South America

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 19 (NNN-CMA) – The number of daily COVID-19 deaths has been rising in Brazil for the fourth consecutive day yesterday, the Ministry of Health said.

The ministry reported 140 deaths on Sunday, 216 on Monday, 685 on Tuesday, and 756 yesterday, raising the COVID-19 death toll in Brazil to 167,455.

The ministry also reported 34,091 new cases of infections, raising the national count to 5,945,849.

Brazil has the world’s second highest COVID-19 deaths, after the United States, and the third largest number of cases, after the United States and India.

BOGOTA, Nov 18 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Colombia has requested a more than four-year extension under the Ottawa Treaty for removing landmines from across the country, the High Peace Commissioner’s office said.

If the request is granted, Colombia will have until the end of 2025 to remove anti-personnel landmines from its territory. The decision will be made on Nov 20.

The reason for the extension is to buy more time to finish active de-mining operations, High Peace Commissioner Miguel Ceballos said in a statement.

BRASILIA, Nov 18 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Sharply weaker oil prices, the COVID-19 pandemic, and heightened geopolitical uncertainty have done little to blunt Brazil’s epic offshore oil boom.

By September 2020 Brazil had soared to be the third-largest supplier of crude oil to China, the world’s second-largest economy.

17 Nov 2020; MEMO: Venezuela will continue to support the Palestinian people and their right to "self-determination and the establishment of their independent Palestinian state," President Nicolas Maduro said yesterday.

Maduro's remarks came in a congratulatory telegram which he sent to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of Palestine's Declaration of Independence Day.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s political crisis appeared on the verge of resolution Monday as Congress cleared the way for an elder statesman and consensus candidate to become the country’s third president in a week.

People waved the nation’s red-and-white flag and blared horns outside the gates of Congress as Francisco Sagasti of the centrist Purple Party was selected the legislature’s new president.

MONTEVIDEO, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou said on Sunday that he is not planning to back down from reopening the economy despite the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

"If the opening of society also includes the personal prevention and solidarity of Uruguayans, there will be no major problems. In fact, Uruguay is entering this second wave of coronavirus in the world with restricted cases," he said.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s interim president resigned Sunday as the nation plunged into its worst constitutional crisis in two decades following massive protests unleashed when Congress ousted the nation’s popular leader.

In a short televised address, Manuel Merino said Congress acted within the law when he was sworn into office as chief of state Tuesday, despite protesters’ allegations that legislators had staged a parliamentary coup.

“I, like everyone, want what’s best for our country,” he said.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Who is the president of Peru?

That answer to that question early Monday was no one.

The Latin American nation’s political turmoil took a chaotic turn Sunday when interim leader Manuel Merino quit and Congress couldn’t decide on his replacement. That left Peru rudderless and in crisis less than a week after legislators ignited a storm of protest by removing President Martín Vizcarra, an anti-corruption crusader highly popular among Peruvians.

CARACAS, Nov 14 (NNN-TELESUR) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro rejected the European Union (EU) Council’s decision to extend sanction against the country, noting the bloc is playing an “outrageous and sad role”.

“The EU stuck to Donald Trump’s tail and automatically continues with its cruel, ruthless and failed policy against Venezuela (…) it is a shameful, outrageous and sad role that the European Union plays against the noble people of Venezuela,” Maduro stressed. 

LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian interim President Manuel Merino came under growing pressure on Sunday to resign after half his new cabinet stepped down following the deaths of two people in protests over the sudden ouster of his predecessor.

Thousands of Peruvians have staged some of the country’s largest protests in decades - mostly peaceful but some marred by clashes - since the Congress voted last Monday to remove Martin Vizcarra as president over bribery allegations, which he denies.