National Police fired on protesters amid a new “indefinite” civil strike called to oppose the US-backed Conga gold-mining project in Peru’s northern region of Cajamarca. Supporters of the project are calling for a state of emergency to be declared.
The conflict over the Xstrata mine in Espinar province of Peru’s Cuzco region escalated as National Police troops in full riot gear stormed the office of the mayor, Oscar Mollohuanca, arresting him on charges of leading protests that have left four dead.
Colombia’s Juan Manuel Santos and Chinese President Hu Jintao presided over the signing in Beijing of a pact calling for the two governments to cooperate in building a trans-oceanic pipeline through the Andean country.
Much of Colombia’s lowland jungle department of Putumayo is shut down by a “paro armado”—a civil strike enforced by the guns of the FARC guerillas, in response to glyphosate spraying across the territory.
Indigenous Aymara ayllus (communal villages) in Bolivia’s PotosĂ department clashed with police in an attempt to occupy the camp of a Canadian mining company they say is operating on their territory without their consent.
The struggle against the planned Conga gold mine in Peru’s northern region of Cajamarca continues to gain ground, with formation of a “Unitary Struggle Command for the Northern Macroregion and Oriente.”
A clash with National Police left 11 campesinos hurt and eight detained amid an indefinite paro (civil strike) in Espinar province of Peru’s Cuzco region, called to protest pollution caused by local mining operations.
A high alpine lake in the Chilean Andes suddenly disappeared as a natural glacier dam gave way due to rising temperatures—while unprecedented flooding devastates riverine Amazon communities in Peru and Brazil.
World War 4 Report editor Bill Weinberg, just returned from Peru, speaks before New York's Anarchist Forum on the Quechua indigenous struggle against US-backed mining projects and in defense of land, water and autonomy in the Andes.
The Israel Corporation, with holdings in the energy sector across South and Central America, has especially targeted Peru for massive expansion—but found its holdings in Bolivia expropriated in President Evo Morales’ nationalization of the grid.
Venezuela is demanding the US extradite ex-supreme court judge Eladio Aponte to face drug trafficking charges. Aponte was flown to Miami by the DEA after he accused high-ranking Caracas officials of links to drug-trafficking.
Peru’s military marked the 15th anniversary of a commando raid that freed 71 hostage held by leftist rebels—while controversy continues about charges that the rebels were executed after surrendering.
