Latam starts vaccination and other politics news of the week

The United States seeks a new aid package

North American congressmen gave the green light to a new economic aid package to reverse the economic crisis caused by the Coronavirus. The approved budget will provide more than 300 billion dollars for companies, 300 additional dollars (weekly) to unemployment benefits and a direct stimulus of 600 dollars to the majority of citizens.

However, President Donald Trump stands as the main obstacle to the measure, calling it "a disgrace." The outgoing president asks to cut several expenses that he considers "unnecessary" and to increase aid to families. Now legislators hope to get a new agreement that will be approved later by the executive.

Also read: Also read: First 10 days after leaving hospital carry high risk for COVID-19 patients, study finds

Latin America starts vaccination plans

There are already several countries in the region that have initiated or will soon begin massive immunization programs against the coronavirus. Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico began supplying the first dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. For its part, Argentina already has in its possession the first 300,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.

Fear grows of new strains of COVID19

After a COVID-19 mutation was discovered in the United Kingdom, health entities warned about the appearance of another mutation, this time, located in South Africa. Despite the anguish these findings can create, scientists and experts give some reassurance. First, they explain that, although these new mutations make the pathogen more viral, they do not increase its mortality. In addition, they ensure that most of the vaccines that have been approved also generate defenses against these new mutations.

Opposition Coalition in Mexico

President Manuel López Obrador said he was happy with the announcement of the Opposition parties to join the midterm elections of 2021. The coalition of the National Action Party (PAN, right), Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI, liberal) and Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD, left) creates a clear division between the traditional establishment (PAN and PRI have dominated Mexican politics) against MORENA, which formed a coalition with the Green Ecological Party of Mexico and the Labor Party.

In June of next year, Mexicans will elect the 500 members of the federal chamber of deputies. This lower house will be in charge of controlling, among other things, the budget of the Nation for the next 3 years.

High tension in Russia-Colombia relations

Colombian media revealed the expulsion of 2 members of the Russian embassy in Colombia by the Government of Ivan Dúque. According to the magazine Semana, the Colombian authorities detected that Aleksander Nikolayevich Belousov and Aleksander Paristov, belonging to the Russian diplomatic corps , carried out illegal espionage activities in Colombian territory.

Moscow responded diplomatically and expelled, reciprocally, 2 officials from the Colombian Embassy in Moscow. This event takes place after the high tension that exists between Colombia (a traditional ally of the United States) and Venezuela (a faithful ally of Russia).