Puerto Rico’s conservative New Progressive Party (PNP) gained easily over the centrist Popular Democratic Party (PPD) in elections on Nov. 4, with PNP gubernatorial candidate Luis Fortuno winning 52.8% of the vote to 41.3% for the PPD candidate, current governor… Read morePuerto Rico: right wins elections
The United Nations General Assembly voted on Oct. 29 to condemn the US embargo on trade with Cuba that has been in effect since 1962. This is 17th time the group has supported a nonbinding resolution against the embargo. The… Read moreUN votes against Cuba embargo; Havana woos Latin America
On Oct. 28 former Haitian right-wing paramilitary leader Emmanuel (“Toto”) Constant was given a 12 to 37 year prison sentence for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme in New York state. Justice Abraham Gerges of State Supreme Court in… Read moreHaitian death squad boss Toto Constant sentenced —on mortgage fraud
About a dozen people reportedly died of starvation in the Baie d’Orange communal section in Belle-Anse in Haiti’s Southeast department towards the end of October. Local authorities say malnutrition is a major problem in the area, which was hit by… Read moreHaiti: storm victims starve
Voting results released on Oct. 23 showed Puerto Rico’s teachers rejecting by a 18,123-14,675 margin a bid by the Puerto Rican Teachers Union (SPM) to represent them. The “no” vote was vigorously promoted by the teachers’ current union, the militant… Read morePuerto Rico: teachers back independent union
On Oct. 14 the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1840 authorizing the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to remain for another year, until Oct. 15, 2009. The international force, which began its occupation of Haiti in June… Read moreHaiti: UN sends tanks, not tractors
The Dominican Republic deported 691 people into Haiti at the border town of Belladere in the Central Plateau department from Sept. 4 to Sept. 30, according to the local Human Rights Committee, which is part of the Jeannot Succes Border… Read moreDominican Republic deports Haitian workers
As of Oct. 7 Puerto Rico’s teachers had been voting for a week on whether the Puerto Rican Teachers Union (SPM) should represent them. The island’s 40,000 teachers were previously represented by the 42-year-old Teachers’ Federation of Puerto Rico (FMPR),… Read morePuerto Rico: teachers vote on union
The US government is not currently scheduling any deportations to Haiti, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson Barbara Gonzalez said on Sept. 19. According to Gonzales, federal officials are evaluating conditions in the country, which was hit by four… Read moreHaiti: US holds up deportations
On Sept. 5 the Haitian Senate voted 16-0 with one abstention to approve a cabinet proposed by incoming prime minister Michele Duvivier Pierre-Louis. This ended a five-month period in which the country was governed by a caretaker cabinet. (AlterPresse, Sept…. Read moreHaiti: new PM faces storm aftermath
As of Sept. 6 more than 500 people had reportedly died in Gonaives, Haiti’s third largest city, following the passage of tropical storm Hanna; deforestation has left the Gonaives area vulnerable to flooding, and as many as 3,000 people died… Read moreHanna takes deadly toll in Haiti; Cuba weathers Gustav
Cuban punk rocker Gorki Aguila, lead singer of Porno para Ricardo, charged with “social dangerousness” because of his songs denouncing and deriding the government, was released with a $28 fine after calling upon his fans to hold a public protest…. Read moreCuba: dissident punk rocker scores political win
