South America

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Wednesday he is sending the armed forces to boost security at some of the country’s most important airports, ports and international borders as part of a renewed effort to tackle organized crime in Latin America’s largest nation.

The decision comes days after members of a criminal gang set fire to dozens of buses in Rio de Janeiro, apparently in retaliation for the police slaying their leader’s nephew.

31 October 2023; MEMO: Bolivia’s government is breaking diplomatic ties with Israel, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, accusing Israel of committing crimes against humanity in its attacks on the Gaza Strip, Reuters reports.

Bolivia, in 2009, cut diplomatic ties with Israel in protest of its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

In 2020, the government of President Jeanine Anez re-established ties.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Long lines formed at gas stations throughout Argentina on Monday as surging demand outstripped supply, becoming a campaign issue just weeks ahead of the second round of the country’s presidential race.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s high court on Monday suspended the opposition’s entire primary election process, including its result, in the latest challenge by the government of Nicolás Maduro to its adversaries ahead of the 2024 presidential vote.

The court ruled the opposition’s Oct. 22 contest may be in violation of the law. It was not immediately clear whether the suspension would effectively result in the nullification of the primary vote.

27 October 2023; MEMO: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slammed Israel’s war on the besieged Gaza Strip as a “genocide”.

In a meeting held at the Planalto presidential palace in the capital, Brasilia, da Silva said: “What is happening is not a war. It is a genocide that led to the killing of nearly 2,000 children who had nothing to do with this war. They are the victims of this war.”

LIMA, Oct 26 (NNN-XINHUA) — At least four people were killed and dozens injured after two passenger buses collided head-on in early morning Wednesday in the southern Peruvian department of Cusco, authorities said.

The accident occurred around 1:30 a.m. local time at kilometer 60 of the Espinar-Cusco roadway in Espinar province, the Superintendence of Ground Transportation of People, Cargo and Goods (Sutran) said in a statement.

One of the buses was traveling the Cusco-Arequipa route and the other was going in the opposite direction when they collided head on.

BOGOTA, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego is in Beijing for a state visit this week, as many in Colombia are closely watching his maiden trip there.

"President Petro's visit to China can be deeply transformative for Colombia in a very positive way," said David Castrillon Kerrigan, an international relations academic at the Externado University of Colombia.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan government critic María Corina Machado was declared the winner Thursday of an opposition-organized primary to choose a presidential candidate, in polling last weekend that was denounced by the self-proclaimed socialist government as illegitimate.

The voting Sunday organized by the National Primary Commission drew more than 2.4 million voters in Venezuela and abroad and was aimed at choosing a candidate to run against President Nicolás Maduro next year.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Early returns in the Venezuelan opposition’s presidential primary gave a big lead to former legislator Maria Corina Machado early Monday, and she quickly claimed victory as the voters’ choice to lead the campaign to end the decade-long, crisis-ridden presidency of Nicolás Maduro.

The independent National Primary Commission, which organized the primary, did not release any results until long after polling stations closed Sunday, blaming internet censorship.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Economy Minister Sergio Massa produced a big surprise by finishing first in the opening round of Argentina’s presidential election, reflecting voters’ wariness about handing the presidency to his chief rival, a right-wing populist who upended national politics and pledged to drastically diminish the state.