RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The department of Santa Cruz, the largest and most populated region of Bolivia, declared this Thursday a “red alert” in the face of forest fires that threaten some thirty municipalities and have been considered at “extreme risk”.
“A red alert is declared due to the occurrence of forest fires in the department,” said the head of the Santa Cruz Forest Fire Unit, Yovenka Rosado, during a report on the situation in that eastern region.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Bolivia
The criteria for this declaration were based on an assessment of the “progressive increase” of fires and the weather conditions such as winds and dryness that favor them, she said.
The Chiquitano dry forest is one of the most sensitive regions of the country where these events occur annually with sensitive effects on biodiversity in the region (Photo internet reproduction)
Rosado mentioned that this disposition allows that, according to the country’s norms in this matter, some thirty municipalities at risk “can see the pertinence of declaring an emergency or disaster”.
The official detailed that the most affected areas “are in the Chiquitana zone” or Chiquitania, a transition region between the Chaco and the Amazon, a site wherein in 2019 and 2020, there were also fires that devastated millions of hectares of forests and pastures.
A recent report reflects that around 200,000 hectares have been affected and that 60 burning hotspots remain active out of a total of 16,790 that have been detected throughout the year in Santa Cruz alone, she specified.
The areas with “active fires” are San Matías, on the border with Brazil, and Roboré, both of which have been controlled, as well as San Ignacio de Velasco, said Rosado.
This same information has been corroborated by the Vice-Ministry of Civil Defense in a communiqué. It said that forest and military firefighters are working on “three fronts” in areas of up to 30 kilometers.
The Chiquitano dry forest is one of the country’s most sensitive regions, where these events occur annually with sensitive effects on biodiversity in the region.
Some NGOs reported that in 2019 fires consumed 6.5 million hectares in Bolivia, while in 2020, this figure was reduced by 62 %. However, last year, the interim government declared a “natural disaster” to provide means of support.
Last June, the Ministry of Defense presented a forest fire prevention and control plan based on prevention, control, and sanction criteria for illegal burning practices.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Chilean health authorities ruled out Thursday that the borders with Argentina will be opened in September and denied that there is a tentative date to allow entry to non-residents.
“We have not studied any such announcement. This decision by Argentina is unilateral. We have not yet had official conversations with this country,” affirmed the Minister of Health, Enrique Paris.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Chile
The clarification came three days after Argentina’s migratory authorities informed us that they are evaluating the implementation of a pilot plan to enable land border crossings with Chile and Uruguay as of September 6.
Chile has one of the most successful immunization campaigns in the world, reaching more than 82 % of the target population with two doses and almost 89 % with one injection, mostly from Coronavac, but also Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and CanSino (Photo internet reproduction)
“In the case that a person in Argentina wants to enter Chile has to comply with all the requirements,” he added.
Chile closed its borders to tourists in April, when it was going through a second wave of the pandemic that put the health system on the ropes and forced it to shield the entry to the country to all types of people except in emergency cases.
Since July 26, nationals and foreign residents who have a vaccination card, i.e., who have completed their vaccination schedule 14 days ago or more, are allowed to enter the country, but the entry of tourists is still forbidden.
“We must prevent the entry of strains that are more aggressive and cause changes in the management of our pandemic,” added Paris.
Chile has been going through its best epidemiological moment for a few weeks now: the pandemic has receded to levels not seen since April 2020, and the positivity rate (number of positive results per 100 tests performed) has been below 2% for more than ten days.
However, experts are cautiously awaiting the arrival of the delta variant, the most contagious according to the World Health Organization, of which around 80 cases have already been confirmed.
In the last 24 hours, 1,128 new cases and 86 deaths have been added, bringing the number of infected people to 1.62 million and more than 36,243 deaths.
The improvement occurs in parallel to one of the most successful immunization campaigns globally, reaching more than 82% of the target population with two doses and almost 89% with one injection, mostly from Coronavac, but also Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and CanSino.
Last Wednesday, the country started inoculating third doses in those over 55 years of age who have already completed their vaccination with Coronavac. More than 65,000 people received an additional dose.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Lake Poopó, Bolivia’s second-largest lake, has dried up due to climate change and now resembles a desert; experts warn that it will never have water again.
Poopó, located in the western department of Oruro, was a source of life for locals who fished in its rich saltwater and farmed along its shores.
According to scientists, Lake Poopó, which straddles the Bolivian altiplano, has fallen victim to decades of water detour for regional irrigation needs, and to climate change that makes recovery of the lake increasingly unlikely.
Drought at Lake Poopó has forced communities that once settled on its shores to abandon the area.
Valerio Rojas, who once made his living fishing in Lake Poopó, told an international agency that village elders in Bolivia say the lake is replenished every 50 years. Still, when they look at the parched, white-lined salt desert that remains, they have their doubts.
