BUENOS AIRES – Argentine President Alberto Fernandez will not run in the country’s October general election, the center-left leader announced, throwing open a race to lead the Peronist coalition at the ballot amid a swirling economic crisis.
In a video message, Fernandez, who took office in late 2019, said he would “hand over the presidential sash to whomever has been legitimately elected at the polls by the popular vote” and not seek a second term in office.
Probe of OAS chief draws members’ push for ethics reforms
WASHINGTON – The Organization of American States passed a resolution calling for a plan to update its rules and ethics code in response to an outside investigation that found its chief showed poor judgment but did not commit serious misconduct in an intimate relationship with a staffer.
The OAS Permanent Council approved the document by consensus, but Mexico took the opportunity to criticize Secretary General Luis Almagro, saying he should have resigned and could not be trusted.
Ex-Peru president Toledo surrenders to US authorities
LIMA – Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo surrendered to U.S. authorities, a U.S. Marshals Service official told Reuters, a day after his bid to block his extradition to Peru over corruption charges was denied.
Toledo, who was president from 2001 to 2006, is wanted in Peru over charges that he received more than $25 million from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in exchange for help in obtaining public works contracts. Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison sentence.
The former president will be moved to Lima, Peru’s capital, in two to three days, Silvana Carrion, the local prosecutor handling the case, said on local television outlet Canal N.
Chilean lithium shares slide as govt targets state control of lithium
SANTIAGO – Shares in Chile’s top two lithium miners, SQM and Albemarle Corp, slid after the Andean country, which has the world’s largest reserves of the battery metal, unveiled plans to nationalize the sector over time.
The move would see Chile, the world’s second-largest lithium producer, shift to a model with the state holding a controlling interest in all new lithium projects through a public company that would partner with private mining firms.
Mexican representatives approve overhaul of mining industry
MEXICO CITY – The Mexican parliament’s lower house voted to press ahead with the proposed overhaul of the country’s mining laws, which include shortening concessions, tightening water permits and giving back some profits, moves criticized by industry leaders.
Mexico is the world’s top silver producer and one of the largest producers of copper and gold. Since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office in late 2018, he has refused to offer any new mining concessions, arguing that too many had been granted by previous governments.
Bolivia lower house passes gold purchase bill in bid to boost reserves
LA PAZ – Bolivia’s lower house of Congress passed a bill early Friday to purchase gold from miners in an attempt to boost the central bank’s foreign reserves as fears over a shortage of dollars rippled through the country.
In a controversial vote which carried on through the night, the bill failed to pass by majority vote, with more than a third of the house abstaining. The bill must still be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Luis Arce, who has supported the measure.
Lula to drop criticism of West over Ukraine in Europe visit, sources say
BRASILIA – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to avoid criticism of the U.S. and European role in the Ukraine war when he visits Portugal this weekend, two Brazilian officials told Reuters.
Lula angered many in the West last weekend when he called for the United States and European allies to stop supplying arms to Ukraine, saying they were prolonging the war begun a year ago when Russia invaded.
Source : Finance Yahoo
