functioned as a political lifeline for Milei. In early September, days before Bessent’s announcement, Citrone purchased more Argentine bonds. Bessent’s personal and professional relationship with Citrone has spanned decades. In a May 14 appearance on the “Goldman Sachs Exchanges” podcast, Citrone revealed how he delivered a financial windfall for Bessent. They were both working for investor George Soros in 2013 when Citrone convinced Bessent and Soros to bet on the U.S. dollar against the Japanese yen. I think there’s special times every five or ten years where there’s a really spectacular trade in investment that we then will concentrate in a meaningful way. 2013, the dollar-yen, where we made over a billion dollars long dollar-yen. And, in fact, you know, we discussed it quite a bit with George, and I kind of convinced George and Scott Bessent at the time to go big in that. And, you know, Scott says I’m responsible for 75% of his bonus at Soros, kind of jokingly, over that time. CE Noticias Financieras, a leading Latin American economic publication, describes Citrone as “a friend of the Secretary of the Treasury.” El Cronista, citing government sources, reported that Citrone “has a personal relationship as well as a past working relationship” with Bessent. Citrone has also reportedly leveraged his relationship with Bessent to gain access to Trump. According to CE Noticias Financieras, in November, “Citrone gave a case of four red wines to Javier Milei during his visit to Mar-A-Lago, in Palm Beach, in his first meeting with Trump.” When Argentina’s economy began to falter in April, it was Citrone who “intervened before Scott Bessent…to advocate for an IMF agreement with Argentina,” CE Noticias Financieras reported. Bessent subsequently played a key role in convincing the IMF to extend a separate $20 billion currency stabilization package. (That package ultimately proved insufficient to stabilize the Argentine peso.) Shortly after the IMF deal was secured, Bessent traveled to Argentina to meet with Milei and other top Argentine officials. It was an unusual choice for the Treasury Secretary’s first foreign trip. Citrone arrived in Argentina at the same time as Bessent, meeting with Milei just before Bessent. During those meetings, Bessent emphasized U.S. support for Argentina’s economic agenda. Bessent’s September 24 announcement, thus far, has had the desired impact, increasing the value of Argentine assets, including bonds, stocks, and the peso. “It has helped tremendously that the US has come in to support Milei, and it will pay dividends for the US strategically,” Citrone said in an interview with Bloomberg. Whether the U.S. improves the prospects over the long term is a separate question. Propping up the value of the Argentine currency beyond what the market will support with yet another influx of foreign currency gives wealthy Argentines an opportunity to cash out. The Argentine elite now have the ability to convert their peso assets into dollars and move them abroad. This phenomenon, known as “capital flight,” is why the previous IMF bailout package proved insufficient. Discovery Capital did not immediately return a request for comment about Citrone’s role in securing the U.S. assistance package for Argentina. Popular Information has produced original accountability journalism since 2018. If you value this reporting and want to see more of it, you can support our work by upgrading to a paid subscription. ohomen171@gmail.com password ohomen171@gmail.com Subscribe Argentina’s MAGA lobbyists Another overlooked aspect of the U.S. rescue package for Argentina is the role of the organizers of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), an influential right-wing political group. In November 2024, shortly after Trump’s election, key CPAC officials, including Matt Schlapp and Mercedes Schlapp, founded a new lobbying firm called Tactic Global. This is the same group that organized CPAC Argentina in December 2024, an event that featured Milei, Lara Trump, and other right-wing luminaries. CPAC has long played a key role in Trump’s political operation. In February 2025, Tactic Global began representing the Argentine government as a foreign agent. According to the filing, “Tactic will serve as a liason [sic] between Presidencia de la Nacion de la Republica Argentina and its counterparts in the U.S. Tactic will coordinate meetings between officials of the two countries and offer strategic counsel to the Secretaria de Inteligencia de Estado.” The contract specifies that Argentina pays Tactic $10,000 per month. Tactic Global’s official name is Tactic COC because its parent company is COC Global Enterprise. Leonardo Scaturice, an Argentinian businessman and lobbyist who lives in the United States, is the chairman and CEO of COC Global Enterprise and a principal at Tactic Global. In April 2025, Matt Schlapp traveled with Citrone to meet with Milei and other top Argentine officials, according to news reports. They arrived together in Scaturice’s private jet, a striking black Bombardier Global 5000. Also participating in the meetings was Soledad Cedro, the Managing Director of Tactic Global and the CEO of CPAC Latin America. Scaturice once worked for Argentine intelligence, which may explain why Tactic Global’s contract was routed through the Argentine Secretariat of Intelligence. More recently, CE Noticias Financieras reported that Barry Bennett, a former Trump advisor and current Tactic Global principal, “became directly involved” in securing the U.S. rescue package. Although CPAC promotes itself as an “America First” organization, Tactic Global represents not only the government of Argentina but also Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam. After Bessent announced his rescue package for Argentina last week, CPAC promoted the deal on its social media accounts.

Prarguay: Generation Z Protestes against Corruption,

Gen Z Protests Against Corruption Erupt in Paraguay Paraguay Protesters gathered on Monday in front of police and court buildings in the Paraguayan capital of Asunción to demand the release of young people arrested the day before in the Generación Z Paraguay march against corruption, Paraguayan newspaper El Nacional reported. Holding signs reading “Freedom for those imprisoned for fighting,” they demanded the immediate release of those arrested, most of whom had no criminal record, saying the crackdown on the protest by police was a violation of their assembly rights. On Sunday, authorities arrested more than 30 people in Asunción after anti-corruption demonstrations turned violent, MercoPress reported. The march was organized by the youth group Generación Z Paraguay to protest government corruption and demand greater transparency, as well as more funding for education and healthcare. The protests began peacefully, but quickly escalated after a violent police crackdown that continued into the night, according to local media. Dozens of protesters were wounded during the clashes, while eight police officers were injured as protesters smashed store windows and threw objects at law enforcement. Video footage posted on social media showed police, including cavalry and specialized units like the Grupo Lince motorcycle unit, aggressively chasing and detaining civilians, even those walking on sidewalks. The protest is part of a broader wave of public discontent and protests in the country of Paraguay over the past year, with demonstrators demanding transparency, justice, and institutional accountability. Analysts say that Paraguay is now dealing with its most severe institutional crisis since the democratic transition of 1989, following revelations of deep-rooted corruption and collusion between public officials and organized crime networks, implicating top officials, including President Horacio Cartes. Share this story

