Central America
US: SOA protest marks 20th year
About 5,000 activists marched in front of the US Army’s Fort Benning base in Columbus, Georgia, in the 20th annual protest against the US Army School of the Americas (SOA).
Central America
Honduras: army seeks “arms cache” in Aguán Valley
Some 500 Honduran soldiers and police agents reportedly occupied the regional office of the National Agrarian Institute (INA) in Colón department, apparently in a search for arms.
The Caribbean
Haiti: Cuba increases aid for cholera victims
Former Cuban president Fidel Castro Ruz announced that the Cuban government was sending “300 doctors, nurses and healthcare technicians” to Haiti to help fight a cholera epidemic there.
The Caribbean
Haiti: chaos wins the elections
Thousands of Haitians took to the streets to protest what they said were delays, confusion, irregularities, violence and outright fraud in presidential and legislative elections.
The Caribbean
Haiti: anti-occupation protests boil over
Large, militant protests against the presence of United Nations troops in Haiti broke out in Hinche in the Central Plateau and Cap-Haïtien on the northern coast.
Watching the Shadows
Ex-Gitmo detainee Ghailani acquitted of 285 counts —but could still face life
The media are portraying the Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani verdict as a defeat for Obama’s plans to close Guantánamo—despite the fact that he could still get life in prison.
Watching the Shadows
UK settles with Gitmo detainees over torture allegations
The UK announced a settlement with 16 Guantánamo Bay detainees who had sued MI5 and MI6 over allegations of torture. Details of the settlement have not been released.
The Caribbean
Cuba: “autonomy” planned for state firms
The Cuban Communist Party released a draft economic program for discussion in the upcoming party Sixth Congress, calling for relative autonomy for state-owned enterprises.
The Caribbean
Haiti: report assails cash for work programs
Haitian media organizations released a report on the “cash for work” temporary job program aid agencies set up after the earthquake, finding it fails to provide temporary relief.
Central America
Costa Rica: Congress bans open-pit mines
Following a wave of ecologist protests, Costa Rica’s congress unanimously approved revisions to the Mining Code that would ban open-pit mining of heavy metals in future projects.
Mexico
Mexico: unionists block Congress over budget
Some 15,000 protesters blocked access to the Chamber of Deputies in Mexico City to demand smaller allocations for the security forces in the budget and more for social development.
The Caribbean
Puerto Rico: students protest tuition hike
Students from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) slowed traffic in and out of San Juan when they demonstrated in a major highway to protest plans for raising tuition by $800 in January.