https://www.scmp.com/rss/326016/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Peru’s leftist ⁠presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez will face ⁠Keiko Fujimori in the June run-off after narrowly securing second place in April’s first-round vote, official results showed Friday, with 100 per cent of votes tallied. The month-long count led to allegations of fraud in ‌the politically turbulent South American nation, notably from right-wing candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who narrowly trailed Sanchez for much of the counting process. Fujimori, the daughter of late former... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3353775/perus-leftist-sanchez-face-fujimori-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3353775/perus-leftist-sanchez-face-fujimori-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 17:15:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand vowed on Wednesday to tighten oversight of tourists’ behaviour after a series of incidents involving foreigners caught having sex in public, warning they damaged the country’s image. Tourism is vital to the Southeast Asian nation’s economy but foreign arrivals are yet to return to their pre-Covid highs. Visitors displaying “inappropriate behaviour”, including illicit drug use, would face prosecution as it “contradicts the beautiful culture of Thailand”, the prime minister’s office said... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352645/thailand-vows-strict-tourist-oversight-after-public-sex-incidents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3352645/thailand-vows-strict-tourist-oversight-after-public-sex-incidents?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 11:55:36 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected six of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chile exposes smuggling ring that shipped US$917m in stolen copper to China Chinese buyers were the end destination of a five-year smuggling pipeline that drained an estimated US$917 million worth of stolen copper from Chile, authorities said in April after police dismantled the network... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351914/beijing-backs-cuba-brazil-slams-byd-slave-labour-conditions-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351914/beijing-backs-cuba-brazil-slams-byd-slave-labour-conditions-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s foreign and defence ministers resigned on Wednesday in protest over the interim president’s decision to stall a US$3.5 billion deal for the purchase of 24 US F-16 fighter jets. The ministers said the deal had already been signed and that to cast doubt on it now jeopardised Peru’s reputation as a trading partner. Despite the president’s declared wish to suspend the purchase, the Ministry of Economy announced late Wednesday that it had transferred US$462 million as part of an initial... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3351057/top-peru-ministers-resign-protest-over-stalled-us-fighter-jet-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3351057/top-peru-ministers-resign-protest-over-stalled-us-fighter-jet-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:36 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier China has crafted markets, mechanisms and incentives as the world’s largest buyer of commodities in a bid to free itself from its dependence on the US dollar, but the biggest threat to Washington’s global dollar dominance may well be Washington itself, witnesses said in testimony on Thursday before a key advisory committee to the US Congress. Economic sanctions and access to US-led global banking systems are a powerful US tool that can be used to great effect, said experts before the US-China... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3350382/why-biggest-threat-us-global-dollar-dominance-may-well-be-washington-itself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3350382/why-biggest-threat-us-global-dollar-dominance-may-well-be-washington-itself?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 23:42:50 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick A senior US lawmaker called on Peru’s next government to reclaim the Chinese-controlled port of Chancay, describing the deepwater facility as a direct military threat to the western hemisphere. Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, said during a hearing on Thursday that Washington would help Peru wrest the megaport from Chinese hands. “The new Peruvian government, which will be elected next June, must take it back, that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350379/us-will-help-peru-take-back-chancay-port-china-congress-chair-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350379/us-will-help-peru-take-back-chancay-port-china-congress-chair-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:59:21 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s Keiko Fujimori looked set to face a run-off against a conservative rival after a troubled first-round presidential election on Sunday marred by logistics foul-ups, police raids and allegations of fraud. First counts and exit polls showed the 50-year-old daughter of disgraced former president Alberto Fujimori ahead in the 35-candidate race, but she was well short of the 50 per cent needed to win outright. Her nearest rival was far-right Rafael “Porky” Lopez Aliaga – who has vowed to “hunt”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349823/peru-extends-voting-president-and-congress-amid-delays-polling-sites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349823/peru-extends-voting-president-and-congress-amid-delays-polling-sites?