Americas press review

In the spotlight: International Women's Day seen from the American continent

There have been more than 3,300 acid attacks against women in Mexico over the past twelve years.

© AP/Christian Palma

Text by: Christophe Paget Follow

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Newspapers on the American continent return to the situation of women in each of their countries.

In Venezuela,

El Nacional

is interested in wage differences: according to the Inter-American Development Bank, women earn almost 22% less than men.

Which, points out the daily, “ 

Exposes women more to violence and extreme poverty

 ”.  

In Mexico,

Milenio

gives the times and routes of the great women's march expected today in Mexico City, and 

points out that it is precisely in the State of Mexico

that violence against women is the most important, with 138 feminicides last year.

The newspaper also looks at acid attacks in the country against women: 3,354 in the past twelve years, with this clarification from the Ministry of Health: the majority of victims are minors, and many are young girls.  

In Nicaragua, " 

it is the fifth consecutive year that women cannot demonstrate on March 8

 " writes 

La Prensa

 : " 

The spaces for the struggle for the claim of women's rights have been closed by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo

 " .

While, according to women's rights defenders, " 

macho and institutional violence against women has increased in the last ten years

 ".

But, writes the newspaper, “ 

Nicaraguan women, despite exile, impunity and persecution, continue to fight

 ”.  

In Haiti,

Alterpresse

examines what it calls “ 

the political undercurrents of rape and feminicides in Haiti

 ”.

The news site claims that the Parti haïtien

tèt kale

– the Phtk – “ 

has made violence, political repression and the rape of women the cornerstone of its public policy

 ”: “ 

as under previous Phtkist governments, the Ariel Henry's government relies on the establishment of terror by armed gangs to stay in power.

In addition to the repeated killings, the collective rapes against women and minors have not even been denounced by the de facto authorities

 ”.

The Haitian Court of Cassation "finally complete"

In Haiti, " 

the Court of Cassation finally complete

 ", headlines

Le National

.

The eight judges appointed on February 28 were sworn in on Tuesday February 7.

A ceremony which took place in the presence of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Le Nouvelliste 

recalls that the Court had been " 

dysfunctional for more than a year 

", and that it has " 

work to do

 ", with, explained the government commissioner at the Court of Cassation, "

400 cases which are in a state to be evacuated and 452 indictments and conclusions which are at the prosecutor's office near the court of cassation which will be restored for the purpose of being evacuated

 ”.

Le Nouvelliste

also paints a portrait of the President of the Court, Jean-Joseph Lebrun, who in his 27-year career "has 

never seen his name associated with a 'legal scandal' 

". 

Closure of two universities by the Nicaraguan government 

In Nicaragua, the power closes universities linked to the Catholic Church.

Juan Pablo II University and the Christian University of Nicaragua.

Reason given by the government, writes

Confidencial

 : “ 

they did not respect the laws which govern them 

”.

The Ministry of Governance has requested that all movable and immovable property of the two universities come under government control.

The Holy See reacted, speaking of a " 

reason for concern

 ", writes

100% Noticias

 : Monsignor Fortunatus Nwachukwu, permanent observer of the Holy See at the UN, said that " 

restrictions on freedom of expression in the Nicaragua are increasingly repressive against criticism of the government of Daniel Ortega

 ”.

100% Noticias

recalls that

"the regime is currently keeping three clerics in prison 

", and

Confidencial

that last February Parliament created three new higher education centers using the files and infrastructures of six private universities declared illegal .

In Venezuela, Juan Guaido candidate for the opposition primaries 

In Venezuela, Juan Guaido will be the candidate of the Voluntad Popular party for the opposition primaries scheduled for October 22, writes

Tal Cual

.

Juan Guaido was, since 2019, interim president - recognized by the opposition and part of the international community - until the opposition put an end to this presidency last December.  

Like other opposition leaders, Juan Guaido is ineligible, after court rulings. 

Efecto Cocuyo

specifies that, questioned on this point, the national coordinator of Voluntad Popular Freddy Superlano cited the ongoing negotiations in Mexico as one of the means to lift this ineligibility.

On social networks, writes

La Patilla

, Juan Guaido then affirmed that he " 

will continue to travel through Venezuela in the coming months to know the demands of the population for future political change

 ".

The presidential election is scheduled for 2024.

Kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico: two dead, one injured 

Of the four Americans abducted in Mexico, two were found dead yesterday, another injured, and a woman safe and sound.

They had crossed the border before being targeted by gunfire and then abducted.

According to the attorney general of the state of Tamaulipas, it would be a " 

misunderstanding

 " of the kidnappers, writes

La Razon

, who would belong to the Clan del Golfo.

But in its editorial,

the newspaper

considers that this is " 

more than a misunderstanding

 ": " 

the real question is that criminal gangs clash regardless of time and place and that for them, anyone who passes by, whatever their name, risks dying, being injured or, as is the case here, being kidnapped

(…) The name of the game, in the end, is impunity 

”.  

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