An oil spill was reported in the Cupa River in Quinindé canton, Esmeraldas province, Ecuador, on Monday, October 12, after a crude leak in the SOTE pipeline, according to Petroecuador.

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The leak was controlled after it was detected together with Army troops. As a preventive measure, the water company ordered the suspension of water intake and distribution from the San Mateo plant to reduce risks to the population given the possible presence of contaminants in the tributary.

RELATED: Ecuador Flooding Damages Thousands of Homes Across Three Provinces

A “considerable amount of hydrocarbons” was detected in the Cupa River, according to reports from the drinking water company, increasing concern among residents of nearby areas.

These residents had alerted the situation on Monday, and expressed concern over possible effects on the ecosystem and on communities that depend on the water source for various activities. They requested an immediate response from authorities and the state oil company, they said.

📌 COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

EP Petroecuador controla fuga de crudo en el SOTE, en el cantón Quinindé

👉Link: https://t.co/NmKJe6iP4e pic.twitter.com/DcSvwQ9alc

— EP Petroecuador 🇪🇨 (@EPPetroecuador) October 12, 2026

Although containment actions were implemented shortly after the incident, several residents consider the measures adopted insufficient given the magnitude of the event and its possible environmental and social consequences, they said.

Residents also requested spaces for dialogue with government authorities to establish concrete commitments for a comprehensive response to this type of emergency, arguing that solutions should not be limited solely to containing hydrocarbons.

They recalled that this event comes after another spill recorded in the El Achiote sector, also in Quinindé, in March 2025, which affected water sources in the area and generated concern over its environmental impacts.

Argentina’s Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Central Bank President Santiago Bausili faced a criminal complaint in court for speculating with the Republic’s gold and causing enormous losses to the State.

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A third defendant is Juan Curuchet, superintendent of Financial and Exchange Institutions of the Central Bank, according to the case opened by lawyer Gregorio Dalbón. The case followed confirmation by the General Audit Office of the Nation (AGN) of a $1.023 billion loss from operating with the country’s gold, whose location remains unknown.

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Dalbón, interviewed on Minuto Uno on C5N, said he will expand the complaint Tuesday before Judge Ariel Lijo and Prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita with new documentation and request the corresponding investigative statements. He will also seek urgent evidence preservation measures, he said.

In his filing, Dalbón argued that “$1.023 billion are not an accounting entry. They are resources of the Republic and demand an explanation worthy of such a figure.” He asked the Justice system to determine who decided, authorized and designed the operations, with what counterparties they were carried out, their economic justification, the risks assumed, the controls that existed, and whether they caused a financial loss to the Argentinian State.

DE LA RADRIOGAFÍA DE ADORNI A LA "PROPUESTA SUPERADORA"

El presidente Milei comparte una publicación de Santiago Caputo diciendo que el 60% de las pensiones por discapacidad están mal otorgadas. Si es así, ¿por qué no hacen una auditoría completa, muestran cuáles son y las dan… pic.twitter.com/wfdS3WRk1m

— Victoria Tolosa Paz (@vtolosapaz) October 12, 2026

The crimes attributed are fraudulent administration to the detriment of the public Milei administration, abuse of authority, dereliction of the duties of a public official and illicit association, according to the complaint.

Economists, auditors and journalists have questioned how, if the international gold price was soaring, Caputo, Bausili and Curuchet accumulated million-dollar losses by using the gold as backing for maneuvers with financial derivatives, without it being known what they did.

Apart from the complaint, rumors are growing that Caputo could be removed from his post, although President Javier Milei defended him today, as he did with other officials involved in scandals who ended up resigning.

So-called educated unemployment is rising today in Chile among people with completed university or technical-professional training, an academic study revealed.

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In 2010, only 21.7% of the labor force had graduated from a higher education institution, a share that climbed to 42.1 out of every 100 by 2026, according to a report by the Economic Context Observatory of Diego Portales University (OCEC-UDP).

That means more qualified workers and higher productivity potential, but it does not mean greater chances of landing a job.

The National Institute of Statistics reported that in the June-August mobile quarter, the open unemployment rate reached 9.6%, with 44 consecutive months above eight percentage points.

RELATED: Chilean University Rectors Reject Education Cuts in 2027 Budget Bill

Among those who completed university or successfully completed technical-professional training, unemployment is also a serious problem, the OCEC-UDP said. It rose one point in the last 12 months to 8.3%. That implies 40,938 fewer jobs and a total of 356,286.

