Section » Conflicts

Ecuador: divided left weakens struggle for change

greenleft.org.au/Federico Fuentes wrote Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa is facing the most important challenge yet to his self-styled “Citizens’ Revolution”.

A range of indigenous groups, trade unions and leftist parties mobilised across the country on August 13. Their long list of demands included calls for land reform, opposition to mining, support for bilingual education and the shelving of the government’s proposed water and labour laws.

In Quito, the “Indigenous Uprising” — as protest organisers dubbed it — lasted nine days, with organisers vowing to return this month.

These were just the latest in a series of mobilisations starting almost a year ago.

Late last year, trade unions organised two national protests against changes to the labour law proposed by the Correa government, which expanded social security to cover “housewives” and strengthened job security.

However, unions were unhappy that it also sought to absolve the state from having to contribute 40% of workers’ retirement funds. Read Article

THINKING OF MOVING TO ECUADOR – READ THIS BOOK

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Ecuador: President Correa blasts international media for allegedly publishing lies

telesurtv.net reported Correa called on people to defend Ecuador from Western “campaign to discredit the country” via social media. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa blasted international media, including the Guardian, the Economist and Le Monde for allegedly publishing “lies” on the recent opposition protests that hit the country mid-August. The president told The Economist via Twitter […]

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Colombian Refugees in Ecuador feel discrimination and still fearful

catholicregister.org reported Carlos Leon and Carmen Barrera thought the worst was over when they escaped the death threats in Colombia. Caught between a gang of extortionists and the owner of the property where he was working as a construction foreman, they left on a plane with their twin daughters, each carrying little more than a […]

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Ecuador: UN Special Rapporteur calls for investigation regarding violence against protesters

ww4report.com reported UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz issued a statement Aug. 24 expressing concern about ongoing violence against protesters by security forces in Ecuador, and called for a “just and impartial” investigation. The statement made special note of “accusations of violence against indigenous women” who participated in peaceful demonstrations. […]

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Ecuador: Groups demand progressive changes (Opinion)

Ecuador: Widespread Protests from Left and Indigenous Sectors Demand Progressive Changes Carlos Zorilla reported the largest protests – and by far the longest-lasting – against Rafael Correa’s government have been raging all over Ecuador since August 13th, when hundreds of thousands of people in a national strike called by the Indigenous People’s organizations and Labor […]

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Peru: Protesters protest planned arrival of 3,000 plus U.S. military personnel

sputnkiknews.com reported Peruvians marched in the capital city Lima to protest the planned arrival of more than 3,000 US military personnel and the continued US military intervention in the South American country, local media reported on Thursday. The march began from the Plaza San Martin in central Lima and moved to the US embassy. Demonstrators […]

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Ecuador: Indigenous and Right Wing groups to continue protests against President

An Indigenous assembly and march have been called for Friday. telesurtv.net reported after this past week of demonstrations, where over 116 police officers and members of the armed forces were injured and at least 60 people detained, some Indigenous groups aligned with right-wing movements have vowed to continue their protests and strike against the government […]

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Repression in Ecuador

theguardian.com/David Hill – Would you believe me if I told you that while president Rafael Correa was singing “Hasta siempre, comandante” with a band in the main square in central Quito last Thursday night just one block away riot police were tear-gassing and clubbing Ecuadorian citizens? Or that elsewhere in Ecuador the police have been […]

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Ecuador: What will occur in Ecuador? the date is December 2015 (Opinion)

jornada.unam.mx /(Opinion) Joan Martínez Alier professor of economics and economics history at Autonomous University of Barcelona wrote in an opinion piece… The Correa government is heading down a path of repression. To sample the August 13 police arrested, mistreated and announced the deportation of Manuela Picq, Brazilian journalist and partner of Carlos Pérez, leader of […]

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Ecuador: Protesters Clash With Authorities, five police reported injured

caracol.com.co reported there were clashes with protesters in the south of the country by blocking roads and government supporters in Quito focus on Carondelet. At least five policemen have been slightly injured after a clash with protesters blocking a road in southern Ecuador, Azuay area, this part of the anti-government protests that advance indigenous and […]

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Ecuador: National strike, protest planned for August 13, 2015

panampost.com reported Ecuadorian trade unions and indigenous groups are in final preparations for a massive nationwide strike on Thursday, August 13. Their objective is to have President Rafael Correa rectify his various policy proposals, including his plans to impose new taxes on inheritance and capital gains, which have led to a wave of protests for […]

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Venezuela: Law of the Jungle takes over in search of groceries, desperation showing

panampost.com reported it’s the law of the jungle in Venezuela, as shopping for groceries becomes an increasingly dangerous activity. As the shortage crisis worsens, more and more angry mobs are raiding the nation’s supermarkets, looting whatever basic goods they can find. During the first half of 2015, the Venezuelan Observatory for Social Conflict (OVCS) registered […]

