LatinNews Daily - 23 May 2018

Development: On 22 May, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro declared the US Chargé d’Affaires in Venezuela as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country.... Read More

Ecuador/Peru: Ecuador’s state-owned oil company Petroecuador has signed an agreement with its Peruvian counterpart, Petroperú, to supply 360,000 barrels of Oriente crude on a monthly basis.... Read More

Development: Under pressure from his party, the Movimento Democrático Brasileiro (MDB), Brazil's President Michel Temer gave up his electoral ambitions and backed his former finance minister Henrique Meirelles to run for the presidency in the October general election.... Read More

* Lorry drivers continued their strike against rising fuel prices for a second day running, which is beginning to impact trade.... Read More

Development: On 22 May a local lawyer, Guillermo Cochez, presented an appeal before the supreme court (CSJ) against Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela for breaching the 2002 law on transparency.... Read More

Central America & Caribbean... Read More

Development: On 22 May, Mexico’s national maize producers confederation (CNPAMM) accused the four presidential candidates seeking election in the 1 July general election of failing to provide details of their proposed agricultural policies.... Read More

* The Mexican confederation of industrial chambers (Concamin) has warned that the theft of merchandise in Mexico has reached “alarming” levels.... Read More

Development: On 22 May, Chile’s human rights institute (INDH), a national body, released its latest report on the state of the country’s prison system.... Read More

* Argentina’s national statistics institute (Indec) has reported that economic activity grew by just 1.4% in March compared to the same month last year, below market expectations.... Read More