201
Latin American Publications!
94 readers
38 users here now
A community for Latin American publications.
NOTE: All the publications in this feed are Latin American in origin; that does not mean they only report on Latin American news.
founded 1 month ago
MODERATORS
202
203
204
The confiscation of those assets may lead to a financial snowball effect.
On Thursday, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that guarantees proposed by the European Union (EU) for using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine were “still insufficient.” He warned that Belgium would not bear the risks alone.
RELATED:
EU Leaders Weigh Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Finance Ukraine
Addressing the Belgian parliament ahead of an EU summit, De Wever said he had not seen a final text from the EU on guarantees that could persuade Belgium to agree on, and expected that clearer documents would be presented later in the day.
EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to mull plans to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. The bloc has immobilized around 210 billion euros (US$246 billion) in assets belonging to Russia’s central bank, with about 90 percent held within the EU by Belgium-based Euroclear.
De Wever told Belgian lawmakers that the confiscation of Russia’s assets within the EU may “lead to a snowball effect, when Euroclear will no longer be able to meet the expectations of its customers, and the stability of the institution will be jeopardized. And that would be a financial nightmare.”
EU divided over Russian assets
Leaders meet in Brussels for decision on Russian frozen assets
William Denselow joins @Mohammed11Saleh for more on this pic.twitter.com/nF14fBLNui
— WION (@WIONews) December 18, 2025
De Wever noted that the current EU proposal may risk damaging Euroclear’s reputation, undermining financial market confidence in Europe and violating international law, Politico Europe reported.
He acknowledged that there was a group of EU countries backing the reparation loan idea, including Germany, Poland, and the Baltic and Nordic states, describing them as a “large and powerful bloc,” and the European Commission was also inclined in that direction.
At an EU summit in October, leaders failed to reach an agreement on a “reparation loan” scheme due to objections from Belgium and other countries.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Russia: An apartment building was damaged after a nighttime drone attack in the province of Tver, less than 200 kilometers northwest of Moscow. pic.twitter.com/CfTYyz5KSl
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 15, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Xinhua – Politico
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
205
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
Industry showed little interest, citing sanctions and political risk tied to regime-change strategy.
Politico reported that President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated direct contacts with major U.S. oil companies to explore a possible return to Venezuela once President Nicolas Maduro is removed from power.
RELATED:
Russia Warns Trump Against ‘Fatal Mistake’ in Venezuela
The Trump administration has sounded out companies such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips about their willingness to resume operations in Venezuelan territory in a “post-Maduro” scenario. However, the industry’s response has been negative, due to low crude prices, instability created by sanctions and the political risk associated with Washington’s regime-change strategy.
Led by the State Department, the initiative constitutes new evidence that the escalation of diplomatic, military, and economic pressure against Venezuela is directly linked to control of the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
Currently, low crude prices give Trump unusual leeway to intensify pressure on Caracas without immediate fear of higher fuel prices in the U.S. market. At the same time, those prices discourage companies from investing in a Venezuelan industry battered by years of sanctions and financial blockade.
It's pathetic. Only 3 Republicans–Massie, Bacon and MTG–dared to vote with the Constitution to stop Trump's unauthorized attacks on Venezuela. 70% of Americans don't want war w/ Venezuela. So who are these 213 members representing? Trump? Oil companies? Weapons industry? pic.twitter.com/pQaCJQkuD2
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) December 17, 2025
“There isn’t much interest from the industry,” a source cited by the U.S. outlet acknowledged, noting that there are more profitable and less risky options in other countries, while Venezuela remains the target of an aggressive policy of containment and threats.
In late November, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and other officials also facilitated a meeting in Washington with the participation of representatives of U.S. oil companies and sectors of the Venezuelan far-right opposition, aimed at discussing a possible corporate return under new political conditions.
In parallel with these contacts, Trump publicly announced a naval blockade against vessels transporting Venezuelan oil, stating that the United States “will not allow a hostile regime to keep our oil,” a declaration that Caracas and various countries have described as a direct threat to sovereignty and an act of modern piracy.
The timing of the tanker blockade, U.S. military operations in regional waters and contacts with energy corporations reinforces the thesis that policy toward Venezuela reflects a comprehensive pressure strategy designed to force a change of government favorable to Washington’s energy interests.
Donald Trump imposed a naval blockade on Venezuela and admitted that he wants to take the country's oil and give it to US corporations:
"They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. They threw our companies out, and we want it back". pic.twitter.com/JQhJRNFeIy
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 18, 2025
Although companies such as Chevron maintain limited operations under special licenses, most U.S. oil companies recall the expropriations that occurred during the government of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. They express caution about reinvesting in a country subject to sanctions, military threats and a persistent narrative of destabilization.
