Brazil’s Lula optimistic over economy

Despite the recent problems in the global financial markets Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva is not worried:

"We live at a most peculiar moment now, (and) our economy does not depend so much on the trade with the United States, even though they are still very important to us," Lula said, adding that Brazil's foreign exchange reserves reach 207 billion U.S. dollars.

In remarks made yesterday, Lula also criticized Wall Street firms who had previously spent “decades giving opinions to Brazil” and treating Latin American countries as if “we were the super-miserable.”

What do you think of his viewpoint on the economy?

Image- petroleumworld.com

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Bloomberg, Xinhua

Mexican Independence Day Blasters Caught?

Cross Posted with VivirLatino

La Macha wrote, with some suspicion, as to who was responsible for the Mexican Independence Day blasts in Morelia. While no organization or individual has taken credit for the attacks, the Mexican government has detained at least three people, two whom they say are suspects and members of drug gangs.

Pero Nezua, over at The Unapologetic Mexican, makes the important and correct point, that the military incursion into Morelia that followed the initial grenade attack, is just an escalation and continuation of violent Mexican politics that attack the community and cover up the real culprits.

But sadly, it is true that this escalates the ongoing and escalating violence, even if it is not true that the “drug gangs” caused it. Even if this was done by the CIA or related people (a very popular trick of governments not only in the USA, but recently in Oaxaca, and historically, such as in Tlatelcolco), it will (and already is) being used to justify more violence by the Mexican government, more military presence, and more repressive tactics. It ain’t no new story...But not an end to tolerance of stolen elections, corrupt governors, police instigating violence to blame it on la gente, no! That crime is okay. But clearly, this is a signal that things are about to change even more for poor madre México.

Sources / VivirMexico y the Unapologetic Mexican

”Terrorist” t-shirt makers convicted

A Danish appeals court convicted six people yesterday for creating and selling t-shirts featuring rebel groups such as Colombia’s FARC. Though judges initially acquitted the members of shirt company Fighters and Lovers last December, the retrial found the defendants guilty of breaking Denmark’s antiterrorism laws.

Five of the defendants received between 60 days and six months in jail and a sixth sentenced to 60 days in prison. One of the defendants was displeased with the verdict:

Michael Schoelardt, the company's managing director, who got six months in prison, said: "We must stand firm in our fight for peace and justice in the world."

Lawyers said they would try to take the case to the Supreme Court…

(Fighters and Lovers) says proceeds from the new range will not go to the militant groups themselves, but to legal aid groups supporting "victims of the Israeli occupation and Colombian government".

The company had previously donated 75 cents of every sold $33 shirt to the FARC as well as Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Both the FARC and PFLP are considered terrorist organizations by the U.S. and E.U.

Image- BBC News

Sources- The Latin Americanist, BBC News, Al Jazeera English, New York Times, The Independent

Venezuela less democratic under Chavez says HRW

Venezuela has become less democratic under the rule of Hugo Chavez according to a report issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

A weakened justice system, press harassment, and political discrimination were just a few of the problems faced in Venezuela under nearly a decade of Chavez’ rule according to HRW Americas director José Miguel Vivanco. At a press conference yesterday in Caracas, Vivanco spoke out against the “weakening of democratic institutions” under Chavez and made several recommendations to the Venezuelan government.

The Chavez administration not only replied by criticizing Vivanco but also by kicking him out of the country hours after his press conference:

Officials in Caracas said Human Rights Watch Americas director Jose Miguel Vivanco had made unacceptable remarks against the country's institutions.

"We aren't going to tolerate any foreigner coming here to sully the dignity" of Venezuela's institutions, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro told state television…

Vivanco "has violated the constitution" and Venezuela's laws, Maduro said.

Both human rights campaigners had been acting at the behest of the U.S. government, the foreign minister said.

Earlier this week, HRW released a statement calling for Bolivian authorities to investigate the deaths of at least fifteen people during recent disturbances. “An independent and unbiased investigation is absolutely critical to ensuring that those responsible for these killings are brought to justice,” said Vivanco over the killings in the department of Pando.

