The nationalized Venezuelan oil contractors Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cross-posted

Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean.

This week's big story: Chavez's nationalizing the oil contractors, removing books from public libraries, threatening Globovision, all for the purpose of consolidating power around himself, which was the subject of this morning's podcast. See the links under Venezuela below.

Another big story: while the OAS aims to legitimize the Cuban regime by granting it membership in the organization, the Cuban government rejected the idea via an article by Fidel Castro in Granma, the official organ of the Cuban Communist Party.

In other news, Peru is also granting asylum to Bolivian ministers who oppose Evo Morales. as you may recall, Peru recently granted political asylum to Venezuelan opposition leader Manuel Rosales.

ARGENTINA
U.S. Government Funds $400,000 Study on Gay Sex in Argentina Bars

BARBADOS
Commentary: Thompson's immigration declaration too harsh

BRAZIL
At least 31 dead, 50,000 homeless in Brazil flooding

Vale iron ore train in N. Brazil halted by floods

COLOMBIA
Colombia and Venezuela: Latin America Bond and Currency Preview

CUBA
At the Melia Cohiba

Castro le teme al huracán Obama

The OAS, Cuba and Memory Loss

Cuba Doesn't Belong in a Democratic Club
Castro's apologists make a move at the OAS.

ECUADOR
Deep in the Jungle, Ecuador Targets the FARC. Let’s hope so.

Ecuador's Correa until 2017?

FALKLANDS ISLANDS
A Small Place
Nearly half the Falkland Islanders are immigrants. What draws people to a grim chunk of rock in the South Atlantic?

GUATEMALA
Spanish think tank awards Manuel Ayau for his exemplary lifework in the defense of liberty



MEXICO
After Dems Bailout, GM To Move Out of US

The cracks opened up by the flu: As the swine-flu outbreak appears to subside, Mexico is left to contemplate the cost and to ponder the authorities’ response

MONTSERRAT
Frogs flown from Montserrat to flee deadly fungus

PANAMA
Panama and the decline of the Sao Paolo forum

Panama bucks the Latin American left

Super 09: A supermarket king defeats the Left

PARAGUAY
Paternity Makes Punch Line of Paraguay President

El video "personal" de Lugo



More!



PERU
Peru's Garcia Gives Asylum to Bolivian Ministers -- Bolivia's Morales Calls Garcia “Vulgar”

Nadine Heredia, esposa de Ollanta, recibe dinero de diario 'chavista'

Crime in Peru: Printing Money
Quantitative easing in a new capital of counterfeiting

VENEZUELA
Chavez accelerates the pace of destruction of Venezuela, taking over oil service companies.

Chávez Seizes Assets of Oil Contractors

Venezuela: Chavez's government seizes oil contractors Photos here

Chavez latest seizures will likely reduce production

Chávez seizures fuel Venezuela oil fears

El Día Mundial de la Libertad de Expresión visto desde los barrios

You do not need to be an economist to know that things are not going well in Venezuela

Globovision shakes chavismo early this morning

Eurocámara apoya a "perseguidos" venezolanos

María Conchita busca "desenmascarar" a Chávez

Venezuelans aim to kick crime out

Trade unions in Venezuela: Socialism v labour. Curbing opposition to chavismo

Hugo Chávez Attacks Media Opponents Again, Threatens to Withdraw Their Licenses

Special thanks to Maggie and the Baron. Congratulations to Eneas Biglione on his Leadership Award

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 first Monday in April Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cross-posted
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.

There are lots of interesting stories today, but do not miss Mary O'Grady's excellent article in today's Wall Street Journal, Aid Keeps Latin America Poor: For real progress, they need the means to accumulate wealth. This should be required reading for everybody.

LATIN AMERICA
A meeting with Vladimir Bukovsky

Iran Setting Up Shop South of the Border

The Southern Front- Islamic Terrorism and Failed States, South and Central America

3 trends in Central American real estate as developers and buyers respond to market conditions

Why Biofuels Are the Rainforest's Worst Enemy

Obama administration 'comfortable' with Hezbullah?

Latin Governments are Resorting to Protectionism to Cushion Their Economies From Effects of Global Crisis, According to Analysis Piece by Reuters

Americas summit's draft declaration is hard to take seriously

ARGENTINA
Raúl Alfonsín, An Argentine democrat: A flawed politician of rare integrity

La coparticipacion de la violencia

BOLIVIA
Biggest cocaine lab found in Bolivia

Sin resistencia no habra democracia

BRAZIL
Brazil Constructs Walls Around its Slums and Sends a Message: “You’re doing it Wrong.”

