South America

OYAMA, Japan (AP) — Richard Carapaz climbed onto the medal stand and locked arms with Wout van Aert on his right and Tadej Pogacar to his left, the diminutive Ecuadoran rider dwarfed by two of the giants of modern cycling.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A teacher in one of the poorest communities in the Andes who had never held office is now Peru's president-elect after officials in the South American country declared him the winner of a runoff election held last month.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Rural teacher-turned-political novice Pedro Castillo on Monday became the winner of Peru’s presidential election after the country’s longest electoral count in 40 years.

Castillo, whose supporters included Peru’s poor and rural citizens, defeated right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori by just 44,000 votes.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. government on Monday moved to ease a crippling sanction imposed by the Trump administration on Venezuela by allowing companies to export propane to the troubled South American country, a step that could mitigate a shortage that has pushed people to cook on charcoal or wood grills.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil and Argentina have several keys that could see either team win the Copa America title on Saturday at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Led by a Barcelona -style Lionel Messi, Argentina players appear convinced they will put an end to a 28-year title drought.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A contest between Neymar and Lionel Messi is how many fans perceive the Copa America final between Brazil and Argentina.

The players themselves, though, see the bigger challenge on Saturday at Maracana Stadium will be between one of the toughest defensive lines to break in world soccer and the protection around one of the best players in history.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus is out of the Copa America final against Argentina because of a red card he received during his team's 1-0 quarterfinal win over Chile.

South American soccer body CONMEBOL said in a statement on Tuesday it suspended Jesus for two matches.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Lionel Messi scored his 76th international goal and is now only one shy of Pele for the South American record as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 on Saturday to progress to the semifinals of the Copa America.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Defending champion Brazil may have the smoothest path to the final of the Copa America it is hosting.

The hottest competition could be in the other half of the quarterfinals, where archrivals Argentina and Uruguay could meet in the semifinals.

CUIABA, Brazil (AP) — Lionel Messi became Argentina's most capped international player on Monday, marking the occasion with two goals as he led his national team to a 4-1 win over Bolivia at the Copa America.

DEL RIO, Texas (AP) — Marianela Rojas huddles in prayer with fellow migrants after trudging across a slow-flowing stretch of the Rio Grande and nearly collapsing when she stepped on American soil for the first time.

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia reached 100,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 this week, becoming just the tenth country in the world to hit the grim milestone.

The South American nation of 50 million has been registering a growing number of daily cases since April and over the past seven days it had the world’s third-highest per capita death rate from COVID-19, according to data published by Oxford University.

SAO PAULO (AP) — There were 140 known COVID-19 cases at the Copa America in Brazil on Monday, up from 66 positive tests on Thursday.

CONMEBOL said in a statement that of the 15,235 tests, the number of people infected was 0.9% of the total.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Peru beat Colombia 2-1 on Sunday to keep alive its chances of advancing to the knockout stage of Copa America.

Sergio Peña opened the scoring for the Peruvians in the 17th minute.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil changed half of its starting lineup to face Peru on Thursday in its second Copa America match and still cruised to a 4-0 victory.

It was the Selecao's ninth consecutive victory, and another display that suggests the tournament hosts are the favorites to defend their South American title.

CUIABA, Brazil (AP) — A Spanish refereeing crew was selected Tuesday to officiate a Copa America game as part of an agreement between UEFA and South American soccer body CONMEBOL.

It will be the first time a European crew works a Copa America match, CONMEBOL said.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Diego Maradona's life was honored in a tribute featuring lights and projections onto the pitch before Argentina's Copa America opener against Chile.

No fans were present at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the latest tribute to the Argentine football great, this one organized by South American soccer body CONMEBOL.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil kicked off a Copa America tournament that has been opposed by some members of its own team with a 3-0 win over Venezuela on Sunday.

Marquinhos, Neymar and Gabriel Barbosa scored in the opener at Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, less than a day after several Venezuelan players tested positive for COVID-19.

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and Ángel Di María are headlining the Argentina squad that will to Brazil for the Copa America, seeking their national team's first major title since 1993.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Neymar will spearhead Brazil's attack for the Copa America, with veteran defender Thiago Silva also included despite a recent injury.

Coach Tite announced his 24-man squad Wednesday for the tournament, which is set to start Sunday after being moved to Brazil on short notice when co-hosts Colombia and Argentina pulled out.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's national soccer squad has agreed to play in the Copa America despite expressing concerns over the late decision to stage the continental tournament in its home country.

Players used social media to publish a message saying they are “unsatisfied" with South American soccer's governing body, CONMEBOL, which decided to move the tournament to Brazil after Colombia and Argentina were dropped as co-hosts.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil moved further ahead in South American World Cup qualifying on Tuesday with a 2-0 win at Paraguay, its sixth in six matches on the road to Qatar.

The Brazilians are now six points clear of second place Argentina, which drew 2-2 at Colombia after squandering a two-goal advantage.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's top court scheduled an emergency session for Thursday to decide whether or not the Copa America will be allowed to kick off three days later.

It is the latest move casting doubt on a tournament that lost its original co-hosts, Colombia and Argentina, and faces resistance from fans and players amid the region's alarming COVID-19 numbers.

SAO PAULO (AP) — South American World Cup qualifiers involving bitter rivals Colombia and Argentina, and Paraguay hosting Brazil, are being overshadowed by a possible player revolt against taking part in the upcoming Copa America.

SAO PAULO (AP) — When it comes time for Brazilians to choose who to watch on the soccer field this month — Neymar or Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo — the response might be surprising.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s foreign minister on Thursday said China is seeking political gains abroad in return for providing vaccines and other pandemic assistance, partly to increase pressure on Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory.

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — South American World Cup qualifiers resume on Thursday after a seven-month interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, though that doesn't mean the virus has waned in the region.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — When Eduardo Rey celebrated his 69th birthday at home with 10 family members in Uruguay's capital, he didn't suspect it would start a mortal race to find medical care amid a surging pandemic

SAO PAULO (AP) — Copa America is without a host country only two weeks before kickoff after South American soccer body CONMEBOL ruled out Argentina amid an increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The first total lunar eclipse in more than two years coincides with a supermoon this week for quite a cosmic show.

This super “blood” moon will be visible Wednesday across the Pacific — offering the best viewing — as well as the western half of North America, bottom of South America and eastern Asia.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — With a pencil and a notebook, artist Edilberto Jiménez walks the streets of Lima and cities in the Andes mountains collecting stories and images about the coronavirus health crisis that has devastated Peru.

BUCARAMANGA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian lawmakers voted against a health system overhaul bill Wednesday, giving protesters another victory after 20 days of street demonstrations that have left dozens dead and forced the government to retreat on tax reform.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — The face of a new Chile began taking shape this weekend as the South American country was electing 155 people to draft a constitution to replace one that has governed it since being imposed during a military dictatorship.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Veteran defenders Dani Alves and Thiago Silva were brought back into the Brazil squad on Friday for next month's World Cup qualifying matches against Ecuador and Paraguay.

Brazil coach Tite said the 38-year-old Alves and the 36-year-old Silva were called up because they are “athletes who happen to play soccer.”

SAO PAULO (AP) — Authorities in Brazil's most populous state on Wednesday said they have mobilized to try to convince the Chinese government to authorize the export of raw material to make millions of COVID-19 vaccines needed amid a sudden shortage...

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s National Assembly named two opposition stalwarts, including a formerly jailed activist, as election officials Tuesday, the latest move by President Nicolás Maduro to seek improved relations with the Biden administration...