LATAM Looks For Quick Enbraer Deliveries To Add Up to 30 New Brasil Destinations

LATAM looks for quick Embraer deliveries to add up to 30 new Brazil destinations By Luciana Novaes Magalhaes and Gabriel Araujo September 26, 202512:40 PM PDTUpdated September 26, 2025 LATAM airlines logo, is seen inside of the Commodore Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Santiago LATAM Airlines logo, is seen inside of the Commodore Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Santiago, Chile April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Summary Companies LATAM to receive Embraer jets quickly, expand Brazil routes Order marks milestone for both companies Carrier expands workforce, invests in new hangar SAO CARLOS, Brazil, Sept 26 (Reuters) - LATAM Airlines (LTM.SN), opens new tab will receive the E195-E2 jets it ordered from Embraer (EMBR3.SA), opens new tab "relatively quickly" and expects them to allow the carrier to add 25 to 30 new destinations in Brazil, an executive said on Friday. "An important portion of them will be delivered next year, by the end of the year, and then another portion in 2027," LATAM Brasil CEO Jerome Cadier told Reuters, adding the airline would decide within six months which routes the jets should serve. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Report This Ad The Brazilian unit of Chile-based LATAM is the country's No. 1 airline by market share. The carrier announced on Monday a firm order for 24 E195-E2 aircraft, with purchase options for another 50. The deal was a milestone for both firms, with Embraer notching a long-awaited order for its second-generation jets in Brazil, and LATAM adding the regional planes to complement a fleet of Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab narrowbodies and Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab widebodies. AIRBUS COMPETITION Cadier first revealed last year that LATAM was considering purchasing smaller jets and cited Embraer's E2 and Airbus' A220, direct competitors in the up-to-150-seat segment. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Report This Ad The A220 would have offered more seats and longer range, placing it closer to the narrowbodies LATAM already flies, while the smaller, 136-seat E2 better fits the carrier's needs for the Brazilian market, Cadier noted. "When you look at the destinations, the distance between the cities we operate in, the potential markets and demand from those cities, the E2 fits very well," he said. "If there were many large cities, maybe the A220 would be more suitable." Cadier did not provide further detail on the destinations LATAM could add to its domestic roster. EXPANSION PLANS Following the new orders, LATAM will keep expanding its workforce and expects to match its 2024 hiring levels of about 1,000 employees this year, including pilots and cabin crew members. The firm invested 40 million reais ($7.49 million) in a new hangar designed for heavy maintenance at its Sao Carlos base. 00:09 How banana waste is being turned into sustainable clothing The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard The facility was inaugurated on Friday, a day after rivals Azul and Gol (GOLL54.SA), opens new tab ended talks on a merger that would have created Brazil's largest airline by market share, surpassing LATAM. Cadier said the tie-up would not have been worrisome, as antitrust watchdog CADE would likely have imposed restrictions on the deal. "We never considered a scenario in which such a merger would be approved without mitigation measures," he said. ($1 = 5.3392 reais)

The Unique Language Of The Inca Empire

Knots of the Empire The Inca Empire of South America left behind some of the most striking monuments of the ancient world, from the soaring stone terraces of Machu Picchu to a vast road network crisscrossing the Andes. But perhaps its most enigmatic legacy is the “khipu,” a system of knotted cords that encoded information without a written alphabet. Long assumed to be the exclusive domain of the elite, new evidence suggests these records may have been created by ordinary people as well. The findings center on a recently analyzed khipu with a primary cord made entirely of human hair. Radiocarbon dating places it as being made around 1498, decades before the Spanish conquest. Lead author Sabine Hyland wrote in the Conversation that she initially thought the strands came from alpacas or llamas, until her colleagues corrected her. The cord in this case measured around three feet in length and took more than eight years to complete. That length provided scientists with a unique archive of the individual’s life: Analysis of the sample showed that the individual lived in the highlands of southern Peru or northern Chile and mainly subsisted on a modest diet of tubers, legumes, and grains. These foods were not the typical diet of an elite Incan, which included meat and especially maize beer. “It’s not really possible to escape drinking (maize beer),” Hyland told NPR. “Even today, in the Andes, when you participate in rituals, you have to drink what you are given.” She explained that in Inca cosmology, hair carried a person’s essence. Incorporating it into a khipu could act as a signature, embedding the maker’s identity into the record. Museums hold hundreds of khipus that remain unstudied. If others are found with similar signatures, they could challenge many of the records of Spanish colonizers to reveal a more complex history of Inca recordkeeping. “This hair analysis adds another piece of evidence to the growing belief that khipu production and literacy might have been more widespread in the Inca Empire than the Spanish colonizers assumed,” co-author Kit Lee told NPR. Harvard researcher Manny Medrano, who was not involved in the work, said the findings will help broaden the narrative around the Inca civilization. “Ultimately, this gets us closer to being able to tell Inca histories using Inca sources,” he added. “We need to tell a story of literacy and of writing and of recordkeeping in the Inca Empire that is way more plural, that includes folks who have not been included in the standard narrative.”

