Section » Human Rights Latin America

LGBT Rights in Ecuador

Human Rights Watch – When two same-sex couples went to the civil registry in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador to get married last April, they were refused. The registry argued no Ecuadorian laws would permit their marriage. The couples went to court.

An appeals court is set to rule on these cases in the near future. The waiting and the uncertainty may be agonizing, but there is also real hope.

The registry’s refusal to marry the couples was no surprise. Until now, the government has only allowed same-sex couples to enter into civil unions. These do not grant them all the same rights enjoyed by married couples. Read Full Article

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U.S. Role in support of Criminal Justice Reform In Mexico

Supporting Criminal Justice System Reform in Mexico: The U.S. Role Congressional Research Service Clare Ribando Seelke / Specialist in Latin American Affairs / March 2013 Summary Fostering security, stability, and democracy in neighboring Mexico is seen by analysts to be in the U.S. national security and economic interest. Reforming Mexico’s often corrupt and inefficient criminal […]

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Ecuador: Anti-Press Campaign by Former President Correa, caused lasting damage to journalism

John Otisanti-cpj.org – press campaign carried out by Moreno’s predecessor, former President Rafael Correa, has caused lasting damage to journalism in Ecuador. Since taking office in May, Ecuadoran President Lenín Moreno has pledged to end a decade-long battle between the government and the media. But several reporters and editors with whom CPJ spoke said that […]

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Ecuador: Foreign Ministry still aligned with former President’s position on free speech

.hrw.or / Unlike his predecessor Rafael Correa, President Lenin Moreno has, since taking office in May 2017, publicly endorsed respect for free speech and civil society. The Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs Ministry, however, appears to be adopting positions that are inconsistent with President Moreno’s public statements and seems to be still aligned with his predecessor’s open […]

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Argentina: 10,000 victims of human trafficking rescued in past decade

  INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED SPANISH VOCABULARY READ THE BOOK The Argentinian government says it has rescued more than 10,000 victims of human trafficking in the past decade, almost half of whom were sex trafficking victims. It is a problem made more difficult to tackle by the complicity of corrupt officials. Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo reports from Buenos […]

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Honduras: Human Rights Groups Report number of murders of women up sharply

bbc.com reported Honduras is on “red alert” over the number of women being murdered, according to the country’s rights activists. Members of 20 different women’s groups have banded together to highlight the problem, saying at least 18 women were killed in the past two weeks. The organisations say out of 463 women murdered last year, […]

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Ecuador: Seven Media Outlets Fined For Failing to Publish Article

bbc.com reported…Ecuador has fined seven media companies for not publishing a story that it deemed of public interest. Failed to publish a negative story about Presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso from the press in Argentina. The state’s media watchdog said the press had a duty to cover a story about the supposed offshore dealings of opposition […]

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Ecuadorian Journalist Files for Political Asylum in Peru

April 18, 2017–cpj.org reported Ecuadoran journalist Fernando Villavicencio, director of the news website Focus Ecuador and a critic of outgoing President Rafael Correa, today filed a petition for political asylum in Lima, Peru. A statement from the regional press group Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS) said the journalist, who fled to Lima after presidential elections […]

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One Expat’s story in Cuba, how life can go wrong very fast

theguardian.com/Stephen Gibbs / Speaking to me from Myanmar (more about that later) Purvis recalls his early Havana years. “It felt like another era,” he says. “No internet. No TV. No shopping.” The family adapted well to their new life. Home was a handsome 1950s villa, soon full with their four children. Saturdays would be spent […]

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U.N. Experts Condemn Ecuador for Suppressing Civil Society

30 December 2016 – Five United Nations human rights experts have condemned Ecuador for suppressing civil society following a Government order to close a non-governmental organization (NGO) that supports environmental and indigenous rights. “The Government of Ecuador seems to be systematically dissolving organizations when they become too vocal or challenge government orthodoxy,” they said in […]

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More than 150,000 Venezuelans left so far in 2016, many fleeing in boats0

nytimes.com/ NICHOLAS CASEY wrote: Well over 150,000 Venezuelans have fled the country in the last year alone, the highest in more than a decade, according to scholars studying the exodus. “We have seen a great acceleration,” said Tomás Páez, a professor who studies immigration at the Central University of Venezuela. He says that as many […]

