LatinNews Daily - 30 June 2021

On 30 June there was a mixed reaction to the proposal by Venezuela’s de facto president, Nicolás Maduro, to scrap the controversial ‘protector’ position – an executive-appointed official that operates in parallel to governors in states controlled by the political opposition.... Read More

* The institute of research and development of foreign trade at Peru’s chamber of commerce (Idexcam) has published figures showing that exports increased by 108.38% year-on-year in May, amounting to US$4.16bn.... Read More

On 29 June, Brazil’s federal health ministry announced the dismissal of its head of logistics, Roberto Ferreira Dias, after a report published by national daily Folha de São Paulo points to Dias having sought to broker a dodgy deal for coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines.... Read More

* The Receita Federal, Brazil’s federal tax authority, has reported a tax intake of R$142.1bn (US$28.7bn) for the month of May.... Read More

On 29 June US legislators co-signed a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warning that “as long as the [Jovenel] Moïse government continues to insist on holding the referendum [on a new constitution] this year, the conditions for political dialogue and reconciliation cannot be met” in Haiti.... Read More

* The World Bank (WB) has approved a US$300m loan in support of Costa Rica’s government efforts to protect people’s income and jobs from the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, strengthen small and medium enterprises (SMEs), reinforce fiscal sustainability, and lay out foundations for a strong post pandemic recovery based on green and low-carbon development.... Read More

On 29 June Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that he guaranteed the supply of all cancer medicines.... Read More

* International credit ratings agency, Moody’s Investors Service, has released its semi-annual update on Mexico’s state-owned oil company, Pemex, in which it said that Pemex is unlikely to get a credit ratings upgrade, citing persistent negative free cash flow despite higher international oil prices.... Read More

On 29 June Paraguay’s interior minister, Arnaldo Giuzzio, said that the authorities are investigating whether the Agrupación Campesina Armada (ACA) armed organisation is responsible for the recent kidnapping of an individual in the Puentesiño area of Concepción department.... Read More

* Argentina’s national statistics institute (Indec) has released the latest figures for its monthly index of economic activity (Emae), which serves as a proxy for GDP, and which registered a 28.3% positive variation in April 2021 compared with the previous year.... Read More