ARGENTINA
Delayed Justice Handed out in Catholic Bishop's Killing
In a delayed, but much deserved, victory to human rights groups, a court in La Rioja, a city in Northern Argentina, issued a verdict on July 4, 2014, handing out life sentences to former generals--former army chief Luciano Benjamin Menendez, 86, and former Vice Commodore Luis Fernando Estrella, 82--on charges of murdering a left-leaning Catholic Bishop in the heyday of junta rule. Bishop Enrique Angelelli was crushed to death by an automobile in August 1976 days after junta seized powers in Argentina and launched what came to be known as so-called "Dirty War" that had led to disappearances and deaths of thousands of leftists and human rights activists, stripping parents of their new born kids and imprisonment of tens of thousands of intellectuals, academics, artists, political opponents and human rights activists.
Argentina Indicts Banking Giant on Tax Evasion
Argentinian tax agency on November 27, 2014 charged HSBC on helping more than 4,000 Argentines evade about $3 billion in tax due to the national exchequer.
Prosecutor in 1994 Jewish Center Bombing Investigation Found dead
A prosecutor investigating into 1994 car bombing of the Jewish Center at Buenos Aires that had killed 85 people in the worst terrorist attack in Argentina was found dead on January 18, 2015 with gunshot wound at his home. Although the death of the prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, who had submitted a 289-page report just four days earlier that was critical of President Cristina Fernandez' administration for shielding eight people--including former high-ranking Iranian officials--in exchange for a lucrative trade deal involving Iranian oil imports and Argentine meat and agricultural grain exports, was most likely caused by suicide, but rumors ran rampant that he had been silenced by vested interests. However, Interpol never dropped the so-called "red notices" for the arrest of eight Iranians who were kept abeyance of prosecution. Prosecutor Nisman was scheduled to brief Congress on investigation the following day on January 19, 2015.
Late Prosecutor Plans President's Arrest
The investigator, Viviana Fein, who was inquiring into the mysterious death of Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, said on February 3, 2015 that the late prosecutor had written a 26-page draft that showed his plan to arrest President Cristina Fernandez and Foreign Minister Hector Timmerman.
New Prosecutor to Renew the Case against President
The prosecutor who had succeeded the case following the January 18, 2015, mysterious suicide death of Alberto Nisman, who had accused Argentine President Cristina Fernandez of trying to shield high-ranking Iranian officials implicated in 1994 Buenos Aires Jewish Center bombing, said on February 13, 2014 that he would renew the case against President and submit it to a judge, Daniel Rafecas, who would decide whether to pursue a trial against Fernandez. Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich later on February 13, 2015 called the move by the new prosecutor Gerardo Policita a "judicial coup".
Judge Dismisses the Cover-up Charges against Argentine President
A respectable Argentine judge, who had earned reputation and respect from the country's Jewish community and beyond for continued work on holocaust reparation/redress and championing the civil rights cases stemming from the military dictatorship, on February 26, 2015 dismissed a case brought by the prosecutor against the country's president, Cristina Fernandez, that implicated her in a cover-up to shield Iranian officials tied to the 1994 bombing of Jewish Center at Buenos Aires, the worst terrorist attack in Argentinian soil that had killed 85. The President of the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Associations, Julio Schlosser, said after the verdict was announced on February 26, 2015 that Judge Daniel Rafecus' ruling "deserves the utmost respect" by all.
Prosecutor Clears Argentine President
An Argentine prosecutor before Court of Appeals said on April 20, 2015 that he didn't have enough evidence to proceed against the Argentine President Cristina Fernandez in a cover-up charge over 1994 bombing of Jewish Center at Buenos Aires, the worst terrorist attack in Argentinian soil that had killed 85. Prosecutor Javier De Luca's stand not only cleared the president, but also put a hole on the case pursued by late Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found dead on January 18, 2015.
Former Spy Master on the Run, Fears for His Life
Argentina's former legend spy head might have fled the country and failed to show up in a court appearance on April 23, 2015 in a case that had riveted this South American nation since a prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, was found dead in January 2015. A Buenos Aires court summoned Antonio Stiuso, former Operations Director of the Secretary of Intelligence, on the charges that he had hid information about 1994 Jewish Center bombing, country's worst terrorist attack, that had killed 85 people. Stiuso, removed from his job in December 2014, oversaw vast wiretapping operation and helped Nisman build his case against President Cristina Fernandez. Stiuso's lawyer, Santiago Blanco Bermudez, said on late April 22, 2015 that his client had feared for his life.
Argentines Choose Potential Successor to Fernandez
Argentine voters are getting a cue from the two candidates who will vie for presidency in October 25, 2015, polls to succeed President Cristina Fernandez. In the August 9, 2015, primaries, Daniel Scioli had lock in the ruling party Primary, while the opposition slate was led by Mauricio Macri over Sergio Massa.
Argentinian Presidential Polls Go to Runoff
In October 25, 2015, presidential elections, Daniel Scioli, a chosen successor of outgoing Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez, received 37 percent vote compared to 34 percent garnered by his nearest rival, Mauricio Macri. Both candidates will face off in a November 22, 2015, runoff.
Anti-Incumbency Sentiment Buoys Opposition Leader
Buenos Aires Mayor and opposition candidate Mauricio Macri defeated the ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli in November 22, 2015, runoff, thus marking an era of husband-wife presidential duo that had led the South American nation take a radical leftward turn and host of socialistic measures involving government intervention. Under a Macri administration, Argentina will be ruled more by a free market-driven approach and more hands-off government approach. Mauricio Macri, who hailed from one of the wealthiest Argentine families and gained national reputation as President of the famous Boca Juniors Soccer Club, got 52 percent vote in presidential runoff compared to Scioli's 48 percent.
Former President Sentenced in Bribery
A court in Buenos Aires on December 1, 2015 sentenced former President Carlos Menem, 85, to four-and-half years in prison on charges of bribery. Menem, who was president from 1989 to 1999, funneled $466 million earmarked for intelligence to cabinet ministers and government employees on top of their regular salaries. However, the sentence, to be formalized in another hearing in March 2016, is moot given that he is a Senator with immunity through December 2017. Two of Carlos Menem's former colleagues, Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo and Raul Granillo Ocampo, a former justice minister, were also found guilty in this case and sentenced to more than 3 years behind the bar. Carlos Menem is no stranger to corruption. In 2013, he was sentenced to 7 years behind bar on charges of illegally shipping arms to Croatia and Ecuador. He had appealed that verdict.
Argentina's New President Sworn in without the Presence of the Outgoing President
The prestige and protocol of the presidential swearing in stooped to a new low as the outgoing Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez boycotted the inauguration ceremony on December 10, 2015 for the country's new president, Mauricio Macri because of disagreement over how and when it should be held.
Removal of Argentina's Currency Control Leads to Its Plunge
One of the first steps Mauricio Macri's administration took upon taking office was to relax and loosen the restrictions on the currency exchange that was placed years ago by the outgoing President Cristina Fernandez to prevent flight of capital. However, the unintended consequence of removal of currency control on December 16, 2015 night was the plunge of peso the following day (December 17, 2015). For the best part of the decade, peso-to-US greenback ratio was pegged 9-to-1.
Argentine's First State of the Nation Address Targets Past Administration Misdeeds
Addressing his first State of the Nation address in Congress on March 1, 2016, President Mauricio Macri took the opportunity to condemn the mismanagement and misrule of the previous administration of Cristina Fernandes. Taking place in the ornate chamber beside Vice President Gabriella Michetti, Macri said that "we are a great country with great potential", but "we are not in a good shape". President Mauricio Macri's State of the Nation address came a day after Argentine officials and a group of international creditors led by billionaire investor Paul Singer announced a tentative deal on the South American nation's fiscal crisis that had recently spawned into court battles. Former President Cristina Fernandes refused to negotiate with the creditors, calling them "vultures" although the U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa of New York had repeatedly ruled against Argentina. The February 29, 2016, deal--reached between Argentine officials and international creditors, led by billionaire investor Paul Singer--will put an end to the legal showdown, but needs to be ratified by Congress where the deal is sure to face stiff opposition as Peronist Party, political party of former President Cristina Fernandez, is a dominant force.
************************ PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ARGENTINA VISIT ****************
Obama's Argentina Visit Stokes Bitter Memories
Though new Argentine President Mauricio Macri intended to showcase the U.S. President Barack Obama's state visit as a reflection of his young administration's progress in addressing the bitter acrimony with the international creditors and setting priorities on a look-forward approach, both the timing and the backdrop of Obama's visit instead took the Latin American nation to a few decades backward by reminding Argentines the dark past of America's collusion with the so-called Dirty War (1976-83). Obama landed on Buenos Aires two days before March 24, 2016, 40th anniversary of the military coup that hurtled the nation into the so-called "Dirty War". The era of "Dirty War" was marked by extrajudicial killings of about 30,000 political dissidents, most of them were Leftist activists, although the official figure stood at 13,000 deaths.
Obama Admits Past Mistakes
On the eve of 40th anniversary of the so-called Dirty War, President Barack Obama said on March 23, 2016 that the U.S. role during those days of darkness had damaged the country's image among common Argentines, and hoped that release of the confidential files covering that era would restore and rebuild confidence between the two nations. President Obama's comments came during a joint press conference with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, whom Obama called "a man in a hurry" and praised his leadership on acting quickly to improve relationship with Washington, at Casa Rosada, Argentina's presidential palace. Also, during the day, Obama addressed a town hall meeting of young people, an emblematic of most of the Obama's foreign visits.
Obama Regrets Argentina's "Dirty War"
Reflecting and remembering on a solemn day that marked the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the so-called "Dirty War", the visiting U.S. President Barack Obama on March 24, 2016 expressed his profound regret for the U.S. failure at that time to acknowledge the brutal repression and atrocities. Obama visited the memorial for the victims, Rio de la Plata, with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, and each leader threw three white roses into the water from an over-bridge to honor the victims. It was a moment of pause, posture and prudence for both the leaders to show the world that the bonhomie of the two nations during those Dirty War years (1976-83) was indeed a dark chapter of past relations shaped by the bitterness of Cold War rather than an evolving collaborative partnership of present time to grow the economic opportunity and prosperity of Americas. Also came on the heels of his Argentina trip Obama's announcement that his administration would "declassify" secret files and memo more quickly.
************************ PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ARGENTINA VISIT ****************
Former President Charged in Fraud
An Argentine judge, Claudio Bonadio, on May 13, 2016 indicted former President Cristina Fernandez, former Economy Minister Axel Kicillof, former Central Bank President Alejandro Vanoli and 12 others on charges of fraud related to sales of U.S. dollars at the below-market rate, costing the treasury an approximately $5.2 billion. Ms. Fernandez called the charges as political persecution.
Former Rulers Sentenced in Operation Condor
Latin America's one of the most sordid chapters neared closure on May 27, 2016 as a four-judge panel sentenced 14 former Argentine military officials to eight to 14 years of prison sentences for carrying out a campaign of annihilating Leftists, Communists and opposition activists as part of a six-nation joint drive dubbed as Operation Condor from late 70s to early 80s. Among those sentenced were Reynaldo Bignone, 88, the last ruler of the Dirty War era (1976-83), who had ruled Argentina from 1982 to 1983 and been already sentenced for life imprisonment for other human rights abuses in a separate trial. This trial marked the first time when the judiciary in any of these six Latin American nations that had coordinated and collaborated in the so-called anti-Leftist purge dubbed as Operation Condor took legal steps to bring perpetrators under justice.
A Sneak Peek of Operation Condor
How did it start?
Six Latin American nations--Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay--launched a joint offensive to eradicate Left and Communist influence from the midst of their respective nations at the height of Cold War. Operation Condor was masterminded in late 70s by the then-autocrats Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Jorge Videla of Argentina, Juan Maria Bordaberry of Uruguay, Alfredo Stroessner of Paraguay and Hugo Banzer of Bolivia. Brazil also actively participated.
UNESCO Report on Operation Condor
A 2015 report issued by UNESCO's International Center for the Promotion of Human Rights estimated a total of 376 people killed as a result of Operation Condor: 177 Uruguayans, 72 Argentines, 64 Chileans, 25 Paraguayans, 15 Peruvians, 12 Bolivians, five Brazilians, three Cubans, two Americans and a Spaniard.
Argentine Unions Organize One of the Largest Demonstrations in Recent Memory
Opposing the structural reforms initiated by the Mauricio Macri regime that had led to significant job cuts and reduction in subsidies, Argentine opposition and trade unions held three-day nationwide protest August 31-September 2, 2016. Closing the three-day protest, a huge rally was organized at Buenos Aires on September 2, 2016 to publicly air the grievances against what the opposition had dubbed the government's anti-people policies that had led to a 47 percent price rise.
Former Leader Indicted on Corruption Charges
Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez was indicted on public works corruption charges by a federal judge, Judge Julian Ercolini, and the indictment was published by the government's Center of Judicial Information on December 27, 2016. In addition to Fernandez, former Planning Minister Julio de Vido, former Public Works official Jose Lopez and Lazaro Baez, head of Austral Construcciones, the company at the epicenter of corruption scandal between May 2003 and December 2015 in the southern province of Santa Cruz were also indicted, and each of the defendants' asset to the tune of $633 million--although not sure if any of them was known to have that much of an asset--was ordered to be frozen.
"Angel of Death" Sentenced to Life in Prison
In the largest trial involving 54 former military leaders and personnel implicated to junta-era human rights abuses, a former Argentine Navy captain, Alfredo Astiz, nicknamed as the "angel of death", was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 29, 2017. Minutes after hearing the verdict, a large crowd outside the courtroom broke out in cheers.
Argentina at the Throe of Protest as Government Reforms Pension, Welfare
After days of protests, clashes and unrest, Argentinian parliament on December 19, 2017 gave President Mauricio Macri a desired victory by passing a measure that would dramatically reform pension and welfare systems.
Federal March: A New Chapter of Popular Discontent to Hit Argentina
As the conservative government of Mauricio Macri in May 2018 decided to take loan from the International Monetary Fund under the strict reform conditions, for many Argentinians it was the ghost of the past that was now lurking over the nation as they could vividly remember those days of economic tumult in 2001. Meanwhile, Macri's decision to do away with the utility subsidies and efforts to scuttle job protection rules had touched off massive protest. A "Federal March" was organized that would bring tens of thousands of people from four regions of the country in four large processions only to merge once they reached the Buenos Aires on June 1, 2018. The organizers of the "Federal March" demanded laws to protect subsidies on food, job guarantees and other social safety net programs.
Abortion Legalization Measure Narrowly Defeated by Senate
Argentinian Senate on August 9, 2018 narrowly defeated the latest effort to legalize abortion. Although it was a frustrating outcome for pro-choice and woman rights groups, the fact that they came to this point with a concerted push and comprehensive plan to put a measure calling for legalization of abortion in this pre-dominant Catholic nation proved the strength of their movement. During the last few days of fervent publicity campaign, Catholic Church and conservative groups exerted tremendous pressure on the Conservative bloc of Senators. At the end and after hours of debate that had stretched until early morning hours of August 9, 2018, 38 Senators voted against the legalization measure, 31 voted in favor while two abstained.
Current Investigation Presents a Thriller Show
In what could be a Netflix series of political adventure is now being played out in Argentina. The episode began with a judge uncovering notebooks maintained meticulously by a former driver of Planning Ministry that chronicled hush money payments in minute details. Since the existence of the notebooks became publicly known, dozens of business and public figures came forward to co-operate with the investigators, who were inquiring nepotism during former President Cristina Fernandez and her deceased husband Nestor Kirchner's rule between 2003 and 2015. The notebooks uncovered detailed scheme of awarding lucrative government contracts in exchange for bag loads of cash sent to doorsteps of officials. Last week, authorities raided homes of former President Fernandez in a dramatic fashion. The investigation mesmerized the nation so much that even President Mauricio Macri told the CNN en Espanol that "this beats watching Netflix". On August 21, 2018, tens of thousands rallied outside Congress to demand for revocation of Fernandez' immunity.
Raids at Former President's Residence
Argentine police on August 23, 2018 carried out raids at three of the houses of former President Cristina Fernandez, following a late August 22, 2018, vote by 67 Senators, including Fernandez herself, to approve the raids after an order by a judge to that effect.
National Strike Brings Argentina to a Total Halt
A national strike organized by the country's union protesting the economic and fiscal policies of President Mauricio Macri regime brought Argentina to near-total standstill on September 25, 2018.
Former President Acquitted
Former President Carlos Menem, 88, was acquitted by the country's supreme criminal court on October 4, 2018, overturning a 2013 conviction on charges of arms smuggling to Croatia and Ecuador. In 1990, Carlos Menem authorized arms shipment to Venezuela and Panama, but they had ended up in Ecuador and Croatia mysteriously.
************************ G-20 BUENOS AIRES SUMMIT (2018) *********************
Delayed Justice Handed out in Catholic Bishop's Killing
In a delayed, but much deserved, victory to human rights groups, a court in La Rioja, a city in Northern Argentina, issued a verdict on July 4, 2014, handing out life sentences to former generals--former army chief Luciano Benjamin Menendez, 86, and former Vice Commodore Luis Fernando Estrella, 82--on charges of murdering a left-leaning Catholic Bishop in the heyday of junta rule. Bishop Enrique Angelelli was crushed to death by an automobile in August 1976 days after junta seized powers in Argentina and launched what came to be known as so-called "Dirty War" that had led to disappearances and deaths of thousands of leftists and human rights activists, stripping parents of their new born kids and imprisonment of tens of thousands of intellectuals, academics, artists, political opponents and human rights activists.
Argentina Indicts Banking Giant on Tax Evasion
Argentinian tax agency on November 27, 2014 charged HSBC on helping more than 4,000 Argentines evade about $3 billion in tax due to the national exchequer.
Prosecutor in 1994 Jewish Center Bombing Investigation Found dead
A prosecutor investigating into 1994 car bombing of the Jewish Center at Buenos Aires that had killed 85 people in the worst terrorist attack in Argentina was found dead on January 18, 2015 with gunshot wound at his home. Although the death of the prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, who had submitted a 289-page report just four days earlier that was critical of President Cristina Fernandez' administration for shielding eight people--including former high-ranking Iranian officials--in exchange for a lucrative trade deal involving Iranian oil imports and Argentine meat and agricultural grain exports, was most likely caused by suicide, but rumors ran rampant that he had been silenced by vested interests. However, Interpol never dropped the so-called "red notices" for the arrest of eight Iranians who were kept abeyance of prosecution. Prosecutor Nisman was scheduled to brief Congress on investigation the following day on January 19, 2015.
Late Prosecutor Plans President's Arrest
The investigator, Viviana Fein, who was inquiring into the mysterious death of Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, said on February 3, 2015 that the late prosecutor had written a 26-page draft that showed his plan to arrest President Cristina Fernandez and Foreign Minister Hector Timmerman.
New Prosecutor to Renew the Case against President
The prosecutor who had succeeded the case following the January 18, 2015, mysterious suicide death of Alberto Nisman, who had accused Argentine President Cristina Fernandez of trying to shield high-ranking Iranian officials implicated in 1994 Buenos Aires Jewish Center bombing, said on February 13, 2014 that he would renew the case against President and submit it to a judge, Daniel Rafecas, who would decide whether to pursue a trial against Fernandez. Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich later on February 13, 2015 called the move by the new prosecutor Gerardo Policita a "judicial coup".
Judge Dismisses the Cover-up Charges against Argentine President
A respectable Argentine judge, who had earned reputation and respect from the country's Jewish community and beyond for continued work on holocaust reparation/redress and championing the civil rights cases stemming from the military dictatorship, on February 26, 2015 dismissed a case brought by the prosecutor against the country's president, Cristina Fernandez, that implicated her in a cover-up to shield Iranian officials tied to the 1994 bombing of Jewish Center at Buenos Aires, the worst terrorist attack in Argentinian soil that had killed 85. The President of the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Associations, Julio Schlosser, said after the verdict was announced on February 26, 2015 that Judge Daniel Rafecus' ruling "deserves the utmost respect" by all.
Prosecutor Clears Argentine President
An Argentine prosecutor before Court of Appeals said on April 20, 2015 that he didn't have enough evidence to proceed against the Argentine President Cristina Fernandez in a cover-up charge over 1994 bombing of Jewish Center at Buenos Aires, the worst terrorist attack in Argentinian soil that had killed 85. Prosecutor Javier De Luca's stand not only cleared the president, but also put a hole on the case pursued by late Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found dead on January 18, 2015.
Former Spy Master on the Run, Fears for His Life
Argentina's former legend spy head might have fled the country and failed to show up in a court appearance on April 23, 2015 in a case that had riveted this South American nation since a prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, was found dead in January 2015. A Buenos Aires court summoned Antonio Stiuso, former Operations Director of the Secretary of Intelligence, on the charges that he had hid information about 1994 Jewish Center bombing, country's worst terrorist attack, that had killed 85 people. Stiuso, removed from his job in December 2014, oversaw vast wiretapping operation and helped Nisman build his case against President Cristina Fernandez. Stiuso's lawyer, Santiago Blanco Bermudez, said on late April 22, 2015 that his client had feared for his life.
Argentines Choose Potential Successor to Fernandez
Argentine voters are getting a cue from the two candidates who will vie for presidency in October 25, 2015, polls to succeed President Cristina Fernandez. In the August 9, 2015, primaries, Daniel Scioli had lock in the ruling party Primary, while the opposition slate was led by Mauricio Macri over Sergio Massa.
Argentinian Presidential Polls Go to Runoff
In October 25, 2015, presidential elections, Daniel Scioli, a chosen successor of outgoing Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez, received 37 percent vote compared to 34 percent garnered by his nearest rival, Mauricio Macri. Both candidates will face off in a November 22, 2015, runoff.
Anti-Incumbency Sentiment Buoys Opposition Leader
Buenos Aires Mayor and opposition candidate Mauricio Macri defeated the ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli in November 22, 2015, runoff, thus marking an era of husband-wife presidential duo that had led the South American nation take a radical leftward turn and host of socialistic measures involving government intervention. Under a Macri administration, Argentina will be ruled more by a free market-driven approach and more hands-off government approach. Mauricio Macri, who hailed from one of the wealthiest Argentine families and gained national reputation as President of the famous Boca Juniors Soccer Club, got 52 percent vote in presidential runoff compared to Scioli's 48 percent.
Former President Sentenced in Bribery
A court in Buenos Aires on December 1, 2015 sentenced former President Carlos Menem, 85, to four-and-half years in prison on charges of bribery. Menem, who was president from 1989 to 1999, funneled $466 million earmarked for intelligence to cabinet ministers and government employees on top of their regular salaries. However, the sentence, to be formalized in another hearing in March 2016, is moot given that he is a Senator with immunity through December 2017. Two of Carlos Menem's former colleagues, Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo and Raul Granillo Ocampo, a former justice minister, were also found guilty in this case and sentenced to more than 3 years behind the bar. Carlos Menem is no stranger to corruption. In 2013, he was sentenced to 7 years behind bar on charges of illegally shipping arms to Croatia and Ecuador. He had appealed that verdict.
Argentina's New President Sworn in without the Presence of the Outgoing President
The prestige and protocol of the presidential swearing in stooped to a new low as the outgoing Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez boycotted the inauguration ceremony on December 10, 2015 for the country's new president, Mauricio Macri because of disagreement over how and when it should be held.
Removal of Argentina's Currency Control Leads to Its Plunge
One of the first steps Mauricio Macri's administration took upon taking office was to relax and loosen the restrictions on the currency exchange that was placed years ago by the outgoing President Cristina Fernandez to prevent flight of capital. However, the unintended consequence of removal of currency control on December 16, 2015 night was the plunge of peso the following day (December 17, 2015). For the best part of the decade, peso-to-US greenback ratio was pegged 9-to-1.
Argentine's First State of the Nation Address Targets Past Administration Misdeeds
Addressing his first State of the Nation address in Congress on March 1, 2016, President Mauricio Macri took the opportunity to condemn the mismanagement and misrule of the previous administration of Cristina Fernandes. Taking place in the ornate chamber beside Vice President Gabriella Michetti, Macri said that "we are a great country with great potential", but "we are not in a good shape". President Mauricio Macri's State of the Nation address came a day after Argentine officials and a group of international creditors led by billionaire investor Paul Singer announced a tentative deal on the South American nation's fiscal crisis that had recently spawned into court battles. Former President Cristina Fernandes refused to negotiate with the creditors, calling them "vultures" although the U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa of New York had repeatedly ruled against Argentina. The February 29, 2016, deal--reached between Argentine officials and international creditors, led by billionaire investor Paul Singer--will put an end to the legal showdown, but needs to be ratified by Congress where the deal is sure to face stiff opposition as Peronist Party, political party of former President Cristina Fernandez, is a dominant force.
************************ PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ARGENTINA VISIT ****************
Obama's Argentina Visit Stokes Bitter Memories
Though new Argentine President Mauricio Macri intended to showcase the U.S. President Barack Obama's state visit as a reflection of his young administration's progress in addressing the bitter acrimony with the international creditors and setting priorities on a look-forward approach, both the timing and the backdrop of Obama's visit instead took the Latin American nation to a few decades backward by reminding Argentines the dark past of America's collusion with the so-called Dirty War (1976-83). Obama landed on Buenos Aires two days before March 24, 2016, 40th anniversary of the military coup that hurtled the nation into the so-called "Dirty War". The era of "Dirty War" was marked by extrajudicial killings of about 30,000 political dissidents, most of them were Leftist activists, although the official figure stood at 13,000 deaths.
Obama Admits Past Mistakes
On the eve of 40th anniversary of the so-called Dirty War, President Barack Obama said on March 23, 2016 that the U.S. role during those days of darkness had damaged the country's image among common Argentines, and hoped that release of the confidential files covering that era would restore and rebuild confidence between the two nations. President Obama's comments came during a joint press conference with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, whom Obama called "a man in a hurry" and praised his leadership on acting quickly to improve relationship with Washington, at Casa Rosada, Argentina's presidential palace. Also, during the day, Obama addressed a town hall meeting of young people, an emblematic of most of the Obama's foreign visits.
Obama Regrets Argentina's "Dirty War"
Reflecting and remembering on a solemn day that marked the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the so-called "Dirty War", the visiting U.S. President Barack Obama on March 24, 2016 expressed his profound regret for the U.S. failure at that time to acknowledge the brutal repression and atrocities. Obama visited the memorial for the victims, Rio de la Plata, with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, and each leader threw three white roses into the water from an over-bridge to honor the victims. It was a moment of pause, posture and prudence for both the leaders to show the world that the bonhomie of the two nations during those Dirty War years (1976-83) was indeed a dark chapter of past relations shaped by the bitterness of Cold War rather than an evolving collaborative partnership of present time to grow the economic opportunity and prosperity of Americas. Also came on the heels of his Argentina trip Obama's announcement that his administration would "declassify" secret files and memo more quickly.
************************ PRESIDENT OBAMA'S ARGENTINA VISIT ****************
Former President Charged in Fraud
An Argentine judge, Claudio Bonadio, on May 13, 2016 indicted former President Cristina Fernandez, former Economy Minister Axel Kicillof, former Central Bank President Alejandro Vanoli and 12 others on charges of fraud related to sales of U.S. dollars at the below-market rate, costing the treasury an approximately $5.2 billion. Ms. Fernandez called the charges as political persecution.
Former Rulers Sentenced in Operation Condor
Latin America's one of the most sordid chapters neared closure on May 27, 2016 as a four-judge panel sentenced 14 former Argentine military officials to eight to 14 years of prison sentences for carrying out a campaign of annihilating Leftists, Communists and opposition activists as part of a six-nation joint drive dubbed as Operation Condor from late 70s to early 80s. Among those sentenced were Reynaldo Bignone, 88, the last ruler of the Dirty War era (1976-83), who had ruled Argentina from 1982 to 1983 and been already sentenced for life imprisonment for other human rights abuses in a separate trial. This trial marked the first time when the judiciary in any of these six Latin American nations that had coordinated and collaborated in the so-called anti-Leftist purge dubbed as Operation Condor took legal steps to bring perpetrators under justice.
A Sneak Peek of Operation Condor
How did it start?
Six Latin American nations--Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay--launched a joint offensive to eradicate Left and Communist influence from the midst of their respective nations at the height of Cold War. Operation Condor was masterminded in late 70s by the then-autocrats Augusto Pinochet of Chile, Jorge Videla of Argentina, Juan Maria Bordaberry of Uruguay, Alfredo Stroessner of Paraguay and Hugo Banzer of Bolivia. Brazil also actively participated.
UNESCO Report on Operation Condor
A 2015 report issued by UNESCO's International Center for the Promotion of Human Rights estimated a total of 376 people killed as a result of Operation Condor: 177 Uruguayans, 72 Argentines, 64 Chileans, 25 Paraguayans, 15 Peruvians, 12 Bolivians, five Brazilians, three Cubans, two Americans and a Spaniard.
Argentine Unions Organize One of the Largest Demonstrations in Recent Memory
Opposing the structural reforms initiated by the Mauricio Macri regime that had led to significant job cuts and reduction in subsidies, Argentine opposition and trade unions held three-day nationwide protest August 31-September 2, 2016. Closing the three-day protest, a huge rally was organized at Buenos Aires on September 2, 2016 to publicly air the grievances against what the opposition had dubbed the government's anti-people policies that had led to a 47 percent price rise.
Former Leader Indicted on Corruption Charges
Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez was indicted on public works corruption charges by a federal judge, Judge Julian Ercolini, and the indictment was published by the government's Center of Judicial Information on December 27, 2016. In addition to Fernandez, former Planning Minister Julio de Vido, former Public Works official Jose Lopez and Lazaro Baez, head of Austral Construcciones, the company at the epicenter of corruption scandal between May 2003 and December 2015 in the southern province of Santa Cruz were also indicted, and each of the defendants' asset to the tune of $633 million--although not sure if any of them was known to have that much of an asset--was ordered to be frozen.
"Angel of Death" Sentenced to Life in Prison
In the largest trial involving 54 former military leaders and personnel implicated to junta-era human rights abuses, a former Argentine Navy captain, Alfredo Astiz, nicknamed as the "angel of death", was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 29, 2017. Minutes after hearing the verdict, a large crowd outside the courtroom broke out in cheers.
Argentina at the Throe of Protest as Government Reforms Pension, Welfare
After days of protests, clashes and unrest, Argentinian parliament on December 19, 2017 gave President Mauricio Macri a desired victory by passing a measure that would dramatically reform pension and welfare systems.
Federal March: A New Chapter of Popular Discontent to Hit Argentina
As the conservative government of Mauricio Macri in May 2018 decided to take loan from the International Monetary Fund under the strict reform conditions, for many Argentinians it was the ghost of the past that was now lurking over the nation as they could vividly remember those days of economic tumult in 2001. Meanwhile, Macri's decision to do away with the utility subsidies and efforts to scuttle job protection rules had touched off massive protest. A "Federal March" was organized that would bring tens of thousands of people from four regions of the country in four large processions only to merge once they reached the Buenos Aires on June 1, 2018. The organizers of the "Federal March" demanded laws to protect subsidies on food, job guarantees and other social safety net programs.
Abortion Legalization Measure Narrowly Defeated by Senate
Argentinian Senate on August 9, 2018 narrowly defeated the latest effort to legalize abortion. Although it was a frustrating outcome for pro-choice and woman rights groups, the fact that they came to this point with a concerted push and comprehensive plan to put a measure calling for legalization of abortion in this pre-dominant Catholic nation proved the strength of their movement. During the last few days of fervent publicity campaign, Catholic Church and conservative groups exerted tremendous pressure on the Conservative bloc of Senators. At the end and after hours of debate that had stretched until early morning hours of August 9, 2018, 38 Senators voted against the legalization measure, 31 voted in favor while two abstained.
Current Investigation Presents a Thriller Show
In what could be a Netflix series of political adventure is now being played out in Argentina. The episode began with a judge uncovering notebooks maintained meticulously by a former driver of Planning Ministry that chronicled hush money payments in minute details. Since the existence of the notebooks became publicly known, dozens of business and public figures came forward to co-operate with the investigators, who were inquiring nepotism during former President Cristina Fernandez and her deceased husband Nestor Kirchner's rule between 2003 and 2015. The notebooks uncovered detailed scheme of awarding lucrative government contracts in exchange for bag loads of cash sent to doorsteps of officials. Last week, authorities raided homes of former President Fernandez in a dramatic fashion. The investigation mesmerized the nation so much that even President Mauricio Macri told the CNN en Espanol that "this beats watching Netflix". On August 21, 2018, tens of thousands rallied outside Congress to demand for revocation of Fernandez' immunity.
Raids at Former President's Residence
Argentine police on August 23, 2018 carried out raids at three of the houses of former President Cristina Fernandez, following a late August 22, 2018, vote by 67 Senators, including Fernandez herself, to approve the raids after an order by a judge to that effect.
National Strike Brings Argentina to a Total Halt
A national strike organized by the country's union protesting the economic and fiscal policies of President Mauricio Macri regime brought Argentina to near-total standstill on September 25, 2018.
Former President Acquitted
Former President Carlos Menem, 88, was acquitted by the country's supreme criminal court on October 4, 2018, overturning a 2013 conviction on charges of arms smuggling to Croatia and Ecuador. In 1990, Carlos Menem authorized arms shipment to Venezuela and Panama, but they had ended up in Ecuador and Croatia mysteriously.
************************ G-20 BUENOS AIRES SUMMIT (2018) *********************
2018 Summit Overshadowed by Tariff, Journalist Slaying, Russia-Ukraine Tension
The two-day G-20 summit to be held on November 30, 2018 and December 1, 2018 at Buenos Aires, Argentina is already off-track agenda wise as the October 2, 2018, murder and dismembering of The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasoggi, trade battle between USA and China and the last weekend seizure of three Ukrainian vessels and tugboat by Russian coastguards are bound to hijack the summit agenda focused on global economy, financial stability and prosperity. Meanwhile, Donald Trump on November 29, 2018 canceled his proposed one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although White House officials cited last week's Russian action of impounding two Ukrainian naval vessels and an accompanying tugboat in the international waters of Kerch Strait as the reason, the cancellation came within hours of Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen's guilty plea to lying to Congress in an unexpected appearance at a New York court. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, who himself is facing increasing militant "yellow vest" movement at home, has arrived one of the earliest at the summit, along with his wife, Brigitte. Political observers will pay attention to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin-Salman, the former all but personally holding the latter for the murder and dismemberment of Khasoggi within Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. Among other distracting items on the sidelines of G-20 summit are the event for conferring Mexico's highest civil award for foreigners on Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, a dinner meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, and signing of U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, designed to replace NAFTA.
G-20 Summit Opened with Dark Cloud of Global Tensions
Argentine President Mauricio Macri on November 30, 2018 inaugurated the G-20 summit, acknowledging the divisions within the member nations and stressed on the "sense of urgency" and "shared interests" to prod nations to take mutually beneficial actions that would promote global growth and bring peace. Just like any other summit in recent past, officials are struggling to arrive at a consensus in formulating an official communique that all heads of state could sign. The biggest sticking points are Paris Climate Change Treaty and WTO Rules. Meanwhile, there are dramas in abundance as French President Emmanuel Macron in a faceoff pressed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin-Salman on the investigation into murder and dismemberment of The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khasoggi. MBS replied not to worry that brought a sharp retort from Macron: "I am worried".
G-20 Summit Ends with Plenty of Sideshows
This year's G-20 summit has been overshadowed by other pressing global events from the beginning, and as a result, nothing significant emerged out of this summit other than a final communique issued on December 1, 2018--the last day of the two-day Buenos Aires Summit--that had been signed by all 20 nations. The final communique exposed U.S. isolation on Paris Climate Treaty as 19 of the 20 nations reaffirmed their commitment to the landmark 2015 climate treaty. The final communique also harped on the theme of reforming the World Trade Organization. In addition, final statement includes languages, which are favorable to the U.S. interest, such as women's economic development and Chinese infrastructure financing on "transparent terms".
**************** USMCA
NAFTA Replacement Deal Signed on the Sidelines of G-20 Summit at Buenos Aires
Leaders of the USA, Canada and Mexico signed a landmark agreement on November 30, 2018 on the sidelines of G-20 summit at Buenos Aires that would replace the quarter century-old NAFTA, pilloried by Donald Trump as the worst trade agreement in the U.S. history. The agreement signed by Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau and outgoing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. NAFTA will continue to be effective until legislatures in three countries ratify the USMCA.
**************** USMCA
**************** Xi-Trump Dinner Date and Tariff Truce
90-day Truce in Trade War Announced
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping headlined a high-octane dinner diplomacy on December 1, 2018 night at Buenos Aires on the sideline of G-20 summit. At the steak dinner, both sides agreed to a 90-day truce in deteriorating trade war between world's two largest economies. Under the deal, Trump administration will not increase the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports from the current 10 percent to 25 percent effective January 1, 2019. China will reciprocate by buying an additional, unknown amount of U.S. goods and services. China will also label fentanyl as a "controlled substance" as a humanitarian gesture. Both nations will use the 90-day period to close their gap.
**************** Xi-Trump Dinner Date and Tariff Truce
************************ G-20 BUENOS AIRES SUMMIT (2018) *********************
Argentina, China Solidify their Trade Partnership
Argentina, hosting a G-20 summit with dubious outcomes, marked its post-summit success a day later by signing at least 30 investment and agriculture deals. Argentine President Mauricio Macron on December 2, 2018 hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the presidential palace just at the outskirt of Buenos Aires. China is already Argentina's one of the largest financiers, investing an approximate $18.2 billion in the Latin American country's infrastructure and other projects.
Two Former Ford Motors Executives Sentenced for Collusion with Junta
In a unique case of holding even the corporate executives accountable for their past misdeeds over undermining trade unions by colluding with ruling military, an Argentine court on December 11, 2018 sentenced two former Ford Motor company executives for tipping the then-country's military about 24 union activists, who had been detained and tortured by the military. Former factory manufacturing director Pedro Muller received 10 years and security manager Hector Francisco Sibilla received 12 years for their collusion with military after 1976 military coup. The same court gave a former chief of Army's 4th Battalion, Santiago Omar Riveros, currently serving time for another human rights abuse case, to 15 years behind the bar.
******************************* 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ******************
Cristina Fernandez again Back in National Election
Former President Cristina Fernandez was back in gusto to political limelight on May 18, 2019 as she announced that she would be the vice presidential candidate in the ticket of the leftist Unidad Ciudadana political party led by Alberto Fernandez in the October 2019 presidential election. Incumbent Mauricio Macri faces tremendous discontent and widespread anger over austerity measures.
Drubbing of the Incumbent in the Primary
In a primary of different sort than the U.S. primaries, Argentines on August 11, 2019 sent a rude awakening call to President Mauricio Macri as the incumbent ticket of Mauricio Macri and his running mate for October election, Miguel Angel Picheto, had received only 32% of the votes, ceding by large margin to the populist ticket of Alberto Fernandez and his running mate, Former President Cristina Fernandez, whose 2007-2015 rule had profoundly changed Argentine economy by her nationalization drive of Spanish oil company Repsol's stake in the local company YPF, taking over the private pension system, imposing the currency control and promulgating export control regime. The October 27, 2019, presidential election now suddenly looks pretty tough for Macri-Picheto ticket as the economy is spluttering, inflation is stubbornly high and the president has not been able to sell his austerity measure, as part of a $55 billion IMF rescue package, to a leery public. To win in the first round of presidential poll on October 27, 2019, a slate needs to win at least 45 percent of the vote or at least 40 percent of the vote and more than a 10%-threshold difference from the closest slate of candidates. The Leftist ticket of Fernandez duo garnered about 48% in the August 11, 2019, primary. If they holds on to that performance in the October 27, 2019, presidential vote, they will emerge as outright winner. The former economy minister Roberto Lavagna-led ticket won 8.4 percent vote. The shock wave from the August 11, 2019, primary dealt a brutal blow to the Argentine financial market as the Merval Index dropping by 35% by mid-afternoon on Monday August 12, 2019.
