Algo importante ha ocurrido en las últimas semanas en el mundo.

Mientras el presidente Trump se hunde en contradicciones y bravuconadas en su guerra no declarada (y por tanto ilegal) con Irán, generando un importante efecto tóxico en todos los países europeos, la aplastante derrota de Viktor Orbán en Hungría y su proyecto iliberal podrían estar colocando las agujas del reloj de la historia en un nuevo inicio.

En tal sentido, Hungría se suma a Polonia en el registro de elecciones de desplome de gobiernos iliberales, en dos países sumamente relevantes, lo que en sí mismo es una gran noticia.

En estas derrotas de la derecha más reaccionaria se encuentra presente un importante giro táctico del progresismo que ya venía debilitado: optó, con brío y acierto, por derrotar al mal mayor, convergiendo con la centroderecha (incluso con conservadores democráticos como Péter Magyar en Hungría tras una fase de extravío cuando militó en Fidesz), lo que debiese servir de lección para izquierdas fatigadas (como las chilenas) que, producto de su propio agotamiento, no solo penan en alcanzar mayorías, sino que se achican.

De tratarse de un nuevo inicio, una prueba de él es la espectacular reculada de la jefa del gobierno italiano Giorgia Meloni, quien tomó distancia de Estados Unidos y su guerra en Irán (“no es nuestra guerra”), anunció la suspensión del acuerdo en defensa con Israel, salió a apoyar al papa León XIV tras otra bravuconada de Trump, lo que le valió una ruptura de relaciones con el presidente de los Estados Unidos.

Con ocasión de la disputa por Groenlandia provocada por la Casa Blanca, incluso Marine Le Pen, la líder ultraderechista francesa, reafirmó su postura soberanista discrepando abiertamente con la administración estadunidense.

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Este lunes se ha confirmado la muerte del actor argentino Luis Brandoni, a sus 86 años, tras un accidente doméstico el pasado 11 de abril, una caída en casa, que le produjo un hematoma subdural.

Desde entonces, permanecía internado en el Sanatorio Güemes del barrio porteño de Villa Crespo.

La compañía Multiteatro, la mayor empresa de salas de teatro de Argentina, ha dedicado una publicación al actor: “Hoy es un día muy triste para nuestra cultura”.

“Con Beto se va el último primera actor de una generación inolvidable.

Impulsor del teatro nacional, desde esta Casa Teatral seguiremos aplaudiendo su compromiso permanente, que excedió el ámbito del escenario”, han lamentado.

El accidente había obligado a suspender las funciones de la obra ¿Quién es quién?

que protagonizaba Brandoni.

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Voters in five Bolivian departments went to the polls on Sunday to complete the regional elections that began on March 22, in a runoff that consolidated a fragmented political map: President Rodrigo Paz's Patria coalition retained just two of nine governorships, while seven went to different opposition forces.

Cuando los amigos de Mariel le advierten que tenga cuidado en las calles de Santiago de Chile porque los carabineros están inspeccionando los documentos de identidad de los extranjeros para saber si están irregulares, ella les responde: “¿Dónde estarán?

Para que, de una vez, me regresan a Venezuela”.

La mujer, de 34 años, emigró sin visados ni pasaportes en junio 2021.

Al entrar, por caminos no habilitados, derivó en lo que hoy, asegura, le ha hecho sentirse al margen de la sociedad: no tener documentos legales.

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News Americas, PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Mon.

April 20, 2026: The United States has renewed its travel advisory for Trinidad and Tobago, urging travelers to reconsider travel due to ongoing concerns about crime and public safety.

The updated advisory, issued April 13th, comes amid heightened security measures in the twin-island nation following recent violent incidents, including the killing of a municipal police officer in San Fernando.

In response, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force has moved to an “elevated operational posture” to support ongoing investigations and national security efforts.

The US State Department advisory also follows the government’s declaration of a nationwide State of Emergency on March 2nd, aimed at addressing a spike in violent criminal activity that authorities say could threaten public safety.

Under the State of Emergency, law enforcement agencies have been granted expanded powers, including the ability to arrest individuals on suspicion, conduct searches of properties, and suspend bail for certain offenses.

While officials note that crime levels have declined compared to previous years, concerns remain, particularly in parts of Trinidad.

Tobago continues to experience lower crime rates.

As of early April 2026, Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing a high-stakes struggle with violent crime, including a reported 92 murders by April 4th, prompting a State of Emergency declared on March 2nd to combat escalating violence.