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:56:40 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese buyers were the end destination of a five-year smuggling pipeline that drained an estimated US$917 million worth of stolen copper from Chile, authorities said on Wednesday after police dismantled the network in one of the largest organised crime operations ever uncovered in the country. The group trucked stolen metal to Iquique, a port city in Chile’s far north, and shipped it to China in containers disguised as scrap cargo. Over the same period, it collected more than US$55 million in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349439/chile-exposes-smuggling-ring-shipped-us917m-stolen-copper-chinese-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349439/chile-exposes-smuggling-ring-shipped-us917m-stolen-copper-chinese-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:04:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peruvians will choose from a bewildering array of 35 presidential candidates this Sunday, electing the next leader of an Andean nation beset by crime and a string of short-lived, scandal-tainted presidencies. “Now any old person runs for office,” said 51-year-old teacher Jane Layza, pondering the plethora of presidential hopefuls, and how she will cast her ballot. A few in the field are well known – a popular male comic, the daughter of a brutal autocrat, and a former Lima mayor who likens... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349325/peru-set-choose-bewildering-array-35-presidential-hopefuls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349325/peru-set-choose-bewildering-array-35-presidential-hopefuls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:12:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press At least one person died and 60 others were injured in what seemed to be a crush of fans at a popular football team’s stadium in the Peruvian capital on Friday night, authorities reported. Police said officers rescued people trapped as a result of an influx of Alianza Lima fans in the south stands of the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium the night before their team’s scheduled game against their biggest rival, Universitario. Earlier, the Ministry of Health had reported the collapse of a wall inside... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349046/1-dead-peru-football-stadium-tragedy-dozens-injured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3349046/1-dead-peru-football-stadium-tragedy-dozens-injured?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:40:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Colombian military plane crashed in a take-off disaster on Monday, killing 66 people as rescuers shuttled dozens of survivors to nearby hospitals and searched for four who were still missing, according to a top official. The Lockheed Martin-built Hercules C-130 transport plane was carrying 128 people, including 11 Air Force members, 115 army personnel and two national police officers, according to ‌Hugo Alejandro Lopez, head of the nation’s armed forces. The death toll was nearly double that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3347639/dozens-soldiers-feared-dead-after-colombian-military-plane-crashes-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3347639/dozens-soldiers-feared-dead-after-colombian-military-plane-crashes-take?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:58:24 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick A United States diplomat has told Brazilian port industry executives that Washington does not want a Chinese company to win the concession for a major container terminal in Santos, the largest port in Latin America, in the latest sign that the race for one of Brazil’s most prized infrastructure assets has become a front in the broader rivalry between Washington and Beijing. Kevin Murakami, the US consul-general in Sao Paulo, made the comments on March 5, at an event organised by Grupo A Tribuna,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3346804/washington-signals-it-wants-china-kept-out-brazils-largest-port-auction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3346804/washington-signals-it-wants-china-kept-out-brazils-largest-port-auction?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 19:12:22 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Authorities in Peru on Sunday said they have arrested three people following the bombing of a nightclub as the number of those injured rose to 44. The explosion happened early on Saturday at the Dali nightclub in the city of Trujillo in La Libertad region, which has the largest gold-producing area in Peru and is rife with extortion and illegal mining. La Libertad Regional Health Management confirmed that those injured rose from 33 to 44, including three minors between the ages of 16 and 17. At... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3345908/3-people-arrested-after-44-injured-peru-nightclub-bombing-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3345908/3-people-arrested-after-44-injured-peru-nightclub-bombing-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:05:01 +0000 Wynna Wong,Jess Ma Wynna Wong,Jess Ma Airfares from Hong Kong to European, South American and even some Asian destinations have surged amid the latest geopolitical tensions, according to industry insiders, especially on routes that typically transit through Middle Eastern aviation hubs. A check by the South China Morning Post found that airfares to such destinations had roughly tripled from Tuesday, days after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran, triggering retaliatory action from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345571/sky-high-jump-airfares-hong-kong-europe-americas-even-asian-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345571/sky-high-jump-airfares-hong-kong-europe-americas-even-asian-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:49:24 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Though a Hong Kong operator has lost control of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most pivotal waterways for merchant ships, researchers said this week that Chinese state institutions have funded hundreds of other seaports around the world. Specifically, they have invested a total of US$23.9 billion over the past quarter century in 363 ports and related activities abroad, according to AidData, a research lab at US university William & Mary. The lab called the investments a safeguard against... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345361/panama-out-study-says-china-investing-us239-billion-worlds-seaports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345361/panama-out-study-says-china-investing-us239-billion-worlds-seaports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The warming El Nino weather phenomenon could form later this year, potentially pushing global temperatures to record heights. There is a 50-60 per cent chance of El Nino developing during the July-September period and beyond, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The World Meteorological Organization will issue an update on El Nino on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know about El Nino and its cooler sister, La Nina. Why the name? El Nino and La Nina are two... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3345180/el-nino-may-return-2026-making-planet-even-hotter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3345180/el-nino-may-return-2026-making-planet-even-hotter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:43:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peruvian lawmakers picked Jose Maria Balcazar as the country’s new interim president on Wednesday, making him the country’s eighth leader in a decade after Jose Jeri was impeached on corruption allegations. The left-wing lawmaker was elected head of Peru’s Congress after a vote broadcast live on TV, meaning the 83-year-old lawyer and former judge will become Peru’s eighth head of state since 2016. The vote brought to an end a power vacuum of more than 24 hours, unprecedented in the country’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3343987/peru-congress-picks-countrys-eighth-president-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3343987/peru-congress-picks-countrys-eighth-president-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:21:12 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Peru’s Congress voted on Tuesday to remove President Jose Jeri from office following a series of undisclosed late-night meetings at a Chinese restaurant with a Chinese state contractor, setting off a political scandal dubbed “Chifagate”, a reference to the country’s Chinese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. Lawmakers voted 75-24, with three abstentions, to censure Jeri over the unregistered encounters with businessman Zhihua Yang, whose companies have supplied the state and who owns the restaurant and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343850/peru-removes-president-jose-jeri-chifagate-scandal-tied-chinese-contractor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343850/peru-removes-president-jose-jeri-chifagate-scandal-tied-chinese-contractor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:09:22 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The United States has issued a warning that Peru risks eroding its sovereignty after a court ruling limited state oversight of a Chinese-controlled megaport, prompting a sharp rebuke from Beijing and intensifying geopolitical tensions over a strategic hub on South America’s Pacific coast. The dispute centres on the Port of Chancay, a US$1.3 billion deep water facility located about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Lima and majority owned by China’s state-run shipping giant Cosco Shipping... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343384/us-china-clash-over-perus-chancay-megaport-after-court-bars-regulator-oversight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343384/us-china-clash-over-perus-chancay-megaport-after-court-bars-regulator-oversight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:04:25 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When India sealed a landmark free-trade pact with the European Union last month, Brussels’ top bureaucrat saw more than an economic deal taking shape. “India has risen and Europe is truly glad about it,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared. “Because when India succeeds, the world is more stable, more prosperous and more secure.” Her words were more than just a diplomatic nicety; they reflected a growing consensus in European capitals that India has become an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3342704/indias-trade-blitz-seeks-keep-sinking-global-order-afloat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s trade with some South American nations is accelerating after the opening of Peru’s Chancay port, underscoring Beijing's push to secure resources and bolster industrial supply chains under the Belt and Road Initiative, analysts said. The surge in two-way trade builds on years of Chinese investment and comes as the United States seeks to roll back Beijing’s influence in the region under a strategy US President Donald Trump has called the “Donroe” doctrine – invoking a 19th-century policy... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342512/trumps-south-america-threats-fizzle-chinas-trade-surges-powered-peru-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342512/trumps-south-america-threats-fizzle-chinas-trade-surges-powered-peru-port?