Daily Headlines: October 17, 2014

* Argentina: Officials in the city of Santa Fe started a three-month ban on all sales of guns and ammunition in order to curb a “surge in violent crime reflected in 117 homicides so far this year.”

* Caribbean: Jamaica, Haiti and at least two other Caribbean countries have instituted travel bans against visitors from three African countries most affected by an Ebola outbreak while Colombia has reportedly been the only state to donate to a U.N. fund to combat the disease.

* Brazil: Police in Brazil were said to have captured a self-confessed serial killer who claimed the lives of thirty-nine people over three years.

* Venezuela: Venezuela was elected to a two-year post on the U.N. Security Council after it ran unopposed for the single seat assigned to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Video Source – AFP via YouTube (Video uploaded in 2010).
 
Online Sources – BBC News; Colombia Reports; LAHT; Time; The Guardian

Daily Headlines: October 16, 2014

* U.S.: Prolific Latina television and film actress Elizabeth Peña died at the age of 55 reportedly due to natural causes.

* Venezuela: Venezuela’s president alleged that a Colombian paramilitary group helped carry out the murder of ruling legislator Robert Serra and his companion Maria Herrera.

* Peru: According to the Peruvian government 1000 high-altitude lakes have appeared in the country since 1980 from glaciers melting due to climate change.

* Argentina: A Morgan Stanley report released this week concluded that Argentina “could become the next big thing in shale oil.”

Video Source – YouTube user GeniusInMotionInc (Recently deceased actress Elizabeth Peña participated in numerous movies and TV series including “La Bamba,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Modern Family” and “American Dad”.)
 
Online Sources – The Huffington Post; Reuters; ABC News; Business Insider

Daily Headlines: October 15, 2014

* Latin America: Twenty-five Latin American and Caribbean countries signed an agreement pledging to abolish child labor throughout the region.

* Brazil: Are Brazilian presidential polls like the recent one that put challenger Aécio Neves ahead of incumbent Dilma Rousseff “inaccurate and misleading”?

* Colombia: Proceedings began this week in a British court where more than one hundred Colombian farmers are suing BP over alleged environmental damages.

* Mexico: A new survey in Mexico found that over half of respondents cut down on the consumption of sugary beverages after a new tax on soft drinks went into effect.

Video Source – International Labour Organization via YouTube (Video from 2005).
 
Online Sources – The Guardian; LAHT; Xinhua; BBC News; The Latin Americanist

Daily Headlines: October 14, 2014

* South America: An Italian judge ruled that twenty-one officials from former military dictatorships in four South American countries should be put on trial for their alleged role in Operation Condor.

* Bolivia: Newly reelected President Evo Morales promised to not enact anymore major nationalizations and claimed that he will pursue “realistic, practical” economic policies.

* Venezuela: The U.N. Human Rights Council called on Venezuelan authorities to “immediately release” imprisoned opposition politician Leopoldo López.

* Mexico: Two gunmen murdered a Sonoran activist and radio show host while he was presenting his program live on the air.

Video Source – YouTube user JourneymanVOD
 
Online Sources – spyghana.com; Reuters; MercoPress; The Guardian

Poll: Brazil Opposition Rival Ahead of Rousseff

With less than two weeks to go to the Brazilian president runoff, legislator Aécio Neves appears to be increasingly likely that he will upset incumbent Dilma Rousseff.

Neves leads Rousseff 52.4% to 36.7% according to a Sensus poll of 2000 people that was released today.  The double-digit advantage marks the first time Neves has been ahead in the polls since the October 4th first round of elections that Rousseff won but did not receive a majority that would’ve given her an outright victory. (A pair of surveys released last Thursday showed that he and Rousseff where in a statistical dead heat).

Six weeks ago, polls indicated that Neves would obtain a distant third place finish in the first round yet the former governor has enjoyed a recent surge in the polls.  His representation as a candidate of one of Brazil’s most powerful opposition parties (PDSB) along with his campaign promises to combat corruption and improve the economy appear to resonate heavily with potential voters.

The Sensus poll was conducted last week prior to his endorsement from Marina Silva, the former environment minister who finished in third in the first round.  Silva’s support could provide Neves with an even greater boost in the run-up to the runoff on the 26th of the month.

“From now on, we are one body, one project in favor of Brazil and the Brazilians,” declared Neves yesterday following the endorsement from Silva.

“I trust in the sincerity of the proposals of the candidate and his party, and I give to the Brazilian society the task to see that they are fulfilled,” said Silva whose economic campaign proposals were similar to Neves though both disagreed on gay marriage and marijuana legalization.

Daily Headlines: October 13, 2014

* Bolivia: According to exit polls and a quick count Bolivian president Evo Morales won reelection to a third straight term in office with roughly 60% of voters backing him.

* Mexico: The governor of Guerrero claimed that the remains found in recently unearthed graves do not belong to forty-three students missing since September 26th.

* Venezuela: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reportedly called for an emergency meeting of O.P.E.C. as the prices of crude oil have hit a four-year low.

* Puerto Rico: Tropical Storm Gonzalo could reach hurricane strength by the time it is expected to hit Puerto Rico tomorrow morning and dump as much as a foot of rain on the island.

Video Source – euronews via YouTube
 
Online Sources – Voice of America; LAHT; The Weather Channel; Bloomberg; The Latin Amercanist