Treasury Minister Resigns
In the aftermath of poll drubbing in the August 11, 2019, election, one of the key architects of economic reforms initiated by the administration of President Mauricio Macri resigned on August 17, 2019. Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne's resignation came three days after Mauricio Macri tried to salvage his political ground by giving in to concessions such as boosting minimum wage, lowering payroll tax and other relief measures.
Center-Left Peronist Ticket Wins Argentinian Election
In the October 27, 2019, presidential election, Alberto Fernandez, running with his V.P. candidate Cristina Fernandez, a former president, handily beat incumbent Mauricio Macri by 48.1 percent-to-40.4 percent vote. Alberto Fernandez was chief of staff from 2003 to 2007 of Former President Nestor Kirchner, late husband of Cristina Fernandez. The likely outcome of Peronist victory in Argentina will be deterioration in relationship between two largest Mercosur Bloc nations, especially in the time when they are expected to collaborate more--not less--after the Mercosur Bloc has clinched a historic free trade agreement with European Union after two decades of negotiation. The first volley came as Alberto Fernandez denounced, during victory speech, continuing detention of former Brazilian president and Leftist darling in the region, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in a state visit now in Abu Dhabi, said on October 28, 2019 that Argentinians had made a poor choice.
Two Former Ford Motors Executives Sentenced for Collusion with Junta
In a unique case of holding even the corporate executives accountable for their past misdeeds over undermining trade unions by colluding with ruling military, an Argentine court on December 11, 2018 sentenced two former Ford Motor company executives for tipping the then-country's military about 24 union activists, who had been detained and tortured by the military. Former factory manufacturing director Pedro Muller received 10 years and security manager Hector Francisco Sibilla received 12 years for their collusion with military after 1976 military coup. The same court gave a former chief of Army's 4th Battalion, Santiago Omar Riveros, currently serving time for another human rights abuse case, to 15 years behind the bar.
******************************* 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ******************
Cristina Fernandez again Back in National Election
Former President Cristina Fernandez was back in gusto to political limelight on May 18, 2019 as she announced that she would be the vice presidential candidate in the ticket of the leftist Unidad Ciudadana political party led by Alberto Fernandez in the October 2019 presidential election. Incumbent Mauricio Macri faces tremendous discontent and widespread anger over austerity measures.
Drubbing of the Incumbent in the Primary
In a primary of different sort than the U.S. primaries, Argentines on August 11, 2019 sent a rude awakening call to President Mauricio Macri as the incumbent ticket of Mauricio Macri and his running mate for October election, Miguel Angel Picheto, had received only 32% of the votes, ceding by large margin to the populist ticket of Alberto Fernandez and his running mate, Former President Cristina Fernandez, whose 2007-2015 rule had profoundly changed Argentine economy by her nationalization drive of Spanish oil company Repsol's stake in the local company YPF, taking over the private pension system, imposing the currency control and promulgating export control regime. The October 27, 2019, presidential election now suddenly looks pretty tough for Macri-Picheto ticket as the economy is spluttering, inflation is stubbornly high and the president has not been able to sell his austerity measure, as part of a $55 billion IMF rescue package, to a leery public. To win in the first round of presidential poll on October 27, 2019, a slate needs to win at least 45 percent of the vote or at least 40 percent of the vote and more than a 10%-threshold difference from the closest slate of candidates. The Leftist ticket of Fernandez duo garnered about 48% in the August 11, 2019, primary. If they holds on to that performance in the October 27, 2019, presidential vote, they will emerge as outright winner. The former economy minister Roberto Lavagna-led ticket won 8.4 percent vote. The shock wave from the August 11, 2019, primary dealt a brutal blow to the Argentine financial market as the Merval Index dropping by 35% by mid-afternoon on Monday August 12, 2019.
Treasury Minister Resigns
In the aftermath of poll drubbing in the August 11, 2019, election, one of the key architects of economic reforms initiated by the administration of President Mauricio Macri resigned on August 17, 2019. Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne's resignation came three days after Mauricio Macri tried to salvage his political ground by giving in to concessions such as boosting minimum wage, lowering payroll tax and other relief measures.
Center-Left Peronist Ticket Wins Argentinian Election
In the October 27, 2019, presidential election, Alberto Fernandez, running with his V.P. candidate Cristina Fernandez, a former president, handily beat incumbent Mauricio Macri by 48.1 percent-to-40.4 percent vote. Alberto Fernandez was chief of staff from 2003 to 2007 of Former President Nestor Kirchner, late husband of Cristina Fernandez. The likely outcome of Peronist victory in Argentina will be deterioration in relationship between two largest Mercosur Bloc nations, especially in the time when they are expected to collaborate more--not less--after the Mercosur Bloc has clinched a historic free trade agreement with European Union after two decades of negotiation. The first volley came as Alberto Fernandez denounced, during victory speech, continuing detention of former Brazilian president and Leftist darling in the region, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in a state visit now in Abu Dhabi, said on October 28, 2019 that Argentinians had made a poor choice.
******************************* 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ******************
Argentina Experiences a Crippling General Strike
A 24-hour general strike was successfully organized by Argentina's labor unions and opposition on May 29, 2019 in protest against President Mauricio Macri's austerity measures.
Fernandez and Fernandez Take the Helms of Affair
In a historic turn toward Left amid a right-wing surge in recent years through out Latin America, the victorious Peronists were sworn in at Buenos Aires on December 10, 2019. President Alberto Fernandez and Vice President Cristina Fernandez face myriad of problems, ranging from 35% poverty rate, an estimated 3% economic contraction this year (2019) and a staggeringly high inflation rate of 55%. Addressing the Congress, President Alberto Fernandez called for a "new social contract for brotherhood and solidarity".
Fernandez and Fernandez Take the Helms of Affair
In a historic turn toward Left amid a right-wing surge in recent years through out Latin America, the victorious Peronists were sworn in at Buenos Aires on December 10, 2019. President Alberto Fernandez and Vice President Cristina Fernandez face myriad of problems, ranging from 35% poverty rate, an estimated 3% economic contraction this year (2019) and a staggeringly high inflation rate of 55%. Addressing the Congress, President Alberto Fernandez called for a "new social contract for brotherhood and solidarity".
Vice President Survives Assassination Attempt
Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandes on September 2, 2022 survived an attempt on her life as she emerged from her vehicle outside her residence and began greeting her supporters when a man opened fire on her. The weapon didn't function.
Falklands Tension Back after Argentina Withdraws from a Key Deal
That the Islas Malvinas as the Falkland Islands known in Argentina
remained an emotional asset to Argentine pride played out again in the just
concluded G-20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting at New Delhi. During that meeting, Argentine
Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero told his British counterpart, James
Cleverly, that Buenos Aires would withdraw from a 2016 agreement that
had bound both nations with a common goal of serving the people of Falklands. The
Dallas Morning News reported on Argentina’s decision in its March 5,
2023, edition. In 2013, Falklands residents favored heavily to
continue their future knotted with Britain as an Overseas Territory of the
United Kingdom. Cleverly twitted in the aftermath of Argentine decision
that the “Falkland Islands are British”. History, though, is muted. Britain
found its roots to Falklands in 1765, and sent a warship to the Southern
Atlantic islands chain in 1833 and expelled Argentine forces. Argentina historically
claimed sovereignty over Falklands. It attacked Falkland Islands in 1982,
triggering a two-month conflict that had ended with the defeat of Argentine
forces, but not before the deaths of 255 British service members, 649
Argentine security personnel and three Islanders. Argentina wants to return
to reopening of the status of Falkland Islands that was espoused by a 1965 U.N.
General Assembly resolution that called for both nations to find a peaceful
solution to the dispute.
Argentina Faces Upheaval as Far-right Candidate Performs Well in Primary
A lawmaker, serving the lower chamber since 2021, who had professed his liking
for Donald Trump, relaxing the gun laws, abolishing the central bank, doing
away with sex education, denying the global warming and organ sales shocked the
political establishment in Argentina on August 13, 2023 as the far-right
presidential candidate Javier Milei won nearly 31% of the total vote in
the primary. He was the uncontested winner in the primary of Liberty
Advances party. Even the right-of-center main opposition party, United
for Change, elected a right-winger, Patricia Bullrich, a former
security minister, over a more moderate Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodriguez
Larreta. United for Change won 28% of the vote. The ruling coalition,
Union for the Homeland, took a drubbing in the August 13, 2023,
primary election, getting only 27% vote and placing third.
Although the center-left candidate Sergio Massa, the current
economy minister, outperformed expectation in the October 22, 2023
presidential election by garnering approximately 36.2% vote (based on
86% returns), the second-place finisher was Javier Milei whose extreme
right-wing views seemed to mimic some of the dark political views of autocrats
and dictators of the yesteryears. The center-right candidate Patricia
Bullrich fared worse, and finished in third place. Milei received 30.3% of
the vote.
A Right-wing Cult Figure Wins Presidency
What could be an ominous sign in coming days and in a setback to democratic
institutions, Javier Milei was reported to have won the presidential
runoff against Economy Minister Sergio Massa, the ruling Peronist
candidate. In the November 19, 2023, presidential runoff, Javier Milei
won about 55.8% vote, while Massa received 44.2%.
Far-right Leader Becomes New Argentine President
Javier Milei was sworn in as Argentina's president on December 10, 2023.
Tens of Thousands Rally against New Regime’s Austerity Measures
Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei faces crucial test
of anti-government protests as his regime begins implementing some of the
economic shock therapies such as devaluing the currency, Argentine Peso,
shuttering some of the government agencies, scaling down transportation and
energy subsidies and other austerity measures to revive a moribund economy. In
the run-up to the December 20, 2023, anti-regime rally at the iconic and
historic Plaza de Mayo Square in Buenos Aires, the Javier Milei
administration’s security minister, Patricia Bullrich, announced one of
the toughest anti-protest protocols that called for identifying the protesters
who would block the streets and fining them for security deployment for the
protest. The action announced by Patricia Bullrich is anti-democratic
and intimidating, according to many rights and social groups. On December
19, 2023, many of those groups signed a petition urging the United
Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to
intercede against the Milei administration’s action as the anti-protest
protocol was “incompatible with the rights to free assembly and association,
freedom of expression and social protest” as enshrined in the Argentine
Constitution.
On December 20, 2023, more than 50,000 demonstrators assembled at
Buenos Aires and walked toward Plaza de Mayo Square to denounce the government’s
anti-people policies.
BOLIVIA
Morales Can't Run for Another Term
Bolivian President Evo Morales, credited for uplifting scores poor indigents from the abyss of poverty through government-initiated reforms and social programs, received a rare political setback on February 23, 2016 as a constitutional amendment that would allow Morales to run for the fourth term in 2019 was narrowly defeated by 51-to-49 percent vote.
Cabinet Minister Lynched by Unruly Strikers
Bolivia's Deputy Interior Minister Rodolfo Illanes was beaten to death by an angry mob of striking miners on August 25, 2016. Illanes, a professor, went to Panduro, 80 miles south of La Paz on August 25, 2016, a day after two miners were killed by security forces, and was met by an angry mob who began to beat him up savagely. His body was later found on the roadside. President Evo Morales said at a press conference on August 26, 2016 that it was a "political conspiracy, not social demand" and the unrest was fueled by opposition, a charge denied by opposition leader Samuel Doria Medina. The miners are part of self-managed cooperatives in mining of zinc, tin, gold, silver and lead, and their primary demand was to associate with the multinational companies. Evo Morales regime counter-argued that if they were associated with multi-national companies, they would lose the status of being part of cooperatives.
OAS Team to Audit Presidential Election Results
As the opposition has complained about massive manipulation in vote counting in the October 20, 2019, presidential election that had tilted the balance toward incumbent Evo Morales to avoid a runoff, Organization of American States decided to send a 30-member delegation to audit the votes, according to Bolivian Foreign Minister Diego Pary who said on October 30, 2019 that the delegation would look into allegation of vote manipulation complained by opposition leader Carlos Mesa.
Morales Sees His 14-year Grip in Power Shaking as OAS Team Arrives for Vote Audit
Violence erupted in La Paz as thousands of protesters marched on toward the presidential palace on November 1, 2019, decrying President Evo Morales' bid to stick to power after allegedly orchestrating, according to opposition, the vote fraud in October 20, 2019, presidential election, and security forces beat back, leaving dozens of demonstrators bloodied. Evo Morales, country's first indigenous head of state, is the longest-serving president of the poorest Latin American nation. His nearly 14-year rule saw commodities-fueled economic expansion that had helped Bolivia's poor people. However, his effort to become president for the fourth term despite a 2016 referendum to deny him from re-running soured the national mood, and right-wing opposition took full advantage of this national discontent.
Meanwhile, an Organization of American States delegation arrived at La Paz on November 1, 2019 to audit the vote count. Opposition leader Carlos Mesa, a former president, dismissed the OAS audit, accusing the Morales regime of not consulting the opposition about OAS audit modus operandi.
Anti-Morales Protest Intensifies; Opposition Leader Denied Entry; OAS Audit Continues
As the anti-government protest increased in vigor and violence on November 5, 2019 amid continuing of the process of vote audit by a delegation of Organization of American States (OAS), a Bolivian opposition leader, Luis Fernando Camacho, was blocked from disembarking from a plane at the airport in La Paz and forced to return to Santa Cruz.
Morales Resigns after OAS Report, Pressure from Army Chief
In a fast moving development, Bolivian President Evo Morales, first indigenous leader who had ruled this Latin American nation for 13 years, on November 10, 2019 resigned after a series of political events unfurled one after another. Earlier in the day, a visiting OAS delegation issued a damning report on October 20, 2019, presidential election, listing a "heap of observed irregularities". President Evo Morales then proposed to hold another presidential election that was immediately rejected by opposition with Morales at the helms of affairs. In the most dramatic event, Bolivia's military chief, Gen. Williams Kaliman, publicly called for president's resignation, adding that "we ask the president to resign, allowing peace to be restored and stability to be maintained for the good of our Bolivia". Kaliman's stand left Morales with no option, but to send resignation to the Legislative Assembly of Bolivia. Upon hearing that Evo Morales had resigned, tens of thousands of anti-Morales people flooded the streets of La Paz. Meanwhile, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard slammed Bolivia's military for directly getting involved in country's politics. It's not clear now who will replace Evo Morales as two in the next in line--vice president and Senate's president--have already resigned.
Mexico Grants Asylum to Morales; Violence Breaks out in Bolivia
A day after Evo Morales resigned, his supporters put up barricades on the streets, burned down cars and trash bins, and fought pitched battles with security forces. The November 11, 2019, chaos was compounded by uncertainty over who would succeed Morales. Senate Second-Vice President Jeanine Anez announced on November 11, 2019 that she would assume the presidency as an interim step. Morales tweeted that opponents "lie and try to blame us for the chaos and violence that they have provoked", and accused the military of trying to return the country to the era of military coup d'état. During the day, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced that his country would give asylum to Evo Morales.
Opposition Leader Self-Declares Her as President amid Unrest; Morales Arrives at Mexico
The Senate Second-Vice President Jeanine Anez on November 12, 2019 declared herself the interim president as tens of thousands of Evo Morales supporters rallied in the capital, La Paz, and tried to go closer to Senate building where they had been engaged in clashes with security forces. The angry supporters, many of them indigenous, demanded that Anez resign immediately. Meanwhile, Evo Morales arrived during the day at Mexico City in a Mexican government flight, and was received at the airport by Mexico's foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrar.
New President Faces Challenge from Morales Supporters--on Street and in Legislature
A day after a second-tier opposition senator, Jeanine Anez, claimed presidency in a session boycotted by Evo Morales' party's lawmakers, tens of thousands of backers of the country's only indigenous president took to the streets on November 13, 2019 to decry the coup d' tat that had ousted their beloved leader. Many of the demonstrators resorted to violence in both La Paz and its sister city, El Alto. Many of the Evo Morales backers exhorted civil war.
Morales can't Run in the Election, New President Vows; Morales Claims to be Still the President
Bolivia's new president, Jeanine Anez, made it clear on November 14, 2019 that Evo Morales, who had ruled the country for more than 13 years until he was forced to resign on November 10, 2019, couldn't run in any future presidential election amid growing protest by former president's largely indigenous supporters.
Meanwhile, Evo Morales said in Mexico, where he was granted asylum, on November 14, 2019 that he remained Bolivia's official president as Congress had yet accept his resignation.
Violence Spreads in Bolivia
Thousands of supporters took to the streets in the central town of Sacaba on November 15, 2019 to decry the coup d' tat that had forced Evo Morales to resign on November 10, 2019 and flee to Mexico. A section of the crowd tried to breach a security checkpoint near the city of Cochabamba, setting off a fierce clash. Violence also erupted in La Paz as Morales backers hurled stones and projectiles.
At least 8 Morales Supporters Killed
A day after security forces opened fire on Evo Morales' supporters as they tried to break into a security checkpoint near Cochabamba, the scale of massacre was evident on November 16, 2019 with at least eight people reported killed and international outcry began to pour in. A U.N. envoy, Jean Arnault, met with the interim president, Jeanine Anez, on November 16, 2019, and expressed concern over escalating situation. U.N. Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet decried the "extremely dangerous development".
Three Morales Supporters Killed as Police Removes Blockade at a Key Fuel Depot
As fuels were running short in the capital La Paz and around the nation because of a days-long blockade of the country's one of the largest fuel storage facilities, security forces on November 19, 2019 battled with former president's supporters, who had been blockading the depot at El Alto for the past five days against an alleged coup d' tat against Evo Morales, leading to the deaths of three Morales backers.
Former President Accused of Terrorism
Bolivia's interim right-wing government on November 22, 2019 went as far as unveiling charges of terrorism and sedition against exiled former president Evo Morales, accusing him the current bout of violent anti-government demonstrations. Acting Interior Minister Arturo Murillo said that recent video clips clearly showed Evo Morales to be whipping up the violent demonstrations. If convicted, Evo Morales will imprisoned for 15 to 20 years.
New Election to be Held; Morales to be Barred
Bolivia's senate that includes a majority of senators from Former President Evo Morales' Movement Toward Socialism party on November 23, 2019 has approved a measure to hold a new presidential election and bar any candidate who has already served for two consecutive terms. The measure, which now goes to lower house dominated by pro-Morales lawmakers and is expected to be passed, will effectively prevent Morales from running in the new presidential election.
Later on November 23, 2019, the interim president, Jeanine Anez, rejected a bill presented by pro-Morales lawmakers that would strike down any effort to try ousted and self-exiled president, Evo Morales, on charges of terrorism and sedition in fomenting violence that had taken so far at least 32 lives since October 20, 2019, presidential election that Morales had declared himself the winner, but disputed by opposition as well as an Organization of American States, or OAS, fact-finding mission.
BOLIVIA
Morales Can't Run for Another Term
Bolivian President Evo Morales, credited for uplifting scores poor indigents from the abyss of poverty through government-initiated reforms and social programs, received a rare political setback on February 23, 2016 as a constitutional amendment that would allow Morales to run for the fourth term in 2019 was narrowly defeated by 51-to-49 percent vote.
Cabinet Minister Lynched by Unruly Strikers
Bolivia's Deputy Interior Minister Rodolfo Illanes was beaten to death by an angry mob of striking miners on August 25, 2016. Illanes, a professor, went to Panduro, 80 miles south of La Paz on August 25, 2016, a day after two miners were killed by security forces, and was met by an angry mob who began to beat him up savagely. His body was later found on the roadside. President Evo Morales said at a press conference on August 26, 2016 that it was a "political conspiracy, not social demand" and the unrest was fueled by opposition, a charge denied by opposition leader Samuel Doria Medina. The miners are part of self-managed cooperatives in mining of zinc, tin, gold, silver and lead, and their primary demand was to associate with the multinational companies. Evo Morales regime counter-argued that if they were associated with multi-national companies, they would lose the status of being part of cooperatives.
OAS Team to Audit Presidential Election Results
As the opposition has complained about massive manipulation in vote counting in the October 20, 2019, presidential election that had tilted the balance toward incumbent Evo Morales to avoid a runoff, Organization of American States decided to send a 30-member delegation to audit the votes, according to Bolivian Foreign Minister Diego Pary who said on October 30, 2019 that the delegation would look into allegation of vote manipulation complained by opposition leader Carlos Mesa.
Morales Sees His 14-year Grip in Power Shaking as OAS Team Arrives for Vote Audit
Violence erupted in La Paz as thousands of protesters marched on toward the presidential palace on November 1, 2019, decrying President Evo Morales' bid to stick to power after allegedly orchestrating, according to opposition, the vote fraud in October 20, 2019, presidential election, and security forces beat back, leaving dozens of demonstrators bloodied. Evo Morales, country's first indigenous head of state, is the longest-serving president of the poorest Latin American nation. His nearly 14-year rule saw commodities-fueled economic expansion that had helped Bolivia's poor people. However, his effort to become president for the fourth term despite a 2016 referendum to deny him from re-running soured the national mood, and right-wing opposition took full advantage of this national discontent.
Meanwhile, an Organization of American States delegation arrived at La Paz on November 1, 2019 to audit the vote count. Opposition leader Carlos Mesa, a former president, dismissed the OAS audit, accusing the Morales regime of not consulting the opposition about OAS audit modus operandi.
Anti-Morales Protest Intensifies; Opposition Leader Denied Entry; OAS Audit Continues
As the anti-government protest increased in vigor and violence on November 5, 2019 amid continuing of the process of vote audit by a delegation of Organization of American States (OAS), a Bolivian opposition leader, Luis Fernando Camacho, was blocked from disembarking from a plane at the airport in La Paz and forced to return to Santa Cruz.
Morales Resigns after OAS Report, Pressure from Army Chief
In a fast moving development, Bolivian President Evo Morales, first indigenous leader who had ruled this Latin American nation for 13 years, on November 10, 2019 resigned after a series of political events unfurled one after another. Earlier in the day, a visiting OAS delegation issued a damning report on October 20, 2019, presidential election, listing a "heap of observed irregularities". President Evo Morales then proposed to hold another presidential election that was immediately rejected by opposition with Morales at the helms of affairs. In the most dramatic event, Bolivia's military chief, Gen. Williams Kaliman, publicly called for president's resignation, adding that "we ask the president to resign, allowing peace to be restored and stability to be maintained for the good of our Bolivia". Kaliman's stand left Morales with no option, but to send resignation to the Legislative Assembly of Bolivia. Upon hearing that Evo Morales had resigned, tens of thousands of anti-Morales people flooded the streets of La Paz. Meanwhile, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard slammed Bolivia's military for directly getting involved in country's politics. It's not clear now who will replace Evo Morales as two in the next in line--vice president and Senate's president--have already resigned.
Mexico Grants Asylum to Morales; Violence Breaks out in Bolivia
A day after Evo Morales resigned, his supporters put up barricades on the streets, burned down cars and trash bins, and fought pitched battles with security forces. The November 11, 2019, chaos was compounded by uncertainty over who would succeed Morales. Senate Second-Vice President Jeanine Anez announced on November 11, 2019 that she would assume the presidency as an interim step. Morales tweeted that opponents "lie and try to blame us for the chaos and violence that they have provoked", and accused the military of trying to return the country to the era of military coup d'état. During the day, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced that his country would give asylum to Evo Morales.
Opposition Leader Self-Declares Her as President amid Unrest; Morales Arrives at Mexico
The Senate Second-Vice President Jeanine Anez on November 12, 2019 declared herself the interim president as tens of thousands of Evo Morales supporters rallied in the capital, La Paz, and tried to go closer to Senate building where they had been engaged in clashes with security forces. The angry supporters, many of them indigenous, demanded that Anez resign immediately. Meanwhile, Evo Morales arrived during the day at Mexico City in a Mexican government flight, and was received at the airport by Mexico's foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrar.
New President Faces Challenge from Morales Supporters--on Street and in Legislature
A day after a second-tier opposition senator, Jeanine Anez, claimed presidency in a session boycotted by Evo Morales' party's lawmakers, tens of thousands of backers of the country's only indigenous president took to the streets on November 13, 2019 to decry the coup d' tat that had ousted their beloved leader. Many of the demonstrators resorted to violence in both La Paz and its sister city, El Alto. Many of the Evo Morales backers exhorted civil war.
Morales can't Run in the Election, New President Vows; Morales Claims to be Still the President
Bolivia's new president, Jeanine Anez, made it clear on November 14, 2019 that Evo Morales, who had ruled the country for more than 13 years until he was forced to resign on November 10, 2019, couldn't run in any future presidential election amid growing protest by former president's largely indigenous supporters.
Meanwhile, Evo Morales said in Mexico, where he was granted asylum, on November 14, 2019 that he remained Bolivia's official president as Congress had yet accept his resignation.
Violence Spreads in Bolivia
Thousands of supporters took to the streets in the central town of Sacaba on November 15, 2019 to decry the coup d' tat that had forced Evo Morales to resign on November 10, 2019 and flee to Mexico. A section of the crowd tried to breach a security checkpoint near the city of Cochabamba, setting off a fierce clash. Violence also erupted in La Paz as Morales backers hurled stones and projectiles.
At least 8 Morales Supporters Killed
A day after security forces opened fire on Evo Morales' supporters as they tried to break into a security checkpoint near Cochabamba, the scale of massacre was evident on November 16, 2019 with at least eight people reported killed and international outcry began to pour in. A U.N. envoy, Jean Arnault, met with the interim president, Jeanine Anez, on November 16, 2019, and expressed concern over escalating situation. U.N. Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet decried the "extremely dangerous development".
Three Morales Supporters Killed as Police Removes Blockade at a Key Fuel Depot
As fuels were running short in the capital La Paz and around the nation because of a days-long blockade of the country's one of the largest fuel storage facilities, security forces on November 19, 2019 battled with former president's supporters, who had been blockading the depot at El Alto for the past five days against an alleged coup d' tat against Evo Morales, leading to the deaths of three Morales backers.
Former President Accused of Terrorism
Bolivia's interim right-wing government on November 22, 2019 went as far as unveiling charges of terrorism and sedition against exiled former president Evo Morales, accusing him the current bout of violent anti-government demonstrations. Acting Interior Minister Arturo Murillo said that recent video clips clearly showed Evo Morales to be whipping up the violent demonstrations. If convicted, Evo Morales will imprisoned for 15 to 20 years.
New Election to be Held; Morales to be Barred
Bolivia's senate that includes a majority of senators from Former President Evo Morales' Movement Toward Socialism party on November 23, 2019 has approved a measure to hold a new presidential election and bar any candidate who has already served for two consecutive terms. The measure, which now goes to lower house dominated by pro-Morales lawmakers and is expected to be passed, will effectively prevent Morales from running in the new presidential election.
Later on November 23, 2019, the interim president, Jeanine Anez, rejected a bill presented by pro-Morales lawmakers that would strike down any effort to try ousted and self-exiled president, Evo Morales, on charges of terrorism and sedition in fomenting violence that had taken so far at least 32 lives since October 20, 2019, presidential election that Morales had declared himself the winner, but disputed by opposition as well as an Organization of American States, or OAS, fact-finding mission.
Bolivia Elects Former President’s Left Ally
The
October 18, 2020, presidential election took the Andean nation to the
direction of political left as Former President Evo Morales’ hand-picked
successor, Luis Arce, appeared to be heading for a land-sliding victory
as vote tallies began to stream in on October 19, 2020. Under Bolivian
constitution, a candidate needs to secure an outright 50 percent of the
vote or at least 40 percent with a margin of at least 10 percent
compared to the nearest candidate. As time wore on a day after election, it
became evident that Luis Arce had met both those requirements. Arce’s main
challenger, Carlos Mesa, a former president himself, conceded defeat.
This is a stunning reversal of Former President Evo Morales’ political future
as a year ago he has been forced to resign and leave the country, leading to a
more conservative interim administration led by Jeanine Anez, a bitter
political foe of Morales.
Bolivia’s
Leftist President Takes Office
Bolivia’s
former economy minister and Former President Evo Morales’ protégé, Luis
Arce, on November 8, 2020 took the oath of presidency and vowed to bring
back the prosperity to the deeply suffering Latin American nation stemming from
Coronavirus, sharp political polarization and economic slump. Luis Arce
in his speech to the nation took issues with the outgoing conservative
government for their “brutal” policies. The outgoing interim president, Jeanine
Anez, didn’t even attend the swearing-in ceremony although the main opposition
candidate, Former President Carlos Mesa, attended the event which had
been attended by, among others, Spanish King Felipe and presidents of Argentina,
Colombia and Paraguay. President Luis Arce’s bellicose stand was
somehow softened by a more reasoned rhetoric of Vice President David Choquehuanca,
who said that coming days would be a “new time to listen and heal the wounds”.
BRAZIL
Brazilian Presidential Poll Landscape Murky after Candidate's Death in Plane Crash
On August 13, 2014, the Socialist Party candidate Eduardo Campos was killed along with his four aides and two pilots in a plane crash in the port city of Santos. Campos' death changed the political contour and campaign tactics in the run-up to the October 5, 2014, presidential polls. This is especially true for the poll prospect of incumbent Dilma Rouseff if Campos' running mate Marina Silva is selected to run as Socialist Party candidate.
Party Selects Running Mate to Replace Presidential Candidate
In a major headache to Brazilian President Dilma Roussef, former Environment Minister Marina Silva was selected by the Socialist Party to contest October 5, 2014, presidential polls.
Brazilian Presidential Elections Heading to Runoff
President Dilma Roussef fended off an upcoming challenge by the former Environmental Minister Marina Silva in October 5, 2014 elections, but it was not enough to avoid a runoff with Social Democratic Party candidate Aecio Neves. While Roussef received 41 percent of votes, Neves got about 34 percent, based on 92 percent of the vote return.
Dilma's Hard-Fought Victory Rejuvenates Ruling Workers' Party
In the presidential runoff held on October 26, 2014, incumbent Dilma Roussef narrowly edged out Aecio Neves by barely receiving 51.5 percent vote.
Rousseff Picks University of Chicago-Educated Economist as Finance Minister
In order to accelerate the economic reforms drive, Brazilian President Dilma Roussef on November 27, 2014 chose 53-year-old University of Chicago alum Joaquim Levy, a top executive of the Brazilian bank Bradesco, to steer the economic engine of the BRIC nation. Levy, as a Treasury Secretary of the President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva regime during 2003-2006, charted a course of debt reduction and boosting growth. Levy was also part of economic team under Lula's predecessor former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
*********** BRIBERY SCANDAL AFFLICTS POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT **********
Brazil's Apex Court Okays Investigations into 54 on Graft Charges
In a sweeping ruling that had added headache to the government of President Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's Supreme Court on March 6, 2015 approved investigations to go forward into bribery and pay-to-play charges against 54 people, many of them are politicians, including a former president, Fernando Collor. Collor, a current Senator, was forced out of presidency in 1992 by a separate set of corruption charges. The bribery is related to lucrative contracts tied to nationalized oil behemoth, Petrobras. Although Rousseff served as the Chairwoman of Petrobras' board for years, she is not the target of investigation. The corruption charges are related to illicit financial gains as high as $800 million.
Hundreds of Thousands Show up to Demand President's Ouster
In a show of defiance and denunciation against the corruption culture in political establishment, hundreds of thousands of Brazilians rallied across the nation, including major cities such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre on March 15, 2015, demanding the resignation of President Dilma Rousseff over the apex court's March 6, 2015, verdict to approve investigations against 54 people, many of them are ruling party politicians, in bribery scandal that had plagued the public oil behemoth, Petrobras.
Senior Leader of the Ruling Party May Face Corruption Charges
Federal Police Department on September 1, 2015 asked the prosecutors to charge the former presidential chief of staff Jose Dirceu on the counts of corruption, money laundering and racketeering related to Petrobras kickback scandal. Dirceu, arrested in August 2015, was the Chief of Staff of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during 2003-2005. The allegation against Jose Dirceu was that he had masterminded the kickback machination, accepted bribes while in office and continued to receive payment even after he was jailed in late 2013 in a separate vote-buying scandal. If charged, Dirceu will become the highest ranking ruling party official to be charged in the kickback scandal.
Former President's Home Searched by Anti-Corruption Officers
In an ever-expanding dragnet on corruption and bribery scandal that had afflicted Brazil's political establishment, prosecutors on March 4, 2016 searched the home of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and took him to custody for interrogation. Lula, who was a popular president from 2003 to 2010, was not charged, and later released. He called it a "media show". The prosecutor at the helm of inquiry, Carlos Fernando Lima, said of the search of Lula's home that "no one is exempt from the investigations", adding that Lula and his foundation had received equivalent of $7.8 million from the construction companies that had bid the government contracts. However, it's not only the ruling party of President Dilma Rousseff who got tainted by the rapidly swirling scandal, but the conservative speaker of the lower house of parliament, Eduardo Cunha, was facing a corruption trial at Brazil's Supreme Court on the charge of taking bribes related to the misappropriation of funds from state-owned oil behemoth, Petrobras. Meanwhile, a restive population is demanding stringent measures to weed out corruption as the news of a souring economy with GDP having shrunk 3.8 percent in 2015, the worst in past 25 years, came out this week.
Charges Filed against Ex-President
Sao Paulo state prosecutors on March 10, 2016 filed money laundering and criminal misrepresentation charges against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Former President to Become His Successor's Chief-of-Staff
To many political observers, the March 16, 2016, move by the ruling Workers' Party leader Afonso Florence to name former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as presidential chief-of-staff was nothing more than providing a degree of immunity to the former president from prosecution as a massive corruption scandal was swirling around the Brazilian politics with potential to upend a large number of prominent government and public officials. Cabinet ministers such as chief-of-staff are among more than 700 officials who may be tried only by Brazil's highest court, Supreme Federal Tribunal. Nearly one-third of Brazil's 594 lawmakers are now under scrutiny in the sweeping corruption scandal.
Judge Blocks the Move to Make ex-President Chief of Staff
On the same day on March 17, 2016, the former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) was sworn in as the Chief of Staff of President Dilma Rousseff, two important events had unfolded at a rapid speed:
* A Brazilian judge voided Lula da Silva's appointment in a cabinet level post
* Lower house of Brazilian parliament formed a commission to run the process of impeachment against President Rousseff
However, President Dilma Rousseff went into a full-throated offensive during Lula da Silva's swearing-in ceremony, calling the people who wanted to force her out as "putschists" and accusing the judge, Sergio Moro, who was leading the investigation into Petrobras corruption, of violating constitution and pursuing a very partisan inquiry.
Brazil's President Loses Crucial Support
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on March 29, 2016 has lost the support of a key partner, Democratic Movement Party, which has 68 members in the parliament over the swirling bribery scandal that has upended politician after politician in the past few months.
Brazilian President's Impeachment Process Moves Forward
A Congressional panel on April 11, 2016 voted 38-27 to move forward with the impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff. Rousseff's impeachment process was not directly tied to a swirling scandal that had touched and tarnished almost all the political institutions and political parties, but to her administration's using of fiscal and accounting tricks to hide true economic and budgetary picture of the country's finances. Meanwhile, adding to the embarrassment of the president, a Brazilian newspaper, Folha de S. Paulo, released during the day an audio address of Vice President Michel Temer if Rousseff were to relinquish her job as a result of impeachment process. Temer's PMDB party has an uneasy alliance with Rousseff's Workers Party in the ruling coalition.
Lower House Impeaches President
Brazil's Chamber of Deputies voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff on late April 17, 2016, pushing the ball straight to the Senate. The lawmakers garnered the necessary two-third threshold--342 out of 513--to move the proceeding to the upper house. The vote was 367-137 to impeach the president. If 81-member Senate decides to hold impeachment hearings, Rousseff has to step down.
Brazil's Apex Court Shows Speaker the Door
Brazil's Supreme Court on May 5, 2016 dealt a severe jolt to the speaker of lower chamber of legislature, by ruling that Eduardo Cunha couldn't continue to function as the head of Chamber of Deputies because of an ongoing corruption trial against him. Speaker Cunha, an avowed opponent of President Dilma Rousseff, orchestrated the impeachment drive at the lower house, resulting in a move on April 17, 2016 to impeach the president by 367-to-137 vote. However, it's not quite clear how, if any at all, the May 5, 2016, Supreme Court ruling is going to help the case against Rousseff.
President's Impeachment Voided by New Speaker
The replacement of Eduardo Cunha, the ousted Speaker of Chamber of Deputies, propelled the nation further into confusion and parliamentary process into chaos as Waldir Maranhao on May 9, 2016 moved surprisingly to void the April 17, 2016, impeachment vote against the President Dilma Rousseff. However, Maranhao's move to void the April 15-17, 2016, session that had climaxed with the April 17, 2016, impeachment vote immediately drew revolt in the lower chamber, including a threat to expel him from his Progressive Party. Speaker Waldir Maranhao justified his action on the ground that he had serious questions about procedural legality of the April 15-17, 2016, session rather than any perceived bias toward the president.
Speaker Backpedals, Revives the Impeachment against President
After facing revolt and calls for his ouster, Speaker Waldir Maranhao on May 10, 2016 made a humiliating U-turn within 24 hours and revoked his own move to invalidate a session in April 2016 that had eventually led to impeachment of president. Speaker Waldir Maranhao informed Renan Calheiros, head of the Brazilian Senate, around midnight that he had rescinded his hours earlier move. On May 10, 2016, Brazilians woke up to this surprising morning news.
President Suspended by Brazilian Senate, VP Assumes the Top Job
Brazil's Senate on May 12, 2016 voted overwhelmingly to suspend President Dilma Rousseff as it opened an impeachment trial over fiscal malfeasance. 55 of the 81 Senators voted to suspend Rousseff, paving the way for Vice President Michel Temer to ascend to the highest office of the nation. Reacting to the day's event, Dilma Rousseff said that she would fight against this coup de tat. Under the Brazilian law, Dilma Rousseff remains suspended for 180 days as impeachment proceeding will go forward. Hours after his predecessor was suspended, Vice President Michel Temer assumed the post of presidency.
Cabinet of Interim President Blasted
Brazilians from all walks of life blasted all-white, all-male composition of cabinet unveiled by the interim President Michel Temer on May 13, 2016 at the Planalto presidential palace. The stark difference of a more diversified nation and its cabinet shed a light on the untold privilege still enjoyed by a tiny segment of population and mostly confined to the rich Whites. At least nine of the 22 members of the Temer cabinet are under investigation in the swirling corruption scandal that had struck the Brazilian political establishment in recent months.
Thousands Protest against New President
Thousands of protesters held demonstrations at Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on May 22, 2016 to decry the new cabinet led by President Michel Temer that had lacked any female or non-white member. Most of the protesters were members of Workers' Party of Dilma Rousseff.
New President's Woe Increases as a Recording of a Minister Surfaces
President Michel Temer's cabinet, already under fire for not having any female or non-White, received a jolt on May 23, 2016 as his Planning Minister Romero Juca was forced to take leave of absence after an alleged record of a conversation in which Juca was heard of discussing ways to impeach former President Dilma Rousseff to permanently oust her from office in order to pull the rug under an ongoing bribery investigation that had implicated Juca, a senator himself, became public. Initially Romero Juca denied the charge, but later in the day took leave of absence. But many opposition leaders demanded immediate firing of Juca, saying that the recording, the transcript of which was published by Follha deS.Paulo newspaper, had confirmed their suspicion that the key motive for suspending Dilma from presidency was to torpedo the investigation into a swirling bribery scandal that had snared nook and corner of Brazilian political establishment. In the recording, Juca was heard talking to another former Senator Sergio Machado, who had recently headed another state oil company, Transpetro.
