The swine flu Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cross-posted

Yes, everybody is talking about the Mexican swine flu, and ironically I had to delay this Carnival since I was down with a cold.

No need to panic over this flu, but make sure to take any flu seriously.

LATIN AMERICA
Final declaration of the Summit of the Americas

No mas venas abiertas para America Latina

The war on mining: Fighting back

Obama goes south: An analysis of the Summit of the Americas

Alvaro Vargas Llosa: The Idiot’s Bible

Selenium Overdose Caused Deaths of Polo Horses

FARC guerrillas charged with conspiracy to aid foreign terrorists

BOLIVIA
Chabad House in Bolivia raided by police

Croatia: Morales murder plot suspect 'wanted to form separatist army'

Biometric Voter Registration: the Ace Up the Sleeve of Evo Morales

BRAZIL
Ahmadinejad to Visit Latin America Next Month

Ahmadinejad no Brasil (link in Portuguese)

COLOMBIA
FARC guerrillas charged with conspiracy to aid foreign terrorists

Finnish connection found on computer of Colombian guerrillas

Kidnapping in Colombia How many hostages? More than the government claims

CUBA
The short night of the long knives

Venezuela names new envoy to Cuba

The Right Deal on Cuba

How Fidel Snookered Everyone: The summit exposed Castro's peers in Latin America, not Obama, as the real innocents abroad. Jorge Castañeda is an idiot - Part 2

Mijail Capote Aranda, Cuban Political Prisoner of the Week, 4/26/09

Castro brothers' power struggle may doom Obama's overtures

ECUADOR
Ecuador president claims poll win

Ecuador's election: Revolution! Please give generously. Rafael Correa has his country’s politics firmly under control, its economy much less so

JAMAICA
Strangeways here we come

MEXICO
Is that an anti-aircraft gun in your pocket?

Experts probe deadly Mexico flu

The flu and the festival

Swine flu started at Vera Cruz pork processor?

Plan Would Deploy Guard Near Mexico
$350 Million Effort Aimed at Drug War

NICARAGUA
Judge throws out Dole “bananeros” cases, citing fraud

PARAGUAY
Lugo pide perdón por escándalo de paternidad

Paraguay President asks for forgiveness over paternity claim scandal
Fernando Lugo, the President of Paraguay and a former Roman Catholic bishop, has asked for forgiveness over a scandal in which he is facing paternity claims.

La telenovela que desconcierta

Fernando Lugo pede perdão por escândalo

Le président du Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, confesse avoir eu un enfant quand il était ecclésiastique


Bayly on Lugo (in Spanish):


And then Fernando Lugo’s brother, Pompeyo, on the rumors about Fernando and the Argentinian chorus girl, plus Alan Garcia’s poncho:


PERU
Peru grants asylum to Venezuelan opposition leader

TRINIDAD
The Fifth Summit of the Americas - Ego vs Cuba vs Rhetoric

VENEZUELA
Venezuela - Iran Foreign Relations

In praise of Rosales

In Defense of Appeasement

Government shows its true colors now that Rosales has been neutralized

No 10's Venezuelan 'workie' could write next Budget

Obama and the Pundits: Wrong on the handshake, wrong about Chavez

Surprise!... HuffPo Blogger Sean Penn Defends His Buddy Hugo Chavez

Interpol seeks arrest of opposition leader

Heroes

Red Notice for Rosales

Fist-bumping with despots

CULTURE
Poland 'to ban' Che Guevara image
The iconic image of Che Guevara found adorning students' walls and t-shirts across the world could be banned in Poland under a government proposal to outlaw materials that incite "fascism and totalitarian systems".

IMMIGRATION
Cyber Attacks and Our Southern Border

Special thanks to Ada, the Baron, Eneas,Larwyn, Maggie and SamK.

The Argentinian economy Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cross-posted

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your links included please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

This week's top stop stories:
Venezuela's support of Hamas, and Argentina's bleak economic outlook.

Last week Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador to Caracas. Yesterday he was threatening to expel the American Charge d'Affaires in Caracas, John Caulfield, for going to a wedding in Puerto Rico. Chavez claims Caulfield was plotting against him...at the wedding.

Argentina's economic outlook is bleak, and not likely to improve over the short term. While the country has been invited to the G20 summit and may be distancing itself from Caracas's influence, government spending is out of control,

Argentina’s Ministry of Economics estimated in midsummer that the country was carrying about $150 billion in debt. The government has been borrowing from anyone who will lend — namely, the captive domestic bond market and regional ally Venezuela — at high interest rates to fund its populist programs, which include steep energy subsidies and the outright nationalization of six (now seven, counting Aerolineas) companies. Payments on Argentina’s debt will total more than $10 billion in the first six months of 2009 alone. At the same time, the government is assuming more and more responsibilities across the board and shows no sign of halting.

