Daily Headlines: June 16, 2014

Note: We will be posting several articles during the next month on the World Cup in Brazil.  As a result, our “Daily Headlines” entries over the next few weeks will focus primarily on non-World Cup news.


* Colombia: Conservative president Juan Manuel Santos turned around a first round loss and won reelection as most Colombian voters opted to continue the current direction of peace talks with leftist rebels.

* South America: Diplomatic tensions between Argentina and Uruguay have flared up again over a Finnish-owned pulp mill built in 2007 near the border of both countries.

* Mexico: Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission condemned the attacks on five journalists covering a recent march remembering the victims of the 1971 El Halconazo massacre.

* U.S.: Escaping from gang violence and poor economic conditions are some of the reasons behind the influx of thousands of unaccompanied minors mostly from Central American countries crossing into the U.S. 

Video Source – euronews via YouTube

Online Sources – MercoPress; LAHT; The Latin Americanist; CNN; Reuters

Uruguay and Argentina still at odds over border mill

The paper mill dispute between Argentina and Uruguay that has been going on for over a year continues as representatives for both countries take part in negotiations mediated by Spain. Neither side is willing to budge too much as evidenced by remarks made several days ago by Uruguayan president Tabare Vasquez.

The debate centers on a paper mill owned by Finnish firm Botnia that is being built in Uruguay near their river border with Argentina. Argentina wants the mill to be moved away from the border while Uruguay is steadfast in wanting the mill to be fully operational by September.

Links- Mercopress, The Latin Americanist, MSNBC, NewsRoom Finland

Image- Mercopress (Argentine protestors of the Botnia paper mill block roads leading to the facility)