Despite initial reports claiming a sharp decrease in the number, and conflicting reports suggesting a surge in January, the country faced 11 deaths in the first 24 hours of 2026 The U.S.

advisory highlights specific areas in Port of Spain where government personnel are restricted from traveling, including Laventille, parts of Charlotte Street, Piccadilly Street, Besson Street, and communities such as Beetham and Sea Lots.

Additional restrictions apply at night in areas including downtown Port of Spain, beaches, Fort George, and the Queen’s Park Savannah.

The advisory also warns of a potential risk of terrorist activity, as well as limited access to healthcare services in rural areas across both islands.

Travelers are being urged to exercise increased caution, remain aware of their surroundings, avoid displaying signs of wealth, and take additional safety precautions, particularly at night.

Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have emphasized that security operations remain ongoing, and the situation continues to be monitored closely, with the potential for changes to restrictions under the State of Emergency.

The renewed advisory underscores ongoing concerns about safety and security in the Caribbean nation, even as officials continue efforts to stabilize conditions and reduce crime.

The travel advisory comes also on the heels of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar close alignment with U.S.

President Donald Trump on security and anti-drug trafficking initiatives.

She has supported U.S.

military actions in the Caribbean and Venezuela, resulting in meetings, such as at the Shield of the Americas Summit.

By Dr.

Isaac Newton News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon.

April 20, 2026: After years of absence, a mentor posed a question that resisted an immediate answer: How do we engage with each other and the wider world if not through relationships?

It did not feel like a request for information.

It felt diagnostic.

Beneath its simplicity lies an unsettling implication: much of what we call engagement may, in fact, be performance, transaction, or control, each imitating relationship while quietly replacing it.

Relationships are not merely part of how we engage the world.

They are the only way we do.

Every decision, every exchange, and every system we build is carried along invisible currents of trust, perception, and shared meaning.

Even in the most technical domains, strategy moves through conversation, authority rests on belief, and execution depends on alignment that cannot be forced into being.

Remove relationship, and what remains is not efficiency but resistance, not progress but strain.

The evidence is not argued; it is lived.

The longest running longitudinal study on human flourishing found that the clearest predictor of life satisfaction is not wealth, intelligence, or achievement, but the quality of close relationships.

Neuroscience arrives at the same conclusion from another direction.

The human brain is organized for connection.

It registers safety through belonging and threat through isolation.

Even judgment, often described as rational, is shaped by networks of trust and social context.

Where trust is present, complexity becomes navigable.

Where it is absent, even simple coordination begins to unravel.

Yet, the modern world is increasingly structured against the very medium on which it depends.

We have built systems that scale productivity but not presence, and networks that expand reach but dilute depth.

Communication is constant, while understanding is sporadic.

In organizations, relational work is treated as secondary to measurable output, even though it is the condition that makes meaningful output possible.

The result is a quiet fragility.

Performance holds until pressure reveals what connection was never built to sustain.

RELATIONSHIPS Relationships do not glide toward strength; they recede without attention.

They require presence that cannot be automated, attention that cannot be outsourced, and a willingness to remain when convenience suggests withdrawal.

This is why they are universal, yet uncommon in their maturity.

Everyone participates in them, yet few cultivate them with the discipline they demand.

The cost is cumulative: trust thins, misalignment grows, and the capacity for shared progress weakens.

For leaders, this reframes the work entirely.

The task is not only to decide, but to create the conditions in which decisions can be understood, trusted, and carried forward.

Influence does not move through authority alone; it moves through relationship.

This requires a shift from control to connection, from communication as delivery to communication as shared understanding.

It calls for environments in which people are seen clearly enough to contribute and engaged deeply enough to grow.

Such environments are not accidental; they are formed through consistent acts of attention, clarity, and integrity.

If relationships are the medium of all engagement, then their quality becomes the measure of both leadership and life.

Every interaction carries weight.

Every exchange shapes what becomes possible next.

The question is no longer whether relationships matter.

It is whether we recognize, before it is too late, that nothing meaningful in our lives has ever happened outside of one.

Editor’s Note: Dr.

Isaac Newton is a leadership strategist and change management expert specializing in governance and ethical leadership.

Educated at Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, he is co-author of Steps to Good Governance and has advised boards, educators, and public leaders across the Caribbean and internationally, integrating policy, psychology, and ethics to strengthen institutional performance.

RELATED: CARICOM Governance Under Scrutiny: Why Process and Legitimacy Matter In Regional Leadership

News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Mon.