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Ecuador: Judge orders arrest warrant for journalist accused of publishing confidential emails

November 15, 2016- cpj.org/ REPORTED -An Ecuadoran judge last night approved an arrest warrant for journalist Fernando Villavicencio on charges of distributing emails sent by public officials, according to the journalist’s lawyer. The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on authorities to revoke the warrant. The charges relate to an October 2013 article Villavicencio wrote […]

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HRW’s review of human rights issues in Ecuador

hrw.org UN Rights Body Should Press Ecuador to Address Police Abuses, Free Speech I. Summary The administration of President Rafael Correa has expanded state control over media and civil society and abused its power to harass, intimidate, and punish critics. Other concerns include limited judicial independence, poor prison conditions, and women’s and girls’ limited access […]

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Ecuador: President’s brother states “Corruption Rampant Throughout the Country”

eldiario.ec(Machine Translated) REPORTED Fabricio Correa, a businessman and political activist, said last night during the Vote 2017 program, broadcast by Manavision, still thinks which organization is best suited to participate in the upcoming elections of 2017. He said that if would accept to run for president because, he said, is well positioned in the polls. […]

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Surge of African immigrants arrive Mexico, seeking transit to U.S. for asylum

NYTIMES.COM reported Mexican immigration authorities say 424 migrants from African countries arrived at the southern state of Chiapas over two days last week. The National Immigration Institute said Tuesday that it has issued them 20-day transit visas that will allow the migrants to reach the U.S.-Mexico border, where they plan to request asylum. Officials call […]

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Venezuela Army Detains Journalists

Venezuelan army detains journalists outside palace dw.com reported Venezuela’s national press union has condemned the detention of two journalists who were detained while reporting outside the presidential palace. The pair were working for foreign media outlets. Venezuela’s national press union has condemned the detention of two journalists who were detained while reporting outside the presidential […]

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Mexico: Commission finds police executed 22 in Michoacan

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED SPANISH VOCABULARY – READ THIS BOOK bbc.com reported Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission said 22 people were executed by federal police during a confrontation on a ranch in the western state of Michoacan last year. The commission had investigated the clash, which took place at a ranch in the town of Tanhuato in May […]

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Oaxaca Mexico: Lawmakers accuse govt of cover-up in massacre

telesurtv.net reported nearly two months since police left ten demonstrators dead in Oaxaca, officials still don’t know who gave police the order to fire. Lawmakers from Mexico’s leftist parties accused the Office of the Attorney General of trying to perpetuate impunity in the deaths of several people at the hands of police in the town […]

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Honduras: Over 100 attorneys slain in last five years

telesuretv.net — According to the Honduran Human Rights Commission, 94 percent of the over 100 deaths of lawyers since 2010 have not been punished. Three lawyers have been killed in one day in Honduras in the latest spate of fatal violence against political activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and legal representatives that has seen over […]

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Ecuador: Journalist resorts to begging on street to pay for libel suit from President

sandiegouniontribune.com/AP reported An Ecuadorean opposition journalist convicted of libeling President Rafael Correa said on Thursday that he is broke and must take up a public collection to pay the $141,000 judgment. Fernando Villavicencio displayed a piggy bank at a news conference and said he will use banks to collect money in the streets to satisfy […]

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Mexico: Agents detaining indigenous Mexicans looking for Central American migrants

Mexico tortures migrants – and citizens – in effort to slow Central American surge Theguardian.com reported a growing number of indigenous Mexicans are being detained by agents looking for Central American migrants, amid a crackdown driven partly by aid from US The trend comes amid a crackdown on migrants driven in part by political pressure […]

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Ecuador: Number of complaints lodged by govt against media, journalists increases in 2015

Ecuador : Number of complaints/attacks on journalists/media increases in 2015. abc.es reported during 2015 377 Correa government’s actions were recorded against journalists and media, 123 more than in 2014 The government of Rafael Correa increased the attacks on freedom of expression in 2015, making the Andean Foundation for Social and Media Studies Remark (Fundamedios) consideraa […]

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U.S. to expand refugee program for thousands fleeing violence in Central America

