World Tour: Slovenia elects a female leader

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere.

Mexico protest— Today’s World Tour starts with protests in Mexico.

AUDIO: [Protesters chanting]

Tens of thousands of people chanting and holding placards marched through Mexico City on Sunday.

They are protesting proposed reforms to the country’s electoral oversight body.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has accused the National Electoral Institute of endorsing fraud. He ran for the presidency twice before winning in 2018.

He wants to replace the institute with members chosen by voters instead of lawmakers. But opponents say he is damaging democratic checks and balances.

AUDIO: [Speaking Spanish]

This 50-year-old merchant says the protest is not targeting a particular leader but anyone who wants to wrongfully take control of elections.

Mexico’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2024 when Obrador’s six-year term ends.

Slovenia election— Next to Europe, where the small Balkan nation of Slovenia has elected its first female leader.

AUDIO: [Musar celebrating]

Natasa Pirc Musar won a Sunday runoff vote in the country of 2 million people.

The 54-year-old lawyer defeated conservative former Foreign Minister Anze Logar by about eight percentage points.

Logar conceded defeat, saying he hopes Pirc Musar will carry out all the promises she made during her campaign.

Musar previously represented former U.S. first lady Melania Trump in copyright and other cases in her native Slovenia.

Haiti fuel flows — Next, to Haiti.

AUDIO: [Motorcycles queuing for fuel]

Cars and motorcycles queued up inside fuel stations in Port-au-Prince over the weekend.

The stations have resumed operations after two months of shortages.

A powerful gang seized control of a major fuel depot in the capital city back in September. The blockade forced gas stations to close and limited operating hours for grocery stores and hospitals.

Haitian security forces announced last week they regained control of the terminal. The first batch of fuel to leave the terminal went to hospitals, factories, and public institutions.

World Cup countdown — We wrap up today in Qatar

AUDIO: [Fans taking photos]

Soccer fans milled around the trophy cup-shaped clock counting down to the soccer World Cup tournament.

It’s the first time an Arab nation will host the event. It is expected to draw in more than 1.2 million visitors.

Qatar is accused of violating the rights of migrant workers preparing the stadium and other infrastructure ahead of the games. The nation rejected calls to set up a compensation fund for migrant workers killed or injured on site.

The World Cup will kick off on Sunday with a match between the host country and Ecuador.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere.

Mexico protest— Today’s World Tour starts with protests in Mexico.

AUDIO: [Protesters chanting]

Tens of thousands of people chanting and holding placards marched through Mexico City on Sunday.

They are protesting proposed reforms to the country’s electoral oversight body.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has accused the National Electoral Institute of endorsing fraud. He ran for the presidency twice before winning in 2018.

He wants to replace the institute with members chosen by voters instead of lawmakers. But opponents say he is damaging democratic checks and balances.

AUDIO: [Speaking Spanish]

This 50-year-old merchant says the protest is not targeting a particular leader but anyone who wants to wrongfully take control of elections.

Mexico’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2024 when Obrador’s six-year term ends.

Slovenia election— Next to Europe, where the small Balkan nation of Slovenia has elected its first female leader.

AUDIO: [Musar celebrating]

Natasa Pirc Musar won a Sunday runoff vote in the country of 2 million people.

The 54-year-old lawyer defeated conservative former Foreign Minister Anze Logar by about eight percentage points.

Logar conceded defeat, saying he hopes Pirc Musar will carry out all the promises she made during her campaign.

Musar previously represented former U.S. first lady Melania Trump in copyright and other cases in her native Slovenia.

Haiti fuel flows — Next, to Haiti.

AUDIO: [Motorcycles queuing for fuel]

Cars and motorcycles queued up inside fuel stations in Port-au-Prince over the weekend.

The stations have resumed operations after two months of shortages.

A powerful gang seized control of a major fuel depot in the capital city back in September. The blockade forced gas stations to close and limited operating hours for grocery stores and hospitals.

Haitian security forces announced last week they regained control of the terminal. The first batch of fuel to leave the terminal went to hospitals, factories, and public institutions.

World Cup countdown — We wrap up today in Qatar

AUDIO: [Fans taking photos]

Soccer fans milled around the trophy cup-shaped clock counting down to the soccer World Cup tournament.

It’s the first time an Arab nation will host the event. It is expected to draw in more than 1.2 million visitors.

Qatar is accused of violating the rights of migrant workers preparing the stadium and other infrastructure ahead of the games. The nation rejected calls to set up a compensation fund for migrant workers killed or injured on site.

The World Cup will kick off on Sunday with a match between the host country and Ecuador.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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