Tag Archives: South America

The Associated Press reports: As a meeting last August in the Oval Office to discuss sanctions on Venezuela was concluding, President Donald Trump turned to his top aides and asked an unsettling question: With a fast unraveling Venezuela threatening regional security, why can’t the U.S. just simply invade the troubled country? The suggestion stunned those present at the meeting, including …

Demerara Waves reports: Guyana held its first gay pride parade, with the country’s gay rights activists accusing the three-year old government as well as the opposition of breaking their election campaign promises to outlaw discrimination against vulnerable groups. “We are saying enough of the rhetoric, enough of the promises. It is time to make good on the legislative changes that …

The Associated Press reports: Embattled incumbent Nicolas Maduro won Venezuela’s presidential election by a landslide in a disputed vote marred by irregularities and mass absenteeism that led his main rivals to call for a re-run to prevent a national social crisis from exploding. The National Election Council announced that with more than 92 percent of polling stations reporting, Maduro won …

Bustle reports: On Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver’s Venezuela segment highlighted the dire nature of the country’s political and economic crisis. Oliver’s segment comes several days before the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election, which current president Nicolás Maduro looks likely to win. In addition to shedding light on the crisis, which has left thousands of Venezuelans impoverished …

The Christian Times reports: Evangelical groups in Bolivia are voicing out their concerns about a new law that aims to ban proselytizing and other religious activities. The National Association of Evangelicals in Bolivia (ANDEB) has stated that the new Penal Code of Bolivia amounted to “state abuse” against Christians because it could ban evangelism and prevent them from organizing religious …

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis dove head first into the sex abuse scandal that has devastated the Catholic Church’s credibility in Chile, apologizing Tuesday for the “irreparable damage” to victims, but also acknowledging the “pain” of priests who have been held collectively responsible for the crimes of a few. Francis’ words were delivered amid unprecedented opposition to his visit: …

The BBC reports: The Inter-American Court Of Human Rights has ruled that same-sex marriages should be recognised. The court’s rulings apply to countries which have signed the American Convention on Human Rights. Some of the signatories already recognise same-sex marriages while others recognise same-sex civil unions. But others, such as Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Paraguay and Peru do not …

On Top Magazine reports: Tens of thousands of activists on Saturday joined a protest in Santiago, Chile to demand passage of laws that would extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples and protect transgender people. According to organizer the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (Movilh), 100,000 people attended the protest. Demonstrators marched from Plaza Italia to Plaza Los …

Gay Star News reports: Chile will finally begin the important steps of debating marriage equality on Monday (27 November). President Michelle Bachelet introduced the bill on 28 August, intending to modify the language to open up marriage to same-sex couples. The Senate Constitution Committee has requested several organizations, from LGBTI groups to religious leaders, to come forward and make their …

Gay Star News reports: Chile’s president Michelle Bachelet will formally introduce a bill to allow same-sex couples to get married. The measure will be introduced on 28 August. Chilean LGBTI advocacy group the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation, has said the marriage and an adoption bill was reached as part of an agreement with Bachelet’s government in 2016. However, …

CNBC reports: President Donald Trump on Friday said he would not rule out a “military option” in Venezuela. “We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option, if necessary,” Trump said told reporters at his New Jersey golf club on Friday. The president did not answer whether American troops would lead that potential operation. President Trump just said …

The New York Times reports: The former president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was found guilty of corruption and money laundering on Wednesday and sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison, a stunning setback for a politician who has wielded enormous influence across Latin America for decades. The case against Mr. da Silva, who raised Brazil’s profile on …

Reuters reports: Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced plans on Thursday for new infrastructure including an underground railway line and copper smelter, and said she would push forward on her promise to get a law passed that would allow for same-sex marriage. Her wide-ranging annual state-of-the-union speech to Congress in the port city of Valparaiso, which lasted over two hours, largely …

The Miami Herald reports: In a move that Venezuela’s opposition decried as a “coup,” Venezuela’s Supreme Court effectively shut down congress, saying it would assume all legislative functions amid its contention that legislators are operating outside of the law. The decision will undoubtedly increase tensions in the South American nation where the opposition-controlled congress was seen as a last bastion …

The Bubble reports: Today marked the opening of the newly inaugurated Carlos Jaúregui subway station. Located on the corner of Avenida Santa Fe and Pueyrredón, the stop was previously referred to as the “Santa Fe” stop on the H line. Following a measure approved unanimously last year by the Buenos Aires City Legislature, the station was opened under its new …

The Associated Press reports: Peru has taken a small step toward recognizing same-sex marriage with a court’s recognition of the Mexican marriage between two men. Peruvian gay rights activist Oscar Ugarteche tried to register his marriage to his Mexican partner shortly after the two were wed in Mexico City in 2010 so that he could change his marital status on …

Reuters reports: Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet said during a United Nations General Assembly panel on LGBT rights on Wednesday that she would send a bill legalizing gay marriage to Congress in the first half of 2017. “My government has committed to submit to Congress a bill on marriage equality during the first half of 2017,” Bachelet said, according to a …

Fox News Latino reports: The Sao Paulo Gay Pride Parade on Sunday celebrated two decades of the struggle for equal rights by Brazil’s homosexual community, this time including thousands of participants focused on urging Congress to speed up the debate on the Gender Identity Law. The 20th edition of the parade, which attracted 2 million participants and started out on …

Michael Lavers reports at the Washington Blade: Two men on Tuesday became the first same-sex couple to legally marry in Colombia. Fernando Quimbayo and José Ticora, who have been together for two years, exchanged vows before a registrar in the city of Cali. El País, a Colombian newspaper, posted a video of the ceremony on its website. Colombia’s constitutional court …

The Perchy Bird reports: On April 7th, Colombia’s Constitutional Court defeated a proposal from one of its conservative magistrates that would have barred same-sex couples from marrying on a vote of 6-3. The LGBT community and many supporters around the country rejoiced, but a successful counter-opinion from another magistrate in favor of expanding the right to marry was needed to …