Experts cited by the U.S. outlet warn that there is a significant gap between the White House’s desires and economic and geopolitical reality.
From Caracas, the Venezuelan government has repeatedly denounced the blockade and sanctions as part of a strategy to seize its natural resources, while reiterating its decision to maintain crude exports, defend freedom of navigation and uphold international law.
The disclosure of these corporate contacts adds to recent international condemnations, including those from Russia and other countries, warning of the danger of a broader escalation in Latin America.
It's not just US piracy against Venezuela that has people in South America worried. The Trump administration's announcement that it's bringing back the bloody Monroe Doctrine has set off alarms across the continent. My story @telesurenglish pic.twitter.com/wudMYrzvdM
— BrianMier (@BrianMteleSUR) December 18, 2025
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Politico – teleSUR
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
219
There is no longer any room for interpretation. Recent events have confirmed, beyond doubt, that the United States intends to dominate Latin America and the Caribbean and to crush opposition, even by using military means.
Honduras offers a clear example. Days before the November 30 vote, US President Trump’s flagrant intervention indisputably altered the outcome, leaving the election unresolved weeks later. My colleague Kurt Hackbarth aptly coined the term “preemptive fraud.”
“The method?” writes Hackbarth. “Blackmailing voters at their weakest points — debt, migration, violence — to force the desired electoral outcome. Cleaner, without the need to get one’s hands dirty with ballot stuffers, armies or clandestine operations.”
Given its success in Honduras and Argentina and the lack of any serious regional or institutional pushback, rest assured that, moving forward, Washington will deploy this tactic widely.
The best way to inoculate a population against Washington’s latest method of deception is through deep, widespread political consciousness — so that the people will recognize attempts to deny their right to choose their own destiny and reject those attempts forthright.
But even a conscious and mobilized population doesn’t guarantee a country’s sovereignty. US imperialism has repeatedly shown that it won’t tolerate counter-hegemonic governments winning at the ballot box, which brings us to Venezuela.
For decades, the US has sought to oust Venezuela’s leftist Bolivarian Revolution, using every tactic in the playbook — from coups, illegal sanctions, and now to outright piracy on the high seas. This week, the US seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast carrying roughly $78 million in crude oil, a wanton act of piracy. Furthermore, Trump threatened to impose a de facto US Navy-backed oil blockade on Venezuela.
Make no mistake, a blockade not sanctioned by the UN Security Council or imposed outside an armed conflict is illegal under international law, as are the executions through drone strikes on small boats carried out by the US. Washington openly flouts international law, aided by US media efforts to manufacture consent through barefaced lies, claiming that unilateral US coercive measures constitute “international sanctions.”
A US naval blockade on Venezuela would constitute collective punishment, another crime against humanity. Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodríguez warns a blockade would trigger another massive economic crisis. Venezuela already has to jump through US-imposed hurdles to sell its most important export, oil. Following Wednesday’s seizure, Asian buyers are demanding deeper discounts on Venezuelan crude. By cutting off oil revenues, Trump is increasing pressure to remove elected President Nicolás Maduro from office.
Washington loves to label countries that defy it as “rogue states,” but the country posing a threat to its neighbors is the United States — and the danger is rising. The National Security Strategy for 2025, published earlier this month, confirms a renewed US focus on the so-called Western Hemisphere, aimed at rebuilding US capacity to contest global hegemony amid its rivalry with China. Read in tandem with the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine, the strategy represents a massive threat to the sovereignty of Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The US, this “rogue state,” has used every possible means to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American countries and now threatens direct land invasions. Yet, the region remains woefully unprepared. Time is running out to forge a coherent regional response to the threat the US poses to all.
José Luis Granados Ceja is a journalist and political analyst based in Mexico City. He is co-host of the Mexican public television show Sin Muros, was staff writer with Venezuela Analysis, contributor to Drop Site News, and writes a monthly opinion column for the Mexico Solidarity Project and also co-hosts the Mexico Solidarity Project’s weekly podcast, Soberanía.
-
Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office
December 18, 2025
Mexican cinema represented 35 percent of the total films shown and accounted for 16 percent of annual attendance last year.
-
Rogue States & Pirates
December 18, 2025December 18, 2025
The US has used every possible means to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American countries & now threatens direct land invasions. Yet, the region remains woefully unprepared. Time is running out to forge a coherent regional response.