Because the 2009 government budget did not take the nationalized pension funds into account, it appeared at first blush that the government might have secured for itself some means of taking the bite out of debt payments with that appropriation. Given that the original budget was based on highly optimistic economic performance forecasts — the global downturn and the decline of Argentina’s agriculture industry notwithstanding –- it was possible to argue that the move was relatively prudent, despite the jitters felt by investors.

But the reality is that Fernandez is increasing spending at such a rate that the administration will quickly burn through the extra cash. This is not typical debt manipulation, but rather, as investors had feared, the outright commandeering of Argentines’ retirement savings to prop up the government’s populist policies.

Setting aside the emotional and financial impact to Argentine workers as they contemplate their futures, the government has ensnared itself in an accounting dilemma. If spending continues in the face of falling revenue and limited credit, Buenos Aires eventually will hit a wall. And so far, its only recourse has been to liquidate what few financial assets remain in-country. Although there could yet be a grand scheme that will compensate for this problem, the government has shown no evidence thus far that one exists. The odds of an outright debt default and a return to the economic crisis of 2002 are growing.

I'll be talking about Argentina's economy in today's podcast at 11AM Eastern.

LATIN AMERICA
The world of the FARC (Part I: Europe)

The world of the FARC (Part II: America)

Going South

Battle for Influence in Latin America

Political Risk Bulletin from Market Memorandum

Spain's Bets Sour in Latin America

ANTIGUA
Cuban-trained doctors in Antigua denied enrollment as medical practitioners

The Antigua Sun reported that the Antigua and Barbuda Medical Registration Board (MRB) refused to register the documents because, according to the Chairman of the MRB, David Dorset, the requirements were not satisfied that they could practice medicine by themselves.

Additionally Dorset said the applicants had not proven their entitlement to practice medicine in another country. Therefore, they would not be registered in Antigua and Barbuda under the Medical Act.

ARGENTINA
Housing in Argentina. Misery in their midst: A fight over an iconic shantytown

BOLIVIA
Sospechosa liberacion de narcos vinculados al MAS

BRAZIL
Lula's last lap: A freakishly popular president has only a year left before electioneering curtails his mandate. He will spend it reacting rather than reforming

COLOMBIA
Third term temptation: Álvaro Uribe pushes his luck

COSTA RICA
Death toll rises to 9 from Costa Rica quake

CUBA
Like Generation Y, Penultimos Dias got hacked.

The humble

Charts and figures

Change stirring in Cuba

Via The Real Cuba, Havana Cuba, 1930s



Cincuenta años de revolución cubana --2ª parte--



DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Republic buys eight planes from Brazil

ECUADOR
Ecuador: Using OPEC Cuts to Take Over the Energy Sector

Ecuador is willing to talk with Colombia

Ecuador 14 January: The Studfather

More Financial Crimes Underway in Correa's Ecuador

JAMAICA
Jamaican residents forced to flee homes in face of violence

MEXICO
Via Instapundit, New reports about Mexico, the failing state on our border

Ten of Mexico's Most Notorious Drug Traffickers Extradited to U.S.

NICARAGUA
Ortega se apoya en Chavez y se enfrenta al mundo

PANAMA
Mail Going Outside of Panama

PERU
Peru: As corrupt as ever

PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico union leaders meet with Economic Advisory Panel

Puerto Rico expands coastal reserve

ST KITTS-NEVIS
Return of the noose: St Kitts has just hanged its first man for a decade and believes it is the only way to beat violent crime

VENEZUELA
Dictatorship for Dummies: Learn how to quash dissent Chávez-style.

Moneda virtual “Sucre” será aprobada en diciembre por el ALBA

Crece el apoyo a Chávez en el Medio Oriente

Government reduces travel quotas for Venezuelan residents Travelers can take out even fewer dollars in order to conserve its US currency reserves.

Israeli Ambassador Expelled from Venezuela

Israeli Ambassador Booted by Hugo Chavez

According to this report, the embassies are closing Las últimas palabras del Embajador de Israel antes de su partida

Embajador Israel
by noticias24

El Loco outreach suspended in Boston

AP: Turkey Holds Iran Shipment to Venezuela

An open letter to the more than 100 Latin American "experts" who criticized the report on Venezuela by Human Rights Watch

Kristallnacht in Caracas?

Venezuela reducing oil to US refineries on OPEC cut

Via IBD: Drilling stops in 17 oilfields
The suspension affected oilrigs in Anaco, El Tigre and Campo Boscán

Crudo venezolano cerró la semana al alza con un precio de US$37.62

US POLITICS
Eric Holder and the FALN Pardons

10 Points for President-Elect Obama's Latin America Strategy

Special thanks to Ada, the Baron, Eneas, Kate, Larwyn, Maggie and Maria.

