Sealed with a kiss: Chile celebrates first same-sex weddings

Yahoo – AFP, March 10, 2022 

Jaime Nazar (L) and Javier Silva became the firs same-sex couple to legally
tie the knot in Chile (AFP/CLAUDIO REYES)

Two same-sex couples became the first Thursday to legally tie the knot in Chile, which joined a handful of countries in majority Catholic Latin America to allow LGBTQ couples to marry. 

Under a law approved by Congress in December and signed by outgoing President Sebastian Pinera, they can also now adopt children. 

"We never imagined we would experience this moment in Chile," Jaime Nazar, 39, declared proudly after marrying his partner of seven years Javier Silva, 38, in a Santiago suburb. 

The pair's two young children were there for the historic event. 

"Now, yes, we can say we are a family," said Silva. 

"Our children have the same conditions (as those of straight couples) and will have a better future without discrimination for having two dads who love each other," he added. 

Silva carried the couple's 18-month-old son in his arms, while Nazar bore their daughter of four months. 

The children are the product of surrogate pregnancies abroad that used the sperm of one of the couple. Until now, they had only one legally recognized father -- the biological donor. 

'Super proud' 

From 2015 until Thursday, same-sex couples wishing to formalize their relationship had only the option of civil union agreements, which confer most of the same rights that marriage does, but without the possibility of legal adoption. 

Jaime Nazar (L) and Javier Silva became the firs same-sex couple to legally tie
the knot in Chile (AFP/CLAUDIO REYES)

"This is a very important step for the country. We feel super proud, privileged to be here," said Nazar, who is a dentist. 

Consuelo Morales and Pabla Heuser, both 38, said they decided to get married mainly for their two-year-old daughter Josefa. 

"Today Josefa ceases to be an illegitimate daughter," said Morales. Heuser, who carried the child in her womb, had been the girl's sole legal parent until now. 

In total, three same-sex weddings took place in Chile Thursday -- the day the law took effect. 

It came on the eve of the swearing-in of leftist Gabriel Boric as Chile's youngest-ever president. 

Chile had been awaiting the passage of the marriage bill since then-president Michelle Bachelet sent it to Congress in 2017. 

In a surprise move, her conservative successor Pinera announced last year he would seek the urgent passage of the bill -- supported by a majority of Chileans -- through Congress. 

Pinera signed it into law just two days after lawmakers gave the green light ahead of presidential elections in which Boric and his far-right rival Jose Antonio Kast polled neck-and neck. 

Kast vehemently opposed broadening access to marriage rights, unlike Boric who supported the move. 

Chile is now one of 30 countries in the world that allow same-sex marriage, and seven in Latin America along with Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and some states in Mexico.

Chile congress approves same-sex marriage bill

France24–AFP, 7 December 2021

A demonstrator raises a clenched fist during a protest for abortion rights in
Santiago de Chile in September 2021 Pablo VERA AFP/File 

Valparaíso (Chile) (AFP) – Chile's congress on Tuesday approved a long-awaited bill to legalize same-sex marriage, joining just a handful of countries in majority Catholic Latin America with similar laws. 

The measure has the support of President Sebastian Pinera, who must sign it into law, and will also enable married same-sex couples to adopt children. 

The bill got the green light from the upper house of congress, or senate, Tuesday, and was immediately given the final stamp of approval by the lower Chamber of Deputies with 82 votes to 20. 

There were two abstentions. 

In Latin America, same-sex couples could until now get married only in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina and in 14 of Mexico's 32 states. 

The country legalized same-sex civil unions in 2015, and has been eagerly awaiting the legalization of gay marriage since then-president Michelle Bachelet sent a bill to Congress in 2017. 

In a surprise move, her conservative successor, Pinera, announced in June he would seek the urgent passage of the bill -- which has the backing of a majority of Chileans -- through Congress. 

The project has been consistently opposed by the most conservative bloc of Chile's ruling right wing, but has nevertheless obtained a majority "yes" vote at every step of the process in an opposition-dominated congress. 

The issue deeply divides the two candidates headed for a presidential run-off on December 19. 

Gabriel Boric, 35, who represents a leftist alliance that includes the Communist Party, supported the bill and voted "yes" in his capacity as lawmaker. 