Lula Tells UN That Attacks On Brasil's Institutions Are Unacceptable

Lula tells UN that attacks on Brazil's institutions are unacceptable By Reuters, 1 days ago (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that recent "unilateral attacks" against his country's institutions and economy were unacceptable, in a stern rebuke of U.S. foreign policy. Lula's comments echoed his running criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs, visa restrictions and financial sanctions in response to the trial and conviction of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election. "Attacks on sovereignty, arbitrary sanctions and unilateral interventions are becoming the rule," Lula said, without naming Trump. "There is no justification for the unilateral and arbitrary measures against our institutions and our economy." On Monday, Washington imposed sanctions on the wife of the judge who presided over the Supreme Court trial of Bolsonaro, which Trump called a "witch hunt," and revoked the visas of six high-ranking Brazilian officials. The Trump administration had previously sanctioned Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes under the Magnitsky Act and slapped a 50% tariff on U.S. imports of many Brazilian goods. Lula also defended the investigation and due process resulting in the conviction of Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting the coup to stay in power. "He had full rights to defense," Lula said. "Before the eyes of the world, Brazil sent a message to all aspiring autocrats and their supporters: our democracy and our sovereignty are non-negotiable." (Reporting by Gabriel Araujo in Sao PauloEditing by Brad Haynes and Deepa Babington)

Avelo Airline's Large Embrear Order Is Good News

https://simpleflying.com/right-sizing-avelo-airlines-huge-embraer-e2-order/

LATAM Orders 24 Embraer E195-E2 Jets Growing Its Brasil Presence

LATAM orders 24 Embraer E195-E2 jets, growing Brazil presence By Gabriel Araujo September 22, 20257:28 AM PDTUpdated 12 hours ago 55th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris An Embraer E195-E2 Profit Hunter jet is displayed at the 55th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Summary Companies LATAM to deploy new jets for Brazilian operations Embraer's shares rise nearly 4% after order announcement Brazil's government supports deal to boost regional aviation SAO PAULO, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Brazil's Embraer (EMBR3.SA), opens new tab secured a landmark deal in its home market on Monday as LATAM Airlines (LTM.SN), opens new tab announced a firm order for 24 E195-E2 aircraft, with purchase options for another 50, lifting the planemaker's shares. The deal marks a long-awaited new order for Embraer's second-generation jets in Brazil, whose government had been lobbying for the sale. Chile-based LATAM will initially deploy the new planes for its Brazilian operations. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here. Advertisement · Scroll to continue U.S. Bank Sponsored by U.S. Bank Smart money management. Real rewards With checking, savings & credit card in one place the U.S. Bank Smartly® suite gets you rates & rewards on any dollar amount. Member FDIC. Learn more Report This Ad Deliveries of the 24 firm orders, worth about $2.1 billion at list prices, will begin in the second half of 2026, the companies said in a joint statement. LATAM will join rival airline Azul in flying Embraer's E195-E2 in Latin America's largest economy. Azul last placed a firm order for the jets in 2018. Embraer Chief Executive Francisco Gomes Neto first revealed in an interview with Reuters last year that the company had been in talks with LATAM for a potential order. The carrier later confirmed it was considering new, smaller jets in its fleet. It cited Embraer's E2 and Airbus' A220, which directly compete in the regional segment with up to 150 seats per aircraft. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Report This Ad Embraer's shares rose almost 4% in Sao Paulo morning trading. JPMorgan analysts said the announcement reinforces their bullish views on the planemaker, as its commercial backlog continues to grow at a strong pace. "We are extremely proud that the LATAM group has made the best choice to advance the region's connectivity," Gomes Neto said on Monday. The Brazilian unit of LATAM, the country's No. 1 airline by market share, has been looking for ways to expand its fleet in light of lengthy delivery times for narrow-body planes from larger manufacturers Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab and Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab. The E195-E2s will join the carrier's fleet of 362 aircraft, which includes Airbus narrow-bodies and Boeing wide-bodies. The airline's decision was based on the "excellent economics and versatility" of the E195-E2, which allow for the opening of new destinations, LATAM CEO Roberto Alvo said. 00:08 Inside ETFs: 'Effectively creating an income machine' The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard Brazil's government, which had been urging local carriers to buy Embraer aircraft to boost regional aviation and strengthen the manufacturer, cheered the deal. "It's a historic purchase. ... A milestone for regional aviation," Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho said. The LATAM order follows another landmark deal for Embraer earlier this month, as a firm order for 50 E195-E2s from budget carrier Avelo Airlines marked the first U.S. deal for the plane. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Additional reporting by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Brad Haynes and Mark Porter Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics: Gabriel Araujo Gabriel Araujo Thomson Reuters Gabriel is a Sao Paulo, Brazil-based reporter covering Latin America's financial and breaking news from the region's largest economy. A graduate of the University of Sao Paulo, joined Reuters while in college as a Commodities & Energy intern and has been with the firm ever since. Previously covered sports - including soccer and Formula One - for Brazilian radios and websites. Read Next