These week's posts and podcasts:
The Jews Face a Double Standard
Venezuela expels Israeli ambassador to protest Gaza offensive
Turkey holds Iranian explosives heading to Venezuela, transition purgatory, and other news items
At Real Clear World:
Argentina's Outlook: Bleak
Bolivia Launches State-Run Media
Podcasts:
Tango
Latin America and Israel
Venezuela expels the Israeli ambassador to protest Gaza offensive, and other headlines from Venezuela
Humberto Fontova talks about the Cuban Communist revolution: 15 Minutes on Latin America
Argentina runs out of change: 15 Minutes on Latin America



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The third Monday in November Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Crossposted

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean, the weekly roundup of news items and blog posts on the region. If you would like your posts included, please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

This week's big story: The G20 weekend meeting in Washington DC. While Washington commuters had to put up with the traffic jams, and the leaders pledged to work together to restore global growth, that pledge is probably worth the paper it was signed on (since it wasn't signed on paper), and nothing much else happened. On the bright side, oil is trading in the $56 range.

I'll be talking about the G-20 in today's 15 Minutes on Latin America podcast.

LATIN AMERICA
The Latinobarómetro poll
Democracy and the downturn
Latin Americans are standing up for their rights

ARGENTINA
Menem faces court over bomb probe

Decálogo del asaltado

BRAZIL
The Forest Jihad

COLOMBIA
Pelosi Serves Up Colombia To Europe

Last Chance for a Colombia Pact

UPDATE:UAW Won't Support Colombia Trade Pact For Big-3 Aid

FARC se infiltra en universidades para entrenar a milicianos

Rooting out cocaine production in Colombia

CUBA
To save the ants

From the official Communist party organ, Castro writes a book about Colombia

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominicans charged with organizing fatal journey

ECUADOR
Correa amenaza con incursionar y bombardear territorio de Colombia

ECUADOR
Soros's Narcostate Promotional Team Does Ecuador

JAMAICA
"Driven Life" and others in a dynamic conversation about faith and its impact on the world.
Spurning Europe, Caribbean pushes death penalty

MEXICO
Mexico's War: The Iraq Next Door

Mexico stock exchange says drug war scaring off IPOs

Criminal insurgency strikes Mexican media

NICARAGUA
How to steal an election
Daniel Ortega sets an ugly precedent

Preliminary thoughts on Nicaragua

U.S. Should Cut Foreign Assistance to Nicaragua

PARAGUAY
Landing on our airstrip

Meeting with other Paraguay bloggers in Paraguay

PERU
The Re-Emergence of the Shining Path: The Criminal-Terrorist Nexus

PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico to eliminate Electoral Fund in 2009

URUGUAY
Uruguay head vetoes abortion bill

VENEZUELA
On Sunday, Venezuelans will be voting for 23 governors across the country. Mary O'Grady writes about Chávez's threat to bring out the tanks if people don't vote for his candidates: Dodd's 'Democrat' Tightens His Grip

Venezuela News and Views has been posting on the elections. Here's the latest: The Venezuelan 2008 election: update 16 - Holding Margarita

Chavez says Venezuela is moving toward developing nuclear power

The clueless and strange tale of the expelled Venezuelan Diplomats

US POLITICS
The only way is up
After eight years of neglect by Bush, relations between the US and Latin America can only improve under Barack Obama

The NYT has a lame article about how Obama's athletic abilities make him qualified to discuss foreign policy with the likes of cigar-yielding tyrant Castro (I wonder when was the last time Fidel even saw a baseball) and coca leaf growers' union leader Evo Morales, For Obama, a Scouting Report on Athletic Heads of State. James Joyner aims, shoots, and scores in his comment on the puff piece.

SCIENCE and EDUCATIONAL
The 'Secret Jews' of San Luis Valley

An introduction to Spanish nouns and genders

This week’s posts and podcasts
Today's 15 Minutes on Latin America: The G-20.



Huge weapons cache on Mexican border drug wars
“What Obama Might Do?”, on Latin America
Postcards from the edge: Sandalistas {heart} Hugo




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The day-before-the-presidential-election Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Crossposted
Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included in next week's Carnival please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

This week's big story: The US presidential election. If McCain wins, it'll be interesting if the Latin American media will acknowledge McCain's existence.

LATIN AMERICA
Latin America, Emerging Market Funds Suffer Brunt Of Global Financial Crisis

XVIII Cumbre Iberoamericana: Alan Garcia pone a Evo Morales en su lugar - Noticias24.com

Forecast for Latin America: Cold (War) Winds from Russia

ARGENTINA
Argentina: Ya no hay "doble comando": todo lo decide Nestor Kirchner

La “cultura” kirchnerista cuesta cara

Argentina’s new money grab, and it’s not the pensions.

Argentina Impoverishes Itself Again: What happens when government meddles with private wealth.