April 20, 2026: Long before reggae became a global force, Ernie Smith was telling the everyday story of Jamaica through music – blending humor, social commentary, and melody into songs that captured the spirit of a generation.

Ernie Smith, born Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith on May 1, 1945, was a Jamaican reggae singer known for his deep baritone voice and storytelling style, with his greatest success in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Smith died Thursday, April 16, 2026 at age 80 at a hospital in Miami, Florida, following complications linked to cardiac issues, according to his family.

Born in Kingston and raised in St.

Ann and May Pen, Smith’s musical journey began early.

Influenced by his father, who played guitar, he picked up the instrument as a teenager and later performed with the band The Vandals.

Initially pursuing a career in radio, he eventually turned to songwriting and recording, carving out a distinctive space in Jamaica’s evolving music scene.

His breakthrough came in the late 1960s with hits such as Bend Down, followed by a string of Jamaican number one songs including Ride on Sammy, One Dream and Pitta Patta.

In 1972, he gained international recognition after winning the Yamaha Music Festival in Japan with Life Is Just For Living, a song that would become one of his signature works.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness led national tributes, describing Smith’s voice and storytelling as “unmistakable” and central to Jamaica’s musical identity.

“His contribution to Jamaican music is profound,” Holness said, noting that Smith earned admiration both locally and internationally.

Culture Minister Olivia Grange said his voice “will resound in hearts and memories forever,” while the opposition People’s National Party described him as a creative force whose music captured “the everyday spirit of the Jamaican people.” Opposition Leader Mark Golding also praised Smith’s ability to deliver “sweet melodies and profound lyrics” that have become part of Jamaica’s cultural fabric.

Beyond his chart success, Smith’s music stood apart for its authenticity.

His songs reflected life as it was lived – simple yet complex, humorous yet deeply observant – resonating across generations in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean diaspora.

In 1973, he was honored by the Jamaican government with the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service in Music, recognizing his contribution to the country’s cultural landscape.

During the late 1970s, political tensions surrounding his music, including The Power and the Glory, prompted him to relocate to Canada before later moving to the United States.

Despite personal and financial challenges, he continued to create and perform, returning to Jamaica in the years following Hurricane Gilbert and reconnecting with audiences through live performances and new recordings.

Over a career spanning decades, Smith released numerous albums, including Life Is Just For Living, To Behold Jah, and Country Mile, cementing his place as one of Jamaica’s most distinctive musical voices.

For many, his songs were more than entertainment – they were reflections of identity, memory and shared experience.

As Jamaica and the wider Caribbean diaspora reflect on his passing, Smith’s legacy endures not only in his music, but in the stories he told – stories that continue to echo across generations.

Funeral arrangements and memorial details have not yet been publicly announced.

Celebrate Ernie Smith’s legacy with some of his music here.

RELATED: Caribbean Roots, Hip-Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Dead At 68

Left-wing presidential candidate Roberto Sánchez, who with 93.48% of ballots counted holds second place in Peru's election and is headed for a June 7 runoff against Keiko Fujimori, ruled out expropriations as part of his governing program and accused economic elites of spreading "financial panic" around his candidacy.

By Felicia J.

Persaud News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Sun.

19, 2026: America’s immigration system is often described as “broken.” But that word does not quite capture what is happening inside U.S.

immigration courts right now.

Because what we are witnessing is not just dysfunction.

It is delay – on a scale so large that it is quietly reshaping what justice even means.

According to new data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), there are now more than 3.3 million cases pending in U.S.

immigration courts as of February 2026.

Let that number sit for a moment.

More than three million people – families, workers, asylum seekers – are waiting for a decision that will determine whether they can stay in the United States or be forced to leave.

And many of them will wait not months, but years.

In fact, more than 2.3 million of those cases involve asylum seekers, people who have come to the United States seeking protection from violence, persecution, or instability in their home countries.

Yet, the narrative around immigration continues to focus on crime.

But the data tells a very different story.

Only 1.64% of new immigration court cases involve any alleged criminal activity, beyond possible illegal entry.

That means the overwhelming majority of people caught in this system are not criminals.

They are waiting.

Waiting for a hearing.

Waiting for a decision.

Waiting for a future that remains indefinitely on hold.

And that waiting comes at a cost.

It means children growing up in uncertainty.

Parents unable to plan their lives.

Workers unsure if they will be allowed to remain in the country they are helping to sustain.

This is not just a legal backlog.

It is a human one.

Because justice delayed, as we have long been told, is justice denied.

But in immigration courts, delay has become the system itself.