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Ecuador: Appeals for those facing jail terms in anti-govt protests, stalled according to HRW

hrw.org reported people facing jail terms in Ecuador for participating in anti-government protests can appeal under a new law, but the courts have repeatedly stalled on hearing their cases. The convictions are based on overly broad definitions of crimes that are no longer applicable to these cases, but courts have delayed scheduling appeals in cases […]

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Ecuador: President tells Military, Police to prepare for turmoil

Ecuador’s President Calls On Military, Police to Prepare for Turmoil Telesurtv.net The call for the loyalty from the armed forces comes amid political tensions in the country. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa called on the police and military Monday to be prepared for destabilizing attempts by opposition groups ahead of a national strike set for mid-August. […]

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Ecuador: Govt. spies may have broken law in obtaining personal information on activists

theguardian.com reported Ecuadorian government spies may have illegally targeted political and environmental opponents to president Rafael Correa’s plan to extract oil in Yasuni national park…Ecuadorian spies may have broken the law by obtaining personal information on MPs, environmentalists, indigenous groups, human rights activists, academics and political opponents of president Rafael Correa who opposed the exploitation […]

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Ecuador: President Correa warns opposition trying to undermine govt.

telesurtv.net reported – A coalition of opposition groups is seeking to reverse progressive tax proposals. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa accused those of organising coming national strikes and demonstrations of seeking to undermine his administration. “The right just as well as left-wing opposition groups use political demonstrations to antagonize the government with the aim of undermining […]

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Ecuador: IHS JANE’s 360, Risk of political violence increases, coup remains unlikely

Risk of political violence in Ecuador rises from low to moderate, coup remains unlikely JANES.COM/Arthur Dhont reported at around midnight on Monday (13 July) a small improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated outside the local headquarters of Ecuador’s ruling Country Alliance (Alianza País: AP) party in the city of Guayaquil. The incident comes amid rising […]

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Ecuador: One Day National Strike planned in August

IBTIMES.COM reported labor unions and social groups in Ecuador are planning a one-day national strike to launch another blow against President Rafael Correa, who is still grappling with mass outrage over a slate of tax proposals. Correa has accused opposition factions of fomenting a “soft coup” against his government. Unions and social and indigenous groups […]

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Quito Ecuador: After Pope’s departure, hundreds of people end moratorium on protests

Reuters.com reported Hundreds of anti-government protesters in Ecuador ended a moratorium during Pope Francis’ visit on Thursday and returned to the streets in a rally against recent tax hikes and alleged corruption and autocracy. Several hundred thousand Ecuadoreans have participated in demonstrations in the past month, mainly in the highland capital Quito and coastal city […]

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Ecuador: Tensions Between Government and Opposition threaten democracy

globalvoicesonline.org/Milton Ramirez wrote: Despite Ecuador having received praise for reducing poverty over the last years the South American country is currently facing a challenge to meet its fiscal budget as a result of the rut in global prices for its key oil export. As politicians wrangle over finances, a wave of internet-to-street protests have been […]

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Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: Protest against foreign investment in hotels, golf courses

theecologist.org / Galápagos rebellion against foreign investment in hotels, golf courses, luxury tourism Residents of Ecuador’s Galápagos islands are mounting angry protests against government plans to open the World Heritage Site to foreign investment in luxury tourism and hotels, writes Jane Shaw. They fear for the fragile ecology of the islands, for water shortages caused […]

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Quito Ecuador: Drone flying above protesters (June 10-15) (video)

LIVELEAK.COM – Thousands of anti-government protesters demonstrated in Quito on June 10 for the second time in a week. Protesters demonstrating against President Rafael Correa’s proposed changes to inheritance tax laws wore black and shouted slogans such as “Out Correa, out!” Considerably outnumbered rival protesters, supporters of the ruling PAIS Alliance party, called for Correa’s […]

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Ecuador: During Protests internet services heavily used, service problems

globalvoicesonline.org reported: During the demonstrations, at least during those in Quito and Guayaquil, problems were evident with mobile Internet services supplied by private service providers. People noticed the problem and came up with explanations ranging from network saturation due to the massive volume of users, to the use of signal jammers, which are illegal under […]

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Guayaquil: Mayor tells crowd Ecuador is in a class war, following Venezuela

EURONEWS.COM REPORTED, In Guayaquil, the city’s mayor told the crowd that Ecuador is going through a difficult time, both politically and ideologically. Describing the situation as a “class war”, Jaime Nebot accused the government of dividing the country, following the same path as the government of Venezuela. Read Article THINKING OF MOVING TO ECUADOR – […]