But 55-year-old, far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast, who won 28 percent of first-round votes compared to Boric's 26 percent, campaigned against it.

Chileans begin work on roadmap to new constitution

France24 – AFP, 28 October 2020 

Demonstrators supporting the reform of the Chilean constitution celebrate while
waiting for the referendum official results at Plaza Italia square in Santiago
on October 25, 2020 Pedro Ugarte AFP

Santiago (AFP) - Chile pressed ahead with the task of creating a roadmap to a new constitution Tuesday as Congress debated rules for choosing the body tasked with drafting the new charter. 

Citizens of the South American country voted by a landslide in a referendum Sunday to throw out their dictatorship-era constitution, blamed for the jarring economic and social inequalities that led to months of violent protests. 

Much of the path ahead is already clear, with the election of a constitutional convention, which will draft the new charter, slated for April 11. 

However, independent candidates face an uphill battle in the race for seats on the convention, as they aim to limit the influence of the traditional parties. 

Congress on Tuesday discussed removing one of the roadblocks to political independents playing a full part in the process. 

Under current rules they need a minimum of signatures equal to 0.4 percent of voters in their electoral district, a tough task amid Chile's coronavirus epidemic. 

Prospective independent candidates say the threshold is too high and want it halved. 

Overwhelming rejection 

Citizens overwhelmingly rejected an option in the referendum for lawmakers to take part in the drafting of the new constitution, handing that role instead to a new body whose members will be elected from scratch. 

Several Chilean artists and celebrities have signaled their intention to run for the convention. 

Sitting members of Congress are banned from participating, but independents fear the traditional parties -- seen as administrators of the dictatorship-era constitution for decades -- are preparing to stack the new body with their members anyhow. 

Some of President Sebastian Pinera's advisors have expressed an interest in running. The president's daughter Magdalena Pinera is reportedly aiming to represent his conservative National Renewal party, part of his ruling Vamos coalition. 

Also signaling her intention to run is Francisca Desbordes, daughter of Chile's defense minister Mario Desbordes. 

There is lively debate on the number of seats that should be set aside in the new body for the Mapuche people, Chile's largest ethnic group. 

"The task of the parliament is to ensure reserved seats for the indigenous people, so that this new constitution contains all the views and cultures there are in Chile," said Mapuche lawmaker Emilia Nuyado. 

The constitutional convention will be composed of 155 members, who will be elected in a vote on April 11 that coincides with Chile's local elections. 

Anybody can put themselves forward, but those involved in organizations and unions must renounce their positions if they are to participate. 

Similarly, civil servants will also have to resign to participate and all 155 members will have to renounce running for public office for one year after its work is completed. 

Members of the new body will receive a monthly salary equivalent to $3,200, around a third the amount earned by members of Congress. 

'Two-thirds' confusion 

The new constitution must be approved by two-thirds of its members. 

However, "it's not clear whether each provision must be approved by two-thirds or if it is only the constitution as a whole, a difference of interpretation that could have important consequences with respect to what's agreed upon," constitutional lawyer Sebastian Zarate told AFP. 

It remains possible the convention will alter this provision once it sits, said Zarate. 

"However it's interpreted, the last word will go to the constituent body," said Zarate. 

Once established, the convention will have nine months to draft and adopt the new constitution. If required, that timeframe can be extended once, for three months. 

The text will be put to the electorate in a new referendum in 2022. 

Failure to approve it will mean dictator Augusto Pinochet's 1980 constitution will remain in force.

Venezuela contact group recognises Guaido as speaker

Yahoo – AFP, January 9, 2020

Juan Guaido, pictured on January 5, was re-elected speaker of the National Assembly
while rival lawmaker Luis Parra also claimed the title after a separate vote (AFP Photo/
Yuri CORTEZ)

Brussels (AFP) - A dozen countries working on ways to end Venezuela's crisis on Thursday gave their backing to opposition leader Juan Guaido as parliamentary speaker, rejecting the claims of a rival.

The International Contact Group on Venezuela said it was deeply concerned by events in the Venezuelan National Assembly this week in which the security forces of President Nicolas Maduro tried interfered in the vote to choose a speaker.

