Global warming is drying up mountain lakes and wetlands in the Andes and threatening water supplies to such major cities as La Paz, Quito and Bogota, World Bank research reveals. The risk is especially great to the high-Andes wetlands known… Read moreClimate change threatens Andes water supplies: World Bank
Luis Hernando Gomez Bustamante—known as “Rasguño,” or “Scratch”—alleged head of Colombia’s Norte del Valle cocaine cartel, has been extradited to the US to face charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. He was flown by helicopter July 19 from the… Read moreColombia extradites kingpin “Rasguño” —thanks to Cuba!
Indigenous people in Bolivia are marching cross-country from the lowland city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra to the judicial capital, Sucre, where the country’s Constituent Assembly is meeting. About 400 men, women and children from the tropical zone’s ethnicities,… Read moreBolivia: indigenous march on Constituent Assembly
Peruvian unionists, campesinos, leftists and nationalists came together to stage a massive one-day general strike on July 11 to protest the economic policies of President Alan Garcia of the social democratic Aprista party. The July 11 Day of National Struggle,… Read morePeru: protests against US trade accord rock country
From the Colombia Support Network (CSN), July 14: On July 13, 2007 at 12:15 PM two men who had the previous day identified themselves as members of the “Black Eagles” paramilitary organization, stopped a public transport vehicle, forced Peace Community… Read moreColombia: another killing at San Josecito Peace Community
Peru’s National Federation of Miners, Metalworkers and Steelworkers called a nation-wide strike for July 10 and 11, in solidarity with more than 1,500 workers at the Casapalca mine who walked out in May. The conflict has claimed five lives so… Read morePeru: national solidarity strike halts mines
President Evo Morales pledged to personally negotiate with strikers who have shut down Bolivia’s largest tin mine if the 4,800 employees return to work first. Miners at the state-operated Huanuni mine went on strike last week to demand greater administrative… Read moreBolivia: tin miners strike
From Reporters Without Borders (RSF), via the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), July 6: RSF deplores President Rafael Correa’s verbal attacks on the press and above all his decision not to give any more news conferences. The aggressivity of… Read moreEcuador: media under attack?
Jorge Noguera, former chief of Colombia’s secret police, was arrested on charges of colluding with illegal paramilitaries July 7. Noguera, freed from prison three months ago because of procedural errors, was ordered detained again by Colombia’s chief prosecutor, Mario Iguaran… Read moreColombia: ex-secret police chief re-arrested
Millions marched in cities across Colombia July 5 to demand the release of all the estimated 300 captives in the hands of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) and other armed groups, and that the remains be turned over of… Read moreColombia: millions march to demand captives’ release
Some 10,000 Colombians marched through Bogota’s main avenues on July 1 as part of the worldwide celebrations for International Pride Day (June 28). The march, which went from the National Park to the Plaza de Bolivar, was organized by the… Read moreColombia: civil union law blocked
On the evening of June 26, hundreds of people vigiled in Lima, Peru, to protest the efforts of the ruling Aprista party majority in Congress to push through the “addenda” of a free trade treaty between the US and Peruvian… Read morePeru: trade pact approved amid protests
