LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Argentina prosecutor seeks 12-year jail sentence for VP Kirchner

The latest in Latin American politics today: Argentina prosecutor seeks 12-year jail sentence for VP

BUENOS AIRES – An Argentine federal prosecutor requested a 12-year prison sentence on Monday for Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, the country’s former president and current vice president, on corruption charges related to public works. Prosecutor Diego Luciani accused Fernandez de Kirchner, a still-influential voice for the left wing of the ruling Peronist party, of defrauding the state and involvement in a scheme to divert public funds during her two terms as president between 2007 and 2015.

The sentence will be known in some months, according to local media, although Fernandez de Kirchner could appeal it to higher courts, which would take years to reach a final verdict. Brazil’s Lula supports free elections in Venezuela

BRASILIA – Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would like to see free elections in Venezuela and a democratic alternation of power like his country enjoys, the former President and current leftist presidential candidate said on Monday. However, Lula added he did not agree with Western countries recognizing former National Assembly Speaker and opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader after the disputed re-election of President Nicolas Maduro in 2018.

“We need to treat Venezuela with respect, always wanting Venezuela to be as democratic as possible,” he said in a news conference with foreign correspondents as he campaigns to return to office in the October elections. Thousands protest in Haiti over crime and inflation

PORT-AU-PRINCE – Thousands of Haitians on Monday joined rallies around the Caribbean country to protest rampant crime and soaring consumer prices as its central bank reported that inflation had hit a 10-year high. Protesters set up burning barricades in some areas including the capital of Port-au-Prince, some of whom said they were angry over the growing scarcity of gasoline and diesel that could force some businesses to close their doors.

Jean Baden Dubois, Haiti’s central bank governor, said the economy would likely contract by 0.4% this year, following a sharp depreciation of the gourde currency. Chronic gang violence has also left much of the country’s territory out of control of government authorities and outbreaks of bloody turf battles between rival gangs have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.

Mexico president sidesteps calls for probe of predecessor over missing students MEXICO CITY – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has deflected calls to investigate his predecessor over the 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers, after officials arrested a top official in the prior administration.

Mexican officials on Friday arrested Jesus Murillo, the former attorney general of former President Enrique Pena Nieto, on charges of forced disappearance, torture and obstruction of justice linked to the investigation of what became of the students. Argentina names second in command of economy ministry

BUENOS AIRES – Argentina’s government has appointed a well-known economist and vocal critic of the policies of former President and current Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to effectively be the second in command of the economy ministry. New Economy Minister Sergio Massa named Gabriel Rubinstein as his secretary of economic programming, a position that acts as second in the ministry. (Compiled by Steven Grattan; editing by Grant McCool and Sam Holmes)

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