As TRAC noted: “The latest case-by-case Immigration Court records show that at the end of February 2026, the Immigration Court backlog stands at 3,318,099 active cases, a decrease from the 3,377,998 cases pending at the end of December 2025.

The court has closed 333,957 cases so far in fiscal year 2026 as of February 2026, while receiving 201,878 new cases during the same period.

This represents a case completion rate of approximately 1.65 times the rate of new case intake.” And the consequences are not evenly felt.

Black and brown immigrants – including those from the Caribbean and across the African diaspora – are disproportionately caught in this limbo, navigating a process that is often complex, under-resourced, and increasingly politicized.

At the same time, enforcement continues.

New cases are filed.

Detentions increase.

Deportation efforts expand.

But the system tasked with deciding these cases cannot keep up.

The result is a growing gap between enforcement and resolution – a space where people exist not as citizens or non-citizens, but as something in between.

Waiting.

Uncertain.

Unresolved.

And that raises a deeper question.

What does justice look like when it takes years to arrive?

Because immigration policy is often framed around who should be allowed to stay and who should be removed.

But far less attention is paid to what happens in between.

What happens when millions of people are left in legal limbo, neither accepted nor rejected?

What happens when a system meant to deliver decisions becomes a system defined by delay?

The answer is already unfolding.

A generation of immigrants living in uncertainty.

A court system under strain.

And a definition of justice that is slowly being stretched beyond recognition.

Because when more than three million cases are waiting to be heard, the issue is no longer just immigration.

It is whether the system designed to deliver justice can still do so at all.

Felicia J.

Persaud is the founder and publisher of  NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily syndicated newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.

RELATED: Caribbean Immigrants Helped Build America Too

La vida de la abogada Trinidad Steinert Herrera (Santiago, 55 años) cambió radicalmente en cuatro días.

El 16 de enero pasado entregó, sin saberlo, la que sería su última cuenta pública como fiscal regional de Tarapacá, en el extremo norte de Chile, una zona donde se pesquisó por primera vez en el país sudamericano la presencia del Tren de Aragua: fue la alerta nacional de su rápida extensión, aunque ha sido combatida fuertemente, incluso, por ella misma.

Al día siguiente recibió un llamado de uno de los pocos, sino el único contacto político que tenía hasta esa fecha, el del senador de Arturo Squella, presidente del Partido Republicano, la formación de extrema derecha fundada por el mandatario José Antonio Kast: le propuso liderar el ministerio de Seguridad, apenas 36 horas antes de que se anunciara el Gabinete.

El desafío era mayor para alguien que nunca antes ocupó un puesto político, pues la seguridad, desde la campaña, es el principal compromiso de la Administración, junto al control de la migración irregular y el crecimiento económico.

Por lo tanto, es la cartera más sensible y donde las expectativas de la ciudadanía son altísimas.

Steinert se convenció después de una conversación larga con Kast, por zoom, el 18 de enero.

Su renuncia al Ministerio Público se concretó dos días después, tras más de 20 años en la Fiscalía.

Luego, fue presentada como una de las 24 integrantes del Gabinete y sobre sus hombros se puso la principal promesa de Kast.

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Lima, Peru — Peru’s general election, held Sunday, April 12, has been thrown into uncertainty following a series of logistical failures, contested tally sheets, and newly reported irregularities that have raised doubts about the integrity of the process—even as authorities insist there is no evidence of fraud.

With partial results still being processed several days later, no clear contender has emerged to face Keiko Fujimori in the runoff, despite her leading the vote with around 17%.

The tight race for second place—separated by a razor-thin margin—between right-wing candidate Rafael López Aliaga and leftist Roberto Sánchez could ultimately be decided by thousands of challenged votes.

Delays, missing materials, and ballots found in the trash Election day was marked by widespread delays in the delivery of voting materials, especially in Lima, forcing authorities to extend voting into Monday in several districts.

Officials are now facing scrutiny over more troubling incidents.

In one of the most widely reported cases, sealed boxes containing 1,200 ballots—distributed across four tamper-evident containers—were found discarded in the trash in the Lima district of Surco.

The National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) attributed the incident to negligence during the transport of ballot boxes and tally sheets to its central headquarters.

It maintained, however, that the chain of custody was not compromised, noting that a coordinator, a police officer, and an electoral observer from the National Jury of Elections were present in the vehicle.

However, Roberto Burneo, president of the National Jury of Elections (JNE), told a congressional oversight committee on Friday that the ONPE’s statement was “false.” “It is important to clarify that, regarding those boxes, contrary to what ONPE indicated, there was no observer accompanying them nor a police officer.

