Latin America Rising? > Cuba in the dark for 7th time this year; Chile watching Peru and Argentina increasing military budgets; First new cat species in a century found in Bolivia

 

Cuba has 7th power grid collapse this year

By Lisa Hornung

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Cuba suffered a total blackout as its power grid collapsed again, its seventh of the year.

The Cuban Ministry of Energy and Mines announced the country-wide blackout at 2 p.m. EDT Friday on X. It said it was "activating service-restoration protocols."

By sundown, power had been restored to about 5% of the island. And the ministry reports several units back online Saturday.

Cuban authorities report a failure happened in transmission lines in the western part of the country, causing the system to collapse in the Matanzas province. The eastern part of the island then went offline.

The official newspaper Granma reported "unstable" weather conditions made things worse.

Small power-distribution "micro-islands" were being created in the provinces of Camagüey, Pinar del Río and Granma, CBS News reported. Some systems serving hospitals and other emergency facilities were being reactivated.

"All U.S. citizens in Cuba or planning to travel to Cuba should be aware and plan accordingly," the U.S. Embassy in Havana said.

"Maybe it'll come back this afternoon or tomorrow -- there's no way to know. We just have to wait," said Abilén Marrero, a homemaker in Havana.

The island is facing a severe economic crisis causing power grid collapses to become more common. Since January, they have gotten worse because President Donald Trump imposed an energy blockade to try to force a change in its political system. Trump also created tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba.

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Cuba needs the fuel to operate its thermoelectric power plants, and it needs replacement parts to keep the obsolete infrastructure running. Only one tanker of fuel has made it to the island, in March, since the blockade began.

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Chile watches as Peru, Argentina boost military investment

By Francisca Orellana

Chile remains one of the South American countries with relatively high military spending compared with the size of its economy. File Photo by Elvis Gonzalez/EPA

SANTIAGO, Chile, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Chile is closely watching increased military investment by neighboring Peru and Argentina as Santiago faces tight budget constraints aimed at curbing public spending and strengthening its fiscal position.

Peru's government submitted a 2027 budget proposal in early September that would increase funding for defense investment projects by 283% to about $754 million.

Argentina, meanwhile, is moving ahead with plans to strengthen its armed forces with 24 F-16 fighter jets and expand its naval capabilities through plans to acquire three submarines and two frigates.

Six former Chilean defense ministers from across the political spectrum told newspaper El Mercurio that the military buildup by neighboring countries "requires special attention." They also questioned delays in funding for the strategic capabilities of Chile's armed forces.

They said postponing the funding could undermine the credibility of Chile's defense policy, which should not depend on annual fiscal pressures.

Chile remains one of the South American countries with relatively high military spending compared with the size of its economy.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported that Chile spent the equivalent of 1.52% of its gross domestic product on defense in 2025, compared with 0.81% in Peru and 0.56% in Argentina. Colombia spent 3.52% and Ecuador 2.10%.

Uncertainty remains, however, over how much Chile will be able to allocate to defense next year as the government implements a significant fiscal adjustment. The 2027 budget proposal is due to be presented by the end of September, and President José Antonio Kast has warned that it will be austere.

In 2020, Chile replaced a military financing mechanism known as the Reserved Copper Law, under which revenue linked to copper sales helped finance the armed forces, with a multiyear fund for the renewal and maintenance of strategic military capabilities.

Some contributions required under the new system have been postponed in recent budgets, raising concerns about the continuity of those investments.

Alejandro Riquelme, a lawmaker from Kast's governing Republican Party who represents the southern Magallanes region, told UPI that Chile should closely monitor increased military investment by its neighbors but should not automatically respond by increasing its own acquisitions.

He said that although Chile has strong military capabilities, the country urgently needs to improve maritime and aerial surveillance, expand anti-drone systems and prepare for electronic warfare.

"Chile must modernize its defense, but with strategic intelligence. It is not about competing to see who buys the most expensive system, but about having effective, sovereign and sustainable capabilities to defend the country," Riquelme said.