Women with higher education fare worst, with lack of work affecting 8.7 of every 100, compared with 7.8 for men, the OCEC-UDP said. By age group, educated unemployment is higher among those under 30, it said.

Chile es el país con la tasa de desempleo más alta de la región, según indican diversas publicaciones; y, si se analizan los países de la OCDE, el segundo. En nuestra región de Los Ríos la situación es alarmante, especialmente en jóvenes y mujeres. No se ve ningún proyecto nuevo… pic.twitter.com/dox1io85lC

— Iván Flores García (@ifloressenador) October 11, 2026

Another facet: many higher education graduates who appear employed are actually doing work below their preparation, according to OCEC-UDP. Qualification underemployment occurs when a person performs a task below their preparation and therefore generates added value lower than their potential.

Em um aceno à direita latino-americana, o responsável da China pelos assuntos da região, Qiu Xiaoqi, afirmou na segunda-feira (12) que Pequim desenvolverá relações amistosas com todos os países latinos, independentemente do crescimento de governos de direita e de seu alinhamento com os Estados Unidos. Leia mais (10/13/2026 - 04h55)

Heavy rains in Ecuador have left five rivers and one estuary overflowing in three provinces of the Coastal region, damaging thousands of homes, the National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR) said Monday.

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The coastal provinces of Guayas and El Oro, along with the tropical province of Los Ríos, were affected, the SNGR’s official report detailed.

In Los Ríos, Estero Hondo in Puebloviejo, the Babahoyo River and the Chilintomo River overflowed, the report said. A strong downpour during the early morning flooded rural areas such as the Las Cañitas settlement. About 300 families were affected by water entering their homes and contamination of water wells, in addition to the suspension of classes at the local school.

In Guayas, the Balao River overflowed, affecting the Mercado Central and Barrio Nuevo sectors, and the San Rafael River impacted the San Pedro settlement in General Antonio Elizalde (Bucay), the report said.

In El Oro, emergencies were concentrated in Santa Rosa canton, where the Chico and Caluguro rivers overflowed their banks, according to the report.

RELATED: Ecuadorian Youth Call Protest Over Healthcare and Insecurity

The storm left 16 homes completely destroyed, damage to another 4,847 and effects on 10.74 kilometers of road network, the official report said. Authorities also confirmed the collapse of one bridge and structural damage to seven others, complicating access for rescue units to vulnerable areas.

Faced with the health emergency due to contamination of water sources in Babahoyo, the SNGR installed three storage tanks of 2,500 liters each to supply the population and is evaluating the use of local churches as temporary shelters.

#SNGRESPONDE | Balao – Guayas

La atención a las familias de Balao continúa. La SNGR realizó el levantamiento de información para la ficha EVIN y participó en la coordinación interinstitucional en el ECU 911. pic.twitter.com/nsmK0Xhp7Q

— Riesgos Ecuador (@Riesgos_Ec) October 13, 2026

Since the red alert was declared for the weather phenomenon on August 29, the number of people affected in the country has risen to 17,142, with 1,354 victims and one deceased. The SNGR counts a total of 349 adverse events that have impacted 22 of Ecuador’s 24 provinces, with the greatest incidence in Esmeraldas, Guayas, Manabí, Los Ríos, Orellana, Imbabura and Pichincha.

Against this backdrop, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Inamhi) maintains an active watch advisory in anticipation of an increase in rains, electrical storms and wind gusts throughout the country until next Wednesday, October 14.

Colombia is facing growing social and humanitarian concern over an alarming increase in cases of sexual violence and femicide.

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According to Legal Medicine data, sexual abuse of older adult women increased 31% during 2026. Examinations by that entity indicate these cases rose from 70 to 92 between January and July this year.

However, professionals consulted say these records correspond only to examinations of victims who reported some type of abuse. Because other cases are neither investigated nor reported, the real number of victims is believed to be much higher.

RELATED: Argentina Records 150 Femicides in 2026 as Milei Cuts Prevention Programs

As of July 2026, official Colombian figures show 89 femicides and 16,451 sexual crimes, although there are significant discrepancies with social organizations, which report higher figures.

The Ombudsman’s Office reported the 89 completed cases, plus 74 attempts and 20 transfemicides, acknowledging 191 cases in 2025 compared with more than 600 reported by organizations. The Femicide Observatory documented 621 femicides in September 2025 before suspending its count due to lack of funds.