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Guayaquil Ecuador: Thousands Protest against policies of President Correa

WSJ.com/Mercedes Alvaro reported Thousands of protesters on Thursday took to the streets of Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil, to protest against the policies of President Rafael Correa, especially new tax proposals.The Guayaquil demonstrations, led by Mayor Jaime Nebot, were part of the third week of protests against Mr. Correa’s government. On Thursday mass protests also took […]

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Ecuador: Students Accused of Sabotage in protests, Face Prison Time

panampost.com/Rebeca Morla reported students of the traditional Mejía Institute in Quito, Ecuador, have joined the nationwide protests against the government of President Rafael Correa that have gained momentum over the last two weeks. Three of those young protesters, however, have been accused of “sabotage,” and face up to seven years in jail if convicted. During […]

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According to Report Ecuador behind some protests against Chevron in U.S.

HOTAIR.COM/Jazz Shaw wrote as you may recall, over the course of Ecuador’s attempted Chevron Shakedown, there have been sporadic protests in the streets wherever and whenever court actions were taking place. This included the hearings at the International Arbitration Tribunal, where people who were ostensibly environmental activists and “Friends of the Rain Forests” showed up […]

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Massive Strikes Held in Santiago Chile by Teachers

presstv.ir reported thousands of striking teachers have taken to the streets in the Chilean capital Santiago to protest against education reform plans. The peaceful rally held on Wednesday turned violent when clashes erupted between riot police and a group of protesters, which led to the arrest of a number of people. The demonstrations against the […]

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Ecuador: President shelves two tax bills to avoid protests before Pope’s visit

PANAMPOST.COM reported in a televised address to the nation on June 15, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa announced plans to “temporarily withdraw” two tax bills he introduced in Congress “to avoid protests and promote a peaceful atmosphere ahead of Pope Francis’s arrival.” The controversial legislation sought to impose new taxes on inheritances and capital gains in […]

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Maduro from Venezuela calls for meetings with CELAC members to discuss coup plots in Ecuador

telesurtv.net reported President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela called upon the other member countries to show solidarity with Ecuador’s elected government. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for an urgent meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to discuss tensions and possible coup plots against the government of Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa. “It’s […]

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Mexico City Cab Drivers up in arms over Uber

washintonpost.com/Joshua Partlow – reported in recent months, Mexico City’s taxi drivers, who operate the largest fleet in the world, with 140,000 registered cabs, have rallied together to try to drive out Uber. Against their high-tech adversary, some taxi drivers have gone old school: baseball bats to windshields, slashed tires, bare fists. One day in late […]

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Ecuador: Opposition demonstrators enter headquarters of PAIS Alliance party

telesurtv.net reported The PAIS Alliance Party confirmed that a group of opposition demonstrators were able to enter the headquarters of the governing party. Hundreds of opposition and pro-government protesters took once again to the streets of Quito Wednesday evening, staging two high-tension parallel demonstrations in one of the city’s main roads, Shyris Avenue, which began […]

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Ecuador: Interior Minister Denounces attacks during demonstrations in Quito

Diego Bravo/elcomercio.com reported The messages were broadcast on Twitter. In these, the Interior Minister José Serrano, reported that there were attacks on demonstrators supporting President Rafael Correa. “Urgent, disconnect conspirators ECU 911 cameras, helmet stolen police and brutally assaulted” the officer wrote in his Twitter account. Another message: “Listen up with hooded conspirators beside minutes […]

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Galapagos Islands Ecuador: Protesters take over San Cristobal runway at airport

Ecuadorinmediato.com reported that on Monday June 8, 2015, citizens gathered in the Galapagos Islands to demonstrate against measures from the national government of Ecuador. 250 members of President Correa’s political party Alianza PAIS disagreeing with measures taken by the government, burned flags and t=shirts. They also renounced their membership of the ruling party and threatened […]

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Ecuador: Protests pro and against Correa take to the streets

Protests for and against the regime take to the streets Quito eluniverso.com reported concentrations for and against the government in the afternoon and last night there were around Tribune Shiri (in the north). The first to arrive were supporters of Alianza PAIS before 17:00, who took to the steps of the Tribune Shiri waving flags […]

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Ecuador: Shrimp farming and the destruction of mangroves, social and enviromental conflict

THINKING OF MOVING TO ECUADOR? READ THIS BOOK

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Jalisco Mexico: Military helicopter shot at, makes emergency landing

Guadalajara (Mexico) (AFP) – Gunmen forced down a military helicopter in western Mexico on Friday killing three troops, as deadly violence erupted across Jalisco state during a new operation to capture drug cartel leaders. Seven people were killed across Jalisco, including the three soldiers, two gang suspects, a state police officer and a civilian, the […]

