President Evo Morales declared an end to the “colonial state” in Bolivia as voters approved his new constitution by a 62% majority, granting unprecedented rights to indigenous peoples.
At an economic summit in Cartagena with his regional rival, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez denied supporting the FARC guerillas or any other “subversive” activity.
Julio César Ardila Torres, the former mayor of the Colombian oil port of Barrancabermeja, has been found guilty of ordering the 2003 murder of local journalist José Emeterio Rivas by paramilitaries.
The day after a massive La Paz rally in favor of Bolivia’s new constitution that goes to a popular vote on Sunday, President Evo Morales signed a decree nationalizing the British-owned Chaco Oil Company.
Peru is seeking to double investments in energy and infrastructure this year, including a $1 billion natural-gas pipeline. The government is targeting $2.3 billion from foreign and domestic firms, up from $1.1 billion in 2008, said LuĂs Carlos RodrĂguez, director… Read morePeru seeks investment for gas pipeline, energy projects
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez praised Barack Obama for ordering the closure of Guantánamo only days after accusing him of “throwing stones” at Venezuela and following in the footsteps of Bush.
Two police officers were killed and four were seriously injured while evicting hundreds of peasant families from Bosque de PĂłmac nature preserve in northern Peru.
On Jan. 20, nation-wide protests over large-scale metal mining called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) brought out some 12,000 people from indigenous, campesino, environmentalist and human rights organizations across eleven provinces of the small Andean nation…. Read moreAnti-mining protesters block roads in Ecuador
Campesinos in Peru blocked roads to protest provisions of the new free trade agreement with the US which would promote privatization of water resources.
Brazil agreed to provide helicopters and other assistance to Bolivia to combat drug trafficking, taking up slack following the ouster of the US DEA from the Andean country last year.
On Jan. 7, the Colombian government authorized Senator Piedad CĂłrdoba to participate in the release of six hostages from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The mission will be headed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)…. Read moreColombia: Piedad CĂłrdoba to negotiate FARC hostage release
On Jan. 8 the National Security Archive, a Washington, DC-based research group, released declassified US government documents showing that US diplomats and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) knew at least since 1994 that the Colombia security forces “employ death… Read moreColombia: CIA knew of army-para ties