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:30:07 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick President Jose Jeri of Peru has vowed not to resign despite rising pressure over a widening scandal involving undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessmen, as opposition lawmakers say the affair has damaged public trust and senior officials insist no illegal acts took place. The controversy, known in Peruvian media as “Chifagate”, a reference to Chinese-Peruvian cuisine, centres on late-night encounters at a Chinese restaurant and a wholesale shop in Lima. The meetings were not recorded on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340909/perus-president-refuses-step-down-secret-china-meetings-fuel-chifagate-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340909/perus-president-refuses-step-down-secret-china-meetings-fuel-chifagate-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:51:37 +0000 Andrew Leung Andrew Leung US President Donald Trump’s abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been held up as an example of American military power. As Venezuela is not a producer of fentanyl – despite the United States accusing Maduro of drug trafficking – Trump has pivoted his attention to Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world. Trump has commanded Venezuela to turn over 30 to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil, which he said would be sold at market value and the proceeds from which he would... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3339645/trumps-audacious-imperialism-will-only-propel-chinas-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3339645/trumps-audacious-imperialism-will-only-propel-chinas-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Last weekend’s US raid on Venezuela has shone a spotlight on the wider strategic concerns in play in South America, including the US-China rivalry in countries such as Peru. The country is a key hub for mineral exports to Asian markets, but it has tried to maintain a balance between Beijing and Washington. China has funded a strategically important port on Peru’s Pacific coast, but it has remained “broadly aligned” with US interests, according to analysts. Washington also regards it as part of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339392/can-peru-keep-both-china-and-us-onside-increasingly-volatile-environment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339392/can-peru-keep-both-china-and-us-onside-increasingly-volatile-environment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 03:54:35 +0000 Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan As families and friends gather to bid farewell to a turbulent 2025, the unassuming potato will, no matter where you live, almost certainly find its place on the dinner table. Domesticated nearly 10,000 years ago in Peru, it did not voyage beyond the Americas until the 16th century. Yet no vegetable has played a more significant role in human history and politics than this humble tuber. Dubbed the calorie king, potatoes produce more calories and nutrients per unit of land than any other major... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338149/be-potato-lesson-resilient-staple-resonates-2026-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338149/be-potato-lesson-resilient-staple-resonates-2026-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:00:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s HK$141.5 billion (US$18.1 billion) investment in the expansion of its airport with a third runway is all about exploiting the city’s position as an international air cargo and passenger hub, and its connectivity with the mainland, amid rising air and sea competition. The pay-offs come in passenger and traffic volume and a network of destinations that circles the world. The latter has just received a big boost from the signing of aviation agreements with seven countries – mostly in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3336456/hong-kong-stepping-its-competitiveness-aviation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3336456/hong-kong-stepping-its-competitiveness-aviation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Iran said it seized a foreign oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman it suspects of carrying smuggled fuel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Saturday, citing the chief justice of the southern Hormozgan Province. Mojtaba Ghahremani said 18 crew members have been detained and the vessel was carrying about 6 million litres of fuel, roughly 37,000 barrels. He did not specify the cargo’s destination, nationality or when the seizure occurred. The incident follows Iran’s interception last month... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3336342/iran-seizes-foreign-oil-tanker-suspected-smuggling-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3336342/iran-seizes-foreign-oil-tanker-suspected-smuggling-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:03:25 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has promised no-strings-attached aid to Latin American and Caribbean countries as it positions itself as a key voice of the Global South and seeks to expand its influence in a region also actively courted by the United States. In an updated policy framework for deeper economic cooperation with the region, Beijing highlighted what it described as a “significant shift in the international balance of power”, with the Global South gaining greater influence. The strategy paper, the third of its... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335901/china-pledges-aid-latin-america-caribbean-no-political-conditions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335901/china-pledges-aid-latin-america-caribbean-no-political-conditions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:00:14 +0000 Igor Patrick,Robert Delaney Igor Patrick,Robert Delaney Lawmakers from both parties are warning that Chinese criminal groups have helped build what officials call a “Silk Road of crime”, a global network that launders Latin American cartel profits and supplies the chemicals used to make fentanyl bound for the United States. At a Senate hearing on Tuesday, members of the Caucus on International Narcotics Control said Chinese money brokers and Latin American cartels have merged their operations into a system that blurs the line between trade and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335821/us-senators-warn-china-cartel-links-forming-global-silk-road-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335821/us-senators-warn-china-cartel-links-forming-global-silk-road-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:21:36 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong has signed aviation agreements with seven countries – mostly in Latin America – to expand its global reach and make better use of the airport’s three-runway system, according to a senior official. