Regional News

(Trinidad Guardian) Senior police sources suspect that a recent announcement of strengthened collaborations between this country’s security apparatus and the CIA and FBI may be as a result of the influx into Trinidad and Tobago of automatic weapons from both North and South America.

HAVANA, (Reuters) –  Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel sacked economy minister Alejandro Gil yesterday, state media reported, as controversy continued to grow over the delay of recently announc-ed measures to hike the price of fuel and transportation fares in the communist-run country.

PANAMA CITY,  (Reuters) – Panama’s top court rejected former President Ricardo Martinelli’s appeal to annul a nearly 11-year prison sentence on Friday, but the ex-leader remained defiant and insisted he remains a candidate in the May presidential election.

MOSCOW,  (Reuters) – Russia’s foreign ministry yesterday condemned a decision by Ecuador to hand over Russian-made military hardware to the United States for use in Ukraine as a “reckless” breach of contract, the RIA news agency reported.

(Reuters) – The European Union yesterday imposed sanctions against five individuals from Guatemala for undermining democracy, the rule of law or the peaceful transfer of power in Central America’s most populous nation.

HOUSTON, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s exports of crude and refined products fell by 25% in January to some 624,000 barrels per day (bpd) as power outages hit the main oil export terminal, according to vessel tracking data and internal documents from state oil firm PDVSA.

MANAUS,  (Reuters) – A convoy of military trucks and armoured vehicles set off for Brazil’s northern border today to reinforce the presence of the Brazilian army in response to tensions over Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region.

(Trinidad Express) Police officers are reluctant to use body cameras because they have concerns.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has found that Jamaica—as a CARICOM Member State—has breached provisons of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) which is intended to protect products manufactured within the region, by imposing a 40% tariff on-like products being imported from external sources.

SAN SALVADOR,  (Reuters) – In June 2019, a week after taking office as El Salvador’s youngest president in modern history, Nayib Bukele wrote on his Twitter account: “I am officially the coolest president in the world.”

(Trinidad Guardian) There was an increase in the number of people complaining about respiratory issues when they visited the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department and clinics in the North Central region as a result of the Saharan Air layer (SAL) or Saharan dust.

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Cuba put off an unpopular five-fold increase in gasoline prices planned for Feb. 1 due to a cyberattack, Economy Vice Minister Mildrey Granadillo said yesterday, a sudden about-face hours before the hike was to take effect.

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund yesterday approved the most recent review of its $44 billion program with Argentina, allowing for the disbursement of $4.7 billion.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Iranian oil minister Javad Oji on Wednesday departed for Caracas to hold talks with his Venezuelan counterpart, oil minister Pedro Tellechea, Iran’s official news agency IRNA said.

MEXICO CITY,  (Reuters) – Mexico’s president rejected allegations yesterday that his first presidential campaign nearly two decades ago received financing from drug cartel leaders in exchange for future help with their criminal operations from his would-be government.

SAO PAULO,  (Reuters)  – An agency tasked with patrolling federal roads in Brazil has reported a surge in volumes of illegal pesticides seized from criminals in the last eight years, including a record 358 metric tons apprehended in 2022 when the country harvested close to 300 million tons of grains.

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Brazil’s president fired a top official from the country’s intelligence agency yesterday amid a probe into suspected illegal spying during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela is prepared for the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on its oil and gas exports and will stop accepting repatriation flights from the U.S.

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, DC,  on Monday.

WASHINGTON/CARACAS,  (Reuters) – The U.S. yesterday began reinstating sanctions on Venezuela and a Biden administration source said a roll-back of restrictions on the oil industry could be allowed to expire, after the South American country’s top court upheld a ban  blocking the candidacy of the leading opposition  hopeful in presidential elections.