Rudd stunned

Brazil’s ‘Teflon’ Leader Nicked by Slump

CHILE
The progressives' Chile summit: Home truths. A global alliance of the centre-left is (scratchily) back in business

COLOMBIA
From Medellin, Hopeful Signs For A Free-Trade Pact

COSTA RICA
La advertencia de Biden
La lucha de México contra la droga tendrá el efecto secundario de empujar a los traficantes hacia Centroamérica
Para desgracia de México, los esfuerzos por cerrar el corredor del narcotráfico en el Caribe tuvieron éxito

U.S. Promotes “Good Friends” Policy in Central America

CUBA
No to Penguins and Albatrosses, Yes to Supporting a State Sponsor of Terrorism

Brunswick, ME…Castro’s useful propogandists…

Power Line, How not to promote democracy in Cuba and at home

U.S to Lift Some Cuba Travel Curbs

'Hey! Let's ease restrictions on Cuba' – Lugar

Lugar favors a special envoy to Castro

House reps head to Cuba

Embargo myth #1

NYT Ignores Free Speech Activist Yoani Sanchez; Focuses on Lefties

ECUADOR
Correa Calls for Arrest of Journalist

EL SALVADOR
Subverting Latin Democracy
Hugo Chávez scores a victory in El Salvador. Is Panama next?

Obama curtails successful drug interdiction program in El Salvador

GUATEMALA
Zeta camp found in Guatemala

MEXICO
Mexican asylum seekers on rise in Vancouver
Large number of those hoping to stay in Canada are affluent professionals claiming to be on the run from warring drug cartels

Washington continues to play ostrich about Mexico (UPDATED 2X)

Mexican and U.S. Attorneys General Confer to Strengthen Cooperation on Drug Violence

Stepping up the fight in Mexico

Two from The Economist:
Taking on the narcos, and their American guns. Senior American officials are trooping to Mexico with assurances of support in its drug war. Will warm words be backed up by action?
The Mexico-US border: Fear of violence, But still pretty safe—on the northern side

PARAGUAY
Fundacion Libertad presenta a Franco un plan de impuesto unico

PUERTO RICO
FBI: Thousands of Puerto Ricans victims of ID theft

As many as 12,000 Puerto Rican schoolchildren, teachers and school administrators are believed to be victims of an identity-theft ring that sold stolen personal documents to illegal immigrants in the mainland United States, according to the FBI.

VENEZUELA
Prisoners from Guantánamo would be welcome in Venezuela

Miss Universe Displays Better Judgment than President Obama

Cuba’s style justice in Venezuela

Chavez completes repressive sweep, as April 2002 policemen are condemned to 30 years in prison

Chavez: Capitalism is 'the Road to Hell'

How squeaky clean is Teodoro Petkoff?

Meanwhile, in that other haven for narcos.......

Hoy se celebra audiencia de Baduel

Venezuela's Chavez: Capitalism Must End

IMMIGRATION
McCain loses temper with Hispanic immigration activists

Census Head to Use "Community Organizing" Groups to Count (or... "Count") Illegal Aliens

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

This week’s posts and podcasts:
Baduel’s arrest
How Chavez is subverting Latin Democracy
The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S
Ecuador: Who is Rómulo López and why does Correa want him arrested?
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart on the budget, easing restrictions with Cuba, and the US joining the UNHRC
At Real Clear World:
U.S to Lift Some Cuba Travel Curbs
Doha Brief: Chávez Invites Bashir to Venezuela

The “smells like Bush” day Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cross-posted

It's the day before inauguration day, and contrary to some overly optimistic expectations, t Hugo Chavez said on Saturday Barack Obama had the “stench” of his predecessor as U.S. president. While here in the USA "To trash Bush was to belong," the trend continues with Chavez and his minions. The carnival goes on!

In today's podcast I'll be talking about Pres. Bush's legacy in Colombia. Chat's open at 10:45AM.

LATIN AMERICA
“Lula marcó distancia ante la posición de Chávez” Lula distances himself from Chavez's position; Hillary and Obama aren't happy about Chavez's anti-Americanism, and other brief news today at Noticias24.

