Daily Headlines: March 7, 2013

* Colombia: Nobel literature laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez claimed that he was “very happy” to be celebrating his 86th birthday on Wednesday.

* Haiti: Ex-President Rene Preval is being questioned behind closed doors by a judge investigating the 2000 murder of journalist Jean Dominique. 

* Mexico: Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim topped Forbes magazine’s list of more than 1400 billionaires that excluded drug capo Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.

* Brazil: A news study concluded that “disarmament campaigns launched in 2004” have helped stabilize the number of gun deaths over the past decade.

Video Source – YouTube via user Evandro Motta (Excerpt from a documentary on famous Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez.)
 
Online Sources- GlobalPost, Miami Herald, Reuters, The Guardian

Martelly inaugurated as Haitian president

With all due respect to The Go! Team, the power was both on and off today as Michel Martelly was inaugurated as Haitian president.

During his inauguration speech, he vowed to fulfill his campaign promises including lowering poverty in the poorest country in the Americas as well as speed up rebuilding of areas decimated by a January 2010 earthquake. The fifty-year-old musician also promised that he would modernize the army in order to be "ready to intervene in times of chaos and catastrophe."

While Martelly’s speech stayed “on” message, the ceremony was “off” according to CNN:

In a sign of the nation's troubles, the electricity went out moments before the inauguration, prompting formally dressed dignitaries and guests -- including former U.S. President Bill Clinton and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe -- to fan themselves to stave off rising May heat.

Immediately, Twitter lit up with posts calling the blackout a "bad sign." Despite the outage, the ceremony proceeded before parliament and Martelly took his oath of office amid the lights of media cameras.

Martelly’s challenges are numerous; aside from those he mentioned in his speech, he will have to contend with political tensions that were worsened due to irregularities in the first round of presidential elections. He may have a tough time going through with his campaign vows since the political party of his predecessor, Rene Preval, controls the Haitian legislature.

One area that could be promising for the new president could be with Haitians living abroad. Last weekend, Haiti’s congress approved a constitutional amendment allowing for dual nationality. Martelly also suggested that Haitian expats “donate” $1 per every $100 remittance in order to help carry out his campaign promise of providing free primary education.

Image- AP via CBC News (“Michel Martelly is sworn in as Haiti's new president inside a Haitian parliamentary meeting room in Port-au-Prince.”)
Online Sources- Monsters & Critics, BBC News, CNN, CBC News, The Latin Americanist
Video Source- YouTube

Today’s Video: Anger at Preval

While it remains to be seen if former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide returns from exile, several dozen protesters yesterday expressed their ire with current president Rene Preval.

Demonstrators during Monday’s protest in the Haitian capital city of Port-au-Prince called for Preval to step down from the presidency since his term was supposed to end yesterday. But amidst Haiti’s political turmoil Preval’s chief of staff said that the president would leave in May, roughly two months after a delayed runoff election will take place.

Other protesters were upset at the alleged government inaction after a massive earthquake thirteen months ago left over 200,000 and one million homeless.

Unfortunately the protest turned violent after police shot tear gas into the air and tried to disperse demonstrators:

Political unrest could intensify in the weeks leading to the March 20th runoff between former first lady Mirlande Manigat and musician Michel Martelly.

Video Source – AP via YouTube
Online Sources- MSNBC, Voice of America, AP, Radio New Zealand, Reuters

Daily Headlines: September 20, 2010

* Puerto Rico: A new stamp in honor of the late and great Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos was dedicated last week and should currently be available for purchase.

* Haiti: With roughly five weeks to go until Haiti’s presidential elections some eyebrows have been raised over President René Préval’s ties to the national election commission.

* Guatemala: A U.S. court sentenced a former Guatemalan soldier to ten years in prison for trying to cover up his role in the brutal 1982 Dos Erres massacre.

* Ecuador: The plaintiffs in the environmental damages case against oil giant Chevron raised their damage claim from $27 billion to “a range of $40 billion to $90 billion.”