They were transported in unregistered private vehicles, and the JNE was not present,” he said.

Burneo added that evidence has already been submitted to prosecutors.

“Serious irregularities,” but no fraud, observers say Despite the growing list of incidents, international observers from the Organization of American States and electoral experts have drawn a distinction between administrative failures and deliberate manipulation.

“There have been serious irregularities that must be investigated and sanctioned, but this is not a fraudulent situation,” former Justice Minister Aldo Vásquez told CNN.

“At least up to now, there is no evidence supporting that claim.” Observers from international organizations echoed that assessment, noting that while “egregious irregularities” were documented, they do not amount to systemic fraud.

Still, the scale and variety of problems—from late poll openings to missing materials—have eroded public confidence.

Thousands of disputed votes could decide the runoff At the center of the uncertainty are more than 5,000 tally sheets marked as “disputed”—representing just over one million votes—due to inconsistencies such as missing signatures, illegible figures, or arithmetic errors.

These votes are now under review by electoral authorities and, in such a close race, could determine who advances to the runoff.

“Of course they can change the outcome,” said electoral lawyer Silvia Guevara.

“The difference between candidates is so small that these votes could tip the balance.” “This is a situation that won’t be resolved tomorrow or in two or three days.

Citizens will need to be patient,” she added to Canal N.

Institutional crisis and ongoing investigations The fallout has triggered multiple investigations.

The Public Ministry and the Comptroller General have launched inquiries, while the National Board of Justice—the body responsible for overseeing judicial appointments—has opened a preliminary investigation against Piero Corvetto Salinas, head of the ONPE.

According to Vásquez, the process could lead to disciplinary sanctions or even suspension, noting that “it is highly likely that a formal proceeding will be opened.” Meanwhile, electoral authorities have confirmed that at least 85 requests to annul the election have been filed, further complicating the timeline.

With the runoff scheduled for June, the coming days will be decisive not only in determining who advances, but also in whether Peru’s electoral institutions can restore public trust after one of the most controversial elections in recent years.

The post Mounting irregularities cloud Peru’s 2026 general election as runoff remains unclear appeared first on Perú Reports.

The post Mounting irregularities cloud Peru’s 2026 general election as runoff remains unclear appeared first on Latin America Reports.

News Americas, CORAL SPRINGS, FL, Fri.

April 17, 2026: The life and legacy of Haitian-American Coral Springs Vice Mayor, Nancy Metayer Bowen, took center stage Friday as family, friends and community members gathered, many wearing green, to honor the rising political figure whose impact extended far beyond her years.

Metayer Bowen, 38, the first Black and Haitian-American woman elected commissioner in the city’s history, was remembered not for the tragic circumstances of her death, but for the energy, compassion and leadership she brought to her community.

Hundreds gathered at Church by the Glades for a public viewing and celebration of life, reflecting on a leader many described as “the heart of the commission” and a force who made people feel seen, heard and included.

“This was not supposed to be the moment where we gather to say goodbye,” said City Commissioner Joshua Simmons, a close friend.

“We were supposed to be celebrating everything she had accomplished and everything that was still ahead.” Born to Haitian parents, Metayer Bowen’s journey reflected both academic excellence and public service.

A graduate of Florida A&M University, she later earned a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and built a career that included work with the Clinton Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

At the time of her death, she was preparing to announce a run for Congress – a move that underscored her growing influence and ambition to serve on a larger stage.

Those closest to her described a woman deeply committed to environmental sustainability, public health, women’s rights, and expanding access to housing – causes that defined both her policy work and her personal mission.

Family members painted a picture of someone equally devoted in private life – a sister, daughter and aunt who maintained close daily connections and found joy in supporting those around her.

Her sister Jennifer Metayer-Smith called her love incarnate.

She said Metayer was her role model and “built-in best friend.” Metayer drove her to the hospital to give birth to her daughter, “only for my mom to be feeding her ice chips because she was feeling light-headed,” she said.

The sisters talked over the phone daily, and Metayer loved spending time with her nieces, who she jokingly called her children.

“Looking at our girls, I see a little bit of us in them,” Jennifer said.

“And it makes me smile.” Through tears, Jennifer said goodbye to her sister.

“Please tell Donny how much we miss him.

Sleep well, beautiful.” Many in church were overcome with emotion throughout the service.

They raised up their hands, seeking comfort from God.

As a singer performed “Pi Devan Na We” in Haitian Creole, Metayer’s mother lifted her arms to the sky.

