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Colombia's govt to send pension reform proposal to
Congress
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Brazil police bust gang plot to attack authorities
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Brazil's Lula nominates market veteran to cenbank roles
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As Cuba election day nears, some voters ask, 'why bother?'
March 22 (Reuters) -
The latest in Latin American politics today:
Honduras demanded $2.5 bln in Taiwan aid before China announcement
TAIPEI - Honduras demanded $2.5 billion in aid from Taiwan the day before Honduran President Xiomara Castro tweeted her government would seek to open relations with China, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters on Wednesday. The source was confirming a report by Taiwan's official Central News Agency. Honduras is one of only 14 countries to maintain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan.
Colombia's government to send pension reform proposal to Congress
BOGOTA - Colombia's government is set to send a pension reform bill to Congress on Wednesday that would widen coverage and strengthen the state pensions administrator, although analysts fear it could pose a risk to capital markets and public finances. The bill is one of a raft of social reforms pushed by the government of leftist President Gustavo Petro and follows hot on the heels of health and labor reform proposals.
Brazil police bust gang plot to attack authorities, public servants
SAO PAULO, March 22 (Reuters) - Brazil's federal police on Wednesday launched an operation to dismantle a criminal gang that plotted to carry out deadly attacks against police officials and public servants, the Minister of Justice Flavio Dino and other authorities said. The attacks would have involved murder and extortion through kidnapping, they said.
Brazil's Lula gives nod to market veteran and public servant for cenbank roles
BRASILIA - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has agreed to nominate a financial market veteran and a public servant for two key positions at the central bank, whose performance he has criticized intensely, said two people familiar with the matter. The sources, who spoke anonymously, said former bank executive Rodolfo Froes is expected to replace Bruno Serra as the director of Monetary Policy, while career civil servant Rodrigo Monteiro is expected to take over as the head of financial sector supervision, replacing Paulo Souza. Both are subject to Senate approval after Lula's formal nomination.
As Cuba election day nears, some voters ask, 'why bother?'
HAVANA - Like a growing number of Cubans, 77-year-old Havana resident Humberto Avila says he will likely sit out Sunday's legislative elections. The retired university professor says he's done the math - 470 candidates, 470 open seats - and sees no point in voting. "That's the same number of candidates as open seats," he told Reuters. "There are no choices." In Cuba, government-organized selection committees choose the candidates, who must then receive more than 50% of validly-cast votes in their district to earn a seat in the National Assembly, the country's highest lawmaking body. Political campaigning is illegal. (Compiled by Steven Grattan Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