Diego Jiménez, a security and geopolitics expert and researcher at the School of Economics at Universidad San Sebastián, told UPI that increased defense purchases by countries bordering Chile do not necessarily signal a new regional arms race, but instead reflect domestic policy needs.

"Peru is in a cycle of high political instability, which historically has led it to focus part of its attention on its relationship with Chile, particularly from the standpoint of renewing its capabilities," Jiménez said.

He said Peru historically has invested in replacing aging vehicles and vessels, but high equipment turnover has made it difficult for personnel to develop the expertise needed to maintain those capabilities over the long term.

Argentina, meanwhile, has one of the lowest levels of defense spending in Latin America, but its relationship with Chile continues to generate tensions in some sectors.

Gustavo Javier Valverde, chief of staff of the Argentine Air Force, recently referred to Magallanes, the southern region and the Drake Passage in the context of Argentine "sovereignty," saying his country needed to maintain a presence in the area.

In Argentina's case, Jiménez said military spending is being directed toward acquiring capabilities rather than improving working conditions for personnel.

"Therefore, we are not facing a wave of modernization of the armed forces," he said.

Jiménez said he does not expect the changes to alter South America's strategic balance, which historically has favored Brazil and, to some extent, Chile.

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Bolivia identifies first new cat species in more than a century

By Mar Puig

Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Scientists have formally identified a new wild cat species native to Bolivia, marking the first description of a completely new living feline species in more than a century, according to a genomic study.

The study, published Thursday in the journal Current Biology, established that the small, spotted cat inhabiting the cloud forests of Bolivia's Yungas region belongs to a previously unidentified evolutionary lineage.

Researchers named the species Leopardus tilcayo, preserving the name traditionally used by local communities.

The finding does not involve reclassifying a previously known subspecies. Instead, the researchers identified a cat that had never received its own scientific designation, making it the first completely new living feline species described in more than 100 years.

The tilcayo measures about 18 inches from head to body and weighs roughly 3 pounds, making it smaller than an average domestic cat. It has light brown fur, a small face, rounded ears and large, irregular rosette-shaped markings, according to Bolivian newspaper Los Tiempos.

Researchers compared complete genomes from 38 members of the Leopardus genus, including living animals, rescued or road-killed specimens and historical material preserved in museums. The analysis established that the tilcayo diverged from related tiger cats about 1.4 million years ago.

The study also concluded that South America has five distinct tiger cat species and identified a new subspecies in Peru, Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo.

The individual that ultimately led scientists to the new species was found about a decade ago. A local resident discovered the animal as a kitten along a road near a forest and took it home after mistaking it for a domestic cat. About a year later, he transferred it to the Senda Verde wildlife sanctuary.

In 2016, the sanctuary contacted Bolivian biologist Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz about the unusual animal. She initially believed it belonged to Leopardus tigrinus, commonly known as the northern tiger cat.

"I took 100 pictures of it," Nogales-Ascarrunz told National Geographic. "I was so fascinated."

In 2019, while preparing a guide to Bolivia's wild cats, Nogales-Ascarrunz noticed that the animal's markings and other physical characteristics differed from reference photographs of tiger cats found in Brazil, according to Bolivia's El Deber.

Scientists still do not know the size of the tilcayo population or many details about its diet, reproduction and behavior. Researchers are installing camera traps in the Yungas, where deforestation, agricultural expansion and mining threaten its habitat.

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Latin America Rising > Argentina-U.S. South Atlantic pact; Bolivia fears coup

 

Argentina-U.S. South Atlantic pact sparks sovereignty debate

By Mar Puig    

In late April, Argentine President Javier Milei visited the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during joint naval exercises between Argentine and U.S. forces in the South Atlantic Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy

May 20 (UPI) -- Argentina and the United States this week launched a new maritime cooperation alliance in the South Atlantic to combat drug trafficking and other maritime threats, but political, union and nationalist sectors warned about a possible loss of sovereignty.

The U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires announced the pact under the "Protecting Global Commons Program," an initiative aimed at strengthening maritime surveillance and security in Argentine waters over the next five years.

The cooperation will begin with the delivery of a specialized camera for maritime aerial patrol operations and will expand through "advanced equipment, elite training and support to intercept and neutralize maritime threats," the U.S. Embassy said.