Image- AP (“Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director for Human Rights Watch, listens to reporters' questions during a news conference in Caracas, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008.”)

Sources (English)- Human Rights watch, CBC, miamiherald.com

Sources (Spanish)- unionradio.net

Daily Headlines: September 19, 2008

* China: Apparently viewers think that the titular character in the Chinese version of “Ugly Betty” is too unattractive.

* Peru: Officials received the first shipment of One Laptop Per Child computers with Windows XO installed.

* U.S.: Boxer Oscar Diaz woke up and is slowly recovering from a two-month coma he fell into after collapsing during a bout.

* Brazil: Is the return of the Fourth Fleet a sign that Brazilian offshore oil fields are in danger of being taken over by the U.S.? Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thinks so.

Image- clarin.com (Ana Maria Orozco as the main character from the original Colombian version of “Ugly Betty".)

Sources- Guardian UK, engadget, ESPN, AFP, Reuters, The Latin Americanist

Today’s Video: Mexico’s quake, 23 years later

This Friday will be the 23rd anniversary of one of the deadliest earthquakes that has ever hit the Americas.

On September 19, 1985 at 7:18am a tremor measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale shook Mexico City to its core. Though it lasted less than a minute, the quake destroyed over 400 buildings and left tens of thousands injured and homeless. The death toll varies between 4200 and 40,000 as a massive aftershock the following day severely hampered makeshift rescue operations.

The following video is the first part of a 1999 documentary chronicling the quake and its aftermath. Events around Mexico City will be held on Friday to commemorate those who died and will include a massive earthquake drill.

(Video link):


Sources (English)- BBC News, History Channel, Wikipedia, imdb.com
Sources (Spanish)- Milenio, Excelsior

Poll: More Latinos pessimistic, worried

A nationwide pall conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center (PWC) found increased pessimism and anxiety among Latinos in the U.S. The survey of over 2000 people found that half of them feel that the country is worse off now than a year ago. The figure is slightly higher among Latino immigrants (63%) compared to the 42% of respondents in 2007 who said their situation had worsened.

The PWC argued that such findings come about since Latinos have been hit hard by the faltering economy and the immigration debate. It is the latter that has instilled fear in the Latino community according to the poll:

Nearly one in ten Hispanic adults say that the police or other authorities have stopped them and asked them about their immigration status…

The survey also found that 81 percent of Hispanic adults said that immigration enforcement should be left mainly to the federal authorities and not local police. In addition, 76 percent said they disapprove of workplace raids.

While Barack Obama and John McCain roll out oversimplified ads and repeat the same stump speeches millions of people in the U.S. find themselves having a harder time moving forward. As the survey shows the Latino community isn’t immune to the difficulties of the country and raises a red flag that out political and economic leaders cannot brush aside.

Image- MSNBC (“A Boston immigration rights rally (in 2005) is one of the emotional demonstrations Latino lawmakers hope to use as a springboard to a series of citizenship workshops.”)

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Washington Wire, On the Trail, The Desert Sun, The Border Line, UPI, Pew Hispanic Center

Ambassador Golbderg defends position in diplomatic debacle

Ambassador Philip Goldberg, who was declared persona non grata last week in Bolivia -- an event which set off an hemispheric chain-reaction of diplomatic drama and culminated in the Unasur meeting earlier this week -- defended the US and his own actions at a media roundtable discussion at the Inter-American Dialogue on Thursday morning.

“This action, sadly, has been a longtime coming,” Goldberg noted. “To give you the context… the first question I received (from the Bolivian press corps) when I began my tenure in October of 2006 was ‘is it true that you are part of a plot to assassinate President Morales?’ This was no auspicious beginning.”