New President Announces Austerity Measures
In a herculean effort to pull his nation from the morass of economic disaster, Brazil's President Michel Temer, who replaced Dilma Rousseff on May 12, 2016 after she was suspended by the Senate on charges of using accounting tricks in order to make the budget look healthier, on May 24, 2016 unveiled a series of austerity measures, including the slowing the growth of the government to at most the rate of inflation, currently running at 10 percent.
Former President to Call a Referendum if Restored to Power
Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said on June 10, 2016 that if she survived the impeachment by the country's Senate--most likely to be known by the end of August 2016--she would call a national referendum on her presidency.
Ex-President to Face Trial
A day after lawyers of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva filed a petition to the U.N. Human Rights Committee complaining against the bias of country's judicial system, a Brazilian judge on July 29, 2016 accepted the charges against him on the count of obstruction to a probe into scandals that had plagued the state-owned oil behemoth.
Brazil's Ex-President a Step Closer to be Permanently Removed
Brazil's senate on August 10, 2016 voted 59-21 to put suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on trial.
Trial Begins for Ex-President
Brazilian Senate began a corruption trial against ex-President Dilma Rousseff on August 25, 2016. During the day's of hearing, a pandemonium broke out as one of the Senators from the Dilma's Workers Party, Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, castigated against his fellow Senators that none of them had moral standing to judge Dilma.
Dilma Trial Suspended, then Resumes
As the second day of trial against ex-President Dilma Rousseff on August 26, 2016 proceeded, Senate President Renan Calheiros mentioned a comment made by pro-Dilma Senator Gleisi Hoffmann a day earlier that none in the Senate had moral standing to judge Dilma and said that the comment smacked of disrespect. Finger-pointing and shouting followed, with Chief Justice Ricardo Lewandowski having no option but to suspend the session, only to resume later in the day.
Charges Recommended against Former President
Brazil's federal police on August 26, 2016 recommended bringing corruption charges against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife.
Ex-President Puts up Spirited Defense
Former President Dilma Rousseff on August 29, 2016 appeared before the lawmakers and defended herself. She called her suspension as a "coup" and her successor Michel Temer an usurper.
Dramatic Scene Unfolds in Senate as Prosecutor Weeps
Prosecutor Janaina Paschoal on August 30, 2016 presented to the Brazilian Senate how ex-President Dilma Rousseff had committed financial fraud by adopting financial chicanery and manipulation, followed by a surprise breakdown as she began to weep for causing hurt to Rousseff.
Brazilian Senate Ousts Ex-President
In a vote that was expected by many, Brazil's senate on August 31, 2016 ousted the former President Dilma Rousseff, who had been suspended on May 12, 2016. The vote was a convincing 61-20, and definitely put an end to a more than a decade-long Workers Party era. The charges Rousseff was accused of were not related to an ongoing bribery scandal. They were related to her mishandling of financial apportionment, which Rousseff had claimed to be a legal maneuver and her predecessors had done that too. Rousseff remained defiant after the Senate vote, and reiterated that she didn't do anything wrong. Dilma Rousseff is the second Brazilian head of state forced out of power. Fernando Collor de Mello resigned before he was about to be convicted by the senate in 1992 on corruption charges.
Ex-President Must Stand Trial on Corruption
A Brazilian judge, Judge Sergio Moro, ruled on September 20, 2016 that former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his wife and six accomplices must stand on trial in Petrobras-related corruption scandal.
Ex-Finance Minister Charged in Bribe
In a very high-profile arrest, Brazilian law enforcement officers entered into a hospital where Guido Mantega's wife was about to be operated for a cancer surgery, and arrested the former finance minister on bribery charges on September 22, 2016. Guido Mantega was a finance minister under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva since 2006 and continued in that role until the end of the first term of Lula's successor, Dilma Rousseff, in 2014. Mantega is accused of asking bribes on behalf of the then-ruling Workers Party from a Brazilian business tycoon, Eike Batista, in exchange for permit of two oil platform contracts. The way Mantega was hauled out of hospital drew immediate criticism from opposition groups against government's revengeful tactics, and the Workers Party Chairman Rui Falcao called the government action as "inhumane". Later in the day, a lower court judge, Sergio Moro, allowed Guido Mantega to remain free as the case went through.
Ex-President Faces Additional Corruption Charges
Prosecutors in Brasilia on October 10, 2016 brought new charges against the former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. accusing the once-popular president of influence-peddling that had helped the nephew of his first wife to get favorable financing from the state-run BNDES. The charges against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and 10 other defendants ranged from corruption to money laundering to influence trafficking to criminal organization.
Ex-Speaker Arrested on Graft Charges
The former speaker of Brazil's parliament who was key to impeachment drive against ex-President Dilma Rousseff was arrested on October 19, 2016 related to Perobras scandal. Prosecutors also asked to freeze $60 million in bank asset of Eduardo Cunha.
Brazil's President Now at the Center of Corruption Allegation
Rarely a day passes by without a new allegation of corruption tarnishing one more politician or office holder or adding more to the discredit of those already under suspicion. So it was no wonder that Brazil's President Michel Temer is now facing the nepotism that has engulfed the whole political system. On November 25, 2016, a former cabinet minister, Marcelo Calero, who headed the cultural ministry, told prosecutors that President Temer had pressured him to reject the so-called preservation-led stoppage of a luxury tower construction in northeastern city of Salvador. Temer's confidante Geddel Vieira Lima, who was also a cabinet secretary, had a stake in that development. Vieira Lima said on November 25, 2016 that he was leaving the government.
Senate Head Suspended
Brazilian Senate's President Senator Renan Calheiros was suspended by a justice of the country's Supreme Court on December 5, 2016. Calheiros was already replaced by the Senate's Deputy President Senator Jorge Viana, a member of the opposition. Senator Calheiros may retain his seat though and can appeal Justice Marco Aurelio Mello's move.
Brazilian President's Ally Charged on Bribery
Brazil's Attorney-General Rodrigo Janot on December 12, 2016 brought additional charges of corruption against Senate President Renan Calheiros, a strong ally of President Michel Temer, a day before Senate to take up an austerity measure advocated by the administration. In addition to Calheiros, another Congressman loyal to president's party was hit too by corruption charges.
Former Brazilian President Charged in Corruption
Prosecutors on December 15, 2016 brought charges against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and eight others on corruption charges related to Odebrecht construction company.
Ex-Powerful Brazilian Politician Sentenced to Prison
In an embarrassing outcome for one the most powerful and prominent Brazilian politicians, a Sao Paulo judge, Judge Sergio Moro, on March 30, 2017 sentenced the former speaker of the lower house of parliament, Eduardo Cunha to jail for corruption that had riveted the Latin American nation and focused new attention on how Petrobras, the state oil giant, was often being used by the country's powerful for self-enrichment. Cunha, who had led the impeachment drive against the former President Dilma Rousseff, was convicted of earning a profit of $1.5 million in corruption, tax evasion and money laundering related to a Petrobras deal in Benin, and sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison.
Brazil's Supreme Court Reported to Have Opened Investigations into 100 Politicians
The Associated Press reported on April 15, 2017 that Brazil's Supreme Court had opened investigation into about 100 politicians, based on court testimonies and eyewitness account. The testimonies made public this week showed how regular bribery and corruption are for conducting business.
Brazil's AG Accuses President of Obstruction and Corruption
Brazilian Attorney-General Rodrigo Janet dropped a political bombshell on May 19, 2017, accusing President Michel Temer of corruption and obstruction of justice in three-year-old "Car Wash" investigation into huge bribery scandal that had roiled the state-owned oil behemoth Petrobras. In addition to Temer, Senator Aecio Neves was accused too in trying to derail the inquiry. The open allegation by the country's top prosecutor added pressure on Temer as one of the country's most revered newspaper, O Globo, called for Temer's resignation.
Brazilian President in a Tight Spot after Several Aides Arrested
Brazilian President Michel Temer faced an apocalyptic political future as one of his aides, Tadeu Filippelli, was arrested on May 23, 2017 in connection with graft related to 2014 World Cup Soccer stadium. Meanwhile, another Temer aide, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, surrendered a bag-filled of cash worth of $150,000 to authorities on May 23, 2017. The cash was meant for the former Speaker of the House Eduardo Cunha.
Brazil's President, Billionaire Trade Charges
Brazilian President Michel Temer and meatpacking billionaire Joesley Batista leveled charges and countercharges in a vitriolic open warfare of words. First, Batista on June 17, 2017 said in an interview, published in the news magazine Epoca, that the president ran "Brazil's largest and most dangerous criminal organization". Within hours, Temer's office blasted Batista, himself under investigation on the charges of fraud, as "the most notorious and successful bandit in Brazil's history".
Brazil's President Faces Formal Charges of Corruption
Michel Temer became the first sitting president to face the criminal charges of corruption as the country's Attorney-General Rodrigo Janot on June 26, 2017 referred the case to the lower chamber of the legislative body. If two-thirds of the members of Chamber of Deputies vote for moving ahead with the charges, president could be suspended for up to 180 days.
Brazil Disbands the Key Bribery Investigating Task Force
Brazil's federal police on July 8, 2017 announced that it would shut down the task force that was investigating into Operation Car Wash and fold the task force's ongoing inquiry into the broader corruption probe. Many critics of President Michel Temer reiterated this as an additional evidence of suppressing the investigation that had swirled a third of the members of Senate, dozens of lawmakers of lower house of parliament and nearly half of the cabinet members. Operation Car Wash began as a money laundering investigation of a single Brasilia gas station and eventually enlarged its scope into what came to be known as one of the largest bribery investigations ever.
************************************ Lula Saga
Former President Convicted of Corruption
The dream of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for a triumphant comeback in the next year's presidential election was, at least temporarily, dealt a severe blow on July 12, 2017 as a Brazilian judge, Judge Sergio Moro, convicted the former president, who during his 2003-2010 rule had raised the profile of the nation on the international stage, of money laundering and corruption and sentenced him to 10-year imprisonment. and his wife were accused of taking favor to the tune of $1.1 million in their beachside home improvement from a contractor in exchange for a lucrative Petrobras contract for the contractor. Judge Moro added that da Silva was ineligible for running in the next year's presidential polls.
Ex-President's Assets Ordered Frozen
A judge on October 11, 2017 ordered the assets of former President Dilma Rousseff's assets and properties frozen in the wake of a court case related to $580 million in loss of state oil company Petrobras stemming from the purchase of a oil refinery in Pasadena, Texas. Assets of a former Petrobras head as well as three of its former members of its Board of Directors were also frozen.
Corporate Titan Leaves Prison for Home Confinement
Two-and-half years in the 10-year sentence, the former CEO of a construction behemoth that was at the heart of Operation Car Wash scandal which had engulfed not only officials, public and political leaders of Brazil, but also of other nations in the region, left prison on December 19, 2017 for house arrest. Marcelo Odebrecht was initially sentenced to 19 years, but his term was subsequently reduced to 10 years after he began co-operating with the authorities.
Former Brazilian President Arrested
Former Brazilian President Michel Temer was arrested on March 21, 2019 after a judge, Judge Marcelo Breitas, issued an arrest warrant against the former president and nine others related to a bribery scandal that involved a construction company, Engevix, to bribe the political bigwigs, including Temer, for receiving clearance for a nuclear power plant in the city of Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro State.
Temer Arrested for the Second Time
Seems that bribery allegation and corruption charges are not going to spare Former Brazilian President Michel Temer anytime soon as the 78-year-old former head of state was arrested on May 9, 2019 on corruption charges.
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After a Chill, US-Brazil Relations Look for a New Purpose in Climate Change
Stemming from the summer 2013 leak of classified documents by the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that included damaging allegations of US spying on Brazilian officials, including President Dilma Rouseff, the diplomatic relationship between the nations went through a downward spiral until recent months when both Brazil and USA pushed the reset button and focused on common interest, including climate change. As a sequel to those diplomatic efforts, small and big alike, came the visit of President Rousseff to Washington, D.C. On June 30, 2015, both Presidents Obama and Rousseff stood beside each other at the White House, and pledged to work jointly on the climate change, including:
* Establishing a joint climate change working group in an effort to reach specific targets to reduce greenhouse emissions
* A joint pledge to generate each country's share of electricity from renewables such as wind and solar to 20 percent by 2030
* An ambitious pledge by Brazil to restore about 30 million acres of Amazon forest
Brazil Commits to a Significant Cut in Emissions
Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff said at the U.N. on September 27, 2015 that her country would cut emissions by 37 percent off the 2005 levels by 2025 and up the reductions to 43 percent by 2030.
Brazil Hit by Truckers Strike Faces Shortages
Brazil's main truckers union on May 21, 2018 began an indefinite strike, stranding tens of thousands of trucks on the country's highways and leading to shortages of essential commodities, including empty store shelves. Truckers are livid because of government's recent action to end subsidy and rising diesel price. On May 24, 2018, government and union negotiators reached a deal to end the strike, but a radical faction disobeyed the union decision and continued with the strike. Meanwhile, a belligerent administration of President Michel Temer on May 24, 2018 ordered Brazil's military to clear the clogged highway and help willing truckers to move freight as soon as possible.
Brazilian President Makes Additional Concessions to End Eight-day Trucker Strike
After failing to end a crippling truck strike, even with a threat of military intervention, on May 24, 2018 as a stubborn resistance held tight, President Michel Temer's beleaguered administration on May 28, 2018 made additional concessions in a last ditch bid to persuade the truckers to resume moving freight as many schools and flights had been canceled and many stores had gone empty. Among the concessions were:
* Subsidies to reduce the diesel price by 10 percent
* Cutting toll prices
* Setting minimum freight rates
Brazilian Presidential Candidate Stabbed
A Brazilian presidential candidate infamous for making racial and male chauvinistic comments, but running strong in the poll, was stabbed on September 6, 2018 as Jair Bolsonaro was campaigning in Juiz de Fora, 125 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. As of September 6, 2018, evening he was undergoing through surgery, but believed to be out of danger. His poll plank was tough on crime and corruption, a stand that had attracted support from a broad swath of disillusioned electorate despite his extreme right policies. Although the former army captain has been in Congress since 1991, he is running essentially as an outsider.
Brazil Shaken by Stabbing of Presidential Candidate
A day after Brazilian presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed, a nation was to come to the grips to what happened to a semblance, whatever remained, of political civility. Authorities identified the suspect as 40-year-old Adelio Bispo de Oliveira. On September 7, 2018, reports were circulating that the stabber might be a mentally unstable person. The first round of polls will be held on October 7, 2018, and the runoff on October 28, 2018.
Party Replaces Lula
Brazil's Workers Party on September 11, 2018 officially named a member of Brazil Communist Party, Fernando Haddad, as party's standard bearer in the coming presidential election, giving in to reality that it was no more pragmatic to keep former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Salva in the party's ticket and contesting the lection from behind the bar. Workers Party's ticket includes Manuela D'Avila as the running mate of Haddad.
Right-wing Candidate Leads in the First Round of Polls
The right-wing candidate who had earned an infamy for his caustic and highly derogatory comments against women, Black and homosexual people, but found sympathy amongst the middle-class for his vow to crush corruption, drugs and gangs finished on the top in October 7, 2018, presidential polls. However, Jared Bolsonaro fell short of the required 50 percent, and was headed to October 28, 2018, runoff with the second-placed Fernando Haddad, a former Sao Paulo Mayor and Workers Party candidate. Bolsonaro received 46.7 percent, while Haddad received 28.5 percent.
Bolsonaro's Victory Raises Uncertainty for the Country, Region
In a stunning, but expected, victory, extreme right-wing candidate and former military official Jared Bolsonaro, who earned infamy by heaping vile on gays, women and Blacks, won the October 28, 2018, runoff by winning 55 percent of vote. After he edged out the Workers Party candidate Fernando Haddad, who had received 45 percent, scattered violence broke out in and around Rio de Janeiro. A significant section voters, tired of crimes and corruption, fell for tough talks of Bolsonaro, and cast their votes in his favor.
New Right-wing President Challenged Days after Inauguration
Tough-talking ultra-nationalist President Jair Bolsonaro didn't spend a week after his New Year's Day inauguration as the Latin American country's president when he was challenged by the violence that had erupted in the northeastern state of Ceara on January 2, 2019. The underlying cause for the violence is the strict prison rules being implemented that has precipitated gang-led violence, including torching buses, vehicles, storefronts and shops. Ceara Governor Camilo Santana asked for federal deployment to quell the violence. Brazil's new Justice and Public Security Minister Sergio Moro, a very popular former anti-corruption judge, responding to Governor Camilo's request sent a 300-troop contingent of elite National Police Force to Fortaleza, capital city of Ceara.
Bolsonaro Backers Flood Streets
Tens of thousands of supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro on May 26, 2019 held demonstrations across this Latin American nation to show their adamant support for their beloved president as his popularity took a beating in recent days after he instituted education funding cuts and other measures in addition to his family getting ensnared in financial scandal. Last week, tens of thousands of students participated in anti-government demonstrations to protest the education budget cut. Bolsonaro hurled insults on the protesters, calling them "useful idiots" and "imbeciles".
Brazil to Deploy Military to Fight off Amazon Fire
Brazilian government of President Jair Bolsonaro on August 23, 2019 announced that it would deploy some 44,000 of military personnel to the Amazon region--covering parts of six states, namely, Roraima, Rondonia, Tocantins, Para, Acre and Mato Grosso, according to Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo--to battle a razing forest fire. Bolsonaro administration's decision came after domestic and international pressure had mounted on the government to take a more forceful action. Initially Bolsonaro blamed the environmentalists, lobbing ridiculous accusation that they had intentionally set fire to make him look bad when, to the contrary, his administration's policies to chip away environmental protections in favor of mining industry, construction industry and logging industry had led to the beginning of a massive deforestation. When the world had reacted with apprehension as the "lungs of the earth" were burning on a massive scale, Bolsonaro accused the west of harboring "colonial" mentalities. However, the international and internal pressure had forced Jair Bolsonaro to take the decision to deploy army in the Amazon region.
G-7 Announces a $40 million Aid Package for Brazil to Fight Amazon Fire
G-7 on August 26, 2019 announced a $40 million package for Brazil to fight a series of razing forest fires that had engulfed the large swath of Amazon Forest. More than 41,000 fires are reported in Brazilian Amazon and more than half have erupted in the month of August 2019 alone. The high frequency of forest fires in Amazon Rainforest is the result of deliberate action of loggers, developers and other industry interests fueled by deregulation policies pursued by President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil Rejects any Conditions for Aid
Brazil on August 27, 2019 rejected any attached string for the $40 million in aid unveiled by the G-7 Summit a day earlier.
Federal Raid at President's Opponent's Official Residence
In an act many critics called as political vengeance against a political opponent, federal police on May 26, 2020 carried out raid at the official residence of Rio de Janeiro governor, Wilson Witzel, a fierce critic of President Jair Bolsonaro on many fronts, including president's failure to handle novel coronavirus pandemic that had spread rapidly in the largest Latin American nation, overwhelmed its healthcare and hospital systems with, according to a running Johns Hopkins University tally, 375,000 infections and more than 23,000 deaths. Witzel is facing criminal investigation into the state bidding process for items and gears needed to fight against coronavirus. Governor Wilson Witzel called the raid a "political persecution", and President Bolsonaro, who had taken a stand against stricter shelter-in-place orders issued by individual state governors and favored opening the economies as soon as possible, pleaded ignorance about the raid. However, former Justice Department head, Sergio Moro, who had resigned last month after defying to carry out Jair Bolsonaro's order to go after political opponents, said unequivocally that Bolsonaro had repeatedly tried to politicize the federal police force to score political wins.
BRAZIL
Brazilian Presidential Poll Landscape Murky after Candidate's Death in Plane Crash
On August 13, 2014, the Socialist Party candidate Eduardo Campos was killed along with his four aides and two pilots in a plane crash in the port city of Santos. Campos' death changed the political contour and campaign tactics in the run-up to the October 5, 2014, presidential polls. This is especially true for the poll prospect of incumbent Dilma Rouseff if Campos' running mate Marina Silva is selected to run as Socialist Party candidate.
Party Selects Running Mate to Replace Presidential Candidate
In a major headache to Brazilian President Dilma Roussef, former Environment Minister Marina Silva was selected by the Socialist Party to contest October 5, 2014, presidential polls.
Brazilian Presidential Elections Heading to Runoff
President Dilma Roussef fended off an upcoming challenge by the former Environmental Minister Marina Silva in October 5, 2014 elections, but it was not enough to avoid a runoff with Social Democratic Party candidate Aecio Neves. While Roussef received 41 percent of votes, Neves got about 34 percent, based on 92 percent of the vote return.
Dilma's Hard-Fought Victory Rejuvenates Ruling Workers' Party
In the presidential runoff held on October 26, 2014, incumbent Dilma Roussef narrowly edged out Aecio Neves by barely receiving 51.5 percent vote.
Rousseff Picks University of Chicago-Educated Economist as Finance Minister
In order to accelerate the economic reforms drive, Brazilian President Dilma Roussef on November 27, 2014 chose 53-year-old University of Chicago alum Joaquim Levy, a top executive of the Brazilian bank Bradesco, to steer the economic engine of the BRIC nation. Levy, as a Treasury Secretary of the President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva regime during 2003-2006, charted a course of debt reduction and boosting growth. Levy was also part of economic team under Lula's predecessor former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
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Brazil's Apex Court Okays Investigations into 54 on Graft Charges
In a sweeping ruling that had added headache to the government of President Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's Supreme Court on March 6, 2015 approved investigations to go forward into bribery and pay-to-play charges against 54 people, many of them are politicians, including a former president, Fernando Collor. Collor, a current Senator, was forced out of presidency in 1992 by a separate set of corruption charges. The bribery is related to lucrative contracts tied to nationalized oil behemoth, Petrobras. Although Rousseff served as the Chairwoman of Petrobras' board for years, she is not the target of investigation. The corruption charges are related to illicit financial gains as high as $800 million.
Hundreds of Thousands Show up to Demand President's Ouster
In a show of defiance and denunciation against the corruption culture in political establishment, hundreds of thousands of Brazilians rallied across the nation, including major cities such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre on March 15, 2015, demanding the resignation of President Dilma Rousseff over the apex court's March 6, 2015, verdict to approve investigations against 54 people, many of them are ruling party politicians, in bribery scandal that had plagued the public oil behemoth, Petrobras.
Senior Leader of the Ruling Party May Face Corruption Charges
Federal Police Department on September 1, 2015 asked the prosecutors to charge the former presidential chief of staff Jose Dirceu on the counts of corruption, money laundering and racketeering related to Petrobras kickback scandal. Dirceu, arrested in August 2015, was the Chief of Staff of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during 2003-2005. The allegation against Jose Dirceu was that he had masterminded the kickback machination, accepted bribes while in office and continued to receive payment even after he was jailed in late 2013 in a separate vote-buying scandal. If charged, Dirceu will become the highest ranking ruling party official to be charged in the kickback scandal.
Former President's Home Searched by Anti-Corruption Officers
In an ever-expanding dragnet on corruption and bribery scandal that had afflicted Brazil's political establishment, prosecutors on March 4, 2016 searched the home of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and took him to custody for interrogation. Lula, who was a popular president from 2003 to 2010, was not charged, and later released. He called it a "media show". The prosecutor at the helm of inquiry, Carlos Fernando Lima, said of the search of Lula's home that "no one is exempt from the investigations", adding that Lula and his foundation had received equivalent of $7.8 million from the construction companies that had bid the government contracts. However, it's not only the ruling party of President Dilma Rousseff who got tainted by the rapidly swirling scandal, but the conservative speaker of the lower house of parliament, Eduardo Cunha, was facing a corruption trial at Brazil's Supreme Court on the charge of taking bribes related to the misappropriation of funds from state-owned oil behemoth, Petrobras. Meanwhile, a restive population is demanding stringent measures to weed out corruption as the news of a souring economy with GDP having shrunk 3.8 percent in 2015, the worst in past 25 years, came out this week.
Charges Filed against Ex-President
Sao Paulo state prosecutors on March 10, 2016 filed money laundering and criminal misrepresentation charges against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Former President to Become His Successor's Chief-of-Staff
To many political observers, the March 16, 2016, move by the ruling Workers' Party leader Afonso Florence to name former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as presidential chief-of-staff was nothing more than providing a degree of immunity to the former president from prosecution as a massive corruption scandal was swirling around the Brazilian politics with potential to upend a large number of prominent government and public officials. Cabinet ministers such as chief-of-staff are among more than 700 officials who may be tried only by Brazil's highest court, Supreme Federal Tribunal. Nearly one-third of Brazil's 594 lawmakers are now under scrutiny in the sweeping corruption scandal.
Judge Blocks the Move to Make ex-President Chief of Staff
On the same day on March 17, 2016, the former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) was sworn in as the Chief of Staff of President Dilma Rousseff, two important events had unfolded at a rapid speed:
* A Brazilian judge voided Lula da Silva's appointment in a cabinet level post
* Lower house of Brazilian parliament formed a commission to run the process of impeachment against President Rousseff
However, President Dilma Rousseff went into a full-throated offensive during Lula da Silva's swearing-in ceremony, calling the people who wanted to force her out as "putschists" and accusing the judge, Sergio Moro, who was leading the investigation into Petrobras corruption, of violating constitution and pursuing a very partisan inquiry.
Brazil's President Loses Crucial Support
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on March 29, 2016 has lost the support of a key partner, Democratic Movement Party, which has 68 members in the parliament over the swirling bribery scandal that has upended politician after politician in the past few months.
Brazilian President's Impeachment Process Moves Forward
A Congressional panel on April 11, 2016 voted 38-27 to move forward with the impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff. Rousseff's impeachment process was not directly tied to a swirling scandal that had touched and tarnished almost all the political institutions and political parties, but to her administration's using of fiscal and accounting tricks to hide true economic and budgetary picture of the country's finances. Meanwhile, adding to the embarrassment of the president, a Brazilian newspaper, Folha de S. Paulo, released during the day an audio address of Vice President Michel Temer if Rousseff were to relinquish her job as a result of impeachment process. Temer's PMDB party has an uneasy alliance with Rousseff's Workers Party in the ruling coalition.
Lower House Impeaches President
Brazil's Chamber of Deputies voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff on late April 17, 2016, pushing the ball straight to the Senate. The lawmakers garnered the necessary two-third threshold--342 out of 513--to move the proceeding to the upper house. The vote was 367-137 to impeach the president. If 81-member Senate decides to hold impeachment hearings, Rousseff has to step down.
Brazil's Apex Court Shows Speaker the Door
Brazil's Supreme Court on May 5, 2016 dealt a severe jolt to the speaker of lower chamber of legislature, by ruling that Eduardo Cunha couldn't continue to function as the head of Chamber of Deputies because of an ongoing corruption trial against him. Speaker Cunha, an avowed opponent of President Dilma Rousseff, orchestrated the impeachment drive at the lower house, resulting in a move on April 17, 2016 to impeach the president by 367-to-137 vote. However, it's not quite clear how, if any at all, the May 5, 2016, Supreme Court ruling is going to help the case against Rousseff.
President's Impeachment Voided by New Speaker
The replacement of Eduardo Cunha, the ousted Speaker of Chamber of Deputies, propelled the nation further into confusion and parliamentary process into chaos as Waldir Maranhao on May 9, 2016 moved surprisingly to void the April 17, 2016, impeachment vote against the President Dilma Rousseff. However, Maranhao's move to void the April 15-17, 2016, session that had climaxed with the April 17, 2016, impeachment vote immediately drew revolt in the lower chamber, including a threat to expel him from his Progressive Party. Speaker Waldir Maranhao justified his action on the ground that he had serious questions about procedural legality of the April 15-17, 2016, session rather than any perceived bias toward the president.
Speaker Backpedals, Revives the Impeachment against President
After facing revolt and calls for his ouster, Speaker Waldir Maranhao on May 10, 2016 made a humiliating U-turn within 24 hours and revoked his own move to invalidate a session in April 2016 that had eventually led to impeachment of president. Speaker Waldir Maranhao informed Renan Calheiros, head of the Brazilian Senate, around midnight that he had rescinded his hours earlier move. On May 10, 2016, Brazilians woke up to this surprising morning news.
President Suspended by Brazilian Senate, VP Assumes the Top Job
Brazil's Senate on May 12, 2016 voted overwhelmingly to suspend President Dilma Rousseff as it opened an impeachment trial over fiscal malfeasance. 55 of the 81 Senators voted to suspend Rousseff, paving the way for Vice President Michel Temer to ascend to the highest office of the nation. Reacting to the day's event, Dilma Rousseff said that she would fight against this coup de tat. Under the Brazilian law, Dilma Rousseff remains suspended for 180 days as impeachment proceeding will go forward. Hours after his predecessor was suspended, Vice President Michel Temer assumed the post of presidency.
Cabinet of Interim President Blasted
Brazilians from all walks of life blasted all-white, all-male composition of cabinet unveiled by the interim President Michel Temer on May 13, 2016 at the Planalto presidential palace. The stark difference of a more diversified nation and its cabinet shed a light on the untold privilege still enjoyed by a tiny segment of population and mostly confined to the rich Whites. At least nine of the 22 members of the Temer cabinet are under investigation in the swirling corruption scandal that had struck the Brazilian political establishment in recent months.
Thousands Protest against New President
Thousands of protesters held demonstrations at Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on May 22, 2016 to decry the new cabinet led by President Michel Temer that had lacked any female or non-white member. Most of the protesters were members of Workers' Party of Dilma Rousseff.
New President's Woe Increases as a Recording of a Minister Surfaces
President Michel Temer's cabinet, already under fire for not having any female or non-White, received a jolt on May 23, 2016 as his Planning Minister Romero Juca was forced to take leave of absence after an alleged record of a conversation in which Juca was heard of discussing ways to impeach former President Dilma Rousseff to permanently oust her from office in order to pull the rug under an ongoing bribery investigation that had implicated Juca, a senator himself, became public. Initially Romero Juca denied the charge, but later in the day took leave of absence. But many opposition leaders demanded immediate firing of Juca, saying that the recording, the transcript of which was published by Follha deS.Paulo newspaper, had confirmed their suspicion that the key motive for suspending Dilma from presidency was to torpedo the investigation into a swirling bribery scandal that had snared nook and corner of Brazilian political establishment. In the recording, Juca was heard talking to another former Senator Sergio Machado, who had recently headed another state oil company, Transpetro.
New President Announces Austerity Measures
In a herculean effort to pull his nation from the morass of economic disaster, Brazil's President Michel Temer, who replaced Dilma Rousseff on May 12, 2016 after she was suspended by the Senate on charges of using accounting tricks in order to make the budget look healthier, on May 24, 2016 unveiled a series of austerity measures, including the slowing the growth of the government to at most the rate of inflation, currently running at 10 percent.
Former President to Call a Referendum if Restored to Power
Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said on June 10, 2016 that if she survived the impeachment by the country's Senate--most likely to be known by the end of August 2016--she would call a national referendum on her presidency.
Ex-President to Face Trial
A day after lawyers of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva filed a petition to the U.N. Human Rights Committee complaining against the bias of country's judicial system, a Brazilian judge on July 29, 2016 accepted the charges against him on the count of obstruction to a probe into scandals that had plagued the state-owned oil behemoth.
Brazil's Ex-President a Step Closer to be Permanently Removed
Brazil's senate on August 10, 2016 voted 59-21 to put suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on trial.
Trial Begins for Ex-President
Brazilian Senate began a corruption trial against ex-President Dilma Rousseff on August 25, 2016. During the day's of hearing, a pandemonium broke out as one of the Senators from the Dilma's Workers Party, Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, castigated against his fellow Senators that none of them had moral standing to judge Dilma.
Dilma Trial Suspended, then Resumes
As the second day of trial against ex-President Dilma Rousseff on August 26, 2016 proceeded, Senate President Renan Calheiros mentioned a comment made by pro-Dilma Senator Gleisi Hoffmann a day earlier that none in the Senate had moral standing to judge Dilma and said that the comment smacked of disrespect. Finger-pointing and shouting followed, with Chief Justice Ricardo Lewandowski having no option but to suspend the session, only to resume later in the day.
Charges Recommended against Former President
Brazil's federal police on August 26, 2016 recommended bringing corruption charges against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife.
Ex-President Puts up Spirited Defense
Former President Dilma Rousseff on August 29, 2016 appeared before the lawmakers and defended herself. She called her suspension as a "coup" and her successor Michel Temer an usurper.
Dramatic Scene Unfolds in Senate as Prosecutor Weeps
Prosecutor Janaina Paschoal on August 30, 2016 presented to the Brazilian Senate how ex-President Dilma Rousseff had committed financial fraud by adopting financial chicanery and manipulation, followed by a surprise breakdown as she began to weep for causing hurt to Rousseff.
Brazilian Senate Ousts Ex-President
In a vote that was expected by many, Brazil's senate on August 31, 2016 ousted the former President Dilma Rousseff, who had been suspended on May 12, 2016. The vote was a convincing 61-20, and definitely put an end to a more than a decade-long Workers Party era. The charges Rousseff was accused of were not related to an ongoing bribery scandal. They were related to her mishandling of financial apportionment, which Rousseff had claimed to be a legal maneuver and her predecessors had done that too. Rousseff remained defiant after the Senate vote, and reiterated that she didn't do anything wrong. Dilma Rousseff is the second Brazilian head of state forced out of power. Fernando Collor de Mello resigned before he was about to be convicted by the senate in 1992 on corruption charges.
Ex-President Must Stand Trial on Corruption
A Brazilian judge, Judge Sergio Moro, ruled on September 20, 2016 that former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his wife and six accomplices must stand on trial in Petrobras-related corruption scandal.
Ex-Finance Minister Charged in Bribe
In a very high-profile arrest, Brazilian law enforcement officers entered into a hospital where Guido Mantega's wife was about to be operated for a cancer surgery, and arrested the former finance minister on bribery charges on September 22, 2016. Guido Mantega was a finance minister under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva since 2006 and continued in that role until the end of the first term of Lula's successor, Dilma Rousseff, in 2014. Mantega is accused of asking bribes on behalf of the then-ruling Workers Party from a Brazilian business tycoon, Eike Batista, in exchange for permit of two oil platform contracts. The way Mantega was hauled out of hospital drew immediate criticism from opposition groups against government's revengeful tactics, and the Workers Party Chairman Rui Falcao called the government action as "inhumane". Later in the day, a lower court judge, Sergio Moro, allowed Guido Mantega to remain free as the case went through.
Ex-President Faces Additional Corruption Charges
Prosecutors in Brasilia on October 10, 2016 brought new charges against the former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. accusing the once-popular president of influence-peddling that had helped the nephew of his first wife to get favorable financing from the state-run BNDES. The charges against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and 10 other defendants ranged from corruption to money laundering to influence trafficking to criminal organization.
Ex-Speaker Arrested on Graft Charges
The former speaker of Brazil's parliament who was key to impeachment drive against ex-President Dilma Rousseff was arrested on October 19, 2016 related to Perobras scandal. Prosecutors also asked to freeze $60 million in bank asset of Eduardo Cunha.
Brazil's President Now at the Center of Corruption Allegation
Rarely a day passes by without a new allegation of corruption tarnishing one more politician or office holder or adding more to the discredit of those already under suspicion. So it was no wonder that Brazil's President Michel Temer is now facing the nepotism that has engulfed the whole political system. On November 25, 2016, a former cabinet minister, Marcelo Calero, who headed the cultural ministry, told prosecutors that President Temer had pressured him to reject the so-called preservation-led stoppage of a luxury tower construction in northeastern city of Salvador. Temer's confidante Geddel Vieira Lima, who was also a cabinet secretary, had a stake in that development. Vieira Lima said on November 25, 2016 that he was leaving the government.
Senate Head Suspended
Brazilian Senate's President Senator Renan Calheiros was suspended by a justice of the country's Supreme Court on December 5, 2016. Calheiros was already replaced by the Senate's Deputy President Senator Jorge Viana, a member of the opposition. Senator Calheiros may retain his seat though and can appeal Justice Marco Aurelio Mello's move.
Brazilian President's Ally Charged on Bribery
Brazil's Attorney-General Rodrigo Janot on December 12, 2016 brought additional charges of corruption against Senate President Renan Calheiros, a strong ally of President Michel Temer, a day before Senate to take up an austerity measure advocated by the administration. In addition to Calheiros, another Congressman loyal to president's party was hit too by corruption charges.
Former Brazilian President Charged in Corruption
Prosecutors on December 15, 2016 brought charges against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and eight others on corruption charges related to Odebrecht construction company.
Ex-Powerful Brazilian Politician Sentenced to Prison
In an embarrassing outcome for one the most powerful and prominent Brazilian politicians, a Sao Paulo judge, Judge Sergio Moro, on March 30, 2017 sentenced the former speaker of the lower house of parliament, Eduardo Cunha to jail for corruption that had riveted the Latin American nation and focused new attention on how Petrobras, the state oil giant, was often being used by the country's powerful for self-enrichment. Cunha, who had led the impeachment drive against the former President Dilma Rousseff, was convicted of earning a profit of $1.5 million in corruption, tax evasion and money laundering related to a Petrobras deal in Benin, and sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison.
Brazil's Supreme Court Reported to Have Opened Investigations into 100 Politicians
The Associated Press reported on April 15, 2017 that Brazil's Supreme Court had opened investigation into about 100 politicians, based on court testimonies and eyewitness account. The testimonies made public this week showed how regular bribery and corruption are for conducting business.
Brazil's AG Accuses President of Obstruction and Corruption
Brazilian Attorney-General Rodrigo Janet dropped a political bombshell on May 19, 2017, accusing President Michel Temer of corruption and obstruction of justice in three-year-old "Car Wash" investigation into huge bribery scandal that had roiled the state-owned oil behemoth Petrobras. In addition to Temer, Senator Aecio Neves was accused too in trying to derail the inquiry. The open allegation by the country's top prosecutor added pressure on Temer as one of the country's most revered newspaper, O Globo, called for Temer's resignation.
Brazilian President in a Tight Spot after Several Aides Arrested
Brazilian President Michel Temer faced an apocalyptic political future as one of his aides, Tadeu Filippelli, was arrested on May 23, 2017 in connection with graft related to 2014 World Cup Soccer stadium. Meanwhile, another Temer aide, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, surrendered a bag-filled of cash worth of $150,000 to authorities on May 23, 2017. The cash was meant for the former Speaker of the House Eduardo Cunha.
Brazil's President, Billionaire Trade Charges
Brazilian President Michel Temer and meatpacking billionaire Joesley Batista leveled charges and countercharges in a vitriolic open warfare of words. First, Batista on June 17, 2017 said in an interview, published in the news magazine Epoca, that the president ran "Brazil's largest and most dangerous criminal organization". Within hours, Temer's office blasted Batista, himself under investigation on the charges of fraud, as "the most notorious and successful bandit in Brazil's history".
Brazil's President Faces Formal Charges of Corruption
Michel Temer became the first sitting president to face the criminal charges of corruption as the country's Attorney-General Rodrigo Janot on June 26, 2017 referred the case to the lower chamber of the legislative body. If two-thirds of the members of Chamber of Deputies vote for moving ahead with the charges, president could be suspended for up to 180 days.
