Domestic Politics
Uruguay's centre-right National Party’s Luis Lacalle Pou was sworn in as the President after winning against the Broad Front’s Daniel Martinez by a close margin of 37,000 votes. The left-wing leadership under the Broad Front coalition reigned for 15 years. [Al jazeera]
Amnesty International reports that there were several violent crackdowns on protestors and assaults against human rights activists across Latin America in 2019. The report reviews attacks on people protesting against violations of human and environmental rights. As per the report, at least 210 people died during protests in the Americas, out of which 6 were in Honduras, 8 in Ecuador, 31 in Chile, 35 in Bolivia, and 47 in Venezuela lost their lives. [Al jazeera]
Elections in Chile have been scheduled for April 26, with the campaign period officially starting on Wednesday. The country has seen mass protests since mid-October that have demanded a constitutional assembly to replace the dictatorship-era constitution currently in place. According to the recent poll, around 70% of voters want a new constitution. [Al jazeera]
Society
Adolfo Perez Esquivel, an Argentinian human rights defender and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, nominated former Bolivian president Evo Morales for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. Perez was honored in 1980 for his commitment to defending human rights against a military dictatorship in the late 70s and early 80s. [Telesur]
Economy
Argentina's government plans to triple mining exports to over US$ 10.7 billion per year over the next decade. The Fraser Institute's Annual Survey of Mining Companies ranked San Juan province as the second most attractive region in Latin America in 2019. The government is heavily reliant on copper exports, which represents more than 50% of investment in the country’s mining projects. [Merco Press]
Gender
Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez announced that the bill to decriminalize abortion will be presented in the National Congress. [Telesur]
Health
Brazil’s Health Ministry confirmed the country's second case of coronavirus in a 32-year-old patient returning from Italy. The patient was sent home after receiving treatment and is stable. He is being kept in isolation along with his wife. [Merco Press]
Argentina confirmed its first coronavirus patient–a man returning from Italy. He is being treated in Buenos Aires. Italy has reported 79 deaths and 2,263 infected cases due to the coronavirus. [Telesur]
Image Source: Daily Sabah
