LATIN AMERICA

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The United States and Venezuela have agreed to restore diplomatic relations, marking a significant change in a long-standing adversarial relationship, the State Department announced on Thursday.

The decision follows multiple visits by officials from the Trump administration to Venezuela after a U.S. military operation in January that removed former President Nicolás Maduro from power. Since then, officials from Washington have increased pressure on those now governing to adopt the administration’s approach for the oil-rich nation.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries were cut off in 2019 during the first Trump administration when Maduro ended relations after the U.S. expressed support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who at that time claimed to be interim president. That move led U.S. diplomatic staff to relocate to neighboring Colombia.

In a statement, the State Department said talks have been “focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government.”

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Five human heads were found hanging from ropes at a beach in Ecuador as the country suffers a wave of violence related to drug trafficking. The heads were located on a picturesque beach in Puerto Lopez, in the southwest of the country.

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Several Mexican states canceled school on Monday, with local and foreign governments warning their citizens to stay inside after widespread violence erupted following the army’s killing of the powerful leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho” was the boss of one of the fastest-growing criminal networks in Mexico, notorious for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the United States and staging brazen attacks against government officials who challenged it.

He was killed during a shoot-out in his home state of Jalisco as the Mexican military attempted to capture him. Cartel members responded with violence across the country, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles.

President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm and authorities announced late Sunday they had cleared most of the more than 250 cartel roadblocks across 20 states. The president was expected to address the situation at her daily news briefing Monday morning.

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Venezuela's interim leadership said on Sunday it remains firmly united behind President Nicolás Maduro following his dramatic capture by U.S. forces, as uncertainty deepens over the country's political and economic future.

Maduro, 63, is being held at a detention facility in New York ahead of a court appearance on U.S. drug trafficking charges. His removal followed an overnight American military operation in Caracas ordered by President Donald Trump, who later claimed Washington would temporarily oversee Venezuela until a political transition is completed. Despite that declaration, senior officials loyal to Maduro continue to run state institutions in the capital.

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Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, was ousted by Congress after footage revealed undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang — a development that has deepened concerns about transparency and influence. Although Jerí apologised for the meetings and denied misconduct, he insisted his critics were orchestrating a smear campaign as investigations into Yang continued.

His removal from office makes him the third consecutive president to be ousted, after he replaced former leader Dina Boluarte, who was impeached in October last year.

Jerí was Peru's seventh president since 2016 amid a tumultuous political landscape that has seen a succession of leaders leave the post under contentious circumstances. He was not elected by the Peruvian people, but - as head of Congress - was sworn in as president after his predecessor, Dina Boluarte, was impeached in October 2025.

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Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president currently serving a 27-year sentence for allegedly plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat, has successfully had surgery for a double hernia. His wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, confirmed the procedure. The 70-year-old was granted permission by Brazil's Supreme Court to be moved from his federal police headquarters detention to a hospital in Brasília for the operation.

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Prominent Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was detained late Sunday by heavily armed men, only hours after being freed from prison, according to his family and political allies.

Supporters described the incident as a “kidnapping,” accusing authorities in Caracas of orchestrating the operation. Venezuela’s public prosecutor’s office later said it had requested that Guanipa be placed under house arrest, alleging he violated the conditions of his release.

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Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez said there would ‍be consequences for those who attended Wednesday’s Colombia Cup final to “generate violence” after 59 people were injured, including seven police officers, in clashes between rival fans.