Brazil Disbands the Key Bribery Investigating Task Force
Brazil's federal police on July 8, 2017 announced that it would shut down the task force that was investigating into Operation Car Wash and fold the task force's ongoing inquiry into the broader corruption probe. Many critics of President Michel Temer reiterated this as an additional evidence of suppressing the investigation that had swirled a third of the members of Senate, dozens of lawmakers of lower house of parliament and nearly half of the cabinet members. Operation Car Wash began as a money laundering investigation of a single Brasilia gas station and eventually enlarged its scope into what came to be known as one of the largest bribery investigations ever.
************************************ Lula Saga
Former President Convicted of Corruption
The dream of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for a triumphant comeback in the next year's presidential election was, at least temporarily, dealt a severe blow on July 12, 2017 as a Brazilian judge, Judge Sergio Moro, convicted the former president, who during his 2003-2010 rule had raised the profile of the nation on the international stage, of money laundering and corruption and sentenced him to 10-year imprisonment. and his wife were accused of taking favor to the tune of $1.1 million in their beachside home improvement from a contractor in exchange for a lucrative Petrobras contract for the contractor. Judge Moro added that da Silva was ineligible for running in the next year's presidential polls.
Former President's Conviction Upheld
A federal appeals court, Brazil's 4th Regional Court of Appeals, based in Porto Alegre on January 24, 2018 upheld the July 12, 2017, conviction verdict by a lower court judge, Judge Sergio Moro against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a national corruption case that had haunted the country's political establishment. The three-judge panel also extended the sentence from the originally imposed 10 years to 12 years, and the ruling narrowed down the path significantly for da Silva to run in the next year's presidential polls. However, on the same day, former president headlined a rally at the same city, Porto Alegre, and gave a defiant speech.
Appeals Court Upholds their Ruling against Lula
A slow-moving corruption trial against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva inched forward on March 26, 2018 as an appeals court rejected the appeal by lawyers of the former president against their earlier ruling, leading one of the most powerful political personalities in Latin America one step closer to prison doors and dousing the hope for his aspiration to run in Fall 2018 election and become president.
Brazil's Top Court Rejects Lula's Appeal
Shattering the hope of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to regain his old office, Brazilian supreme court, Supreme Federal Tribunal, on April 4, 2018, by a vote of 6-5, rejected the appeal of Lula's lawyers to quash the lower court order and let him stay as a free man. The ruling basically all but closed all the windows for Lula to stay out of jail and run for the office that he has once held. Now, all the attention is on the lower court Judge Sergio Moro, who had originally convicted former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of corruption and sentenced to a 12-year term.
Arrest Warrant against President Issued
A day after Brazilian supreme court shattered all hopes of a comeback by former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2018 Presidential Election, the judge who had first passed the guilty verdict, Judge Sergio Moro, on April 5, 2018 issued an arrest warrant and ordered Lula to surrender to authorities in the southern city of Curitiba. When the arrest warrant was issued by Judge Sergio Moro, Lula and his associates were at the Lula Institute in Sao Paulo. Instantly a large crowd of his backers and a small group of hecklers assembled in front of the institute and tension had run high before the police intervened. The head of the Workers Party, Gleisi Hoffman, condemned the judicial action to bar Lula from running in the election, calling it an example of "banana republic".
Lula Refuses to Surrender; Holes up in Union Headquarters
As the 5 P.M. deadline for his surrender approached, thousands of supporters of embattled former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on April 6, 2018 thronged the headquarters of the metal workers union at Sao Bernardo do Campo, just outside the city of Sao Paulo, where the former president remained surrounded by his lawyers as he had refused to budge and remained stubborn.
Lula Surrenders amid Tense Standoff with His Supporters
Despite opposition by his militant supporters, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on April 7, 2018 heeded advice to his lawyers, and told his supporters that he would turn in to police. His firebrand supporters, thousands in numbers who had thronged the metal union headquarters at Sao Bernardo do Campo, just outside the city of Sao Paulo, were adamant that the former leader don't surrender. Amid the prevailing tension and a standoff-like situation, Lula left the union headquarters building to the police custody. He was sentenced to 12-year term by Judge Sergio Moro.
Judicial Drama over whether Lula Should Remain in Jail
A drama-like scenario unrolled on July 8, 2018 in Brazil as one judge ordered former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be released, only to be contradicted by another judge followed by stinging rebuke in favor of release to be followed by intervention of presiding judge of an appellate court. Meanwhile, during the day, diehard supporters of former Leftist president began to swell the gathering in front of the jail in the city of Curitiba where Lula had been detained and demanded that their leader be released soon. The day's long chain of events unfurled with:
* Duty Judge Rogerio Favreto of the Fourth Federal Regional Tribunal ordering Lula's release in early morning, saying that the former president's constitutional rights being violated both as a private citizen and a candidate in the October 2018 presidential election
* Judge Sergio Moro, the first judge who had sent Lula to jail, in response to Judge Favreto's ruling earlier in the day ordering police not to release Lula
* Judge Favreto, incensed by Judge Sergio Moro's response, upping the ante re-issuing a written order that read "I order IMMEDIATE compliance with the judicial measure to free the defendant"
* Judge Joao Pedran Gebran Neto, who's handling the Lula case now, issuing order to hold off Lula's release
* Judge Rogerio Favreto re-ordering Lula's release
* Presiding Judge Carlos Eduardo Thompson Flores Lenz of the Fourth Federal Regional Tribunal eventually intervening and ordering to keep Lula in jail
Lula Acquitted in Obstruction of Justice Charges
Former Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva was cleared of obstruction of justice charges on July 12, 2018 by a Brazilian judge, Judge Ricardo Augusto Soares Leite. Obstruction of justice is one of several charges Lula is facing.
Lula Convicted on Corruption again
Former Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva on February 6, 2019 was convicted on an identical crime for which he had begun to serve a 12-year sentence in April 2018. Judge Gabriela Hardt ruled during the day that Lula took favor from construction companies to renovate a country house just like he did the same for renovating a beachfront house that had led to beginning of a 12-year sentence in April 2018.
Lula Released from Jail
Less than a day after Brazilian Supreme Court ordered the former president to be freed until all the appeals routes were exhausted, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was released from a jail on November 8, 2019 to the cheers of tens of thousands of his supporters. He thundered that his ideas were not going to disappear.
Lula Refuses to Surrender; Holes up in Union Headquarters
As the 5 P.M. deadline for his surrender approached, thousands of supporters of embattled former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on April 6, 2018 thronged the headquarters of the metal workers union at Sao Bernardo do Campo, just outside the city of Sao Paulo, where the former president remained surrounded by his lawyers as he had refused to budge and remained stubborn.
Lula Surrenders amid Tense Standoff with His Supporters
Despite opposition by his militant supporters, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on April 7, 2018 heeded advice to his lawyers, and told his supporters that he would turn in to police. His firebrand supporters, thousands in numbers who had thronged the metal union headquarters at Sao Bernardo do Campo, just outside the city of Sao Paulo, were adamant that the former leader don't surrender. Amid the prevailing tension and a standoff-like situation, Lula left the union headquarters building to the police custody. He was sentenced to 12-year term by Judge Sergio Moro.
Judicial Drama over whether Lula Should Remain in Jail
A drama-like scenario unrolled on July 8, 2018 in Brazil as one judge ordered former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to be released, only to be contradicted by another judge followed by stinging rebuke in favor of release to be followed by intervention of presiding judge of an appellate court. Meanwhile, during the day, diehard supporters of former Leftist president began to swell the gathering in front of the jail in the city of Curitiba where Lula had been detained and demanded that their leader be released soon. The day's long chain of events unfurled with:
* Duty Judge Rogerio Favreto of the Fourth Federal Regional Tribunal ordering Lula's release in early morning, saying that the former president's constitutional rights being violated both as a private citizen and a candidate in the October 2018 presidential election
* Judge Sergio Moro, the first judge who had sent Lula to jail, in response to Judge Favreto's ruling earlier in the day ordering police not to release Lula
* Judge Favreto, incensed by Judge Sergio Moro's response, upping the ante re-issuing a written order that read "I order IMMEDIATE compliance with the judicial measure to free the defendant"
* Judge Joao Pedran Gebran Neto, who's handling the Lula case now, issuing order to hold off Lula's release
* Judge Rogerio Favreto re-ordering Lula's release
* Presiding Judge Carlos Eduardo Thompson Flores Lenz of the Fourth Federal Regional Tribunal eventually intervening and ordering to keep Lula in jail
Lula Acquitted in Obstruction of Justice Charges
Former Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva was cleared of obstruction of justice charges on July 12, 2018 by a Brazilian judge, Judge Ricardo Augusto Soares Leite. Obstruction of justice is one of several charges Lula is facing.
Lula Convicted on Corruption again
Former Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva on February 6, 2019 was convicted on an identical crime for which he had begun to serve a 12-year sentence in April 2018. Judge Gabriela Hardt ruled during the day that Lula took favor from construction companies to renovate a country house just like he did the same for renovating a beachfront house that had led to beginning of a 12-year sentence in April 2018.
Lula Released from Jail
Less than a day after Brazilian Supreme Court ordered the former president to be freed until all the appeals routes were exhausted, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was released from a jail on November 8, 2019 to the cheers of tens of thousands of his supporters. He thundered that his ideas were not going to disappear.
All
Charges against Former Brazilian President Dropped
A
Brazilian court on March 8, 2021 dropped all charges against Former
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Salva, paving the way for the Left icon to
run for the presidential election next year.
************************************ Lula SagaEx-President's Assets Ordered Frozen
A judge on October 11, 2017 ordered the assets of former President Dilma Rousseff's assets and properties frozen in the wake of a court case related to $580 million in loss of state oil company Petrobras stemming from the purchase of a oil refinery in Pasadena, Texas. Assets of a former Petrobras head as well as three of its former members of its Board of Directors were also frozen.
Corporate Titan Leaves Prison for Home Confinement
Two-and-half years in the 10-year sentence, the former CEO of a construction behemoth that was at the heart of Operation Car Wash scandal which had engulfed not only officials, public and political leaders of Brazil, but also of other nations in the region, left prison on December 19, 2017 for house arrest. Marcelo Odebrecht was initially sentenced to 19 years, but his term was subsequently reduced to 10 years after he began co-operating with the authorities.
Former Brazilian President Arrested
Former Brazilian President Michel Temer was arrested on March 21, 2019 after a judge, Judge Marcelo Breitas, issued an arrest warrant against the former president and nine others related to a bribery scandal that involved a construction company, Engevix, to bribe the political bigwigs, including Temer, for receiving clearance for a nuclear power plant in the city of Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro State.
Temer Arrested for the Second Time
Seems that bribery allegation and corruption charges are not going to spare Former Brazilian President Michel Temer anytime soon as the 78-year-old former head of state was arrested on May 9, 2019 on corruption charges.
*********** BRIBERY SCANDAL AFFLICTS POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT **********
After a Chill, US-Brazil Relations Look for a New Purpose in Climate Change
Stemming from the summer 2013 leak of classified documents by the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that included damaging allegations of US spying on Brazilian officials, including President Dilma Rouseff, the diplomatic relationship between the nations went through a downward spiral until recent months when both Brazil and USA pushed the reset button and focused on common interest, including climate change. As a sequel to those diplomatic efforts, small and big alike, came the visit of President Rousseff to Washington, D.C. On June 30, 2015, both Presidents Obama and Rousseff stood beside each other at the White House, and pledged to work jointly on the climate change, including:
* Establishing a joint climate change working group in an effort to reach specific targets to reduce greenhouse emissions
* A joint pledge to generate each country's share of electricity from renewables such as wind and solar to 20 percent by 2030
* An ambitious pledge by Brazil to restore about 30 million acres of Amazon forest
Brazil Commits to a Significant Cut in Emissions
Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff said at the U.N. on September 27, 2015 that her country would cut emissions by 37 percent off the 2005 levels by 2025 and up the reductions to 43 percent by 2030.
Brazil Hit by Truckers Strike Faces Shortages
Brazil's main truckers union on May 21, 2018 began an indefinite strike, stranding tens of thousands of trucks on the country's highways and leading to shortages of essential commodities, including empty store shelves. Truckers are livid because of government's recent action to end subsidy and rising diesel price. On May 24, 2018, government and union negotiators reached a deal to end the strike, but a radical faction disobeyed the union decision and continued with the strike. Meanwhile, a belligerent administration of President Michel Temer on May 24, 2018 ordered Brazil's military to clear the clogged highway and help willing truckers to move freight as soon as possible.
Brazilian President Makes Additional Concessions to End Eight-day Trucker Strike
After failing to end a crippling truck strike, even with a threat of military intervention, on May 24, 2018 as a stubborn resistance held tight, President Michel Temer's beleaguered administration on May 28, 2018 made additional concessions in a last ditch bid to persuade the truckers to resume moving freight as many schools and flights had been canceled and many stores had gone empty. Among the concessions were:
* Subsidies to reduce the diesel price by 10 percent
* Cutting toll prices
* Setting minimum freight rates
Brazilian Presidential Candidate Stabbed
A Brazilian presidential candidate infamous for making racial and male chauvinistic comments, but running strong in the poll, was stabbed on September 6, 2018 as Jair Bolsonaro was campaigning in Juiz de Fora, 125 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. As of September 6, 2018, evening he was undergoing through surgery, but believed to be out of danger. His poll plank was tough on crime and corruption, a stand that had attracted support from a broad swath of disillusioned electorate despite his extreme right policies. Although the former army captain has been in Congress since 1991, he is running essentially as an outsider.
Brazil Shaken by Stabbing of Presidential Candidate
A day after Brazilian presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed, a nation was to come to the grips to what happened to a semblance, whatever remained, of political civility. Authorities identified the suspect as 40-year-old Adelio Bispo de Oliveira. On September 7, 2018, reports were circulating that the stabber might be a mentally unstable person. The first round of polls will be held on October 7, 2018, and the runoff on October 28, 2018.
Party Replaces Lula
Brazil's Workers Party on September 11, 2018 officially named a member of Brazil Communist Party, Fernando Haddad, as party's standard bearer in the coming presidential election, giving in to reality that it was no more pragmatic to keep former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Salva in the party's ticket and contesting the lection from behind the bar. Workers Party's ticket includes Manuela D'Avila as the running mate of Haddad.
Right-wing Candidate Leads in the First Round of Polls
The right-wing candidate who had earned an infamy for his caustic and highly derogatory comments against women, Black and homosexual people, but found sympathy amongst the middle-class for his vow to crush corruption, drugs and gangs finished on the top in October 7, 2018, presidential polls. However, Jared Bolsonaro fell short of the required 50 percent, and was headed to October 28, 2018, runoff with the second-placed Fernando Haddad, a former Sao Paulo Mayor and Workers Party candidate. Bolsonaro received 46.7 percent, while Haddad received 28.5 percent.
Bolsonaro's Victory Raises Uncertainty for the Country, Region
In a stunning, but expected, victory, extreme right-wing candidate and former military official Jared Bolsonaro, who earned infamy by heaping vile on gays, women and Blacks, won the October 28, 2018, runoff by winning 55 percent of vote. After he edged out the Workers Party candidate Fernando Haddad, who had received 45 percent, scattered violence broke out in and around Rio de Janeiro. A significant section voters, tired of crimes and corruption, fell for tough talks of Bolsonaro, and cast their votes in his favor.
New Right-wing President Challenged Days after Inauguration
Tough-talking ultra-nationalist President Jair Bolsonaro didn't spend a week after his New Year's Day inauguration as the Latin American country's president when he was challenged by the violence that had erupted in the northeastern state of Ceara on January 2, 2019. The underlying cause for the violence is the strict prison rules being implemented that has precipitated gang-led violence, including torching buses, vehicles, storefronts and shops. Ceara Governor Camilo Santana asked for federal deployment to quell the violence. Brazil's new Justice and Public Security Minister Sergio Moro, a very popular former anti-corruption judge, responding to Governor Camilo's request sent a 300-troop contingent of elite National Police Force to Fortaleza, capital city of Ceara.
Bolsonaro Backers Flood Streets
Tens of thousands of supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro on May 26, 2019 held demonstrations across this Latin American nation to show their adamant support for their beloved president as his popularity took a beating in recent days after he instituted education funding cuts and other measures in addition to his family getting ensnared in financial scandal. Last week, tens of thousands of students participated in anti-government demonstrations to protest the education budget cut. Bolsonaro hurled insults on the protesters, calling them "useful idiots" and "imbeciles".
Brazil to Deploy Military to Fight off Amazon Fire
Brazilian government of President Jair Bolsonaro on August 23, 2019 announced that it would deploy some 44,000 of military personnel to the Amazon region--covering parts of six states, namely, Roraima, Rondonia, Tocantins, Para, Acre and Mato Grosso, according to Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo--to battle a razing forest fire. Bolsonaro administration's decision came after domestic and international pressure had mounted on the government to take a more forceful action. Initially Bolsonaro blamed the environmentalists, lobbing ridiculous accusation that they had intentionally set fire to make him look bad when, to the contrary, his administration's policies to chip away environmental protections in favor of mining industry, construction industry and logging industry had led to the beginning of a massive deforestation. When the world had reacted with apprehension as the "lungs of the earth" were burning on a massive scale, Bolsonaro accused the west of harboring "colonial" mentalities. However, the international and internal pressure had forced Jair Bolsonaro to take the decision to deploy army in the Amazon region.
G-7 Announces a $40 million Aid Package for Brazil to Fight Amazon Fire
G-7 on August 26, 2019 announced a $40 million package for Brazil to fight a series of razing forest fires that had engulfed the large swath of Amazon Forest. More than 41,000 fires are reported in Brazilian Amazon and more than half have erupted in the month of August 2019 alone. The high frequency of forest fires in Amazon Rainforest is the result of deliberate action of loggers, developers and other industry interests fueled by deregulation policies pursued by President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil Rejects any Conditions for Aid
Brazil on August 27, 2019 rejected any attached string for the $40 million in aid unveiled by the G-7 Summit a day earlier.
Federal Raid at President's Opponent's Official Residence
In an act many critics called as political vengeance against a political opponent, federal police on May 26, 2020 carried out raid at the official residence of Rio de Janeiro governor, Wilson Witzel, a fierce critic of President Jair Bolsonaro on many fronts, including president's failure to handle novel coronavirus pandemic that had spread rapidly in the largest Latin American nation, overwhelmed its healthcare and hospital systems with, according to a running Johns Hopkins University tally, 375,000 infections and more than 23,000 deaths. Witzel is facing criminal investigation into the state bidding process for items and gears needed to fight against coronavirus. Governor Wilson Witzel called the raid a "political persecution", and President Bolsonaro, who had taken a stand against stricter shelter-in-place orders issued by individual state governors and favored opening the economies as soon as possible, pleaded ignorance about the raid. However, former Justice Department head, Sergio Moro, who had resigned last month after defying to carry out Jair Bolsonaro's order to go after political opponents, said unequivocally that Bolsonaro had repeatedly tried to politicize the federal police force to score political wins.
Brazil
Erupts in Protest after a Black Man Killed by White Private Security Guards
After
a confrontation with four White private security guards on November 19, 2020
night at a Carrefour storefront in Porto Alegre that led to the
death of a Black man, Joao Alberto Silveira Freitas, from asphyxiation, several-dozen
spontaneous protests erupted allover Brazil on the Black Consciousness Day
(November 20, 2020). A large group of people held demonstration at a local Carrefour
store in Brasilia, with placards reading “Black Lives Matter”, “Don’t
Shop at Carrefour” and other statements denouncing racism. Similar protests
were held in Sau Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. Carrefour issued
a statement, lamenting the death of Freitas and announcing that it had
terminated the contract with the company that employed the four private
security guards and it would close the Porto Alegre store in respect to the
deceased. The death and resultant
protest have brought fore the ugly truth of the Brazilian society that nobody
in the ruling circle wants to hear, i.e., structural racism.
Far-Left ex-President, Far-Right Incumbent in Tense Runoff
Balking the pre-poll opinion polls, President Jair Bolsonaro fended
off a first-round victory of Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as
millions of Brazilians had cast ballots on October 2, 2022 to choose the
next president from a slate of 11 candidates. The outcome was a surprise to
many observers as there was an emerging consensus that Lula, who had ruled
Brazil 2003-2010, would receive the required 50% of the votes, thus averting
the October 30, 2022, runoff. Lula received 48.1% votes as
opposed to Bolsonaro’s 43.5%.
Former Leftist President Returns to Power
In a stunning comeback, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former
popular president of Brazil, won the October 30, 2022, runoff, defeating
the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, by 50.9% to 49.1% with 99% of the vote tallied.
The win also sets back an extreme right-wing president’s ambition to get
reelected on issues that has sharply polarized the nation. Bolsonaro is the
first sitting president not able to win reelection since democracy has returned
in 1985.
Lula Sworn in as President for Third Time
In a stunning comeback from the jaws of prison time on corruption
charges, Former two-term President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on January 1,
2023 took the oath of office for the third time. Workers’ Party’s
tens of thousands of supporters have turned the main esplanade of Brasilia into
a sea of red. In a pointed speech at the lower house of the Congress where he was
sworn in, Lula said that he would “re-erect” the “great edifice of rights,
sovereignty and development". Former President Jair Bolsonaro was conspicuous by his absence as he had left the country for Orlando, Florida and undermined the very tradition to pass along the sash to the presidential successor.
***************************** INSURRECTION BY BOLSONARO SUPPORTERS ***************
Bolsonaro Supporters Storm Brazil's Government Buildings
In an eerie similarity with January 6, 2021, insurrection by Trump backers, thousands of Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's supporters stormed and ransacked the presidential building, Congress and the Supreme Court on January 8, 2023. Since it was Sunday, all these three landmark buildings in Brasilia were deserted. Many of the law enforcement officers looked the other way as Bolsonaro supporters continued ransacking the buildings. Hours later, security forces regained control of the Three Powers Square, epicenter of federal authority in Brasilia. Later President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the presidential palace. More than 200 miscreants had been arrested by the security forces. Condemnation poured in from the U.S., U.K., E.U. and other nations.
Brazilian Army Chief Replaced
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva has been saying
since the immediate aftermath of the January 8, 2023, insurrection by Former
President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters that many entrenched figures in the
country’s military are complicit with the demonstrators. On January 21, 2023,
The Associated Press reported that Brazilian army chief Gen. Julio
Cesar de Arruda had been replaced. The new army chief is Gen. Tomas
Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, head of the country’s Southeast Military Command.
***************************** INSURRECTION BY BOLSONARO SUPPORTERS ***************
Presidents Stress on Shared Experience against Insurrection, Climate
Change
At the beginning of the Oval Office meeting on February 10,
2023, President Joe Biden said that “both in Brazil and the United States,
democracy prevailed”, alluding to failed January 6, 2021, insurrection by Trump
supporters and an eerily similar insurrection carried out almost two years
later by the diehard supporters of Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro,
also known as the “Trump of the Tropic”. However, Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio “Lula” da Silva and President Biden had plenty other topics to
cover, including climate change, Haiti, migration, and Ukraine crisis where the
countries were not on the same page. As far as climate change is concerned,
there is a huge opportunity for both Lula and Biden to work collaboratively as
Biden has campaigned during his presidential run to create a $20 billion global
fund to preserve Amazon Forest. The effort, known as the Amazon Fund,
will preserve the rain forest, sustainability of the forest asset and pristine
features of many of the remotest corners of Amazon.
Former President Barred from Running for Political Office for Eight
Years
An electoral court in Brazil on June 30, 2023 ruled 5-2 to bar Former
President Jair Bolsonaro from running for any office through 2030. The case
stems from a meeting that he has held in his official capacity in 2022 to mislead
foreign ambassadors about malfunctioning of the electronic voting system.
******************************************** CARIBBEAN *******************************
BARBADOS
Barbados
Shrugs off the Last Vestiges of British Monarchy
It’s
a political inflection point for the island nation of Barbados as, at
the very dawn of November 30, 2021—past midnight on November 29, 2021—the
Caribbean island is to become a Republic. After a concerted push over the past
couple of decades, Barbados parliament about a month ago voted to elect its
first president by more than two-third votes. Governor-General Sandra Mason
will become the island nation’s first president. Prince Charles will
represent the United Kingdom in the historic mid-night transition ceremony. Barbados
will remain a member of British Commonwealth, though, as British Prime
Minister Boris Johnson emphasized on strengthening bond between U.K. and
its onetime former colony.
******************************************** CARIBBEAN *******************************
CHILE
Chilean Court Implicates US Military Official for Deaths of Americans
A Chilean court on July 1, 2014 ruled that a U.S. Navy Captain, Ray Davis, passed on the information on journalist Charles Horman and student Frank Teruggi to the Chilean junta, leading to the killing of the American duo in the aftermath of a coup in 1973 that had brought Gen. Augusto Pinochet to powers. A Oscar-winning movie, Missing, was subsequently made on them.
Seven Taken to Custody in Nearly Three-Decade-Old Political Murder Charges
Two former Chilean military officers and five non-commissioned officers were taken to custody on July 21, 2015 hours after Judge Mario Carroza issued their arrest warrant on charges of murdering an American resident in 1986. On July 2, 1986, a U.S. resident Rodrigo Rojas, 19, and Carmen Quintana, 18, were doused in gasoline in a barbaric act of torture by Chilean military bent on breaking up a demonstration on that day. Rojas was killed, Quintana suffered serious burn, but eventually survived after a lengthy treatment at a hospital in Canada, where she now lives.
Ten Charged in the Assassination of Leftist Singer
In a throwback to the Dirty War era of excesses, Judge Miguel Vazquez on July 22, 2015 charged 10 former soldiers in the killing of a famed song writer and professor, Victor Jara. Jara, then a member of Communist Party, was shot 44 times in the aftermath of September 11, 1973, coup. Along with Jara, former head of military police, Littre Quirogo Carvajal, was also killed, and their bodies were found in a vacant lot near Santiago's Metropolitan Cemetery soon after they were killed on September 16, 2015. Jara's family filed a lawsuit in Florida against former Army Lt. Gen. Pedro Barrientos in 2013, using a rare US law to prosecute foreign perpetrators on the U.S. soil. Barrientos was not among 10 charged on July 22, 2015 by Judge Vazquez in the death of Victor Jara and Littre Quirogo Carvajal. Barrientos left Chile in 1989, and now lives in the USA. A US judge allowed his case to proceed.
Appeals Court Upholds the Sentence in Americans' Murder Case
The Appeals Court of Santiago on September 5, 2015 upheld the verdict passed against the retired Gen. Pedro Espinoza in the brutal murders of two Americans--documentary filmmaker Charles Horman and student Frank Teruggi--in 1973, and confirmed the seven-year sentence. The court also ratified a 2-year prison term for a retired civilian employee with the country's air force, Rafael Gonzalez Berdugo, for his complicity in the murder. A Oscar-winning movie, Missing, starring Jack Lemmon as Horman's father, was subsequently made on the gruesome murder of two Americans in Chile.
Former Dictator Ordered the Killing of Ally of Marxist President
A newly declassified documentation shows that the then-President Augusto Pinochet directly ordered the assassination of former foreign and defense minister Orlando Letelier. Letelier and an American, Ronni Moffitt, were killed in a car bomb in 1976. After the overthrow of Marxist President Salvador Allende allegedly by Pinochet in 1973, Letelier was jailed and tortured. Letelier later fled to the USA. The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered the declassified document to the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet this week as Kerry was in Chile to attend an ocean conference. Sen. Juan Pablo Letelier, son of Orlando Letelier, disclosed the direct involvement of Pinochet in his father's assassination on October 8, 2015 at a news conference at Santiago.
Chile's Apex Court Seek Extradition of Three Former Secret Agents
Chile's Supreme Court on May 17, 2016 ruled that the government should seek the extradition of three former Chilean police secret agents--Michael Townley, Armando Fernandez Larios and Virgilio Paz--from the USA in the 1976 murder of U.N. worker Carmelo Soria, who was accused of being sympathetic to Marxists.
Chile's Supreme Court Extends Terms of Two Ex-Generals
Chile's Supreme Court on July 21, 2016 took a strong step to send a stern message to outside world that the country's judiciary would be tough on the human rights abuses committed by army brass during the dark era of General Augusto Pinochet. The Supreme Court lengthened the prison sentences of former Gen. Pedro Espinoza from 7 years to 15 years and ex-Colonel Rafael Gonzalez from 2 years to 3 years. A trial judge sentenced the duo to the original term in the assassination of an American filmmaker, Charles Horman, and a fellow American university student, Frank Teruggi, respectively. The murder of the two Americans was portrayed in a 1982 movie, Missing.
Chile Takes Right Turn in Presidential Election
Chile's former President Sebastian Pinera won the December 17, 2017, runoff over a former journalist and sociologist, 64-year-old Alejandro Guillier, who had campaigned to build on the social and economic reforms initiated by the country's current Leftist President Michelle Bachelet. The runoff was held after November 19, 2017, first round polls failed to yield a clear winner.
Nine Former Officer Sentenced in the Killing of Victor Jara
Justice was never too late, at least in the killing of Communist poet Victor Jara, and on July 3, 2018, a Chilean judge, Judge Miguel Vasquez, sentenced eight former military officers--Hugo Sanchez Marmonti, Raul Jofre Gonzalez, Edwin Dimter Bianchi, Nelson Hasse Mazzei, Ernesto Bethke Wulf, Juan Jara Quintana, Hernan Chaco Soto and Patricio Vasquez Donoso--to 18 years in jail and another officer, Rolando Melo Silva, to five years. Hours after Leftist President Salvador Allende was deposed on September 11, 1973, a massive round-up of his associates and government officials had been conducted by dictator Augusto Pinochet, and as part of that operation, both Victor Jara and Allende's prison chief, Littre Quiroga, were arrested and brought to a local Santiago stadium where both of them were shot to death in a volley of fire. Their dead bodies were dumped on a dusty street, and later brought to a morgue where someone had been able to identify Victor Jara and notified the poet's wife, British dancer Joan Turner Jara. The Jara family exhumed his body in 2009 for an autopsy and proper burial.
53 Ex-Intel Agents Sentenced
Chilean Judge Miguel Velazquez on December 3, 2018 imposed up to 20 years of sentences on 53 former agents of Chile's intelligence agency, National Intelligence Directorate, on charges of kidnapping and disappearance of seven Communist leaders and murder of former Communist Party chief Victor Diaz in 1976.
Six Pinochet-era Officials Sentenced in Former President's Slow Poison death
SIx Pinochet-era officials, including a doctor, were on January 30, 2019 sentenced to up to six years of imprisonment by Judge Alejandro Madrid for 1982 slow poison death of former President Eduardo Frei Montalva at a health clinic.
Days of Protests, Violence Leave Chile in Tatters; Two Summits Canceled
Since the eruption of protest on October 19, 2019 over economic inequality and lack of social justice, protesters had hit the streets in Santiago and Chilean streets. Many of the radical protesters resorted to violence and clashed with security forces. Shops, retail centers, subway stations and other prominent business targets have been vandalized, looted and burned. On October 30, 2019, President Sebastian Pinera cancelled two key international summits slated to be held in Chile later this year: November 16-17, 2019, Asia Pacific Economic Summit in Santiago and U.N. global climate gathering in December 2019.
Tens of Thousands March in Santiago
Tens of thousands of protesters marched in Santiago, Chile on October 31, 2019 to express their frustration on social inequity and injustice. The anti-government feeling was simmering under the surface that has received a spark after the right-wing government of Sebastian Pinera has hiked the subway fare. The protest soon galloped into chaos and violence, leading to at least 20 deaths, hundreds of injuries and cancellation of two international gatherings.
Millennial
Leftist Wins Presidency
A
millennial leftist activist who had first won the legislative election in 2014
as a 28-year-old activist became the South American nation’s youngest president
after trouncing his right-wing opponent, Jose Antonio Kast, who sounded
like Trump on the campaign trail, in the December 19, 2021, presidential
runoff by 56% to 44% margin, based on 90% tally of votes. Incumbent
Sebastian Panera later in the night congratulated Gabriel Boric.
Boric, 35, vowed to rule Chile for all Chileans. In the November 2021
first-round presidential poll, Gabriel Boric trailed Kast by 2
percentage point, but his intense campaign style and focus on broadening the
base as well as Jose Antonio Kast’s Trump-like demeanor sealed the fate
for Boric. Case in point: in the northern region of Antofagasta, where
he had ranked third in the first round, Boric trounced Kast by 20 percentage
points in the December 19, 2021, runoff. Gabriel Boric will be sworn in
as the youngest president of Chile in March 2022.
President Receives Political Jolt as a Progressive Constitution Defeated in Plebiscite
Chileans voted down a proposed constitution that would have made the Latin American nation of 19 million people as a transformative political experiment with indigenous autonomy and environmental progress, thus setting back the agenda of Chile's leftist President Gabriel Boric. Chileans on September 4, 2022 turned out in large numbers to vote in the referendum and rejected the first overhaul of the Pinochet-era constitution by 68% to 32% vote.
COLOMBIA
Peace Negotiation Gets a Boost by Re-election of President
Running on a plank of promoting peace through a negotiated end of decades-old insurgency, President Juan Manuel Santos handily defeated a right-wing challenger, Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, in June 14, 2014, presidential elections.
President Sworn in for the Second Term in Office
A beaming and confident Juan Manuel Santos, who won the June 14, 2014, presidential polls on the plank of continuing peace negotiation with left-wing rebels, was sworn in for the second term on August 7, 2014.
***************************** COLOMBIAN PEACE TALKS ************************
Peace Talks in Havana Star Generals
President Juan Manuel Santos, who was re-elected on the plank of peace with Leftist rebels, sent some active-duty, decorated generals to peace talks in Havana with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebels. Their talks on August 22, 2014 were themselves significant although nothing came out of them in terms of breakthrough or go-forward path towards cessation of hostilities and subsequent cease-fire. The head of rebel negotiation team, Ivan Marquez, called the presence of high-ranking generals a good sign.
Setback to Peace Negotiation by Attack on Soldiers
A cease-fire declared by FARC in December 2014 was violated by the outfit itself on late April 14, 2015 with a surprise attack on a military convoy in the country's southwest, killing 11 soldiers and wounding 19 others. The attack is likely to deal a setback to an on-again, off-again peace negotiation currently underway at Havana and force the hands of President Juan Manuel Santos, who has been supportive of the negotiation that has begun in November 2012.
Rebels Withdraw from Peace Talks
Hours after a Colombian military raid under darkness at a rebel camp in the jungle of Cauca Province on May 21, 2015 night that had killed 26 FARC fighters, the rebel group on May 22, 2015 withdrew from ongoing peace talks with government negotiators at Havana. FARC's unilateral cease-fire declaration in December 2014 pleasantly surprised many in Colombian administration as well as Washington. However, rebels also demanded a bilateral cease-fire to replace unilateral cease-fires, something the regime of President Juan Manuel Santos refused to oblige, thus frustrating the rebels, peace activists and leftist political groups.
Colombian Rebels Declare Unilateral Cease-Fire
As the peace talks in Havana was progressing at a snail's pace, FARC issued a statement from Havana on July 8, 2015 that it would observe a unilateral cease-fire that would begin on July 20, 2015 and last a month.
Colombia's Government, Rebels Agree to Sign Peace Deal in Six Months
Nudged by Pope Francis during his visit to Cuba, negotiators from Colombian government and FARC reached an agreement that it they would sign a peace deal in six months. President Juan Manuel Santos flew to Havana on September 23, 2015 to attend a press conference with Cuban President Raul Castro and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, leader Timochenko for a historic announcement that a breakthrough had been achieved to end a five-decade insurgency that had cost at least 225,000 lives. During the press conference, both sides expressed confidence that they would sign a peace deal in six months. However, the framework of the final agreement looks dicey at best and hazy in outlook. For example, rebels who confess crimes to special tribunals, will be required to compensate victims and promise not to take up arms again in lieu of serving eight years of labor, instead of prison terms. War crimes committed by government side will be judged by tribunals too, and anyone caught cheating on the deal will be sentenced to up to 20-year jail term. There are skeptics too of the deal. One of them was former President Alvaro Uribe whose strong-arm tactic had forced FARC to the negotiation table that eventually brought the breakthrough after a three-year intense negotiation at Havana. Uribe said that the deal would encourage terrorism. Uribe's successor Santos said that he would put the deal after its signing to a nationwide referendum and Congressional approval process. On the government side, another significant factor is its future cost as the deal will require Bogota to address the root cause of insurgency. As part of that effort, an estimated $30 billion will be spent over the next decade on human development, land distribution, infrastructure building and employment generation in the country's rural and remote regions.
Colombian Government, Rebels Agree on Cease-fire
After a torturous and often slow-pace, drawn-out negotiation at Havana, negotiators from Colombian government and the country's largest left-wing rebel group, FARC, achieved a key milestone that was not only impossible, but beyond imagination, even few years ago: a deal on cease-fire. On June 23, 2016, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos shook hands and signed an agreement with FARC commander Rodrigo Londono in a ceremony at Havana that was attended, among others, by six Latin American presidents as well as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The cease-fire was hailed by all parties that might end one of the longest civil wars in the world and bring an end to a 52-year insurgency that had killed 220,000 people and displaced nearly 7 millions. Reflecting the optimistic mood of the occasion, the U.S. envoy to the Colombian peace talks, Bernard Aronson, said on June 23, 2016 that the "finish line has been defined" and barring "some unanticipated extraneous event, this is the end of the war". Under the agreement, FARC rank-and-file members will receive a blanket amnesty on the only formal charge of "rebellion" while the rebel leaders charged with more serious crimes such as terrorism, murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking will go through an alternative judicial process where they will testify and acknowledge their crimes in exchange for no more than community services.
Agreement Reached to End more than Five Decades of Civil War
After the intensification of bargaining in recent days between government and rebel negotiators at Havana, an agreement was reached on August 24, 2016 that might end one of world's longest civil wars that had killed 220,000 people and displaced more than 5 million people since 1964. The agreement was announced at Havana with chief Colombian government negotiator Humberto de La Calle and his FARC counterpart Ivan Marquez shaking hands as Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez clapped to laud both sides. Under the deal,
* FARC will get at least 10 legislative seats in Colombia's parliament until 2026
* After 2026, FARC needs to contest elections just like any other political party
* Guerrillas have to acknowledge their crimes in exchange for lighter sentence, or no sentence and political rehabilitation
* Affected families of FARC victims will be compensated
President Rushes the Deal to Congress
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos did not waste any time and delivered the 297-page agreement reached a day earlier to Congress on August 25, 2016. President Santos also called a vote on the deal for October 2, 2016. In a move full of political symbolism, President Juan Manuel Santos walked with his family and cabinet from the presidential residence to hand-deliver the 297-page document to Congress. U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the agreement as did other regional powers.
FARC to Observe Full Cease-Fire
Two days after Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' August 26, 2016, announcement that his government would observe a cease-fire effective August 29, 2016, FARC leader Rodrigo Londono said at Havana on August 28, 2016 that the rebels would also observe the full cease-fire beginning August 29, 2016. "Never again will the parents be burying their sons and daughters killed in the war", Rodrigo Londono added, a comment that epitomizes the upbeat mood generated by the recently concluded agreement between government and FARC.
Rebels Express Support for Peace Deal Days before Referendum
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on September 23, 2016 announced that it would wholeheartedly support and comply with the peace agreement that the Leftist guerrilla group had reached with the government in the run-up to an October 2, 2016 national referendum to approve the deal. FARC threw its support for the deal at a Congress held in Sabanas del Yari.
