South America

SANTIAGO, Oct 2 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Chilean authorities have lifted the curfew imposed over a year and a half ago as a part of the sanitary measures against the COVID-19 pandemic effective Oct 1, it was announced.

 The return to pre-pandemic ways of life could be noticed from the very beginning, according to local media reports, although 895 new coronavirus infections had been detected Thursday, according to Health Ministry sources.

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 2 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina’s Interior Minister Wado De Pedro, announced that effective Nov 1 airlines interested in operating in the country will be able to do so with no coronavirus restrictions in place.

On the same day land borders with neighboring countries were being opened and with the cruise season scheduled to commence shortly, the administration of President Alberto Fernández confirmed there would be no restrictions on flights arriving into the country after that same date.

CARACAS, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Venezuela on Friday will launch its second monetary overhaul in three years by cutting six zeros from the bolivar currency in response to hyperinflation, simplifying accounting but doing little to ease the South American nation's economic crisis.

The plan seeks to simplify accounting at businesses and banks, where systems can no longer handle the huge figures. Venezuela's year-on-year inflation is 1,743%, according to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory. A minimum wage salary is barely $2.50 per month.

BUENOS AIRES, Sept 30 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina will resume meat exports to China as of this coming Monday, it was announced in Buenos Aires.

The decision by the Argentine government following negotiations with producers to lift all restrictions on sales of meat to foreign customers aims at recovering some of the political support lost at Sept 12’s Mandatory, Open and Simultaneous Primary (PASO) elections.

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Ecuador on Thursday sought to restore order at one of its largest prisons after a riot this week killed at least 116 inmates in the latest bout of violence authorities have linked to gangs vying for control of drug trafficking routes.

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador’s president has declared a state of emergency in the prison system following a battle among gang members in a coastal lockup that killed at least 116 people and injured 80 in what authorities say was the worst prison bloodbath ever in the country.

Officials said at least five of the dead were found to have been beheaded.

QUITO, Sept 29 (NNN-XINHUA) – At least 24 inmates were killed and another 48 were injured, in clashes yesterday, at the Litoral Penitentiary, located in the coastal city of Guayaquil, in south-western Ecuador, authorities and the National Police said.

Speaking to local media, Pablo Arosemena, the governor of the province of Guayas, whose capital is Guayaquil, confirmed the number of victims in the melee in different parts of the prison.

CARACAS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Venezuela’s National Academy of Medicine on Monday expressed concern over the use of Cuba’s Abdala coronavirus vaccine due to a lack of scientific research on its safety and efficacy.

Cuba said on Saturday it had exported the three-shot vaccine for the first time, sending an initial shipment to Vietnam as part of a contract to supply five million doses to the Southeast Asian country.

BRASILIA, Sept 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s government has scheduled an auction of fifth generation (5G) mobile spectrum for Nov 4, with expectations that it will raise around 10 billion reais (US$1.87 billion) based on the minimum bids allowed, government officials said.

The winning bidders will be required to invest about 40 billion reais in 5G infrastructure, the government predicts, with the level of capital expenditures also considered as part of the bid value.

CARACAS/HOUSTON/WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Venezuela has agreed to a key contract to swap its heavy oil for Iranian condensate that it can use to improve the quality of its tar-like crude, with the first cargoes due this week, five people close to the deal said.

As the South American country seeks to boost its flagging oil exports in the face of U.S. sanctions, according to the sources, the deal between state-run firms Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) deepens the cooperation between two of Washington's foes.