BOLIVIA
Bolivia halts US anti-drugs work

Hugo sent Evo 16 SUVs for his personal security: Venezuela le regala a Evo Morales 16 camionetas “último modelo” para su seguridad

BRAZIL
Los planes de Lula para crear una nueva OEA sin EE.UU. pero con Cuba

Brazil's Petrobras to search for oil offshore Cuba

CHILE
The writing on the wall
And it points to the right

Chile's right-wing gains electoral ground

COLOMBIA
Upping the body count
Not that hard, when any body will do

Via IBD Blog, Bush finally sends aid to Colombia

“Una llamada de la CIA anunció el ataque al campamento de Reyes”

CUBA
Claro Fernando Alonso Hernández, Cuban Political Prisoner of the Week, 11/2/08

Cuban Digest: All Embargo All the Time

Cuban political prisoners were sent to Venezuela through secret deal
Under a secret deal, thousands of Cuban political prisoners and dissidents were expatriated to Venezuela in the 1970s, according to some who were involved.

ECUADOR
Ecuador terminates contract with Spanish oil company Repsol

Petroecuador OKs Transfer Of Rights From Petrobras To Teikoku

HONDURAS
Zelaya plays the Chávez card
Why Honduras wanted 4m light bulbs

JAMAICA
Jamaica may suffer ... If US lifts Cuban embargo

MEXICO
The drug war rages on:
Spot the drug trafficker
The arrest of senior officials shows the government’s resolve in fighting drug traffickers—and that the rot in law enforcement reaches the top

Policemen gunned down in Mexico

Fairness for emerging markets, an essay calling for yet more handouts, by the executive head of the U.N. Development Program.

NICARAGUA
Political Unity and Violence Precede Nicaraguan Municipals

Nicaragua Wants New Russian Toys, Risks Breaching Compact With U.S. Taxpayers

PUERTO RICO
Exclusive Public Opinion Survey

VENEZUELA
Chavez’s New Election Strategy: Threaten Opponents with Jail

You better believe the threat to jail or ban Manuel Rosales in the next few days

In praise of Punto Fijo and why is Chavez is so afraid of a Punto Fijo "bis"

UNA CARTA DE UN TRAEDOR CARABOBEÑO PARA EL TRAIDOR CHÁVEZ.

Chavez: Biz related to scandal may be expropriated

What’s up with Venezuela’s diamonds?

Army Intelligence Officials Are Among 6 Held in Student’s Death

ONU: Cargamentos de droga proceden más de Venezuela que de Colombia: The UN says that more drug shipments come from Venezuela than from Colombia.

OTHER TOPICS
Spanish Verb Conjugation

Improving Verbal English Speech Patterns

US POLITICS
Chavez anuncia que esta dispuesto a reunirse con Obama

Obama and FARC

Notes on Obama's Coming Caracas on the Potomac

Evita Peron Obama

Special thanks to Alek, Eneas, Larwyn, Maggie, and Maria.

THIS WEEK'S PODCASTS AND POSTS
Cubans, and Obama: Not your “typical Hispanic Democrat vote”

I was on Radio Caracol last night

Meanwhile, over in Ecuador...





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The plundered pensions Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Crossposted
Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included in the next Carnival please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

The week's big story: As the country is about to default again on its debt, Argentina’s leftist President Cristina Kirchner signed a proposal nationalizing the country’s private pension funds in what could be seen as a grab for cash and power amid the global economic crisis. Read more about it in the section for Argentina below.

LATIN AMERICA
The Hezbollah-Latin American Ties Become More Evident, also at Counterterrorism blog

ARGENTINA
Argentina Allows Pension Funds to Resume Trading

Juan Forero summarizes the suitcase trial in Miami, which is now gone to the jury: Court Case in Miami Casts Light on Corruption in Venezuela

If it feels good, do it!

Cristina's looking-glass world: A plan to nationalise private-pension funds looks like a cunning but short-sighted government effort to stave off another debt default

Asco de gente

BOLIVIA
While the US cuts off trade benefits with Bolivia because of cocaine, Evo Morales goes for nose surgery:
U.S. Cuts Off Trade Benefits to Bolivia Over Drugs

Via Lucianne, Bolivia's president to undergo nasal surgery

BRAZIL
Licensed to scribble: An end to journalism’s closed shop?

Brazilians vote in key city polls

CHILE
Consumer groups call on FDA to test Chilean salmon

COLOMBIA
Suspected Hezbollah Operatives Nabbed in South America, Congress Should Approve FTA

Huge cocaine bust in Colombia

Colombian army frees Farc hostage but he says he escaped with his guard: Farc hostage escapes with guard

Via IBD Blog, For every hectare of coca planted, 3 to 4 hectares of forest are actually cut down: POINT OF VIEW/ Francisco Santos Calderon: Colombia battling cocaine, preserving nature

Colombia's indigenous protest against Uribe

Small explosions wound 18 in Colombian capital

CUBA
Surprise! Cuban DGI helped Ayers and the Weather Underground

Hirám González Torna, Cuban Political Prisoner of the Week, 10/26/08

ECUADOR
Vicious attack turns couple’s dream trip to nightmare: Oregon man critical but stable after being stabbed on Ecuadorian beach

Iran's Financial Scams: Ecuadorean Fiscal Astroturffing for Criminals

HAITI
Read about Fusion Technology's dealings in Haiti: Democrats for Despotism Party figures had a profitable relationship with Haiti's dictator. Video at the article.

