LatinNews Regional Monitor: Brazil & Southern Cone - 07 May 2020

On 6 May, Brazil’s senate approved the creation of the ‘federal programme to combat coronavirus’ (Covid-19), which provides a total R$125bn (US$21.87bn) in financial aid to the country’s states and municipalities.... Read More

*Brazil’s central bank's monetary policy committee (Copom) has cut the benchmark interest rate (Selic) by 0.75 percentage points to 3.0%, a new record low.... Read More

On 6 May, the association of employees of Chile’s women & gender equality ministry (Anfummeg) rejected President Sebastián Piñera’s appointment that day of Macarena Santelices as the country’s new minister for women & gender equality.... Read More

* Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández has insisted that 8 May is the deadline for foreign holders of Argentine sovereign bonds to accept the formal debt restructuring offer made by his government, and that the government will not contemplate making any extensions.... Read More

The global nature of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has both highlighted the importance of international cooperation and prompted a retreat into nationalism by governments struggling to meet the needs of their health systems.... Read More

In mid-March, indigenous leaders in Brazil decided to cancel this year’s Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL) annual indigenous gathering in Brasília, due to take place in the final days of April, over coronavirus (Covid-19) concerns.... Read More

Brazil’s public security authorities were able to claim a victory in April with the capture of one of the criminals on the justice & public security ministry (MJSP)’s 2020 ‘most wanted’ list.... Read More