Hundreds of Thousands Of Argentines Protest Milei's Cuts to Public Universities

Hundreds of Thousands of Argentines Protest Milei’s Funding Cuts to Public Universities ARGENTINA Argentina Hundreds of thousands of Argentines took to the streets of Buenos Aires and other cities this week to protest President Javier Milei’s funding cuts to public universities. Argentina’s tuition-free public university system – established in 1949 and credited with producing five Nobel Prize laureates – is widely seen as a source of national pride. Protesters accused Milei’s libertarian government of trying to dismantle it through austerity measures aimed at reducing state spending. Demonstrators marched across the capital carrying banners reading “Milei, comply with the law” and “Without public universities, there is no future.” Organizers said more than 1.5 million people demonstrated across the country. Congress last year passed a law to fund universities’ operational costs and raise teacher salaries in line with inflation, but Milei vetoed it and later sought to repeal it in the 2026 budget. Lawmakers overruled both efforts, but the government has still refused to release the funds, prompting legal action and injunctions now under appeal before the Supreme Court. “Funding transfers to the university system have fallen by 45.6 percent from 2023 to the present,” said Franco Bartolacci, president of the National Interuniversity Council. The government has claimed that the law threatens its fiscal surplus and has portrayed the demonstrations as politically motivated. The protests came as Milei is also facing declining approval ratings amid falling wages, rising unemployment and corruption allegations surrounding his cabinet chief, Manuel Adorni. Some demonstrators carried signs targeting Adorni, with one reading, “How much does Adorni cost us?”

Peruvian Prosecutors Charge Presidential Candiadte Roberto Sanchez Ahead of Runoff Vote

Peruvian Prosecutors Charge Presidential Candidate Roberto Sánchez Ahead of Runoff Vote PERU Peru Peru’s top prosecutor filed financial crime charges against leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sánchez, hours after election authorities confirmed he would advance to next month’s presidential runoff against conservative rival Keiko Fujimori. Prosecutors on Tuesday accused Sánchez, a candidate from the Juntos por el Perú party, of making false statements in administrative proceedings and filing false financial disclosures with the National Office of Electoral Processes related to campaign contributions from 2018 to 2020. Authorities are seeking a prison sentence of more than five years as well as his “permanent disqualification” from serving as president of the Juntos por el Perú party. Sánchez’s lawyer rejected the accusations, arguing that the party’s treasurer – not Sánchez – was responsible for the financial filings. The charges were announced shortly after Peru’s electoral commission said Sánchez and Fujimori would advance to the June 7 runoff vote. With nearly all ballots counted, Fujimori, the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, led with 17.17 percent of the vote, while Sánchez followed with 12 percent. Election authorities are expected to certify the final first-round results by Friday. The presidential race has unfolded amid weeks of political tension following a contentious first round marked by allegations of fraud, logistical problems and the resignation of Peru’s top electoral official, who is also under investigation. Despite the accusations, international observers said they found no concrete evidence of fraud in the April vote. Advertisement

Venezuela's Acting L:eader To Appear Before World Court Over Territorial Dispute with Guyana

Venezuela’s Acting Leader To Appear Before World Court Over Territorial Dispute With Guyana VENEZUELA/ GUYANA Venezuela Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez arrived in the Netherlands this week for hearings at the International Court of Justice to defend her country’s claim to a resource-rich region in western Guyana, part of a decades-old territorial dispute between the South American neighbors. The case at the United Nations’ top court centers on Essequibo, a nearly 62,000-square-mile territory rich in gold, diamonds, timber and other natural resources, located near a major offshore oil deposit. The dispute, rooted in the colonial era, has intensified in recent years following major oil discoveries offshore and repeated Venezuelan naval patrols near waters claimed by Guyana. Guyana brought the case to the ICJ in 2018 seeking confirmation that an 1899 arbitration ruling – which established the border largely in favor of what was then British Guiana – remains legally valid. Venezuela counters that the ruling was fraudulent and says a 1966 Geneva agreement effectively nullified it and requires bilateral negotiations instead. Rodríguez said Caracas has “demonstrated at every historical stage what our territory has meant since we were born as a Republic.” Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton Todd told judges on May 4 at the opening of the hearings that the dispute “has been a blight on our existence as a sovereign state from the beginning” and said 70 percent of Guyana’s territory was at stake. Venezuela has continued to reject the ICJ’s jurisdiction, despite participating in the proceedings. The court is expected to take months to issue a final and legally binding ruling.

