LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Cuba fights worst oil depot fire in island's history

The latest in Latin American politics today: Cuba still struggling with oil depot fire, worst in island's history HAVANA - Cubans awoke to massive blackouts Tuesday morning with 40% of the country's main fuel storage facility destroyed by what officials said was the worst fire in its history. Reuters witnesses reported the raging flames that ravaged a four-tank segment of the Matanzas super tanker port since Friday had died down and the towering plumes of thick black smoke still streaming from the area appeared tinted grey.

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Cuba still struggling with oil depot fire, worst in island's history HAVANA - Cubans awoke to massive blackouts Tuesday morning with 40% of the country's main fuel storage facility destroyed by what officials said was the worst fire in its history.

Reuters witnesses reported the raging flames that ravaged a four-tank segment of the Matanzas super tanker port since Friday had died down and the towering plumes of thick black smoke still streaming from the area appeared tinted grey. Matanzas is Cuba's largest port for receiving crude oil and fuel imports.

The Communist-run country, under heavy U.S. sanctions, is all but bankrupt. Frequent blackouts and shortages of gasoline and other commodities already had created a tense situation with scattered local protests following last summer's historic unrest in July. Ecuador can still meet external debt obligations amid Luxembourg asset freeze -gov't

QUITO - Ecuador's capacity to meet its external debt obligations has not been affected by a Luxembourg court's decision to freeze the country's assets amid a dispute with oil company Perenco, said the economy ministry. Ecuador has "promptly complied" with interest and amortization payments on bonds for $185.7 million, which were due on July 31, the ministry said in a statement.

The country will pay its debts to the French oil company, the economy ministry said, adding the payment has been complicated due to Perenco still owing tax in the Andean country. Pope concerned for Amazon and indigenous peoples, says its first cardinal

MANAUS - Pope Francis will install the first cardinal of Brazil's Amazon region this month in a sign of his concern for the rainforest and its indigenous inhabitants, the man whom he picked for the role said. Dom Leonardo Steiner, archbishop of the Brazilian city of Manaus, said in an interview that Francis, the first pope from Latin America, is worried about deforestation, threats to indigenous cultures and pollution of rivers with mercury used by gold miners in the Amazon.

Illegal logging and mining in the Amazon has surged under Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. His government has also opened the door to more evangelical missionaries in the region. Peruvian ex-military wanted for rights violations faces extradition from Spain

MADRID - A Spanish court has begun processing an extradition request filed by Peru against a former military officer charged with crimes against humanity stemming from a conflict against Maoist guerrillas in the 1980s, a court document has shown. Augusto Gabilondo, a former lieutenant in the Peruvian military, was detained in Spain on Friday and freed on parole, though he is banned from leaving the country and has to report to a tribunal every two weeks, the document said. His passport was withheld.

(Compiled by Steven Grattan; Editing by Josie Kao)

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