Regional News

PANAMA CITY,  (Reuters) – A Panamanian judge summoned former President Ricardo Martinelli to stand trial for a money laundering charge, investigators said on Friday.

SAO PAULO,  (Reuters) – Brazil’s Economy Ministry yesterday rejected assertions by president-elect Luis Inacio Lula da Silva’s transition team that the outgoing administration was leaving government finances “bankrupted.”

LIMA, (Reuters) – Peru’s new President Dina Boluarte on Saturday named a cabinet that includes a pro-market finance minister, as protests accelerated around the country to demand fresh elections following the ouster of democratically-elected former President Pedro Castillo.

(Trinidad Guardian) – The Government and the consortium partners, bp Alternative Energy Trinidad and Tobago (bpATT), Shell Renewables Caribbean (Shell), and Lightsource bp, have completed negotiations on the development of a 112MWac/148MWp solar project.

(The Gleaner) – A shooting on Friday evening has left a supermarket owner and another man dead in Porus, Manchester, Jamaica. 

SAN SALVADOR, (Reuters) – The United States sanctioned several Central American officials it accused of possible corruption in their respective countries yesterday, including two politicians close to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro broke his silence yesterday for the first time since his election defeat on Oct.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The Jamaican Bar Association (JAMBAR) says it cannot support the pre-charge bail provision in the new Bail Act now before a joint select committee of Parliament for review.

BRUSSELS,  (Reuters) – The European Union and Chile struck a partnership today that will liberalise more trade between the two and give EU companies greater access to raw materials such as lithium and copper that are key to the EU’s green transition.

LIMA, (Reuters) – Peru’s former President Pedro Castillo faced a first court hearing yesterday over his arrest on charges of rebellion and conspiracy, as his successor issued her first pronouncements from the presidential palace.

(Reuters) – The United Nations’ sanction regime in Haiti in response to the gang violence and humanitarian crisis should be working by January 2023, the U.N.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s government and opposition politicians will likely not resume talks in Mexico this year, an official said on Thursday, as the government awaits progress on a humanitarian funds agreement reached with the opposition last month.

LIMA,  (Reuters) – Peru swore in a new president yesterday after a day of political drama that saw leftist leader Pedro Castillo arrested after his ousting from office in an impeachment trial following his last-ditch bid to cling to power by dissolving Congress.

GUATEMALA CITY, (Reuters) – A Guatemalan court yesterday sentenced both former President Otto Perez and his vice president, Roxana Baldetti, to 16 years in prison each in a graft case years after explosive corruption revelations forced the two out of office early and into prison.

(Trinidad Express) A taxi driver who was described as kind and respectful to his passengers was hijacked and shot dead on Tuesday night by killers in his taxi.

LIMA,  (Reuters) – Peru’s Congress swore in a new president today in a day of sweeping political drama that saw the former leader, Pedro Castillo, ousted in an impeachment trial hours after he attempted a last-ditch bid to stay in power by trying to dissolve Congress.

(Trinidad Guardian) The Dominica Labour Party, led by Roosevelt Skerrit, returned to power following Tuesday, December 6 elections on the Caribbean island.

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – An Argentine court sentenced Vice Pre-sident Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to six years in jail and disqualified her from holding public office in a high-profile corruption case yesterday, though she has immunity due to her public office.

Cuba yesterday accepted an offer from the Carib-bean Community (CARICOM) to join the Community’s Ministerial Task Force on Agriculture.

HOUSTON/CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuelan energy officials and Chevron CVX.N executives plan to address workers in their joint ventures this week as they prepare for the first major foreign participation in Venezuela’s oil industry in years, four sources close to the matter said.