Protests are erupting across Panama following the decision to extend the mining contract with First Quantum Minerals. Protestors are primarily concerned with the environmental impact of the mining operations.
On October 26th, Maria Machado overwhelmingly won the opposition-organized presidential primary in Venezuela, with 93% of the vote. Roughly two and half million Venezuelans made it out to vote in hopes of having a presidential candidate to challenge Nicolas Maduro and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in the 2024 presidential elections.
Colombia and Israel have suspended all sales and supplies of both defense and military hardware. This could severely impact the maintenance and production of key military equipment in Colombia, as they utilize a lot of Israeli equipment and technology across its military force.
This year, Central America has had a 500% increase in migration compared to the first half of 2022. A significant number of migrants have embarked on a journey that has forced them to cross the dangers of the Darien jungle in Colombia. Migrants take this risk so they can make their way through Central America and Mexico and get to the Southern border of the United States.
With Paraguay taking over the presidency of the Mercosur trade block, the Paraguayan president has said that trade negotiations will stop with the EU if a deal is not reached soon. It looks as though Mercosur will turn to Asia should relations with the EU remain unresolved.
The G-77 met in Cuba to discuss the growing need for a framework that prioritizes cooperation among Global South nations to combat challenges primarily facing the developing countries of the world. The Global South would like to see the rise of a new world order, one that is not Western-led.
On September 12th, Guyana allowed bids from several international oil companies, including Exxon and TotalEnergies, for the right to explore 14 offshore oil blocks. Negotiations with the bidders will take place next month. However, neighboring Venezuela has voiced its displeasure with the Guyanese auction, arguing that Guyana does not have sovereign rights over the area and therefore cannot grant rights to third parties for oil exploration.
On September 9th, a federal judge in New York ordered the nation of Argentina to pay $16 billion to minority shareholders of YPF, over the Argentine government’s 2012 seizure of a majority stake in the energy company. Following this concern, the current Peronist administration led by President Alberto Fernandez and Vice President Cristina Kirchner, who was President when YPF was expropriated, could be replaced by political outsider Javier Milei, a fierce libertarian with an economist background.
Honduras broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March and then established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China the same month. Dr. Moncada was appointed back in June, but he wasn't sworn in until this week. Honduras is the latest country to shift its foreign policy away from Taiwan, growing its diplomatic and economic ties with Beijing.
Bernardo Arévalo won with 58% of the votes against the former first lady Sandra Torres, who got 37% of the vote. Despite winning the elections, the Semilla (seed) party was temporarily suspended by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in Guatemala on dubious allegations. The suspension of the party will affect fundraising efforts, and their members elected to Congress will not be able to hold committee assignments.
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 