Goldberg, a Senior Foreign Service member, dismissed the allegations that the embassy had encouraged Peace Corps volunteers to spy on their communities as “outrageous,” and that he had acted inappropriately in meeting with opposition governors. “Meeting with opposition governors is not only not inappropriate, it’s part of our work.” He noted that European envoys met with the same opposition governors around the same time, which he also considers appropriate.

Noting that no US ambassador had been told to leave his / her post in the region since 1988, Goldberg reflected on the larger issues of the historical significance of last week’s actions, and of future diplomatic relations.

“I understand the suspicions,” he explained. “But I think if you ask most people in Bolivia, they would tell you that, historically, I was one of the least active (ambassadors) in Bolivian affairs.” Playing down the historical components, Goldberg added: “I live in the here and now--not another time period,” and added that “all I can say is that the US has nothing to do with any move to divide or destabilize Bolivia.”

Goldberg did not, however, seize the opportunity to clearly denounce the anti-democratic measures and violence incited by the Bolivian opposition groups, as the leaders of Unasur did earlier this week.

To listen to the audio of the event held this morning, click here.

Sources: Inter-American Dialogue, ABC, Bloomberg, The Guardian/UK

Candidates court Hispanics

The U.S. presidential candidates will surely be stumping for Hispanic votes today as the focus turns to Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado.

Democratic candidate Barack Obama stumped in Nevada Wednesday, checking out a minor league baseball stadium and talking to union workers. He also scheduled appearances on Spanish-language television networks.

Obama will have to fight Republican candidate John McCain, who is from nearby Arizona, for votes. That battle seems to have started with an ad in Spanish released by the Obama campaign that portrays McCain as anti-immigrant.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Photo: ABC, Obama in Las Vegas in January

Drug ring spun from Guatemala to Italy

Latin Americans were involved in the large drug bust in Rome yesterday.

Police arrested more than 200 cocaine traffickers in Italy, the United States and Latin America.

Along with Italian mafia members, suspects hailed from Mexico and Guatemala, and police believe 14 of them are masterminds of a drug ring between Latin America, the U.S. and Italy.

"This operation led to the break-up of major parts of one of the most active cartels in cocaine trafficking in Latin America," an investigator said.

Read the whole story here.

Source: AFP

U.S., Cuba bicker like schoolchildren over hurricane aid

The petulance of both the Castro administration and the White House has prevented Cubans to receive much needed hurricane assistance.

On the one hand, Cuba’s government has twice refused direct aid from the U.S. “The dignity of a people has no price,” wrote former leader Fidel Castro in a column published on Wednesday as the island’s government turned down a $5 million aid package.

Instead of accepting the aid, the Castro administration proposed a six-month suspension of the U.S. trade embargo on the island. (Due to the embargo aid organizations must get licensed to send money or goods and that process is often difficult). The U.S. government responded by nixing the idea:

Cuba's talk of the embargo "obviously seems to have the ring of politics overriding the needs of the people" and "has nothing to do with humanitarian aid," (U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos) Gutierrez told Reuters in a telephone interview from Washington.

"We believe we could be of great help to the Cuban people, but the offer was rejected, and it's very frustrating because we want to help," he said.

No Secretary Gutierrez, what is truly “frustrating” is observing how Havana and Washington are entrenched in their Cold War mindsets and treating hurricane assistance as a diplomatic hot potato. Petty political differences are nothing compared to those Cubans whose lives have been affected by the recent hurricanes. Too bad leaders in the U.S. and Cuba don’t see it that way.

Image- BBC News

Sources- Los Angeles Times, miamiherald.com, Guardian UK, Reuters, Al Jazeera English

Daily Headlines: September 18, 2008

* Argentina: According to Interpol, an ex-Argentine army major accused of commanding a “Dirty War”-era massacre was arrested yesterday in Brazil.

* Mexico: Mexican migration officials reported that between January and July over 11,700 children tried to cross the border into the U.S. and were subsequently deported.

* Latin America: Much like on Tuesday Latin American stocks struggled yesterday as worries over the global credit market grew.