JAMAICA
Illegal immigration, and Jamaican ganja for Haitian guns: Haiti and Jamaica's deadly trade

MEXICO
Declining conspicuous consumption for drug thugs

Mexican Senate Passes Energy Reform

PERU
Return of Peru's Shining Path as terror movement kills 19 soldiers

Jaime Bayly, in Spanish, talking about South Park’s Andean bands


PUERTO RICO
Via Jeremayakovka, The Republican Party of Pennsylvania and PA's Secretary of State are trading barbs over voter registration.

Nearly 1,000 pounds of coke seized in Puerto Rico

After the San Juan Star's closing, the government will be subsidizing a new English-language daily: English-language daily to debut in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - A group of journalists in Puerto Rico said Tuesday they are ready to launch the island's first cooperative-style newspaper this week with a $1 million boost from the government.

The new English-language tabloid would replace the Pulitzer Prize-winning San Juan Star, a nearly 50-year-old daily that closed two months ago amid declining revenues and disputes between the publisher and union over layoffs and benefit cuts.

Roughly 15,000 copies of the Puerto Rico Daily Sun will be printed on Wednesday and about 2,000 subscribers have already signed up, editor Rafael Matos told a news conference in the U.S. island's capital, San Juan.

The Puerto Rican Department of Labor and Human Resources will contribute $1 million to help cover salaries and benefits. Half that amount will be available under a local law that provides incentives to companies that create new jobs, Secretary Roman Velasco said.

Matos said the paper's objectivity would not be compromised by the government help.
"We are subject to the strictest of journalistic canons," Matos said. "This is not an investment from the government - it is a contribution."

Matos said 90 former Star employees agreed to buy a minimum of $200 in shares of the United Press Cooperative to help start the paper/

VENEZUELA
Via Grouchy Old Cripple, Chavez raises whisky prices


Via Venezuela News and Views, Sacrificios bolivarianos

U.S. Treasury Designation Targets Iran's WMD Financing, Alliance With Venezuela

News from Europe: thumbs down on Chavez

Chavez' folly: He owns and controls everything, but they don't work. It can only get worse

A letter to Sean Penn

AMERICAN POLITICS
"I was born in Colombia, but I was made in the USA"

The more things change: The neighbours’ tepid enthusiasm for Barack Obama

The Conservative Rebellion

Would There Be Change in Obama's Americas Policy?

More news on Latin America at Wall Street Journal en español and HACER

THIS WEEK’S POSTS AND PODCASTS
Chavez wants to jail rival Rosales
A suitcase full of money from Hugo to Cristina
OPEC cuts production, prices fall, Hugo sweats some more
Colombia smashes drug ring with Hezbollah ties
Argentina: Let’s plunder the pensions!
Sean Penn goes to Caracas



Special thanks to Eneas, Larwyn, Maggie and Maria.


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The "flying from Caracas" Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Crossposted

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included, please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

This week's big story: The Russian fighter jets leave Venezuela, Chavez expells the HRW director, and Chavez decides to make a last-minute stop in Russia on his way to China.

I'll talk about this in today's podcast at 10AM Eastern. Chat's open by 9:45AM and the call-in number is 646 652-2639. Join us!



ARGENTINA
Argentine rallies for missing man

Suitcase full of cash adds to Chavez corruption claims
Rights activists kicked out amid Washington accusations that Venezuela illegally gave funds to Kirchner

BELIZE
Taiwan, Belize to sign oil exploration deal

BOLIVIA
Possible deal in Bolivia

Now put it back together
A political standoff turns deadly, but bloodshed may bring both sides to their senses. At least they have agreed to start talks

Bolivia on the Brink

BRAZIL
The Islamization of Brazil

Brazil Wants to Build 50 Nuclear Power Plants, Nuclear Submarines, More?

New fleet may mean U.S. covets Brazil's oil: Lula

CARIBBEAN
BBC Caribbean report (audio)

COLOMBIA
Uribe asks Hill to OK trade pact
Held up over rights concerns

Detienen a supuesto jefe de FARC cuando intentaba comprar armas a venezolanos

CUBA
The Cuban “Katrina”

Bloodied, but unbowed
Desperate for international aid, hurricane-torn Cuba turns down any relief from its old foe, the United States

Secretary Gutierrez Statement on Announcement of a FOURTH Offer to Cuba for Humanitarian Assistance

Fidel Castro: It's good to be dictator

Castro brothers reject US hurricane aid while manipulating essentials for sale

The Real Cuba has lots more on the hurricanes’ damage

Music video (language warning in Spanish):



ECUADOR
A Superb Reason to Stay this Madness and VOTE NO!

Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference asks that Bishops and priests be respected in voicing their opinion, even if they are not shared by others

HAITI
Haiti 'overwhelmed' after storms

JAMAICA
Jamaica News Bulletin Partners With Brewer Investment Group, LLC

MEXICO
Delegitimization of Mexico through lower oil prices

7 killed in Mexican Independence Day attack

Mother suspects Juárez police in son's slaying

PDF file Mexico’s Drug Cartels:
Congressional Research Service, Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division

Mexico plans anti-kidnap police

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Denny's blogging his vacation: Bonaire 2008 Day 1

PARAGUAY
Lino Oviedo acusa a Lugo de estar muy supeditado a Hugo Chavez

PERU
Perú espera respuesta a presunta presencia de sicarios peruanos en Bolivia

Alan García bate records de impopularidad: sólo 19 %

PUERTO RICO
Caribbean officials working to lure visitors back

URUGUAY
Uruguay: Bills, Bidets, and Boundaries

VENEZUELA
Missile cruiser "Peter the Great" heading for Venezuela

El 80% de los militares rechaza el proyecto de Hugo Chavez

The Chavez bagman trial

Back on his old hobby-horse
But there are limits even to Hugo Chávez’s anti-Americanism

Talking to Chavez

The Venezuelan 2008 election: update 7. Still these many homeless?

Chavez unstable by the truth about Human Rights Watch report

Dog meat for USAF

Sobre Chávez pende la espada de la justicia globalizada"/"The sword of the international justice hangs over Chávez"

US POLITICS
Who’ll back Monroe Doctrine?

McCain rules out negotiations with the Venezuelan government

Special thanks to Eneas, GoV, Maria and Maggie.

This week’s podcasts and posts:
Russian jets leave Venezuela 3 weeks ahead of time; Chavez heads to Cuba for the weekend

Obama es un descarado

Bolivia: 15 Minutes on Latin America





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The third Monday in June Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included, please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

The big stories this week, all of which went mostly unnoticed:
On the same week that Chavez was supposedly telling the FARC to lay down their arms, Venezuelan journalist Patricia Poleo reported that Venezuelans of Arab ancestry are being recruited under the auspices of Tarek el Ayssami, Venezuela's vice-Minister of the Interior, for combat training in Hezbollah camps in South Lebanon. Here is my translation.

Chavez's buddy Rafael Correa of Ecuador apparently tried to create a distraction by claiming an assasination plot. Meanwhile, Ecuador didn't like that Interpol authenticated the FARC files, so they are trying to get the Interpol boss fired (see links under ECUADOR below).

Spain extradited to the USA a Syrian-born arms dealer who had been supplying the FARC with weapons. He was a long-time resident of Spain and was caught by a DEA sting operation. Prairie Pundit has the details.

LATIN AMERICA
Syrian in FARC sting extradited to the US

Spain Delivers Syrian Arms Dealer to U.S.

LAC news round-up for 11 June

Canada eats our trade lunch

Oil prices: Who are the culprits?

ARGENTINA
In Argentina, Che Guevara Finally Gets More Than a Lousy T-Shirt: Rebel's Birthplace Unveils a Statue of Him As It Reconsiders His Complex Legacy

Hocus-pocus: Argentina's way with sums
The real-world consequences of producing unreal inflation numbers

RISING inflation is causing headaches for central bankers across the world. But it seems that Argentina's monetary policymakers will be spared such concerns, thanks to the country's updated consumer price index, which came into force on June 10th. According to the new methodology, every time a product's price rises too sharply, it will simply be removed from the index on the ground that consumers will be deterred by the expense and switch to other goods. It came as little surprise, therefore, when the government announced the official inflation figure for May to be a mere 0.6%, while virtually all independent estimates topped 1%

BOLIVIA
Plight of Bolivia's child miners

BRAZIL
Armed robbers steal Picasso prints in Brazil

COLOMBIA
Uribe Says He Is Not Angry With Pelosi For Stabbing Him In the Back

Via Poor But Happy, Alvaro Uribe: Colombia's Peacemaker

McCain to visit Colombia

FARC offers deal on hostages

CUBA
High-speed escape: The number of Cubans trying to smuggle their way into America is the highest it has been for more than a decade. Babalu has a prominent example: If at first you don't succeed...

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
How minor league Latin players adjust to life in America

ECUADOR
INTERPOL reaffirms key findings of its examination of seized FARC computers in response to efforts to distort conclusions

Ecuadorian government officials caught in a lie

Ecuador's president says 'assassination' plot may be hoax

Correa resta importancia al supuesto atentado contra él
El presidente ecuatoriano cree que los cuatro detenidos podrían ser "simples estafadores"

JAMAICA
Father's Day 2008

NICARAGUA
The UN Sinks to New Depths

Sandinista takeover

It's said that the U.N. is only as good as its members. But putting a Nicaraguan dinosaur communist at the presidency of the General Assembly takes it all a step lower. Already, the America-bashing is back.