Argentina Markets Soar After US Treasury Pledges Support

Argentina markets soar after US Treasury pledges support The city of Buenos Aires gets ready for the runoff election · Reuters Rodrigo Campos Mon, September 22, 2025 at 8:02 AM PDT 3 min read 4 In this article: DX-Y.NYB +0.02% By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK (Reuters) -Argentine financial assets rallied on Monday, with stocks rising the most in six months, international dollar bonds up more than 6 cents and the peso strengthening after Washington pledged full support for Argentina's right-wing government ahead of key midterm elections next month. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "all options" are on the table for stabilizing Argentina, including swap lines and direct currency purchases, while underscoring President Donald Trump's confidence in Argentine President Javier Milei and his economic team. Bessent told reporters after earlier announcing support for Argentina on social media that any U.S. action would be "large and forceful," but said no steps would be taken until after he and Trump meet with Milei in New York on Tuesday. Argentine markets have fallen sharply in recent weeks, with international bonds down more than 20% for the year through Friday. The peso has been pressing against the weaker limit of a band set months ago, as corruption allegations inside Milei's circle and a larger-than-expected loss in a local election in Buenos Aires triggered investor concern over Milei's ability to reshape the economy. "Argentina's assets were in desperate need of a circuit breaker — and they just got one," said Alejo Czerwonko, CIO for emerging markets in the Americas at UBS. "Bessent's intervention carries outsized weight at this fragile juncture. It provides the Milei administration with a critical window to reorient ahead of October's midterms." A favorable political outcome for the government in the October election would go a long way toward containing investor anxiety ignited by the Buenos Aires vote earlier this month, Czerwonko added. MARKET RALLY IS A REBOUND An index of Argentine stocks traded in U.S. exchanges rose 14%, and the local benchmark gained 7% Monday after falling more than 15% over the past two weeks. Earlier, the Argentine government said it would remove export taxes on all grains through next month, aiming to increase sales and boost the supply of dollars to meet demand from institutional investors. That means the tax will be removed past the midterm election on October 26. "Is this the 'whatever it takes' moment for Argentina?" said Armando Armenta, senior economist at AllianceBernstein, alluding to pivotal support from former ECB chief Mario Draghi to the euro experiment back in 2012. "Seems like Milei is getting the support to avoid a financial crisis ahead of the midterm election and ensure a smoother transition into 2026."

Brasil's Azul Airlines Wants To Return 20 Embrear Airliners

https://simpleflying.com/brazil-azul-20-planes-restructuring-us/

Brasil's Regulator Sees Realistic Embrear Flying Taxi Certification In 2027

Brazil regulator sees realistic Embraer flying taxi certification in 2027 FILE PHOTO: The electric aircraft maker Eve Air Mobility showcases for the first time the full-scale prototype of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at an event in Gaviao Peixoto · Reuters Allison Lampert and Gabriel Araujo Mon, September 22, 2025 at 9:41 AM PDT 2 min read In this article: EMBR3.SA +4.63% By Allison Lampert and Gabriel Araujo MONTREAL, SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazil's Embraer could get certification of its electric aircraft in 2027, but the new president of the country's aviation regulator told Reuters he would like to hit that milestone a year earlier. Embraer's subsidiary Eve is among several firms developing battery-powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically to ferry travelers on short city trips, a segment seen as key to future growth for the world's third-largest planemaker. Eve, which has amassed nearly 3,000 potential orders ahead of production, currently expects its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to enter service in 2027, a year later than initially planned. Tiago Faierstein, the recently appointed president of Brazil's civil aviation regulator ANAC, said in an interview on Sunday afternoon that the regulator would do what it could to help Embraer certify the aircraft next year. "Let's work with 2027, but our goal, our desire is to be in 2026," Faierstein said on the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Innovation Fair in Montreal, which ends on Monday. Certification of the eVTOL aircraft is the top priority for ANAC, he said, but the timing would depend on Embraer as "their technology has to be mature" to be certified. Eve's entry into service depends on the development of infrastructure like vertiports and tackling challenges such as power grid infrastructure and air traffic management, not just the certification of the so-called flying taxis. "We are focused on deploying in the market, not just the certification," Faierstein said. Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto told Reuters last month that he had been in touch with ANAC, and "everything was well controlled" ahead of the eVTOL certification. "At the moment, the plan is for the end of 2027," he said when asked about entry into service. "The whole team is committed and working with that timeline." Eve has preorders for the eVTOL from about 28 customers in nine countries, ANAC said, which is creating a challenge for regulators to come up with common rules so the eVTOLs could cross borders. The regulator would first collect data in Brazil and then share it with partners and the UN's ICAO, which is holding its triennial assembly starting on Tuesday. "First we are focused on the data that we are acquiring in Brazil," Faierstein said. "Then we will share the data with ICAO and other countries to harmonize the regulations."

US Revokes Visa For Brasilian Solicitor General, Other Officials

Exclusive-US to revoke visas for Brazilian solicitor-general, other officials By Gram Slatter, 12 hours ago By Gram Slattery WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. government is revoking the visas of Brazilian Solicitor-General Jorge Messias and five other former and current Brazilian judicial officials, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters on Monday. The move represents a significant escalation in the ongoing feud between the U.S. and Brazilian governments that has intensified since the criminal conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro earlier in the month. U.S. President Donald Trump and his political allies have denounced Bolsonaro's conviction as the fruit of a political witch-hunt and more broadly accused Brazil's judiciary of censoring conservatives. Brazilian authorities have vigorously rejected those assertions. They say there is ample evidence that the right-wing former leader - a close ally of Trump - attempted to overturn his 2022 election loss to current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In addition to Jorge Messias, the official said the Trump administration is revoking the visas of former Solicitor-General Jose Levi, former electoral court justice Benedito Goncalves, auxiliary judge and Supreme Court aide Airton Vieira, former electoral court aide Marco Antonio Martin Vargas and Rafael Henrique Janela Tamai Rocha, another high-ranking judicial aide. It was not possible to immediately reach those figures for comment. Several of them are current or former aides or allies to Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the recent trial of Bolsonaro, and has received the brunt of the Trump administration's ire. In July, Moraes was sanctioned by the Trump administration. He has had his visa revoked, along with several other Brazilian Supreme Court justices. The U.S. Treasury has also sanctioned Moraes' wife. (Reporting by Gram Slattery, Editing by Don Durfee and Rosalba O'Brien)

Brasil Lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro Charged With Coercion

Brazil lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro charged with coercion By Reuters, 8 hours ago SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazil's Prosecutor General charged federal lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro with coercion, according to a statement on Monday, in a case linked to the one in which his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was convicted for plotting a coup. The younger Bolsonaro has "repeatedly sought to subordinate the interests of Brazil and the entire society to his own personal and family agenda," the prosecutor general's office said in the statement. Eduardo Bolsonaro moved to the U.S. earlier this year to seek support from President Donald Trump to stop criminal proceedings against his father, and has claimed credit for pushing the White House to announce 50% tariffs on most Brazilian goods. The lawmaker linked the charge to fresh sanctions imposed by the U.S. on wife of Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the former president's trial, calling the staff of the Prosecutor General's office "Moraes' lackeys". Eduardo Bolsonaro added that he received news of the "bogus accusation" from the press, and would wait for the legal case to be communicated through official channels before making a formal statement. (Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes; Writing by Isabel Teles; Editing by Gabriel Araujo, Chris Reese and Chizu Nomiyama )

Anti Government Protests In Peru Turn Vviolent!