Guyana Is Having A Petrostate Moment

As the Gulf War Causes Energy Woes Around the World, Guyana’s Having a Petrostate Moment GUYANA Guyana The US recently seized the oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean, saying the Guyanese-flagged vessel was carrying Iranian oil. Guyanese officials claimed the ship fabricated its registration. But the incident underscored Guyana’s rising profile as a player in the global oil trade. Following ExxonMobil’s massive 2015 discovery of over 11 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the Stabroek Block, Guyana rapidly became one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, with crude production propelling unprecedented GDP growth. The Stabroek Block, about 120 miles offshore, is operated by ExxonMobil with Chevron and the Chinese state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), and holds most of Guyana’s reserves. This newfound wealth now dominates Guyana’s economy, turning the country into one of the top oil producers per capita in just a few years. Its gross domestic product growth has been among the highest in the world over the last five years, according to Rice University’s Baker Institute. Guyana’s oil revenues are now on track to hit $33 billion annually, which is 75 percent more than forecasters expected before the US-Israeli war against Iran and the shutdown of oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Add the premium that Guyanese oil exporters receive from their main clients in Europe, and returns have surged far beyond earlier forecasts. But the boom is also pushing up costs at home. Guyana faces a significant risk of the resource curse, where abundant natural resources paradoxically lead to poor economic development, high income inequality and corruption. Even as Guyana exports crude, it remains exposed to global prices, importing refined fuels whose costs rise with international markets. Higher fuel prices feed into transport and electricity, pushing up food costs in a country reliant on imports, while surging demand outpaces housing and supply. As a result, inflation is rising even as growth accelerates, with oil accounting for three-quarters of GDP and the price shock set to deepen that reliance, said Radhika Bansal of Rystad Energy. “The cost of food and housing has increased by 75 percent since 2021. The oil industry poaches the best workers. … A flood of petro dollars has encouraged waste, if not outright clientelism,” the Economist wrote. To ease these pressures, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali has announced cash grants of $100,000 to more than 240,000 people as part of his policy to share the wealth directly with citizens. Ali has also invested heavily in social programs. He plans to build a refinery so the country can produce its own fuel and potentially export finished products, arguing that national security requires Guyana to achieve energy and economic independence. Meanwhile, Guyana is locked in a long-running territorial dispute with Venezuela over the Essequibo region, a vast area administered by Guyana that is rich in natural resources and has gained fresh strategic importance with recent oil discoveries. “Strengthening military, economic, and diplomatic support for Guyana aligns with US national security interests given Guyana’s growing role as an energy producer, its strategic location, and its leadership among democratic nations in the Caribbean,” wrote the Council on Foreign Relations. For now, however, the domestic picture tells a different story. Despite the country’s oil boom, many Guyanese say the gains have yet to reach those on the margins. Data from the Inter-American Development Bank indicates that 58 percent of the country’s roughly 800,000 people live on less than $6.85 a day, with 32 percent surviving on under $3.65. Rajesh Singh, a 46-year-old painter and maintenance worker, said the oil boom has done little for ordinary people like him. “People must live comfortably now that we have big oil money, but it is clearly not happening yet,” he told the Guardian. “The big boys are looking after themselves too much.”