Highest-Level Signing of Peace deal Takes Place
In front of diplomats, including the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, FARC supreme leader Rodrigo Londono, a.k.a Timochenko, and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on September 26, 2016 signed the landmark, 297-page peace deal that would eventually help propel reconciliation and end more than half-a-century-old civil war responsible for at least 220,000 deaths and more than 8 million people to become displaced. Choosing of Cartagena as a site for signing ceremony symbolizes and signifies special importance as a 17-th century Catholic saint named as the St. Peter Claver, whose baroque in this city was used earlier in the day for a special mass led by the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and attended by the dignitaries, had worked to help tens of thousands of African slaves brought in ships to the New World.
Colombians Reject Peace Deal
In a stunning defeat to President Juan Manuel Santos' years-long effort to make peace with western hemisphere's one of the oldest rebel groups was dealt a severe setback as Colombians voters on October 2, 2016 narrowly defeated the deal. The margin was 50.25 percent against the deal vs. 49.75 percent in favor of the deal.
Sides Express Commitment to the Deal
A day after Colombians voted down narrowly against a signature peace deal, both FARC and the regime of Juan Manuel Santos on October 3, 2016 seemed to stick to pre-planned path of peace as the signed document now resided in the Swiss Federal Council in Bern as a special humanitarian agreement under the Geneva Convention.
Candle Light Vigil Held for Peace Deal
Organized through social media, thousands of people, especially the youth, on October 5, 2016 night participated in a candle light vigil at Bogota in favor of sustaining a peace deal that was rejected narrowly in a referendum three days ago. Earlier in the day, President Juan Manuel Santos met privately with his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, who had campaigned mightily against the peace deal in the run-up to the October 2, 2016, referendum. Although the details of the meeting was not known, both announced that there would be a commission to explore ways to improve the accord.
Colombian President Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was named the 2016 winner of Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless effort to bring peace to the Latin American nation through a negotiated settlement with one of the world's oldest and fiercest rebel groups. Naming Santos the winner, Norwegian Nobel Committee said on October 7, 2016 that the president's "resolute" approach helped raise hope for a peaceful settlement of the Colombian civil war. This marked the first time in a quarter century that the Nobel Peace Prize went to Latin America. Last time a Latin American won the prize was in 1992 when Guatemalan indigenous rights activist Rigoberta Menchu had won the award.
U.N. to Deploy Observers to Monitor Cease-Fire
The U.N. announced on November 4, 2016 that it would deploy 152 international monitors in Colombia to ensure compliance with the cease-fire between the government and FARC. Argentine Gen. Javier Perez Aquino will lead the unarmed observers mission set to begin on November 7, 2016 and eventually grow to a 400-strong mission.
Government, Rebels Agree a Modified Peace Deal
After the surprising setback at the October 2, 2016, referendum, Colombian government and FARC negotiators were back to drawing room to amend the failed deal and make it more palatable to opponents. Meanwhile, the existing cease-fire were extended to December 31, 2016. The revised deal was agreed at a low key political climate on November 12, 2016. However, the details of the changes incorporated in the revised deal were not divulged to the public. Opposition leader Alvaro Uribe, who had led the fight against the first deal, called for the government to withhold the revised accord until the people got opportunity to read the text, a demand many considered unrealistic. The November 12, 2016, deal now goes to national legislature for a vote.
Rebels, Government to Sign the Revised Peace Deal at a Low Key Event
The government of Juan Manuel Santos on November 22, 2016 announced that FARC rebels and government had agreed to formally sign the revised deal on November 24, 2016 at a low-key event at Colon Theater in Bogota. However, on November 21, 2016 the regime made a last ditch, but futile, attempt to bring a recalcitrant opposition led by the former President Alvaro Uribe to board. Last time the peace deal that was rejected in a popular referendum on October 2, 2016 was signed at Cartagena amid much fanfare. The revised document includes about 50 changes to the earlier deal rejected in the referendum.
Colombian Government, FARC Sign Revised Peace Agreement
At a low-key event lacking the familiarity of pomp, prestige and fanfare of an international agreement that had defined the now-discredited September 26, 2016, agreement, Colombian government and FARC signed a revised peace agreement on November 24, 2016. The event was held at a Bogota theater, Colon Theater, amid uneasiness over the opposition to the revised deal from former President Alvaro Uribe, who had spearheaded the campaign to defeat the first agreement in October 2, 2016, referendum. Among the revisions incorporated in the revised deal are:
* Clearer protections for countryside landowners
* Restrictions for rebels in terms of contesting some new congressional districts in post-conflict zone
* More latitude for judges in deciding drug-trafficking cases
* Greater government presence in rural areas
Speaking at the signing-in ceremony, President Juan Manuel Santos asked the nation to give the accord a chance with "open mind and open heart". FARC's top commander Rodrigo Londono displayed a degree of grace and compassion by asking for "forgiveness" from Colombians.
Colombian Congress Approves the Revised Peace Deal
A day after Colombian Senate passed the November 24, 2016, revised peace deal between Juan Manuel Santos regime and FARC, Colombia's lower chamber of Congress on November 30, 2016 voted 130-0 to approve it. Opposition lawmakers abstained from voting.
French President Visits U.N. Camp to Meet Rebels
French President Francois Hollande on January 24, 2017 visited a U.N. camp deep inside rebel-held areas in southern Colombia where FARC rebels would soon hand over their weapons. Hollande, escorted by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and other officials, hailed the peace accord as a model. The visit marked the first time in 28 years that any French president had made to Colombia.
U.N.: Colombia's Conflict Officially Over
U.N. monitors on August 15, 2017 collected the last of 8,000 weapons onced used by FARC guerrillas, and called the decades-old conflict with FARC officially over.
***************************** COLOMBIAN PEACE TALKS ************************
Tension Spiking in Venezuela-Colombia Bilateral Relations
In recent weeks, Venezuelan government closed six of its border crossings with Colombia and cracked down on many of the estimated 10,000 Colombians who had been living in Venezuela illegally. Caracas accused them of running drug trade, smuggling and undermining the governing authority. As a result of the crackdown, thousands of Colombians began to flee Venezuela to their own country. On the top of that, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made an outlandish and uncorroborated claim, according to Colombian authorities, on August 31, 2015 that Bogota was hatching a plan to assassinate him.
Ambush by the Second-Largest Rebel Group Kills 12
A day after local and municipal elections were held in Colombia on October 25, 2015, a contingent of security forces were escorting poll workers and ballots from the remote indigenous villages in the mountainous Bocaya state on October 26, 2015 when the country's second-largest rebel group ELN attacked the convoy, killing 11 soldiers and one policeman. Although ELN was not party to the peace deal announced at Havana on September 23, 2015, the October 26, 2015, attack nonetheless dealt a blow to the peace prospect.
Colombia's President Apologizes for Bloody Raid at the Supreme Court 30 Years Ago
Prodded by last year's report compiled by Inter-American Court of Human Rights that condemned how troops had handled and raided the Supreme Court after it was seized by now-defunct M-19 rebel movement, Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos on November 6, 2015 apologized for how the government of the then-President Belisario Betancourt had handled the situation. Santos' formal apology on the 30th anniversary of the bloodshed was meaningful as the South American country was intent on turning over another page of its brutal and bloody past.
Location of Ship Wreck with Riches Identified
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos held a news conference at the port city of Cartagena on December 5, 2015 to disclose that the exact location of a Spanish galleon that sank off Colombia's Baru Peninsula, south of Cartagena, on June 8, 1708 while trying to outmaneuver British warships. More than three centuries ago, San Jose galleon sank with about 500 sailors and 11 million gold coins and jewels. No human being has so far been able to reach the remains of the ship. President Santos was mum on how and when the exact location of the resting place of San Jose galleon was found.
Right-Wing Paramilitary Leader Freed
A right-wing paramilitary leader, who had founded a death squad in late 70s with the backing of ranchers and Colombia's military, was freed on January 29, 2016 after serving less than 10 years in jail. According to chief prosecutor's office, Ramon Isaza, 75, was the patriarch of the right-wing militia movement at its heyday, and his death squad was responsible for at least 156,000 deaths--many of them were poor farmers killed on suspicion of links to Colombia's left-wing guerrilla forces--between 1980 and 2004. Ramon Isaza surrendered in 2006 under a peace pact promoted by the then-President Alvaro Uribe that called for no more than eight years of imprisonment in exchange for confessing to the crimes.
Second-Largest Guerrilla Group Attacks Hours after Truce Ends
Hours after a 102-day truce ended, the Colombia's second-largest rebel group, National Liberation Front, or ELN, launched twin attacks on January 10, 2018 that targeted a military base and an oil pipeline. The casualty figures were not known by the end of the day, but President Juan Manuel Santos reiterated that his olive branch would remain extended to ELN.
Colombian Guerrilla Leader to Run in Presidential Poll
FARC's top leader Rodrigo Londono, also known as Timochenko, on January 27, 2018 launched his campaign in the upcoming presidential election, a marked difference for a revolutionary to serve the very government that he has been espousing throughout his life to destroy.
Largest Rebel Group Suspends Campaigns
After a series of attacks on its leader and workers that, according to a report issued last month by a U.N. panel in charge of monitoring peace in Colombia, that had killed at least 36 former FARC members, the group on February 9, 2018 announced to suspend campaigns in presidential and Congressional polls. After announcing on January 27, 2018 at a downtrodden Bogota neighborhood that he would run for presidential election on the plank of fighting against poverty, the leader of the country's once largest guerrilla group, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, Rodrigo Londono, or Timochenko, was attacked twice on the campaign trail as protesters pelted his motorcade. Londono's running mate, Imelda Daza, on February 9, 2018 accused the enemies of the 2016 accord between government and FARC of trying to sabotage the peace process, and blamed the right-wing Democratic Center Party led by former President Alvaro Uribe for the violence on campaign trail. Former rebel outfit had put 74 candidates in Congressional election.
Former Guerrilla Leader Quits Presidential Race
Following a heart attack and increasing violence on the party members, former FARC leader Rodrigo Londono on March 8, 2018 quit the upcoming presidential race.
FARC Fared Poorly in Colombian Parliamentary Polls
Former rebels--after demobilizing their rebel outfit and retaining the same acronym, but to imply not the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, but Revolutionary Alternative Common Forces--found out in a harder way that fighting on the battlefields with guns was easier than fighting on the political arena with ideas. FARC won only 0.22 percent votes in the 172-member lower house and 0.35 percent in the 108-member Senate in the March 11, 2018 parliamentary polls. However, as part of the peace agreement that FARC had signed in 2016, it would receive five seats each in each chamber.
Leftist, Conservative in Presidential Runoff
A staunch conservative who was hand-picked by former rightist Colombian President Alvaro Uribe could not win in the first round of presidential election as Ivan Duque received the most vote, about 39 percent, but falling far short of required 50 percent to win outright. More than 18.5 million voters cast their vote in May 27, 2018, election. Former mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro, an ex-rebel, won about 25 percent, closely trailed by former Medellin Mayor Sergio Fajardo, who received 24 percent. Late in the evening on May 27, 2018, Sergio Fajardo conceded defeat, but did not leave any guidance for his approximately 4.5 million voters, or approve any of the top two candidates.
Protégé of former Hard Right Leader Wins Presidential Runoff
Ivan Duque edged out former rebel and Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro in a tense June 17, 2018, runoff. For the peace process that has brought most the former FARC rebels to civilian life, election of Duque, 41, youngest president in more than 100 years, the test will come in the coming months as the president-elect will try to amend parts of the accord. However, Duque said that he would not "shred it to pieces" as many of his Conservative allies had urged him to do so.
Conservative Sworn in as Colombia's President
Former hardline President Alvaro Uribe's protégé, Ivan Duque, 42, was sworn in as Colombia's new president on August 7, 2018. Although not in favor of dismantling the peace deal that his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos, had signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, Ivan Duque has vowed to make major course correction in the deal.
Colombian Referendum on Reforms Falls Short of Minimum Required Voter Turnout
Nearly 11.7 million Colombians cast their ballots--overwhelmingly in favor of seven measures such as term limits, tougher penalties for public officials and reduction of lawmakers' salaries--in August 26, 2018, referendum, just falling short of required 12.1 million. Although measures failed to receive required minimum votes, Congress can still take the cue from prevailing mood and enact laws. However, the message was unmistakable as Claudia Lopez, a former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate, put it: this historic, this decisive victory by free citizens, gives a clear and strong mandate to the government and Congress". No political leaders and government officials opposed the referendum, but none also campaigned for it too. The referendum could not come at more crucial time as Colombia's Inspector-General reported that the scale of corruption was equivalent to 4 percent of the country's annual GDP, and according to one recent study of Transparency International, 63 percent of the companies feared losing business if they did not bribe.
Breakaway FARC Leader Killed
Former FARC guerilla leader, Walter Patricio Arizala, 29, who had defied the 2016 Colombian peace accord, was reported to have been killed on December 21, 2018 in an exchange of fire with government troops in the border province of Narino.
Colombian President Floats a Right-leaning Regional Bloc
Colombian President Ivan Duque on January 14, 2019 said that he was exploring to launch an alternative regional bloc to replace the Venezuela-led Union of South American Nations to defend democracy and free-market economy, and spoke with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on launching the bloc, Prosur.
Truck Bomb Kills 10 in Police Academy Attack
A truck bomb exploded right outside the police General Santander Police Training academy in Bogota on January 17, 2019, killing at least 10 people. President Ivan Duque, who had been in a western state, returned to Bogota. Chief Prosecutor Nestor Martinez identified the driver of 1993 Nissan pickup as 56-year-old Jose Aldemar Rojas.
ELN Blamed for Police Academy Attack
As death toll mounted to at least 20, Colombian government on January 18, 2019 held National Liberation Army, or ELN, for the attack on General Santander Police Training Academy, all but dooming any chance of continuing with peace talks being held in Cuba.
Colombia's Military Chief Faces Call to Resign
Colombia's military top commander, Gen. Nicacio Martinez Espinel, is facing growing call to resign after he has been linked to extra-judicial killings during the height of civil war. Human Rights Watch severely criticized Colombia's president, Ivan Duque, in February 2019 for choosing Gen. Nicacio Martinez Espinel to lead the country's military, underling that he had been the second in command of the 10th Brigade in the country's northeast when prosecutors had opened investigation into 23 illegal killings. The Associated Press reported on May 25, 2019 to have received documents from an unknown source related to Gen. Nicacio Martinez Espinel's link to many of the country's illegal killings in the height of civil war.
Colombian President Blasts Venezuela for Sheltering Former Rebel Leader bent on Resuming War
Colombian President Ivan Duque on August 29, 2019 announced $1 million reward for the capture of former FARC negotiator Ivan Marquez, or Luciano Marin, seen surrounded by dozens of armed fighters, who hours ago had announced in a video circulated over the internet that he was taking up arms and resuming fighting against the government. Marquez blamed Colombian government for failing to protect former FARC soldiers who had been systematically assassinated after the peace accord and arms surrender. Colombia's president, Ivan Duque, also criticized Venezuelan government for giving shelter to former FARC rebels. Caracas denied the allegation.
U.N. Secretary-General Decries Killings of Former FARC Rebels
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on January 2, 2020 said in a report to the U.N. Security Council that attacks and assassinations against former guerillas of Revolutionary Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were happening with higher frequency and intensity. In 2017, 31 former FARC members were killed. That number jumped to 65 in 2018 and to 77 through December 26, 2019. Guterres called for better protecting the former combatants as they and their families faced "particular vulnerabilities". However, the U.N.S.G. report had some encouraging areas too, lauding the Colombian people for continuing to "show inspiring signs" that they are "willing to embrace" the former rebels.
Right-wing Paramilitary Leader to be Deported to Colombia, not to Italy as Planned
A former right-wing paramilitary leader, Salvatore Mancuso, who had served 12 years in U.S. prison for cocaine trafficking was initially ordered to be deported to Italy after his term had ended in March 2020, but the DHS had informed the former right-wing militia leader that, instead, according to August 30, 2020, The Associated Press report, he would be deported to his homeland, Colombia. Mancuso holds dual citizenship of Colombia and Italy.
13 Dead in Two-Night Protest against Police Brutality
Protests erupted in Bogota and surrounding areas as videos had emerged streaming on social media over the September 9, 2020, death of a Colombian at the police custody. The videos taken by witnesses on September 9, 2020 shows Javier Ordonez pleading for his life after being pinned to ground by two police officers and getting Taser shock. Javier Ordonez was later taken to police station and then to hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The incident sparked spontaneous protests across Bogota and confrontation with police led to violence and vandalism that had killed 13 people over two nights (September 9 and September 10), and wounded hundreds. As Bogota emerged on September 11, 2020 after two nights of violence, Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo apologized for any bad behavior and conduct by "National Police".
COLOMBIA
Peace Negotiation Gets a Boost by Re-election of President
Running on a plank of promoting peace through a negotiated end of decades-old insurgency, President Juan Manuel Santos handily defeated a right-wing challenger, Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, in June 14, 2014, presidential elections.
President Sworn in for the Second Term in Office
A beaming and confident Juan Manuel Santos, who won the June 14, 2014, presidential polls on the plank of continuing peace negotiation with left-wing rebels, was sworn in for the second term on August 7, 2014.
***************************** COLOMBIAN PEACE TALKS ************************
Peace Talks in Havana Star Generals
President Juan Manuel Santos, who was re-elected on the plank of peace with Leftist rebels, sent some active-duty, decorated generals to peace talks in Havana with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebels. Their talks on August 22, 2014 were themselves significant although nothing came out of them in terms of breakthrough or go-forward path towards cessation of hostilities and subsequent cease-fire. The head of rebel negotiation team, Ivan Marquez, called the presence of high-ranking generals a good sign.
Setback to Peace Negotiation by Attack on Soldiers
A cease-fire declared by FARC in December 2014 was violated by the outfit itself on late April 14, 2015 with a surprise attack on a military convoy in the country's southwest, killing 11 soldiers and wounding 19 others. The attack is likely to deal a setback to an on-again, off-again peace negotiation currently underway at Havana and force the hands of President Juan Manuel Santos, who has been supportive of the negotiation that has begun in November 2012.
Rebels Withdraw from Peace Talks
Hours after a Colombian military raid under darkness at a rebel camp in the jungle of Cauca Province on May 21, 2015 night that had killed 26 FARC fighters, the rebel group on May 22, 2015 withdrew from ongoing peace talks with government negotiators at Havana. FARC's unilateral cease-fire declaration in December 2014 pleasantly surprised many in Colombian administration as well as Washington. However, rebels also demanded a bilateral cease-fire to replace unilateral cease-fires, something the regime of President Juan Manuel Santos refused to oblige, thus frustrating the rebels, peace activists and leftist political groups.
Colombian Rebels Declare Unilateral Cease-Fire
As the peace talks in Havana was progressing at a snail's pace, FARC issued a statement from Havana on July 8, 2015 that it would observe a unilateral cease-fire that would begin on July 20, 2015 and last a month.
Colombia's Government, Rebels Agree to Sign Peace Deal in Six Months
Nudged by Pope Francis during his visit to Cuba, negotiators from Colombian government and FARC reached an agreement that it they would sign a peace deal in six months. President Juan Manuel Santos flew to Havana on September 23, 2015 to attend a press conference with Cuban President Raul Castro and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, leader Timochenko for a historic announcement that a breakthrough had been achieved to end a five-decade insurgency that had cost at least 225,000 lives. During the press conference, both sides expressed confidence that they would sign a peace deal in six months. However, the framework of the final agreement looks dicey at best and hazy in outlook. For example, rebels who confess crimes to special tribunals, will be required to compensate victims and promise not to take up arms again in lieu of serving eight years of labor, instead of prison terms. War crimes committed by government side will be judged by tribunals too, and anyone caught cheating on the deal will be sentenced to up to 20-year jail term. There are skeptics too of the deal. One of them was former President Alvaro Uribe whose strong-arm tactic had forced FARC to the negotiation table that eventually brought the breakthrough after a three-year intense negotiation at Havana. Uribe said that the deal would encourage terrorism. Uribe's successor Santos said that he would put the deal after its signing to a nationwide referendum and Congressional approval process. On the government side, another significant factor is its future cost as the deal will require Bogota to address the root cause of insurgency. As part of that effort, an estimated $30 billion will be spent over the next decade on human development, land distribution, infrastructure building and employment generation in the country's rural and remote regions.
Colombian Government, Rebels Agree on Cease-fire
After a torturous and often slow-pace, drawn-out negotiation at Havana, negotiators from Colombian government and the country's largest left-wing rebel group, FARC, achieved a key milestone that was not only impossible, but beyond imagination, even few years ago: a deal on cease-fire. On June 23, 2016, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos shook hands and signed an agreement with FARC commander Rodrigo Londono in a ceremony at Havana that was attended, among others, by six Latin American presidents as well as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The cease-fire was hailed by all parties that might end one of the longest civil wars in the world and bring an end to a 52-year insurgency that had killed 220,000 people and displaced nearly 7 millions. Reflecting the optimistic mood of the occasion, the U.S. envoy to the Colombian peace talks, Bernard Aronson, said on June 23, 2016 that the "finish line has been defined" and barring "some unanticipated extraneous event, this is the end of the war". Under the agreement, FARC rank-and-file members will receive a blanket amnesty on the only formal charge of "rebellion" while the rebel leaders charged with more serious crimes such as terrorism, murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking will go through an alternative judicial process where they will testify and acknowledge their crimes in exchange for no more than community services.
Agreement Reached to End more than Five Decades of Civil War
After the intensification of bargaining in recent days between government and rebel negotiators at Havana, an agreement was reached on August 24, 2016 that might end one of world's longest civil wars that had killed 220,000 people and displaced more than 5 million people since 1964. The agreement was announced at Havana with chief Colombian government negotiator Humberto de La Calle and his FARC counterpart Ivan Marquez shaking hands as Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez clapped to laud both sides. Under the deal,
* FARC will get at least 10 legislative seats in Colombia's parliament until 2026
* After 2026, FARC needs to contest elections just like any other political party
* Guerrillas have to acknowledge their crimes in exchange for lighter sentence, or no sentence and political rehabilitation
* Affected families of FARC victims will be compensated
President Rushes the Deal to Congress
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos did not waste any time and delivered the 297-page agreement reached a day earlier to Congress on August 25, 2016. President Santos also called a vote on the deal for October 2, 2016. In a move full of political symbolism, President Juan Manuel Santos walked with his family and cabinet from the presidential residence to hand-deliver the 297-page document to Congress. U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the agreement as did other regional powers.
FARC to Observe Full Cease-Fire
Two days after Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' August 26, 2016, announcement that his government would observe a cease-fire effective August 29, 2016, FARC leader Rodrigo Londono said at Havana on August 28, 2016 that the rebels would also observe the full cease-fire beginning August 29, 2016. "Never again will the parents be burying their sons and daughters killed in the war", Rodrigo Londono added, a comment that epitomizes the upbeat mood generated by the recently concluded agreement between government and FARC.
Rebels Express Support for Peace Deal Days before Referendum
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on September 23, 2016 announced that it would wholeheartedly support and comply with the peace agreement that the Leftist guerrilla group had reached with the government in the run-up to an October 2, 2016 national referendum to approve the deal. FARC threw its support for the deal at a Congress held in Sabanas del Yari.
Highest-Level Signing of Peace deal Takes Place
In front of diplomats, including the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, FARC supreme leader Rodrigo Londono, a.k.a Timochenko, and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on September 26, 2016 signed the landmark, 297-page peace deal that would eventually help propel reconciliation and end more than half-a-century-old civil war responsible for at least 220,000 deaths and more than 8 million people to become displaced. Choosing of Cartagena as a site for signing ceremony symbolizes and signifies special importance as a 17-th century Catholic saint named as the St. Peter Claver, whose baroque in this city was used earlier in the day for a special mass led by the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and attended by the dignitaries, had worked to help tens of thousands of African slaves brought in ships to the New World.
Colombians Reject Peace Deal
In a stunning defeat to President Juan Manuel Santos' years-long effort to make peace with western hemisphere's one of the oldest rebel groups was dealt a severe setback as Colombians voters on October 2, 2016 narrowly defeated the deal. The margin was 50.25 percent against the deal vs. 49.75 percent in favor of the deal.
Sides Express Commitment to the Deal
A day after Colombians voted down narrowly against a signature peace deal, both FARC and the regime of Juan Manuel Santos on October 3, 2016 seemed to stick to pre-planned path of peace as the signed document now resided in the Swiss Federal Council in Bern as a special humanitarian agreement under the Geneva Convention.
Candle Light Vigil Held for Peace Deal
Organized through social media, thousands of people, especially the youth, on October 5, 2016 night participated in a candle light vigil at Bogota in favor of sustaining a peace deal that was rejected narrowly in a referendum three days ago. Earlier in the day, President Juan Manuel Santos met privately with his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe, who had campaigned mightily against the peace deal in the run-up to the October 2, 2016, referendum. Although the details of the meeting was not known, both announced that there would be a commission to explore ways to improve the accord.
Colombian President Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was named the 2016 winner of Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless effort to bring peace to the Latin American nation through a negotiated settlement with one of the world's oldest and fiercest rebel groups. Naming Santos the winner, Norwegian Nobel Committee said on October 7, 2016 that the president's "resolute" approach helped raise hope for a peaceful settlement of the Colombian civil war. This marked the first time in a quarter century that the Nobel Peace Prize went to Latin America. Last time a Latin American won the prize was in 1992 when Guatemalan indigenous rights activist Rigoberta Menchu had won the award.
U.N. to Deploy Observers to Monitor Cease-Fire
The U.N. announced on November 4, 2016 that it would deploy 152 international monitors in Colombia to ensure compliance with the cease-fire between the government and FARC. Argentine Gen. Javier Perez Aquino will lead the unarmed observers mission set to begin on November 7, 2016 and eventually grow to a 400-strong mission.
Government, Rebels Agree a Modified Peace Deal
After the surprising setback at the October 2, 2016, referendum, Colombian government and FARC negotiators were back to drawing room to amend the failed deal and make it more palatable to opponents. Meanwhile, the existing cease-fire were extended to December 31, 2016. The revised deal was agreed at a low key political climate on November 12, 2016. However, the details of the changes incorporated in the revised deal were not divulged to the public. Opposition leader Alvaro Uribe, who had led the fight against the first deal, called for the government to withhold the revised accord until the people got opportunity to read the text, a demand many considered unrealistic. The November 12, 2016, deal now goes to national legislature for a vote.
Rebels, Government to Sign the Revised Peace Deal at a Low Key Event
The government of Juan Manuel Santos on November 22, 2016 announced that FARC rebels and government had agreed to formally sign the revised deal on November 24, 2016 at a low-key event at Colon Theater in Bogota. However, on November 21, 2016 the regime made a last ditch, but futile, attempt to bring a recalcitrant opposition led by the former President Alvaro Uribe to board. Last time the peace deal that was rejected in a popular referendum on October 2, 2016 was signed at Cartagena amid much fanfare. The revised document includes about 50 changes to the earlier deal rejected in the referendum.
Colombian Government, FARC Sign Revised Peace Agreement
At a low-key event lacking the familiarity of pomp, prestige and fanfare of an international agreement that had defined the now-discredited September 26, 2016, agreement, Colombian government and FARC signed a revised peace agreement on November 24, 2016. The event was held at a Bogota theater, Colon Theater, amid uneasiness over the opposition to the revised deal from former President Alvaro Uribe, who had spearheaded the campaign to defeat the first agreement in October 2, 2016, referendum. Among the revisions incorporated in the revised deal are:
* Clearer protections for countryside landowners
* Restrictions for rebels in terms of contesting some new congressional districts in post-conflict zone
* More latitude for judges in deciding drug-trafficking cases
* Greater government presence in rural areas
Speaking at the signing-in ceremony, President Juan Manuel Santos asked the nation to give the accord a chance with "open mind and open heart". FARC's top commander Rodrigo Londono displayed a degree of grace and compassion by asking for "forgiveness" from Colombians.
Colombian Congress Approves the Revised Peace Deal
A day after Colombian Senate passed the November 24, 2016, revised peace deal between Juan Manuel Santos regime and FARC, Colombia's lower chamber of Congress on November 30, 2016 voted 130-0 to approve it. Opposition lawmakers abstained from voting.
French President Visits U.N. Camp to Meet Rebels
French President Francois Hollande on January 24, 2017 visited a U.N. camp deep inside rebel-held areas in southern Colombia where FARC rebels would soon hand over their weapons. Hollande, escorted by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and other officials, hailed the peace accord as a model. The visit marked the first time in 28 years that any French president had made to Colombia.
U.N.: Colombia's Conflict Officially Over
U.N. monitors on August 15, 2017 collected the last of 8,000 weapons onced used by FARC guerrillas, and called the decades-old conflict with FARC officially over.
***************************** COLOMBIAN PEACE TALKS ************************
Tension Spiking in Venezuela-Colombia Bilateral Relations
In recent weeks, Venezuelan government closed six of its border crossings with Colombia and cracked down on many of the estimated 10,000 Colombians who had been living in Venezuela illegally. Caracas accused them of running drug trade, smuggling and undermining the governing authority. As a result of the crackdown, thousands of Colombians began to flee Venezuela to their own country. On the top of that, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made an outlandish and uncorroborated claim, according to Colombian authorities, on August 31, 2015 that Bogota was hatching a plan to assassinate him.
Ambush by the Second-Largest Rebel Group Kills 12
A day after local and municipal elections were held in Colombia on October 25, 2015, a contingent of security forces were escorting poll workers and ballots from the remote indigenous villages in the mountainous Bocaya state on October 26, 2015 when the country's second-largest rebel group ELN attacked the convoy, killing 11 soldiers and one policeman. Although ELN was not party to the peace deal announced at Havana on September 23, 2015, the October 26, 2015, attack nonetheless dealt a blow to the peace prospect.
Colombia's President Apologizes for Bloody Raid at the Supreme Court 30 Years Ago
Prodded by last year's report compiled by Inter-American Court of Human Rights that condemned how troops had handled and raided the Supreme Court after it was seized by now-defunct M-19 rebel movement, Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos on November 6, 2015 apologized for how the government of the then-President Belisario Betancourt had handled the situation. Santos' formal apology on the 30th anniversary of the bloodshed was meaningful as the South American country was intent on turning over another page of its brutal and bloody past.
Location of Ship Wreck with Riches Identified
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos held a news conference at the port city of Cartagena on December 5, 2015 to disclose that the exact location of a Spanish galleon that sank off Colombia's Baru Peninsula, south of Cartagena, on June 8, 1708 while trying to outmaneuver British warships. More than three centuries ago, San Jose galleon sank with about 500 sailors and 11 million gold coins and jewels. No human being has so far been able to reach the remains of the ship. President Santos was mum on how and when the exact location of the resting place of San Jose galleon was found.
Right-Wing Paramilitary Leader Freed
A right-wing paramilitary leader, who had founded a death squad in late 70s with the backing of ranchers and Colombia's military, was freed on January 29, 2016 after serving less than 10 years in jail. According to chief prosecutor's office, Ramon Isaza, 75, was the patriarch of the right-wing militia movement at its heyday, and his death squad was responsible for at least 156,000 deaths--many of them were poor farmers killed on suspicion of links to Colombia's left-wing guerrilla forces--between 1980 and 2004. Ramon Isaza surrendered in 2006 under a peace pact promoted by the then-President Alvaro Uribe that called for no more than eight years of imprisonment in exchange for confessing to the crimes.
Second-Largest Guerrilla Group Attacks Hours after Truce Ends
Hours after a 102-day truce ended, the Colombia's second-largest rebel group, National Liberation Front, or ELN, launched twin attacks on January 10, 2018 that targeted a military base and an oil pipeline. The casualty figures were not known by the end of the day, but President Juan Manuel Santos reiterated that his olive branch would remain extended to ELN.
Colombian Guerrilla Leader to Run in Presidential Poll
FARC's top leader Rodrigo Londono, also known as Timochenko, on January 27, 2018 launched his campaign in the upcoming presidential election, a marked difference for a revolutionary to serve the very government that he has been espousing throughout his life to destroy.
Largest Rebel Group Suspends Campaigns
After a series of attacks on its leader and workers that, according to a report issued last month by a U.N. panel in charge of monitoring peace in Colombia, that had killed at least 36 former FARC members, the group on February 9, 2018 announced to suspend campaigns in presidential and Congressional polls. After announcing on January 27, 2018 at a downtrodden Bogota neighborhood that he would run for presidential election on the plank of fighting against poverty, the leader of the country's once largest guerrilla group, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, Rodrigo Londono, or Timochenko, was attacked twice on the campaign trail as protesters pelted his motorcade. Londono's running mate, Imelda Daza, on February 9, 2018 accused the enemies of the 2016 accord between government and FARC of trying to sabotage the peace process, and blamed the right-wing Democratic Center Party led by former President Alvaro Uribe for the violence on campaign trail. Former rebel outfit had put 74 candidates in Congressional election.
Former Guerrilla Leader Quits Presidential Race
Following a heart attack and increasing violence on the party members, former FARC leader Rodrigo Londono on March 8, 2018 quit the upcoming presidential race.
FARC Fared Poorly in Colombian Parliamentary Polls
Former rebels--after demobilizing their rebel outfit and retaining the same acronym, but to imply not the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, but Revolutionary Alternative Common Forces--found out in a harder way that fighting on the battlefields with guns was easier than fighting on the political arena with ideas. FARC won only 0.22 percent votes in the 172-member lower house and 0.35 percent in the 108-member Senate in the March 11, 2018 parliamentary polls. However, as part of the peace agreement that FARC had signed in 2016, it would receive five seats each in each chamber.
Leftist, Conservative in Presidential Runoff
A staunch conservative who was hand-picked by former rightist Colombian President Alvaro Uribe could not win in the first round of presidential election as Ivan Duque received the most vote, about 39 percent, but falling far short of required 50 percent to win outright. More than 18.5 million voters cast their vote in May 27, 2018, election. Former mayor of Bogota, Gustavo Petro, an ex-rebel, won about 25 percent, closely trailed by former Medellin Mayor Sergio Fajardo, who received 24 percent. Late in the evening on May 27, 2018, Sergio Fajardo conceded defeat, but did not leave any guidance for his approximately 4.5 million voters, or approve any of the top two candidates.
Protégé of former Hard Right Leader Wins Presidential Runoff
Ivan Duque edged out former rebel and Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro in a tense June 17, 2018, runoff. For the peace process that has brought most the former FARC rebels to civilian life, election of Duque, 41, youngest president in more than 100 years, the test will come in the coming months as the president-elect will try to amend parts of the accord. However, Duque said that he would not "shred it to pieces" as many of his Conservative allies had urged him to do so.
Conservative Sworn in as Colombia's President
Former hardline President Alvaro Uribe's protégé, Ivan Duque, 42, was sworn in as Colombia's new president on August 7, 2018. Although not in favor of dismantling the peace deal that his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos, had signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, Ivan Duque has vowed to make major course correction in the deal.
Colombian Referendum on Reforms Falls Short of Minimum Required Voter Turnout
Nearly 11.7 million Colombians cast their ballots--overwhelmingly in favor of seven measures such as term limits, tougher penalties for public officials and reduction of lawmakers' salaries--in August 26, 2018, referendum, just falling short of required 12.1 million. Although measures failed to receive required minimum votes, Congress can still take the cue from prevailing mood and enact laws. However, the message was unmistakable as Claudia Lopez, a former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate, put it: this historic, this decisive victory by free citizens, gives a clear and strong mandate to the government and Congress". No political leaders and government officials opposed the referendum, but none also campaigned for it too. The referendum could not come at more crucial time as Colombia's Inspector-General reported that the scale of corruption was equivalent to 4 percent of the country's annual GDP, and according to one recent study of Transparency International, 63 percent of the companies feared losing business if they did not bribe.
Breakaway FARC Leader Killed
Former FARC guerilla leader, Walter Patricio Arizala, 29, who had defied the 2016 Colombian peace accord, was reported to have been killed on December 21, 2018 in an exchange of fire with government troops in the border province of Narino.
Colombian President Floats a Right-leaning Regional Bloc
Colombian President Ivan Duque on January 14, 2019 said that he was exploring to launch an alternative regional bloc to replace the Venezuela-led Union of South American Nations to defend democracy and free-market economy, and spoke with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on launching the bloc, Prosur.
Truck Bomb Kills 10 in Police Academy Attack
A truck bomb exploded right outside the police General Santander Police Training academy in Bogota on January 17, 2019, killing at least 10 people. President Ivan Duque, who had been in a western state, returned to Bogota. Chief Prosecutor Nestor Martinez identified the driver of 1993 Nissan pickup as 56-year-old Jose Aldemar Rojas.
ELN Blamed for Police Academy Attack
As death toll mounted to at least 20, Colombian government on January 18, 2019 held National Liberation Army, or ELN, for the attack on General Santander Police Training Academy, all but dooming any chance of continuing with peace talks being held in Cuba.
Colombia's Military Chief Faces Call to Resign
Colombia's military top commander, Gen. Nicacio Martinez Espinel, is facing growing call to resign after he has been linked to extra-judicial killings during the height of civil war. Human Rights Watch severely criticized Colombia's president, Ivan Duque, in February 2019 for choosing Gen. Nicacio Martinez Espinel to lead the country's military, underling that he had been the second in command of the 10th Brigade in the country's northeast when prosecutors had opened investigation into 23 illegal killings. The Associated Press reported on May 25, 2019 to have received documents from an unknown source related to Gen. Nicacio Martinez Espinel's link to many of the country's illegal killings in the height of civil war.
Colombian President Blasts Venezuela for Sheltering Former Rebel Leader bent on Resuming War
Colombian President Ivan Duque on August 29, 2019 announced $1 million reward for the capture of former FARC negotiator Ivan Marquez, or Luciano Marin, seen surrounded by dozens of armed fighters, who hours ago had announced in a video circulated over the internet that he was taking up arms and resuming fighting against the government. Marquez blamed Colombian government for failing to protect former FARC soldiers who had been systematically assassinated after the peace accord and arms surrender. Colombia's president, Ivan Duque, also criticized Venezuelan government for giving shelter to former FARC rebels. Caracas denied the allegation.
U.N. Secretary-General Decries Killings of Former FARC Rebels
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on January 2, 2020 said in a report to the U.N. Security Council that attacks and assassinations against former guerillas of Revolutionary Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were happening with higher frequency and intensity. In 2017, 31 former FARC members were killed. That number jumped to 65 in 2018 and to 77 through December 26, 2019. Guterres called for better protecting the former combatants as they and their families faced "particular vulnerabilities". However, the U.N.S.G. report had some encouraging areas too, lauding the Colombian people for continuing to "show inspiring signs" that they are "willing to embrace" the former rebels.
Right-wing Paramilitary Leader to be Deported to Colombia, not to Italy as Planned
A former right-wing paramilitary leader, Salvatore Mancuso, who had served 12 years in U.S. prison for cocaine trafficking was initially ordered to be deported to Italy after his term had ended in March 2020, but the DHS had informed the former right-wing militia leader that, instead, according to August 30, 2020, The Associated Press report, he would be deported to his homeland, Colombia. Mancuso holds dual citizenship of Colombia and Italy.
13 Dead in Two-Night Protest against Police Brutality
Protests erupted in Bogota and surrounding areas as videos had emerged streaming on social media over the September 9, 2020, death of a Colombian at the police custody. The videos taken by witnesses on September 9, 2020 shows Javier Ordonez pleading for his life after being pinned to ground by two police officers and getting Taser shock. Javier Ordonez was later taken to police station and then to hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The incident sparked spontaneous protests across Bogota and confrontation with police led to violence and vandalism that had killed 13 people over two nights (September 9 and September 10), and wounded hundreds. As Bogota emerged on September 11, 2020 after two nights of violence, Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo apologized for any bad behavior and conduct by "National Police".