ARGENTINA
Argentine President Urges Consumers to Keep Spending while Cristina Fernandez visits Cuba

A U.S. Court's Threatening Ruling

Enrique Dumas, Who Took Tango to Television in Argentina, Dies

BOLIVIA
Oliver Stone entrevista a Evo Morales en La Paz

Book Review: "Los planes A y B de Evo Morales" de Paul Coca - Juventud y Analisis

BRAZIL
Brazilian church roof collapses

Iran wants Brazil’s support for trying Israeli leaders as war criminals

Ex- terrorist gets asylum in Brazil

Italy's Foreign Min Blasts Brazilian Decision On Fugitive

Brazil's army: But what is it for? A philosopher redesigns an army

COLOMBIA
Uribe's Voice: Transcript of a Call

CUBA
Another flare-up of Castro’s death rumors Signs keep adding up, while Fidel still active, Chávez now says yet Report: Fidel Castro in a coma

Come and live it

"Che" Director Has an Eerie Feeling. Wonder Why?

Medvedev hails renewed ties with Cuba

ECUADOR
Ecuador vows partial bond buy-back

GUYANA
Libya to establish People's Bureau in Guyana

MEXICO
Thick-billed Parrot: Mexico and beyond…?

They Kidnap Americans Don't They?

What If Mexico Loses Its Drug War?

Anarchy in Mexico

NICARAGUA
Bad news out of Managua, the Pacto lives on

PANAMA
Cocaine plane trail is open challenge for Obama administration

PARAGUAY
Fundacion Libertad contra el monopolio de internet

PUERTO RICO
University of Puerto Rico begins new environmental education programme

Separatist? PBS Can't Call a Terrorist a Terrorist

URUGUAY
Uruguay Minister Posts Photos of Her Taking Shower on FaceBook

VENEZUELA
Chavez to swipe US$ 12 billion in international reserves for his personal use

Chavez dysfunctional reality

Venezuela's Chavez takes stock

Chavez turns into Palestinian hero

Kuwaiti MP calls to move Arab League to Caracas
Waleed al-Tabtabai says Venezuelan President has proved he is more Arab than some Arabs.

Chavez - a worse threat than bin Laden?

Hugo Crawls Back

Chavez 'part of evil side of politics'

Chavez Chagrined: Will Oil Companies Return to Venezuela?

Hey, what's one little Order of Magnitude between friends?

Venezuela's indigenous people: A promise unkept. Indigenous Venezuelans get welfare but, so far, not much land

ENTERTAINMENT
Part II: “Che:” Bad Movie About A Bad Guy Gets Worse

US POLITICS
Did Barack Obama promise Mexico’s president he would open the borders?

Chavez to Assess Obama’s Policies Before Reaching Out

Obama’s Hispanic Agenda

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

The week's posts and podcasts:
Eeet steeenks...
Today’s 15 Minutes on Latin America, at 11AM Eastern: Chavez wants the oil companies back
A name from the past: Noriega
Begging after biting the hand that feeds him
Today at 11AM Eastern: That military report on Mexico
“U.S. military report warns ’sudden collapse’ of Mexico is possible”
Pres. Bush honors Tony Blair, John Howard and Alvaro Uribe
Today’s 15 Minutes on Latin America: Venezuela’s back-door currency devaluation

At Real Clear World Blog:
Venezuela: Can't Take "No" for an Answer
Venezuela: Currency Depreciation Through Back Door





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The first 2009 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 Monday's Carnival please email me, faustaw2 "at" gmail "dot" com.

Last week Cuba celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Communist revolution. Please check the posts listed under Cuba below for a roundup of articles and posts.

Tomorrow at 11AM Humberto Fontova will be my podcast guest and he'll talk about the anniversary; in today's podcast I'll touch on Bolivia's new TV station, sponsored by Iran and Venezuela, Argentina's change shortage, and other headlines.



ANTIGUA-BARBUDA
Antigua-Barbuda opposition criticises PM for taking funds from Venezuela

ARGENTINA
Argentina Is Short of Cash – Literally
Spare some change?

Buenos Aires Becomes IT-Wise
Buenos Aires invites ITC businesses to set up in its forthcoming world-class Technology District.

BELIZE
US Southern Command donates equpment to Belize

Equipment valued at US$27,000 was recently handed over to Belize's National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). Ceremonies were held at NEMO’s Warehouse in Belmopan.