The drought of climate change is also driving away communities that once lived on Lake Poopó because there is no water “and no more life,” said Benedicta Uguera, an indigenous woman who once raised cattle on an island in the lake.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In one of the historical moments in which technology and science are more protagonists than ever, Uruguay wants to bet on the knowledge economy with a view to a long-term development that avoids the brain drain.
This was stated this Thursday during the talk “Innovation and Knowledge Economy”, organized by the National Academy of Economics of Uruguay.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Uruguay
The former president of the Central Bank of Uruguay Ricardo Pascale, the former director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the World Intellectual Property Organization Carlos Mazal, the director of the Pasteur Institute of Montevideo, Carlos Batthyany, and the Minister of Education and Culture, Pablo da Silveira, participated in the event.
Uruguay wants to promote a knowledge economy and avoid brain drain. (Photo internet reproduction)
In this sense, Pascale emphasized that Uruguay lives “a tyranny of the short term” in which there is no time to project into the future, and this causes its planning to end up being shaped by other developed countries.
In Pascale’s opinion, Uruguay has two options: to continue to take care of macroeconomic balances or “not to give up” and take up the challenge of entering the knowledge economy.
For his part, Batthyany emphasized the need for the country to invest more in science and technology and showed examples of how the most developed countries have been those that have taken this as a state policy.
“We have to understand that the countries of the future are those that manage to transform knowledge into tangible products that can solve the real problems of society with a high added value,” he said.
The executive director of the Pasteur detailed the “Lab+ Venture Builder” initiative, which combines the capabilities of scientists with private investment to create and develop science-technology based companies based on life sciences that aim “at the global market”.
“The idea is to scale research projects that are exceptional because if anything was clear in the pandemic is that young Uruguayans were ready to go out and compete,” he said.
The idea is to open the first international call of this initiative in December, which expects an investment of 35 million dollars. A return of 6 to 10 times more is estimated.
Finally, Minister Da Silveira considered that “as never before” innovation and knowledge are essential factors, and these aspects are contemplated in the Government’s agenda.
However, he understands that resources are necessary but cannot be the only thing, since that would lead to “waste” and announced that one of his objectives is to have a symbolic gesture. The portfolio will be renamed the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science.
Although he was not one of the speakers, the former Uruguayan Foreign Minister and former Ibero-American Secretary General Enrique Iglesias were present at the virtual chat, and he took the floor and reflected on the history of the country which, in his opinion, has had “innovative impulses”, but has lacked processes.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Paraguay was one of the few countries to record a 9% increase in foreign investment in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, reported Minister of Industry and Trade, Luis Castiglioni.
In Paraguay, Castiglioni said, the growth was 9%, with US$568 million destined for projects in that country.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Paraguay
The minister said the figures came from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Foreign investment in Paraguay grew by 9% in 2020. (Photo internet reproduction)
“[The growth] is the result of a dynamic economy that has been following responsible macroeconomic policies for almost 18 years,” he said, pointing out that it was no coincidence that his country was among the few countries that did not lose investments during the pandemic.
In this regard, he pointed to the “major tax reforms” implemented since 2003 and the “very innovative laws” that encourage investment and create a favorable business climate and internationally recognized stability.
LIVESTREAM: Curumin (online) – This Friday, Sesc Ao Vivo will present the musician Curumin.
The multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, and producer will go live with the show “Baja Live”, celebrating his 19 years of career on stage.
Curumin – live on Sesc São Paulo’s Youtube channel.
Check the event for further details.
LIVESTREAM: Homage to Fathers Day (online) – The Homage to Fathers Day Festival will present some of the notable names from the MPB scene tonight.
Nando Reis, Gabriel O Pensador, Luciana Mello (photo), Simoninha, and Max Viana are among the artists performing at the festival, which starts at 8 PM.
Homage to Fathers Day Festival – live on Teatro Bradesco’s Youtube channel.
Check the event for further details.
To have an event included in the Nightlife Guide, please e-mail:events[at]riotimesonline[dot]com.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Total exports from Paraguay reached US$8.2 billion by July 2021, up 28.4% from US$6.4 billion in July last year, the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) reported.
In July 2021, total imports amounted to US$6.77 billion, up 21.3% from the same period last year.
Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP). (Photo internet reproduction)
Registered imports accounted for 95.4% of total imports, reaching a value of US$6.46 billion, up 22.4% from July 2020, while other imports accounted for 4.6% and were worth US$310.7 million. In terms of volume, the increase was 18%.