Guaido, whose claim to be acting president is recognised as legitimate by more than 50 countries, was re-elected speaker of the assembly on Sunday while rival lawmaker Luis Parra also claimed the title after a separate vote.

Twelve European and Latin American countries from the contact group issued a statement saying the vote for Parra "cannot be considered legitimate nor democratic".

"We support Juan Guaido as President of the National Assembly, and reaffirm our commitment to actively support genuine efforts towards a peaceful and democratic resolution of the crisis in Venezuela," the statement said.

Guaido was re-elected by opposition lawmakers in a session held at a newspaper office after police blocked him from entering the National Assembly, while Parra proclaimed himself speaker after claiming to have been elected with 81 votes in the 167-member chamber.

"These events together with the continuous intimidation and reprisals against the members of the National Assembly, democratically elected by the Venezuelan people, further aggravate the crisis, creating more obstacles to the peaceful return to democracy and the rule of law," said the statement -- signed by all members of the group except Uruguay.

Guaido's re-election is important for his struggle against far-left leader Maduro, as the National Assembly is the only branch of government in opposition hands.

While Guaido enjoys international support including from Washington, Maduro appears entrenched with the crucial backing of the armed forces, despite presiding over the oil-rich country's collapse into economic ruin.

The EU has an arms embargo in force against Venezuela as well as individual sanctions on various members of the regime over human rights abuses.

The statement was signed by Bolivia, Britain, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Panama, Portugal, Spain and Sweden -- a diplomatic vehicle set up to help mediate a political solution to the Venezuelan crisis.

Chile president launches health care reform project

Yahoo – AFP, January 5, 2020

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera has announced a raft of measures aimed
at appeasing protesters and ending months of chaos (AFP Photo/HO)

Santiago (AFP) - Chile's President Sebastian Pinera launched on Sunday a reform project to create a "universal health plan" following months of protests against social inequality and his leadership.

"This plan is based on what the people have asked us for," said Pinera as he presented the project.

A poor public health system and sky-high private costs were among the main gripes of demonstrators.

Congress sat on Sunday to deal with a number of projects as part of Pinera's "social calendar" aimed at appeasing protesters.

The new health plan would benefit the 14.5 million people who rely on public services as well as the three million using private care.

Congress has tried to rush through social projects to help defuse the protest movement that began on October 18, initially as a reaction to a modest metro fare hike.

Twenty-nine people have died during the worst social unrest to hit Chile since the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship ended 30 years ago.

One of Pinera's main policy changes has been to enact a law allowing the South American country to hold a referendum on changing the Pinochet-era constitution.

His new health plan will include "a guaranteed maximum waiting time (and) a drop in the price of medicines," as well as other changes, Pinera said.

He said the government would subsidize "the 200 main" medicines used for chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, resulting in a 60 percent reduction in costs.

Related Article:

Chile president signs off on constitutional change referendum

New president promises to put Argentines before debt repayments

Yahoo – AFP, Nina NEGRON, December 10, 2019

Argentina's new president, Alberto Fernandez, waves next to Vice President
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, after receiving the presidential sash from outgoing
leader Mauricio Macri (AFP Photo/Alejandro PAGNI)

Buenos Aires (AFP) - Center-leftist Alberto Fernandez vowed to put his people first ahead of debt repayments after he was sworn in as Argentina's president on Tuesday to singing and applause from lawmakers and supporters.

After taking over from the market-friendly Mauricio Macri, Fernandez sent a message to the International Monetary Fund, saying "it's impossible to pay external debt without growth."

Fernandez, whose vice president is controversial former leader Cristina Kirchner, will govern until 2023, presiding over a country beset by recession, high inflation, rising unemployment and poverty.

While the South American country wants to pay back its debt, it doesn't have "the means to do so," he said, promising to deal with Argentina's social emergency.

Fernandez was swept to power in large part due to a public backlash over the terms of a $57 billion loan Macri negotiated with the IMF last year.

With Argentina's rising debt came deeply unpopular austerity measures.

Argentina has so far received $44 billion of the agreed IMF loan, taking its external debt to $315 billion, around 100 percent of gross domestic product.

