Socialist candidate Gabriel Boric wins Chilean presidential election

Gabriel Boric, socialist candidate for Chilean President, has won the nation’s presidential election. Boric ran as candidate for the Approve Dignity coalition, comprised of various progressive parties including the Communist Party of Chile, Democratic Revolution, and the Commons.

Socialist Xiomara Castro wins clear victory in Honduran general election

Twelve years of right-wing rule have come to an end for Honduras, following the election of socialist Xiomara Castro as president last week. The incumbent National Party lost the presidency to Castro, candidate for the Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre).

Massive anti-government protests sweep across Brazil

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets all across Brazil on 3 July in opposition to the current Bolsonaro-Mourão government.

Protest erupts in Brazil in retaliation to Bolsonaro COVID disaster

Bolsonaro’s government has not made a concerted effort to fight the pandemic, on the contrary, the president has sought to undermine the legitimacy of COVID-19 as a genuine threat and has actively obstructed plans to improve the country’s situation. Only 11% of Brazil’s 211 million people have been vaccinated, and acquisitions of new vaccines have been made few and far between.

Far-right Peruvian presidential candidate refuses to concede election

The election authorities are currently studying all the accusations of fraud made by Fujimori. Most of the allegations have already been resolved because they were submitted too late, whilst those submitted before the 11th of June deadline have so far been shown to be baseless.

Peruvian socialist Pedro Castillo pulls ahead in election as further hurdles await

Castillo, who’s a relatively new face in Peruvian politics, represents the Free Peru party. Their focus is on nationalising important industries, particularly copper, and taking a stand against the neoliberal order that’s been imposed on the Latin American country for the last few decades.

89 politicians in Mexico murdered leading up to midterm elections

At least 89 Mexican politicians have been murdered in the last 200 days, 35 of which were candidates for the midterm elections. There has also been over 700 attacks, according to security consultancy firm Etellekt, including threats, beatings and kidnappings.

Big gains for Chile’s Communists in regional and constitutional convention elections

Chileans took to the polls last Sunday (16 May 2021) to vote in both regional elections and to also to elect 155 members to a Constitutional Convention tasked with drafting a new constitution. The elected conventional deputies have a year to write the new constitution before the public will vote on whether to ratify it. The demand for this constitutional convention stems from the protests beginning in October 2019 that rocked the country as millions took to the streets to vent frustration at the current constitution which was drafted under the US backed dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1980.

Social unrest continues in Colombia

Huge numbers of protestors have taken to the streets of Colombia over the last week after President Duque attempted to pass a bill that would further increase inequality in the country by making the working class pay for the covid-19-induced fiscal deficit.

Bolivian coup leader Jeanine Áñez arrested on terrorism charges

Former interim president of Bolivia Jeanine Áñez was arrested on Friday (12 March 2021) on charges of “sedition and terrorism” for her role in the 2019 coup d’etat. After socialist president Evo Morales was ousted, Áñez seized the role of interim president with the backing of the police and military as well as the United States. Morales, the first indigenous president in the history of the country, had won the presidential election in 2019 only to be falsely accused of election fraud. The ensuing political turmoil resulted in Morales’ resignation and exile to Argentina.