South America

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 8 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina’s government will begin to distribute food cards to low-income families beginning later this month as part of its anti-hunger program.

Social Development Minister Daniel Arroyo announced during a live presentation of Argentine Plan Against Hunger the government reached an agreement with the Governor Jorge Capitanich from the northern province of Chaco to fight with hunger.

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 8 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — In a blow to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, Argentina’s government said on Tuesday it did not recognize him as his nation’s interim president and had revoked the credentials of his representative in Buenos Aires.

The new administration of Argentina’s center-left President Alberto Fernandez sent a letter to Elisa Trotta Gamus, who represented Guaido in Argentina, to notify her that her “special mission” in Argentina had been terminated.

BRASILIA, Jan 8 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro assured that his country will maintain commercial relations with Iran despite the increase in tensions between that nation and the United States.

‘We trade with Iran, and we will continue that trade,’ the president told the press at his official residence in this capital, where he also made it clear that ‘Brazil repudiates terrorism anywhere in the world.’

8 January 2020; AFP: Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido called Tuesday for three days of protests against President Nicolas Maduro, hours after he was sworn in for another term as National Assembly speaker following a standoff with the armed forces.

Guaido was barred from entering the assembly by the National Guard for around half an hour in dramatic and chaotic scenes, while a rival claimant to the speaker's post occupied the chair.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he will talk to the foreign minister about Iran’s decision to summon Brazil’s charge d’affaires over comments about the death of a senior Iranian general.

Bolsonaro said Brazil will maintain trade links with Iran and that Brazil rejects terrorism anywhere in the world.

SANTIAGO (Chile), Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The cloud of smoke caused by raging bushfires in Australia has been spotted more than 12,000km away in Chile and Argentina, weather authorities in the South American countries said.

In the early hours “the effect was seen in the sun through red tones. This effect was produced by a cloud of smoke that comes from the fires,” Chile meteorology chief, Patricio Urra, said.

The cloud has risen to 6,000m above sea level and there is no meteorological reason for it to fall back to Earth, said Urra.

It poses no threat to Chileans.

WASHINGTON, January 6./TASS/: The US troops won’t leave Iraq until Baghdad pays back for an expensive US air base built there, President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

"We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that’s there. It cost billions of dollars to build. Long before my time. We’re not leaving unless they pay us back for it," President Trump said.

"If there’s any hostility, that they do anything we think is inappropriate, we are going to put sanctions on Iraq, very big sanctions on Iraq," the president warned.

CARACAS, January 6./TASS/: At a session outside the parliamentary building on Sunday, part of parliamentarians from the Venezuelan National Assembly declared opposition leader Juan Guaido as Speaker, private VPI television channel broadcast.

Juan Pablo Guanipa and Carlos Berrizbeitia were appointed his deputies. The private television said Guaido was supported by 100 out of 167 parliamentarians. The session of opposition parliamentarians took place at the editorial office of El Nacional newspaper.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday continued its bid to deter Iran from retaliatory strikes with tough threats while U.S. lawmakers blamed Trump for leading the country into a less safe territory.

Trump on Sunday warned of a "disproportionate" response to Iran if it chooses to strike any U.S. citizen or asset.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó was violently blocked Sunday from presiding over a special session of congress where rivals proclaimed a substitute leader — moves opposition officials condemned as a hijacking of the country’s last democratic institution.

Hours later, however, a majority of congress members held an emergency meeting at an opposition newspaper office and voted to reelect Guaidó as their leader.