-
FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits
December 18, 2025
The international criminal consortium FIFA, which debased itself even further by awarding genocide manager Donald Trump a “peace prize”, is expected to make upwards of $11 to $14 billion from the trinational spectacle, whose matches are priced beyond the means of most Mexicans.
The post Rogue States & Pirates appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
220
1
Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office
(mexicosolidarity.com)
This article by Jorge Caballero originally appeared in the December 18, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.
Led by the Ministry of Culture of the Mexican government, the press conference for the 2025 Film Balance was held yesterday, where the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE), National Film Archive, Center for Cinematographic Training (CCC) and Studios Churubusco shared the achievements and progress of each agency in this past year, as well as the plans for the immediate future that have been projected to improve domestic cinematography.
With a positive assessment, the announcement by the Secretary of Culture, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, that the new Federal Film Law will be presented to the Congress of the Union next February, was highlighted. Curiel de Icaza mentioned that “it is a priority law, which has been lobbied for and will be enacted in February.” She also emphasized the figures showing an increase in box office revenue for Mexican films, the increased support for the film industry through education, creation, exhibition, and preservation of Mexican cinema, among other topics.
It is worth mentioning that for the first time in a decade, the amounts for Eficine increased; in August, the Chapultepec National Film Archive fully reopened; the CCC signed an agreement with the SEP to achieve certification of its entire academic offering; Studios Churubusco strengthened and generated new collaborative relationships, for example.
Stop-motion film, Soy Frankelda
Changing Narratives
When asked directly about the transformation of narratives in the Mexican film industry and the discontent among some sectors regarding how things have been done, Curiel de Icaza responded: “It’s too early to say whether there’s a complete change in the film narrative… not everyone will ever be happy. But we’re here to talk and to say that support has been expanded, that the law is coming, that work is underway to democratize and improve the application process. There’s still work to be done, and everything can be improved…” She emphasized: “We know there’s a long road ahead, but there is support and political will that begins with President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.”
For her part, Marina Stavenhagen, head of the National Film Archive, reaffirmed her commitment to the promotion, preservation, and expansion of film culture. She stated that 31,321 screenings were held, attracting 1,351,116 attendees. A total of 218 films premiered, 77 of which were Mexican, strengthening the presence of Mexican cinema within a diverse and international program.
It should be emphasized that Mexican cinema represented 35 percent of the total films shown and accounted for 16 percent of annual attendance.
Estudios Churubusco
Among the titles with the largest audience, Soy Frankelda, by brothers Arturo and Rodolfo Ambriz, stood out, becoming the most watched Mexican film, with 45,742 attendees.
Daniela Alatorre, head of the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), stated that for the first time in a decade, the amounts for the Tax Incentive for Investment Projects for National Film Production and Distribution (EFICINE) have increased. For the 2026 call for proposals, an increase in the maximum amounts per project was approved: from 20 to 25 million pesos for production and from two to three million pesos for distribution.
He also mentioned that “support for filmmaking by indigenous and Afro-descendant communities was maintained through the Incentive for Audiovisual Creation in Mexico and Central America for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Communities (ECAMC). In 2025, the highest number of projects received support since the incentive’s inception.”
The director of the CCC, Dinorah Ramírez, highlighted that 50 years after its founding, the film school has consolidated itself as the space for training new perspectives on Mexican cinema, since “in 2025 an agreement was signed with the Ministry of Public Education to achieve the certification of the entire academic offering; online training was increased, with the objective that learning and making films is an accessible right for all communities in the country.”
Finally, Cristian Calónico, director of Estudios Churubusco, highlighted the unveiling of a commemorative National Lottery ticket; the cancellation of a postage stamp; three live musical concerts with the support of the Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico (SACM); the publication of two books dedicated to the memory and history of the workers of Estudios Churubusco; and the Coral of Honor awarded by the 46th edition of the Havana Film Festival in Cuba.
-
Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office
December 18, 2025
Mexican cinema represented 35 percent of the total films shown and accounted for 16 percent of annual attendance last year.
-
Rogue States & Pirates
December 18, 2025December 18, 2025
The US has used every possible means to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin American countries & now threatens direct land invasions. Yet, the region remains woefully unprepared. Time is running out to forge a coherent regional response.
-
FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits
December 18, 2025
The international criminal consortium FIFA, which debased itself even further by awarding genocide manager Donald Trump a “peace prize”, is expected to make upwards of $11 to $14 billion from the trinational spectacle, whose matches are priced beyond the means of most Mexicans.