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Ecuador commemorates ten years since ousting president

telesurtv.net reported Ecuador is commemorating 10 years since a successful citizen rebellion led to the overthrowing of former President Lucio Gutierrez. Ecuadoreans are marking 10 years since the ousting of a former president, which ushered in a period of deep social change. Former Col. Lucio Gutierrez himself had been one of the main actors in […]

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Colombia: Military airstrikes ordered on FARC for breaking ceasefire

(CNN)Colombia’s President ordered military airstrikes on the country’s largest rebel group to resume Wednesday after an attack that killed 10 soldiers. The attack, which also injured four soldiers in the southwestern Cauca province, “will not go unpunished and requires action,” President Juan Manuel Santos said, accusing guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia of […]

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North Korea accuses Mexico of illegally detaining ship

(Reuters) reported – North Korea accused Mexico on Wednesday of illegally detaining one of its ships with some 50 crew and warned it would take “necessary measures” to release the vessel, which United Nations sanctions monitors say belongs to a blacklisted shipping firm. The 6,700-tonne freighter Mu Du Bong, which had come from Cuba, ran […]

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Opposition in Ecuador asks U.S. for sanctions against the country

telesurtv.net reported President Correa said he considered calls for sanctions against Ecuador to be an affront to the country’s sovereignty and dignity. An opposition supporter who recently emerged after a year in hiding as a fugitive from justice told a private media station Friday that he intended to go to Washington in order to have […]

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Ecuador: Tariffs Imposed on imports from Colombia, Peru

Reuters reported…. Ecuador imposed tariffs on imports from Colombia and Peru in a bid to shield its economy from cheap goods entering as a result of depreciating currencies in those two nations, while its biggest export is being hit by the slumping price of oil. The Andean nation, the smallest member of OPEC, will temporarily […]

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U.N. reports Latin America is region that most uses guns in commission of violent crimes

laht.com reported that the head of the Firearms Team of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, or UNODC, said Tuesday in Quito that Latin America is the region that most uses guns to commit violent crimes. “Latin America is the region where guns are most frequently used to commit violent crimes,” Italy’s Simonetta Grassi […]

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Ecuador Government attempts to prevent court discovery of documents at its U.S.-based PR firm

freebeacon.com reported the government of Ecuador is attempting to prevent the release of information related to its contract with a New York-based public relations firm that may have violated federal law and is under investigation in the South American nation. A federal judge in New York last week ordered the firm, MCSquared PR, to turn […]

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Ecuador: How the Sarayaku people stood up to big oil

mongabay.com reported…Standing before a packed audience of 2,000 spectators, Patricia Gualinga Montalvo calmly addressed the crowd, sharing the story of her people. The Sarayaku, a Kichwa indigenous people numbering 1,200 from the Ecuadorian Amazon, won a historic court case in 2012. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the government of Ecuador must publicly […]

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Ecuador: Thousands march denouncing elimination of term limits without referendum

dailytimes.com.pk reported thousands of people marched on Wednesday in Ecuador against the leftist government of President Rafael Correa, denouncing a move that would allow him to extend his rule beyond 2017. Union members, students, teachers and indigenous peoples gathered in the capital Quito and other cities for the second march in two months in opposition […]

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Peru: Dangerous and Deadly for Environmental Activists

theguardian.com reported…Two weeks before Peru hosts a key global climate conference, the country has come under fire for failing to protect activists who were murdered trying to defend the country’s rapidly diminishing rainforest and other ecosystems. The South American nation has become the fourth most dangerous state in the world for environmental and land defenders, […]

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Mexico: President Nieto issues warning over protests in case of missing protesters

telesurtv.net reported at a press conference, Enrique Peña Nieto said he will address corruption allegations this week and issued a warning over protests demanding justice in the case of the 43 missing the Ayotzinapa protesters. ​Mexican President Peña Nieto has said that while he will try to establish a dialogue with protesters demanding justice over […]

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Ecuador: Correa defends oil drilling in Yasuni National Park

laht.com reported Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has defended his government’s plan to extract oil from the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon, and said that it will affect less than 200 hectares (494 acres) of the nearly 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of the natural reserve of high biodiversity. According to the latest calculations, […]

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Ecuador: “totally inadequate” as to U.S. diplomat’s responses on U.S. military involvement on Colombian border 2008

andes.info.ec reported…As a “totally inadequate” response scored Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino the explanation secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta Jacobson gave, on that country’s military involvement in the bombing on the Colombian border in March 2008. During the bombing, 26 people were killed, including the number two of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia […]

