Category: Americas

  • Buenos Aires protests intensify over President Milei’s labour reform agenda

    Thousands of protesters gathered in Buenos Aires as Argentina’s Senate debated labour reforms proposed by President Javier Milei, aimed at limiting strike rights and altering employment protections. The government argues the measures support free-market reforms and economic recovery amid ongoing financial pressures. Demonstrations organised by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) resulted in clashes with…

  • Barbados PM Mia Mottley secures third election victory as BLP sweeps parliament

    Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has secured a third election victory after the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) won all 30 seats in the House of Assembly, according to state broadcaster CBC Barbados. The result extends Mottley’s political dominance and reinforces her international profile as a leading Caribbean voice on economic reform and climate diplomacy. The…

  • Cuba faces aviation fuel shortages as US tightens oil supplies

    Cuba is facing a worsening fuel crisis after aviation authorities warned airlines of limited aircraft refuelling capacity, reportedly linked to intensified US sanctions under President Donald Trump. An aviation notice circulated to airlines highlights severe energy rationing. A commercial pilot said such an official warning is rare, even amid Cuba’s long-standing supply shortages. The measures…

  • Haiti enters political uncertainty as transitional council mandate expires

    Haiti has entered political uncertainty after the mandate of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) expired on 7 February 2026, with no agreed successor authority. The nine-member council, formed in April 2024 after the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was tasked with stabilising the country and organising elections. The council’s tenure coincided with worsening gang…

  • Cuba open to US dialogue ‘with no preconditions’ amid worsening energy shortages

    Cuba has said it is ready to hold talks with the United States without preconditions, as the country faces an escalating energy crisis and potential oil sanctions. In a televised news conference on Thursday (5 February), President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected the US president’s suggestion that the regime in Havana was “close to failing”. “Cuba is…

  • US–Colombia relations tested as Trump hosts Petro in Washington talks

    US President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro held their first face-to-face meeting at the White House on Tuesday (3 February). Both leaders described the two-hour discussion as cordial despite months of public tensions and ideological differences. No formal agreements were announced, but both sides signalled ongoing cooperation on regional security and narcotics control.…

  • Trump signs bill to end partial government shutdown

    US President Donald Trump signed a $1.2 trillion (£880 billion) government funding bill on Tuesday (3 February), ending a partial US government shutdown that began earlier this week. The spending package passed the House of Representatives by 217–214 and had already cleared the Senate. The legislation funds most federal agencies until the end of the…

  • Colombian-Ecuadorian trade tensions spark border protests

    Truckers and merchants gathered at the Colombia–Ecuador border on Tuesday (3 February) to protest a growing trade dispute between the two nations. Protesters called on their governments to remove 30% tariffs on dozens of goods, warning the measures could harm border economies and energy companies. Key developments: • Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa imposed tariffs on…

  • Bolivia plans mining and oil reforms to attract investment and revive struggling economy

    Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz is planning sweeping economic reforms aimed at expanding mining and oil exploration and attracting foreign investment, marking a shift from nearly two decades of socialist-led governance. Paz said new laws will introduce 50-50 risk-sharing partnerships with foreign investors to develop Bolivia’s natural resources, including lithium, silver and tin. Contracts signed under…

  • US to launch $12bn critical minerals stockpile plan

    The United States is preparing to launch Project Vault, a strategic critical minerals stockpile, as part of efforts to strengthen supply chains and reduce reliance on China. According to a Trump administration official, US President Donald Trump will back the initiative with $12 billion in financing, including a proposed $10 billion, 15-year loan from the…