Finally, the trade balance recorded a surplus of US$1.5 billion in July 2021, US$643.9 million higher than in July 2020.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil on Thursday reported 1,148 new deaths from Covid-19, bringing the total number of fatalities from the disease in the country to 566,896, the Health Ministry said.
There were also 39,982 new cases of coronavirus, with the total number of infections in the country advancing to 20,285,067, the folder added.
According to Statista, the leading German company specializing in market and consumer data, Brazil ranks fourth in Latin America for deaths per million in the last seven days. It is better positioned than Cuba, Honduras, and Argentina. Worldwide, it ranks 18th.
The federal government also reports 19,151,021 people recovered from the disease and 567,150 patients in follow-up.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Colombia’s Industrial Production Index (IPI) in June was 13.8%, as reported Thursday by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE).
“In June 2021 versus June 2020, the Industrial Production Index presented a variation of 13.8%,” DANE explained in its monthly bulletin.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Colombia
According to the information, in the sixth month of the year, with respect to 2020, three of the four industrial sectors presented positive variations.
Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) explained that in June 2021 compared to June 2020, out of the 26 industrial activities, 24 presented positive variations contributing 14.6 percentage points to the annual variation (Photo internet reproduction)
DANE detailed that Manufacturing Industry presented a variation of 20.8%; Electricity and gas supply of 9.3%, and Mining and quarrying of 0.9%.
In contrast, the Water collection, treatment, and distribution sector presented a negative variation of 0.4%.
In addition, DANE explained that in June 2021, compared to June 2020, out of the 26 industrial activities, 24 presented positive variations contributing 14.6 percentage points to the annual variation.
While the two remaining activities that presented negative variations were Water collection, treatment and distribution, and Extraction of crude oil and natural gas, which together subtracted 0.7 percentage points to the annual variation.
According to the disclosed data, for the first 6 months of 2021, the IPI variation was 7.8% compared to the same period of 2020.
In the first quarter, the manufacturing industry presented a variation of 16.1 %, thus contributing 9.3 percentage points to the IPI variation compared to the January-June period of the previous year.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Panama’s Copa Airlines and the Tourism Promotion Fund (Promtur) announced Thursday the resumption of the Panama Stopover program, which offers travelers in transit through Tocumen International Airport, Panama’s main airport, the incentive of an extended stay in the country at no additional cost to the airline ticket.
With the same ticket and at no additional cost to their airfare, travelers will be able to visit two destinations for one, staying in Panama between one and six nights, taking advantage of their transit through the so-called “Hub of the Americas” located at Tocumen International Airport, a regional hub, said a Copa Airlines press release.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Panama
Fernando Fondevila, director of Promtur Panama, highlighted that the reactivation of this marketing and sales alliance with Copa Airlines through the Panama Stopover is focused “immediately” on the 9 U.S. cities whose travelers transit through Panama to South America.
The program can be included in the itinerary to or from any of the destinations in the 28 countries where Copa Airlines operates, the airline explained (Photo internet reproduction)
Through the campaign “Two incredible destinations with a lot in common”, the Panama Stopover is initially aimed at potential tourists from major US cities with interest in traveling to a “select” number of countries in Central and South America, their preferred destinations in Latin America and with a similar tourism offering to Panama.
The airline explained that the program could be included in the itinerary to or from any destinations in the 28 countries where Copa Airlines operates.
Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, said that Panama Stopover aims to “boost international tourism and highlight Panama’s many tourist attractions and diverse cultural richness to travelers who pass through Tocumen International Airport each year.”
“This strategic alliance is a key piece for the reactivation of the sector and the economic recovery of the country, through the impulse to the demand of tourists that initially will arrive in transit to our country”, said the general administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Iván Eskildsen.
According to official figures, Panama’s economy, severely hit by the pandemic, collapsed by 17.9% in 2020 and by 8.5% in the first quarter of this year.
Originally launched in late 2019, the program was very well received. According to official information, the main tourism products it promotes are the city, culture, nature, beaches, and gastronomy.
LIVESTREAM:
Curumin (online) – This Friday, Sesc Ao Vivo will present the musician Curumin.
The multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, and producer will go live with the show “Baja Live”, celebrating his 19 years of career on stage.
Curumin – live on Sesc São Paulo’s Youtube channel.
Check the event for further details.
LIVESTREAM:
Homage to Fathers Day (online) – The Homage to Fathers Day Festival will present some of the notable names from the MPB scene tonight.
Nando Reis, Gabriel O Pensador, Luciana Mello (photo), Simoninha, and Max Viana are among the artists performing at the festival, which starts at 8 PM.
Homage to Fathers Day Festival – live on Teatro Bradesco’s Youtube channel.
Check the event for further details.
To have an event included in the Nightlife Guide, please e-mail:
events[at]riotimesonline[dot]com. 
