LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Peru president considering moving up general elections to Dec. 2023

Pemex's debt obligations are being paid on time with the government's assistance, and the finance ministry and Pemex's leadership are working out the schedule for this year's payments, Lopez Obrador said at a news conference. Mexico finds over 50 unaccompanied kids from Guatemala in migrant truck Mexican authorities late on Thursday stopped a crowded truck transporting nearly 70 migrants from Guatemala, mostly unaccompanied children, the country's National Institute of Migration (INM) said in a statement. The INM said federal Mexican agents spotted the truck at a checkpoint in Mexico's northern Chihuahua state, which borders the United States.

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Peru president considers moving up general elections to December 2023 Peruvian President Dina Boluarte said Friday she was considering moving up general elections to December, as the Andean leader struggles to keep a hold on protests that have left dozens dead.

The change would need to be passed by Congress. Boluarte said elections could come even sooner than December depending on how quickly the proposal was passed. Congress is set to debate Friday a proposal presented earlier by Boluarte to move to April 2024 national elections, which are currently set for 2026. However, some lawmakers have proposed moving the elections up to December or October of this year.

New U.S. migrant rules push down foot traffic in Colombia-Panama jungle, says IOM chief BRASILIA - The number of people making a perilous crossing on foot of the Darien Gap jungle between Colombia and Panama as they head north to try to get to the United States has dropped significantly since the U.S. government tightened its rules on migrants, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

Earlier this month Washington expanded COVID-19 pandemic-era restrictions to include migrants from Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua and not just Venezuelans as people who can be expelled back to Mexico if caught crossing the border into the United States. The restrictions are known as Title 42. IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino said the measure was discouraging people from heading north.

Venezuela former chief justice indicted in U.S. for money laundering CARACAS - Venezuela's former chief justice Maikel Moreno has been indicted on money laundering charges related to bribe payments he allegedly received in exchange for influencing court decisions, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Southern District of Florida said.

Moreno allegedly took over $10 million in bribes and used the funds to purchase or renovate real estate in Tuscany, Italy, and Miami, among other places, according to a statement late on Thursday. Mexico giving 'complete support' to Pemex, has plan for 2023 debt payments

MEXICO CITY - Mexico's government will provide further support to state-run oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and has a plan to ensure that pending bond payments in 2023 are met, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday. Pemex's debt obligations are being paid on time with the government's assistance, and the finance ministry and Pemex's leadership are working out the schedule for this year's payments, Lopez Obrador said at a news conference.

Mexico finds over 50 unaccompanied kids from Guatemala in migrant truck Mexican authorities late on Thursday stopped a crowded truck transporting nearly 70 migrants from Guatemala, mostly unaccompanied children, the country's National Institute of Migration (INM) said in a statement.

The INM said federal Mexican agents spotted the truck at a checkpoint in Mexico's northern Chihuahua state, which borders the United States. (Compiled by Steven Grattan; Editing by Diane Craft)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)