LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Cuba blasts U.S. for years of ignoring evidence on 'Havana Syndrome'

Petro said in a statement on Thursday he hopes his brother Juan Fernando Petro, who has denied similar rumors, and Nicolas will both have a chance to prove their innocence. Brazil's Lula appoints former police chief to head intelligence agency SAO PAULO - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has nominated former Federal Police director-general Luiz Fernando Correa to head the country's Intelligence Agency (Abin), according to a publication by the country's Official Gazette on Friday. The nomination comes a day after Lula removed Abin from under military control and put it in the hands of his chief of staff.

The latest in Latin American politics today: Cuba blasts U.S. for years of disregarding evidence on 'Havana Syndrome'

HAVANA - Cuba has blasted the United States for taking too long to accept evidence that the ailment "Havana Syndrome" was not likely caused by a foreign enemy, ignoring the science as a pretext for cutting off relations with the Communist-run island. A globe-spanning U.S. intelligence investigation declassified on Wednesday concluded it was "very unlikely" a foreign adversary was responsible for the mysterious sickness, first identified in the Cuban capital of Havana but which has afflicted U.S. diplomats and spies worldwide.

Colombia to prosecute president's son BOGOTA - Colombia's attorney general's office said it will begin an investigation into accusations that President Gustavo Petro's oldest son took money from drug traffickers in exchange for including them in his father's peace efforts.

Nicolas Petro, a lawmaker in Atlantico province, has said he has had nothing to do with the president's efforts to make peace or surrender deals with rebels and criminal gangs, and called the accusations "unfounded and harmful". Petro said in a statement on Thursday he hopes his brother Juan Fernando Petro, who has denied similar rumors, and Nicolas will both have a chance to prove their innocence.

Brazil's Lula appoints former police chief to head intelligence agency SAO PAULO - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has nominated former Federal Police director-general Luiz Fernando Correa to head the country's Intelligence Agency (Abin), according to a publication by the country's Official Gazette on Friday.

The nomination comes a day after Lula removed Abin from under military control and put it in the hands of his chief of staff. Brazil's govt sees tax reform approved by year-end

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil's government believes it will get a tax reform approved by Congress by the end of this year, the finance ministry official overseeing such efforts said on Friday. Bernard Appy, Brazil's secretary for tax reform, said the proposal was likely to include excise taxes to be levied on sectors that have negative effects on health and the environment.

(Compiled by Steven Grattan; editing by Diane Craft)

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