Latinnews Daily - 08 February 2018

Development: On 7 February Nicaragua’s 92-member unicameral national legislature approved a legislative initiative proposed by the ruling Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) party, which significantly reduces the powers of the president of the electoral authority (CSE), Roberto Rivas.... Read More

Development: On 7 February the Dominican Republic’s President Danilo Medina announced the “indefinite recess” of the internationally-sponsored dialogue between Venezuela’s political opposition and the government led by President Nicolás Maduro to try to find a solution to the Andean country’s political crisis.... Read More

Bolivia: Transport workers and local taxi drivers in Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, have staged a 24-hour strike against the planned purchase of municipal buses which they claim will damage their business.... Read More

Development: On 7 January, during a party meeting of Brazil's centre-right opposition Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira (PSDB), São Paulo mayor João Doria signalled he wanted to succeed his political mentor Geraldo Alckmin as governor for São Paulo state.... Read More

*Brazil’s central bank (BCB) has lowered its Selic benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to a historic low of 6.75%, following a series of consecutive cuts starting in October 2016.... Read More

Costa Rica: Costa Rica’s central bank (BCCR) has categorically rejected claims circulated on social media that the country is facing an “imminent economic recession”.... Read More

Development: On 7 February the local authorities in Mexico City (CDMX) said that they were investigating the appearance of banners supposedly put up by the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) drug trafficking organisation (DTO) in the capital this week.... Read More

*The Mexican association of automobile manufacturers (Amia) has reported that total national production reached 349,414 units in January, a 20% year-on-year increase and a new record figure for the month of January.... Read More

Development: On 7 January, Argentina’s banking sector workers' union (AB) called for a 24-hour nationwide strike to take place on 9 February.... Read More

Paraguay: Lorry drivers in Paraguay have called off a strike which began 15 days ago after reaching a deal with the government led by President Horacio Cartes.... Read More