*
Brazilian court backs illegal Amazon gold mining crackdown
*
New directors' leanings don't worry Brazil's central bank
*
Mexican president condemns U.S. arrest of Trump
*
Group of Latin American leaders to discuss inflation plan
(Adds paragraphs on Mexican president, anti-inflation talks)
April 5 (Reuters) -
The latest in Latin American politics today:
U.S. sanctions former Haitian official for corruption
WASHINGTON - The U.S. imposed sanctions on the former president of Haiti's Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday for what it called "his extensive involvement in corruption," the Treasury Department said. The former official, Gary Bodeau, was involved in several plots aimed at influencing the outcome of Haitian political appointments, including facilitating and soliciting bribes worth millions of dollars, the department said.
Brazilian court backs crackdown on illegal gold mining in Amazon
BRASILIA - A Supreme Court judge backed a government move to crack down on illegal gold mining in Brazil, suspending a legal practice of buyers accepting the origin of the precious metal with paper receipts based on the "good faith" of the seller. The injunction by Justice Gilmar Mendes gave the government 90 days to adopt a new regulatory framework for the gold trade to stop the sale of gold mined illegally from Indigenous lands and other environmentally protected areas.
Brazil's central bank not worried about political leaning of new directors BRASILIA - Brazil's central bank governor Roberto Campos Neto said on Wednesday he is not concerned about whether the new directors of the bank have left-wing, right-wing, or centrist political beliefs but rather their technical qualifications for the positions. Speaking at an event hosted by the think tank Esfera Brasil, Campos Neto said that policymakers are attempting to smooth the interest rate cycle as much as possible to cause the least amount of damage to the economy, arguing that there are reasons for the current level of rates and that reducing them is a job that also involves the Finance Ministry and Congress.
Mexican president criticizes Trump felony charges
MEXICO CITY - Mexican President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday he does not agree with the criminal charges brought against former U.S. President Donald Trump in the United States.
"Supposedly legal issues should not be used for electoral, political purposes," Lopez Obrador told a news conference. "That's why I don't agree with what they are doing to ex-President Trump."
Group of Latin American leaders to discuss
anti-inflation plan
About 10 leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean are set to meet virtually on Wednesday to discuss trade measures aimed at combating rising inflation in the region. (Compiled by Steven Grattan and Isabel Woodford; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Paul Simao)