Metayer Bowen’s death has also reignited conversations around domestic violence, with lawmakers and community leaders calling for stronger protections and earlier intervention measures.

Her husband has been charged in connection with her death, which authorities say occurred earlier on April 1st at the couple’s home in Coral Springs.

The Jamaican Stephen Bowen remains in lock-up.

As tributes poured in, many pointed to her role as a symbol of representation and progress within the Haitian-American and broader Caribbean diaspora.

For a community that watched her rise, her loss is being felt deeply – but so too is the impact of her work, her voice, and her vision for a more inclusive future.

In the words of one speaker, her life – though cut short – was both “brief and brilliant.” Lawmakers are now pushing for more protections, including tools that could silently alert police.  “What we see is the escalation happens between rounds of these different incidents of abuse, so the quicker we can get law enforcement to the scene to understand what the issue is, the more seriously we can deal with the perpetrator and the abuser,” State Sen.

Alexis Calatayud said.

“She was the best of us,” said an attendee at the memorial.

“Kind, brilliant, graceful, dignified, and that beautiful smile – this is our Nancy.” Metayer is survived by her parents Misselin and Marly Maxime Metayer, her grandmother Marie-Theresa Maxime, her brother Francelin Metayer, her sister Jennifer Metayer-Smith and her nieces and nephew.

This is the second tragedy her family has experienced in a matter of months.

Her younger brother Donovan died by suicide in December.

View The Full Service HERE YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Haitian TPS Debate Intensifies After Violent Florida Killing

World Bank President Ajay Banga (left) with Argentina’s Economy Minister Luis Caputo (right) Image Source: Luis Caputo via X Buenos Aires, Argentina – The World Bank announced on Thursday that it is preparing to back up to US$2 billion worth of loans in order to help Argentina refinance its debt at a lower cost.

The loans – which Argentina is negotiating with private banks – would be repayable over six years, and would be almost fully backed by two World Bank institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, Bloomberg reported.

Meanwhile, the IMF is gearing up to disburse another US$1 billion of the $20 billion it had made available to the country last year, as the White House rallies support for its ally, Argentine President Javier Milei.  The guarantee will come as welcome news for Milei, who has seen his approval drop to a low of 36.4% in recent polls as monthly inflation soared to its highest rate in a year.  The World Bank’s announcement followed a meeting between Argentina’s Economy Minister Luis Caputo and World Bank President Ajay Banga.  Caputo posted a photo with Banga on social media after the announcement, captioned “Thank you Ajay and team!” The minister is currently in Washington for IMF meetings, as he looks for funding in order to refinance Argentina’s debt.

He told investors earlier this week that Milei’s government will not need to access global capital markets this year due to cheaper financing options.

Argentina is reportedly negotiating an interest rate of about 5%, which would be a far better outcome than the 9% bond yields that it faces if it returns to global capital markets.  A separate agreement was reached with the IMF on Wednesday, which will see Argentina gain access to US$1 billion if approved by the organization’s executive board.  The country already has an ongoing US$20 billion IMF program and access to an additional US$20 billion through a swap line with the U.S.

Treasury.

In the World Bank Group’s announcement released on Thursday, it also “reaffirmed its strong support for Argentina’s reform efforts to strengthen the conditions for growth, investment, and job creation, including measures to improve financing conditions and reinforce market and investor confidence.” The post World Bank prepared to guarantee up to $2 billion in loans for Argentina appeared first on Argentina Reports.

The post World Bank prepared to guarantee up to $2 billion in loans for Argentina appeared first on Latin America Reports.

Medellín, Colombia – Four senior officials in Honduras’ leftist opposition party were impeached by the country’s Congress on Thursday, April 16.

The officials – who were members of the Partido Libertad y Refundación, or Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre) – were stripped of their positions after being accused of attempting to undermine the integrity of the November 30 elections in favor of their party.

The impeachments are the latest in a wave of reprisals against political opponents by the newly elected right-wing government, led by President Nasry Asfura.

88 members of congress backed the expulsion, consolidating the alliance between the right-wing Partido Nacional (PN) and Partido Liberal (PL) which has ruled the country since Asfura took power in January.

The ousted politicians were Marlon Ochoa, Mario Morazán, Lourdes Mejía, and Gabriel Gutiérrez, all members of Libre, which governed Honduras from 2022 to 2026.  Morazán, a former magistrate of the Electoral Justice Tribunal, was the only member to personally appear at the nearly six hour proceeding.

“I am not appealing to you, I am appealing to history.

