International
‘Coup d’etat’ trial of Bolivia ex-president to begin
AFP
Some call her a “political prisoner” but others claim she led a coup d’etat: former interim president Jeanine Anez will go on trial Thursday accused of orchestrating the ouster of her predecessor as Bolivia’s leader, Evo Morales.
The conservative Anez, 54, has been held in pre-trial detention for the last 11 months. She has been on hunger strike, not for the first time, since last Wednesday.
She and another eight former military personnel will be on trial, starting from 9:00 am (1300 GMT).
Anez is accused of unconstitutionally assuming the presidency in November 2019 following the resignation of Morales, who fled into exile following 14 years in power.
Morales quit and left the country in the midst of street protests over his re-election the month before.
The Organization of American States (OAS) performed an audit and found clear evidence of election irregularities.
“I assumed the presidency of Bolivia without asking for it, without looking for it and much less expecting it… with the only mission to call new elections and pacify a country in convulsion,” Anez said on Tuesday.
Her lawyer Luis Guillen has accused authorities of bias as the document that opens the trial describes Anez as the “de facto” and “unconstitutional” ex-president.
Guillen has demanded an in-person trial and that witnesses be made to attend for cross-questioning after the public prosecutor’s office said it would be submitting only witness statements.
On Tuesday, a group of 21 former Latin American presidents asked the United Nations to visit Anez and investigate potential “abuses of power” in her treatment.
– ‘Massacres’ –
Another accusation of sedition, terrorism and conspiracy against Anez is still under investigation.
Guillen said the two investigations relate to “the same event” adding that it violates a general principal of law.
He added that “an ordinary court cannot decide what is constitutional.”
Guillen said an ex-president should not be tried in a regular court but rather face a trial of responsibilities in congress.
The plaintiffs in the case are the government, public prosecutor and congress dominated by the ruling Movement for Socialism party.
“This is a political trial being carried out by the government of President Luis Arce,” said political scientist Carlos Cordero from the San Andres university.
“It’s a way of establishing a political sanction for those that dared to be adversaries at a time of crisis for the Movement for Socialism.”
Anez is also accused of genocide following complaints made by the families of victims of a police crackdown against protesters in November 2019.
A group of experts commissioned by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the government said 22 people were killed in “massacres” carried out by security forces.
Unlike the other accusations, though, it will be dealt with by congress in a trial of responsibilities.
The report also questioned the independence of Bolivia’s judicial system.
– Sudden change in results –
In October 2019, Morales stood for a fourth consecutive term as president despite the constitution setting a limit of two successive terms.
The election appeared to be heading for a second round run-off until a 24-hour blackout in the live and transparent reporting of results.
When that resumed, Morales had suddenly jumped into a winning lead.
There followed three weeks of protests against his re-election during which time Morales lost the support of the police and military, and fled the country.
Those who would have succeeded him — all members of his MAS party — also resigned and fled either abroad or into embassies, leaving Anez — then vice-president of the senate — as the highest ranking official left in office.
Congress, which was controlled by MAS, recognized her as interim president despite the lack of a quorum due to a boycott by many members of MAS.
Her sole task was to organize new elections but it took a year for those to be held, in part due to postponements over the coronavirus pandemic.
With Morales living in Argentina, his former finance minister Arce romped to victory.
Anez handed over power in November 2020 and was arrested in March 2021.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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