Estamos en Emergencia Nacional por Violencias Basadas en Género en Colombia. Rechazamos el feminicidio de Doña Blanca Pardo y denunciamos el incremento de las violencias contra las mujeres mayores.

Exigimos justicia y una vida libre de violencias para todas.

Les invitamos a la… pic.twitter.com/xFVbj13OWN

— Yesenia Moreno Rodríguez – Yess (@yessmorenor_) October 10, 2026

The Colombian Prosecutor’s Office reports 16,451 complaints of sexual crimes, most of them against girls and adolescents with 12,457 cases, followed by adult women with 3,583. It also records 166 cases of sexual exploitation of minors and 151 trafficking victims.

Between August and September 2026, the Prosecutor’s Office reported the prosecution of 275 people for sexual crimes against minors, of whom 258 received a precautionary measure of deprivation of liberty while the process continues, clarifying that this does not equal a conviction.

Hurricane Simón killed an adult on the Mexican Pacific coast through collapses and landslides caused by its rains, authorities reported Monday.

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In its path, the weather event caused damage in Guerrero, Michoacán, Nayarit, Jalisco and Colima, authorities said.

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed the death during a press conference with President Claudia Sheinbaum. “Unfortunately, a 71-year-old older adult died from the collapse of a wall in Chilpancingo,” the state capital, Salgado said.

RELATED: Hurricane Simon Threatens Mexico With 240 kph Winds

Laura Velázquez, national coordinator of Civil Protection, told the press that Simón is expected to further enter national territory Wednesday through Mazatlán, in Sinaloa.

The natural event’s characteristics forced authorities to deploy brigades and heavy machinery, with support from the Armed Forces, the National Guard and the Navy, enabling some roads to reopen.

Hurricane #Simon Advisory 23 (8 PM MST, Mon Oct 12): Simon Moving Slowly to the West-Northwest. Flooding Rains to Continue Along the Coast of West-Central Mexico. https://t.co/NyUGSIFCuo

— NHC Pacific (@NHC_Pacific) October 13, 2026

Authorities said heavy rains in Acapulco and Chilpancingo caused trees to fall, landslides and power outages in some areas. The phenomenon, whose intensity is increasing, has Nayarit and Sinaloa on alert.

Fabián Vázquez, coordinator of the National Meteorological Service, specified that the hurricane will continue its path for several days in the Mexican Pacific and will also cause heavy rainfall.

The official report indicated maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h, gusts of 220 km/h, and slow northwest movement at 4 km/h.

#MañaneraDelPueblo | Debido a la trayectoria del huracán Simón, la presidenta @Claudiashein informa que continúa la alerta en Jalisco, Nayarit, Colima y Sinaloa; exhorta a la población a seguir recomendaciones de protección civil.

Están activos los planes DN-III-E y Marina; la… pic.twitter.com/T3qS5tcVtJ

— Gobierno de México (@GobiernoMX) October 12, 2026

Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila, also at the conference with President Sheinbaum, reported damage in her state from Storm Rachel in recent days, which killed a minor and left ten people missing. “Unfortunately, 10 people are unaccounted for and a minor has been found dead,” she said.

Venezuela categorically rejected Uruguay’s Foreign Ministry position not to resume bilateral diplomatic relations, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Félix Plasencia González, wrote via social media.

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Plasencia González wrote that “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects the antiquated and arrogant views that disrespect the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples and that have nothing to do with the transformation process Venezuela is carrying out through political dialogue for democratic coexistence.”

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The response followed remarks by Uruguayan Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin to Brazilian outlet Folha de S.Paulo, in which he justified the refusal to normalize diplomatic ties by saying that “nothing has changed” in the country after electoral processes his government questions.

Lubetkin conditioned the restoration of relations on the holding of new elections and their evaluation by independent courts, he said. He added that “fifteen minutes after” ratifying a democratic winner, his country would resume bilateral relations.

Ante las declaraciones del canciller de la República Oriental del Uruguay, la República Bolivariana de Venezuela rechaza las visiones vetustas y arrogantes que irrespetan la soberanía y la autodeterminación de los pueblos y que nada tienen que ver con el proceso de transformación…

— Félix Plasencia González (@plasenciafelixr) October 12, 2026

Plasencia González said such declarations and positions constituted inadmissible interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs. Venezuela’s future, he made clear, will be defined by its people, in strict adherence to its Constitution and legal order.