I am appealing to the origin and essence of constitutionalism, constitutional power and hard-won fundamental rights… I am absolutely innocent.

I have only acted in accordance with the law and justice,” said Morazán in a speech to lawmakers.  Meanwhile, Ochoa did not appear at the congressional hearing where the vote took place as he had already left the country due to death threats, according to fellow Libre member Marco Ramiro Lobo.  “I will continue to fight wherever I am.

No matter the difficulties.

I will return to Honduras.

The struggle is not over,” he said via X on Friday.  The expulsion marks the latest in a series of impeachment trials in the Central American nation headed by White House ally Asfura.

Attorney General Johel Zelaya was removed in March by Congress and immediately replaced by government ally Pablo Emilio Reyes.  In parallel with today’s expulsion, Zelaya had been accused of abusing his position to favor the former Libre government and was removed only two days after the proceedings began.  While in office, he opened a criminal case against Asfura and sought the arrest of Juan Orlando Hernández, the former PN president pardoned by Donald Trump for drug trafficking offences last December.

Rebeca Obando, President of the Supreme Court of Justice, faced a similar proceeding but decided to resign from her role before her impeachment even began.  Current Libre leader and former president Manuel Zelaya accused Congress of enacting a “gag law” following the impeachments. “Members of parliament represent the people, and they must defend them.

When the Constitution is violated out of revenge through political trials and power is concentrated, absolutism arises—corrupting, dispossessing and plundering with impunity,” he said via X.

Featured image: Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras.

Image credit: Iliana Ochoa.

Image license.

The post Four politicians expelled from Honduras congress as right-wing consolidates power appeared first on Latin America Reports.

Madrid, Spain – Hundreds of Venezuelans waving flags and chanting “libertad” filled a central Madrid plaza on Friday, as Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, arrived for a symbolic ceremony to receive the ‘Llave de Oro’ – or ‘Golden Key.’ Some in the crowd had travelled from across the country to see her on her multi-day visit to Spain.

Many sang along as an orchestra played well-known Venezuelan songs.

Inside the city’s historic town hall — and broadcast on a large screen outside — Machado was given the prestigious award, an honor typically reserved for visiting heads of state.

The city’s mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, said it recognized her “fight for freedom, democracy and peace” in Venezuela, describing her as “the embodiment of the Venezuelan people’s resistance”.

Machado, responding, first wished the mayor a happy birthday before saying she hoped to return to Venezuela soon.

“Keys open doors, and today they symbolize the opening to freedom for the Venezuelan nation,” she said, adding that she would one day reciprocate the honor in a free Venezuela.

Many Venezuelans at the event said they too planned to return home if political change comes.

Maribel Santiago, who said she has lived in Spain for 10 years, described Machado as a symbol of hope and optimism for her country.  “I have my suitcases ready,” she said.

“When María Corina returns, I will return too.” 10-year-old Mónica (L) travelled from Málaga to Madrid with her mother for a ceremony honoring Maria Corina Machado on April 17, 2016.

Image credit: Catherine Ellis for Latin America Reports.

Another Venezuelan in the crowd, 10-year-old Mónica, had travelled from Málaga with her mother to see Machado.

After the ceremony, the Venezuelan leader stopped to speak to her and Monica presented her with flowers in the color of the Venezuelan flag and a card.

“She’s such an important person to me,” she said.

“I will never forget this day.” The “Llave de Oro” has previously been awarded to only a small number of non-heads of state, underlining the political weight of the gesture.

Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, had earlier met leaders of Spain’s conservative Popular Party, including Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and also met the leader from the right-wing party Vox, Santiago Abascal..

She is not expected to meet Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is hosting a separate gathering of left-wing leaders in Barcelona this weekend.   Read more: Latin America’s left gather in Spain to counter far-right Machado is due to take part in further events over the coming days, including a mass rally on Saturday expected to draw thousands from Spain’s Venezuelan diaspora and a visit to the Senate on Monday.

Spain is home to one of the largest Venezuelan communities in Europe — numbering close to 700,000 — many of whom fled the country’s prolonged political and economic crisis.

Machado also visited Edmundo González Urrutia in hospital.

He had been expected to attend Saturday’s rally, but said he would be unable to join due to a follow-up medical procedure.

The retired diplomat stood in for Machado in the 2024 presidential election after she was barred from running and is widely believed by the opposition to have won the vote.

Machado has said she will return to Venezuela “soon”, although no date has been given.

Maria Corina Machado.

Image credit: Catherine Ellis Maribel Santiago attended the event in honor of Maria Corina Machado.

