Just days ahead of the referendum on President Hugo Chávez’s proposed constitutional reforms, Venezuela has threatened to expel a US diplomat if a document outlining supposed CIA plans to foment unrest proves to be real. The document, entitled “Final Stage… Read moreVenezuela destabilization document emerges: real?
Meeting in a heavily guarded military academy on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia’s Constituent Assembly approved a new Constitution late on Nov. 24 with the support of 136 of the 255 delegates. Two delegates abstained, and the majority of the… Read moreBolivia: new constitution protested
The Nov. 21 New York Times includes a profile of Venezuela’s recently retired army commander-in-chief Gen. Raul Isaias Baduel, a longtime confidant of Hugo Chavez who led the paratrooper raid that restored him to power following the abortive 2002 coup… Read moreAnti-Semitism in Venezuela —again?
Just as the Peru Free Trade Agreement has passed the US House of Representatives, efforts to pass a similar agreement with Colombia hit an embarrassing snag. Sandra Suarez, the special envoy Colombian President Alvaro Uribe sent to Washington in July… Read moreColombia’s DC trade envoy steps down following para collaboration charges
Colombians went to the polls on Oct. 28 to elect 18,527 local and regional officials, including mayors, governors, municipal council members and deputies. As has been usual in regional elections, turnout was low. The campaign was marked by the murders… Read moreColombia: left holds on to Bogotá
Peruvian miners began an open-ended strike on Nov. 5, affecting copper, tin, iron and zinc mines owned by Southern Copper Corp., Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., Newmont Mining Corp., Doe Run Resources Corp, Cia. de Minas Buenaventura SA, Minsur SA,… Read morePeru: strikes, protests continue
The US House of Representatives voted 285 to 132 on Nov. 8 to approve the Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA, or TLC for its initials in Spanish). The agreement, which eliminates tariffs and establishes new rules for foreign investment, was… Read morePeru: FTA advances in Washington
On Nov. 7 Chilean authorities suddenly moved prisoners JosĂ© Huenchunao and Patricia Troncoso Robles to the hospital in Angol in Region IX, apparently because of the effects of a 28-day hunger strike. Along with three other prisoners—JosĂ© Millalen, Jaime Marileo… Read moreChile: Mapuche prisoners hospitalized
Spain’s King Juan Carlos (now famously) told Hugo Chavez to “shut up” after the Venezuelan president repeatedly referred to former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar as a “fascist” at the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, Chile, Nov. 10. (AP, Nov…. Read moreSpanish king in on ’02 Venezuela coup?
From the Reporters Without Borders, Nov. 9: Coca grower leader threatens to kill five journalists Reporters Without Borders today condemned death threats made against five journalists in the northwestern province of Tocache by Sergio Gonzales Apaza, the leader of the… Read morePeru: cocaleros threaten journalists
Three days before the Nov. 7 opening of the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, a hacker broke into the website of Chile’s presidency and planted the flag of Peru, leaving the site inoperable for some 18 hours. AP reports the intruder… Read morePeruvian cyber-guerillas attack Chile
On Oct. 29 some 300,000 campesinos who cultivate coca in 18 of Peru’s valleys began an open-ended strike to protest the failure of the government of President Alan Garcia to comply with the Tocache Document, in which it promised to… Read morePeru: cocaleros, doctors strike