The post Mexican Cinema, Receiving Increased Incentives, on the Rise at the Box Office appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
221
222
The Network of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity issued a statement on Tuesday, December 16, rejecting what it calls a “blatant threat of a total oil blockade against Venezuela.”
A new declaration by Donald Trump, ordering “a total and complete blockade against all oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela,” demonstrates that the world is facing a criminal and unscrupulous state logic on the part of the Donald Trump administration, the statement reads.
RELATED:
Venezuela Condemns Trump’s Threat of Military and Naval Blockade
Far from being dismissed as mere delusion, it is clear that imperialism, in its thirst for resources, seeks to wield power without limits or regard for international law, diplomacy, or the sovereignty of other nations. This is an arbitrary imposition that no longer even attempts to disguise its actions as piracy, the document adds.
With blatant disregard for humanity and the norms of international coexistence, these actions unambiguously reveal the intention to plunder Venezuelan oil, even going so far as to refer to it in the declaration as “THEIR” oil and offering the absurd and false excuse of “recovering” it. This discourse, the text states, not only exposes imperial voracity but also reveals the danger of a leadership that attempts to justify dispossession with implausible arguments.
The Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity maintains its firm stance in denouncing these actions before the international community. These actions will ultimately unleash an armed conflict in the region, and, as with every warmongering incursion by imperialism, will leave behind a scenario that will prove uncontrollable, with disastrous consequences for the entire planet.
An urgent call from the free peoples of the world is needed to demand, without delay, the neutralization of this common enemy of peace and justice. Our efforts today must result in an end to the impunity with which the United States has operated for the past 150 years, the intellectuals declared.
Likewise, the statement added, we send a message of solidarity to President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan people. Rest assured of our unwavering support and our recognition of the courage and determination with which you defend all of humanity from the most savage empire in history.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
223
12
President Maduro Thanks the People of Venezuela for Their Response to Aggression
(www.telesurenglish.net)
President Nicolás Maduro thanked the people of Venezuela for their decisive and effective response to the imperialist aggression and manipulation by the fascist far right, which called for an invasion of his country.
RELATED:
President Maduro Rejects Corina Machado’s Accusations Against the Venezuelan People
During the 99th edition of his nightly program, “Con Maduro +,” the president commented on the 300 nighttime marches that took place this Monday in as many locations throughout the Bolivarian Republic.
He emphasized that this fascist right wing, led by Leopoldo López, Juan Guaidó, Julio Borges, La Sayona (María Corina Machado), and David Smolansky, called for a military invasion of the country.
He stressed that the fascist right wing of Leopoldo López, Juan Guaidó, Julio Borges, La Sayona (María Corina Machado), and David Smolansky called for a military invasion of the country. The dignitary alluded to the recent DataViva international poll, which revealed that 89 percent of Venezuelans “repudiate this infernal demon, this criminal who calls the Venezuelan people drug traffickers and incites an invasion and the killing of Venezuelans in an imperialist, gringo-backed invasion.”
He emphasized that, in response to another question, 96 percent of those interviewed, regardless of religion, ideology, political position, or socioeconomic status, “repudiate the act of piracy” against a ship carrying Venezuelan oil, which flagrantly violates international law and “takes us back to the days of pirates and privateers.”
The Venezuelan leader stated that, to this day, the whereabouts of the crew of that vessel, which was transporting 1.9 million barrels of oil, remain unknown.
The president referred to the 25th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), highlighting its firm positions, and alluded to the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, “an intelligent, determined, and honest man”; to the great commander Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua; as well as to the prime ministers of Dominica and Saint Lucia, and foreign ministers such as the one from Grenada.
In the president’s view, this Latin American and Caribbean integration bloc “is an extraordinary space for true integration, for the advancement of ideas, for unity and solidarity for the joint emancipation of our peoples.”
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
224
In this year-end episode of Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast, co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth close out the year with an in-depth analysis of Mexico’s newly announced tariff package, examining the policy debate behind it and the pros and cons of this strategy.
The conversation then turns to the U.S. move to frame fentanyl as a “weapon of mass destruction,” exploring what that designation could mean for bilateral relations and why Mexico has reason to be wary given how similar declarations have been used in the past.
In the third segment, the hosts look ahead to 2026. What’s in store for Sheinbaum’s government? The episode wraps up with the return of Losers and Haters, where this week’s target is—once again—the New York Times.