The equipment includes more than 500 folding beds commonly referred to as cots and more than 100 sleeping bags. This most recent donation is from the United States Southern Command, based in Miami.

On hand to make the presentation was United States Ambassador to Belize, Robert Deiter. In making the presentation, Deiter said the US, in assisting in the area of management this year alone, made other donations recently to the Belize Defence Force and the National Coast Guard, in addition to training in several villages across the country.

Deiter stated that he is proud of his Mission’s work with NEMO in a region where disasters can and do strike/

BOLIVIA
Catholics oppose Bolivia control freak government

Morales inaugurará diario y canal del Estado con ayuda de Irán y Venezuela

BRAZIL
The samba beat, with missteps: It may be the rising power in the Americas but Brazil is finding that diplomatic ambition can prompt resentment



Confiança da indústria é a menor desde outubro de 1998, diz FGV Business confidence at its lowest since October 1998, via Market Memorandum

CHILE
Chile, interest rates, inflation, Bachelet and the central bank

COLOMBIA
Colombia mata a un Jefe de Finanzas de las FARC y a sus 4 escoltas Colombia kills FARC finance boss and his 4 bodyguards.

Colombia's Leader Digs In
After U.S.-Backed Successes, Uribe Weighs Extending Reign

Helping the Hostage-Takers: Switzerland and the Reyes Computer Files (English translation)

CUBA
Abused

50 years with Fidel Castro: how many more years of misery for Latin America?

MSM Report Card for stories about 50th Anniversary of Cuban Revolution

Grief Marks Anniversary of Triumph of Castro, via The Corner

Cuban Stalinism at 50--and the Media Lies Continue

Cuba's Long Black Spring: Video

Castro’s Cuba at 50

“It goes without saying”

One hell of an achievement

Shame on U.S. Media for Idolizing Che Guevara

Cuban Stalinism at 50--and the Media Lies Continue

The Cuban revolution at 50: Heroic myth and prosaic failure

Ill winds: Hurricanes have added to the woes of the downturn



Where’s the “patria o muerte”?

WaPo's Booth Hails 'Half-Century of Revolution' in Cuba

Commemorating 50 Lousy Years

Two new films out this month give the full Hollywood treatment to two very different military and political heroes.

Castro's One 'Hell' of an Achievement

In Cuba, Cellphone Calls Go Unanswered
Growing Ranks Use Coveted Device for Less Costly Paging, Texts

Communism, Socialism Paradise, Cuba

Humberto Becerra Alfonso, Cuban Political Prisoner of the Week, 1/4/09

Historia de una jinetera

ECUADOR
Equador determina pagamento de parte da dívida com o BNDES Ecuador paid $28.1 million of its $243 million loan to Brazil’s National Economic and Social Development Bank Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), while Rafael Correa still says the loan is “illegal.” (h/t Market Memorandum)

MEXICO
In Mexico, Hope Lies With the Voters Leon Krauze’s Segunda Edicion broadcasts today at 2PM Mountain time.

Mexicanas sucumben al “sex appeal” de los narcos

Mexican criminal insurgency may spread to US

NICARAGUA
Nicaragua’s broken democracy

PANAMA
Home invasion in Boquerón

Elogia en La Habana a la revolución cubana Panamanian president Martín Torrijos praises the Cuban revolution in Havana.

PARAGUAY
¿El pueblo del Che Guevara? - por Eduardo Quintana

PERU
Shining Path Terrorists Threaten to Expand Attacks in Peru

PUERTO RICO
Trump development in Puerto Rico to be eco-friendly

Yahoo says Puerto Rico in top ten of world's favourite destinations

ST KITTS-NEVIS
Hanging them high: Don’t bother to reform, just execute

VENEZUELA
An open letter to the critics of the HRW report on Venezuela

2008: the year Hugo Chavez lost his democratic fig leaf

Socialism with cheap oil: Hugo Chávez embarks on a race against the impending impact of world recession

Venezuela halves travelers dollar allowance to $2,500

Chavez After the Oil Boom, also at Caracas Chronicles

The Wizards of Oil: As prices fall, so do the ambitions of Vladimir, Hugo and Mahmoud.