"We want to have a good relationship with the IMF but without growth we won't be able to pay," said Fernandez, accusing Macri of leaving the country in "virtual default" following 18 months of economic turmoil triggered by a currency crisis.

Speaking in a televised address, the Peronist leader promised a "new, fraternal and caring social contract."

Fernandez also said Argentina needs to "overcome the rancor and hate" that has become a feature of its increasingly polarized political landscape.

He twice hugged Macri tightly during the ceremony.

Notable absentee

The new head of state will host a lunch for fellow Latin American presidents -- including Cuba's Miguel Diaz-Canel -- before addressing a crowd at the Plaza de Mayo in the evening.

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera was due to attend but canceled after a Chilean Air Force plane went missing with 38 people onboard. It would have been Pinera's first foreign trip since the outbreak of social unrest in Chile in early October.

Another notable absentee was Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist who has recoiled at Argentina's swing to the left.

Argentina's Alberto Fernandez receives the presidential sash from outgoing leader 

Mauricio Macri during his inauguration ceremony in Buenos Aires (AFP Photo/

Ronaldo SCHEMIDT)

Bolsonaro at first declined to send a cabinet minister to represent him, but in the end sent Vice President Hamilton Mourao to represent his government.

Ahead of Fernandez's election victory, Bolsonaro had said that his government would turn Argentina into the new Venezuela, with Brazil likely to face a flood of Argentine refugees.

Fernandez's was among the loudest voices to call for the release of leftist icon and Bolsonaro adversary Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from jail.

Backroom strategist

Moderate and pragmatic, Fernandez has never served in elected office but brings years of experience as a former top aide to late president Nestor Kirchner from 2003-2007, and briefly for his wife Cristina after she succeeded him.

After joining forces with Cristina Kirchner to unite a fragmented Peronist camp to win October's elections, his main challenge will be to deliver on his promises to improve the economy, according to analysts Eurasia Group.

"He was elected to improve economic conditions, and there is a large share of the electorate that will be actively opposed to Fernandez and the Peronists," said Eurasia.

"If he fails to deliver on the economy, they will become more active and popular support for him could drop quickly."

His pick for economy minister, Martin Guzman, 37, will have the task of negotiating with the IMF and other international creditors on restructuring Argentina's massive debt.

Guzman, an academic at Columbia University in the United States, has criticized the use of austerity policies to solve debt crises, signalling a sharp shift from Macri's belt-tightening.

"We are already working with the IMF. It's work that must be done quietly, so Argentines can rest assured that we have been dealing with the issue for weeks," Fernandez said over the weekend.

"We have opened a negotiation process, we are satisfied with how it's going."

Monetary controls

Economist Hector Rubini of the University of Salvador said the government is likely to maintain the strict exchange controls put in place by the Macri government in October, at least initially.

He said a new budget law will likely reallocate funds to fight poverty, which Fernandez called "a moral imperative."

Fernandez has also pledged to move to legalize abortion, a bitterly divisive issue in Roman Catholic Argentina, pledging last month to send a bill to Congress as soon as possible.

He inherits a dismal economy that is projected to shrink 3.1 percent this year, with inflation running at 55 percent, poverty near 40 percent, and unemployment at over 10 percent.

Despite the bleak outlook, Fernandez is likely to be able to count on a period of calm from the powerful unions, and will have Congress and debt timetables on his side.

Crisis-wracked Chile pulls out as APEC, climate meet host

Yahoo – AFP, 30 October 2019

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said said "common sense"
dictated that neither meeting could be held in Chile

Chile pulled out of hosting two major international summits Wednesday as it struggled to restore order amid clashes between protestors and security forces that have left at least 20 dead.

President Sebastian Pinera said "common sense" had dictated the decision to withdraw from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the Cop 25 climate change conference.

US President Donald Trump had said he was planning to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to lock down a "phase one" agreement at the November 16-17 APEC meeting that would partially have ended an 18-month trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

After more than 10 days of street protests, however, Pinera said the South American nation was not in a position to host that gathering or the December 2-13 climate convention.

"This has been a very difficult decision, a decision that has been deeply painful because we know exactly how important APEC and COP are for Chile and the world," said Pinera.

But he said "common sense" dictated that he had other priorities.