* Paraguay: Recently inaugurated Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo visited his Brazilian counterpart in order to renegotiate the energy treaty between both countries.

Image- BBC News

Sources- MSNBC, Monsters & Critics, Reuters, The Latin Americanist, CNN

Today's Video: Let's make a deal

Bolivian president Evo Morales and opposition governors agreed to an initial deal in order to stop the political violence consuming the country. The pact can hopefully serve to ease tensions between Morales and anti-government forces and quell violence that has left at least thirty dead.

(Video link):

Dominican Duo Monchy and Alexandra Splitting

Stepping way for moment from the political news of the day, Dominican bachata duo Monchy and Alexandra are splitting. Oh no!!

The duo, who were not and are not a romantic couple, are known for their romantic he said, she said songs that made parejas everywhere go one, two, three, hip (if you dance bachata you know what I mean).

A tearful Alexandra was seen on Univision earlier today, crying. She ain't crying too much though because he plans to go solo.

Aqui estan Perdidos....and apparently now they are

U.S. puts Bolivia, Venezuela on drug blacklist

The Bush administration placed Bolivia and Venezuela on its annual counternarcotics blacklist. Along with Myanmar, those countries have “failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international counter-narcotics agreements,'' according to a letter submitted to Congress by President George W. Bush. White House officials also cited Bolivian president Evo Morales’ limited backing of coca growth and Venezuela’s “weak judicial system.”

Despite blasting counternarcotics efforts in Bolivia and Venezuela the U.S. will not cut aid to either country. The White House issued a “national security waiver” in order to support Venezuela's "democratic institutions" and "bilateral programs" in Bolivia.

Taking time from trying to calm a votaile situation with the opposition, Morales said today that the U.S. was trying to “blackmail” Bolivia:

“There should be a certification process for those who are fighting drug trafficking by eliminating the consumer market,'' Morales, 48, said during a speech in La Paz. ``Drug trafficking responds to the market”...

“These are political decisions,'' Morales said. “We're not afraid of these campaigns against the government using black lists.''

Even if Bolivia’s counternarcotics record isn’t spot-on, Morales is correct to point out that the drug trade is not a one-way street were consumers aren’t held accountable. Lists like the one issued yesterday tend to be politicized and serve to target regimes the U.S. is having problems with.

Image- BBC News (Cocaine uncovered in a 2000 raid in Venezuela)

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Bloomberg, Voice of America, AP, Times of India, AFP

Reports: Lori Berenson is pregnant

She is a U.S. citizen who was convicted in 1995 accused aiding Peru’s Tupac Amaru guerillas. To some she was a gringa interloper who knowingly helped one of Peru’s most ruthless terrorist organizations. To others she is innocent and was unfairly jailed by a Fujimori-era kangaroo court. She is Lori Berenson and she currently sits in a Peruvian prison serving a 20-yeaR sentence. (Originally it was life in jail).

According to press reports out of the Andean nation, prison doctors found that Berenson is approximately four weeks pregnant. “It's a euphoric feeling for us,” said the father of the 37-year-old who has been wed since 2003 to a former guerilla she met in prison.

Berenson’s sentence finishes in 2011 (assuming no other charges are filed against her). According to Peruvian law, women whom give birth in jail can keep the child for the first few years.

Peru’s RPP Noticias claims that Berenson is not in good health despite her pregnancy:

A su embarazo se suman problemas de salud en la columna y el oído debido a lo cual se estarían realizando gestiones a través de la embajada de los Estados Unidos para que esta sea trasladada a otro penal con la finalidad de recibir mejor atención en un hospital.

[Trnsaltion – Along with her pregnancy she has had health problems relating to her spinal column and ear. This is why gestures are being made to the U.S. Embassy so she can be transferred to another facility and then recive better attention at a hospital.]

Image- CNN

Sources (English)- ABC News, Reuters, Free Lori Berenson, Opinionjournal.com

Sources (Spanish)- RPP Noticias, La Republica