US to expand refugee admissions for Central Americans fleeing violence Theguardian.com reported John Kerry announces new effort to offer migrants ‘safe and legal alternative to dangerous journey’ in which they face threat of human smugglers. The US is to expand its refugee programme to help thousands of people fleeing violence in Central America avoid a […]

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Mexico: Military Budget at unprecedented levels

telesurtv.net reported Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto spent more on the military budget in 2014 than any other previous Mexican government, Sin Embargo reported Tuesday. Analyzing the Swiss-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Military Expenditure Database, the Mexican news outlet revealed that Peña Nieto’s administration closed 2014 with a record military budget reaching US$8.66 billion, […]

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U.S. Federal Govt. opening shelters for Unaccompanied Minors from Latin America

npr.org / Several centers for migrant children have opened in Texas. Authorities expect more children and families escaping violence from Central America to make their way north to the U.S. this coming year. There are reports of a roundup that might be coming. Immigration agents could, as soon as next month, be rounding up mothers […]

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Human Smuggling Ring Between South Asia, Ecuador, U.S. Dismantled

ministeriointerior.gob.ec reported sources reported that the investigations were conducted by the Unit Against the Crime of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants of the Directorate of Judicial Police (DNPJ) in coordination with the Attorney General. The operation took place after four months of investigation, the morning of Friday, December 11, simultaneously in Carchi, Guayas, […]

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Ecuador: Human Smuggling Ring dismantled, migrants from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh

ministeriointerior.gob.ec reported sources reported that the investigations were conducted by the Unit Against the Crime of Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants of the Directorate of Judicial Police (DNPJ) in coordination with the Attorney General. The operation took place after four months of investigation, the morning of Friday, December 11, simultaneously in Carchi, Guayas, […]

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Latin America, U.N.: Huge task to reverse discrimination against those of African descent

un.org reported The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, saying he was struck by the “enormity of the task” over the next decade to reverse five centuries of discrimination against the 150 million people of African descent in Latin America and the Caribbean, has urged the region to draw on […]

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Sex Trafficking Network Dismantled between Mexico and New York City

Security Agencies Mexico and EU dismantles women trafficking network operating from Tlaxcala; arrested eight people. The Attorney General’s Office broke up an international network of sexual exploitation, composed of 9 people operating in different states and New York City in the United States. The agency reported that the Attorney General of the Republic, Arely Gómez […]

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Deported Activist Attempting to Return to Ecuador

panampost.com/Rebeca Morla reported Manuela Picq is a Franco-Brazilian journalist and human-rights activist who, after being arrested in Ecuador last August while taking part in demonstrations against President Rafael Correa, was then deported to Brazil. She is still not allowed to return to Ecuador, where she lived for more than eight years and married Carlos Pérez […]

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Ecuador, Peru hand down first prison sentences for racial discrimination

amsterdamnews.com/ Karen Juanita Carrillo reported: Ecuador and Peru – first imprisonments for racial discrimination Ecuador: An anti-racial discrimination decision was handed down Nov. 19, 2015. This case involved Michael Arce, who entered Ecuador’s Escuela Superior Militar—the nations’ premiere military college, known as ESMIL—in 2011 in hopes of becoming Ecuador’s first Black army officer. Arce was […]

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Bolivia: Woman arrested for selling her baby on Facebook

ecuavisa.com/EFE A Bolivian woman has been arrested after allegedly selling her one month old daughter through Facebook for the equivalent of $251.00. The baby was sold to an eighteen year old woman, who also was detained. They have been accused of trafficking in person. The mother who has four other children that she was not […]

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Ecuador: Govt. rejects HRW report as being manipulative

TELESURTV.NET reported…Ecuador has rejected the report, which uses a similar “human rights” discourse as the country’s opposition. In a statement released Wednesday, Ecuador’s governing party, Alianza PAIS, rejected the “latest political intervention against the government of Ecuador by the U.S.-based organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its report released on 10 November 2015.” The report […]

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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: SUPERCOM in Ecuador regulates media content, doles out fines

knightcenter.utexas.edu/Teresa Mioli – A government agency in Ecuador that regulates media content, dictates headlines and corrections that news organizations are forced to publish and doles out fines to those who dare to disobey has just celebrated its second anniversary and announced changes in the country’s controversial communications law. Despite an overwhelming condemnation from national and […]