"When a father has problems, he must always prioritize his family over other options. The same goes for a president, he must always put his own compatriots first, ahead of any other considerations," he added.

Chile is grappling with its worst social crisis in decades that shows little sign of abating despite Pinera announcing a raft of measures aimed at placating protesters.

Demonstrators have demanded that the 69-year-old right-wing leader -- whose personal fortune is estimated by Forbes at $2.8 billion -- step down.

They have been angered by low salaries and pensions, poor public health care and education, and a yawning gap between rich and poor.

Pinera announced last week an increase in the minimum wage and pensions as well as measures to alleviate sky high health care costs and a streamlining of public offices.

On Monday he reshuffled his cabinet for the third time since coming to power in March 2018, but the street movement continues.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin had also been due to attend APEC, while teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was among 25,000 delegates expected for COP 25.

Argentine peso, stock exchange plummet after crushing Macri vote defeat

Yahoo – AFP, Sonia AVALOS, August 12, 2019

Argentina's peso has plunged after primary elections dealt a blow to pro-business
President Mauricio Macri's hopes for re-election (AFP Photo/RONALDO SCHEMIDT)

Buenos Aires (AFP) - Argentina's peso and the Buenos Aires stock exchange plunged on Monday after populist center-left candidate Alberto Fernandez crushed pro-business President Mauricio Macri in a party primary election over the weekend.

Nervousness reigned as the peso opened at 53 to the dollar, a drop of 14 percent from its closing figure of 46.55 on Friday, before plummeting further to 60.

And the Merval index crashed 30 percent, too, as markets reacted with jitters to Macri's rout.

Macri called a meeting with Central Bank president Guido Sandleris before the markets opened on Monday, while putting back his morning cabinet meeting to 3:30 pm (1830 GMT.)

The Central Bank bought $50 million in pesos to try to halt the slide, but to no avail.

On Sunday, center-right Macri was dealt a huge blow in his bid for re-election in October when he polled 15 points less than center-left Peronist candidate Fernandez.

"The president cannot have peace of mind. The markets are giving warning that the government has put itself in a position it cannot respond to," Fernandez told Radio 10 on Monday.

Argentina is currently in a recession and posted 22 percent inflation for the first half of the year -- one of the highest rates in the world.

Poverty now affects 32 percent of the population.

Alberto Fernandez, candidate of the Frente de Todos (Front for All) party, (L) was
 the top vote-getter in Argentina's presidential primaries, dealing a major blow to President
Mauricio Macri, who is running for re-election (AFP Photo/Juan MABROMATA,
Alejandro PAGNI)

'Profound dissatisfaction'

Backed by the International Monetary Fund, Macri has initiated an austerity plan that is deeply unpopular among ordinary Argentines, who have seen their spending power diminished dramatically.

The peso lost half its value against the dollar last year.

But the Buenos Aires stock exchange shot up eight percent on Friday amid expectation that Macri would do well in Sunday's vote.

Those hopes were quickly quashed as it lost 10 percent when operations opened on Monday, before plunging further during the first two hours of trading.

The worst hit shares lost 46 percent of their value.

Macri now faces a daunting task of trying to overturn a huge deficit in just two and a half months.

"The vote shows a profound dissatisfaction with the economic situation (and) the worry within society that the government is disconnected from reality and wasn't up to tackling the problems," political analyst Carlos Fara told AFP.

Macri managed only 32 percent in the party primaries that effectively acted as a nationwide pre-election opinion poll as all of the South American country's major parties had already chosen their presidential candidates.

Main economic indicators for Argentina. (AFP Photo/Nicolas RAMALLO)

"We've had a bad election and that forces us to redouble our efforts from tomorrow," said Macri, whose popularity has plunged since last year's currency crisis and the much-criticized $56 billion IMF bail-out loan he secured.

"It hurts that we haven't had the support we'd hoped for," admitted Macri.

Political analyst Sergio Berensztein described it as the government's "worst political crisis."

Fernandez scored 47 percent and if he repeats that result in the October 27 general election first round, he would win outright without need for a November 24 run-off.

Argentina's electoral law requires a candidate to gain 45 percent for outright victory, or 40 percent and a lead of at least 10 points over the nearest challenger.