Proposed Tax Plan Triggers Protest, Forcing Its Withdrawal
President Ivan Duque on May 3, 2021 withdrew a tax plan from Congress after five days of protests that had led to 17 deaths, including 16 protesters and one police personnel. The tax plan envisions 19% sales tax on gasoline and expanding the tax base to include anyone with monthly salaries of $700 or more. Finance Minister Alberto Carasquilla, the chief architect of the tax plan, resigned on May 3, 2021 too.
Ex-Guerrilla Leader Wins Party Primary in 2022 Election
That Colombia has traversed a great distance away from its civil war
past is reconfirmed on March 13, 2022 as Senator Gustavo Petro has
clinched the nomination for Historical Pact, a left-wing political
alliance. Out of an approximately 5 million Historical Pact primary
voters, at least 80% voted in the presidential primary. A former mayor of Medellin,
Federico Gutierrez, won the primary of the right-wing coalition, Team
Colombia. The presidential election is May 29, 2022.
Colombia Elects an Ex-Guerrilla Leader as Country's First Leftist President
Colombia Elects an Ex-Guerrilla Leader as Country's First Leftist President
In a remarkable turn to political left, a former rebel and a Senator, Gustavo Petro, won the presidential runoff on June 19, 2022 by winning 50.47% vote. Construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez won 47.27% vote.
Former Leftist Guerilla Leader Sworn in as Colombia's President
For the first time in Colombian history, a former Leftist rebel has been sworn in as the head of state, culminating a meandering, but fanciful, journey by Gustavo Petro. With Gustavo Petro's August 7, 2022, swearing in, western hemisphere got another diehard Leftist leader to reshape the political discourse of Latin America.
Peace Negotiation between Government, Rebels Resumes
After Gustavo Petro became the first leftist leader to become
Colombia’s president, political environment became ripe for negotiation between
the government and the second-largest guerrilla group, National Liberation
Army. In November 2022, the peace talks took place for three weeks in
Mexico City, yielding modest results. On February 13, 2023, the second
round of talks began at Mexico City. The talks were suspended in 2019
after ELN had been accused of launching terrorist attack on a police academy in
Bogota in 2019 in which 23 people were killed.
Ruling Left Loses Seats in Local Polls
The ruling Left allied with President Gustavo Petro lost public support in local and gubernatorial polls in Colombia. The local polls were held on October 29, 2023.
COSTA RICA
In February 2, 2014, presidential elections, no clear winner emerged, and Johnny Araya of the governing National Liberation Party and Luis Guillermo of Citizen Action Party are headed for presidential run-off.
Costa Rica Becomes the Sixth Latin American Country to Allow Same-Sex Marriage
Costa Rica became the latest nation and sixth in Latin America to allow same-sex marriage as a Supreme Court order on May 26, 2020 overturned a ban on same-sex marriage.
CUBA
General Assembly Votes to Condemn US Embargo on Cuba for 23rd Year in a Row
The U.N. General Assembly on October 28, 2014 voted 188-2 to condemn the US commercial, economic and trade embargo on Cuba. US and Israel as usual opposed the measure.
U.S. to Restore Ties with Cuba
In an almost epoch-making move that shook the political landscape in both Washington and Havana in a way unimaginable even few days ago, US President Barack Obama on December 17, 2014 announced that Washington was restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba, setting forth a motion of an accelerated process of bilateral trade, tourism, academic exchanges, family reunions and diplomatic relations, including re-opening the U.S. embassy in the Communist island. The announcement came after an hour-long telephone conversation between Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, who also made the simultaneous announcement to his nation. The unexpected announcement resulted from a series of confidential talks between the officials of two nations facilitated by Vatican and Canada. The confidential talks started right after Obama was inaugurated in his second term, and ran on the parallel track similar to the much publicized Iran deliberation. The talks were secretly held in Canada. However, for the time being, the economic embargo will be in place as only Congress has the authority to lift it. A 1996 law, Helms-Burton Act, requires Cuba to become a democracy and be ruled by anyone but Castro brothers as conditions for embargo to be lifted, making it almost Congress' exclusive jurisdiction to lift more than five-decade-old economic embargo. As part of restoring the diplomatic ties, a prisoner swap took place between the nation under which Alan Gross, a US government contractor spending a 15-year term in Cuban prison on espionage charges since his arrest in 2009, was freed by Cuba, and Gross was back in the USA later in the day. US also secured the release of a Cuban national who had worked for the USA, Rolando Sarras Trujillo, and spent almost 20 years in a Cuban prison. Cuba will also release 53 political prisoners from Cuban prisons. On the other hand, US freed three Cuban spies languishing in a US prison since 2001. The name of the Cuban national Rolando Sarras Trujillo was revealed by the media. President Obama also instructed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to initiate the process to remove Cuba from the list of sponsors of terrorism, a sore point in the relationship between two nations since Cuba was placed in that list in 1982.
There are plenty of pros that will usher in with the re-setting of Cuba-USA normalization of relations. However, one of the biggest cons is the future likelihood of going away of a 1966 act, Cuban Adjustment Act, that favors Cubans over any other migrants. Once at U.S. shorelines, or border, or airport, Cubans are allowed to stay and work in the USA with almost inevitable approval of permanent residency and eventual gain of citizenship.
25 Prisoners Freed from Cuban Jails
As part of re-setting of U.S.-Cuba relations announced on December 17, 2014, 25 of 53 Cuban political prisoners were freed on January 8, 2015, marking a slow, but sure, improvement in bilateral relations of former Cold War-era foes.
Cuba Completes Prisoner Release
Fulfilling its obligation to comply with one of the most important and observed provision of December 17, 2014, bilateral agreement between USA and Cuba that had led to new thawing of relations, Havana on January 12, 2015 completed the release of remaining prisoners. Four days ago (January 8, 2015), Raul Castro government released 25 of 53 prisoners.
Historic Meeting between Cuban and American Officials
A symbolically rich meeting was held between the officials from Cuba and USA at Havana on January 21 and January 22, 2015. Although there was no progress or expected outcome from the meeting, the fact that two archenemies held talks itself marked a success. Top US State Department diplomat Roberta Jacobson was as much pragmatic as she described the meetings "positive and productive". Jacobson's Cuban counterpart Josefina Vidal concurred, saying the dialogue was useful and both nations would plan another round of talks.
Cuban Official Urges Washington to Pare Back Political Support to Dissidents
A day after a two-day historic meeting ended at Havana, the lead negotiator on the Cuban side, Josefina Vidal, asked Washington on January 23, 2015 to cut the level of support American officials provided inside the U.S. Interest Section in Havana in exchange for greater freedom of movement of American diplomats and officials in Cuba, a key demand of the Obama administration.
First Deal by a US Company to Ease Telecom Services
As part of thawing relations between Cuba and the USA that was accelerated by a historic joint declaration on December 17, 2014 by both Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro to restore diplomatic ties, a New Jersey-based company, IDT Corp, on February 20, 2015 signed a deal with Cuban state telephone monopoly ETECSA to sell pre-paid calling cards to immigrants in the USA to make calls through third-party partners based in a third country. At present, all the calls made from the USA are being handled and routed by companies based in a third country. So, IDT's entry marks for the first time in more than half a century that a U.S.-based company will be directly responsible for handling phone calls between the Communist island and the USA.
Historic Meeting between Two Heads of State First Time in Almost Sixty Years
History was made on the sidelines of Summit of Americas at Panama City on April 11, 2015 as the U.S. President Barack Obama held an official meeting with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro that became an instant photo-ops hit around the world in social media. The meeting was the first since Dwight Eisenhower had met the then-Cuban President Fulgencio Batista in 1956.
Obama Backs Cuba to be Taken off the Terrorist List
US President Barack Obama on April 14, 2015 okayed a recommendation by the Secretary of State John Kerry to take Cuba off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Obama ordered the State Department in December 2014 to study the issue and come up with a recommendation. However, the island nation will not fall off the list immediately. It has to wait for another 45 days during which House and Senate may try to block the move through legislative maneuver.
Castro Praises Pope for Mediating and Helping in Thaw in US-Cuba Relationship
Cuban President Raul Castro on May 10, 2015 visited to meet his Holiness at Vatican before meeting with Italian President Matteo Renzi. After his meeting with Renzi, Castro said at a press conference at Rome that he had thanked Pope Francis for mediating the talks between USA and Cuba that had eventually led to the historic December 17, 2014, joint declaration to normalize relations between two Cold War-era foes. Pope urged him, according to Castro, to return to Catholic Church. Castro said that if Pope continued in his path, he would return to Catholic Church and begin to pray. Castro also vowed to throw a warm reception to upcoming visit of the pontiff to the island nation before the first Latin American Pope would set his feet in the USA in September 2015.
US Takes Cuba Off the List of "State Sponsor of Terrorism"
On May 29, 2015, US State Department issued a statement taking Cuba off the list of "state sponsor of terrorism". US Secretary of State John Kerry sent Congress the notification to this effect on April 14, 2015. Since Congress didn't take any action to block the removal process within 45-day action period, Cuba emerged from the blacklist after decades.
U.S., Cuba to Re-Open Embassies after More than Five Decades
After a gap of more than half centuries of distrust and disengagement, stars-and-stripes are again to fly over Havana, marking a new turn in diplomatic relationship between the Cold War-era foes of the Hemisphere. Standing at the Rose Garden of the White House, the U.S. President Barack Obama on July 1, 2015 announced that U.S. would re-open the embassy in Cuba on July 20, 2015 after 54 years of rupture in relations. Narrating the relationship in light of "choice between the past and future", he also asked the U.S. Congress to end the trade embargo, a required legislative step Republican majority is clearly reluctant to do. Secretary of State John Kerry may visit Havana to officiate the July 20, 2015, re-opening of the U.S. embassy, first such visit by the highest-ranking U.S. official of the stature of Secretary of State since 1945. The announcement of re-establishing of the formal diplomatic relationship was given significant official coverage in Cuba as the State TV broadcast live Obama's news conference, marking a historic turnaround in the U.S.-Cuba relationship since the first of economic embargo was imposed in 1961 by President Dwight Eisenhower's administration.
U.S., Cuba Reopen Embassies
After 54 years, 6 months and 17 days, both USA and Cuba turned the page over from the past to the future on July 20, 2015 by re-opening respective embassies at Havana and Washington, D.C. Kerry was not at hand on July 20, 2015 during the re-opening of the U.S. embassy at Havana. Kerry will instead go to Havana on August 13, 2015 to hoist the Stars and Stripes over the embassy. Although the flag-hoisting on August 13, 2015 will be diplomatic symbolic in nature, it's politically significant as Kerry will be the first U.S. Secretary of State since the March 1945 visit of the then-Secretary of State Edward Stettinius Jr. to Havana to show support for a short-lived democracy. On August 13, 2015, there will be three now-retired U.S. Marines who had lowered the U.S. flag from the embassy on January 3, 1961 after the then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower had cut off diplomatic ties with Cuba.
Kerry Presides over Hoisting of U.S. Flag over the Re-Opened Embassy
August 14, 2015 will be observed as a special day in Cuba-U.S. relations as after more than 54 years same three U.S. Marines--Larry Morris, Jim Tracey and Mike East--who had helped remove the U.S. flag on January 3, 1961 returned to the Communist Island to hand over Stars and Stripes to a new generation of Marines to hoist over the U.S. embassy that had re-opened on July 20, 2015. The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry presided over the ceremony, declaring under the blazing Caribbean Sun that hopefully the days of "suspicion and fear" were over. Kerry also met with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez.
Cuba Releases More than 3500 Before Pope's Arrival
Prior to Pope Francis' official visit later this month to Cuba, Havana on September 11, 2015 displayed the gesture of mercy by announcing that it would free 3,522 prisoners who had committed low-level crimes. The gesture hews to Pope Francis' central theme of hope, mercy and redemption.
Obama Administration Loosens Commerce, Treasury Restrictions on Cuba
Obama administration on September 18, 2015 relaxed further commerce and treasury rules, leading to further normalization of relationship with the former Cold War foe in the Western Hemisphere. The move came on the heels of Pope Francis' historic visit to Cuba and USA.
************************************* POPE'S CUBA VISIT ***********************
Pope's Cuba Visit Steeped in Politics
As Pope Francis embarked on a historic Cuba visit on September 19, 2015, eyes were all set on his words and action. On September 20, 2015, first full day of his visit, he addressed tens of thousands of people who were waiting to have a glimpse of Holy Sea at the Havana's Revolution Plaza. President Raul Castro was on stage to greet His Highness. In plain view of larger than life portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, Pope Francis praised the resiliency of Cuban people. Pope also nudged the negotiating parties from Colombian government and FARC, who had been in intense discussion in Havana, to reach an agreement to end the western hemisphere's oldest insurgency. Pope also met former Cuban leader Fidel Castro and exchanged pleasantries.
Pope Urges Cubans to be Willing to Change
On September 21, 2015, Pope Francis traveled to island-nation's fourth-largest city, Holguin, and celebrated a mass of 150,000 people at the city's Plaza of Revolution, where Catholic Church's first Pope from the Americas asked his Cuban followers and admirers to be ready to change. Later in the day, he flew to Santiago for an evening visit to the shine of Cuba's patron saint.
************************************* POPE'S CUBA VISIT ***********************
Joint Sea Life Management Agreement Signed
The first dividend from the thawing relationship between Cuba and the USA came in environmental front as both nations signed a landmark agreement at an oceans conference in Valparaiso, Chile on October 5, 2015 as part of a coalition to study marine life in Florida Straits and Gulf of Mexico, create a shared inventory of sea species in the region and protecting reefs and pristine life.
US, Cuba Sign Joint Marine Life Agreement
As a natural extension to growing normalization of relations and next phase of October 5, 2015, agreement at a oceans conference in Valparaiso, Chile, USA and Cuba on November 18, 2015 signed a historic bilateral marine life agreement to protect and promote maritime ecosystem and coral environment in Atlantic Ocean. The agreement, signed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Kathryn Sullivan on behalf of the USA, inked at Havana calls for scientists tied to Florida Keys and Texas Flower Garden Banks to collaborate with the the Cuban scientists tied to Guanahacabibes National Park and the Banco de San Antonio in pursuit for joint research to improve the fragile marine life ecosystems in these two pairs of oceanic regions.
American Bank to Offer Debit Card
A Florida-based bank, Stonegate bank of Pompano, announced on November 19, 2015 that it would take advantage of thawing relationship between Cold War-era foes and offer debit cards to the U.S. visitors. This marked the first time that an American bank came forward and announced rolling out this service.
U.S., Cuba to Launch a Pilot on Resumption of Postal Service
More than half a century after severing the postal services between the nations, Cuba and USA on December 11, 2015 agreed to begin a test on resuming the postal service. It's not clear when the pilot will begin, or how it will be conducted, leave alone about a permanent service resumption pending the review of security, technical and operational aspects.
Cuba, USA Reach Aviation Deal
Five days after agreeing to resume a limited postal service, Cuba and the USA on December 16, 2015 agreed on a deal to resume commercial airplane services. Although the timeframe to resume the service has not been made public yet, the safety inspection and other relevant requirements will begin soon as part of the deal. After the USA and Cuba began to normalize the bilateral relations in December 2014, most of the major U.S.-based carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue expressed interest to resume Cuba services. At present, only charter flights fly passengers between Cuba and the USA. However, even after the commercial flights begin operating in the US-Cuba market, passengers are still required to obtain visa under one of the 12 categories such as travelers with relatives in Cuba, cultural exchange program or religious programs.
U.S. Companies to Sell Cuban Consumers on Credit
In another shot to the U.S.-Cuba trade normalization effort, the U.S. Commerce Department on January 26, 2016 announced that it would loosen restrictions on the U.S. companies to sell products straight to Cuban customers on credit. Most of the products waived from the restrictions are non-agricultural items.
US, Cuba to Resume Commercial Aviation Services
Taking bilateral relations forward by another step, U.S. and Cuba on February 16, 2016 signed an agreement to resume commercial aviation services between the Cold War-era foes. The agreement, signed by US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and his Cuban counterpart at Havana, calls for resuming 110 daily flights between the nations and marks an irreversible departure from a more than 50-year thawed relationship between Havana and Washington. Currently there are about 20 charter flights between the two nations.
President Obama to Visit Cuba in March
U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Cuba during March 21-22, 2016, according to a press statement issued by the White House on February 18, 2016. The reaction to president's upcoming visit to Cuba was along the expected line. Most of the Democrats and young Cuban Americans welcomed it, while Republican Presidential candidate Jeb Bush called it "appalling" and Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen called the planned visit "shameful". New Jersey's Democratic Senator Bob Menendez also blasted president's planned visit to Cuba.
********************* PRESIDENT OBAMA'S HISTORIC CUBA TRIP ****************
Obama Begins Cuba Trip amid Crackdown on Dissidence
President Barack Obama arrived at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport on March 20, 2016 for a three-day official visit, first such official visit by a sitting U.S. president in almost eight decades since Calvin Coolidge had visited Cuba in January 1928, amid arrest of dozens of protesters from a well-known dissident group, Ladies in White, that's known to hold Sunday rallies at Havana. President Obama is scheduled to meet a group of dissidents on March 22, 2016, including Ladies in White's leader Berta Soler. Upon his arrival, President Obama took a stroll through Old Havana, visited the U.S. Embassy on the Malecon seafront boulevard on Havana Bay and met with Cardinal Jaime Ortega, a key architect of the drive to normalize relations between Cuba and the USA, at the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. President Obama's family accompanied in this historic trip.
Unprecedented Manifestation of Democracy in the Open Display
It's not that after President Barack Obama's three-day visit, Cuba will begin overnight to work on expanding democracy and freedom of speech. It may be just cosmetic, full of symbolism, instead of substantive, any talk on democratic progress and political pluralism. However, there is absolutely no denial that thanks to Obama's March 20-22, 2016, visit, Cuban people have got a unique opportunity to see how their leader reacts when confronted by uncomfortable questions. That moment of awkwardness for many and relishing freedom of speech, irrespective of however little and constrained it is, for others has come as handy during a joint press conference by Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro on March 21, 2016. After an one-on-one, two-hour session between the leaders at the Palace of Revolution, where Obama had a frank and candid discussion on Cuba's human rights, democracy and freedom of speech, both leaders fielded questions from foreign reporters. While Obama was at ease to respond most of the questions, it was a new test for Castro as he was not used to be challenged by reporters. During press conference that was televised live, both leaders sparred over Guantanamo Bay, a strip of Cuban land under control by the USA as part of a 1903 lease agreement with any cancellation to be effective only by the approval of both parties, democracy and other issues. When asked by a CNN reporter, Jim Acosta, whose father had emigrated from Cuba, on the island nation's political prisoners, Raul Castro shot back, saying if the correspondent could give "me a list, right now". President Obama's second day in Cuba on March 21, 2016 began with a visit to the Plaza of the Revolution, where he had placed a wreath at the monument of 19th century Cuban independence hero Jose Marti. Since the surprise announcement in December 2014 to restore relations between the two nations, Obama administration took concrete regulatory steps through Commerce and Treasury departments publication five times to ease travel and financial transactions.
Obama Declares an End to Cold War with Cuba
Wrapping up his three-day historic visit to Cuba, President Barack Obama on March 22, 2016 declared an end to the "last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas" and urged the Cubans to pursue a more democratic society. During the day, President Obama met with 13 Cuban dissidents at the U.S. embassy, and took some site seeing trip. Also Presidents Obama and Castro enjoyed a game between Tampa Rays and Cuba's National Baseball team on March 22, 2016.
Fidel Castro Criticizes Obama Trip
Legend Cuban leader Fidel Castro took a dig at the U.S. President Barack Obama's historic trip to his nation by publishing a 1,500-word letter on March 28, 2016. The letter contains chronicle of events shaping up the half-century of US policies of open hostilities and animosities.
********************* PRESIDENT OBAMA'S HISTORIC CUBA TRIP ****************
Trump Tightens Cuba Rules
In a reversal of normalization drive initiated by President Barack Obama, President Donald Trump issued new orders on June 15, 2017, tightening the noose around a burgeoning normalization of relationship between Cuba and USA.
Trump Administration Expels 15 Cuban Diplomats
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at Washington D.C. on October 3, 2017 that 15 Cuban diplomatic corps stationed in the U.S. had a week to leave after Havana failed to respond adequately on the mysterious sickening of 22 U.S. diplomats in the U.S. Embassy in Havana. This will bring the Cuban diplomatic staff level in the U.S. in par with that of U.S. diplomatic mission strength in Cuba. Last week, Trump administration ordered half of the American diplomats and their families to leave Cuba, leaving the official works to the hands of 27 employees.
Republican Senator Says no Proof of "Sonic Attack"
A visiting Republican Senator Jeff Flake, a long-time proponent of normalization of relationship between U.S. and Cuba, on January 6, 2018 met with Cuban officials, including Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, and said afterward that there was no proof that Cuban authorities were responsible for sonic attack that, many in the Trump administration alleged, might have sickened 22 U.S. diplomats.
Cuba Unveils New Generation of Leaders
Cuban National Assembly on April 18, 2018 okayed a slate of 32 members of Council of State, including the top of the ticket, who would be the first Cuban ruler in a generation without a Castro family lineage. On April 19, 2018, retiring President Raul Castro will hand over power to 57-year-old Miguel Mario Diaz-Canal Bermudez, underlining a generational shift in the iron-clad ruling structure at the helms of the island nation.
Historic Handover of Power Takes Place
For the first time in six decades, Cubans will not wake up to see their country's top leader with a Castro last name as the Castro era, but not definitely their political and social vision, has come to an end with the April 19, 2018, transfer of power from Raul Castro to Miguel Mario Diaz-Canal Bermudez. During the day, Castro gave a 90-minute valedictory speech, praising the tenacity of Cuban people and its political system. Raul Castro will serve as the head of the Communist Party until the end of 2021 when Diaz-Canal is expected to assume that mantle.
Cubans Vote on a New Constitution
Cuba under the leadership of Miguel Mario Diaz-Canal marked a milestone on February 24, 2019 as the country's new constitution was put to vote for ratification by Cubans in order to replace Cold War-era 1976 constitution and expand private ownership rights in a limited way.
Premier's Position Brought back after 43 Years
For the first time since 1976, Cuban lawmakers on December 21, 2019 approved a premier to better lead the government. After President Miguel Diaz-Canal on December 21, 2019 named the tourism minister as the country's new prime minister, Cuban legislature quickly approved Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country's new premier.
COSTA RICA
In February 2, 2014, presidential elections, no clear winner emerged, and Johnny Araya of the governing National Liberation Party and Luis Guillermo of Citizen Action Party are headed for presidential run-off.
Costa Rica Becomes the Sixth Latin American Country to Allow Same-Sex Marriage
Costa Rica became the latest nation and sixth in Latin America to allow same-sex marriage as a Supreme Court order on May 26, 2020 overturned a ban on same-sex marriage.
CUBA
General Assembly Votes to Condemn US Embargo on Cuba for 23rd Year in a Row
The U.N. General Assembly on October 28, 2014 voted 188-2 to condemn the US commercial, economic and trade embargo on Cuba. US and Israel as usual opposed the measure.
U.S. to Restore Ties with Cuba
In an almost epoch-making move that shook the political landscape in both Washington and Havana in a way unimaginable even few days ago, US President Barack Obama on December 17, 2014 announced that Washington was restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba, setting forth a motion of an accelerated process of bilateral trade, tourism, academic exchanges, family reunions and diplomatic relations, including re-opening the U.S. embassy in the Communist island. The announcement came after an hour-long telephone conversation between Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, who also made the simultaneous announcement to his nation. The unexpected announcement resulted from a series of confidential talks between the officials of two nations facilitated by Vatican and Canada. The confidential talks started right after Obama was inaugurated in his second term, and ran on the parallel track similar to the much publicized Iran deliberation. The talks were secretly held in Canada. However, for the time being, the economic embargo will be in place as only Congress has the authority to lift it. A 1996 law, Helms-Burton Act, requires Cuba to become a democracy and be ruled by anyone but Castro brothers as conditions for embargo to be lifted, making it almost Congress' exclusive jurisdiction to lift more than five-decade-old economic embargo. As part of restoring the diplomatic ties, a prisoner swap took place between the nation under which Alan Gross, a US government contractor spending a 15-year term in Cuban prison on espionage charges since his arrest in 2009, was freed by Cuba, and Gross was back in the USA later in the day. US also secured the release of a Cuban national who had worked for the USA, Rolando Sarras Trujillo, and spent almost 20 years in a Cuban prison. Cuba will also release 53 political prisoners from Cuban prisons. On the other hand, US freed three Cuban spies languishing in a US prison since 2001. The name of the Cuban national Rolando Sarras Trujillo was revealed by the media. President Obama also instructed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to initiate the process to remove Cuba from the list of sponsors of terrorism, a sore point in the relationship between two nations since Cuba was placed in that list in 1982.
There are plenty of pros that will usher in with the re-setting of Cuba-USA normalization of relations. However, one of the biggest cons is the future likelihood of going away of a 1966 act, Cuban Adjustment Act, that favors Cubans over any other migrants. Once at U.S. shorelines, or border, or airport, Cubans are allowed to stay and work in the USA with almost inevitable approval of permanent residency and eventual gain of citizenship.
25 Prisoners Freed from Cuban Jails
As part of re-setting of U.S.-Cuba relations announced on December 17, 2014, 25 of 53 Cuban political prisoners were freed on January 8, 2015, marking a slow, but sure, improvement in bilateral relations of former Cold War-era foes.
Cuba Completes Prisoner Release
Fulfilling its obligation to comply with one of the most important and observed provision of December 17, 2014, bilateral agreement between USA and Cuba that had led to new thawing of relations, Havana on January 12, 2015 completed the release of remaining prisoners. Four days ago (January 8, 2015), Raul Castro government released 25 of 53 prisoners.
Historic Meeting between Cuban and American Officials
A symbolically rich meeting was held between the officials from Cuba and USA at Havana on January 21 and January 22, 2015. Although there was no progress or expected outcome from the meeting, the fact that two archenemies held talks itself marked a success. Top US State Department diplomat Roberta Jacobson was as much pragmatic as she described the meetings "positive and productive". Jacobson's Cuban counterpart Josefina Vidal concurred, saying the dialogue was useful and both nations would plan another round of talks.
Cuban Official Urges Washington to Pare Back Political Support to Dissidents
A day after a two-day historic meeting ended at Havana, the lead negotiator on the Cuban side, Josefina Vidal, asked Washington on January 23, 2015 to cut the level of support American officials provided inside the U.S. Interest Section in Havana in exchange for greater freedom of movement of American diplomats and officials in Cuba, a key demand of the Obama administration.
First Deal by a US Company to Ease Telecom Services
As part of thawing relations between Cuba and the USA that was accelerated by a historic joint declaration on December 17, 2014 by both Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro to restore diplomatic ties, a New Jersey-based company, IDT Corp, on February 20, 2015 signed a deal with Cuban state telephone monopoly ETECSA to sell pre-paid calling cards to immigrants in the USA to make calls through third-party partners based in a third country. At present, all the calls made from the USA are being handled and routed by companies based in a third country. So, IDT's entry marks for the first time in more than half a century that a U.S.-based company will be directly responsible for handling phone calls between the Communist island and the USA.
Historic Meeting between Two Heads of State First Time in Almost Sixty Years
History was made on the sidelines of Summit of Americas at Panama City on April 11, 2015 as the U.S. President Barack Obama held an official meeting with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro that became an instant photo-ops hit around the world in social media. The meeting was the first since Dwight Eisenhower had met the then-Cuban President Fulgencio Batista in 1956.
Obama Backs Cuba to be Taken off the Terrorist List
US President Barack Obama on April 14, 2015 okayed a recommendation by the Secretary of State John Kerry to take Cuba off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Obama ordered the State Department in December 2014 to study the issue and come up with a recommendation. However, the island nation will not fall off the list immediately. It has to wait for another 45 days during which House and Senate may try to block the move through legislative maneuver.
Castro Praises Pope for Mediating and Helping in Thaw in US-Cuba Relationship
Cuban President Raul Castro on May 10, 2015 visited to meet his Holiness at Vatican before meeting with Italian President Matteo Renzi. After his meeting with Renzi, Castro said at a press conference at Rome that he had thanked Pope Francis for mediating the talks between USA and Cuba that had eventually led to the historic December 17, 2014, joint declaration to normalize relations between two Cold War-era foes. Pope urged him, according to Castro, to return to Catholic Church. Castro said that if Pope continued in his path, he would return to Catholic Church and begin to pray. Castro also vowed to throw a warm reception to upcoming visit of the pontiff to the island nation before the first Latin American Pope would set his feet in the USA in September 2015.
US Takes Cuba Off the List of "State Sponsor of Terrorism"
On May 29, 2015, US State Department issued a statement taking Cuba off the list of "state sponsor of terrorism". US Secretary of State John Kerry sent Congress the notification to this effect on April 14, 2015. Since Congress didn't take any action to block the removal process within 45-day action period, Cuba emerged from the blacklist after decades.
U.S., Cuba to Re-Open Embassies after More than Five Decades
After a gap of more than half centuries of distrust and disengagement, stars-and-stripes are again to fly over Havana, marking a new turn in diplomatic relationship between the Cold War-era foes of the Hemisphere. Standing at the Rose Garden of the White House, the U.S. President Barack Obama on July 1, 2015 announced that U.S. would re-open the embassy in Cuba on July 20, 2015 after 54 years of rupture in relations. Narrating the relationship in light of "choice between the past and future", he also asked the U.S. Congress to end the trade embargo, a required legislative step Republican majority is clearly reluctant to do. Secretary of State John Kerry may visit Havana to officiate the July 20, 2015, re-opening of the U.S. embassy, first such visit by the highest-ranking U.S. official of the stature of Secretary of State since 1945. The announcement of re-establishing of the formal diplomatic relationship was given significant official coverage in Cuba as the State TV broadcast live Obama's news conference, marking a historic turnaround in the U.S.-Cuba relationship since the first of economic embargo was imposed in 1961 by President Dwight Eisenhower's administration.
U.S., Cuba Reopen Embassies
After 54 years, 6 months and 17 days, both USA and Cuba turned the page over from the past to the future on July 20, 2015 by re-opening respective embassies at Havana and Washington, D.C. Kerry was not at hand on July 20, 2015 during the re-opening of the U.S. embassy at Havana. Kerry will instead go to Havana on August 13, 2015 to hoist the Stars and Stripes over the embassy. Although the flag-hoisting on August 13, 2015 will be diplomatic symbolic in nature, it's politically significant as Kerry will be the first U.S. Secretary of State since the March 1945 visit of the then-Secretary of State Edward Stettinius Jr. to Havana to show support for a short-lived democracy. On August 13, 2015, there will be three now-retired U.S. Marines who had lowered the U.S. flag from the embassy on January 3, 1961 after the then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower had cut off diplomatic ties with Cuba.
Kerry Presides over Hoisting of U.S. Flag over the Re-Opened Embassy
August 14, 2015 will be observed as a special day in Cuba-U.S. relations as after more than 54 years same three U.S. Marines--Larry Morris, Jim Tracey and Mike East--who had helped remove the U.S. flag on January 3, 1961 returned to the Communist Island to hand over Stars and Stripes to a new generation of Marines to hoist over the U.S. embassy that had re-opened on July 20, 2015. The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry presided over the ceremony, declaring under the blazing Caribbean Sun that hopefully the days of "suspicion and fear" were over. Kerry also met with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez.
Cuba Releases More than 3500 Before Pope's Arrival
Prior to Pope Francis' official visit later this month to Cuba, Havana on September 11, 2015 displayed the gesture of mercy by announcing that it would free 3,522 prisoners who had committed low-level crimes. The gesture hews to Pope Francis' central theme of hope, mercy and redemption.
Obama Administration Loosens Commerce, Treasury Restrictions on Cuba
Obama administration on September 18, 2015 relaxed further commerce and treasury rules, leading to further normalization of relationship with the former Cold War foe in the Western Hemisphere. The move came on the heels of Pope Francis' historic visit to Cuba and USA.
************************************* POPE'S CUBA VISIT ***********************
Pope's Cuba Visit Steeped in Politics
As Pope Francis embarked on a historic Cuba visit on September 19, 2015, eyes were all set on his words and action. On September 20, 2015, first full day of his visit, he addressed tens of thousands of people who were waiting to have a glimpse of Holy Sea at the Havana's Revolution Plaza. President Raul Castro was on stage to greet His Highness. In plain view of larger than life portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, Pope Francis praised the resiliency of Cuban people. Pope also nudged the negotiating parties from Colombian government and FARC, who had been in intense discussion in Havana, to reach an agreement to end the western hemisphere's oldest insurgency. Pope also met former Cuban leader Fidel Castro and exchanged pleasantries.
Pope Urges Cubans to be Willing to Change
On September 21, 2015, Pope Francis traveled to island-nation's fourth-largest city, Holguin, and celebrated a mass of 150,000 people at the city's Plaza of Revolution, where Catholic Church's first Pope from the Americas asked his Cuban followers and admirers to be ready to change. Later in the day, he flew to Santiago for an evening visit to the shine of Cuba's patron saint.
************************************* POPE'S CUBA VISIT ***********************
Joint Sea Life Management Agreement Signed
The first dividend from the thawing relationship between Cuba and the USA came in environmental front as both nations signed a landmark agreement at an oceans conference in Valparaiso, Chile on October 5, 2015 as part of a coalition to study marine life in Florida Straits and Gulf of Mexico, create a shared inventory of sea species in the region and protecting reefs and pristine life.
US, Cuba Sign Joint Marine Life Agreement
As a natural extension to growing normalization of relations and next phase of October 5, 2015, agreement at a oceans conference in Valparaiso, Chile, USA and Cuba on November 18, 2015 signed a historic bilateral marine life agreement to protect and promote maritime ecosystem and coral environment in Atlantic Ocean. The agreement, signed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Kathryn Sullivan on behalf of the USA, inked at Havana calls for scientists tied to Florida Keys and Texas Flower Garden Banks to collaborate with the the Cuban scientists tied to Guanahacabibes National Park and the Banco de San Antonio in pursuit for joint research to improve the fragile marine life ecosystems in these two pairs of oceanic regions.
American Bank to Offer Debit Card
A Florida-based bank, Stonegate bank of Pompano, announced on November 19, 2015 that it would take advantage of thawing relationship between Cold War-era foes and offer debit cards to the U.S. visitors. This marked the first time that an American bank came forward and announced rolling out this service.
U.S., Cuba to Launch a Pilot on Resumption of Postal Service
More than half a century after severing the postal services between the nations, Cuba and USA on December 11, 2015 agreed to begin a test on resuming the postal service. It's not clear when the pilot will begin, or how it will be conducted, leave alone about a permanent service resumption pending the review of security, technical and operational aspects.
Cuba, USA Reach Aviation Deal
Five days after agreeing to resume a limited postal service, Cuba and the USA on December 16, 2015 agreed on a deal to resume commercial airplane services. Although the timeframe to resume the service has not been made public yet, the safety inspection and other relevant requirements will begin soon as part of the deal. After the USA and Cuba began to normalize the bilateral relations in December 2014, most of the major U.S.-based carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue expressed interest to resume Cuba services. At present, only charter flights fly passengers between Cuba and the USA. However, even after the commercial flights begin operating in the US-Cuba market, passengers are still required to obtain visa under one of the 12 categories such as travelers with relatives in Cuba, cultural exchange program or religious programs.
U.S. Companies to Sell Cuban Consumers on Credit
In another shot to the U.S.-Cuba trade normalization effort, the U.S. Commerce Department on January 26, 2016 announced that it would loosen restrictions on the U.S. companies to sell products straight to Cuban customers on credit. Most of the products waived from the restrictions are non-agricultural items.
US, Cuba to Resume Commercial Aviation Services
Taking bilateral relations forward by another step, U.S. and Cuba on February 16, 2016 signed an agreement to resume commercial aviation services between the Cold War-era foes. The agreement, signed by US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and his Cuban counterpart at Havana, calls for resuming 110 daily flights between the nations and marks an irreversible departure from a more than 50-year thawed relationship between Havana and Washington. Currently there are about 20 charter flights between the two nations.
President Obama to Visit Cuba in March
U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Cuba during March 21-22, 2016, according to a press statement issued by the White House on February 18, 2016. The reaction to president's upcoming visit to Cuba was along the expected line. Most of the Democrats and young Cuban Americans welcomed it, while Republican Presidential candidate Jeb Bush called it "appalling" and Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen called the planned visit "shameful". New Jersey's Democratic Senator Bob Menendez also blasted president's planned visit to Cuba.
********************* PRESIDENT OBAMA'S HISTORIC CUBA TRIP ****************
Obama Begins Cuba Trip amid Crackdown on Dissidence
President Barack Obama arrived at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport on March 20, 2016 for a three-day official visit, first such official visit by a sitting U.S. president in almost eight decades since Calvin Coolidge had visited Cuba in January 1928, amid arrest of dozens of protesters from a well-known dissident group, Ladies in White, that's known to hold Sunday rallies at Havana. President Obama is scheduled to meet a group of dissidents on March 22, 2016, including Ladies in White's leader Berta Soler. Upon his arrival, President Obama took a stroll through Old Havana, visited the U.S. Embassy on the Malecon seafront boulevard on Havana Bay and met with Cardinal Jaime Ortega, a key architect of the drive to normalize relations between Cuba and the USA, at the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception. President Obama's family accompanied in this historic trip.
Unprecedented Manifestation of Democracy in the Open Display
It's not that after President Barack Obama's three-day visit, Cuba will begin overnight to work on expanding democracy and freedom of speech. It may be just cosmetic, full of symbolism, instead of substantive, any talk on democratic progress and political pluralism. However, there is absolutely no denial that thanks to Obama's March 20-22, 2016, visit, Cuban people have got a unique opportunity to see how their leader reacts when confronted by uncomfortable questions. That moment of awkwardness for many and relishing freedom of speech, irrespective of however little and constrained it is, for others has come as handy during a joint press conference by Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro on March 21, 2016. After an one-on-one, two-hour session between the leaders at the Palace of Revolution, where Obama had a frank and candid discussion on Cuba's human rights, democracy and freedom of speech, both leaders fielded questions from foreign reporters. While Obama was at ease to respond most of the questions, it was a new test for Castro as he was not used to be challenged by reporters. During press conference that was televised live, both leaders sparred over Guantanamo Bay, a strip of Cuban land under control by the USA as part of a 1903 lease agreement with any cancellation to be effective only by the approval of both parties, democracy and other issues. When asked by a CNN reporter, Jim Acosta, whose father had emigrated from Cuba, on the island nation's political prisoners, Raul Castro shot back, saying if the correspondent could give "me a list, right now". President Obama's second day in Cuba on March 21, 2016 began with a visit to the Plaza of the Revolution, where he had placed a wreath at the monument of 19th century Cuban independence hero Jose Marti. Since the surprise announcement in December 2014 to restore relations between the two nations, Obama administration took concrete regulatory steps through Commerce and Treasury departments publication five times to ease travel and financial transactions.
Obama Declares an End to Cold War with Cuba
Wrapping up his three-day historic visit to Cuba, President Barack Obama on March 22, 2016 declared an end to the "last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas" and urged the Cubans to pursue a more democratic society. During the day, President Obama met with 13 Cuban dissidents at the U.S. embassy, and took some site seeing trip. Also Presidents Obama and Castro enjoyed a game between Tampa Rays and Cuba's National Baseball team on March 22, 2016.