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HRW’s report on demonstrations in Quito, Ecuador Sept 17,18 – 2014

hrw.org reported sSecurity forces used excessive force to disperse largely peaceful demonstrations in Quito, Ecuador on September 17 and 18, 2014, arbitrarily detaining and beating protesters, Human Rights Watch said today. Based on interviews and written testimony, dozens of detainees suffered serious physical abuse, including severe beatings, kicks, and electric shocks, during arrest and in […]

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Guadalupe Mexico: Many residents have fled across border to U.S., flee drug war

nytimes.com reported…But shades of the yearslong drug war that gripped this gritty part of Chihuahua State known as the Valley of Juárez remained intact. Abandoned buildings where broken windows reflected graffiti were common, and unmaintained streets and empty shops sat near the town square. The emptying of Guadalupe comes at a time when officials in […]

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Mexico holding Chinese ships suspected of containing iron ore from drug cartel

hellenicshippingnews.com reported authorities in Mexico have been holding four Chinese ships and their crews since May as they try to end drug cartels’ involvement in iron ore sales. Some 95 Chinese crew members are on the ships, sources with knowledge of the matter say, and they are encountering health problems related to being stuck on […]

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U.S.: Former Colombian Rebel sentenced to prison for role in kidnapping of American Contract Workers

bbc.com reported a US judge has sentenced an ex-Colombian rebel to 27 years in prison for his role in the kidnapping of three American contract workers in 2003. Alexander Beltran Herrera’s unit was responsible for moving the hostages and imprisoning them in chains. The contract workers were on an anti-drug surveillance mission when their aircraft […]

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Ecuador: Govt counters allegations of repression during demonstrations

telesurtv.net reported the Ecuadorian government is challenging a lawyer cited in a Human Rights Watch report to prove his allegations and cites political motivations. The Ecuadorian government hit back on Tuesday against a report claiming it repressed protestors during a recent demonstrations. The Ecuadorian government is challenging a lawyer cited in the report to prove […]

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Ecuador: HRW.org reports Security Forces used excessive force during Sept. protests

hrw.org reported Security forces used excessive force to disperse largely peaceful demonstrations in Quito, Ecuador on September 17 and 18, 2014, arbitrarily detaining and beating protesters, Human Rights Watch said today. Based on interviews and written testimony, dozens of detainees suffered serious physical abuse, including severe beatings, kicks, and electric shocks, during arrest and in […]

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Ecuador: Labor Unions, Indigenous Groups call for new protests on Nov. 19, 2014

emiliopalacio.com reported the successful outcome of the opposition on September 17 could be repeated. This Saturday, October 18, unions United Workers Front, organizations of the indigenous movement and its various allies met in Guayaquil. After a quick assessment of the 17 S, attendees spoke to convene on Wednesday, November 19 new protests in every city […]

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Question of whether Canada’s courts should hear Ecuador judgement against Chevron amazon cleanup dispute

theglobeandmail.com reported Chevron Corp. is trying to convince Canada’s courts to impose “novel and unnecessary” barriers to block a group of Amazon villagers seeking to enforce a controversial $9.5-billion (U.S.) Ecuadorean environmental judgment against the U.S. oil giant, a coalition of Canadian human-rights groups alleges.The battle over the cleanup bill for oil pollution left in […]

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Ecuador: National Organization for Women under fire from Indigenous groups for accepting money from Chevron

NEW YORK, N.Y., Oct. 17 /CSRwire/ – The legal arm of the National Organization for Woman (“NOW”) is under attack from rainforest indigenous villagers and their allies for accepting a large donation from Chevron and then filing a legal brief in favor of the oil company in its campaign to evade an Ecuador court judgment […]

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Colombia: Farmers sue oil giant BP in the UK

theguardian.com reported more than 100 Colombian small farmers are taking on oil giant BP in the UK high court on Wednesday in one of the largest cases in environmental legal history. The farmers say the British company Equion Energia, formerly BP Exploration (Colombia) Ltd or BPXC, was negligent in the construction of the Ocensa oil […]

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Mexico: Violence flares as anger continues over missing students

theguardian.com reported Mexico violence flares as fury grows over fate of missing students Demonstrators attack government building with rocks and Molotov cocktails in protest at alleged abduction by police. Firefighters tackle fires in Chilpancingo after city hall was set on fire by demonstrators in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero. Photograph: Jorge Dan Lopez/Reuters Hundreds […]

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Ecuador: History of Preventative Resistance and Violent Suppression, Intag Valley

By Ariel Smilowitz, Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations cuslar.org / On the heels of the “largest climate march in history,” where hundreds of thousands of activists, demonstrators, politicians, and environmentalists gathered together to protest in solidarity against climate change; NYC’s sixth annual Climate Week; and the United Nations Climate Summit, the issue of climate change […]

