Americas Archives - Page 3 of 20 - The Diplomatic Envoy

A Honduran judge authorized the extradition of ex-president Juan Orlando Hernandez, a month after police arrested him at his house per the request of the United States government, reports The Washington Post. The Associated Press notes that allegations against Hernandez were revealed in the trials of both Juan Antonio “Tony” Hernandez, a former Honduran congressman, and the president’s brother, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez. Hernandez will face charges of manufacturing, trafficking, and distribution of drugs and firearms in southern New York.

March 2022 2022 International News Americas

March 21, 2022 Andrea Gonzalez

Colombia Decriminalizes Abortion, Highlighting a Departure from Stigma

On February 21, 2022, Colombia’s Constitutional Court ruled 5-4 to decriminalize abortions, making the procedure legal up to 24 weeks of gestation, reports The Guardian. The historic ruling will change the lives of women and young girls who often resorted to clandestine abortions and were penalized under the healthcare system, says Al Jazeera. Many pro-choice individuals and feminists in Colombia welcomed the decision as a reaffirmation of women’s bodily autonomy, hoping the ruling will inspire other countries to push for legislation protecting women’s rights.

2022 Americas

February 28, 2022 Katherine Dorrer

Brazil Devastated by Mudslides and Floods

Brazil has suffered from numerous devasting mudslides and flash flooding this month, as the death toll rises to 217. Climate experts and meteorologists believe that the source of this influx of flash flooding and landslides has to do with the rapid urbanization in the Rio De Janeiro state, especially areas like the city of Petrópolis, where summer rains are not usually severe, as Al Jazeera reports.

2022 Americas

February 22, 2022 Farnsworth Hendrickson Jr

‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests COVID Restrictions in France

On February 12, protesters in the “Freedom Convoy” in France clashed against the pandemic restrictions with the French police. These clashes are the latest in a series of protests that have been spreading around the world in response to COVID-19 restrictions and mandates. Protesters were trying to enter the “Arc de Triomphe,” which is the entrance in central Paris to the famous Champs-Elysees Avenue.

February 2022 Opinion 2022 Americas

February 14, 2022 Shweta Parthasarathy

Mars Wrigley’s ‘Progressive’ Rebranding of M&Ms is Misguided Feminism

The decisions made by Mars and Disney are said to be reflective of their customers’ dedication to feminism and inclusivity, but the changes have become a point of contention amongst both conservatives and liberals.

February 2022 2022 International News Americas

February 14, 2022 Anna Thibodeau

Canadian truckers shut down Ottawa with vaccine protests

A convoy of big rigs protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates arrived in Ottawa, on January 29 after a weeklong drive across Canada. Called the Freedom Convoy, the group of truckers is protesting measures recently announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requiring vaccines for Canadian truckers crossing the U.S.-Canada border and mandatory quarantine periods for unvaccinated truckers returning to Canada, reports BBC News.

February 2022 2022 International News Americas

February 14, 2022 Catherine Anderson

Honduras Swears in First Female President

After losing elections in 2013 and 2017, Xiomara Castro has officially been inaugurated as Honduras’s first female president, reports CNN. Castro first rose to political prominence in 2009, when she led a march through the nation’s capital demanding that her husband, former President Manuel Zelaya, be reinstated as president following a military coup. Castro, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist brings an end to 12 years of right-wing leadership, BBC News adds. At her inauguration, she emphasized that she seeks to “refound” the nation on “citizen values, ”The New York Times reports.

February 2022 2022 International News Americas

February 14, 2022 Elsie Tierney

Four Mexican Journalists Killed in First Four Weeks of 2022

A recent uptick of violence against journalists in Mexico has helped solidify its status as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, reports The Guardian. The January 31 murder of Roberto Toledo, a videographer for the news website Monitor Michoacan, was the final straw that sparked protests across the country from journalists, advocating for more protection, adds The New York Times.

2021 Americas Europe

January 31, 2022 Kathryn Natale

U.S. Prosecutors Charge Belarusian Officials with Aircraft Piracy for Diverting Plane

On January 20, prosecutors from the United States charged four Belarusian officials with aircraft piracy after diverting a flight to the Belarussian capital Minsk to arrest opposition journalist Raman Pratasevich, according to Reuters.

2021 Eastern Europe Americas Conflict and Security

January 31, 2022 Joshua Powanda

Growing Threat of Russian Invasion in Ukraine Raises Grave Concerns in Washington and Europe

This past week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Europe to meet with partners and adversaries to discuss the growing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the Military Times, Russia has built up nearly 120,000 troops as well as conventional military equipment along its border with Ukraine and Belarus, signaling a potential invasion in the coming weeks.