Weekly Report - 03 September 2020 (WR-20-35)

A Rio de Janeiro state governor is once again at the heart of an unfolding corruption scandal in Brazil.... Read More

On 25 August Peru’s opposition-dominated congress voted by 106-to-three, with 15 abstentions, to allow a partial draw-down of contributions from the state pension fund (Oficina de Normalización Previsional – ONP).... Read More

The wave of massacres (or ‘collective homicides’ as the government led by President Iván Duque has been calling them) showed signs of continuing this week with gunmen killing three people in Andes municipality in the north-eastern department of Antioquia, bringing the total number of attacks since 11 August to nine, with a death toll of 43 victims.... Read More

There is a growing sense that Venezuela is approaching a significant juncture.... Read More

With preparations underway ahead of next February’s general election [WR-20-34], on 28 August Ecuador’s President Lenín Moreno made an announcement of considerable significance for his aspiring successors: the completion of a provisional agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to access some US$6.5bn in credit over the next 27 months, through the multilateral organisation’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), subject to approval by its executive board.... Read More

On 31 August Argentina announced that its proposed US$66.2bn bond restructuring agreement had received the backing of 99% of the creditors, in effect making it a done deal.... Read More

After his first six months in government President Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou has sent a five-year budget, combining hoped-for economic recovery with gradual fiscal austerity, to the national congress for approval.... Read More

BRAZIL | Emergency handout extended as economic recession confirmed.... Read More

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador presented his second state-of-the-nation report (Informe) on 1 September.... Read More

The recent murder of a prominent lawyer, professor and head of the Port-au-Prince bar association, Monferrier Dorval, has met with outrage, from the local and foreign community alike.... Read More

President Laurentino Cortizo continues to trumpet efforts by his government to relaunch Panama’s economy, which he recently forecast would shrink by 9% in 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19), and boost jobs.... Read More

COSTA RICA-EL SALVADOR | Historic agreement to establish ferry line.... Read More

A damaging seven-day strike in Chile by over 2,000 truck drivers which threatened food and commodity exports ended on 2 September after the government agreed to implement stepped-up security measures.... Read More

“It’s a search and disappointment.... Read More