Latin America in Short: New Ministers in Peru | Daniel Ortega vs. La Prensa

This week new ministers were appointed in Peru by President Pedro Castillo, who has had a cabinet through which 60 ministers have already passed. In other news, Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, wages war against the newspaper La Prensa in the midst of an atmosphere of tension not only with journalism but also with the Catholic Church. On the other hand, this week the Caribbean countries were preparing for the celebration of COP27. In global news, the Democratic Republic of the Congo announces a new case of Ebola. Finally, in sports, Novak Djokovic insists on not getting the COVID-19 vaccine, which will cause him to miss the US Open.

Pedro Castillo appoints 3 new ministers in a Peru in crisis

The crisis is already monotonous in the presidency of Pedro Castillo in Peru. If it is not due to a new Impeachment process, a corruption scandal involving one of his officials or a judicial process against a family member, it is because a member of his cabinet had to change. Recently, the Peruvian president appointed 3 new members of his work team in a new strategy to bring stability to his administration. This Wednesday, Peru has new ministers of Defense, Environment and Women and Vulnerable Populations.

Richard Tineo Quispe took office as the new Minister of Defense, to replace José Luis Gavidia, who resigned last week for personal reasons, but with a preliminary tax investigation. Likewise, the agricultural engineer Wilbert Rozas assumes as Minister of the Environment, replacing Modesto Montoya, and the lawyer Claudia Dávila arrives at the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations in place of Diana Miloslavich.

With these 3 new appointments, 60 ministers have passed through Pedro Castillo's cabinet (seated in 2021).

Daniel Ortega gives final blow to the newspaper La Prensa

The Sandinista regime carried out the latest attack on the independent newspaper La Prensa by confiscating the building where it operated. For several months now, the Nicaraguan president had been pressuring the media that was critical of the government.

“The facilities of the newspaper La Prensa woke up this Tuesday, August 23, without the sign that had the name of the oldest newspaper in the country, and which was a benchmark at the northern entrance of the capital,” denounced the most important newspaper in the Central American country and that has been in operation for almost a century.

Currently, several organizations have been warning of the lack of political rights for the press or opposition politicians, especially since last year, when Ortega was re-elected again in elections branded as undemocratic and characterized by political persecution of his rivals. Even today, Ortega maintains a dispute with the Catholic Church in the country, due to the speeches against the government that its members maintain.

The Caribbean asked to create a fund to compensate for climate damage

Several Caribbean ministers met to prepare for the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, to be held in November. There, they proposed asking the industrialized countries to create a fund to help the Caribbean countries in the face of the damage caused by climate change. The idea is for it to function as a climate justice compensation fund. In the case of these countries, due to the effects they have had, and will continue to have, due to the severity of hurricanes and storms, increased by the climate crisis.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo announces a new case of Ebola

This has been confirmed by the World Health Organization, in the face of a case in the North Kivu region. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said "Ebola outbreaks are occurring more frequently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is worrying." The last outbreak, brought under control in 2020, killed more than 2,000 people in the country and the current case appears to be linked to that outbreak. It must be remembered that this is a very serious disease, with a fatality rate of around 50% and high transmissibility. For this reason, alerts are placed in the area, to try to stop its spread. In fact, last week the WHO published a series of recommendations with its first guidelines for the treatment of the disease.

Djokovic will miss the US Open for not getting vaccinated

The number 6 in the world, Novak Djokovic, remains firm in his conviction not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. For this reason, he announced that he will not travel to New York to compete in the US Open. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to go to New York this time for the US Open. Good luck to my fellow players! I will keep myself in good shape and in a positive frame of mind, hoping to be able to return to competition,” the player said on Twitter. At 35 years old, Djokovic's refusal to get vaccinated has cost him several places in the world ranking, as he has dropped from number 1 to number 6.

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