Tras 10 años de Gobierno, se le ocurre “reducir la dependencia del petróleo”

Estos son los nuevos aviones que comprará Hugo Chávez

US POLITICS
Housing Push for Hispanics Spawns Wave of Foreclosures

This week’s podcasts and posts
Denny and “the governor of all Puerto Ricans”
The disaster that is the Cuban revolution
Two photos
At Real Clear World Blog: Venezuela: 2008 in Review
Cuba: A Photograph as Metaphor




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The Brazilian diplomacy Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Cross-posted
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.

This week's big story: Brazil continues its ascendance as a diplomatic powerhouse for the hemisphere. Last week thirty-three countries met in Brazil for the first Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development. Today president Lula hosts French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who's visting the country to bring about bilateral cooperation in several areas, including the production of defense submarines. I'll be discussing Sarko's visit in today's podcast at 11AM Eastern, which you can listen to here.

LATIN AMERICA
Via Pat, Latin America’s Deafening Silence by Jorge Castañeda.

Interesting post (in Spanish) on the UnoAmérica pro-democracy NGO meeting in Bogota; their website here.

Only in Argentina

ARGENTINA
Nestor Kirchner is unwell

Argentina and the drug trade

Confuso triple juego hispano-ruso-argentino

ATFA Condemns Ecuador's Debt Default Decision Defaulting on Foreign Debt

Austroraptor cabazai: They Just Don't Make Big Scary Dinosaurs Like They Once Did

Argentina Seizes Assets of Iranian Terrorist-Diplomat

BELIZE
Commentary: One Belizean's perspective on agreement between Belize and Guatemala

BRAZIL
Slide show: Brazilians in Ireland

Comments on Bloomberg News' Brazil Defence Story

Brazil Fails to Earmark Budget Money for Sovereign Wealth Fund

CHILE
FruityRumPunch update

COLOMBIA
Pass FTA and amend Plan Colombia

Combined with a revamped Plan Colombia, the FTA can then promote both human rights and the overall quality of life in Colombia. One of the loudest proponents for the FTA is Asocolflores, Colombia's flower exporters association. Dependent on the U.S. market, its companies employ 200,000 Colombians. This and other export industries create jobs and opportunities that provide poor Colombians alternatives to growing coca, the plant used to make cocaine.

Real change will not come from bulletproof armor, helicopters, and tanks, but will depend on Colombia's institutional capabilities and the economic opportunities it can offer its citizens. The United States should focus Plan Colombia on improving justice and human rights, and pass the FTA to improve economic opportunities for both countries' citizens. President-elect Obama's campaign promised change; our regional partners could use some, too.

COSTA RICA
New World Post-pandemic Reforestation Helped Start Little Ice Age, Say Scientists

CUBA
Russian warships bound for Cuba in new show of strength

Blogger and Castro kin clash on the Web

EL SALVADOR
Will El Salvador Veer Left?

MEXICO
Iraq is safer than Mexico

Mexico - US – Italy cocaine connection

NICARAGUA
Now Nicaragua can't just blame the Empire

PANAMA
The Dry Season Has Arrived

PARAGUAY
¿Quiere Lugo imitar a Salvador Allende? - ABC Color

PUERTO RICO
Pharma-Bio acquires assets and operations in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico governor elect heads to New York to meet with credit agencies

TOBAGO
Now that the price of fuel is down, airline carriers are returning to the region: Non-stop Delta service returns to Tobago

VENEZUELA
OPEC cuts production, Venezuela lies, oil drops yet again

The Chavez permanent show: 170 hours of cadena

HRW v Hugo Chavez et sycophants

Yet another Russia-Venezuela joint venture: Government to install gold refinery at Las Cristinas – Venezuela

Chavez After the Oil Boom

Chavez Latin America Allies Escalate Rhetoric on Debt

Venezuela's foreign policy loses its gas

AMERICAN POLITICS
Fixing Border Security

ENTERTAINMENT
Che Guevara was a murderer and your t-shirt is not cool

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

This week’s posts and podcasts
Iran using Venezuela ties to duck UN sanctions
Latin America: Summits and Crisis, at Real Clear World blog
Report: Drug cartels move beyond borders
From the Mexican war zone: Kidnapping Negotiator Is Now a Victim in Mexico
Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development excludes Bush, as China, Russia loom







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The Ecuador default Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Crossposted
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 big news: Ecuador defaults on its foreign debt, basically because it doesn't want to:

And while developing world economies have taken a sharp turn for the worse in recent months, Ecuador is ceasing payments not because the oil-rich country cannot afford to pay but because it has made a political decision not to.