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WikiLeaks’ Quito cables show how USAID undermined sovereignty

greenleft.org.au/Linda Pearson reported…As US diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks show, USAID has worked in conjunction with other arms of the US government to further US foreign policy goals in Ecuador. USAID programs were used to garner support for Plan Colombia, the US-supported militarisation of drug interdiction efforts in Colombia. The agency’s “democracy promotion” activities were […]

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Guadaljara Mexico: Gunmen murder on-air activist at radio station

theguardian.com reported two gunmen walked into a radio station and killed a local activist while he was presenting his weekly radio programme, prosecutors in the northern Mexico state of Sinaloa said. It was the first on-air killing in recent memory in Mexico. The victim, Atilano Román Tirado, headed a group of about 800 farm families […]

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Venezuela: International Tribunal finds in favor of Exxon in expropriated assets

bbc.com reported Venezuela must pay oil giant Exxon Mobil $1.6bn (£1bn) in compensation for expropriated assets, an international arbitration tribunal has decided. Exxon had claimed up to $16.6bn over the nationalisation of its Cerro Negro Project and other losses in 2007. Venezuela has not said whether it will appeal. But the foreign minister said the […]

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Santiago Chile: Thousands of Passengers impacted by transportation strike

chilevision.cl reported thousands of users of the public transportation were affected this morning by a stoppage of the operator of the Subus Transantiago, which saw nearly a dozen tours of the southern sector and North of Santiago. The strike, nearly half of the company’s 3,500 employees, left many people without locomotion, so you could see […]

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Ecuador issues apology for permitting oil drilling on tribal lands

buenosairesherald.com reported Ecuador has apologized to an indigenous community for authorizing oil drilling on ancestral land without their permission. The apology to the Sarayaku community came two years after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the OPEC nation had violated the tribe’s right to be consulted on oil concessions granted for their land. […]

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Ecuador Remembers Failure of coup d”etat Sept 30, 2010

plenglish.com reported Ecuador”s ambassador to Cuba, Edgar Ponce, today highlighted here the role played by the Ecuadorian people in the failure of the coup d”etat perpetrated four years ago against President Rafael Correa. This attempt was frustrated thanks to the mobilizing will of a people that has taken control of its choices, rights and wealth, […]

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Amazon Residents Plan Seizure of $106 million of Chevron’s assets in Ec

courthousenews.com reported Amazon rainforest residents plan to seize the $106 million in Chevron’s assets in Ecuador, their lawyers said Tuesday, turning a corner in the decades-old pollution fight.If successful, the seizure will mark the first time that Amazon residents received a penny of the $9.5 billion environment judgment that an Ecuadorean court issued three years […]

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Buenos Aires Argentina: Residents try to save “Paris” of South America from bulldozers

theguardian.com reported Buenos Aires has not traditionally been concerned about preservation. Only a handful of buildings remain from the colonial years after the city’s founding in 1536 in what is now the old San Telmo tourist district. The Parisian architecture of the early 20th century has also been shrinking because of the property boom that […]

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Pres Correa claims destabilization attempts in Ecuador similar to Argentina, Venezuela

CONCERNING SEPT 17TH, 2014 PROTESTS/REPORTS 120 DETAINED/34 POLICE INJURED telesurtv.net reported at the celebration for workers rights in Independence Plaza, President Correa said that destabilization attempts in Ecuador are “similar” to what has occurred in Venezuela and in Argentina. Unidos is an effort by Correa’s government to broaden its base by bringing the left together […]

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Panama: Ngöbe, Buglé Indigenous continue protest against dam

telesurtv.net reported the reservoir created by the dam will likely start flooding fertile agricultural land and destroy the river’s fish and shrimp. Indigenous Panamanian groups remain alert on the banks of the river Tabasara, as part of a long standing protest against the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dams being built, threatening to flood their land. The […]

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Chile: Three arrested in bombing of September 8, 2014

eltiempo.com reported, following the arrest of three persons yesterday morning, Chilean police and prosecutors continue a broad operation to disrupt a group that allegedly is behind the recent bombings in Santiago, including that last 8 September left 14 injured in the subway. More than 200 police officers, including the Grupo de Operaciones Especiales, GOPE, personnel […]

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Ecuador: At Least 15 police injured in protests, Molotov cocktails

lainfo.es/AFP reported The Ecuadorian Interior Minister Jose Serrano, confirmed that 15 policemen were injured and at least eight people were arrested for violence at a march in favor and one against the government of Rafael Correa. The head of the ministerial portfolio reported that police officers were attacked with timbers and Molotov cocktails, as Public […]

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Ecuador: Correa warns that destabilization processes similar to Venezuela being conducted

telesurtv.net reported Rafael Correa questioned the reasons given by opposition leaders to carry out protests against his administration. Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa said Tuesday that destabilization processes “similar to those in Venezuela” are being carried out in his country, referring to an opposition protest that will be held tomorrow in the capital city of Quito. […]

