LatinNews Daily - 18 May 2018

Development: On 17 May the president of Venezuela’s national electoral council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, said that she is convinced that the results of the upcoming 20 May presidential election convened by the government led by President Nicolás Maduro will be recognised by the international community.... Read More

*Peru’s national government has transferred US$313m to the central region of Huánuco for development projects, according to Prime Minister César Villanueva.... Read More

Development: On 17 May Brazil's foreign minister, Aloysio Nunes, vehemently rejected calls from a small group of European former leaders to release Brazil's jailed former president Lula da Silva (2003-2011) of the leftist Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT).... Read More

*Brazil’s anti-trust agency, Cade, has approved a bid by energy firm Neoenergia (controlled by Spain’s Iberdrola) to takeover electricity company Eletropaulo.... Read More

Development: On 17 May the student movement El Movimiento Estudiantil 19 de abril called a national strike demanding the resignation of Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and his First Lady, Vice President Rosario Murillo.... Read More

Central America... Read More

Development: On 17 May Mexico’s foreign ministry (SRE) presented the US Department of State with a diplomatic note of complaint.... Read More

*US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has said the “The Nafta countries [Mexico, US, and Canada] are nowhere near close to a deal”, pointing to “gaping differences” on a host of issues, including intellectual property, agricultural access, labour and energy.... Read More

Development: On 17 May thousands of protesters took part in two parallel marches in central Buenos Aires against the decision by the Argentine government led by President Mauricio Macri to seek financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).... Read More

Argentina: The federal government has announced that it has received 32 bids for a public-private partnership (PPP) contract to renovate some 3,300km of roads across the country.... Read More