Support Soberanía’s Holiday Fundraising Drive
-
Tariffs & Industrial Sabotage
December 16, 2025December 16, 2025
The government’s stated reasoning for anti-China tariffs rings hollow when considering the flood of cheap US imports destroying the Mexican countryside and production dominated by US corporations exploiting Mexican labour.
-
China Calls on Mexico to Reconsider Tariffs on its Products
December 11, 2025December 11, 2025
Under Article 32.10 of the USMCA, Mexico can only pursue a free trade agreement with a non-market economy like the People’s Republic of China if the US government approves.
-
Mexico’s Tariff Hikes on China Will Cause Major Disruptions for Key Mexican Industries
December 11, 2025
Manufacturers reliant on Chinese inputs warned of rising costs, and lawmakers, including some from Morena, sought to avoid a dispute with a nation many consider crucial to Mexico’s trade diversification.
The post To Tariff or Not to Tariff? Soberanía 89 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.
225
1
FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits
(mexicosolidarity.com)
This article by Erendira Palma Hernández originally appeared in the December 18, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.
Mexico City. A record $727 million will be distributed as part of the prize money for the 2026 World Cup. Each team is guaranteed at least $10.5 million just for participating in the first round, while the champion will receive $50 million. The announcement comes on the heels of a wave of criticism against FIFA from fans due to the high cost of tickets for the first 48-team tournament.
While FIFA boasts of the record-breaking prize money, the figures are far from the $11 to $14 billion that the organization expects to generate from the World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada – which the organization will retain almost entirely – double the $5.7 billion it earned in Qatar 2022, according to reports from the organization itself.
The projected profits of the organization led by Gianni Infantino are based on payments for television rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales, which have been noted for their high costs, ranging from $60 (1,077 pesos) for the group stage to $6,730 (125,960 pesos) for the final, although these figures have changed due to dynamic pricing.
Despite the record figure, the amount of prizes to be awarded in the 2026 Cup falls short of what was awarded in the 2025 Club World Cup, where one billion dollars were distributed and Chelsea took home 125 million as champion of the tournament.
However, the amount to be awarded next year is much higher than the $110 million that was distributed at the 2023 Australia-New Zealand Women’s World Cup.
The governing body of football detailed that of the $727 million approved by the FIFA Council, $655 million will be distributed as prize money among the 48 participating teams. This figure represents a 50 percent increase compared to the $440 million awarded at Qatar 2022, where champions Argentina took home $42 million, while $9 million was given to the teams in the group stage, plus $10,000 for each player per day.
Now, just for qualifying for the World Cup, FIFA will give each federation $1.5 million to cover preparation costs, while countries finishing between 33rd and 48th place will receive $9 million. This means that all participating federations are guaranteed at least $10.5 million.
Teams finishing between 17th and 32nd place will receive $11 million, while those finishing 9th through 16th will earn $15 million. FIFA, the world governing body of football, will also award $19 million to teams finishing between 5th and 8th place.
The semifinalists will receive $27 million, while third place will take $29 million, and the runner-up will get $33 million.
The Mexican national team will seek a minimum of 19 million dollars
Thus, if the Mexican national team reaches at least the round of 16, their previous best before the last World Cup where they were eliminated in the group stage, they could receive at least $15 million. If they advance to the quarterfinals, the round that has been El Tri’s goal since 1986, they could earn around $19 million.
“Hopefully the national team will have a good showing and invest the resources it earns in its youth academy, looking towards the future,” said Rafael Lebrija, former Mexican soccer executive.
“With the prices they are charging, at least the teams benefit a little; the important thing is that this money is used wisely and invested in youth development, facilities, and good salaries for the coaches,” added Emilio Maurer, a former member of the Mexican Football Federation.
-
FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits
December 18, 2025
The international criminal consortium FIFA, which debased itself even further by awarding genocide manager Donald Trump a “peace prize”, is expected to make upwards of $11 to $14 billion from the trinational spectacle, whose matches are priced beyond the means of most Mexicans.
-
To Tariff or Not to Tariff? Soberanía 89
December 17, 2025December 18, 2025
An in-depth analysis of Mexico’s newly announced tariff package, examining the policy debate behind it and the pros and cons of this strategy.
-
President Sheinbaum Calls for “Non-intervention” in Face of Trump’s Aggression Against Venezuela
December 17, 2025December 17, 2025
The Mexican President criticized the United Nations for its “absence”, calling on the international organization to assume its role in preventing conflict and bloodshed.
The post FIFA, Flush with Government Subsidies, Will Distribute Only 5% of 2026 World Cup Profits appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.
From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.