Argentine Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Juan Carlos Romay and Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, who represents the Southern Command Naval Forces, signed the letter of intent.

U.S. officials described the agreement as part of a broader effort to strengthen regional security in the South Atlantic, a strategic zone for international trade and access to Antarctica.

Argentine President Javier Milei and U.S. President Donald Trump strengthened their cooperation in defense and security in recent months amid growing political alignment between both governments.

In late April, Milei visited the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during joint naval exercises between Argentine and U.S. forces in the South Atlantic as part of the Passex operation.

At the time, U.S. Ambassador Peter Lamelas said the exercises demonstrated "concrete capabilities that strengthen South Atlantic maritime security like never before."

"With Argentina, we are building a stronger and safer Western Hemisphere," Lamelas said.

For Washington, the South Atlantic has gained increasing strategic relevance due to concerns linked to illegal fishing, particularly by foreign deep-water fleets, drug trafficking and the presence of actors such as China and Russia.

Argentina has one of the world's largest exclusive economic zones, with strategic maritime corridors near the Drake Passage and the Strait of Magellan -- key routes connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and providing access to Antarctica.

However, opposition sectors in Argentina argue that the agreement represents an increase in U.S. military influence in a region.

The criticism focused particularly on the use of the concept "global commons," a term some sectors consider inappropriate for referring to waters under Argentine jurisdiction.

Union organizations and nationalist leaders said the concept is usually used in reference to international waters or territories such as Antarctica, and not sovereign exclusive economic zones.

"Sovereignty and a large part of the nation's interests are at stake," Hugo "Cachorro" Godoy, secretary-general of the CTA Autónoma labor union, said during a parliamentary meeting on maritime sovereignty and port infrastructure, according to reports by Argentine newspaper La Nacion.

Godoy also argued there is a "geopolitical intention of domination over the territory and fragmentation of the homeland itself."

Evan Ellis told UPI the program appears focused on improving maritime surveillance capabilities and regional coordination rather than transferring sovereign control.

"This is fundamentally about improving maritime domain awareness in the South Atlantic and helping Argentina address challenges such as illegal fishing and transnational trafficking," Ellis said.

"The South Atlantic ... has enormous strategic importance, but I do not see this agreement as an erosion of Argentine sovereignty or as an initiative directed against another country," he said.

Ellis said hat cooperation through maritime patrol aircraft, intelligence sharing and joint training is common among allied countries that seek to monitor vast maritime areas with limited resources.

The debate also revived historical sensitivities surrounding the Falkland Islands, where the United Kingdom maintains a military base about 300 miles from the Argentine coast.

Nationalist sectors questioned why the agreement with Washington makes no reference to the territorial dispute with London or the British military presence in the South Atlantic.

Milei's government, however, frames the rapprochement with the United States as part of a strategic realignment toward the West and a deepening of bilateral cooperation in defense, security and trade.

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Bolivia expresses fears for coup attempt amid unrest; U.S. concerned

By Banyeliz Muñoz and Macarena Hermosilla    

Members of unions that represent merchants, transport workers, local producers and neighborhood associations march Tuesday in Cochabamba, in central Bolivia, "in defense of democracy" and to demand an end to the roadblocks set up by farmers from the Altiplano who are calling for the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz. Photo by Jorge Abrego/EPA

May 20 (UPI) -- Bolivia is facing one of its most severe political and social crises in recent years as President Rodrigo Paz's government and U.S. officials warned of what they described as "a coup attempt underway" amid violent protests, prolonged road blockades and widespread shortages.

Authorities accuse allies of former President Evo Morales, along with armed groups and organized crime networks, of attempting to destabilize the democratically elected government.

In an interview Wednesday with Radio Mitre in Buenos Aires, Bolivia's foreign minister warned that the country faces an attempted coup by those seeking to remove Paz's government. Paz took office less than a year ago following a disputed transition process.

Foreign Minister Aramayo alleged the existence of armed factions and accused Morales of resisting judicial proceedings and encouraging political destabilization.

The demonstrations, concentrated mainly in La Paz, have led to clashes, attacks on public buildings, looting and highway blockades that disrupted supplies of fuel, food and medical oxygen.