Anti-Government Protests in Peru Turn Violent Peru Hundreds of anti-government protesters clashed with police in Peru’s capital of Lima over the weekend, the latest unrest to affect the South American country over organized crime, government corruption, and a recent pension reform program, Agence France-Presse reported. On Saturday, around 500 demonstrators marched in Lima’s center under heavy police presence. Violence broke out as protesters tried to get close to the executive and congressional buildings. Police said at least three officers were wounded. The weekend protests were organized by a youth collective called “Generation Z” targeting the administration of President Dina Boluarte, whose approval ratings have dropped to single digits amid rising cases of extortion and violence due to organized crime in the country. Opinion polls show that a majority of Peruvians see the government and the conservative-majority congress as corrupt. Boluarte’s term ends next year. Analysts said the demonstrations are partially in protest of a pension reform plan passed by the legislature last week. The new law requires young adults to join a private pension fund, even though many face employment and wage uncertainty as gig workers and other forms of self-employment.

Brasilians Protest In The Thousands Against Bolsonaro Amnesty

Brazilians protest in their thousands against granting Bolsonaro amnesty By Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro, Updated 07:44 PM PDT, Sun September 21, 2025 The Guardian Follow In São Paulo, tens of thousands gathered outside the city’s art museum and hoisted a giant Brazilian flag over their heads. Photograph: Isaac Fontana/EPA Tens of thousands of Brazilians have taken to the streets to demand no amnesty be granted to their country’s former president Jair Bolsonaro after he was convicted of plotting a coup. The far-right populist was sentenced to 27 years in prison earlier this month for illegally attempting to cling to power after he lost the 2022 presidential election to his leftwing opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On Sunday, huge crowds packed the squares and beaches of some of Brazil’s biggest cities to voice their opposition to rightwing endeavors to help Bolsonaro escape jail for his failed power grab, which included a plan to assassinate Lula, the vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin, and a supreme court judge. The pro-democracy protests were spearheaded by some of Brazil’s best-loved musicians, including a trio of legendary songwriters who were at the forefront of the fight against the country’s brutal 1964-85 military dictatorship: Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque and Gilberto Gil. “The Brazilian people elected Lula – and that’s why democracy in Brazil endures,” Veloso, 83, told tens of thousands of demonstrators who had braved plus-35C temperatures to pack Rio’s Copacabana beach. As Veloso, Buarque and Gil performed a series of dictatorship-era classics from a sound truck by the sand, the crowd chanted: “Sem anistia” (“No amnesty”). “We have to go out on to the streets, as we have in the past, to say that we – as a people, as a nation – will not accept this,” Veloso said on the eve of the march. Protesters also voiced anger at how Brazil’s conservative-dominated lower house had this week approved draft legislation – denounced by critics as the “Bandit’s Bill” – that would make it harder for lawmakers to be charged or arrested for alleged crimes. Stars of stage and screen turned out at marches in other major cities to decry that bill and congressional efforts to reduce Bolsonaro’s sentence as part of a supposed attempt to “pacify” the politically divided South American country. “Long live democracy! Long live Brazil!” the Golden Globe-nominated actor Wagner Moura told a sea of protesters in Salvador, the capital of his home state, Bahia. Moura, the star of the Netflix drama Narcos, hailed the “extraordinary moment” his country’s democracy was experiencing after Bolsonaro’s historic conviction – a contrast with the democratic backsliding in the US under Bolsonaro’s re-elected ally Donald Trump. In São Paulo, tens of thousands gathered outside the city’s art museum and hoisted a giant Brazilian flag over their heads – a patriotic response to Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to interfere in Bolsonaro’s trial with a pressure campaign of tariffs and sanctions. At a rally in Belo Horizonte, local singer Fernanda Takai denounced the “shameless” manoeuvres to help Bolsonaro dodge jail and politicians avoid being held to account for their misdeeds. “We need to take a stand, to show how angry we are,” Takai told the newspaper Estado de Minas. In the capital, Brasília, where Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest, thousands assembled near the congress and supreme court buildings that were trashed by rightwing radicals on 8 January 2023 at the climax of the former president’s coup attempt. There were also protests overseas, including in Berlin, Lisbon and London, where demonstrators gathered outside parliament to demand Bolsonaro be jailed. Before the rallies – Brazil’s largest pro-democracy demonstrations in years – Buarque, who was forced into exile in Italy in the late 1960s during the military dictatorship, spurned the idea of an amnesty for Bolsonaro. “We do not want a repeat of the 1979 amnesty … which meant that nobody was punished [for the regime’s crimes],” the celebrated singer-songwriter told the news website UOL. Buarque rejected the idea that granting Bolsonaro and his seven co-conspirators an amnesty would reduce political tensions. “It was the putschists who committed the crime. We [democrats] owe them nothing,” the singer said. Subscribe to Middle East News Digest's newsletter to receive the latest news and updates directly in your inbox.