Image – EFE
Online Sources- New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, BusinessWeek, BBC News

Weekend Headlines: August 28-29, 2010

* Brazil: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave the green light for the construction of a massive hydroelectric dam in the Amazon region despite protests from some indigenous groups and environmentalists.

* Haiti: Wyclef Jean may’ve been barred from running for the Haitian presidency yet that hasn’t stopped the singer from blasting the government including current leader Rene Preval.

* Puerto Rico: Could the coastal city of Fajardo become “the Hollywood of the Caribbean?”

* Argentina: Soccer midfielder Javier Mascherano will reportedly sign a four-year deal to leave Liverpool and play for Barcelona.

Image – BBC News (“The proposal to build a dam on the Xingu river has long been a source of controversy.”)
Online Sources- Vancouver Sun, AP, AFP, The Latin Americanist, LAHT

Daily Headlines: July 2, 2010

* Haiti: President Rene Preval rejected and deemed “unacceptable” a series of U.S. Congressional proposals for Haiti’s upcoming elections.

* Mexico: At least two people died in northern Mexico as a result of heavy winds and rains from Hurricane Alex.

* Guatemala: Costa Rica’s Attorney General was selected to head the U.N. anti-corruption commission for Guatemala.

* Brazil: Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue was reopened after an extensive four-month renovation.

Image – Al Jazeera English (Haiti's president ordered that national elections take place in November).
Online Sources- BBC News, CNN, AP, Reuters,

Daily Headlines: May 19, 2010

* Puerto Rico: On Tuesday the island entered a second day of a general strike against Gov. Luis Fortuño’s budget cuts including firing public workers and raising university tuition.

* Haiti: Days after about 2000 people in Port-au-Prince protested against President Rene Preval’s supposed abuse of power the leader vowed that he would step down at the end of his term in February 2011.

* Chile: A Pakistani man who was detained for five days after traces amounts of explosives were found on him claimed that his case results from "a big misunderstanding stemming from a mistaken identity."

* Latin America: Auto manufacturer General Motors posted its first profit in three years partly due to strong sales from Latin America.

Image – EPA (“Labor unions activists and students are united in an anti-government strike”.)
Online Sources- The Telegraph, AFP, The Latin Americanist, MSNBC, Global Voices Online

Protesters to Preval: Get out

Anger over government policy and squalid conditions in survivor camps have been cited as two of the reasons behind a demonstration against Haitian President Rene Preval on Monday.

Approximately 2000 people rallied outside of the national palace in Port-Au-Prince in an event described by the AP as “the largest political protest since the Jan. 12 earthquake.” The rally was initially reported as “party-like” yet police would eventually fired tear gas as some tried to break the security perimeter. A few demonstrators were armed and robbed passerby during the protest, which at times became chaotic.

The demonstration was organized by a coalition of forty opposition groups who have accused Preval of trying to abuse power under the guise of post-earthquake political stability. On the same day as the protest the Haitian Senate approved a proposal possibly extending Preval’s time in the presidency. This did not sit well with some of Monday’s protesters:

Elections were supposed to be held in February but will now be delayed. Some fear they could eventually be cancelled. "He is profiting from this disaster in order to stay in power," said Herve Santilus, a demonstrator interviewed by the Associated Press.

He, like hundreds of thousands of other restless citizens, has been unemployed and relying on aid handouts since the disaster struck.

Another protester, Claudy Louis, told reporters: "Preval has used the drama that our country went through and turned it into an opportunity for himself. Instead of looking out for the people, he quickly hatched a plan to benefit the small group of people around him."

The anger against Preval was so much that some at the protest urged a return from exile of former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Image- RFI (“Police walk between residents taking part in a protest in Port-au-Prince on 11 May 2010.”)
Online Sources- Independent.co.uk, NPR, BBC News, Xinhua, Reuters

UNSAUR pledges $300 million in Haitian aid

Approximately two weeks after Latin America’s ALBA bloc started a $100 million “special fund” for earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the region’s leaders met today to provide more assistance to the Caribbean nation.