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan on Tuesday revealed that the government had signed deals with the Latin American countries of Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Cuba, along with Poland in Europe and Togo in West Africa, over the past two months. The new deals add to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3335729/hong-kong-signs-aviation-deals-7-countries-expand-global-network?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3335729/hong-kong-signs-aviation-deals-7-countries-expand-global-network?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:30:57 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The White House released a national security blueprint on Friday, marking a sweeping assertion of US influence in the Americas. The framework pledges to prevent non-Western powers from expanding their foothold across the Western Hemisphere, a clear reference to China’s growing presence in the region. In US strategic parlance, the “Western Hemisphere” refers broadly to the Americas, a geopolitical space long regarded as a place Washington has sway over. This belief harks back to the Monroe... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335430/trumps-new-national-security-blueprint-aims-combat-chinas-rise-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335430/trumps-new-national-security-blueprint-aims-combat-chinas-rise-latin-america?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 21:23:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo urged US President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday not to try to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro using military force. Leo, the first US pope, said it would be better to attempt dialogue or impose economic pressure on Venezuela if Washington wants to pursue change there. The Trump administration has been weighing options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. The socialist Venezuelan president has denied... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334965/pope-leo-urges-trump-admin-not-attempt-military-ousting-venezuelas-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334965/pope-leo-urges-trump-admin-not-attempt-military-ousting-venezuelas-maduro?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:34:38 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s government declared a state of emergency at its southern border with Chile on Friday, expecting an influx of people trying to flee far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast’s potential presidency. Under the decree, Peru’s military will reinforce border control in the southern Tacna region for 60 days, past Chile’s December 14 run-off election, in which immigration hardliner Kast is facing off against left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara. The state of emergency will also serve “to address crime... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334606/peru-declares-state-emergency-fears-migrant-influx-chile-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334606/peru-declares-state-emergency-fears-migrant-influx-chile-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:56:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced leftist ex-president Pedro Castillo to more than 11 years in jail for trying to dissolve Congress and rule by decree to avoid impeachment. Dubbed Peru’s first poor president, the former rural teacher, who had never held elected office before winning the presidency, was impeached by Congress and jailed following his attempted power grab in December 2022. He had repeatedly clashed with an opposition-dominated Congress during his 16 months in power,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334445/peru-ex-president-castillo-sentenced-over-11-years-prison?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3334445/peru-ex-president-castillo-sentenced-over-11-years-prison?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 02:37:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Peru’s government on Monday announced the country was severing diplomatic relations with Mexico over the asylum claim of former Peruvian prime minister Betssy Chavez, who was under investigation for rebellion. Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told reporters that Mexico’s decision to grant Chavez asylum at its embassy in Peru’s capital, Lima, constituted an “unfriendly act” that added to the existing tensions between the two countries. The office of Peru’s President Jose Jeri in a statement... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3331435/peru-cuts-diplomatic-ties-mexico-over-asylum-claim-former-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3331435/peru-cuts-diplomatic-ties-mexico-over-asylum-claim-former-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:35:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Peru’s interim president Jose Jeri announced a state of emergency in Lima and the neighbouring port of Callao on Tuesday, after weeks of anti-government protests over corruption and organised crime. “The state of emergency approved by the Council of Ministers will take effect at midnight on Wednesday and will last for 30 days in Metropolitan Lima and Callao,” Jeri said in an address to the nation broadcast by state television. Under the state of emergency, the government can send the army to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329895/peru-declares-state-emergency-capital-combat-spiralling-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329895/peru-declares-state-emergency-capital-combat-spiralling-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:30:02 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Peru’s new President Jose Jeri refused to resign on Thursday following the death of a protester during a massive demonstration led by Gen Z activists demanding he step down. About 100 people were also injured, including 80 police officers and 10 journalists, according to authorities, who said they were investigating the shooting and killing of the protester. “My responsibility is to maintain the stability of the country; that is my responsibility and my commitment,” Jeri told the local press... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329389/perus-new-president-refuses-resign-gen-z-led-protests-turn-violent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329389/perus-new-president-refuses-resign-gen-z-led-protests-turn-violent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:36:03 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Observers are optimistic that China and Peru will be able to avoid a “Panama moment” over the joint Chancay Port project, despite further political turmoil in the Latin American country. Dina Boluarte’s presidency came to an end after less than three years last week with a landslide 122-0 impeachment vote in the legislature, following public discontent over her handling of security and corruption scandals. Jose Jeri, former president of the Congress, will take over as interim president until a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328845/will-perus-chancay-port-be-next-panama-moment-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3328845/will-perus-chancay-port-be-next-panama-moment-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 14:00:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Peru’s Congress voted early Friday to remove deeply unpopular President Dina Boluarte from office as a crime wave gripped the South American nation and quickly replaced her with 38-year-old lawyer Jose Jeri, the legislative body’s leader. Lawmakers had set up a debate and impeachment trial late Thursday in the 130-member unicameral Congress after voting to accept four requests for a vote to remove Boluarte from office over what they said was her government’s inability to stem crime. They... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3328486/perus-congress-votes-remove-president-boluarte-crime-crisis-grips-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3328486/perus-congress-votes-remove-president-boluarte-crime-crisis-grips-country?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 05:51:30 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Gold futures have soared above US$4,000 per troy ounce for the first time, as many investors seek a “safe haven” to park their money as the US government shutdown continues. Gold futures in New York jumped above the US$4,000 mark on Tuesday morning, marking a record high. The going price for New York spot gold had previously closed at US$3,960.60 per troy ounce – the standard for measuring precious metals – on Monday. Gold sales can rise sharply when anxious investors seek secure investments for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328162/gold-reaches-record-us4000-amid-us-shutdown-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328162/gold-reaches-record-us4000-amid-us-shutdown-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:00:28 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysia has raked in over 6 billion ringgit (US$1.4 billion) from durian exports to mainland China in just seven years, and now the government is eyeing new markets in Taiwan and Peru to keep the momentum growing. The agriculture and food security ministry said durian exports to China amounted to 115,359 tonnes or 6.37 billion ringgit between 2018 and June this year, with the figures based on the issuing of phytosanitary certificates. “The ministry, through the agriculture department, is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328078/malaysia-rakes-us14-billion-china-durian-exports-plots-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328078/malaysia-rakes-us14-billion-china-durian-exports-plots-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:33:47 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has formally joined a South American trade bloc as an observer in a move analysts said would strengthen its strategic foothold in the region and help power industries ranging from artificial intelligence to electric vehicles. Xinhua reported last week that China had been formally accepted as an observer state of the Andean Community, a regional organisation comprising Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. China has engaged with the Andean Community since 1999, when the two sides reached an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327978/china-joins-south-american-trade-bloc-boosting-its-ai-and-ev-industries-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327978/china-joins-south-american-trade-bloc-boosting-its-ai-and-ev-industries-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:00:11 +0000 Lee Min-Yong Lee Min-Yong The Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting is just over a month away. Hosted in the ancient Korean capital of Gyeongju, the summit will bring together leaders from the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. With both the US and Chinese presidents expected to attend, the gathering is poised to serve as a significant diplomatic stage against the backdrop of mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula and growing uncertainty in global affairs. After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326567/apec-offers-stage-china-us-and-two-koreas-make-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3326567/apec-offers-stage-china-us-and-two-koreas-make-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has launched its first direct break-bulk shipping service to Peru’s Chancay port, as it steps up its trade, investment and influence in Latin America. A vessel operated by Cosco Shipping Specialised Carriers departed last week from Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province on its maiden voyage to the strategic gateway, with the journey expected to take about 32 days in total, according to local media outlet Suzhou Daily. The ship, named Greensuape, is carrying more than 30,000 tonnes of cargo,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325728/china-launches-first-direct-break-bulk-shipping-route-perus-chancay-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325728/china-launches-first-direct-break-bulk-shipping-route-perus-chancay-port?