Image credit: Catherine Ellis Maria Corina Machado.

Image credit: Catherine Ellis Featured image: Maria Corina Machado embraces a young girl in Madrid at a ceremony in her honor on April 17, 2026.

Image credit: Catherine Ellis for Latin America Reports The post Maria Corina Machado receives symbolic ‘golden key’ in Madrid as Venezuelans welcome her appeared first on Latin America Reports.

Barcelona, Spain — Left-wing leaders from across Europe and Latin America are holding a two-day conference in Spain in defense of the rule of international law and against the rise of the far-right.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio da Silva, both vocal critics of U.S.

President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, kicked off the events on Friday with a bilateral meeting at a former royal palace in Barcelona, the Associated Press reported.   On Saturday, two events will take place.

The first, the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy, which was launched in 2024, is designed to be a forum to exchange ideas aimed at combating “extremism, polarization and misinformation” organizers said.

Lula has said that the summit should not be seen as a chance to attack the policies of Trump.

“This is not going to be an anti-Trump meeting,” Lula told Spanish newspaper El País on Thursday.

“We are going to discuss the state of democracy, to see what went wrong and what we have to do to repair it.” Other heads of state attending the summit include Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum; South African President Cyril Ramaphosa; Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, as well leaders from countries including Uruguay, Lithuania, Ghana and Albania.

Sheinbaum’s decision to come to Spain comes after King Felipe VI recently acknowledged the Spanish conquest of the Americas led to the “abuse” of native peoples, a move which smoothed tensions between Mexico and Spain over their shared colonial heritage.

Sheinbaum has become one of the most powerful leftist voices in Latin America at a time when the continent has come under greater pressure from the Trump administration and some countries, like Chile and Ecuador, have swung to the right.

A popular figure in Mexico, she has also managed to maintain a good relationship with Trump.

The Defense of Democracy meeting will be followed by the Global Progressive Mobilization in the same venue in Barcelona on Saturday.

Sánchez and Lula are expected to give speeches at the event, which is tipped to have 3,000 attendees, including U.S.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.  There will be discussions on issues including wage inequality and how to improve election results for progressives.

The Spanish prime minister may use this platform to criticize the U.S.

president or may try to focus on what the Left has to offer as Spain faces a general election next year.

Spain recently declared its airspace closed to U.S.

planes being used in the Iran war and Sánchez has declared the war against Iran “illegal”.

Pablo Simón, a political expert at the Carlos III University in Madrid, told Latin America Reports the summits were used by democratic leaders against extreme right-wing groups who used similar gatherings to promote their message against migration and in favor of free market nationalism.

In March, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hosted the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) summit in Budapest which was attended by Javier Millei, president of Argentina, Santiago Abascal, the Spanish leader of Vox, and Alice Weidel, the co-chair of Germany’s Alternativ für Deutschland (AfD).

“This summit is a way to counterattack against the influence of these far right leaders who wanted to get their message across on the international stage,” Simón said.

Featured image: Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio da Silva Image credit: Luiz Inácio da Silva via X.

The post Latin America’s left gather in Spain to counter far-right appeared first on Latin America Reports.

The government of Chilean President José Antonio Kast carried out its first deportation flight of irregular migrants on Thursday, expelling 40 people on a Chilean Air Force (FACh) Boeing 737 that made stops in Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia.

The 19 Colombians, the last group to disembark, arrived in Bogotá shortly after 8:00 p.m.

local time.

The 17 Bolivians and four Ecuadorians were dropped off previously in La Paz and Guayaquil, respectively.

Each deportee traveled accompanied by an officer from Chile's Investigative Police (PDI).

The count in Peru's presidential election produced a dramatic reversal on Wednesday.

With 91% of ballots processed by the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), leftist Roberto Sánchez (Juntos por el Perú) surged from sixth to second place, displacing ultraconservative Rafael López Aliaga (Renovación Popular) and positioning himself for the June 7 runoff against Keiko Fujimori (Fuerza Popular), who holds first place with 16.99% of the vote.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele announced on Tuesday in a national broadcast the launch of the second phase of Dr.

SV, a public health application developed with Google Cloud that incorporates artificial intelligence based on the Gemini model to detect, diagnose and monitor patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and kidney conditions.

Una empresa venezolana, Petroven, resultado del proceso de nacionalización de la industria petrolera en 1976, ocupa el primer lugar entre las quinientas empresas más importantes de América Latina, según un estudio realizado por la revista mexicana Progreso.

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