Several presidents of the UNASUR alliance met today in Quito, Ecuador and pledged $100 million in funds along with a $200 million “preferential” credit from the Inter-American Development Bank. “Latin America has stood up… The time has come to create a new kind of south-south aid,” declared Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa as regional leaders of the twelve-country bloc worked out the reconstruction plan.

Today’s pledge is a big help affirmed Haitian president, Rene Preval who was present at the UNASUR conference. With the raining season coming up, Preval detailed one form of aid that he hoped the region would provide:

Preval has asked his South American counterparts… to support his country by sending tents as soon as possible aside from the short and long-term help proposed by UNASUR…

In Haiti, said Preval, there are millions of homeless people and their difficult situation could cause protests. Yet he pointed out that the Haitian people are grateful for any concrete help that could be provided. – [Ed. Translated text]

Several other proposals for Haitian reconstruction were also brought up in Quito; Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro proposed creating a food reserve bank while Peruvian President Alan Garcia proposed helping rebuild Haiti’s roads. Colombian president Alvaro Uribe (on his first official visit to Ecuador since the Raul Reyes incident) brought up the possibility of building houses in Haiti.

Thus far regional differences have taken a back seat compared to the need to help in Haitian reconstruction. Let’s hope it stays that way for the good of the millions of Haitians hit by the earthquake that struck nearly a month ago.

Image- BBC News
Online Sources- LAHT, Bloomberg, ABC.es, EPA, Clarin, El Universal

Legislators advocate for Haitian immigrants

A group of five U.S. lawmakers urged the Obama administration to enact Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants.

The bipartisan delegation of Democratic and Republican Representatives from south Florida traveled to Haiti this week. There, they met with President René Préval and other diplomatic and military officials during the quick one-day visit.

As Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart observed, the White House would do well by revising the State Department travel warning to the Caribbean country as well as granting TPS to an estimated 30,000 Haitians:

"It's a beautiful country, Haiti, with an extraordinary history and one of the ways in which they are going to lift themselves up from poverty is with tourism," the Herald quoted him saying. "I would urge and I will, the Obama administration, the State Department to review that policy because the lack of security that has been at the cause of the warning to U.S. tourists has been improved."

Haitian exile groups, immigrant advocates, and even celebrities have long called for permitting TPS to Haitians. U.S. immigration officials under Obama and his predecessor have continually rejected requests for granting TPS.

Image- LAHT
Online Sources- CBS4.com, The Latin Americanist, UPI, Miami Herald

Haiti nears confirmation of Pierre-Louis

After cementing the lower house's support last week, Michele Pierre-Louis, President Rene Preval's third pick in as many months to serve as the country's prime minister, is now set to face the Senate's imminent decision.

According to the AP, "parliamentary sources" said the senate is slated to hold its vote next week.

Meanwhile, reports of a campaign of slander and sexism against Pierre-Louis continue. A website to address the smears has been launched by her supporters. Despite the attacks, it seems increasingly likely that the Senate will be hard-pressed to overturn the 61-1 vote in the House.

Until recently, Pierre-Louis had been the director of Haiti's Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty (FOKAL), a non-profit dedicated to education and youth development and funded by George Soros.

If confirmed, Pierre-Louis would succeed Edouard Alexis who was given a vote of no confidence in April and consequently ousted over the escalating food crises. She would also be Haiti's second female prime minister in the country's history.

Sources: AlterPresse, AP, Kikeyacity, Reuters, www.MDPL.name

Daily Headlines: May 29, 2008

* Argentina: Please no mas with the comparisons between Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Hillary Clinton!

* U.S.: The head of the Texas Border Coalition wants federal officials to use alternate means to secure the border with Mexico instead of a physical wall.

* Haiti: Haitian President Rene Preval asked his Brazilian counterpart to send more police to help control rampant crime.

* Paraguay: Future economy minister Dionisio Borda said last week that Paraguay would drop its loan option with the International Monetary Fund.

Sources- Christian Science Monitor, Houston Chronicle, Reuters, International Herald Tribune

Image- USA TODAY