Las Notis is a daily news column that gets you up to speed on the political, media + other going ons in Latin America and the diaspora—all in one quick digest.
Here’s your glimpse at what’s going on today:
- J Balvin’s McDonalds merch collaboration has been canceled due to production-related issues. Balvin had teamed up with the fast food giant earlier this year and debuted his own custom meal. Customers reported receiving an email from the management company Vibras Lab, telling them orders had been canceled due to an “issue with our supplies” that resulted in the team’s “expectations with the products” not being met. [Complex]
- Joe Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan that he believes will stimulate the economy and help Americans who are struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The plan calls for $400 billion for coronavirus management, a trillion dollars of direct coronavirus relief (which $1,400 relief checks to Americans), and $440 billion in aid to communities and businesses. [NYT]
- The U.S. continues to struggle with COVID-19 outbreaks, seeing more virus-related deaths these last two weeks than any other 14-day stretch of the pandemic so far. According to Johns Hopkins University data, the country reported more than 42,800 Covid-19 deaths during the first 14 days of January, averaging more than 3,050 per day. That’s the highest number for any two-week period. [CNN]
- According to a top official cited in a new report from the Justice Department’s inspector general and other internal documents, President Trump and the top aides in his administration aggressively pushed for the zero-tolerance policy that led thousands of migrant children to be separated from their parents at the border with Mexico. Gene Hamilton said in the report that the policy went into effect after complaints by the president and others at the White House involved in carrying out his immigration agenda. [NYT]
- Mexican authorities say they won’t bring any charges against Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, a former defense minister who was arrested in Los Angeles last year on drug-trafficking and corruption charges. U.S. authorities have accused him of taking bribes to protect drug cartel leaders, but Mexico’s government has exonerated him. [NYT]
- Hundreds of migrants are continuing to trek across Central America, hoping to reach the U.S. border gathered, despite Mexico and governments signaling that they would not allow the migrants through. Many are from Honduras, which has been hard hit by COVID-19 and suffered back-to-back hurricanes. [AP]
- Social media users slammed Tucker Carlson after he made fun of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for saying in an Instagram live session that she feared for her life during the pro-Trump mob attack at the Capitol earlier this month. Carlson called her dumb, narcissistic and “the Kim Kardashian of Congress” while chidlishly mimicking her during his television show. Critics called him “vile and vicious.” [HuffPo]