Category: Americas

5 Slashed Bodies Found on Roadside in Southern Mexico

MEXICO CITY—The slashed-up bodies of five men were found on a roadside in southern Mexico on Tuesday, authorities reported. The bodies were lying on a road near the city of Iguala in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero. The state prosecutors’ office said all the men had knife wounds on their faces and necks, suggesting…


Mexican Government Allowing Cruise Ships With COVID-19 to Disembark

Mexico will allow cruise ships carrying people infected with COVID-19 to dock, the country’s government announced on Tuesday. In a news release, the government said it will allow passengers who show symptoms of the virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, to disembark but they must quarantine. Those who test positive will be provided with medical assistance. “In accordance with…


Lee Smith: Are There Any True Democracies Left to Partner With? Masks Damaging Our Young

“When we see the West imposing these sorts of authoritarian lockdowns, and we see them aiming to impose bio-surveillance states, this must change our perception of the world.” In this episode, Lee Smith poses the question: Where does democracy-based foreign policy stand in a time of dwindling democracy under COVID-19 restrictions and mandates? Lee Smith…


Colombia Captures 5 People Over Airport Bombing

BOGOTA—Colombia’s police captured five people during raids in the Andean country’s second city Medellin and surrounding areas in connection with a bombing earlier this month at an airport in the northern city of Cucuta, it said on Tuesday. Three people, including two police officers, were killed on Dec. 14 after bombs exploded at the airport,…


Nicaragua Seizes Former Taiwan Embassy to Give to China

Taipei said it “strongly protested” Nicaragua’s seizure of Taiwan’s former embassy that was given to Beijing, after the Central American state severed ties with the self-governed island in favor of China. “Regarding the Nicaraguan government’s illegal seizure of our embassy properties and unlawful transfer of them to the People’s Republic of China, it is totally…


Death Toll From Brazil Flooding Rises in Bahia’s ‘Worst Disaster’ Ever

ITABUNA, Brazil—The death toll from floods hammering northeast Brazil rose to 20 on Monday, as the governor of Bahia state declared it the worst disaster in the state’s history, and rescuers braced for more rain in the coming days. Much of Bahia, home to about 15 million people, has suffered from intermittent flooding for weeks,…


Cuba Signs ‘Belt and Road’ Agreement With China

Cuba and China have signed a cooperation plan to push forward construction projects under Beijing’s controversial overseas infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has saddled many participating countries with heavy debt loads. The Chinese Embassy in Cuba announced the agreement on its website on Dec. 26, saying that the deal was inked…


Two Dams Burst in Northeastern Brazil Following Weeks of Heavy Rains, Displacing Thousands

Two dams broke in the northeastern state of Bahia in Brazil over the weekend following weeks of heavy rains, affecting thousands of families who were forced to flee their homes. The Igua dam, which is situated on the Verruga river near the city of Vitoria da Conquista in southern Bahia, collapsed on Saturday night, forcing…


Seizures of Synthetic Drugs Meth and Fentanyl Rise in Mexico as Cartels Increase Production, Import From China

Federal seizures of synthetic drugs like meth and fentanyl are rising in Mexico, according to seizure figures published on Monday by the country’s Defense Department. Fentanyl is a highly addictive and deadly drug of which just a 2-milligram dose can prove fatal. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. The majority of meth in…


Seizures of Synthetic Drugs Meth, Fentanyl Rise in Mexico as Cartels Boost Production, Import From China

Federal confiscations of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and fentanyl are rising in Mexico, according to data published on Dec. 27 by the Mexican Defense Department. Fentanyl is a highly addictive and deadly drug of which just a two-milligram dose can prove fatal, while methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. The majority…