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Bolivia: Series of child rapes in a village prompts ban on alcohol and a new curfew

telegraph.co.uk reported after a series of child rapes, La Asunta has taken the drastic action “for the good of all”, says community leader, Jorge Mendoza. Villagers in a small community in Bolivia have implemented a dry law and curfew to try to cut crime after a spate of child rapes. La Asunta, a coca-growing neighbourhood […]

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Ecuador: Gay activist continues fight against homophobia

telesurtv.net reported activists have maintained consistent dialogue with the legislative and executive branches. With her organization ALFIL, activist Rashell Erazo works tirelessly to combat homophobia in Ecuador and promote LGBTQ rights within the country. While she says that there is still discrimination against transsexuals and people of distinct sexual orientations in access to employment and […]

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What Happens to Leakers in Ecuador?

June 28, 2013 What Happens to Leakers in Ecuador? By Juan Carlos Hidalgo and Gabriela Calderon de Burgos cato.org With the political asylum request by Edward Snowden to Ecuador—which hasn’t been approved yet—and Julian Assange’s one-year ordeal in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, there is a lot of self-righteousness coming from the administration of Rafael […]

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Massive police effort in break up of human trafficking ring between Ecuador, Pakistan

elcomercio.com reported a two-year investigation led Thursday April 16, 2015 to the arrest of eight people in Quito, The Core, Ambato and Tulcán. This was announced by the Ministry of Interior of Ecuador. The suspects, Pakistan and Ecuador, are the alleged leaders of a network of trafficking, said State Portfolio. According to research, citizens of […]

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Inter-American Society accuses Ecuador of violating human rights

Ecuador Rejects Statement by SIP telesurtv.net reported – The Inter-American Society (SIP) released a statement accusing Ecuador and other Latin-American governments of violating human rights. The Ecuadorean National Secretary of Communication rejected Friday the statement of the SIP urging the Latin-American heads of states “not to be indifferent” before the alleged violations of human rights […]

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U.S. Deports Former El Salvador Defense Minister, accused of murder, torture

(Reuters) Reported, the United States on Wednesday deported Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova, El Salvador’s former defense minister, accused of involvement in torture and killings 30 years ago during the Central American country’s bloody civil war, U.S. officials said. Vides Casanova was defense minister from 1983-89, a brutal period during the conflict between leftist rebels and […]

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Tenancingo, Tlaxcala Mexico: Ground Zero for Lucrative Sex Slave Trade

TheGuardian.com/ Nina Lakhani reported….Méndez, like thousands of other vulnerable women in Mexico, was hoodwinked by a family of traffickers in Tlaxcala, the country’s smallest state just two hours south of Mexico City. This is a deeply religious place, where the indigenous Nahua people united with the Spanish to conquer the mighty Aztecs, but which over […]

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ISIS threatens renowned cartoonist, newspaper in Ecuador

Rebeca Morla / Panampost reported Xavier Bonilla, the celebrated Ecuadorian cartoonist known as Bonil, and local newspaper El Universo have been warned that they are at risk of a jihadi attack, similar to the shooting that occurred in France against the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and its staff members. Fundamedios, an NGO that advocates for […]

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IACHR recommends Ecuador insure safety for the Crudo Ecuador account user on Facebook

In a statement released Wednesday, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expressed concern about the threats he received an Ecuadorian citizen identified through digital user “Crude Ecuador”, after there were accusations by senior government officials. This account was reporting satire and criticism through social networks Facebook […]

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Ecuador: Rapid Decline in Press Freedom (video)

Mid-Missouri Public Radio Alexander Brockwehl, a Latin American and Caribbean researcher for Freedom House in Washington, D.C. Mauricio Alarcón-Salvador, program director at Ecuadoran press freedom group Fundamedios Carlos Andres Vera, an Ecuadoran political activist, filmmaker and journalist INTERVIEWED BY Managing Editor/Host, Global Journalist Jason McLure is the managing editor and host of Global Journalist. A […]

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Ecuador: President Correa’s expanded state control over media and civil society

