Mexican prosecutors say employees of the Prosecutor General of the Republic (PGR) were secretly working for the Sinaloa Cartel, and even managed to work inside the US embassy with DEA personnel. Two worked with investigators in requesting searches and raids…. Read moreMexico: Sinaloa Cartel spies infiltrated Prosecutor General, US Embassy
Colombia’s FARC guerrillas agreed in principle Oct. 28 to meet with 150 prominent Colombian intellectual and political figures to discuss a release of hostages. The meeting had been suggested in a Sept. 11 letter by the group, which includes relatives… Read moreColombia: FARC agrees to peace dialogue
Colombian President Ălvaro Uribe announced Oct. 29 the sacking of 25 soldiers and officersâincluding three generals and four colonelsâin connection with the deaths of 11 young men from the town of Soacha, in central Cundinamarca department. The move followed a… Read moreColombia: officers purged over “false positive” executions
The elections that handed a victory to incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were carried out under a state of emergency that has been in place since the attempted coup of 2016, with some 160,000 political opponents imprisoned—including party leaders. The hegemonic state media outlets overwhelmingly devoted their election coverage to Erdogan's campaign, while access to social media was intermittently restricted by decree. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Erdogan had benefited from this excessive coverage, and raised questions about the transparency of the vote. It did not challenge the results, however. Erdogan will re-enter office with sweeping new powers following a narrowly-won constitutional referendum last year. Opposition leader Muharrem Ince conceded defeat, but warned that Turkey is headed toward "one-man rule." (Map: CIA)
Thousands of workers from various industrial sectors took to the streets of Basra Oct. 27 to protest new Finance Ministry decrees that have resulted in massive cuts in salaries. Strikes and protests are mounting in Iraq, with little note from… Read moreBasra workers march against austerity
On Oct. 23 Mexico’s 128-member Senate voted almost unanimously to pass legislation that opponents say will open the way to the partial privatization of Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the giant state-owned oil monopoly. The 500-member Chamber of Deputies approved the Senate’s… Read moreMexico: Pemex “reform” rules
Two leaders of the Argentine teachers’ unionsâStella Maldonado, general secretary of the Federation of Education Workers of the Argentine Republic, and Alejandro de Michelis, press secretary for the Union of Education Workersâwere among those injured on Oct. 20 when Buenos… Read moreArgentina: police fight teachers
Voting results released on Oct. 23 showed Puerto Rico’s teachers rejecting by a 18,123-14,675 margin a bid by the Puerto Rican Teachers Union (SPM) to represent them. The “no” vote was vigorously promoted by the teachers’ current union, the militant… Read morePuerto Rico: teachers back independent union
On Oct. 21 residents of San Francisco de Macoris in the northeastern Dominican province of Duarte started what was planned as a two-day civic strike for improvements in health and education services; in street and road maintenance; and in infrastructure… Read moreDominican Republic: two killed in civic strike
A statement from the General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI), Oct. 27: In Basra Thousands of Workers Take to the Street Against the Government Anti-Workers Policy In a coordination effort with the Labor Unifying Bureau, thousands… Read moreIraq: Basra workers march against austerity
The nearly 40,000 indigenous Colombians who marched on Cali in a two-week cross-country trek to meet with President Alvaro Uribe in a dialogue on land reform and human rights issues are preparing to return to their homes in Cauca department… Read moreColombia: Uribe stiffs indigenous leaders
This weekend, the Dalai Lama told his followers he has lost hope of reaching agreement with China on the future of his homeland. The future course of the Tibetan movementâincluding the possibility of an historic switch from demanding autonomy towards… Read moreTibet: Dalai Lama “loses hope” for settlement with China
