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CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. government and nearly 30 conservative world leaders on Saturday condemned the decision of Venezuela’s highest court to block the presidential candidacy of opposition leader María Corina Machado. “The United States is currently reviewing our Venezuela sanctions policy, based on this development and the recent political targeting of democratic opposition candidates and civil society,” U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. Machado insisted throughout the campaign that she never received official notification of the ban and said voters, not ruling-party loyalists, were the rightful decision-makers of her candidacy. The ruling came more than three months after Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition reached a deal to work on basic conditions for a fair election. The deal led Washington to ease some economic sanctions on Venezuela's oil, gas and mining sectors.

Persons: María Corina Machado, Biden, Nicolás Maduro, Matthew Miller, Machado, Miller, Justice “, Maduro, ” Gerardo Blyde, Emmanuel Macron, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro —, Blyde, Maduro’s, Hector Rodríguez, ” Rodríguez, Machado “, Iván Duque, Mauricio Macri, Vicente Fox, Felipe Calderón, ” Organizations: Saturday, U.S . State Department, U.S, Justice, Democratic Initiative of Spain Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, U.S, United States, Washington, Barbados, France, Brazil, Colombia, Americas, Venezuelan, Spain, Latin America, Iván Duque of Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela's

☆ Bolivia Gets Green Light for Full Mercosur Membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Lucinda ElliottSAO PAULO (Reuters) - Bolivia is set to become a full member of the South American Mercosur trade bloc following a decision on Tuesday by the Brazilian Senate to approve the country's admission. The vote on the accession of Bolivia to Mercosur is expected to be formally concluded during a regional summit on Dec. 7 in Rio de Janeiro. "Thank you to the senators for completing this process and congratulations to President Arce and Bolivia for joining us in Mercosur," Lula said on social media. Prospects for finally concluding the trade agreement with the EU gained traction following the election of ultra-liberal Javier Milei, a staunch critic of Mercosur, as president of Argentina. Bolivia was one of the worst offenders of primary forest clearances last year, behind only Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Global Forest Watch that monitors deforestation rates.

Persons: Lucinda Elliott, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, Arce, Lula, Javier Milei, Milei, Mark Porter Organizations: Lucinda Elliott SAO PAULO, Reuters, South American Mercosur, Brazilian Senate, European Union, EU, Mercosur, Democratic, Global Forest Watch Locations: Bolivia, Brazilian, Mercosur, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Democratic Republic of Congo

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Ukraine says defence systems repel Russian attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine's air defence systems are repelling Russian attacks on the capital, Kyiv's military administration said early on Tuesday, following air raid alerts nationwide. * Russia celebrates the World War Two anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany, with a parade in Red Square amid tight security after a string of drone attacks, including on the Kremlin citadel, that Russia blamed on Ukraine. * The United States plans as soon as Tuesday to announce a new $1.2 billion military aid package for Ukraine that will include air defense systems, ammunition and funds for training, a U.S. official said. * Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he will lay out the need to defend Ukraine in the war with Russia when he meets Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, who has been critical of arming the Ukrainians. * Ukrainian forces shelled the Belgorod region on Russia's border with Ukraine on Monday, injuring at least five people and damaging houses and power lines, the region's governor said.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Russia marks Victory Day with new attacks on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

* European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed Ukraine as "the beating heart of today's European values" in a deeply symbolic visit to Kyiv on Tuesday as Russia marked its World War Two Victory Day. CONFLICT* Russia's defence ministry said its forces had launched missile strikes at targets across Ukraine overnight, disrupting Kyiv's supplies of ammunition to the frontline and troop movements. * Ukraine said its air defences shot down 23 of 25 missiles, fired chiefly at Kyiv, and there were no reported casualties. * Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin made a cryptic, profanity-laced comment about those in charge of Russia's war on Ukraine. INTERNATIONAL* Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Beijing would maintain lines of communication with all parties to the war in Ukraine, including Germany, in seeking a ceasefire.

☆ Dutch PM to discuss defence of Ukraine with Brazil's Lula
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"We need to help Ukraine fight this fight," Rutte told reporters on Monday, the first day of his visit to Brazil. Rutte said he will explain to Lula why the question of backing Ukraine is "existential" for the Netherlands, for Europe and beyond because the Russian invasion has put Western values at stake. "If Putin would be successful in Ukraine, and I don'tthink he will be, it won't end there. Lula, who has tried to encourage countries who are not involved in the conflict to form a group to push for peace talks, has said supplying arms to Ukraine was encouraging the war. The Dutch government is considering with its European partners donating F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

[1/2] Supporters of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro are pictured through broken glass as they hold a demonstration against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in Brasilia, Brazil, January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Adriano MachadoMEXICO CITY/SAO PAULO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Brazilian assets may be hit by fresh volatility on Monday after supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed key government buildings, echoing the U.S. Jan. 6 insurrection of 2021, analysts said. Ricardo Lacerda, founder and CEO of Brazilian investment bank BR Partners (BRBI11.SA), said he expects markets to react with volatility in the short term, especially on Monday, given the higher institutional risk. But Komura expects the markets to recover by the end of the week considering a strong institutional reaction against the rioters. While large sections of the Brazilian banking industry has tended to back Bolsonaro given his free market credentials relative to Lula's Workers' Party, the sector's main industry association roundly condemned Sunday's violence.

☆ Brazil economy ministry rejects Lula transition team's judgment on finances
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Nayara Figueiredo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Brazil's Economy Ministry on Sunday rejected assertions by president-elect Luis Inacio Lula da Silva's transition team that the outgoing administration was leaving government finances "bankrupted." The Economy Ministry said in a statement that gross debt will reach 74% of GDP by the end of the year, with a primary surplus (excluding debt costs) of 23.4 billion reais, the first since 2013. Last week, the Planning and Budget group in Lula's camp said President Jair Bolsonaro is leaving the Brazilian state "bankrupted," according to former minister and transition team member Aloizio Mercadante. Brazil will pay international financial institutions $1.23 billion next year, 20% below the $1.56 billion that was due in 2016, the ministry said. Lula's transition team is in talks to approve a bill allowing 145 billion reais in expenses above the current legally allowed ceiling.

☆ China's Xi Jinping congratulates Lula on Brazil election win
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Luis Inacio Lula da Silva for his win in Brazil's presidential election, according to state broadcaster CCTV. "I attach great importance to the development of China-Brazil relations," said Xi. Relations between China and Brazil, two of the world's largest developing countries, worsened under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who has not conceded the election yet. Leftist Lula, previously a two-term president, led Brazil into the first BRICS grouping in 2009, initially made up of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, before South Africa joined in 2010. Reporting by Martin Pollard; Writing by Eduardo Baptista Editing by Shri Navaratnam, William Maclean and Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazilian politician resists arrest, fires at police
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Rodrigo Viga Gaier | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Brazilian politician Roberto Jefferson fired at police while resisting arrest ordered by the country's Supreme Court on Sunday for offending a justice, federal police said in a statement. Federal police said two officers were injured by shrapnel of a grenade thrown by the former congressman. Both went to the hospital and were later released, the statement said. Two opposition senators, Randolfe Rodrigues and Eliziane Gama had asked the Supreme Court to punish Jefferson for offending Lucia. Bolsonaro, who tried to distance himself from Jefferson, tweeted that he "condemns the statements against minister Carmem Lucia and armed resistance against the federal police".

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