"We're going to begin a new stage. We always fix the problems that others create," said Fernandez to thousands of cheering supporters in Buenos Aires on Sunday night.

Analyst Rosendo Fraga said Macri and Fernandez need to come to a bipartisan "governability agreement," otherwise "it's going to be very difficult to build confidence" in the markets between now and October's vote.

Thousands attend Venezuela aid concert on barricaded border

Yahoo – AFP, Rodrigo Almonacid with Maria Isabel Sanchez in Caracas, 22 February 2019

Thousands wait for the start of the Venezuela Aid Live concert in Cucuta, Colombia

Thousands of people, many waving Venezuelan flags, flocked to the Venezuela-Colombia border Friday for a charity concert to push for humanitarian aid deliveries in defiance of a blockade by the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Humanitarian aid has become a key focus of the power struggle between Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized as interim leader by more than 50 countries.

The tense aid standoff turned deadly even before the concert began, when two people were killed and 15 wounded when they tried to prevent Venezuelan troops from blocking an aid entry point on the Brazilian border.

"An indigenous woman and her husband were killed and at least 15 other members of the Pemon indigenous community were injured," said a local human rights group, Kape Kape.

The clash occurred in southeastern Bolivar state close to the border with Brazil, which Maduro ordered closed on Thursday.

Guaido, who on Thursday set out from Caracas in a convoy of trucks to personally bring in aid from the border, called on the military to arrest those responsible for the killings, "or you will be responsible."

Venezuelan singer Jose Luis Rodriguez "El Puma," performs at the "Venezuela 

Aid Live" concert in Cucuta, Colombia, on February 22, 2019

Fleeing shortage

Some 2.7 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015 amid a devastating political and economic crisis, according to UN figures released Friday. It said people were fleeing the crisis -- marked by acute food and medicine shortages -- at a rate of 5,000 a day in 2018.

Maduro, who retains the support of allies China and Russia and crucially, the powerful military, has blocked the entry of aid and accused the United States of plotting a military intervention.

US special representative Elliott Abrams kept up the foreign pressure on Maduro on Friday, joining a Cucuta-bound plane carrying medical supplies and enough food to feed 2,000 people for a month.

"The humanitarian and the social-economic situation in Venezuela is very bad, there's a terrible need for food, for supplies, and the international community is responding," Abrams said.

Moscow has blasted Washington for using aid as a "convenient pretext for conducting military action."

Workers load food and medical aid for Venezuela from a US Boeing 767 aircraft 

at the Hato International Airport in Willemstad, Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles 

on February 21, 2019

Chants of 'freedom'

Hundreds chanted "freedom" and "the government is going to fall" while they waited for the concert to begin under a hot sun on the edge of the Colombian city of Cucuta, the barricaded border crossing visible nearby.

"We must break the impasse, end the humanitarian crisis," British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who organized the concert, told the crowd shortly before veteran Venezuelan crooner Jose Luis Rodriguez began his set.

Branson said he hopes to raise $100 million for humanitarian aid over the next 60 days via internet donations, though meanwhile aid is being stockpiled in Colombia, Brazil and the Caribbean island of Curacao because of Maduro's ban.

Venezuelan singer Carlos Baute, one of 30 stars gathered by Branson to perform during the six-hour concert, said he was there "to open a humanitarian channel" for the delivery of aid. "Tomorrow we will be free," he said.

The line-up includes Latin American giants Carlos Vives and Juanes of Colombia, Juan Luis Guerra of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico's Luis Fonsi.

Satellite photo locating rival concerts on Venezuelan border, with map of 

Venezuela-Colombia border crossings

Colombian President Ivan Duque, Chile's Sebastian Pinera and Mario Abdo of Paraguay will participate at the closing ceremony on Friday evening.

"The concert is an immense help because this type of initiative was necessary to open our eyes and pressure the Venezuelan government," said Wendy Villamizar, a 32-year-old Venezuelan woman wearing a cap with her country's yellow, blue and red tricolor.

In contrast to the milling crowds at Cucuta, hundreds of yards (meters) away on the Venezuelan side of the border in Urena, the site of a rival concert announced by Maduro was quiet.

