Month: May 2010
A State of Emergency in Paraguay: The Risks of Militarization
Source: Americas Program Since Apr. 26, a state of emergency has been in effect in five northern provinces of Paraguay, which represent a third of the nation’s territory. The government maintains that there is an […]
Peru: Lori Berenson to Be Released on Parole After 15 Years
(IPS) – Nearly 15 years into a 20-year prison sentence served in Peru on charges of collaborating with left-wing terrorists, U.S. activist Lori Berenson is to be released on parole Thursday. The decision by Judge […]
Peruvian Congress Calls in Debt from U.S. Oil Executive
(IPS) – The Peruvian Congress has opened proceedings to demand that U.S. businessman William Kallop pay the Treasury 482.2 million dollars — taxes on the 900-million-dollar sale of a petroleum company and other debts to […]
Neoliberalism Alive and Well in Latin America
Source: In These Times Unions oppose new agreement over lack of labor standards, lack of transparency In the aftermath of a global meltdown, one would think that governments would be more cautious about embracing free-trade […]
Argentina’s Bicentennial: Indigenous Tell Another History
Argentina celebrates the bicentennial of a revolution that paved the road to independence from Spain with the nation’s capital transformed into a gala event. But not everyone is celebrating. The nation’s indigenous people are calling attention to a legacy of invasion and displacement that continues to this day. As bicentennial events commenced, indigenous groups led a caravan to the nation’s capital to demand recognition of their sovereign culture and plurality, in one of the largest indigenous demonstrations in Argentina’s history.
Mexico: Another Triqui leader Slain in Oaxaca
Less than a month after the deaths of two activists in the ambush of a humanitarian caravan headed to San Juan Copala, an armed group assassinated the indigenous leader Timoteo Alejandro Ramirez, a member of the Movimiento de Unificación y Lucha Triqui-Independiente (MULT-I) and a founder of the autonomous community now under siege. The armed group entered the home of Ramirez in the community of Yosoyuxi, which has been giving shelter to those who fled San Juan Copala. The shooters also murdered Ramirez’ wife.
The Circle Opens Out: New Evidence on Criminality in Colombian Regime
The circle is closing on the Presidential Palace in Colombia, where the headquarters of a “criminal enterprise” involving Colombia’s secret services (DAS), function under the direct orders of President Alvaro Uribe and his advisors. This latest report provides evidence, not only of involvement, but direction, orders and full control from the Presidential Palace and the President’s closest friends and advisors of illegal and criminal operations. TThe testimonies and documents provided and exposed in this report (and added to the already abundant existing proof) are conclusive.
Bolivia and its Lithium: Can the ‘Gold of the 21st Century’ Lift a Nation out of Poverty?
With more than half the planet’s known lithium reserves, Bolivia may hold the keys to the future of the electric car, and just at a time when its President has declared that the nation, not foreign corporations, will control that development and make the profits. But obviously, it is a story far more complicated than that. There are serious environmental questions, significant uncertainties about the future demand for lithium, and doubts about Bolivia’s capacities to pull off such an ambitious project.
Bolivia: Elections Deepen Local Democracy
While the results of Bolivia’s April 4 regional and local elections are now officially certified, their significance—who really won and lost—continues to be debated. For President Evo Morales, the vote confirms the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party as the sole political force with strong support throughout the nation. For re-elected Santa Cruz governor Rubén Costas, leader of the regionally-based conservative opposition, his victory means that “the forces of democracy have defeated tyranny.”