Fidel Castro Criticizes Obama Trip
Legend Cuban leader Fidel Castro took a dig at the U.S. President Barack Obama's historic trip to his nation by publishing a 1,500-word letter on March 28, 2016. The letter contains chronicle of events shaping up the half-century of US policies of open hostilities and animosities.
********************* PRESIDENT OBAMA'S HISTORIC CUBA TRIP ****************
Legend Archbishop of Havana Resigns
Cardinal Jaime Ortega, a central figure behind warming-up of relationship between the USA and Cuba, had stepped down, a press release from Vatican on April 26, 2016 declared. The same press release also names a replacement for Ortega: Juan de la Caridad Garcia Rodriguez, the archbishop of the eastern city of Camaguey. Cardinal Ortega has submitted his resignation back in 2011 when he has turned 75, a mandatory retirement age for Vatican, but Pope Benedict has retained him partly due to the delicate nature of the Cuban Church in influencing--however minimal it is--island nation's domestic and international policies. Cardinal Ortega was ordained in 1981.
American Cruise Sails to Cuba Make History
American cruise passengers aboard Adonia, a Carnival cruise liner, were greeted like celebrities on May 2, 2016 as their vessels arrived at Havana Bay. On hand were salsa dancers and booze, and plenty of talks of a fast-normalizing U.S.-Cuba relationship. The cruise liner was the first in more than five decades, and facilitated by a Cuban government decision to lift a long-standing ban on Cuban-born people returning to the island by sea.
Cuba to Expand Private Enterprise
In a hopeful sign for a more market-oriented economy, Cuba on May 24, 2016 took another big leap by announcing that it would legalize medium and small private businesses.
U.S. Abstains on Cuba Vote
Parting away from decades-old tradition of voting against U.N resolutions condemning the Cuba embargo policy, U.S. abstained from voting at the U.N. General Assembly on October 26, 2016 on a resolution that called for immediate lifting of Cuba embargo. The resolution was approved by 191-0 with Israel joining the USA to abstain from voting.
Cuba Commutes 787 Prisoners
Heeding and honoring the request of the Roman Catholic Church, Cuba's Council of State, headed by President Raul Castro, on November 15, 2016 announced the release of 787 prisoners.
**************** End of an Era: Fidel Castro, the Ultimate Revolutionary ****************
Castro Passes Away
An era of revolution and socialistic aspiration ends with the passing away of Cuban leader Fidel Castro on November 25, 2016. Cuban President Raul Castro announced on November 25, 2016 night to a stone-deaf nation that their beloved leader had passed away at the age of 90. The reaction to Fidel Castro's death was almost anyone could expect. Cubans in the island became struck by the news and the accompanying emptiness of a leader who had remained larger than life after quitting presidency 10 years ago and formally abdicating the job two years later. Across the Strait, exiles in Miami poured on the streets in the night to celebrate the death of a dictator they had called the butcherer. Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926 in the country's sugar heartland in the east where his father first worked as recruiter of laborers for U.S. sugar industry and then he himself had owned sugar plantation. Castro vaulted to prominence when he led an uprising in 1953 by attacking a military base, Moncada military barrack, in Santiago in eastern Cuba. Most of his comrades were killed, and he along his brother, Raul, were jailed. Fidel Castro turned his trial into a political forum, and smuggled out a manifesto out of jail to his comrades. Castro and his jailed comrades were freed from jail under a state pardon, but soon they had fled to Mexico to organize for a revolution. He led a band of determined rebels in 1956 to sail across Gulf of Mexico in a yacht named Granma. He organized a popular uprising in the high mountains of Sierra Maestra. His movement gained in strength by the day, and three years later, the rebels descended on Havana on January 8, 1959 and overthrew the Batista regime. Initially U.S. supported the Castro regime, but soon imposed the harshest of sanctions on the island nation as Fidel Castro rallied around advancing Socialism across the globe.
World Leaders Attend Massive Rally to Pay Respect to Castro
A sea of humanity on November 29, 2016 descended on the sprawling Plaza of the Revolution in Havana with passion and determination reflecting their undying loyalty and undiminished love for the revolutionary they had adored and their exile expatriates had come to loathe. Foreign dignitaries from all over the world were at hand to pay their rich tribute. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega implored an exuberant crowd to chant "I am Fidel!", "I am Fidel!". Russian Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, giving eulogy on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, said that Fidel Castro would never be broken under any circumstances and neither did the Cuban people. The highest-ranking American diplomat among the attendees was Obama's National Security Adviser Benjamin Rhodes. Fidel Castro's mortal remains will be buried at Santiago de Cuba on December 4, 2016.
Castro's Cortege Begins 500-mile Journey
On November 30, 2016, morning, the final journey for Fidel Castro's burial began with a convoy pulling out of Havana's Plaza of the Revolution and heading towards Santiago de Cuba.
**************** End of an Era: Fidel Castro, the Ultimate Revolutionary ****************
American Cruise Sails to Cuba Make History
American cruise passengers aboard Adonia, a Carnival cruise liner, were greeted like celebrities on May 2, 2016 as their vessels arrived at Havana Bay. On hand were salsa dancers and booze, and plenty of talks of a fast-normalizing U.S.-Cuba relationship. The cruise liner was the first in more than five decades, and facilitated by a Cuban government decision to lift a long-standing ban on Cuban-born people returning to the island by sea.
Cuba to Expand Private Enterprise
In a hopeful sign for a more market-oriented economy, Cuba on May 24, 2016 took another big leap by announcing that it would legalize medium and small private businesses.
U.S. Abstains on Cuba Vote
Parting away from decades-old tradition of voting against U.N resolutions condemning the Cuba embargo policy, U.S. abstained from voting at the U.N. General Assembly on October 26, 2016 on a resolution that called for immediate lifting of Cuba embargo. The resolution was approved by 191-0 with Israel joining the USA to abstain from voting.
Cuba Commutes 787 Prisoners
Heeding and honoring the request of the Roman Catholic Church, Cuba's Council of State, headed by President Raul Castro, on November 15, 2016 announced the release of 787 prisoners.
**************** End of an Era: Fidel Castro, the Ultimate Revolutionary ****************
Castro Passes Away
An era of revolution and socialistic aspiration ends with the passing away of Cuban leader Fidel Castro on November 25, 2016. Cuban President Raul Castro announced on November 25, 2016 night to a stone-deaf nation that their beloved leader had passed away at the age of 90. The reaction to Fidel Castro's death was almost anyone could expect. Cubans in the island became struck by the news and the accompanying emptiness of a leader who had remained larger than life after quitting presidency 10 years ago and formally abdicating the job two years later. Across the Strait, exiles in Miami poured on the streets in the night to celebrate the death of a dictator they had called the butcherer. Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926 in the country's sugar heartland in the east where his father first worked as recruiter of laborers for U.S. sugar industry and then he himself had owned sugar plantation. Castro vaulted to prominence when he led an uprising in 1953 by attacking a military base, Moncada military barrack, in Santiago in eastern Cuba. Most of his comrades were killed, and he along his brother, Raul, were jailed. Fidel Castro turned his trial into a political forum, and smuggled out a manifesto out of jail to his comrades. Castro and his jailed comrades were freed from jail under a state pardon, but soon they had fled to Mexico to organize for a revolution. He led a band of determined rebels in 1956 to sail across Gulf of Mexico in a yacht named Granma. He organized a popular uprising in the high mountains of Sierra Maestra. His movement gained in strength by the day, and three years later, the rebels descended on Havana on January 8, 1959 and overthrew the Batista regime. Initially U.S. supported the Castro regime, but soon imposed the harshest of sanctions on the island nation as Fidel Castro rallied around advancing Socialism across the globe.
World Leaders Attend Massive Rally to Pay Respect to Castro
A sea of humanity on November 29, 2016 descended on the sprawling Plaza of the Revolution in Havana with passion and determination reflecting their undying loyalty and undiminished love for the revolutionary they had adored and their exile expatriates had come to loathe. Foreign dignitaries from all over the world were at hand to pay their rich tribute. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega implored an exuberant crowd to chant "I am Fidel!", "I am Fidel!". Russian Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, giving eulogy on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, said that Fidel Castro would never be broken under any circumstances and neither did the Cuban people. The highest-ranking American diplomat among the attendees was Obama's National Security Adviser Benjamin Rhodes. Fidel Castro's mortal remains will be buried at Santiago de Cuba on December 4, 2016.
Castro's Cortege Begins 500-mile Journey
On November 30, 2016, morning, the final journey for Fidel Castro's burial began with a convoy pulling out of Havana's Plaza of the Revolution and heading towards Santiago de Cuba.
**************** End of an Era: Fidel Castro, the Ultimate Revolutionary ****************
Trump Tightens Cuba Rules
In a reversal of normalization drive initiated by President Barack Obama, President Donald Trump issued new orders on June 15, 2017, tightening the noose around a burgeoning normalization of relationship between Cuba and USA.
Trump Administration Expels 15 Cuban Diplomats
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at Washington D.C. on October 3, 2017 that 15 Cuban diplomatic corps stationed in the U.S. had a week to leave after Havana failed to respond adequately on the mysterious sickening of 22 U.S. diplomats in the U.S. Embassy in Havana. This will bring the Cuban diplomatic staff level in the U.S. in par with that of U.S. diplomatic mission strength in Cuba. Last week, Trump administration ordered half of the American diplomats and their families to leave Cuba, leaving the official works to the hands of 27 employees.
Republican Senator Says no Proof of "Sonic Attack"
A visiting Republican Senator Jeff Flake, a long-time proponent of normalization of relationship between U.S. and Cuba, on January 6, 2018 met with Cuban officials, including Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, and said afterward that there was no proof that Cuban authorities were responsible for sonic attack that, many in the Trump administration alleged, might have sickened 22 U.S. diplomats.
Cuba Unveils New Generation of Leaders
Cuban National Assembly on April 18, 2018 okayed a slate of 32 members of Council of State, including the top of the ticket, who would be the first Cuban ruler in a generation without a Castro family lineage. On April 19, 2018, retiring President Raul Castro will hand over power to 57-year-old Miguel Mario Diaz-Canal Bermudez, underlining a generational shift in the iron-clad ruling structure at the helms of the island nation.
Historic Handover of Power Takes Place
For the first time in six decades, Cubans will not wake up to see their country's top leader with a Castro last name as the Castro era, but not definitely their political and social vision, has come to an end with the April 19, 2018, transfer of power from Raul Castro to Miguel Mario Diaz-Canal Bermudez. During the day, Castro gave a 90-minute valedictory speech, praising the tenacity of Cuban people and its political system. Raul Castro will serve as the head of the Communist Party until the end of 2021 when Diaz-Canal is expected to assume that mantle.
Cubans Vote on a New Constitution
Cuba under the leadership of Miguel Mario Diaz-Canal marked a milestone on February 24, 2019 as the country's new constitution was put to vote for ratification by Cubans in order to replace Cold War-era 1976 constitution and expand private ownership rights in a limited way.
Premier's Position Brought back after 43 Years
For the first time since 1976, Cuban lawmakers on December 21, 2019 approved a premier to better lead the government. After President Miguel Diaz-Canal on December 21, 2019 named the tourism minister as the country's new prime minister, Cuban legislature quickly approved Manuel Marrero Cruz as the country's new premier.
Eighth Party Congress Marks the Change as No Castros will be Visible Anymore
Cuba's Communists began the eighth party Congress on April 16, 2021. Addressing the opening session of the Congress, the First Secretary Raul Castro announced that he was resigning his post of party chief after fulfilling "his mission". Castro's stepping-down was expected as the 89-year-old brother of Cuban icon Fidel Castro began the transition in 2018 when 60-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canal became the president of the island nation. This is the first time since 1959 Cuban Revolution that no Castros will serve as a leader of either the party or government.
Unprecedented Protest against Cuban Regime Reverberates across Florida Strait
A series of overwhelming anti-government protests were held on July 11, 2021 at various Cuban cities, including Havana, over a surging COVID-19 pandemic, price rises, scarcity of daily commodities and economic hardship. The sudden spurt of protests across various cities shocked the government officials and surprised political observers. On July 12, 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden threw his support for the protesters. On July 13, 2021, Cuban diaspora in Miami held solidarity rally backing the protesters in Cuba. A section of Miami protesters during the day blockaded a key bridge.
Biden
Administration Targets Cuban National Police
In
response to the Cuban regime’s harsh crackdown on unprecedented demonstrations
held across the island nation on July 11, 2021, Biden administration is
readying a host of sanctions. First of those was applied on July 30, 2021
as the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
announced sanctions on the Police Nacional Revolcionaria and its
director and deputy director, Oscar Callejas Valcare and Eddir Sierra
Arias, respectively.
Same-sex Marriage Allowed in the New Family Code to be Put in Referendum
The Washington Post reported on July 23, 2022 that the Cuban Communist Party had finalized a new Family Code that would replace an existing one developed in 1975. Cubans will have opportunity to vote on this new Family Code that allows same-sex marriage and adoption in a referendum on September 25, 2022.
Cuba Approves New “Family Law” to Grant Same-sex Marriage, Other Rights
Cubans participated in a plebiscite on September 25, 2022 to
approve the wholesale revamp of the current family law. The new “Family Code”
will accord marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples and increase the
rights of elderly people. The margin of approval for the new “Family Code” was 66.85%
to 33.15%. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canal tweeted on September 26,
2022 that the “love is now the law” of the land to celebrate the passage of
new “Family Code".
Cuba: U.N. General Assembly Condemns U.S. Embargo
The 193-nation U.N. General Assembly on November 2, 2023 voted 187-2
to condemn U.S. embargo on Cuba. Israel and U.S. opposed the non-binding
resolution, while Somalia, Venezuela and Moldova didn’t vote and Ukraine
abstaining.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominicans May Elect a Businessman with Little Experience to Presidency
A businessman turned novice politician is likely to end an uninterrupted 16-year rule of Dominican Republic Party as Luis Abinader, a tourism industry entrepreneur, is expected to coast to victory in July 5, 2020, presidential election. Amid coronavirus pandemic that had hit capital Santo Domingo and surrounding areas, voters maintained not so strict social distancing. A day earlier, July 4, 2020, the country reported highest cases of coronavirus: 1,241. Dominican Republic had suffered 794 fatalities from novel coronavirus as of election day. According to the latest count, Luis Abinader was leading Gonzalo Castillo, a former public works minister. However, it was not clear whether Luis Abinader will be able to avoid a July 26, 2020, runoff. The other four candidates in the fray included a former three-stint president, Leonel Fernandez, and three other minor candidates. The incumbent, Danillo Medina, is barred from running a third four-year term. During the day, Dominican voters also chose 32 Senators and 190 members of lower house of Congress. The new president will be sworn in on August 16, 2020.
ECUADOR
Presidential Polls Head to a Runoff
The February 19, 2017, presidential election failed to yield a clear victor as official results on February 21, 2017 pointed to the ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno, backed by Leftist President Rafael Correa, falling short of required 40 percent of popular vote to win outright. Conservative candidate and a former banker Guillermo Lasso will now face Moreno in April 2, 2017, runoff.
Pro-Socialist President's Hand-Picked Successor Wins Presidential Runoff
Ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno was reported to have won the presidential runoff eking out a victory over Guillermo Lasso as the polls had closed on April 2, 2017 and the tallies began to pour in.
Leftist Retains Control of Presidency
On April 3, 2017, after more than 99 percent of the votes from Ecuador's 24 provinces had been tallied, Leftist candidate Lenin Moreno was declared the victor after receiving 51 percent of the votes as opposed to the opposition candidate Guillermo Lasso's 49 percent. Expressing distrust in the country's National Electoral Council, Lasso, who had been expected to win the runoff because nearly 60 percent of the electorate chose a candidate other than Moreno in the first round amid a declining economy--projected to shrink 2.7 percent this year--due to depressed oil prices and government mismanagement, asked his supporters to keep a watch against fraud.
Leftist Candidate Officially Declared the Winner
The head of National Electoral Council on April 4, 2017 gave the official stamp of approval on the outcome of the April 2, 2017, presidential runoff, naming Lenin Moreno as the victor. Juan Pablo Pozo, president of the election overseeing body, said that the results were "official, irreversible", with 99.65 percent votes counted and Moreno receiving slightly over 51 percent vote.
All Contested Ballots to be Recounted
Ecuador's electoral panel decided on April 14, 2017 to count all the ballots contested by rival sides in the April 4, 2017, runoff in which ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno had edged past the former banker Guillermo Lasso by less than 3 percentage points. The election body's decision will lead to recounting of about 10 percent of the total votes cast.
Left Protagonist Sworn in; Promises to Heal Division
Leftist winner of April 3, 2017, presidential polls was sworn in as country's president on May 24, 2017. President Lenin Moreno vowed to heal Ecuador's political division after taking the oath of the office.
Vice President Removed on Graft Charges
Ecuador's Vice President Jorge Glas on January 3, 2018 was officially removed from the office on corruption charges. He was sentenced to a 10-year term for accepting bribes from Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht.
Ecuador Grants Citizenship to Assange
Ecuador's Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa said on January 11, 2018 at Quito that the Latin American nation had granted the citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who had been holed up in Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, in October 2017 in response to Assange's application that had been filed in September 2017.
Ecuador's Kidnapped Journalists Beg for Life
Two Ecuadorian journalists and their driver had been abducted on March 26, 2018 as they had gone to the country's lawless northern borders with Colombia to investigate the rise in violence, including fatal shootouts with Ecuador's military. The journalists from Ecuador's El Comerico newspaper were reportedly kidnapped by a breakaway faction of Colombian rebel group FARC. The faction, called the Oliver Sinisterra Front, refused to honor the 2016 landmark peace deal between FARC and the Colombian government. On April 3, 2018, a 22-second video--three kidnapped men were shown on the video as tied to each other around their necks by a chain--surfaced in which one of the journalists, Javier Ortega, had pleaded with President Lenin Moreno, saying that their lives were "in your hands" and appealed the president to accept the rebel demands, including stopping anti-narcotics co-operation with Colombia and releasing three rebels from captivity. The other two under the captivity of rebels are photographer Paul Rivas and their driver, Efrain Segarra.
Two Journalists, Their Driver Killed
Ecuador's president, Lenin Moreno, broke the tragic news on April 13, 2018 that the journalist duo--Javier Ortega and Paul Rivas--tied to El Comerico and their driver, Efrain Segarra, had been killed by their captor, bringing to an end--although a very tragic one--of an almost two-week saga that had drawn the world's attention to the menace of residual of Colombia's armed rebellion.
Two More People Kidnapped by the Same Rebel Group
A video surfaced on April 17, 2018 that had a man and a woman tied by a chain around their necks pleading for their lives to Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno so that they did not face the same fate as two El Comerico journalists and their driver. Ecuador and Colombia are jointly carrying out operation against the breakaway FARC group, Oliver Sinisterra Front, and its leader, Walter Arizala, better known by his alias, Guacho, on whom Ecuador had announced a reward of $230,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Moreno Administration Faces People's Resistance over IMF-Prescribed Austerity Measures
Ecuador President Lenin Moreno's effort to tackle runaway budget deficit, swollen national debt and wayward spending through an IMF-backed austerity package stirred the hornet's nest as Ecuador's people were outraged by sudden hike in fuel prices and other commodities and took to the streets. The demonstrations spread like a wildfire engulfing Quito, the capital, and other parts of the country, often turning violent. After 10 days of violent protests, confrontation and crippling of national life, President Lenin Moreno on October 12, 2019 addressed the Ecuadoran people in a nationally televised speech, declaring a curfew that would begin at 3PM local time. Moreno blamed the violence on drug traffickers, organized crime and instigation by Former President Rafael Correa, who denied the allegation.
President, Indigenous Leaders Reach Agreement to End Political Impasse
After 11 days of continuous and often violent protest, President Lenin Moreno and indigenous leaders reached an agreement around 10PM on October 13, 2019 after hours of talks in Quito. The president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nations, Jaime Vargas, showed up at the negotiation with face paint and headdress of Achuar tribe. The October 13, 2019, deal calls for abrogation of the Decree 883, an administrative order to implement the IMF-dictated austerity measure and renegotiating a new deal with the International Monetary Fund to address Ecuador's high national debt and staggering budget deficit. Both President Lenin Moreno and Jaime Vargas were appreciative of each other, and this new found bonhomie was aptly expressed by the United Nations' resident coordinator in Ecuador, Arnaud Peral, who said, "the moment of peace, of agreement has come". Earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters gathered in the Arbolito Park in Quito, an epicenter of the 11-day anti-government protest.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominicans May Elect a Businessman with Little Experience to Presidency
A businessman turned novice politician is likely to end an uninterrupted 16-year rule of Dominican Republic Party as Luis Abinader, a tourism industry entrepreneur, is expected to coast to victory in July 5, 2020, presidential election. Amid coronavirus pandemic that had hit capital Santo Domingo and surrounding areas, voters maintained not so strict social distancing. A day earlier, July 4, 2020, the country reported highest cases of coronavirus: 1,241. Dominican Republic had suffered 794 fatalities from novel coronavirus as of election day. According to the latest count, Luis Abinader was leading Gonzalo Castillo, a former public works minister. However, it was not clear whether Luis Abinader will be able to avoid a July 26, 2020, runoff. The other four candidates in the fray included a former three-stint president, Leonel Fernandez, and three other minor candidates. The incumbent, Danillo Medina, is barred from running a third four-year term. During the day, Dominican voters also chose 32 Senators and 190 members of lower house of Congress. The new president will be sworn in on August 16, 2020.
ECUADOR
Presidential Polls Head to a Runoff
The February 19, 2017, presidential election failed to yield a clear victor as official results on February 21, 2017 pointed to the ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno, backed by Leftist President Rafael Correa, falling short of required 40 percent of popular vote to win outright. Conservative candidate and a former banker Guillermo Lasso will now face Moreno in April 2, 2017, runoff.
Pro-Socialist President's Hand-Picked Successor Wins Presidential Runoff
Ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno was reported to have won the presidential runoff eking out a victory over Guillermo Lasso as the polls had closed on April 2, 2017 and the tallies began to pour in.
Leftist Retains Control of Presidency
On April 3, 2017, after more than 99 percent of the votes from Ecuador's 24 provinces had been tallied, Leftist candidate Lenin Moreno was declared the victor after receiving 51 percent of the votes as opposed to the opposition candidate Guillermo Lasso's 49 percent. Expressing distrust in the country's National Electoral Council, Lasso, who had been expected to win the runoff because nearly 60 percent of the electorate chose a candidate other than Moreno in the first round amid a declining economy--projected to shrink 2.7 percent this year--due to depressed oil prices and government mismanagement, asked his supporters to keep a watch against fraud.
Leftist Candidate Officially Declared the Winner
The head of National Electoral Council on April 4, 2017 gave the official stamp of approval on the outcome of the April 2, 2017, presidential runoff, naming Lenin Moreno as the victor. Juan Pablo Pozo, president of the election overseeing body, said that the results were "official, irreversible", with 99.65 percent votes counted and Moreno receiving slightly over 51 percent vote.
All Contested Ballots to be Recounted
Ecuador's electoral panel decided on April 14, 2017 to count all the ballots contested by rival sides in the April 4, 2017, runoff in which ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno had edged past the former banker Guillermo Lasso by less than 3 percentage points. The election body's decision will lead to recounting of about 10 percent of the total votes cast.
Left Protagonist Sworn in; Promises to Heal Division
Leftist winner of April 3, 2017, presidential polls was sworn in as country's president on May 24, 2017. President Lenin Moreno vowed to heal Ecuador's political division after taking the oath of the office.
Vice President Removed on Graft Charges
Ecuador's Vice President Jorge Glas on January 3, 2018 was officially removed from the office on corruption charges. He was sentenced to a 10-year term for accepting bribes from Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht.
Ecuador Grants Citizenship to Assange
Ecuador's Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa said on January 11, 2018 at Quito that the Latin American nation had granted the citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who had been holed up in Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, in October 2017 in response to Assange's application that had been filed in September 2017.
Ecuador's Kidnapped Journalists Beg for Life
Two Ecuadorian journalists and their driver had been abducted on March 26, 2018 as they had gone to the country's lawless northern borders with Colombia to investigate the rise in violence, including fatal shootouts with Ecuador's military. The journalists from Ecuador's El Comerico newspaper were reportedly kidnapped by a breakaway faction of Colombian rebel group FARC. The faction, called the Oliver Sinisterra Front, refused to honor the 2016 landmark peace deal between FARC and the Colombian government. On April 3, 2018, a 22-second video--three kidnapped men were shown on the video as tied to each other around their necks by a chain--surfaced in which one of the journalists, Javier Ortega, had pleaded with President Lenin Moreno, saying that their lives were "in your hands" and appealed the president to accept the rebel demands, including stopping anti-narcotics co-operation with Colombia and releasing three rebels from captivity. The other two under the captivity of rebels are photographer Paul Rivas and their driver, Efrain Segarra.
Two Journalists, Their Driver Killed
Ecuador's president, Lenin Moreno, broke the tragic news on April 13, 2018 that the journalist duo--Javier Ortega and Paul Rivas--tied to El Comerico and their driver, Efrain Segarra, had been killed by their captor, bringing to an end--although a very tragic one--of an almost two-week saga that had drawn the world's attention to the menace of residual of Colombia's armed rebellion.
Two More People Kidnapped by the Same Rebel Group
A video surfaced on April 17, 2018 that had a man and a woman tied by a chain around their necks pleading for their lives to Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno so that they did not face the same fate as two El Comerico journalists and their driver. Ecuador and Colombia are jointly carrying out operation against the breakaway FARC group, Oliver Sinisterra Front, and its leader, Walter Arizala, better known by his alias, Guacho, on whom Ecuador had announced a reward of $230,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Moreno Administration Faces People's Resistance over IMF-Prescribed Austerity Measures
Ecuador President Lenin Moreno's effort to tackle runaway budget deficit, swollen national debt and wayward spending through an IMF-backed austerity package stirred the hornet's nest as Ecuador's people were outraged by sudden hike in fuel prices and other commodities and took to the streets. The demonstrations spread like a wildfire engulfing Quito, the capital, and other parts of the country, often turning violent. After 10 days of violent protests, confrontation and crippling of national life, President Lenin Moreno on October 12, 2019 addressed the Ecuadoran people in a nationally televised speech, declaring a curfew that would begin at 3PM local time. Moreno blamed the violence on drug traffickers, organized crime and instigation by Former President Rafael Correa, who denied the allegation.
President, Indigenous Leaders Reach Agreement to End Political Impasse
After 11 days of continuous and often violent protest, President Lenin Moreno and indigenous leaders reached an agreement around 10PM on October 13, 2019 after hours of talks in Quito. The president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nations, Jaime Vargas, showed up at the negotiation with face paint and headdress of Achuar tribe. The October 13, 2019, deal calls for abrogation of the Decree 883, an administrative order to implement the IMF-dictated austerity measure and renegotiating a new deal with the International Monetary Fund to address Ecuador's high national debt and staggering budget deficit. Both President Lenin Moreno and Jaime Vargas were appreciative of each other, and this new found bonhomie was aptly expressed by the United Nations' resident coordinator in Ecuador, Arnaud Peral, who said, "the moment of peace, of agreement has come". Earlier in the day, hundreds of protesters gathered in the Arbolito Park in Quito, an epicenter of the 11-day anti-government protest.
Ecuadorean President Dissolves Parliament
Ecuador plunged into deep political crisis as one of the last remaining conservative
rulers of Latin America became more despotic to stay in power. Facing
embezzlement charges and related impeachment vote by nation’s parliament, President
Guillermo Lasso on May 17, 2023 dissolved the country’s parliament and moved
to rule the nation by decree.
Ecuador Plunges into Uncertainty after Presidential Candidate
Assassinated
A presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, who had
mastered and earned reputation, reverence and respect for his investigative
journalism and focusing on the fight against corruption was assassinated on August
9, 2023 days before the presidential election. The assassination of Fernando
Villavicencio was shocking in its audacity, and spotlighted the helplessness
of civil authorities. Although the candidate of the Construye party is a
longshot candidate to win the presidential race, his focus on anti-corruption campaign
has raised the awareness of a broad section of voters for an issue that’s of
paramount importance to the government functioning and transparency.
On August 13, 2023, Construye party nominated another investigative
journalist, Christian Zurita, to stand for his assassinated friend
Fernando Villavicencio.
Only Female Candidate Ahead of Others Amidst a Peaceful Election
Credit goes to the National Electoral Council and the electorate
for what the election panel’s president, Diana Atamaint, has called a “peaceful
and safe” election held on August 20, 2023. More than 100,000 security
forces were deployed to protect peace and provide safety to the people. Voting
is mandatory in Ecuador. However, many Ecuadorians weighed between paying fines
and taking risks to go to polling stations to cast ballots. Atamaint, though,
complained against cyberattacks—originated in China, India and Bangladesh—targeting
the online voting infrastructure used by the overseas voters, although the
outcome was not compromised. As the counting began, Luisa Gonzalez, only
female candidate in the fray, raced ahead of seven other candidates. The second
placer is Daniel Noboa, whose family owns a multinational banana business.
Ecuador Heads for Runoff
In the August 20, 2023, emergency presidential election, a former
president’s ally won the maximum vote—33% of votes—followed by a
surprise show of strength by a heir of a banana business as Daniel Noboa
received about 24% vote. Both will head to October 15, 2023,
runoff and one of them will serve President Guillermo Lasso’s unfinished
two years of the stint left. Luisa Gonzalez openly aligned herself with Former
President Rafael Correa, who in 2020 had been sentenced in absentia to
eight-year imprisonment on charges of corruption.
Seven Accused of Assassination of Presidential Candidate Killed in Jail
Cells
Six Colombian men accused of the August 9, 2023, murder of presidential
candidate Fernando Villavicencio were killed inside a jail in Guayaquil
on October 6, 2023. Barely 24 hours had passed, and a seventh person alleged
to have been involved in the Villavicencio murder was killed too at a separate
jail in Quito, nation’s capital. On October 7, 2023, hours after killing
of the seventh suspect, whose nationality remained unknown, President
Guillermo Lasso held an emergency meeting of his security cabinet and
decided to shift six remaining suspects to an unknown location.
Banana Heir Wins Runoff
In the October 15, 2023, presidential runoff, one of the scions
of the Central America’s banana empire won the runoff to fill in the remainder
of the term of President Guillermo Lasso. With 96% of the votes counted,
Daniel Noboa won 42.2% of the vote against Leftist candidate Luisa
Gonzalez’ 47.8%.
Mexico Severs Diplomatic Relations with Ecuador after Break-in of
Embassy
What Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said as a flagrant
violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Ecuadorian
security personnel on April 5, 2024 broke open the front door of the Mexican
Consulate at Quito and arrested Former Vice President Jorge Glas on outstanding
corruption charges. Jorge Glas sought asylum at the Mexican Embassy in December
2023. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador immediately snapped the
diplomatic relations with Ecuador. Organization of American States decried the raid
at a foreign embassy. On April 6, 2024, Glas was taken to a Guayakuil prison
after flying from Quito in a plane heavily protected by security personnel. Ecuadoran
President Daniel Noboa justified the high-handed raid.
Repercussions Abound over Mexican Embassy Raid in Quito
The April 5, 2024, breaking into the Mexican Embassy in Quito,
Ecuador by local law enforcement continued to draw condemnations and calls for
strict adherence with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
from all around the world. On April 6, 2024, Organization for American States
issued a sharp statement, criticizing the raid and reminding the member nations
that invoking the “domestic law to justify non-compliance with their
international obligations” was not permissible. On April 7, 2024, Mexican
diplomatic corps returned from Quito in a commercial flight. Mexican Foreign
Minister Alicia Barcena praised the courage and diplomatic attitude of Mexican
officials even under the face of assault from the local security personnel. Barcena
said that in addition the OAS, 18 nations in Latin America and 20 in Europe
condemned the unwanted raid.
EL SALVADOR
El Salvador's Vice President Salvador Sanchez might have just missed the 50 percent threshold in February 2, 2014, presidential elections. Sanchez is the candidate of the leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, a political party founded by former guerrilla leaders, which came to power in 2009.
In the presidential runoff on March 9, 2014, former leftist guerrilla leader Salvador Sanchez Ceren eked out a wafer-thin victory over the candidate of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance, Norman Quijano.
Pope Lifts Hold on Beatification of a Leftist Catholic Priest
Pope Francis on August 19, 2014 took a bold, but controversial, step by lifting a hold on beatification process for Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated by a right-wing death squad in 1980 at the peak of country's civil war. The hold was placed by the conservatives in the church hierarchy as Romero was a constant voice for country's poor and indigents.
Pope Moves to Okay Martyr Status for a Beloved Former Catholic Priest in El Salvador
Vatican on February 3, 2015 moved a step forward in the process of a former El Salvadoran Catholic bishop to attain sainthood by declaring that former Archbishop Oscar Romero was a "martyr" and killed because of his Catholic religion. Archbishop Romero was a controversial figure, and often loathed by ruling junta, which was accused by international human rights organizations of letting loose a reign of terror during the country's civil war (1980-92) that had led to deaths of 75,000 people. Many conservatives consider Archbishop Romero as leftist, and in the past, had opposed any move to forward with his sainthood process. Archbishop Romero's assassination on March 24, 1980 stirred the conscience of progressives in the hemisphere and increased the international voice to demand for justice and a quick end to the civil conflict.
Romero Moves a Step Closer to Sainthood
Fabled Archbishop Oscar Romero on May 23, 2015 moved a step closer to sainthood as Pope Francis' representative Cardinal Angelo Amato read the decree in Latin, beatifying the beloved priest who had voiced against the military dictatorship in El Salvador. The event at San Salvador on May 23 attracted hundreds of thousands of people, who gave a roaring applause as Cardinal Angelo Amato read the decree. Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated on March 24, 2015 by a sniper's bullet as he was celebrating a mass in a chapel at Divine Providence Hospital, a day after his final sermon in which Archbishop Oscar Romero urged the soldiers to stop the repression.
Four Former Military Personnel Arrested over Slayings of Priests
El Salvador's police on February 6, 2016 arrested four ex-soldiers on charges that they had killed six Jesuit priests in 1989. All four defendants--Col. Guillermo Alfredo Benavides Moreno, Antonio Ramiro Avalos Vargas, Angel Perez Vasquez and Tomas Zarpate Castillo--are wanted by Spain as five of the six Jesuit priests slain in 1989 have been Spanish.
Former President Arrested
Former Salvadoran President Tony Saca who had led the Central American nation from 2004 to 2009 was arrested on October 30, 2016 on massive corruption and illegal enrichment charges. Six of the officials of Tony Saca's right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance administration were arrested too.
Arrest Warrant against Former President Issued
The conservative government of President Salvador Sanchez Ceren on June 8, 2018 issued arrest order for 31 former officials, including former President Mauricio Funes, who had led the leftist Farabundo Marti National Front government from 2009 to 2014, on charges of corruption, involving siphoning off $351 million. Unveiling the charges at San Salvador, Attorney-General Douglas Melendez said on June 8, 2018 that under the presidency of Mauricio Funes, there was "serious and outrageous cases of corruption in which they extracted $351 million from public accounts". Addressing the charges, Funes, who had been living in exile in Nicaragua since 2016, rebutted them on Twitter as a mere witch hunt.
GUATEMALA
Former Dictator can Stand at Trial, but Can't be Sentenced
A Guatemala City court ruled on August 25, 2015 that the former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, 89, would stand in trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, but couldn't be sentenced due to his failing health.
Central American Nation Headed toward Crisis amid Graft Charges
Guatemala on September 1, 2015 descended into further uncertainty as the country's parliament overwhelmingly voted to strip off President Otto Perez Molina's immunity over a burgeoning bribery scandal, dubbed as La Linea, in which businesses paid bribes to government leaders to avoid paying customs duties. Thousands of demonstrators, who had assembled outside the parliament, erupted in joy after hearing the parliamentary vote. Vice President Roxana Baldetti accused of receiving $3.7 billion in graft was arrested in August 2015, and the country's Attorney General Thelma Aldana accused the president and other important government figures of participating in La Linea. As the crisis unraveled, many legislators of the ruling Patriot Party began to desert the president, and the Interior and Defense Ministers wanted in connection with the scandal remained missing and were rumored to have fled the country.
President Resigns, Detained over Graft Charges
Political scenes unfolded at a rapid pace in Guatemala on September 3, 2015 over a burgeoning bribery scandal involving high-ranking officials. Earlier in the day, President Otto Perez Molina resigned after most of party's legislators had deserted him followed by Vice President Alejandro Maldonado, 79, assuming the mantle as an interim president. Maldonado, chosen by the legislature from a list provided by the president after the then-VP Roxana Baldetti had resigned on May 8, 2015 over the same bribery scandal, vowed to offer a transparent and honest administration, and asked for members of the cabinet to turn in their resignations so that he would be able to form an all-inclusive interim administration. Meanwhile, Molina, who had just resigned earlier in the day, appeared at a court to hear charges related to the bribery scandal, dubbed as La Linea. Judge Miguel Angel Galvez ordered Molina to be detained overnight to "ensure the continuity of hearing".
Former President Claims His Innocence
Appearing at the court, former President Otto Perez Molina boldly said on September 4, 2015 that he was innocent and he didn't belong to so-called La Linea, a massive bribery scheme in which bribes were paid to high-ranking government officials to evade customs duty. Judge Miguel Angel Galvez subsequently ordered Molina to be kept under detention at the same military barrack where he had spent his first night.
Elections Being Held to Elect a New President Amidst Political Chaos
When former President Otto Perez Molina resigned on September 3, 2015, it was seen as vindication of one demand from tens of thousands of demonstrators. A second major demand was to cancel the September 6, 2015, presidential elections because the candidates were the continuation and extension of the same political establishment. However, that demand was not met, and elections were held as scheduled on September 6, 2015. There were 14 candidates in the fray, including
* Manuel Baldizon, 44, a wealthy businessman and longtime politician
* Jimmy Morales, a novice and comedian
* Sandra Torres, a former first lady
* Zury Rios, daughter of a former dictator, Efrain Rios Montt, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity during 1982-83
If none of the candidates get more than 50 percent vote, the most likelihood outcome, a runoff will be held on October 25, 2015.
Comedian Leading in Presidential Polls
It's a no joke that the joke-star and comedian Jimmy Morales is leading the 14-candidate presidential field by garnering 24 percent vote. Morales will face former First Lady Sandra Torres in October 25, 2015, runoff.
Judge Orders Former President Jailed for Three Months
Judge Miguel Angel Galvez on September 8, 2015 ruled that the former President Otto Perez Molina should stay in jail for three more months as investigation proceeded on charges of bribery, fraud and corruption former president was implicated in.
Comedian Sworn in as President
Comedian Jimmy Morales was sworn in as Guatemalan President on January 14, 2016. Later, the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden who had attended the swearing-in ceremony met with Morales and Morales' counterparts from El Salvador and Honduras to discuss on the recent surge in illegal crossings into USA by tens of thousands, especially unaccompanied minors, from Central America. Morales requested Biden to accord his country protected status that would give the undocumented immigrants from Guatemala to get temporary permit to work and live in the USA.
U.S. Seeks Extradition of Former Officials
The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City issued a statement on February 24, 2017 calling for extradition of former VP Roxana Baldetti and former Interior Minister Hector Mauricio Lopez Bonilla on drug-trafficking charges. On February 22, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia indicted them.
Court Okays former VP's Extradition to the US
A week after the U.S. formally sought extradition of jailed Vice President Roxana Baldetti for running a ring to ship cocaine to the U.S. between 2010 and 2015, a Guatemalan court on June 15, 2017 gave greenlight to the extradition process, bringing Baldetti a step closer to face justice in the USA.