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Ecuador: Unions Mobilizing Peaceful Protest March Against the Government Sept. 17th

Civil Protests To be Held on September September 17, 2014, in Cuenca, Guayaquil, and Quito FROM WEBSITE: emiliopalacio.com – What is the purpose of the march on 17 September? Our goal is to confront the policies of involvement of government social rights, labor policy, the Code of Labour laws and decrees intended to limit the […]

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Ecuador: Telecom workers protest proposed increased taxes, taking money away from workers

telecompaper.com reported the government of Ecuador’s plan to push through a bill substantially increasing taxes on private telecoms operators’ profits has prompted a series of strikes from Movistar and Claro employees in Quito and Guayaquil. The government’s bill would force private telecoms operators to give 12 percent of their profits to the state and 3 […]

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U.S. Border Patriot Militias Pledge to Close Borders Between U.S. and Mexico

patriotsinformationhotline.com/ reported from Cadena Noticias…. SHUT IT DOWN! September 20, 2014 We are but a small representation of Americans who are unsettled and deeply concerned with our current Administration, in all branches of Federal and State governments. Our mission is to Shut Down, every United States’ Port of Entry on the Southern Border, until our […]

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Honduras: Opposition Broadcast Leader Faces criminal defamation charges

rsf.org reported a Tegucigalpa-based high court announced this week that it is ready to hear a criminal defamation action by Sonia Inéz Gálvez, a lawyer married to the deputy prosecutor-general, against David Romero Ellner, the head of Radio Globo. The lawsuit could result in a sentence of up to 15 years in jail for Romero […]

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Guatemala: Group of Orthodox Jews forced to leave their settlement under threats

bbc.com reported Some 230 members of an Orthodox Jewish group have begun leaving a village in western Guatemala after a bitter row with the local indigenous community. The Lev Tahor members were asked to leave San Juan La Laguna after meetings with elders of the Mayan community. The elders accused the Jews of shunning the […]

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Chile: Cuero River Hydroelectric Dam could threaten environment in Patagonia

IPS.net reported COYHAIQUE, Chile , Aug 26 2014 (IPS) – After its victory in a nearly decade-long struggle against HidroAysén, a project that would have built five large hydroelectric dams on wilderness rivers, Chile’s Patagonia region is gearing up for a new battle: blocking a quiet attempt to build a dam on the Cuervo River. […]

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Puerto Rico: Pension Plan Changes causes feeling of insecurity

ipsnews.net reported a feeling of insecurity has overtaken broad sectors of Puerto Rican society as the economy worsens, public sector debt spirals out of control, and the island’s creditworthiness is put in doubt. To tackle this economic crisis, the administration of governor Alejandro Garcia-Padilla has adopted a number of measures that have been extremely unpopular […]

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Venezuela: Commandos activate to Oriente to combat smuggling

noticierovenevision.net reported the g/d Néstor Reverol Segundo Comandante and Chief of staff of the guard national Bolivarian (GNB) formalised the deactivation of the number 7 Regional command in the East to start the activation of the new area commands of the military body in Anzoátegui, Sucre and Monagas. Read Article

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Colombia: Leader of Farc believes peace negotiations may not conclude in 2014

FARC leader doubts the peace accord can be signed this year mercopress.com reported Colombia is unlikely to sign a peace accord with Marxist rebels this year as the remaining items on the negotiating agenda are complex and time consuming, FARC guerrilla leader Rodrigo Londoño said. President Juan Manuel Santos had expressed hope that talks to […]

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Guajira Colombia: civil unrest unleased due to drought

bbc.com repoted nine people have been injured in clashes between police and residents of Colombia’s northern La Guajira province demanding more government support for the impoverished region. La Guajira is currently suffering from a drought and locals say the authorities have not done enough to mitigate its effects on the population. Riot police were deployed […]

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Colombia: ELN launches grenades at Police at José Antonio Páez International Bridge

eltiempo.com reported with two fragmentation grenades guerrillas harassed police of highways and tax customs who were bet on the international bridge José Antonio Páez, which connects to the populations of El Amparo, Venezuela Apure State and the Department of Arauca. Confirmed the Commander of the police institution, Colonel Camilo Ernesto Álvarez Ochoa, in action that […]

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Former Colombian President believes Ecuador’s President good candidate in peace talks with ELN

lahora.com.ec reporte the former Colombian President and appointed Secretary-General of Unasur, Ernesto Samper, he said yesterday that the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, would be a “good partner” to seek peace between the Government of Juan Manuel Santos and the army of national liberation (ELN). Samper valued at Caracol Radio the participation of Ecuador in […]

