Daily Headlines: May 27, 2013

* U.S.: “Finally, they're going to put my ugly face on this trophy,” joked Brazilian-born Tony Kanaan after he won the Indianapolis 500 yesterday for the first time in twelve attempts.

* Guatemala: Alfonso Portillo, the ex-Guatemalan president who on Friday became the first former Latin American leader ever to be extradited to the U.S., is due in a federal court tomorrow.

* Haiti: A “group of black-rights associations” filed a lawsuit seeking reparations from payments made to France after Haiti gained its independence.

* Venezuela: A U.S. State Department report on religious freedom accused the Venezuelan government of attempting “to limit the influence of religious groups in certain geographic, societal, and political areas.”

Video Source – YouTube via ESPN

Online Sources- USA TODAY; AFP; Bloomberg; El Universal

Daily Headlines: March 20, 2013

* Brazil: At least 24 people are dead after heavy rainfall led to several landslides in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro.

* Cuba: Dissident blogger Yoaní Sanchez called for the end of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba that she said was used by the Castro administration as a scapegoat for the island’s economic woes.

* Colombia: Representatives for the FARC guerillas urged the Colombian government to “demilitarize” rural areas and pay reparations to the poor.

* Haiti: A recent report from Doctors Without Borders found that a “lack of funds and supplies” have caused "unnecessary deaths" from cholera.

Video Source – YouTube via ITN

Online Sources- GlobalPost, Foreign Policy Passport, Reuters, Doctors Without Borders

Colombia considers reparations bill

Colombia’s FARC rebels named its new military chief days after alias Mono Jojoy was killed in a military bombing. The Attorney General disqualified Piedad Cordoba from Congress over allegedly “promoting and collaborating” with the FARC. Those recent stories are important perhaps the most vital involves aiding the victims of the armed conflict.

On Monday the government presented a Victims Law designed to provide assistance to millions of people adversely affected by the violence from guerillas, paramilitaries, and other criminal groups. "The fundamental purpose is for victims to be able to reconstruct their lives," said President Juan Manuel Santos in a speech to Congress yesterday.

The bill focuses on four main points including giving reparations, educational aid, and returning land to victims. Furthermore, the proposal makes sure to recognize victims regardless of gender, race, or religion and permits those eligible for the program to apply directly for aid rather than wait for court approval.

A previous plan for victims was proposed last year but it was defeated in Congress partly due to objections over funding by the government of Alvaro Uribe. According to semana.com, the current proposal may have a better chance of being passed since the government sought to build legislative support for the bill before it was unveiled.

Image- Terra Colombia
Online Sources- semana.com, RTT, CNN, LAHT, Colombia Reports

Daily Headlines: August 18, 2010

* Venezuela: A court banned the publishing of bloody and violent images in newspapers days after one daily displayed on its front page a photo of bodies. (Click here if you want to see the controversial image).

* Haiti: French authorities rejected a call to pay back about $17 billion in reparations that was extracted from Haiti as part of a “reimbursement” for the Caribbean country’s independence over two centuries ago.

* Ecuador: Officials plan to renegotiate contracts with foreign oil firms in the hope that the state can earn at least 85% of revenue.

* Argentina: According to the local press the government predicts 8.4% growth in the gross domestic product this year.

Image – AFP (“An elderly man reads a newspaper in Caracas.”)
Online Sources- Bloomberg, El Universal, LAHT, Christian Science Monitor

Daily Headlines: August 17, 2009

* Chile: A recently declassified document showed that U.S. President Richard Nixon offered Brazil’s military regime “financial support” in order to help overthrow Chile’s Salvador Allende in 1971.

* Uruguay: The government is expected to soon pass a bill granting $17.4 million in reparations to victims of the 1973-1985 “Dirty War” regime.

* Mexico: A major-shake up of the country’s customs agency took place yesterday with the goal of cleaning up corruption.

* Bolivia: According to the local press it will cost about $800 million to develop the promising lithium industry at the salt flats of Uyuni.

Image- BBC News
Online Sources- Los Angeles Times, AP, MSNBC, The Latin Americanist, LAHT