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:00:11 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson What better time to start planning your next holiday than the end of summer? Yes, yes I know, we’re only just back from a slow-paced August. I managed to escape Hong Kong’s brutal heat with a weeklong trip to Yunnan province last month, but I’m already plotting the next getaway. That’s the thing about travel, isn’t it? It’s addictive. The change in place, in pace and in tastes. It’s hard to get enough. So, in the spirit of escapism (and a soft landing back into real life), we’re kicking off... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3324483/week-postmag-swimming-holidays-and-cyborg-cockroaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3324483/week-postmag-swimming-holidays-and-cyborg-cockroaches?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au With Lima’s Maido hitting top spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Peruvian and Japanese born from Peru’s significant immigrant Japanese community, is enjoying its time in the limelight. But the Peruvian capital is actually home to more chifas (Chinese-Peruvian restaurants) than cevicherías (those serving Peru’s national dish, ceviche). Peru is also the only Spanish-speaking country to call soy sauce sillao and ginger kion, pronounced much like the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3324460/meet-chinese-peruvian-families-behind-south-american-countrys-chifa-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3324460/meet-chinese-peruvian-families-behind-south-american-countrys-chifa-restaurants?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 10:57:15 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A US State Department employee was sentenced to four years in prison in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on Thursday for conspiring to collect and transmit national defence secrets to individuals he believed were working for the Chinese government, according to the US Justice Department. Michael Schena, 42, sold “sensitive” US government documents to people who claimed to be international consultants, according to court documents, despite clear indications and his... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324402/us-state-department-employee-sentenced-passing-classified-information?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324402/us-state-department-employee-sentenced-passing-classified-information?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 23:23:54 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press An Indonesian diplomat was shot dead in Peru’s capital as he arrived on a bicycle to his apartment building, police said on Tuesday, in what local authorities called an “assassination”. Zetro Leonardo Purba, 40, who was attached to the Indonesian embassy in Lima, was shot three times on Monday night. Authorities said Purba was taken to a hospital but was later declared dead. Officials did not immediately provide a motive for the shooting. But Interior Minister Carlos Malaver told lawmakers the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3324106/peru-police-hunt-shooter-after-indonesian-diplomat-assassinated-lima?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3324106/peru-police-hunt-shooter-after-indonesian-diplomat-assassinated-lima?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 17:06:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Peruvian woman has been arrested in Indonesia’s Bali after allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine into the resort island using a sex toy and hiding drugs in her underwear, police said on Tuesday. The 42-year-old, identified only by her initials N.S., arrived at Bali’s international airport from Qatar on August 12, when authorities became suspicious. “The customs officers suspected her behaviour, and after consulting the police, they did a further check on her,” Bali police narcotics unit... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3322412/indonesias-bali-arrests-woman-who-smuggled-cocaine-sex-toy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3322412/indonesias-bali-arrests-woman-who-smuggled-cocaine-sex-toy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:07:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Ecuadorian government on Sunday extradited notorious drug trafficker Adolfo Macias, alias “Fito”, to the United States, a month after he was recaptured following a 2024 escape from a maximum-security jail, the country’s prison authority said. The US Attorney’s Office filed charges in April against Macias, the head of the “Los Choneros” gang, on suspicion of cocaine distribution, conspiracy and firearms violations, including weapons smuggling. A letter filed by the US Department of Justice on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3318936/ecuadors-biggest-drug-lord-fito-extradited-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3318936/ecuadors-biggest-drug-lord-fito-extradited-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 23:33:05 +0000