A stage has been built, but there were few people around the site, heavily guarded by military. Maduro earlier this week announced a three-day "Hands Off Venezuela" concert to last until Sunday but few details of the line-up or schedule have been released.

On Thursday he warned those taking part in the Cucuta event: "All the artists that are going to sing in Colombia should know that they are committing a crime, they are endorsing a military intervention."

Mexico leader's humble air travel a security headache

Yahoo – AFP, Jennifer GONZALEZ COVARRUBIAS, February 19, 2019

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador always travels by commercial
flights, even sitting in economy class (AFP Photo/Alfredo ESTRELLA)

Mexico City (AFP) - Accompanied only by five unarmed aides and a small collection of amulets, Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador makes police and flight attendants alike tremble when he embarks on air travel, always in economy class.

Lopez Obrador, known by his initials AMLO, stops for photos with everyone, allowing them to kiss, hug or even grab him by the waist.

"Of course, whatever photos you like," said the smiling president to a woman trying to snatch a photo with her smart phone as he walked to the plane ahead of a trip to Sinaloa, the dangerous drug-trafficking state made famous by narcotics kingpin Joaquim "El Chapo" Guzman.

AMLO's acquiescence sparked a near stampede as others swirled around the president looking for their own memento.

All the while, there was no security to push back the throngs.

Mexico's leftist leader has done away with the thousands of military escorts looking after the president and sent them to work "for the benefit of the people."

The presidential jet, a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 bought for $218 million is now on sale in California. AMLO traveled to Sinaloa on a cramped Embraer Jet.

Even aboard a plane, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes the 

time to pose for photos with other passengers, much to the chagrin of flight 

attendants (AFP Photo/Alfredo ESTRELLA)

"How can I board this plane when there's so much poverty in Mexico," AMLO had said about the Boeing Dreamliner.

Now he travels with a small retinue of aides headed by Daniel Asaf, a restauranter of Lebanese origin and former candidate for Mexico City's legislature.

'The worst'

In fact, none of AMLO's aides are security specialists, instead they are defined by their "loyalty."

Three women and two men spent most of the trip to Sinaloa shoving back reporters and asking travelers to move away after taking a selfie.

The security services may be in a fluster but AMLO is the most popular president in the country's history with an 80 percent approval rating, according to the last Mitofsky poll.

Part of that popularity came from his campaign promises to reduce his own salary and those of the government's top officials.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gained popularity during his election campaign

 by promising to reduce his salary and those of top government officials (AFP Photo/

Alfredo ESTRELLA)

However, Mexico City's airport police are less impressed with AMLO's humble availability.

"When he has to cross the entire airport, it's the worst," said an airport police officer who wished to remain anonymous.

"People pounce on him. If one day someone wants to do something to him we won't be able to stop them because he doesn't like being guarded.

"He can't continue like this, he has to use the VIP room."

On this journey, AMLO was heading to one of a part of Mexico infested with drug traffickers and violent gangs. But he has no fear of being attacked, believing himself protected by an assortment of talismans.

"I have a lot of protection, this is a shield," he told AFP, holding up an image of the "Sacred Heart" of Jesus.

Among his other protective amulets, AMLO carries a four leaf clover and a dollar given to him by a Mexican migrant.

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he doesn't need the protection of 

the security services as he has a collection of talismans (AFP Photo/Alfredo ESTRELLA)

'It's awful'

For some passengers, having the president on their flight gives them a feeling of security.

Carmen Diaz, a 52-year-old housewife traveling to Sinaloa for a party, said she would have "never expected" to find herself on a flight with the president.

Although she worried it would be unsafe due to the number of people aboard, "it's the opposite because they're watching the flight closer."

But for air stewardess Alejandra Martinez, the flight is a headache.

"It's awful that he's come on my flight. People are ignoring the (safety) instructions, they're leaving their seats even during turbulence and the press don't understand that their cameras could become projectiles if something unexpected happens," she said.

"I hope he never travels with my family."

Upon landing at the Culiacan airport in Sinaloa, AMLO was met by throngs of supporters and angry widows of police officers killed in the fight against drug traffickers.

After all the commotion of his humble journey, AMLO had no time for the waiting masses, and was whisked away by the local governor's security detail.