Uruguay: What $550,000 Buys You In Montevideo

What You Get $550,000 Homes in Uruguay A top-floor loft near the beach, a renovated 1950s apartment in a busy neighborhood and a penthouse with a popular beach at its doorstep. Share full article 18 By Michael Kaminer Sept. 19, 2025 Pocitos | $500,000 A top-floor loft near Montevideo’s architecture school This two-bedroom, one-bathroom loft is on Bulevar Artigas, the 6.5-mile-long thoroughfare that bisects central Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital. With 12-foot ceilings and original brickwork, the loft is on the top floor of a four-story 1940s house that the seller acquired in 2017 and carved into three apartments. Pocitos, one of Montevideo’s most densely populated neighborhoods, has a mix of midrise buildings from the mid-20th century and new developments. The area’s dwindling stock of detached homes is getting demolished or converted to multiunit residences. Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo, the architecture and design school of the national Universidad de la República, is across the street. Pocitos Beach and Montevideo’s waterfront are a mile and a half south. Estudio Café, a fashionable coffee spot with a minimalist concrete interior, is just south. Carrasco International Airport, with nonstop flights across Central and South America and to Miami, is 15 miles east. Foreigners can buy property in Uruguay without restrictions. Transaction costs total 7 to 9 percent of the purchase price, including 3 percent broker fees, 0.55 percent notary charges, and a 2 percent transfer tax. Foreigners who invest approximately $540,000 in real estate and stay in Uruguay at least 60 days a year qualify for permanent residency and a 10-year tax exemption on foreign-sourced income. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Size: 1,614 square feet Price per square foot: $310 Indoors: The loft’s open living and dining area features a fireplace, restored original pine floors and peaked ceilings crisscrossed with white beams. The kitchen, integrated into the living room, features a built-in oven, a gas cooktop, and an extractor hood. There is a full bathroom on one side of the apartment, and a half-bathroom on the opposite end. The glassed-in bedroom, up a short flight of stairs, overlooks the living area. The building’s lobby features checkerboard tile floors and glass doors onto the street. An elevator serves all three apartments. The owner, a German national who splits his time between Uruguay and his home country, is building a home elsewhere in Montevideo. Furniture — including a white fabric sofa, glass dining table and rattan seating — is included in the sale. Outdoor space: A tiled terrace, with space for a small table and chairs, overlooks neighboring trees between surrounding buildings. Costs: Annual property taxes, which combine municipal taxes and a school tax, are $1,650 (66,000 Uruguayan pesos). Monthly common charges are $300 (12,000 pesos). Editors’ Picks How to Cook (Better) With Butternut Squash From Bi to Beige and Back Again Many Minor Hits Can Damage an Athlete’s Brain SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Contact: Carlos García Arocena | +598-9944-6083 | Montevideo Sotheby’s International Realty Cordón | $560,000 A renovated 1950s apartment in the central business district This sprawling five-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment is in a 1950s building in Cordón, a busy downtown neighborhood of Montevideo with several Art Deco and midcentury buildings. Puro Verso, a multilevel bookstore with a basement wine bar, is a mile west. The Tristan Narvaja Market, a century-old Sunday street market that now covers 50 blocks, takes place around the corner. The Oso Pardo bar, popular for artisan beers like a passion fruit I.P.A., is a short walk east. The sellers renovated much of the apartment two years ago; previous owners refurbished the kitchen 15 years ago. Tired of commuting, the sellers are moving closer to their workplaces on the other side of Montevideo. Furniture is not included. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Size: 2,670 square feet Price per square foot: $210 Indoors: The unit is on the fifth floor of a 12-story building with a daytime concierge. The apartment opens to a living room with hardwood floors and full-length, north-facing windows. The adjacent dining room connects to the long kitchen, which features granite countertops and wooden cabinets, along with a wood-burning stove. Ceilings throughout the apartment are more than 10 feet high. French doors connect the living spaces. The principal bedroom features a renovated en suite bathroom with a double sink and glassed-in shower. Another bathroom was redecorated to include sleek black fixtures and an oval basin sink. The other two bathrooms have also been renovated. Outdoor space: A broad balcony off the living room overlooks Constituyente Street. There is a smaller terrace with checkerboard tiles off the main bedroom. Both terraces offer panoramic city views. Costs: Annual property taxes are $2,400 (96,000 pesos) Common charges for the unit are $600 (25,000 pesos). Contact: Moira Schurmann | +598-9124-4333 | Team Haverkate/Engel & Völkers Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Pocitos | $550,000 A seaside penthouse and former home of a noted decorator This ninth-floor penthouse, atop a 1955 building by the Uruguayan architect Raul A. Sichero Bouret, was home to Raquel Armas, a noted Montevideo-based interior designer who died in 2024. Her family is selling the apartment, which Ms. Armas renovated in 1990 with features including a front door sourced from Montevideo’s now-demolished Punta Carretas prison. With a popular beach at its doorstep, the building is on La Rambla de Pocitos, a section of the 14-mile boulevard along the Río de la Plata, one of the world’s largest rivers. Cafes, restaurants and parks line the boardwalk, a longtime gathering spot for locals. Cultural Alfabeta, which hosts film, music and arts events, is a few blocks north. Expreso Pocitos, which has served traditional chivitos beef sandwiches since 1910, is just west. Size: 1,969 square feet Price per square foot: $279 Indoors: The penthouse opens to a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows and restored herringbone hardwood floors. A brick wall divides the living room from the dining room, which features recessed lighting in hardwood ceilings that extend through the kitchen. The kitchen, which needs updating, includes granite countertops, a double sink and a long wooden island. There is one bedroom with an en suite bathroom and walk-in closet, and a half-bathroom next to a small laundry area near the kitchen. Brick columns, added by Ms. Armas, line one side of the apartment. Furniture, including twin sofas and a long wooden dining table, is included in the sale. Outdoor space: An 860-square-foot balcony with ocean views spans the length of the apartment. The sale includes an underground parking spot. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Costs: Annual property taxes are $2,500 (100,000 pesos). Common charges are $900 (36,000 pesos) monthly. Contact: Carlos García Arocena | +598-9944-6083 | Montevideo Sotheby’s International Realty Read 18 Com

