News from South America
MercoPress South Atlantic News Agency
- Sexual exploitation of children on the rise in Chile
on December 4, 2025Chilean Public Prosecutor's Office found that the sexual exploitation of children in the South American country was a "growing structural problem" between 2022 and 2024, with female adolescents aged 14-17 disproportionately targeted, prompting authorities to call for stronger state intervention to enforce the Lanzarote Convention.
- Martín Menem re-elected as Speaker of Argentina's Lower House
on December 4, 2025The Argentine House of Deputies swore in 127 new legislators on Wednesday in a session that concluded with the reelection of Martín Menem as Speaker. The occasion wss attended by President Javier Milei as the ruling La Libertad Avanza (LLA) became the largest minority bloc. LLA secured 95 seats after Entre Ríos' Francisco Moechio changed sides.
- World Bank grants loan to Uruguayan green hydrogen project
on December 4, 2025The World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation (IFC), has announced its first global investment in green hydrogen, providing a U$20 million loan to the Kahirós project in Uruguay.
- Argentine judge rules in favor of extraditing 5 defendants convicted in Brazil's coup d'état case
on December 4, 2025Buenos Aires Federal Judge Daniel Rafecas ruled Wednesday to extradite five Brazilian nationals who were convicted for their roles in the January 8, 2023, attacks on Brazil's government headquarters.
- Surveys show Kast ahead in Chilean runoff
on December 4, 2025Recent polling in Chile's presidential runoff election, scheduled for December 14, indicates that conservative leader José Antonio Kast holds a commanding lead over the governing coalition's candidate, Jeannette Jara.
- Falklands, feasibility report for a marina in Stanley Harbor
on December 4, 2025The Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC) has contracted U.K.-based maritime civil, structural, architectural, and environmental engineering services company Arch Henderson to conduct and provide the feasibility report for a marina in Stanley Harbor.
- Bolivian Customs is going to die, says President Paz
on December 4, 2025Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz Pereira announced Wednesday that his administration would eliminate tariffs on all technological products not manufactured domestically to lower consumer costs, fighting smuggling, and boosting national production.
- Paraguayan meat exports to pierce US$2bn ceiling this year
on December 4, 2025According to a study by the Paraguayan Meat Chamber (CPC), released on Wednesday in Asunción, the South American country is projected to surpass the US$ 2 billion export ceiling for the first time by the end of 2025. The survey foresaw a total of US$2.169 billion worth of outbound trade.
- Another massive blackout in Cuba: on average, the grid can supply 50/70% of demand
on December 4, 2025Cuba suffered another massive power outage after a partial collapse of the electrical grid early on Wednesday. Havana and many of the western provinces are without power, according to a state media reporter who spoke with Reuters.
- US shuts doors on foreigners from 19 "high-risk" countries
on December 3, 2025The US Government of President Donald Trump announced this week a pause on the processing of immigration applications for nationals from 19 countries, while simultaneously initiating a review of asylum and immigration cases approved under the previous administration of Joseph Biden.