HRW.ORG reported the administration of President Rafael Correa has expanded state control over media and civil society. In 2014, tactics included criminal defamation prosecutions and administrative sanctions against critical journalists and media outlets, and aggressive efforts to discredit human rights advocates within the country. In September, security forces used excessive force to disperse largely peaceful […]

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U.S.: Two Cuban Nationals detained, deported to Ecuador for human trafficking

reported that two Cuban nationals detained crossing the border from Mexico have been deported to Ecuador. They are wanted for smuggling women from Cuba and forcing them to work as prostitutes to pay off debts. They had tried to enter the U.S. through Laredo, Texas. Read Article

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Ecuador: victims, activists in Quito demanding justice for those subject to state terror

telesurtv.net reported as victims and activists converge on Quito for the International Day of Human Rights, Ecuador is demanding justice and repatriation for all those who have been subject to state terror. Coinciding with the International Day for Human Rights, victims and analysts from around the world have converged in Quito for the “Truth, Justice […]

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Americas: Media Under Threat report, World press freedom index 2014

rsf.org reported…. More than 20 years have passed since the military dictatorships and civil wars ended in Latin America and the Caribbean, except Colombia, which still endures an armed conflict that began half a century ago. Cuba is also distinguished by a regime inherited from the Cold War that tolerates no independent watchdogs although an […]

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Colombia: Journalist investigating child prostitution gangs, assaulted and threatened

en.rsf.org reported the journalist Oscar Castaño Valencia was assaulted and threatened by armed men four days ago as he was investigating the involvement of criminal gangs in child sexual exploitation in Antioquia department in North-West Colombia. For the past three months Castaño, director of the program “Oriéntese” on the TV station Cosmovisión, has been carrying […]

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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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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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SIP conference in Chile discusses setbacks in Latin America for freedom of expression

voanoticias.com reported the Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa (SIP) expresses concern at the setbacks suffered by Latin America in the field of freedom of expression. Gathered in Chile, experts such as Edison launches considered that “the situation of freedom of expression that is lived every day in the region leaves us breathless”. Lance, who serves as […]

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Costa Rica: President Chinchilla explains challenges of free speech and social media

rnw.nl reported Over the past three years, the president of Costa Rica has been heavily criticised by her country’s citizens. Many see Laura Chinchilla as the worst president in Latin America. Much of the criticism is being expressed via social media, especially on Twitter and Facebook. Her government has found it difficult to deal with […]

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Mexico: Journalists Increasingly publishing articles anonymously

By Marta Durán de Huerta/rnw.nl reported / Journalists in Mexico are increasingly publishing their articles anonymously. Attaching your name to a report, an article or a picture is an obligation and a right. But doing so in Mexico can cost journalists their jobs or their lives. The biggest danger facing reporters there is not being […]

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Honduras: TV News Anchor Banned from Journalism for 16 Months

theguardian.com reported an Honduran TV news anchor who was banned for 16 months from practising journalism has had the court’s sentence confirmed at appeal. In December last year, Julio Ernesto Alvarado of Globo TV was convicted of criminal defamation as a result of coverage on his programme, “Mi Nación”, of alleged corruption by a university […]

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Mexico: Police Chief Accused of assaulting journalist

telesurtv.net reported a Mexican attorney alleges that Silao´s police chief was behind the attack on 24 year old journalist Karla Silva. Carlos Zamarripa, Attorney General in the Mexican states of Guanajuato has signalled the local police chief as the one of the assailants in the attack of journalist Karla Janeth Silva. Silva was hospitalized after […]

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Human Trafficking from Mesoamerica to Florida, U.S.