"What is taking shape in Bolivia is clearly a coup attempt. There is no other name for it. Someone wants to overthrow a democratically elected government by force," Aramayo said.

On Tuesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reiterated White House support for the Bolivian government and argued the crisis extends beyond an internal political dispute.

"This is a coup attempt that is underway," Landau said, adding that political actors and criminal networks have formed an alliance to weaken Bolivia's democratic institutions.

Landau criticized violent mobilizations against an elected government and said the crisis reflects a broader regional problem involving weak institutions and the expansion of organized crime.

In an interview with UPI, former Hydrocarbons Minister Álvaro Ríos Roca linked the conflict to the political objectives of Morales, who remains in a coca-growing region outside the reach of authorities.

"That is why Morales has led these marches," Ríos Roca said, contending the former president seeks to preserve political influence and avoid judicial proceedings.

Ríos Roca also said organizations historically tied to the ruling Movement Toward Socialism party, known as MAS, had been mobilized with expectations of regaining lost state benefits.

"They used to receive money, vehicles and housing. Those privileges were cut off," he said.

He added that fear and uncertainty surrounding Morales' political and legal future continue to fuel tensions, particularly over potential actions involving foreign intelligence agencies, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Bolivian political analyst Franklin Pareja agreed that the protests are backed by organized structures with illicit interests. He described the unrest not as a genuine social conflict, but as a "seditious, anti-democratic and terrorist process" driven by criminal organizations that see their activities under threat.

"All they want is to break the constitutional order," Pareja said on RTP Bolivia.

Public frustration has also been fueled by economic problems and government management failures.

Former Argentine undersecretary for International Strategic Affairs Martín Schapiro distanced himself from the idea of a coup, although he acknowledged strong organization behind the protests.

"I do not like the idea of calling it a possible coup," Schapiro told UPI. "There are many social movements mobilized demanding the president's resignation, the most emblematic being the COB," referring to Bolivia's main labor federation, the Central Obrera Boliviana.

"So there is clearly organization and an explicit objective," he added.

Schapiro said Bolivia's situation is also tied to social conflicts accumulated during years of governance by the MAS movement.

"This is connected to a structural problem linked to the hydrocarbon-based economic model, with declining resources that Rodrigo Paz is managing through aggressive austerity measures. That has triggered a reaction from social movements," he said.

He added that Bolivia has long experienced intense political and social confrontation, particularly involving sectors opposed to conservative political forces and disconnected from grassroots movements.

Ríos Roca noted the government partially reduced fuel subsidies and recently distributed substandard gasoline, known locally as "junk gasoline," which he said damaged between 30,000 and 100,000 vehicles.

Although he said the technical problem has been resolved, the former minister argued the issue continues to be used as a political weapon.

In La Paz, the blockades have created a critical situation.

"Even the protesters cannot eat," Ríos Roca said, adding that the government is relying on exhaustion to force demonstrators off the streets.

Eduardo Olivo, president of Bolivia's Chamber of Commerce, warned that more than 4 million people in La Paz and El Alto have suffered shortages and economic paralysis during three weeks of unrest.

Olivo said the protests no longer reflect legitimate social demands, but rather "a deliberate intention to destabilize the country."

He said fuel supplies have been normalized and compensation is being provided for damage caused by contaminated gasoline. He attributed the continuation of protests to political interests and the end of what he called the "fuel smuggling business."

Not all analysts agree with the coup narrative.

"The president became too elitist," political scientist Marcelo Silva said, arguing that Paz distanced himself from the working-class sectors that helped bring him to power and that many supporters now feel betrayed.

Still, Silva rejected the idea that Paz's resignation would solve the crisis.

"There is no political leadership in the country, there is no alternative project. That remedy would be worse than the disease," he said.

Experts agree the conflict could continue for weeks. While Pareja warned that even a change in government would not resolve Bolivia's economic crisis or fuel shortages, Ríos Roca said the ultimate goal of the protests is to force Paz's resignation so the vice president can take office -- a scenario he contended also would fail to solve the country's structural problems.

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