Argentina: Mass Protests Intensify While Milei Attempt to Soften Austerity Measures

Mass Protests Intensify in Argentina While Milei Attempts to Soften Austerity Measures Argentina Tens of thousands of people Wednesday took to the streets of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, calling for increased funding for universities and pediatric hospitals, sectors hard hit by libertarian President Javier Milei’s sweeping austerity measures, despite his newly announced plans to boost social spending next year, France 24 reported. Protest organizers said their intention was to pressure legislators to overturn Milei’s recent vetoes of laws that would have increased funding of public universities and pediatric hospitals. The president said the laws would harm the country’s fiscal balance. Congress’s lower house voted on Wednesday to reject both vetoes. Now, the Senate would need to do the same for it to take effect. Milei’s popularity has taken a steep dive following his severe budget cuts: Since taking office in December 2023, he has slashed public spending and successfully brought down monthly inflation from double to single digits, France 24 reported separately. However, the moves have triggered massive ongoing protests. In late August, demonstrators threw stones at Milei and his sister during a campaign appearance in Buenos Aires, with clashes breaking out among supporters and opponents. Part of his sinking popularity is due to a corruption scandal involving his sister. Earlier this month, his party had a legislative defeat in Buenos Aires provincial elections. With legislative elections approaching in October – where half of the lower house and a third of the Senate will be up for grabs – Milei’s party, La Libertad Avanza (LLA), hopes to win enough seats to keep the opposition-controlled Congress from overriding his vetoes. As a result, on Monday, Milei presented a proposal for next year’s budget that includes plans to boost social spending. The new budget plans for a 5 percent increase for spending on pensions and another 5 percent for disability pensions, 17 percent for healthcare, and 8 percent for education above inflation. Nevertheless, Milei insisted that balancing the budget remains “non-negotiable.”

Argentina: The Intact Remains Of A Prehistoric Crocodile Are Discovered In Patagonia

Big, Bad Croc There was something more dangerous than dinosaurs lurking in the region that is now Argentina around 70 million years ago. Scientists in the country recently uncovered the remains of Kostensuchus atrox, a hypercarnivorous reptile that likely feasted on dinosaurs and rivaled other predators in southern Patagonia during the Cretaceous period. The fossil, unearthed in 2020 from the Chorrillo Formation in southern Argentina, is so well-preserved that researchers could piece together much of its anatomy, including a skull, jaws, and several bones. Its name is a combination of “Kosten,” the Tehuelche word for Patagonian wind, and Suchus, the Egyptian crocodile-headed god Sobek. The species name atrox means “fierce” or “harsh,” the Independent noted. Estimated to be 11.5 feet long and weighing in around 550 pounds, K. atrox wasn’t the largest predator of its time, but it was certainly among the deadliest. The creature had a broad snout, robust forelimbs, and big, sharp teeth that point to a mainly carnivorous diet – likely including medium-sized dinosaurs. “These extinct crocodyles competed and preyed upon dinosaurs, and played an important role in the structure of vanished ecosystems,” lead author Fernando Novas explained to Live Science. The animal belonged to a now-extinct group of reptiles called peirosaurid crocodyliforms – relatives of today’s crocodiles and alligators. Its discovery also sheds light on the diverse and surprisingly crocodile-rich world that dinosaurs inhabited. “In particular, terrestrial (crocodilians) were notably diverse and abundant during Cretaceous times in South America and Africa, including small and large, meat-eating and plant-eating forms, revealing that these continents were ‘land of crocs,’” Novas added. In the same fossil beds, scientists previously uncovered Maip macrothorax, a massive, 30-foot-long megaraptor. While Maip was bigger, K. atrox held its own as the second-largest predator in the area – reminding us that dinosaurs didn’t always rule the neighborhood.

Brasil Just Succeeded Where America Failed

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/15/Tv/video/amanpour-brazil-bolsonaro-conviction-petra-costa