Peru's Electoral Court Requests Audit of April Elections

Peru’s Electoral Court Requests Audit of April Elections PERU Peru Peru’s electoral court this week requested a “comprehensive and exhaustive IT audit” of the April 12 general elections as uncertainty and mistrust persist over the incomplete vote count. The court, formally known as the National Jury of Elections (JNE) said Saturday the audit is necessary “to strengthen the transparency, integrity, and reliability of the election results.” The request comes weeks after the outcome of the first round remains unresolved, with 97.5 percent of votes counted and authorities still reviewing disputed tally sheets from more than 1 million ballots. The election was marred by logistical failures that forced officials to extend voting by an additional day, prompting accusations of fraud and manipulation. The disruptions led election chief Piero Corvetto to resign last month. He had acknowledged problems in the process but denied any wrongdoing. Authorities have since launched an investigation into the irregularities. Preliminary results show conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori leading the race, but it remains unclear who she will face in the June runoff. Left-wing congressman Roberto Sánchez and ultraconservative Rafael López Aliaga are locked in a tight contest for second place. The JNE said the planned audit would not interfere with the ongoing review of contested ballots. Officials had previously indicated that final results would be announced no later than May 15.

Colombia: Highway Blast Kills At Least 21

Colombia Highway Blast Kills At Least 21, Insurgents Blamed COLOMBIA Colombia A powerful bomb blast on a highway in Colombia killed at least 21 people and injured 56 others over the weekend, with authorities accusing guerrilla insurgents of the attack ahead of next month’s presidential elections. The explosion occurred Saturday on the Pan-American Highway in the southwestern Cauca department, a region long affected by armed conflict. Authorities said attackers blocked traffic using a bus and another vehicle before detonating an explosive device, leaving a crater more than 7,000 cubic feet in size. Security officials described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and called it Cauca’s “most brutal and ruthless attack against the civilian population in decades.” President Gustavo Petro blamed the bombing on Iván Mordisco, the alias used by Colombia’s most-wanted criminal and leader of a dissident faction of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Mordisco’s group operates in the southwestern region and is involved in illegal mining, extortion and drug trafficking. On Saturday, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez accused “Marlon” – a rebel leader affiliated with Mordisco’s group – of orchestrating the attack and offered a $1.4 million reward for information leading to his capture. The attack follows a series of recent incidents in the Cauca region, including a bomb attack on a military base in the city of Cali on Friday. The violence comes a little more than a month before the May 31 presidential election, when voters will choose a successor to Petro. Security has become a central issue in the campaign, particularly after the assassination last year of conservative frontrunner Miguel Uribe Turbay. Left-wing Sen. Iván Cepeda, a key figure behind Petro’s policy of negotiating with armed groups, currently leads in the polls. He is followed by right-wing candidates Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, both of whom have pledged a tougher approach to rebel groups. Police have increased protection for the three leading candidates after they received death threats.

Peru Raids Homes Of Election Officials Over Voting Irregularities

Peru Raids Homes of Election Officials Over Voting Irregularities PERU Peru Peruvian police raided the homes of six election officials over the weekend, including former election chief Piero Corvetto, as part of an investigation into irregularities in the April 12 presidential vote that have deepened mistrust in the country’s electoral process. On Friday, anti-corruption officers searched the residence of a legal representative of Galaga, the company responsible for transporting ballots to polling stations, as well as Corvetto’s home. The former election chief resigned last week, taking responsibility for problems during the election and saying he wanted to “generate more confidence” ahead of the June 7 runoff. He has denied any wrongdoing. The raids follow logistical failures that forced authorities to extend voting by a day after election materials were not delivered to more than a dozen polling centers in Lima. More than 52,000 voters were unable to cast ballots as scheduled. The disruptions triggered accusations of fraud and manipulation, including from ultraconservative contender Rafael López Aliaga, who called Corvetto a “criminal.” With more than 95 percent of ballots counted, Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, leads the race with at least 17 percent of the vote. Leftist former lawmaker Roberto Sánchez follows with 12.03 percent, while López Aliaga has 11.90 percent. Despite calls to hold supplementary elections in affected areas, Peru’s Electoral Tribunal rejected the proposals and urged candidates to act “responsibly,” noting that the electoral process remained ongoing. The tribunal has set a May 15 deadline to confirm which two candidates will advance to the runoff. The election takes place amid prolonged political instability: Peru has had nine presidents in the past decade, including four former leaders who have been jailed. The country has also faced persistent corruption scandals and rising violence from criminal gangs. Observers noted that the latest controversy has further eroded public confidence in Peru’s governing system, where many politicians already face low approval ratings.