Human Trafficking from Southern Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala: Why These Victims are Trafficked into Modern Day Florida by Timothy Adam Golob ABSTRACT Florida is ranked as one of the United States’ top three destination states for human trafficking; many of those victims originate from Mesoamerica—Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Human trafficking […]

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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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Colombia: Freelance Photographer Target of Death Threats by Paramilitary Group

rsf.org reported Juan Pablo Gutiérrez, a freelance photographer and indigenous rights defender with dual French and Colombian nationality, has been the target of death threats for the past two weeks. Unable to return to his home in central Colombia, he is waiting for the authorities to respond to his request for protection. “You have just […]

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Peru: Group of Indigenous Ashaninka and Machiguenga rescued in human trafficking ring

lahora.com.ec/AFE reported the Peruvian authorities rescued eight indigenous people, among those who had an 8-month-old baby, from falling into an alleged network of human trafficking when they were transported to the region of Madre de Dios, in the South of the country, said today in a statement the decentralized direction of culture of Cuzco. The […]

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Chile: Couple detained for trafficking young Ecuadorian boy

ilovechile.cl reported the National Institute of Human Rights presented this Tuesday a complaint for the crime of traffic in human beings against an underage Ecuadorian national, who was enslaved by the defendants. This complaint adds to another lawsuit on behalf of the child, filled on August 4 by the National Youth Service (Sename). On Thursday […]

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Brazil: Indigenous Environmental Leader receiving death threats

kpsnews.net reported Davi Kopenawa, the leader of the Yanomami people in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, who is internationally renowned for his struggle against encroachment on indigenous land by landowners and illegal miners, is now fighting a new battle – this time against death threats received by him and his family. “In May, they [miners] told me […]

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Mexico: Tlaxcala and Puebla major route for sex traffickers, New York Connection.

Tlaxcala and Puebla. aristeguinoticias.com reported on one side of this road is Tenancingo, people known as the international capital of traffickers in women, although in reality the phenomenon extends throughout the southern region of l os states of Tlaxcala and Puebla. She, like other women, many children, pay them 250 pesos-about 19 dollars for 15 […]

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Ecuador: 158 Arrested Over Last Four Years for Human Trafficking

telegrafo.com.ec reported in the rehabilitation centers of Ecuador there are 158 persons imprisoned for the crime of trafficking in persons since 2010. Only in the last year were captured 48, of which 4 are foreigners and the rest is in the country, according to figures from the Justice Department of indicators, human rights and statistics […]

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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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Brazil: New Labor Law Requires domestic workers to be registered

bbc.com reported a new law in Brazil has come into force under which employers can be fined if they fail to register their domestic workers. It is part of new measures to provide basic protection for some seven million domestic workers long excluded from Brazil’s stringent labour laws. Employers can now be reported and fined […]

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Peru: Children, Adolescents Discovered working in Illegal Gold Mining

elcomercio.pe reported Children and indigenous adolescents develop illegal mining activities and have contact with toxic substances. A number still not determined in indigenous children working in the illegal extraction of gold in Amazon. Photos obtained by The trade confirms this serious problem in the basin of the Cenepa river, in the province of Condorcanqui. With […]

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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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Uruguay blazes liberal trail across Latin America, legalizes abortion, transsexual rights,

Theguardian.com reported the LGBT, feminist and student voices behind Uruguay’s radical reforms From legalising abortion to transsexual rights, marginalised groups have united to become a formidable force for change. One tiny country has been blazing a liberal trail across Latin America. In the past six years, Uruguay has introduced ground-breaking legislation on abortion, drugs, transsexual […]

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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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Ecuador concerned about children taken from families in Italy

ansa.it reported as many as 100 young Ecuadorians have been taken from their families by Italian authorities, he added. Landazuri De Mora said the problem has only been encountered in Italy. “We are grateful for the welcome that Italy offers our immigrants, giving them opportunities, but we ask for transparency and a greater exchange of […]

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Ecuador charges U.S. scientists of taking unauthorized blood samples of Indigenous group

US scientists took thousands of unauthorized blood samples from an indigenous group known for a unique genetic profile and disease immunity, some of which have been sold, Ecuador charged Monday. There were some “3,500 procedures” in which blood was drawn without authorization from 600 Huaorani, who live in a corner of Ecuador’s isolated Amazon basin […]

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Colombia-Farc declaration fails to guarantee victims’ right to justice

amnesty.org reported the historic declaration agreed between the Colombian government and the country’s main guerrilla group, FARC, will not contribute to a lasting peace unless those responsible for human rights abuses, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, are brought to justice, said Amnesty International. The 10 principles on victims’ rights contains no commitment to […]

