LATIN AMERICA

JAIR BOLSONARO UNDERGOES A SUCCESSFUL HERNIA SURGERY

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Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president currently serving a 27-year sentence for allegedly plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat, has successfully had surgery for a double hernia. His wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, confirmed the procedure. The 70-year-old was granted permission by Brazil's Supreme Court to be moved from his federal police headquarters detention to a hospital in Brasília for the operation.

INDIGENOUS PROTESTERS DISRUPT COP30 SUMMIT ENTRY

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A significant demonstration by Indigenous protesters unfolded outside the COP30 summit venue in Belem, Brazil, forcing climate delegates to enter through alternate gates as negotiations continued inside. The peaceful sit-in, held early Friday morning, became one of the most visible expressions of Indigenous frustration over development projects in the Amazon. Security personnel intensified entrance checks, resulting in long queues as representatives from nearly two hundred nations attempted to navigate the restricted pathways of the sprawling compound.

POLICE CONFIRM 59 INJURED IN CLASH BETWEEN RIVAL FANS DURING COPA COLOMBIA FINAL

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Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez said there would ‍be consequences for those who attended Wednesday’s Colombia Cup final to “generate violence” after 59 people were injured, including seven police officers, in clashes between rival fans.

THE COMPLEX BEAUTY OF ESCARAMUZA TRADITION IN AMERICA

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Escaramuza, the all female equestrian discipline rooted in Mexican heritage, challenges the usual image associated with cowgirl culture and offers a strikingly different portrayal of strength, artistry and identity. The sport requires strict adherence to traditional aesthetics. Competitors line up before each event to have their elaborate Victoriana dresses assessed under exacting guidelines.

VENEZUELA ESCALATES AVIATION CONFLICT DURING RISING US TENSIONS

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Venezuela has intensified its standoff with the United States by banning six major international airlines after they failed to resume flights within a government-imposed deadline. The carriers, including Iberia, Avianca, Gol, Latam, TAP Portugal and Turkish Airlines, suspended operations following a US warning citing heightened military activity around Caracas. The Venezuelan government viewed this suspension as an act of political alignment with Washington and consequently revoked their landing rights immediately.

ARGENTINA’S MILEI STORMS MIDTERMS WITH “CHAINSAW” AUSTERITY AGENDA

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Argentina’s President Javier Milei has secured a decisive victory in the country’s midterm elections, strengthening his mandate to push ahead with sweeping austerity and pro-market reforms that have sharply divided the nation.

BRAZIL CONFRONTS POLITICAL TURMOIL AS BOLSONARO FACES PRISON

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Brazil has entered a new chapter of political reckoning as the Supreme Court ordered former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a prison sentence of 27 years and three months. The ruling, delivered by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, concluded that no further appeals were possible and that Bolsonaro must now be incarcerated in a federal police facility in Brasília. His conviction centers on orchestrating a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2022 election, which he lost to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The court determined that Bolsonaro was the driving force behind efforts to remain in power, including plans involving senior military figures and attempts to undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.

BOLIVIA ELECTS CENTRIST RODRIGO PAZ AS NEW PRESIDENT

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Rodrigo Paz, a centrist senator from the Christian Democratic Party, has won Bolivia's presidential runoff election, defeating conservative candidate Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga. According to early results, Paz secured 54.5% of the vote, while Quiroga garnered 45.5%. The victory marks the end of nearly two decades of leftist rule, propelled in part by Bolivia's worst economic crisis in a generation. Despite his win, Paz's party lacks a majority in the legislature, requiring him to build alliances to govern effectively.