Brasil Keeps Telling Trump To Get Lost

Brazil Keeps Telling Trump to Get Lost By Jack Nicas, 1 days ago Supporters of Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, at a rally ahead of his Supreme Court trial, in Brasilia, Brazil. Sept. 7, 2025. The conviction of Bolsonaro for trying to overturn the 2022 election by the South American country’s highest court, despite President Donald Trump’s imposition of extra tariffs, sanctions and a trade investigation, is shaping up as a test case on how to defy Trump. (Dado Galdieri/The New York Times) BRASÍLIA, Brazil — President Donald Trump made his demands to Brazil very clear: Drop the charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup. To show he was serious, he hit Brazil with punishing tariffs, launched a trade investigation and imposed some of the most severe sanctions at his disposal against the Supreme Court justice overseeing the case. Brazil responded Thursday by convicting Bolsonaro anyway, sentencing him to more than 27 years in prison for overseeing a failed plot to stay in power after losing the 2022 elections. Defiance has defined Brazil’s response to Trump since he began trying to bully the country. So far, it hasn’t resulted in disaster. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has watched his poll numbers rise as he has denounced his American counterpart. Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court justice targeted by sanctions, has been fiercely backed by Brazil’s democratic institutions. And last month, when Trump’s 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports took effect, Brazil said its global exports actually rose 4% because of increased purchases by China. “Does anyone believe that a tweet from a foreign government official will change a ruling in the Supreme Court?” Justice Flávio Dino said as he cast his vote this past week to convict Bolsonaro. In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted: “The United States will respond accordingly to this witch hunt.” How much further Washington is willing to go in its fight with Brazil is unclear. The U.S. government has used some of its most powerful tools. Its latest actions focused mostly on revoking the visas of some Brazilian officials. If the tariffs last — or even increase — it may eventually prove difficult to explain to American voters why they should pay more for beef, coffee and sugar to intervene in Bolsonaro’s case. An attendee holds a candle at a vigil for Charlie Kirk at a city park in Provo, Utah, on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. The first few minutes of President Trump’s Oval Office address after the assassination of Charlie Kirk last week followed the conventional presidential playbook at first. Then he tossed the playbook aside, angrily blaming the murder on the American left and vowing revenge. (Loren Elliott/The New York Times) U.S. officials have said their problems with Brazil go beyond Bolsonaro. They accuse de Moraes of censoring free speech by ordering social networks to block accounts that often he alone decides threaten Brazil’s democracy. His actions have indeed been harsh at times and lacked transparency, prompting criticism within Brazil, too. He and fellow justices have argued that the Brazilian right’s recent attacks on democracy — including a plot to assassinate de Moraes — have required a firm response. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, was asked this past week about de Moraes’ approach to the internet. Her response, delivered as the judge was voting to convict Bolsonaro, raised eyebrows: “The president is unafraid to use the economic might, the military might of the United States of America to protect free speech around the world.” Brazil’s government condemned the statement, and Lula later told a radio station, “The U.S. needs to know it’s not dealing with a banana republic.” Trump, for his part, did not seem to be revving for a fight when asked Thursday if he would respond to Bolsonaro’s conviction with more sanctions. “It’s very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it,” he said. He did not mention any retaliation. What is clear is that the White House’s campaign against Brazil did not stop Bolsonaro’s conviction, but it did hurt America’s image in the country and push its largest ally in the Western Hemisphere closer to China. Lula has spoken with President Xi Jinping of China at least twice since the U.S. tariffs took effect — but not once with Trump. China, Brazil’s largest trading partner ahead of the United States, is becoming even more central to Brazil’s economic plan. China bought 31% more from Brazil in August, when the tariffs kicked in, compared with a year before. At the same time, Brazil’s sales to the United States dropped 18.5%. Public perceptions in Brazil of the United States and China have been following a similar pattern. The percentage of Brazilians who said they had a positive image of the United States fell to 44% in August, from 58% in February 2024, according to a survey. Over the same period, those with a positive image of China jumped to 49% from 38%. FILE — Immigration officers take a man into custody during an arrest operation in Pompano Beach, Fla., May 1, 2023. President Donald Trump has walked back some significant immigration policies that collide with his economic agenda, angering his far-right allies. (Saul Martinez/The New York Times) U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote online Thursday that Bolsonaro’s conviction drove “relations between our two great nations to their darkest point in two centuries.” Many on the left in Brazil would argue that the United States’ support for the 1964 military coup that led to a 21-year dictatorship in Brazil was a darker moment. They see the current U.S. policy as another intervention from Washington on behalf of the plotters of a coup. U.S. officials, however, say they are saving Brazil’s democracy. That vast divide could be difficult to bridge. “As long as Brazil leaves the fate of our relationship in Justice Moraes’ hands,” Landau wrote, “I see no resolution to this crisis.” This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Some of the recent extra security outside the Supreme Court in Brasilia, Brazil, Sept. 3, 2025. The South American country’s highest court, which has convicted its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, despite President Donald Trump’s imposition of extra tariffs, sanctions and a trade investigation, is shaping up as a test case on how to defy Trump. (Dado Galdieri/The New York Times) FILE — Members of the National Guard patrol the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington on Sept. 3, 2025. Campaigning last year to reclaim power four years after his re-election defeat, Trump dispensed with the usual bromides about national unity, and instead declared that the biggest threat to the United States was “the enemy from within.” (Alex Kent/The New York Times) President Donald Trump talks with media member while departing the White House in Washington on Sept. 11, 2025. The first few minutes of President Trump’s Oval Office address after the assassination of Charlie Kirk last week followed the conventional presidential playbook at first. Then he tossed the playbook aside, angrily blaming the murder on the American left and vowing revenge. (Kenny Holston/The New Times0 People visit a memorial for Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah on Sept. 13, 2025. The first few minutes of President Trump’s Oval Office address after the assassination of Charlie Kirk last week followed the conventional presidential playbook at first. Then he tossed the playbook aside, angrily blaming the murder on the American left and vowing revenge. (Loren Elliott/The New York Times) FILE — President Donald Trump speaks alongside Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox church of the U.S. during a Greek Independence Day celebration in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 24, 2025. Hyundai Motor said in March that it would invest $21 billion to expand manufacturing in the United States. President Trump said the move was proof that his tariff policies were creating jobs. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) Brazil’s president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva and first lady Janja da Silva wave during a parade on the country’s Independence Day, in Brasilia, Brazil, Sept. 7, 2025. The conviction by the Supreme Court of the South American country’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, for trying to overturn the 2022 election, despite President Donald Trump’s imposition of extra tariffs, sanctions and a trade investigation, is shaping up as a test case on how to defy Trump. (Dado Galdieri/The New York Times) (Dado Galdieri/The New York Times) FILE — Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, greets supporters in Rio de Janeiro, March 16, 2025. The conviction of Bolsonaro for trying to overturn the 2022 election by the South American country’s highest court, despite President Donald Trump’s imposition of extra tariffs, sanctions and a trade investigation, is shaping up as a test case on how to defy Trump. (Dado Galdieri/The New York Times) FILE — President Donald Trump meets with his advisors in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Aug, 26, 2025. Campaigning last year to reclaim power four years after his re-election defeat, Trump dispensed with the usual bromides about national unity, and instead declared that the biggest threat to the United States was “the enemy from within.” (Doug Mills/The New York Times For more stories,subscribe to The New York Times. (c) 2025 The New York Times Company. 1.8K