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Paraguay: Since inception of democracy 115 peasant leaders executed or disappeared

infobae.com EFE reported a total of 115 peasant leaders executed were killed or disappeared between the 3 February 1989, date of the overthrow of the dictator Alfredo Stroessner, and on August 15, 2013, according to the report of the Coordinating Committee of human rights of Paraguay (Codehupy). “” Computation is included in the “report Chokokue” […]

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Rejection of Israel in Latin America sees growing anti-Semitism

The Israeli offensive in Gaza were repudiated by the Latin American Presidents, while thousands of its citizens living there under threat from Hamas. In Europe, they claim that these are the “worst of times” since the national socialism. Countries such as the Argentina, Chile and Brazil, who have always maintained excellent ties with Israel, have […]

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Chala Peru: 400 Informal Miners attack Police camp with dynamite

Around 400 informal miners with dynamite this morning attacked a police camp that provides security at the mine located in the District of Chala, province of Caravelí, Arequipathe Sander. Would have four officers wounded and two missing. In reference to the missing agents, the channel said that one of them – not yet identified – […]

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U.N. reaches out to Indigenous populations struggle in Costa Rica

IPS.net reported Indigenous people in Costa Rica, hemmed in by violent attacks from farmers and ranchers who invade their land and burn down their homes, have found a new ally: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who met with 36 native leaders during a recent visit to this country. The leaders, representing eight indigenous groups, described […]

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Guatemala: Court rules in favor of idigenous group in Sipacapa over transantional mining

upsidedownworld.org reported a Guatemalan court ruled in favor of the indigenous people of the municipality of Sipacapa over transnational mining in the area. The court says the Guatemalan government must respect the right to information and consultation with the local population before granting any kind of mining permits. Read Article

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Indigenous Tribe Contacted Brazil, believed to be from Peru seeking help after attacks

Theguardian.com/Damian Carrington reported…Amazon tribe makes first contact with outside world Indigenous people crossed from Peru into Brazil looking for help to combat illegal loggers and drug traffickers, researchers say. Footage released by Brazil’s National Indian Foundation shows isolated indigenous people coming forward for outside assistance after fleeing attacks in Peru Indigenous tribesmen living deep in […]

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U.S. bans travel for some Venezuelans responsible for human rights abuses

bbc.com reported officials did not specify how many people would be affected, but said those “who have been responsible for or complicit in human rights abuses” would not be “welcome” in the US. The Venezuelan opposition has been lobbying for sanctions since thousands of protesters were detained during anti-government protests. At least 43 people were […]

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Honduras conflict between poor farmers and rich landowners

slate.com reported…We’ve come to report on the continuing conflict between poor farmers and rich landowners around Taujica, a small town in Honduras’ Bajo Aguán region, a five-hour drive from the world’s murder capital, San Pedro Sula. The roads we drove to get here, lined with lush vegetation, cut through mountains and hug the Caribbean Sea. […]

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Guatemala: opposition to mining, threat to national security

upsidedownworld.org reported San Rafael Las Flores has become a strange place where everyone is wary of each other and distrustful. Since May 2013, after the surrounding municipality of Santa Rosa declared a State of Siege, that’s how things have been. In the streets, the parks, and the small corner shops, people cautiously observe everything that […]

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Guatemala: Nickel Mine reopens after 30 years, violent clashes

theguardian.com reported Central America’s biggest nickel mine reopens amid violent clashes Guatemala’s Fenix mine, closed for 30 years, faces disputes over land ownership and lawsuits for gang-rape and murder. The biggest nickel mine in Central America has restarted operations amid violent clashes between indigenous people and security forces, disputes over land ownership, and ongoing lawsuits […]

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Ecuador: Protest Over Water Rights

Conflict over water rights in Ecuador Manuela Picq/aljazeera.com Indigenous people protest over water rights, as Ecuador’s government continues to ignore their demands. If you are going to pass unpopular legislation, you may as well do it while everyone is watching the World Cup. When Ecuadorians were focused on soccer, the government fast-tracked a new water […]

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Santiago Chile: Police Clas with Student Protesters

presstv.ir reported police in Chile have clashed with protesting students and teachers in the country’s capital of Santiago during another mass demonstration over the country’s education system. Chilean security forces used tear gas and water cannon during the Wednesday rally to disperse rock-throwing protesters, who were calling for an overhaul of Chile’s educational system. An […]

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Ecuador: Eva Golinger believes threat of soft coup continues “under the surface”

plenenglish.com reported that US writer and researcher Eva Golinger warned today that the attempt of soft coup in Ecuador continues working under the surface, despite of having been under control on September 30, 2010. I believe that September 30 was the beginning of a soft coup in Ecuador that was controlled at that time, but […]

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