LatinNews Daily - 24 July 2019

On 23 July US President Donald Trump tweeted that the US was considering punitive measures against the Guatemalan government including the “BAN, tariffs, Remittance Fees, or all of the above”.... Read More

On 23 July the Comité Nacional de Defensa de la Democracia (Conade), which groups various opposition civil-society groups, announced various actions along with representatives from opposition parties, to protest Bolivia's President Evo Morales’ candidacy.... Read More

* The European Investment Bank (BEI) and Bancóldex, Colombia’s enterprise development bank, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions, with a view to promoting inclusive and sustainable social and economic development in Colombia.... Read More

On 23 July, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree establishing the Novo Mercado de Gás (new gas market) programme, which creates an inter-ministerial monitoring committee to accompany the opening up process of Brazil’s natural gas market.... Read More

* Brazil’s agriculture ministry (Mapa) has announced that China has opened its market to Brazilian dairy products, certifying 24 Brazilian establishments for the export of products such as powdered milk and cheese.... Read More

* The state-run Costa Rican electricity institute (ICE) has officially inaugurated the geothermal plant Las Pailas II, the most modern facility of its type in Central America and the Caribbean.... Read More

On 23 July Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador dismissed the allegations that his security minister, Alfonso Durazo, has any links to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) drug trafficking organisation (DTO), insisting that he has full confidence in Durazo.... Read More

* Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has announced that the Mexican banking association (ABM) will make up to M$500bn (US$26.1bn) in loans available to boost productive activity in the country.... Read More

On 23 July, Finnish paper mill company UPM confirmed that it will be constructing a second pulp mill in Uruguay (UPM II), investing US$2.7bn in the plant and a further US$350m in local infrastructure and Montevideo port operations.... Read More

* Paraguay’s President Mario Abdo Benítez has signed a decree to “rationalise” public spending which would save some U$50m over the next six months through restricting new government contracts and appointments of permanent personnel as well as cutting unnecessary spending.... Read More