Daily Headlines: December 9, 2013

* Russia: An amnesty proposal being pushed by Russian President Vladimir Putin could lead to the liberation of Argentine environmental activists Camila Speziale and Hernán Pérez Orsi. 

* Puerto Rico: Why is Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla urging the U.S. Congress to oppose granting statehood to Puerto Rico even though most voters in a 2012 referendum backed statehood?

* Venezuela: Venezuela’s ruling Socialist Party won a majority of localities in Sunday’s municipal elections though the opposition made gains in several major cities.

* Colombia: Commanders of Colombia’s FARC guerillas announced a unilateral thirty day ceasefire while President Juan Manuel Santos declared that the country’s military offensive “will continue” following a deadly rebel attack.

In addition, we sincerely apologize for publishing this post much later than usual.  It was an unfortunate error and a huge blunder on our part.

Video Source – YouTube user TV Pública - Argentina (Argentine Greenpeace environmental activist Camila Speziale was granted bail last month but must remain in St. Petersburg, Russia).
 
Online Sources- Reuters; LAHT; The Latin Americanist; FRANCE24; BBC News