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Brazil: Childrens Sex Trade May Worsen During World Cup

bbc.com / Brazilian society is often accused of sexualising children. The Novina phenomenon, where internet videos and songs portray young girls as attainable, sexual objects, is strong in this region. Jessica Barbosa is from the British charity Action Aid, which has several projects running in the area. In these poor areas, children are particularly vulnerable […]

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U.S., Latin America: Child Immigration, risk of death

Nathalie Cely/Ecuador’s Ambassador to the U.S. wrote: In March, a little girl died scared and alone in a shelter in Mexico, lost on a perilous journey from the mountains of Ecuador to join her family in New York, more than 3,000 miles away. The death of 12-year old Noemi Alvarez Quilloy puts a tragic, human […]

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Argentina: 15 year old girl rescued from foster parents, imprisoned nine years, beaten and starved

bbc.com reported police in Argentina say they have rescued a 15-year-old girl who had been starved, beaten and kept in a garage for nine years by her foster parents. The girl weighed only 20 kilos (44 pounds), and said she had been fed only bread and water in her captivity. Her only company had been […]

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Venezuela: Since Feb 14′, 181 journalists have been targeted

ntn24.com reported a total of 181 journalists have been the target of attacks, thefts or arbitrary detentions in Venezuela since the start of anti-government protests two months ago, a reporters’ union said Saturday. The Union of Press Workers said 60 percent of the attacks were carried out by security forces, with just a quarter done […]

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Colombia: NGOs states average 27 children raped daily in armed conflict

Elpais.com reported…There are no current statistics – or even estimates – on the number of children and adolescents who have been sexually abused. NGOs and charitable organizations have come up with their own numbers but, because those figures differ, it is difficult to paint an accurate picture. In a recent report, British NGO Oxfam said […]

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Ecuador: Yasuni Activist Arrested After Giving President Thumbs Down, alleges beating after release

telegrafo.com.ec reported that the complainant, David marble, said that he was detained . The presidential protection service said that activists shouted insults. Marble tells that on 14 March past was in the sector of San Blas gathering signatures for the referendum, when it passed the presidential Caravan and he showed his hand with the thumb […]

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Bolivia: victims of human rights violations during military rule denied access to justice

Thousands of victims of human rights violations committed during 18 years of military rule in Bolivia are being denied access to justice and compensation, according to Amnesty International. Paula Dear and Amaru Villanueva Rance report from La Paz on allegations that there is a lack of political will to uncover the truth. Read Article

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Child Labor Issues in Latin America

“Latin America figures are lower than the overall rate. In recent years there has been a decline in the number of child workers, from 20 million in 2000 to 12.5 in the last report”. But the changes go far beyond: “Have also advanced in the commitment and political will of countries”. In this sense, across […]

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Mexicans Protest Violence Against Journalists (Video)

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Ecuador: Transgender woman files suit against government

PINKNEWS.CO.UK reported that Diane Rodriguez, the first transgender woman in Ecuador to legally change her name, is currently suing the Ecuadorian government for refusing to fully acknowledge her gender identity on legal documents. Ms Rodriguez, the founder of the LGBT rights group the X Silhouette Association, plans to take her case to the Inter-American Court […]

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Ecuador falls fifteen places in Press Freedom Index, now 119, ranked below Venezuela

119 (New Ranking) Ecuador 34,69 -15 (104) fr.rsf.org reported.Despite a high level of physical violence against journalists, Peru rose 10 places to 105th , now topping Brazil, itself one place above Bolivia(109th), where several media were the targets of spectacular arson or dynamite attacks andboth national and local polarization are having an impact. Ecuador fell […]

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U.S. concerned over harrassment of Cuban government critics

Detentions of Activists in Cuba We are deeply concerned about the recent increase in arbitrary detentions, physical violence, and other abusive actions carried out by the Cuban Government against peaceful human and civil rights advocates. This past week saw the detention of Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, also known as “Antunez,” and the reprehensible behavior apparently […]

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Ecuador: El Universo newspaper fined $90,000 for failure to prevent publication of cartoon

7 February 2014 Fundamedios – Andean Foundation for Media Observation and Study On February 5th, 2014, the cartoonist Xavier Bonilla “Bonil” published a “correction” of his cartoon entitled “Regale la Navidad” (Give a present for Christmas) that on January 31st, was sanctioned by the Superintendence of Information and Communication (SUPERCOM). That entity determined that the […]

