South America

BRASILIA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Judge Kassio Nunes Marques took office on Thursday as the newest member of Brazil's 11-member Supreme Federal Court (STF).

He replaced Judge Celso de Mello, the dean of the court who announced his retirement on Oct. 13.

This is the first STF appointment made by President Jair Bolsonaro since he assumed power in January 2019.

President of the STF Luiz Fux praised Nunes Marques as having "an impeccable reputation ... encyclopedic knowledge and, above all, independence."

LIMA, Nov 4 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Peru’s Congress approved a motion to initiate a process to remove President Martín Vizcarra from office over corruption allegations, a month and a half after he survived a prior impeachment trial.

Lawmakers approved the measure in a 60-40 vote with 18 abstentions. Vizcarra is set to present his defense before Congress on Nov 9, with another vote to follow.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Small groups of protesters gathered in Brazil’s two biggest cities Sunday to demonstrate against any mandate for the taking of a coronavirus vaccine, supporting a rejection campaign encouraged by President Jair Bolsonaro.

People assembled in downtown Sao Paulo calling for the removal of Sao Paulo state Gov. Joao Doria, who has said state residents will be required to take a vaccine, likely the one being developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac and the local Butantan Institute.

“Doria will fall!” the protestors chanted. “Out with Doria!”

MEDELLIN, Colombia (AP) — “Don’t WORRY!,” reads the cryptic note scribbled on a scrap of perforated paper smuggled out of a dank, basement cellblock. “Han Solo always wins!”

The weeks-old message is all the family of Matthew Heath has to pin its hopes on since the former U.S. Marine corporal was arrested at a roadblock in Venezuela almost two months ago and accused by President Nicolás Maduro of being a terrorist and spying for Donald Trump.

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 31 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentine President Alberto Fernandez signed a decree that extends social welfare coverage to one million more children and teenagers.

The government is allocating Universal Child Allowance, which amounts to 30 billion pesos (some US$ 383 million), to expand the program. The allowance contributes 3,540 Pesos (some US$ 45) per child to needy households.

LA PAZ, Oct 31 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Bolivia’s Congress, controlled by the socialist party of the former indigenous President Evo Morales, approved a report that recommends a lawsuit against outgoing right-wing President Jeanine Añez for genocide and other alleged crimes.

29 Oct 2020; MEMO: An Iranian plane owned by a company said to be sanctioned by the US over alleged weapons shipments to Syria, landed in Venezuela yesterday, according to a Venezuelan opposition lawmaker and flight tracking data, reports Reuters.

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 26 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina resumed regular domestic flights this week after an interruption of seven months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, although within a format of restrictions and health protocols limiting operations.

“The revival of connectivity will be gradual, giving priority to health,” declared the Transport Ministry, only allowing essential workers and persons needing to travel for health reasons to board flights for now.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Amid a year of contagion and turmoil, Chileans turned out Sunday to vote overwhelmingly in favor of having a constitutional convention draft a new charter to replace guiding principles imposed four decades ago under the military dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

BUENOS AIRES, October 23. /TASS/: Bolivia's President-elect Luis Arce has said he will work to strengthen relations with Russia.

"We thank our brother Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, for congratulations, and for the visit that [Russian] Ambassador to Bolivia Vladimir Sprinchan paid us today. We will strengthen relations between our countries for the benefit of our peoples," he wrote in a Twitter post.