BRASILIA/RIO DE JANEIRO, May 26 (Reuters) - Brazilian federal police on Tuesday raided the residences of Rio de Janeiro's right-wing Governor Wilson Witzel as part of a COVID-19 corruption probe, targeting one of President Jair Bolsonaro's political foes as the pandemic sweeps the nation.

MARACAY, Venezuela (Reuters) - The third cargo of an Iranian tanker flotilla carrying fuel for gasoline-thirsty Venezuela on Tuesday reached the nation's exclusive economic zone as the previous two were discharging at state run PDVSA's ports, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.

SAO PAULO, May 26 (Reuters) - Brazil deaths by COVID-19 reached 24,512 on Tuesday, with 1,039 new deaths over the last 24 hours, the health ministry said.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's auto industry reopening picked up pace on Tuesday, with Fiat Chrysler and BMW AG joining peers in gradually dusting off operations even as the wait for approvals slowed the return of Ford Motor Co and other companies.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian appeals court STJ on Tuesday authorized the return of billionaire Joesley Batista to managing positions in companies controlled by meatpacker JBS SA's parent company, J&F Holding.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's economic recovery plan to pull the country out of the coronavirus crisis will focus on making it easier to do business, resuming structural reforms and will include a task force in charge of selling off state assets, Deputy Economy Minister Marcelo Guaranys said on Tuesday.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian securities regulator CVM on Tuesday said it was opening a broad investigation into the reinsurer IRB Brasil Resseguros SA , its management and shareholders, according to a statement.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil will on Wednesday publish monthly formal jobs figures, known locally as the CAGED repot, for the first four months of this year, the Economy Ministry said on Tuesday.

(Reuters) - LATAM Airlines Group , the continent's largest carrier, filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, becoming the world's largest carrier so far to seek an emergency reorganization due to the coronavirus pandemic.