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Child Labor in Ecuador (video)

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Human Rights Watch criticizes Ecuador’s judicial independence

hrw.org reported that the judicial reform process in Ecuador poses a very serious threat to the country’s judicial independence, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Gustavo Jalkh, president of the Council of the Judiciary. Since 2011, a judicial council made up almost entirely of former members of the administration of President Rafael […]

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Ecuador: cartoonist is first to face defamatory charges under communications law

knightcenter.utexas.edu reported that the Ecuadorian government has asked cartoonist Xavier Bonilla, known as Bonil, to appear before the Superintendent of Information and Communication and explain the contents of an editorial cartoon published in newspaper El Universo that officials are calling defamatory. Seven months after Ecuador’s new Communications Law came into effect and created the office […]

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Human Rights Watch Ecuador Report 2014

HRW.ORG reported… After being re-elected to a third term in February 2013, President Rafael Correa promulgated a sweeping new Communications Law in June regulating broadcast and print media, which undercuts press freedom. The Correa government continues to subject members of the media to public recrimination. Prosecutors use overly broad counterterrorism and sabotage offences against government […]

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Ecuador: home of journalist, opposition activist raided

latinatimes.com reported that the home of Ecuadorian journalist and opposition activist Fernando Villavicencio was raided by Ecuadorian police on Friday, Dec. 27, 2014 according to local news outlets. According to the Ecuadorian free-press group Fundamedios, Villavicencio was at home with his family when a group of police broke into his home with machine guns and […]

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Credible Fear Applications up in U.S. from Central America

sfgate.com reported in the last five years, “credible fear” applications at the border have increased sevenfold, from just under 5,000 to more than 36,000, driven largely by an influx from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Advocates for the immigrants say the surge can be traced to worsening gang and drug violence in Central America. Others […]

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Mexico: Human Rights Commission warns formation of vigilante groups undermining rule of law

foxnews.com reported that Mexico’s human rights body said Tuesday that the government shouldn’t be allowing the formation of vigilante groups in areas where people are increasingly confronting drug gangs. Raul Plascencia, president of the National Human Rights Commission, said the growth of these groups are already undermining the rule of law but could also lead […]

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A Cuban Gay Right’s Activist refugee’s story in Ecuador, no refugee status

minnpost.com reported…Ecuador is now home to the highest number of refugees in Latin America. But President Rafael Correa subsequently clamped down dramatically on the number of refugees being recognized and began revoking refugee status from some of those who had already received it. Daniela Salazar, a refugee law professor at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, […]

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Racism in Ecuador – Video

If you want a deeper understanding of Ecuadorian culture and you want to move there.. Read this book

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Brazil: Explosion of child prostitution feared as World Cup approaches

theguardian.com reported that officials and campaigners fear explosion in child prostitution amid rising demand from football fans. Despite more than a decade of government pledges to eradicate child prostitution, the number of child sex workers in Brazil stood at about half a million in 2012, according to the National Forum for the Prevention of Child […]

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Report on underground clinics treating drug addiction, alcoholism, and homosexuality

csmonitor.com reported that more than 500 people have been rescued in Ecuador this year from 20 clinics that physically and psychologically abused patients in the name of ‘treating’ drug addiction, alcoholism, and homosexuality. Electric shocks and beatings are among the documented “treatments,” and two people died at clinics last year. Dozens of people in Ecuador […]

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U.S. so far in 2013, 46,198 Guatemalans deported

Plenglish.com reported the number of Guatemalans deported from the United States in the first 11 months of the year totaled to 46,198, which was 23 percent more than the same period last year, the National Immigration Office said. Of the total deported this year so far, 41,965 are men, 3,941 are women and 292 were […]

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Prize Winning Author Discusses the Challenges of Investigative Reporting in Ecuador

Janet Hinostroza (Teleamazonas, Ecuador), receives International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists. She was recently interviewed by the Columbia Journalism Review. How would you characterize the media in Ecuador right now? Your program is covering some controversial topics, but are there other programs like yours? My program is the only investigative show […]

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