Latin America in Short: COP15 Kicks Off | Daniel Quintero, Mayor of Medellín, Is Suspended

This week, in economic news, the alliance between GOL and Avianca airlines became known. Regarding the political issue, Daniel Quintero, mayor of Medellín, was suspended by attorney Margarita Cabello for participating in politics. On the other hand, Colombia decriminalizes medically assisted suicide. Also, in environmental news, COP15 also started this week in Ivory Coast. Finally, in sports, Nikola Jokic wins the NBA MVP again.

Grupo Abra, the aeronautical commitment that seeks to compete with LATAM

Two of the most important airlines in the region, Avianca and GOL, announced this week their alliance and union to be able to compete for regional leadership in the aeronautical industry. The Abra group will try to compete with LATAM, a company that today leads the market in Latin America and that emerged from the union between the Chilean LAN and the Brazilian TAM. Now, the synergy between the Colombian Avianca and the Brazilian GOL will have a fleet of more than 250 aircraft, including Airbus 320, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737.

"Together, Avianca and GOL will be the anchor of a network of Latin American airlines that will have the lowest unit costs in their respective markets, the leading loyalty programs throughout the region, and other complementary businesses," Avianca said in a statement. This announcement comes a few days after Avianca itself announced the purchase of Viva Air, a low-cost company founded in Colombia, but which operated with Irish capital.

Impeachment of Medellin Mayor Fuels Fears of Political Crisis in Colombia

Daniel Quintero, mayor of the second most important city in Colombia, has caused a political stir in the middle of the electoral period. The attorney general, Margarita Cabello, determined that both Quintero and Andrés Hurtado (mayor of Ibagué) participated in electoral politics despite being public officials, an element that is illegal. However, the decision was strongly criticized from different sectors of the country. Mainly, the maximum favorite of the next presidential elections, Gustavo Petro, branded the suspension of one of his most important political allies as a "coup d'état in Medellín".

Likewise, legal experts warn that the decision made by the Attorney General's Office goes against what was determined by the IACHR, which prevents this entity from dismissing officials elected by popular vote. Precisely, Quintero is denounced that in a video published on his networks, the mayor of Medellín flagrantly participated in politics by mentioning the phrase "the change in first" while driving his car, the same phrase used by the campaign of the candidate of the Historical Pact . The Attorney General's Office determined that this message was alluding to the campaign of Gustavo Petro, who hopes to win the presidency in the "first round." However, many other sectors denounce that Cabello has not measured President Iván Duque, the mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López; or the General of the Armed Forces, Eduardo Zapateiro; who have denounced for also sending implicit messages of their electoral support.

Read also: The Prison Crisis in Ecuador May Be a Harbinger of the One in El Salvador

Colombia decriminalized medically assisted suicide

The Constitutional Court of Colombia decriminalized drug-assisted suicide this Wednesday, May 11. The vote in court had six votes in favor and three against. In this way, article 107 of the Penal Code will be modified, which establishes a sentence of up to 108 months in prison for anyone who induces or helps another person to commit suicide. This decision is added to the one that had already been taken in the country with respect to decriminalizing euthanasia, which made it the first country in Latin America to allow it.

COP15 kicked off in Ivory Coast

This Monday COP 15 began in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It is a conference of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to address the urgent need to save fertile land and prevent droughts. In this regard, the UN estimates that 40% of the world's soils have been degraded. For this reason, leaders and representatives of key organizations will meet until May 20 to address the situation, propose solutions and set goals. The territories of the Sahel, in Africa, China and Australia are the most threatened.

Nikola Jokic wins the NBA MVP again

Serbian Nikola Jokic won the Most Valuable Player award for the 2021-2022 regular season. It is the second time in a row that this European giant has won this award, and with this it joins in this feat great double-winners such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokoumpo. Although his team, the Denver Nuggets, have already been eliminated from the postseason, the impact the Serbian had on their victories during the regular season is undeniable. During that time period he averaged 27 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game and surpassed his total points and assists from last year.