Ortega's presidency on shaky ground after Farc comments

PERU
Guanomania: Sr. de la Torre, I beg to differ!

PUERTO RICO
Obama's Clues to Wooing the Latino Vote

VENEZUELA
Hezbollah and Al Qaeda in Venezuela

¡EL EMPERADOR NO TIENE NINGUNA ROPA!

Review of the Hugo Chavez system, Version 6.0 beta

Hugo Chávez: Master tactician or failing bungler?
Latin America's self-styled Bolivarian hero may be losing his populist touch

The curious behavior of Hugo Chavez

FARC loses a booster Who needs FARC when you have Hezbollah???

Pedernales, or the limits of a revolution

PDVSA lags behind in payments to contractors

The powder keg that is Venezuela

TRAVEL
The Advantages of Taking Online Spanish Classes

Airline Credit Cards For Miles Rewards

ENTERTAINMENT
El pelo de Bayly:




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The Tirofijo's-dead edition of the Carnival of Latin American and the Caribbean

Welcome to the Memorial Day Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your links included on next week's Carnival please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com. Other than ads for vacation spots, I'll be happy to post your links.

The really big story: Tirofijo, the FARC top guy, is dead. The FARC has confirmed this news. There is much speculation as to the fate of the hundreds of hostages - among them Ingrid Betancourt - and as to how Marulanda's death will impact the FARC.

Of course you will find headlines glorifying the son of a bitch, as TIME magazine does with Colombia's Rebel Patriarch Is Dead. Patriarch of death, if anything. Notice also the photo showing his pious hands held in prayer (no, I won't post the photo here). The editors of TIME have earned my contempt.

BLOG OF THE WEEK
Investor's Business Daily blog

LATIN AMERICA
The Criminal-Terrorist Nexus and the DEA

South American Presidents Agree to Form Unasur Bloc: "The continental bloc, for now at least, is likely to exist only on paper."

ARGENTINA
Argentina: Epopeyas en pugna

BRAZIL
Las FARC sí pertenecen al Foro de Sao Paulo

CHILE
I wish I could think of a way to relate this to hippos

COLOMBIA
Colombia's FARC leader dead

Tirofijo dead?

Colombia's big news: "Tirofijo" FARC leader 'dead' says military

In addition to Tirofijo's death, yet another FARc criminal surrendered last week: Starving FARC Leader Surrenders in Colombia-- Responsible For Murder of President Uribe's Father Gateway Pundit also posts FARC Connections to German Leftists & US Democrats Exposed, also at Prairie Pundit, from Der Spiegel's German Left Wing May Have Ties to Colombian Extremists

Colombia's top FARC commander is dead - government source

Colombia probes 12 for alleged FARC ties

The computer files found with slain FARC leader Rául Reyes continued to reverberate in Colombia on Thursday with the announcement by prosecutors that they will investigate whether 12 people -- including three Colombian lawmakers and a retired American consultant -- had unauthorized contacts with the guerrilla group.

At least some of those now under investigation -- including Colombian Sen. Piedad Córdoba and American consultant James Jones -- have tried to get the FARC to release hostages they have kidnapped.

Merkel apoya a Uribe contra las FARC y el narcotráfico

Colombia's media
An icon reborn: The return of a campaigning newspaper

The Terrorists' Man in Washington

CUBA
Blogger creates freedom

From where I sit

The Cuban American Jewish Mission

The Jews of Cuba

ECUADOR
Ecuadoreans reject Colombia rebel probe

Ecuador names naval officer to head state oil company

JAMAICA
Allegiance and citizenship

MEXICO
It's Time to Bust the Telmex Monopoly

Education in Mexico: Testing the teachers

PERU
Peruvian Nazis rally for Hugo Chavez

PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico's Historic Vote

Puerto Rico Gets Its Moment in the Sun (the Political One) as Primary Nears

Hillary and Obama Campaign in Puerto Rico

VENEZUELA
The FARC files: Just how much help has Hugo Chávez given to Colombia's guerrillas?

Boris Johnson Ends Energy Accord Between London, Venezuela

London mayor Boris Johnson said the energy funding agreement between London and Venezuela's state- owned oil company will not be renewed on Aug. 20, according to an e-mailed statement from his press office.

This will save an estimated 67,000 pounds ($133,000) per year in running and staff costs, Johnson said

Iran and Venezuela to launch joint bank

Linking Venezuela and the FARC

In Venezuelan Schools, Creating 'a New Man'

Indoctrination in the idiocy of socialism in Venezuela

Obama's Assessment of the 'Tiny' Threat From Iran, Venezuela, Cuba

Contemplating a Summit Between Hugo Chavez and President Obama

Delta Amacuro News and Views

Chavez's economic policy shifts as "solutions" have not worked

Venezuela-OPEC Oil Output Dispute to Be Resolved

Hugo and the Venezuela chocolate factory

No limit to oil price rise: Chavez

UPCOMING EVENT
Charleston Caribbean Festival

US Elections 2008
Obama's Latin America policy

McCain Gets It On Latin America

Will Obama free Cuba?