The default is Ecuador’s second in a decade and seventh in its 178-year history. More links and posts below.

LATIN AMERICA
The Real Latin-American Left: One We Can Work With

Caracas Russians, Managua Misrule

Latin American Democrats Need U.S. Support
Free trade is one way to help prevent the resurgence of autocracy in the region.

ARGENTINA
Economic Storm Batters Argentina's Breadbasket
Sharp Price Drop Brings Sudden End To Good Times

BOLIVIA
Observatorio de Medios de Bolivia reveló que suman 245 los ataques a periodistas en el último año; alarmante crecimiento desde septiembre de 2008

Evo admite que la Unasur no es plenamente legal

Via American Digest, “Coca Si, Cocaina No”. Let’s hope Aldana Cohen is better informed about his topic than he is about Coca Cola. Coca Cola hasn’t contained any cocaine since 1929.

BRAZIL
Israel's El Al plans direct flights to Brazil

CHILE
A heroic pooch

COLOMBIA
Alleged Colombian coke kingpin in U.S.

Reputed one-time Colombian cocaine kingpin Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez is in Florida after being extradited from his South American homeland, U.S. officials say.

Known as "Don Diego," Montoya Sanchez allegedly once commanded the North Valley cartel, a narco-trafficking empire that exported at least 1.2 million pounds of cocaine to the United States. But Friday he was sitting in a tiny federal jail cell in Miami, The Miami Herald reported.

U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said the Colombian's extradition marked a historic point in efforts by the United States to smash the vast cartel, saying Montoya Sanchez's arrest was the most significant since the convictions of brothers Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela, the 1980s leaders of Colombia's Cali cartel.

CUBA
Allegations of Biological Weapons Research in Cuba Need Clearing Up

Guantanamo’s Jihad: The Show Begins…

Elián González marks his 15th birthday

¿Cumpleaños o aniversario?

Obama Should Put the Castros in Their Place

Vladimir Alejo Miranda, Cuban Political Prisoner of the Week, 12/14/08

Buques rusos atracarán en Cuba por primera vez desde caída de URSS Russian ships landing in Cuba for the first time since the fall of the USSR. Russian navy: Russian warships to visit Cuba

ECUADOR
The return of the 1980s?

Ecuador decides to stiff creditors

ECUADOR DEFAULTS ON FOREIGN DEBT

Ecuador Default May Hit ‘True Monsters’ Harder Than Argentina

What Did the U.S. Congress Do With Correa's Propagandists and Ministra Viteri?

HAITI
Nutritional value of World Food Program rice distributed in Haiti questioned

MEXICO
Arrested: Suspected Killers of Sheriff’s Deputy. But Was It Ordered by the Mexican Mafia?

Mexico: Growing Terror and Close to Collapse

NICARAGUA
More backyard fun

PARAGUAY
Urgent prayer request

PERU
Innocents Die in the Drug War

PUERTO RICO
Who let the big cat out of the bag? Puerto Rico searches for panther prowling suburbs

Wildlife officials patrolled streets and undeveloped lots in a sort of suburban safari Sunday, searching for a nocturnal predator that has mauled a sheep, ripped apart chickens and dominated newspaper headlines in the tropical U.S. territory since last week.

I didn't know there were any sheep or chickens in Rio Piedras, either.

VENEZUELA
Miguel Octavio was part of a Round Table discussion at the White House on Human Rights Day

Systematic abuse and compulsive lies

A great Venezuelan gets an award

The ultimate idiotic conspiracy theory: The US created credit crisis to get back at Hugo and other revolutionaries

Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape

Venezuela Debt Rating Outlook Cut to Negative by S&P

Black-Out Blights Venezuela for the 4th Time This Year
Power Outage in Caracas Brings Out Social Traits

Via Brazilian Neocon, Jaime Bayly on Chavez's Alo Presidente's diarrhea program, part 1 (in Spanish)


Part 2


AMERICAN POLITICS
Texas Hispanics upset with Democrats

ENTERTAINMENT
Killer Chic: Hollywood’s sick love affair with Che Guevara

Che what

Special thanks to Ada, Baron B., Eneas, Larwyn and Maggie.

This week's podcasts and posts
Obama makes it to the Nativity scene
Soderbergh’s Chegasm





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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 "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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