Latin America in Short: New Debate on Abortion in Colombia | Uruguay U-20 World Cup Champion

In global news, the sinking of a boat with migrants in the Mediterranean that left 79 dead was relevant this week. In the region, the Colombian Constitutional Court assured that, although abortion has already been decriminalized until the 24th week of pregnancy, this does not necessarily mean that it is already a fundamental right. In environmental news, the Bonn pre-climate summit closed amid tensions. On the other hand, dengue cases are increasing in the region. Finally, in sports, Uruguay is crowned the U-20 world champion and Manchester United has new owners. We summarize and explain here these, the most relevant news of the week.

At least 79 dead by shipwreck in the Mediterranean

A fishing boat with more than 400 migrants sank in the waters of Greece, leaving at least 79 dead. However, the authorities fear that the figure may be higher. Greek authorities have reported about 100 survivors. According to international media, the ship left the Libyan coast bound for Italy. Most of the crew were young men from Egypt, Syria and Pakistan.

This is the deadliest shipwreck so far in 2023, and the number could be higher. Between 400 and 700 people were traveling on the ship, so the number of deaths may increase. Human Rights organizations denounce that alerts about the dangerousness of the vessel and its overcrowding had been issued to various governments. However, they assure that the rescue operations did not begin until hours later, which could have been decisive in avoiding the tragedy or, at least, saving a greater number of people.

Colombia: Constitutional Court retracts and ensures that abortion is not a fundamental right

The Constitutional Court ruled on a case of an indigenous woman who requested a Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy (IVE) for reasons of depression. The woman requested a guardianship so that the procedure could be carried out, and the case reached the highest constitutional body. This measure removes the scope of the recent ruling that decriminalized abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy. In that ruling, it was legislated that abortion in Colombia was allowed. However, it was not stipulated that this procedure, although legal, was a fundamental right.

This is why this ruling ratified that the Involuntary Interruption of Pregnancy in the Andean country is only a right under 3 cases: rape, serious malformations of the fetus or danger to the life of the mother. In all other cases, abortion is decriminalized, but it is not a fundamental right. Additionally, the Court recalled that in cases in which the IVE is carried out after the 24th week of gestation, it continues to be regulated by article 122 of the Penal Code. The highest body asked both Congress and the Colombian Ministry of Health to legislate and regulate in a coordinated manner the methods and cases in which this procedure is practiced.

Also read: What is the Protocol to Access an Abortion in Colombia?

Bonn pre-climate summit closes with tension over mitigation plans

From June 5 to 15, a pre-summit was being held in Bonn, Germany, which sets out the key points for the UN climate summit (COP28) in Dubai. This important event ended with unusual tensions, especially with regard to the Mitigation Work Program. Countries like Bolivia, Venezuela, China and Saudi Arabia blocked the talks. This lack of progress on mitigation worries experts. The lack of climate leadership and mistrust between the negotiating groups marked the day. Likewise, various environmental groups demonstrated to reject the presence of fossil fuel companies at the COP.

Dengue cases increase in the region

To date there have been more than 2,039,610 cases of dengue in the region of the Americas and the Caribbean. The epidemic in the region could increase in the coming months, fostered by the meteorological factors caused by the El Niño phenomenon. The health authorities recommend extreme prevention measures, especially avoiding stagnant water near homes, because they are the ideal place for mosquito breeding. Likewise, it is necessary to carry out a correct waste management. On the other hand, when faced with symptoms such as fever and severe body pain, it is best to see a doctor, especially the elderly and pregnant.

Latin America: the kings of world soccer

Despite the fact that, in recent years, several Latin American teams did not have the expected results in official competitions, currently the Latin American continent is the owner of all the tournaments in men's soccer. With the triumph of the Uruguayan National Team in the U-20 World Cup, this region adds its fourth title in the most outstanding championships at the national team level. Brazil is the owner of the gold medal of the Olympic Games and is the current champion of the U-17 World Cup. For its part, Argentina holds the Senior World Cup title and Uruguay closes this important moment with its recent victory in the Under-20s.

New owners: Manchester United will revolutionize English football

Manchester United is one of the most relevant clubs in the world. Despite this, the British team is not going through its best sporting moment, for this reason, its fans pressured its current owners to sell the club, with the aim of once again being at the top of all competitions. With this pressure exerted, it is practically a given that the Qatari sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will be the new president of this club. The offer he made to stay with this institution reaches up to 6,000 million euros. With the arrival of this new owner, his followers expect significant investments in his squad, which could highlight the hiring of the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.