Obama, the One-Man Gaffe Machine

Special thanks to Maria, Larwyn, Eneas and Maggie.



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The Interpol report Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included in next week's Carnival, please email me: faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

The week's big story:
INTERPOL's forensic report on FARC computers and hardware seized by Colombia (via Feathers blog) verified the validity of the laptop, files and information found by Colombian forces in the Ecuadorian camp of the FARC's Raul Reyes. The information confirmed that Chavez is working with the FARC.

Interpol puts Chavez, Correa on the spot

The Interpol "day after", a press review of Chavez links with the FARc and his histrionic abilities

The FARC contacts

More links and commentary listed by country.

Website of the week
Noticias 24

ARGENTINA
Vegetarians Have A Stake in Buenos Aires

BELIZE
A $10 million mystery: What connects the deputy-chairman of the [UK's] Conservative Party with Hugo Chávez?

BRAZIL
Brazil Joins Front Rank Of New Economic Powers

Ghanaian drug baron arrested in Brazil

The Amazon
Marina marches off
Brazil's minister for the Amazon resigns in frustration

CHILE
Not so shiny
How an excess of political stability can get in the way of good government

COLOMBIA
Via Instapundit, The Case for Colombia

FARC Terror Group Opens German & Swiss Branches

It's A Small International Workers Paradise After All! ObamaInternationalistas Ayers/Jefe Chavez/FARC & Etc.

Interpol Confirms: US Democrat Was Secretly Working With FARC To Undermine Colombian Government

Colombia's paramilitaries
Free trade in thugs
Getting tougher with right-wing warlords

Colombia Ups Ante on Free Trade Agreement

Uribe Calls Pelosi's Bluff

Hugo: No US base in Colombia or I'll go to war

CUBA
Val Prieto's been blogging the CubaNostalgia conference. Go to Babalu Blog and scroll down. Here's some of the fun:


Cuba: US passed dissidents private funds.

ECUADOR
Ecuador: Indígenas rompen con Correa y amenazan con "levantamiento" - Noticias24.com, via HACER.

That'll be the day: Correa to quit if ties to FARC proven; also at Conterterrorism blog.

Las FARC contribuyeron con 100.000 dólares a la campaña de Rafael Correa

Chavez and Correa Must Go: FARC Materials Authentic

JAMAICA
Jamaica to benefit from multi-billion hotel projects

MEXICO
Mexico's Oiling Days Are Numbered

U.S. developing radiation detectors for the Mexican border; more at SF Gate.

Drug violence in Mexico
Can the army out-gun the drug lords?
Four top police officers, and more than a hundred people, are killed over the course of a single week in drug-related shootings

NICARAGUA
Crece la tension en una Nicaragua donde Ortega luce cada dia mas acorralado

PANAMA
The poor relation
A bid to inject new life into Panama's down-at-heel second city

PERU
Peruvian kid names US Presidents

PUERTO RICO
Losing racehorses killed in Puerto Rico

VENEZUELA
Venezuela Offered Aid to Colombian Rebels: Officials Served as Middlemen With Arms Dealers, Files Show

Computer Verified, Chavez Implicated

U.S. "EXPERTS" PONTIFICATE ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF RAUL REYES LAPTOPS.

More Evidence of Chavez Terror Ties (also at my post).

Wash your mouth with soap and water

More on the FARC-Chavez Connection

Informe Otalvora: Chavez apoya movimientos separatistas latinoamericanos - por Edgar C. Otalvora

Hugo Chavez calls Interpol "clowns"

The bizarre virtual world of the Chavez Government

Chavez: Sorry About That 'Hitler' Thing

Grow Them Young, Pay Them Well - Anti-Chavistas, That Is

Chavez: An empty revolution

Another Terror Sponsor Obama Has Promised to Meet: Hugo Chavez

Hugo Chavez beats breast

Venezuela seeks Latin American oil-for-food fund

Meeting with Americans in Venezuela, Chavez shows a kinder 'comandante'

What to do with Chavez

Just what the world needs: "Venezuela seeks Latin American oil-for-food fund"

IMMIGRATION
Illegal in More Ways than One
Identity theft in America goes hand and hand with illegal immigration. (I'll be posting more on this article later today.)

U.S. Must rethink Latin America Relationship - by Richard Lapper

The assimilation factor, from The NY Sun.

Via Siggy, Companies targeted in federal marriage-for-citizenship sting

HUMOR
In Spanish - the fabulous Jaime Bayly, via Eneas

Bayly: reacción de Hugo Chávez ante Informe de Interpol 2


Special thanks to Larwyn, Eneas, Maria, Maggie and Laura.


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