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Costa Rica, Panama, DR rally around Lasso amid impeachment
calls
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Peru copper starts flow to ports as protests ease,
minister says
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Two of four Americans kidnapped in Mexico alive, two dead
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Mexico president says will go to panel if no GMO corn
agreement
March 7 (Reuters) - The latest in Latin American politics today:
Colombia's Senate president asks gov't to suspend talks with drug traffickers BOGOTA - The president of Colombia's Senate, Roy Barreras, asked the government to suspend negotiations with drug traffickers, adding that these talks negatively impact the Andean country's goal of implementing a policy of total peace. Barreras, an ally of leftist President Gustavo Petro, made his request as the government faces a scandal which alleges that the president's brother and eldest son received money from accused drug traffickers looking to benefit from the total peace policy. The total peace policy is a bid by Petro to end the Andean country's almost six decades of internal armed conflict, which has left hundreds of thousands dead.
Costa Rica, Panama, DR rally around Ecuador's Lasso amid impeachment calls The governments of Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic reiterated their "strong support" for the government of Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, who faces a possible impeachment process following accusations of corruption in dealings with public companies. The joint statement referred to "recent events in the sister republic tending to destabilize a government elected by the people" and called on social and political actors to "guarantee the constitutional period of government." While Lasso's government rejects the allegations, the powerful CONAIE Indigenous organization has called for Lasso's resignation and is planning protests on Wednesday. This comes four months after neighboring Peru's former President Pedro Castillo was removed after facing multiple impeachment attempts and corruption allegations. His successor became the country's sixth president in five years.
Peru's copper starts to flow to ports as protests ease, minister says Peru's mines are starting to transport their copper concentrate to ports for export once again after three months of protests that have snarled shipments, Energy and Mines Minister Oscar Vera said. The minister told Reuters late on Monday that he had held meetings with firms, adding that shipments from mines like MMG Ltd's Las Bambas, which produces some 2% of the world's copper, were expected to reach Peru's coast in the coming days. The protests have at times caused sharp drops in activity from key means, but this returned to normal as blockades were lifted. Some communities, however, have threatened to start new blockades focused on the "mining corridor" highway.
Two of four Americans kidnapped in Mexico alive, two dead MEXICO CITY - Two of the four Americans who went missing on Friday in the Mexican northern border state of Tamaulipas have been found alive, and the other two are dead, the state governor said. The kidnappings have put a spotlight on U.S. concerns over gang violence in Mexico. Republicans, in particular, have been pushing for the U.S. government to take a tougher line on organized crime amid rising drug-related overdose deaths.
Mexico has pushed for the United States to help stop trafficking of U.S. guns to cartels. "Attacks on U.S. citizens are unacceptable, no matter where," said White House spokesman John Kirby, saying the United States is working with Mexican officials to learn more about the kidnapping and get the survivors home safe.
Mexico president says will go to panel if no GMO corn agreement
MEXICO CITY - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the country would go to a dispute panel under a regional trade deal if there is no agreement during consultations with the United States over Mexico's plans to regulate genetically modified corn. U.S. officials have said Mexican plans put some $5 billion of corn exports to Mexico at risk and could hurt biotechnology innovation, but Mexico's government has described Washington's disagreement with its policies as politically motivated, adding its position is compatible with the deal's rules. (Compiled by Sarah Morland; Editing by Richard Chang)
