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:
- Audio of a phone call in which Donald Trump urges Georgia’s secretary of state Republican Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn his defeat has leaked to media publications. Legal scholars are describing Trump’s actions as an abuse of power and a potential criminal act that might violate state and federal law. In the one-hour recording, Trump makes a number of baseless assertions about the election, which Raffensperger and his office’s general counsel explain are not supported by evidence or data. [WaPo]
- President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he is planning a virtual parade after his swearing-in ceremony on Inauguration Day in order to keep crowds to a minimum and encourage a safe, socially distanced celebration as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country. [CNN]
- Nancy Pelosi was re-elected as House speaker for a fourth term after receiving a narrow majority of votes on the House floor this Sunday. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other members of “The Squad,” along with incoming progressives, backed Pelosi after many wondered if they’d support her bid. [The Hill]
- D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has called in the National Guard ahead of a pro-Trump protest scheduled on the same day that Congress plans to vote to confirm Joe Biden as president-elect. Trump has encouraged his followers to show up while pushing baseless conspiracy theories about how he won the election. [Independent]
- Puerto Rico swore in its new governor Pedro Pierluisi over the weekend, following recent crises and political turbulence on the island. Pierluisi was previously the island’s attorney general and was sworn in Saturday after two prior runs for governorship: once in 2016, when he lost his party’s gubernatorial primary, and in 2019, after the resignation of Ricardo Rosselló. [NPR]
- Millions of Americans have flocked to Mexico as a result of travel restrictions in other parts of the world. While many countries require proof of a negative coronavirus test or a quarantine upon arrival, Mexico does not, and experts believe the influx of tourists has contributed to its surging coronavirus numbers. [Business Insider]
- Adál Maldonado, the photographer and artist known for work that examined the experience and traumas of the Puerto Rican diaspora, died of pancreatic cancer in San Juan. He was 72. [NYT]