Three leftist Venezuelan unionists were shot dead the night of Nov. 27 in the city of Cagua, southwest of Caracas in Aragua state, just days after two of them ran unsuccessfully in Nov. 23 state and municipal elections. In what… Read moreVenezuela: three unionists murdered
Bolivia’s government said Nov. 30 it is preparing “terrorism” charges against Branko Marinkovic, a leader of the autonomy movement in the country’s four hydrocarbon-rich eastern departments, in connection with a wave of strikes and protests earlier this year in which… Read moreBolivia: terrorism charges for autonomy leader?
Peru’s President Alan GarcĂa Nov. 27 blamed his country’s recent rash of guerilla attacks on Mexico’s drug cartels, saying their inroads have sparked violent turf wars. “Mexican cartels are capturing, or trying to capture, the Peruvian market. This is the… Read morePeru: GarcĂa blames Mexican cartels for Sendero violence
In the prelude to last week’s APEC summit in Lima, the leaders of Canada and Colombia met in the Peruvian capital to sign a free trade agreement. “In a time of global economic instability free trade is more important than… Read moreColombia signs free trade agreement with Canada
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced on live television Nov. 27 that he would not permit “foreign commandos” to be contracted by opposition politicians, in response to rumors that the newly elected governor of Miranda state, Henrique Capriles Radonski, is planning… Read moreVenezuelan opposition contracting Israeli mercenaries?
In a ceremony capping the first visit of a Russian president to Venezuela, Hugo Chávez met with Dmitri Medvedev aboard a Russian warship moored off the port of La Guiara Nov. 27, four days before joint military exercises between the… Read moreMedvedev, Chávez meet on eve of naval maneuvers
Bolivian President Evo Morales ended martial law in the northern department of Pando Nov. 23, more than two months after government supporters were killed in the region amid strikes and protests by the opposition. The decision by Morales clears a… Read moreBolivia: martial law lifted in Pando; prefect still imprisoned
President Hugo Chávez‘s Venezuelan United Socialist Party (PSUV) scored a string of victories in key state and municipal elections Nov. 23. “A new stage is beginning. For me, as the leader of the Venezuelan socialist project, the people are telling… Read moreVenezuela: elections mandate or “hard blow” for Chávez?
Despite an intense rain, some 12,000 indigenous marchers from southern Cauca department arrived in the Colombian capital of Bogotá Nov. 21, and established an encampment in the central Plaza de BolĂvar. Leaders declared that they would not return to their… Read moreColombia: indigenous march arrives in Bogotá
The leaders of the 21 nations of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) met in Lima over the weekend, where George Bush continued to push free-trade prescriptions—prompting demonstrations at the US Embassy, where protesters in black hoods and orange jumpsuits representing… Read moreBush protested at Lima APEC summit
The president of a failed Colombian financial firm suspected of laundering drug profits and bilking thousands of mostly poor investors of millions of dollars was arrested in Panama and promptly deported Nov. 20. David Murcia Guzmán, 28, founder of the… Read moreColombia: protests after arrest of populist outlaw banker
From the BBC News, Nov. 18: UK drug users ‘damaging Colombia’ Drug users in the UK are causing an environmental catastrophe in Colombia, the country’s vice-president has told a meeting of police chiefs. Speaking in Belfast, Francisco Santos Calderon said… Read moreColombia: coke users snort rainforest