President Backs down over Directive to Oust U.N. Anti-corruption Official
A day after ordering U.N. anti-corruption commissioner Ivan Velasquez out of the country, President Jimmy Morales on August 28, 2017 was found to be eating his humble pie as international community condemned his action and Guatemala's supreme court blocked president's directive. On political front, open dissention erupted in his cabinet, with president firing the foreign minister for failing to carry out his order and another cabinet minister calling it a day in protest. Guatemala's chief prosecutor Thelma Aldana, who along with Ivan Velasquez had demanded on August 25, 2017 that the immunity of the president should be stripped of in a campaign finance scandal, reiterated her support for Velasquez on August 28, 2017.
Judge Sends Former President to Trial
A Guatemalan judge, Judge Miguel Angel Galvez, ordered on October 27, 2017 former President Otto Perez Molina and his vice president to stand trial in an epic corruption case that had been brought to public's focus two years ago in a joint investigation by the country's public prosecutor and International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala.
President Expels International Inquiry Commission, but Later Backtracks
President Jimmy Morales, in a political somersault, on August 31, 2018 first ordered the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, or CICIG in Spanish acronym, to stop operating in the country immediately and transfer its duty to local authorities, only to back down in the face of severe criticism from inside and outside the country. The government later clarified that the CICIG , whom President Jimmy Morales accused of harboring anti-government bias, could stay and operate until its September 3, 2019, mandate. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, reacting to Morales' action, said that if CICIG's mandate was taken away, Congress had to review and reassess the fate of the U.S. aid to Guatemala.
Guatemala Goes to Polls amid Uncertainty and Migration
19 candidates are vying for four-year presidency in June 16, 2019, elections, and former First Lady Sandra Torres of the National Unity and Hope party seems to get the highest vote, but not enough to avoid runoff. The other key contestants are:
* Former prison director and four-time presidential candidate Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla
* Businessman Roberto Arzu
* Lawyer and journalist Edmond Auguste Mulet Lesieur
* Only indigenous candidate Thelma Cabrera
Whoever becomes the president has to take ownership of the rampant lawlessness and crime-filled society, forcing tens of thousands of Guatemalans to take risky and increasing unwelcoming trips to USA. Three of the country's last four presidents were jailed in the post-presidency period on corruption charges.
Former First Lady in the Runoff
Former First Lady Sandra Torres won 24% vote, and the second-place finisher was Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, who won 14%, securing them in the runoff, according to the tally of 90% of votes reported by The Associated Press on June 17, 2019.
Guatemala Signs "Safe Third Country" Agreement with USA
Obviously under the U.S. pressure, Guatemalan government led by President Jimmy Morales, whose scandal-ridden administration is in the twilight of its tenure, has defied its own Constitutional Court ruling to sign an agreement with the USA on July 26, 2019 that will require any migrant from El Salvador, Honduras, other Latin American, African and Asian countries passing through Guatemala to first file asylum in Guatemala under the so called Safe Third Country law. Weeks earlier Guatemala's highest court ruled that Guatemalan government couldn't sign such a law without legislative approval, thus the July 26, 2019, signing of the deal by DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan and Guatemalan Interior Minister Enrique Degenhart was some sort of "poo-pooh" reaction to the Constitutional Court's ruling. Many human rights groups took strong exception to the "safe third country" deal as Guatemala could not take care of its own people, leave alone migrants from other nations. Guatemala and Canada, which has a "safe third country" agreement with the U.S., are not at the same par, according to these human rights groups.
Former First Lady Soundly Defeated in the Run-off
In the August 11, 2019, run-off, the second-place finisher in the June 16, 2019, first round, Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, won resoundingly by winning 58% vote and besting the Former First Lady Sandra Torres, who received 42%. However, The Associated Press reported on August 12, 2019 that there was very little celebration on the streets as most of the Guatemalans had resigned to the "same old" outcome of the new administration. The swearing-in ceremony for the president-elect will be held on January 14, 2020.
Thousands of Guatemalans Protest Budget Cuts; Congress Building Set on Fire
EL SALVADOR
El Salvador's Vice President Salvador Sanchez might have just missed the 50 percent threshold in February 2, 2014, presidential elections. Sanchez is the candidate of the leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, a political party founded by former guerrilla leaders, which came to power in 2009.
In the presidential runoff on March 9, 2014, former leftist guerrilla leader Salvador Sanchez Ceren eked out a wafer-thin victory over the candidate of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance, Norman Quijano.
Pope Lifts Hold on Beatification of a Leftist Catholic Priest
Pope Francis on August 19, 2014 took a bold, but controversial, step by lifting a hold on beatification process for Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated by a right-wing death squad in 1980 at the peak of country's civil war. The hold was placed by the conservatives in the church hierarchy as Romero was a constant voice for country's poor and indigents.
Pope Moves to Okay Martyr Status for a Beloved Former Catholic Priest in El Salvador
Vatican on February 3, 2015 moved a step forward in the process of a former El Salvadoran Catholic bishop to attain sainthood by declaring that former Archbishop Oscar Romero was a "martyr" and killed because of his Catholic religion. Archbishop Romero was a controversial figure, and often loathed by ruling junta, which was accused by international human rights organizations of letting loose a reign of terror during the country's civil war (1980-92) that had led to deaths of 75,000 people. Many conservatives consider Archbishop Romero as leftist, and in the past, had opposed any move to forward with his sainthood process. Archbishop Romero's assassination on March 24, 1980 stirred the conscience of progressives in the hemisphere and increased the international voice to demand for justice and a quick end to the civil conflict.
Romero Moves a Step Closer to Sainthood
Fabled Archbishop Oscar Romero on May 23, 2015 moved a step closer to sainthood as Pope Francis' representative Cardinal Angelo Amato read the decree in Latin, beatifying the beloved priest who had voiced against the military dictatorship in El Salvador. The event at San Salvador on May 23 attracted hundreds of thousands of people, who gave a roaring applause as Cardinal Angelo Amato read the decree. Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated on March 24, 2015 by a sniper's bullet as he was celebrating a mass in a chapel at Divine Providence Hospital, a day after his final sermon in which Archbishop Oscar Romero urged the soldiers to stop the repression.
Four Former Military Personnel Arrested over Slayings of Priests
El Salvador's police on February 6, 2016 arrested four ex-soldiers on charges that they had killed six Jesuit priests in 1989. All four defendants--Col. Guillermo Alfredo Benavides Moreno, Antonio Ramiro Avalos Vargas, Angel Perez Vasquez and Tomas Zarpate Castillo--are wanted by Spain as five of the six Jesuit priests slain in 1989 have been Spanish.
Former President Arrested
Former Salvadoran President Tony Saca who had led the Central American nation from 2004 to 2009 was arrested on October 30, 2016 on massive corruption and illegal enrichment charges. Six of the officials of Tony Saca's right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance administration were arrested too.
Arrest Warrant against Former President Issued
The conservative government of President Salvador Sanchez Ceren on June 8, 2018 issued arrest order for 31 former officials, including former President Mauricio Funes, who had led the leftist Farabundo Marti National Front government from 2009 to 2014, on charges of corruption, involving siphoning off $351 million. Unveiling the charges at San Salvador, Attorney-General Douglas Melendez said on June 8, 2018 that under the presidency of Mauricio Funes, there was "serious and outrageous cases of corruption in which they extracted $351 million from public accounts". Addressing the charges, Funes, who had been living in exile in Nicaragua since 2016, rebutted them on Twitter as a mere witch hunt.
El Salvador Severs Ties with Taiwan
El Salvador on August 21, 2018 severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan, apparently under pressure from China. El Salvador's action left only 17 nations with diplomatic ties with Taipei. Beijing upped its game of "maximum pressure" on few nations--mostly Caribbean and African--still maintaining diplomatic relationship with Taiwan since the election pro-independence Tsai Ing-wen as Taiwan's president in 2016.
Trump Administration Blasts Chinese Interference in Western Hemisphere
Two days after El Salvador ditched Taiwan to establish diplomatic relationship with China, Trump White House shot back on August 23, 2018 against China's interference "in the domestic politics of a Western Hemisphere country" and threatened to carry out a "re-evaluation of our relationship with El Salvador". U.S. snapped the diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in 1979, and established formal ties with Beijing, but it continued to maintain an informal, strong bond with Taiwan.
Pope Canonizes Assassinated Bishop
Pope Francis on October 14, 2018 canonized former San Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero at a solemn event that also bestowed sainthood to six other people at a 70,000-strong gathering at St. Peter's Square in Vatican. However, Archbishop Romero's canonization overshadowed that of others as the late archbishop remained a symbol of martyrdom in the defense of indigent people in his native El Salvador at the beginning of Civil War. A right-wing hit squad killed Romero, accused by conservatives for links to Communists and left-wing rebel groups, on March 24, 1980 as he was celebrating a mass. To his remembrance, United Nations celebrates every March 24 as a day to promote human rights.
El Salvador Rejects Political Duopoly
El Salvador's electorate on February 3, 2019 sent a clear message by rejecting the candidates of two major political parties--conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance, or ARENA, and Farabundo Marti National Liberation, or FMLN--by electing former San Salvador mayor Nayib Bukele, 37, and his running mate Felix Ulopa. However, their Grand Alliance for National Unity, or GANA, political party has only 10 members in the parliament.
Pope Canonizes Assassinated Bishop
Pope Francis on October 14, 2018 canonized former San Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero at a solemn event that also bestowed sainthood to six other people at a 70,000-strong gathering at St. Peter's Square in Vatican. However, Archbishop Romero's canonization overshadowed that of others as the late archbishop remained a symbol of martyrdom in the defense of indigent people in his native El Salvador at the beginning of Civil War. A right-wing hit squad killed Romero, accused by conservatives for links to Communists and left-wing rebel groups, on March 24, 1980 as he was celebrating a mass. To his remembrance, United Nations celebrates every March 24 as a day to promote human rights.
El Salvador Rejects Political Duopoly
El Salvador's electorate on February 3, 2019 sent a clear message by rejecting the candidates of two major political parties--conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance, or ARENA, and Farabundo Marti National Liberation, or FMLN--by electing former San Salvador mayor Nayib Bukele, 37, and his running mate Felix Ulopa. However, their Grand Alliance for National Unity, or GANA, political party has only 10 members in the parliament.
President's Party Sacks Judges of Top Court; Appoints Loyalists as New Judges
El Salvador may be heading into political dark days for its evolving democracy and political pluralism as, on May 1, 2021, President Nayib Bukele's New Ideas Party leveraged the opening meeting of a new legislative session to sack five judges of the nation's top court and fire the attorney general. Hours later, new judges were sworn in. On May 2, 2021, the international and domestic criticisms began to pour in against President Nayib Bukele and his political backers who had orchestrated this judicial coup a day earlier that had not only undermined the political integrity of the country's democratic fabric, but also complicated the Central American nation's continuing collaboration with the IMF. Business groups and Biden administration condemned the move to fire top court judges.
Former President Charged
Former President Salvador Sanchez Ceren and nine former officials were charged on July 25, 2021 in a $351 million illicit enrichment and money laundering. The charges date back to Ceren's tenure as vice president of the then-President Mauricio Funes (2009-2014). Ceren has left the country in December 2020, and has not returned.
State of Exception Declared in El Salvador
In the early hours of March 27, 2022, El Salvador’s
Congress granted President Nayib Bukele the authority to declare the
state of exception after a surge in homicides in the weekend. 14 people were
killed on March 25, 2022 and 62 more on March 26, 2022, leading
to President Bukele to seek from Congress the authority to declare a
nationwide emergency. That the political bickering did not stop even at the
hour of a severe national crisis reflected the sheer callousness of El Salvador’s
political leaders and the party activists. Conservative Arena Party
issued a statement on March 27, 2022 that the weekend mayhem was the
result of the “negligence of those who protected criminals”. In December
2021, the U.S. Treasury Department made an explosive allegation that
the Bukele regime had reached an agreement with the leaders of the country’s
street gangs.
Human Rights a Casualty of State of Exception
That the people of El Salvador are willing to take human rights setback in exchange for harsh clampdown against criminal gangs with the possibility that there may be a degree of collateral damage in terms of innocents being locked up without trial and some of them may be succumbing to torture is itself a reflection of people's mistrust in government efficiency and a bad omen for democracy. Since the state of exception had been declared in late March 2022, at least 55,000 people, including thousands of innocents, were rounded up, sent to automatic six-month imprisonment by compliant judges as the authorities started to build the case, and at least 70 had died in police custody, according to an October 25, 2022, report by The Dallas Morning News.
El Salvador Sends 10K Soldiers to Clamp down on Gangs
El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, on December 3, 2022 deployed 10,000
military personnel in the township of Soyapango, near the capital. The
deployment of soldiers in various cities since the State of Exception
has been declared in March 2022 has led to the detention of more than 58,000
people to date. Rights groups alleged that many of the people netted in the
wide sweep were civilians who happened to be poor, at the wrong place, at the
wrong time.
GUATEMALA
Former Dictator can Stand at Trial, but Can't be Sentenced
A Guatemala City court ruled on August 25, 2015 that the former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, 89, would stand in trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, but couldn't be sentenced due to his failing health.
Central American Nation Headed toward Crisis amid Graft Charges
Guatemala on September 1, 2015 descended into further uncertainty as the country's parliament overwhelmingly voted to strip off President Otto Perez Molina's immunity over a burgeoning bribery scandal, dubbed as La Linea, in which businesses paid bribes to government leaders to avoid paying customs duties. Thousands of demonstrators, who had assembled outside the parliament, erupted in joy after hearing the parliamentary vote. Vice President Roxana Baldetti accused of receiving $3.7 billion in graft was arrested in August 2015, and the country's Attorney General Thelma Aldana accused the president and other important government figures of participating in La Linea. As the crisis unraveled, many legislators of the ruling Patriot Party began to desert the president, and the Interior and Defense Ministers wanted in connection with the scandal remained missing and were rumored to have fled the country.
President Resigns, Detained over Graft Charges
Political scenes unfolded at a rapid pace in Guatemala on September 3, 2015 over a burgeoning bribery scandal involving high-ranking officials. Earlier in the day, President Otto Perez Molina resigned after most of party's legislators had deserted him followed by Vice President Alejandro Maldonado, 79, assuming the mantle as an interim president. Maldonado, chosen by the legislature from a list provided by the president after the then-VP Roxana Baldetti had resigned on May 8, 2015 over the same bribery scandal, vowed to offer a transparent and honest administration, and asked for members of the cabinet to turn in their resignations so that he would be able to form an all-inclusive interim administration. Meanwhile, Molina, who had just resigned earlier in the day, appeared at a court to hear charges related to the bribery scandal, dubbed as La Linea. Judge Miguel Angel Galvez ordered Molina to be detained overnight to "ensure the continuity of hearing".
Former President Claims His Innocence
Appearing at the court, former President Otto Perez Molina boldly said on September 4, 2015 that he was innocent and he didn't belong to so-called La Linea, a massive bribery scheme in which bribes were paid to high-ranking government officials to evade customs duty. Judge Miguel Angel Galvez subsequently ordered Molina to be kept under detention at the same military barrack where he had spent his first night.
Elections Being Held to Elect a New President Amidst Political Chaos
When former President Otto Perez Molina resigned on September 3, 2015, it was seen as vindication of one demand from tens of thousands of demonstrators. A second major demand was to cancel the September 6, 2015, presidential elections because the candidates were the continuation and extension of the same political establishment. However, that demand was not met, and elections were held as scheduled on September 6, 2015. There were 14 candidates in the fray, including
* Manuel Baldizon, 44, a wealthy businessman and longtime politician
* Jimmy Morales, a novice and comedian
* Sandra Torres, a former first lady
* Zury Rios, daughter of a former dictator, Efrain Rios Montt, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity during 1982-83
If none of the candidates get more than 50 percent vote, the most likelihood outcome, a runoff will be held on October 25, 2015.
Comedian Leading in Presidential Polls
It's a no joke that the joke-star and comedian Jimmy Morales is leading the 14-candidate presidential field by garnering 24 percent vote. Morales will face former First Lady Sandra Torres in October 25, 2015, runoff.
Judge Orders Former President Jailed for Three Months
Judge Miguel Angel Galvez on September 8, 2015 ruled that the former President Otto Perez Molina should stay in jail for three more months as investigation proceeded on charges of bribery, fraud and corruption former president was implicated in.
Comedian Sworn in as President
Comedian Jimmy Morales was sworn in as Guatemalan President on January 14, 2016. Later, the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden who had attended the swearing-in ceremony met with Morales and Morales' counterparts from El Salvador and Honduras to discuss on the recent surge in illegal crossings into USA by tens of thousands, especially unaccompanied minors, from Central America. Morales requested Biden to accord his country protected status that would give the undocumented immigrants from Guatemala to get temporary permit to work and live in the USA.
U.S. Seeks Extradition of Former Officials
The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City issued a statement on February 24, 2017 calling for extradition of former VP Roxana Baldetti and former Interior Minister Hector Mauricio Lopez Bonilla on drug-trafficking charges. On February 22, 2017, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia indicted them.
Court Okays former VP's Extradition to the US
A week after the U.S. formally sought extradition of jailed Vice President Roxana Baldetti for running a ring to ship cocaine to the U.S. between 2010 and 2015, a Guatemalan court on June 15, 2017 gave greenlight to the extradition process, bringing Baldetti a step closer to face justice in the USA.
President Backs down over Directive to Oust U.N. Anti-corruption Official
A day after ordering U.N. anti-corruption commissioner Ivan Velasquez out of the country, President Jimmy Morales on August 28, 2017 was found to be eating his humble pie as international community condemned his action and Guatemala's supreme court blocked president's directive. On political front, open dissention erupted in his cabinet, with president firing the foreign minister for failing to carry out his order and another cabinet minister calling it a day in protest. Guatemala's chief prosecutor Thelma Aldana, who along with Ivan Velasquez had demanded on August 25, 2017 that the immunity of the president should be stripped of in a campaign finance scandal, reiterated her support for Velasquez on August 28, 2017.
Judge Sends Former President to Trial
A Guatemalan judge, Judge Miguel Angel Galvez, ordered on October 27, 2017 former President Otto Perez Molina and his vice president to stand trial in an epic corruption case that had been brought to public's focus two years ago in a joint investigation by the country's public prosecutor and International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala.
President Expels International Inquiry Commission, but Later Backtracks
President Jimmy Morales, in a political somersault, on August 31, 2018 first ordered the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, or CICIG in Spanish acronym, to stop operating in the country immediately and transfer its duty to local authorities, only to back down in the face of severe criticism from inside and outside the country. The government later clarified that the CICIG , whom President Jimmy Morales accused of harboring anti-government bias, could stay and operate until its September 3, 2019, mandate. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, reacting to Morales' action, said that if CICIG's mandate was taken away, Congress had to review and reassess the fate of the U.S. aid to Guatemala.
Guatemala Goes to Polls amid Uncertainty and Migration
19 candidates are vying for four-year presidency in June 16, 2019, elections, and former First Lady Sandra Torres of the National Unity and Hope party seems to get the highest vote, but not enough to avoid runoff. The other key contestants are:
* Former prison director and four-time presidential candidate Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla
* Businessman Roberto Arzu
* Lawyer and journalist Edmond Auguste Mulet Lesieur
* Only indigenous candidate Thelma Cabrera
Whoever becomes the president has to take ownership of the rampant lawlessness and crime-filled society, forcing tens of thousands of Guatemalans to take risky and increasing unwelcoming trips to USA. Three of the country's last four presidents were jailed in the post-presidency period on corruption charges.
Former First Lady in the Runoff
Former First Lady Sandra Torres won 24% vote, and the second-place finisher was Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, who won 14%, securing them in the runoff, according to the tally of 90% of votes reported by The Associated Press on June 17, 2019.
Guatemala Signs "Safe Third Country" Agreement with USA
Obviously under the U.S. pressure, Guatemalan government led by President Jimmy Morales, whose scandal-ridden administration is in the twilight of its tenure, has defied its own Constitutional Court ruling to sign an agreement with the USA on July 26, 2019 that will require any migrant from El Salvador, Honduras, other Latin American, African and Asian countries passing through Guatemala to first file asylum in Guatemala under the so called Safe Third Country law. Weeks earlier Guatemala's highest court ruled that Guatemalan government couldn't sign such a law without legislative approval, thus the July 26, 2019, signing of the deal by DHS Secretary Kevin McAleenan and Guatemalan Interior Minister Enrique Degenhart was some sort of "poo-pooh" reaction to the Constitutional Court's ruling. Many human rights groups took strong exception to the "safe third country" deal as Guatemala could not take care of its own people, leave alone migrants from other nations. Guatemala and Canada, which has a "safe third country" agreement with the U.S., are not at the same par, according to these human rights groups.
Former First Lady Soundly Defeated in the Run-off
In the August 11, 2019, run-off, the second-place finisher in the June 16, 2019, first round, Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, won resoundingly by winning 58% vote and besting the Former First Lady Sandra Torres, who received 42%. However, The Associated Press reported on August 12, 2019 that there was very little celebration on the streets as most of the Guatemalans had resigned to the "same old" outcome of the new administration. The swearing-in ceremony for the president-elect will be held on January 14, 2020.
Thousands of Guatemalans Protest Budget Cuts; Congress Building Set on Fire
About
10,000 people on November 21, 2020 participated in a peaceful, but
determined, protest to call attention to a recently passed budget that had
trimmed education and healthcare spending while increasing meal costs and perks
for lawmakers. The main demonstration was held near National Palace. A segment
of protesters took law unto their own hands and vandalized parts of Congress
buildings in Guatemala City. Fire was also set in the building’s façade.
The demonstrators were outraged by endemic corruption by President Alejandro
Giammattei’s government and anti-people budget that had been just passed by
Congress. Law enforcement personnel were alleged to have used disproportionate
degree of force even against peaceful protesters. Making light of
disproportionate use of force, President Alejandro Giammattei instead
focused on vandalism and tweeted on November 21, 2020 night that the “criminal
acts” by violent demonstrators would be punished. His interior minister, Gendri
Reyes, went even a step further, calling some of the protesters “terrorists”.
Meanwhile, Inter-American Human Rights Commission on November 22, 2020 issued
a statement, criticizing the “excessive use of force” by security forces. Organization
of American States on November 22, 2020 issued a statement that defended
the right of peaceful protest while decrying vandalism. Guatemalan Vice
President Guillermo Castillo has offered his resignation if President
Alejandro Giammattei steps down, a suggestion that the vice president has
requested to bring peace to a nation that has received back-to-back blowbacks
from Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota in the midst of a treacherous
pandemic.
Guatemala Elects a Progressive Outsider as President
Guatemalan voters—fed up by corruption, elitist policies and pushing
poor people further to the darkness of economic future—on August 20, 2023
elected a progressive outsider, Bernardo Arevalo, as their new president.
Protection for Victor of Presidential Race Sought
The western hemisphere’s most influential political bloc Organization
of American States’ human rights commission on August 24, 2023 asked
the Guatemalan government to provide security for the winner of the August
20, 2023, presidential race, Bernardo Arevalo, and his running mate,
Karin Herrera. There are credible threats that have emerged since
Arevalo has won a sweeping victory in the August 24, 2023, polls. Compounding
the political and security scenario, Arevalo’s main challenger, Former First
Lady Sandra Torres, is yet to concede and the poll results remain uncertified.
Guatemala’s Election Commission Revokes Suspension of President-elect’s
Party
What many think as a deep-rooted conspiracy to deprive an outsider and
his burgeoning progressive movement to lead the next government, Guatemala’s
Election Registry suspended the Seed Movement on the order of a
judge in a case that accused the party of manipulating the signature collection
process during the time of its formation. On September 3, 2023, Guatemala’s
Supreme Electoral Council gave reprieve to President-elect Bernardo
Arevalo’s Seed Movement, at least temporarily, by lifting the suspension.
The verdict is effective at least through October 31, 2023.
Unprecedented Protest against Efforts to Block the Leftist from Taking
Office
There was an all-round cyberattack on the Guatemalan government’s
official webpages on October 14, 2023 after 13 days of highway blockades
by the nation’s indigenous groups. The indigenous activist groups are demanding
the resignation of Attorney-General Consuelo Porras, prosecutors Rafael
Curuchiche and Cinthia Monterroso, and Judge Freddy Orellana, accusing them
of undemocratically hindering the transition of presidency to the winner of the
recent presidential runoff, Leftist leader Bernado Arrevalo, and
obstructing the smooth functioning of his political party, Seed Movement.
U.S. Bars Former President’s Entry into U.S.
The U.S. State Department on January 17, 2024 barred Former
Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei from entering the U.S. based on what
Washington had thought of “significant corruption” three days after President-elect
Bernardo Arevalo was sworn in as the president of the Central American
nation on January 14, 2024. Giammattei and allied right-wing groups had
tried their best to block the Leftist president-elect from becoming the head of
state, but a strong resistance from people helped pave the way for the historic
transition on January 14, 2024.
HAITI
Dictator Duvalier Paid Respectful Homage at Death
A reviled dictator, Jean-Claude "baby doc" Duvalier, whose ruthless 15-year rule (1971-86) turned Haiti into killing fields was paid rich tribute during his funeral on October 11, 2014. The dictator became the president of the impoverished Caribbean nation in 1971 at the age of 19 when his father Francois "papa doc" Duvalier had died. During Duvalier duo's rule, at least 30,000 Haitians were killed, according to the Human Rights Watch. Duvalier Jr. was ousted in a popular uprising in 1986, and lived in exile until he returned to his native island on January 16, 2011, prompting the launch of a human rights inquiry that eventually went nowhere. Hundreds of people filed around the casket of Duvalier Jr., who had passed away on October 4, 2014, during funeral attended among others by his ex-wife, Michelle Bennett, and their two children beside his partner Veronique Roy.
Premier Quits after Large Protests
As a result of massive popular demonstrations in recent days against the government demanding resignation of President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, the regime took people's protest movement seriously and the premier resigned on December 14, 2014 to pacify the demonstrators.
Two Move to December Presidential Runoff
The October 25, 2015, Haitian presidential polls produced no clear winner as none of the 54 candidates got necessary votes. As a result, top two finishers--government-backed candidate Jovenel Moise and former state construction chief Jude Celestin--will be in fray in December 27, 2015, runoff.
Haiti's Election Panel Releases Official Results
On November 24, 2015, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council released the official results of October 25, 2015, presidential polls. According to official results, government-backed candidate Jovenel Moise received 33 percent vote, and opposition candidate and former state construction chief Jude Celestin received 25 percent vote. Both will face off in December 27, 2015, runoff.
Presidential Runoff Put off Indefinitely
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council announced on December 21, 2015 that the runoff between Jovenel Moise and Jude Celestin scheduled to take place on December 27, 2015 would be postponed until an investigative panel that was continuing its inquiry into electoral irregularities prepared and submitted its findings.
Presidential Runoff Possible to be Held in Two Weeks, Commission Says
A commission inquiring into poll irregularities issued its report on January 3, 2016 that reported irregularities being committed during October 25, 2015, first round of polls. However, the commission also said that it was possible to hold a runoff within two weeks.
Presidential Runoff Put on Hold Indefinitely
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council on January 22, 2016 postponed the January 24, 2016, presidential runoff indefinitely, citing "violence throughout the country". Even before the postponement announced by the council president Pierre-Louis Opont, the credibility of the rescheduled polls, originally set for December 27, 2015, was in question in the light of opposition candidate Jude Celestin's decision to boycott the election. It's not clear at this moment what will happen after February 7, 2016 when President Michel Martelley is required by constitution to resign.
Agreement Reached to Install a Provisional President
Barely 24 hours before President Michel Martelley was set to resign, an agreement was reached on February 6, 2016 at the presidential palace among political parties at the behest of Organization of American States (OAS). OAS' special mission leader for Haiti, Ronald Sanders, said in the aftermath of signing the deal that parliament would pick a provisional president in the coming days and premier Evans Paul would continue in his role until lawmakers chose a new prime minister. According to the plan hashed out in the National Palace, lawmakers will ensure sitting a new Provisional Electoral Council, elections to be held for a presidential and legislative runoffs on April 24, 2016, and a newly elected president to be sworn in on May 14, 2016 for a five-year term. As the meeting was being held and the deal subsequently signed, a large crowd outside was chanting against the outgoing president.
Martelley Resigns, Leaving a Void in Presidency
As dictated by constitution, President Michel Martelley, who became president in May 2011 amidst high expectation, left the office on February 7, 2016 with popular anger targeted against him for administrative malfeasance, economic decline, widespread corruption and a botched presidential election under his watch. Addressing the joint session of parliament, Martelley said that his biggest regret was not to complete the presidential poll process, but was happy to see a deal emerge a day earlier with definitive timeline for presidential runoff and inauguration.
Provisional President Sworn-in
A week after Haiti's president Michel Martelley ended his controversial full term in office, country's bicameral parliament on February 14, 2016 picked Jocelerme Privert as provisional president. Privert was sworn in as president later in the morning.
Haiti to Miss Deadline
Haiti was poised to miss a pair of deadlines as called for by the February 6, 2016, agreement at the behest of Organization of American States (OAS) as the runoff slated for April 24, 2016, was postponed and, as a result of that, the inauguration of a new president scheduled for May 14, 2016, would be deferred too. The April 23, 2016, decision by Haiti's election panel drew immediate condemnation, and the former President Michel Martelley and his hand-picked candidate, Jovenel Moise, called for demonstration on April 24, 2016.
After Missing Deadline, Haiti to Start It Over in October
After repeated false starts to have presidential polls to elect a fulltime president, Haiti's electoral commission on June 6, 2016 took a bold step to hold the first round of polls one more time, with all 54 original candidates to be allowed to run, on October 9, 2016, almost a year after the disputed presidential polls were first held.
"Priest of the Slum" Aristide Emerges to Support His Candidate
After years of hibernation, former President Jean Bertrand Aristide on September 27, 2016 came out openly and attended a massive procession through Port Au Prince in support of his political party Lavalas' candidate Maryse Narcisse. Narcisse is one of several candidates in the October 9, 2016, presidential polls. Among other candidates is Jude Celestin, who had finished in the second place in the October 25, 2015, presidential polls that had been cancelled later because of massive irregularities. Celestin is being backed by former Aristide disciple Rene Preval, country's president during 1996-2001, and again, during 2006-2011.
A SHORT SYNOPSIS OF ARISTIDE'S POLITICAL CAREER
* 1986: Led a popular uprising, leading to the ouster of dictator John-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier
* 1990: Elected Haiti's president in an election deemed the freest of electoral malpractices
* 1991: Deposed by country's pro-Duvalier military
*1994: Restored to power by an international effort led by the Clinton administration
* 2000: Re-elected as president amid opposition boycott
* 2004: Ousted amid a popular uprising led by pro-elite and pro-Duvalier politicians
*2004-2011: Lived in exile in South Africa
*2011: Accorded a hero's welcome after returning to Haiti
Haiti Postpones Presidential Polls in the wake of Hurricane Mathew
As Hurricane Mathew battered Haiti this week with its ominous gale, killing hundreds of people in the island nation, the election officials on October 5, 2016 postponed the presidential elections scheduled October 9, 2016.
Newcomer from the Predecessor's Party Wins Presidential Polls
After several rounds of cancellations due to electoral mismanagement and natural disaster stemming from Hurricane Mathew, Haiti had at last presidential elections on November 20, 2016 in which only 21 percent voters cared to go to polling stations. After days of counting and tabulating, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council on November 29, 2016 announced an entrepreneur and political newcomer, Jovenel Moise, who ran the polls under the ticket of Tet Kale Party and with the blessing of the former President Michel Martelley, received 55.6 percent votes, avoiding another costly runoff and potential for another round of political uncertainty. The second-place finisher this time too came out to be Jude Celestin of the Lapeh political party, who had campaigned for boycott in the last presidential runoff after trailing Moise. Celestin received 19.5 percent vote, while the popular, but controversial, Haitian political leader Jean Bertrand Aristide's hand-picked candidate Marysse Narcisse of the Lavalas Family Party won only 8.9 percent vote. The certification of the polling process will be complete by December 29, 2016.
President-elect's Focus: Economy
Addressing a press conference a day after Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council declared him as an outright winner from a 27-candidate slate, President-elect Jovenel Moise wasted little time on November 30, 2016 to ensure to convey that his administration's primary goal would be to improve economy, boost job opportunities and attract foreign investments.
Moise Sworn in as New President
48-year-old entrepreneur Jovenel Moise on February 7, 2017 was sworn in as the president of Haiti. Moise's swearing-in ceremony was held in the parliament hall packed with Haitian officials, politicians and foreign dignitaries. Moise appealed to Haitians to close ranks to help him re-build institutions, fight corruption and achieve prosperity for all.
Fresh Face as Haiti's Premier
About a month after President Jovenel Moise picked a gastroenterologist to lead an 18-member cabinet, Haiti's Lower Chamber of Deputies approved Jack Guy Lafontant, 55, by 95-6 vote on March 21, 2017.
U.N. to End Its Mission in Haiti
The U.N. Security Council on April 13, 2017 voted unanimously to end its 13-year-old peacekeeping mission that had begun in the aftermath of a 2004 coup, resulting in the overthrow of the then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The U.N. received a black pie on the eye after a cholera outbreak in 2010 that the U.N. personnel were later found to be responsible for had swept through Haiti and killed at least 9,500 people. Last year, the U.N. formally apologized for the cholera outbreak and pledged to compensate the affected people. The Haiti drawdown is one of 16 peacekeeping missions that had been criticized by the U.S. President Donald Trump during last year's presidential campaign. The U.S. is the largest contributor to the U.N.'s annual budget of $7.87 billion, accounting for 28 percent.
U.N. Mission Ends in Haiti
A 13-year U.N. mission, U.N. Stabilization Mission, ended on October 15, 2017, but as Trinidadian diplomat Sandra Honroe, sixth to oversee U.N. mission in Haiti, put it that a smaller mission focused on justice, human rights and police reforms would continue to be present in the island.
U.N. Mission to End in Haiti
The U.N. Security Council on April 12, 2019 unanimously voted to end a U.N. mission that had remained in the island to assist the local authorities after the international peacekeeping mission had ended on October 15, 2017. The Security Council vote cleared the way for the U.N. to withdraw completely from Haiti on October 15, 2019.
Corruption Report Fuels Protest, Violence
An investigative report released on June 7, 2019 blamed former government officials for misuse of funds related to subsidized oil funding from Venezuela under a program formally called the Petrocaribe. Although the regime of the former President Michael Martelly was implicated, including at least 14 officials from that era, in the $3.8 billion program, protesters were also aggrieved by the regime of incumbent president, Jovenel Moise, and demanded his resignation too. On June 9, 2019, protesters fought a pitched battle with law enforcement personnel on the streets of Port-au-Prince, leading to the death of two protesters. Violent mob set ablaze vehicles, looted shops and resorted to unprecedented scale of violence.
A two-day (June 10-11, 2019) general strike called by the protesters crippled the capital and rest of the island nation.
President Moise Rejects Demand of His Resignation
As the anti-government demonstration entered its fifth week, President Jovenel Moise on October 15, 2019 rejected the demand of opposition that he step down, but offered to hold talks with opposition. His statement on the same day that the U.N.'s Mission for Justice Support in Haiti has ended its function has drawn immediate fire from the opposition that has described his offer of talks "not credible". Over the past four weeks, Haitians have been demonstrating daily against endemic corruption, lack of basic government services and 20 percent inflation.
HAITI
Dictator Duvalier Paid Respectful Homage at Death
A reviled dictator, Jean-Claude "baby doc" Duvalier, whose ruthless 15-year rule (1971-86) turned Haiti into killing fields was paid rich tribute during his funeral on October 11, 2014. The dictator became the president of the impoverished Caribbean nation in 1971 at the age of 19 when his father Francois "papa doc" Duvalier had died. During Duvalier duo's rule, at least 30,000 Haitians were killed, according to the Human Rights Watch. Duvalier Jr. was ousted in a popular uprising in 1986, and lived in exile until he returned to his native island on January 16, 2011, prompting the launch of a human rights inquiry that eventually went nowhere. Hundreds of people filed around the casket of Duvalier Jr., who had passed away on October 4, 2014, during funeral attended among others by his ex-wife, Michelle Bennett, and their two children beside his partner Veronique Roy.
Premier Quits after Large Protests
As a result of massive popular demonstrations in recent days against the government demanding resignation of President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, the regime took people's protest movement seriously and the premier resigned on December 14, 2014 to pacify the demonstrators.
Two Move to December Presidential Runoff
The October 25, 2015, Haitian presidential polls produced no clear winner as none of the 54 candidates got necessary votes. As a result, top two finishers--government-backed candidate Jovenel Moise and former state construction chief Jude Celestin--will be in fray in December 27, 2015, runoff.
Haiti's Election Panel Releases Official Results
On November 24, 2015, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council released the official results of October 25, 2015, presidential polls. According to official results, government-backed candidate Jovenel Moise received 33 percent vote, and opposition candidate and former state construction chief Jude Celestin received 25 percent vote. Both will face off in December 27, 2015, runoff.
Presidential Runoff Put off Indefinitely
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council announced on December 21, 2015 that the runoff between Jovenel Moise and Jude Celestin scheduled to take place on December 27, 2015 would be postponed until an investigative panel that was continuing its inquiry into electoral irregularities prepared and submitted its findings.
Presidential Runoff Possible to be Held in Two Weeks, Commission Says
A commission inquiring into poll irregularities issued its report on January 3, 2016 that reported irregularities being committed during October 25, 2015, first round of polls. However, the commission also said that it was possible to hold a runoff within two weeks.
Presidential Runoff Put on Hold Indefinitely
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council on January 22, 2016 postponed the January 24, 2016, presidential runoff indefinitely, citing "violence throughout the country". Even before the postponement announced by the council president Pierre-Louis Opont, the credibility of the rescheduled polls, originally set for December 27, 2015, was in question in the light of opposition candidate Jude Celestin's decision to boycott the election. It's not clear at this moment what will happen after February 7, 2016 when President Michel Martelley is required by constitution to resign.
Agreement Reached to Install a Provisional President
Barely 24 hours before President Michel Martelley was set to resign, an agreement was reached on February 6, 2016 at the presidential palace among political parties at the behest of Organization of American States (OAS). OAS' special mission leader for Haiti, Ronald Sanders, said in the aftermath of signing the deal that parliament would pick a provisional president in the coming days and premier Evans Paul would continue in his role until lawmakers chose a new prime minister. According to the plan hashed out in the National Palace, lawmakers will ensure sitting a new Provisional Electoral Council, elections to be held for a presidential and legislative runoffs on April 24, 2016, and a newly elected president to be sworn in on May 14, 2016 for a five-year term. As the meeting was being held and the deal subsequently signed, a large crowd outside was chanting against the outgoing president.
Martelley Resigns, Leaving a Void in Presidency
As dictated by constitution, President Michel Martelley, who became president in May 2011 amidst high expectation, left the office on February 7, 2016 with popular anger targeted against him for administrative malfeasance, economic decline, widespread corruption and a botched presidential election under his watch. Addressing the joint session of parliament, Martelley said that his biggest regret was not to complete the presidential poll process, but was happy to see a deal emerge a day earlier with definitive timeline for presidential runoff and inauguration.
Provisional President Sworn-in
A week after Haiti's president Michel Martelley ended his controversial full term in office, country's bicameral parliament on February 14, 2016 picked Jocelerme Privert as provisional president. Privert was sworn in as president later in the morning.
Haiti to Miss Deadline
Haiti was poised to miss a pair of deadlines as called for by the February 6, 2016, agreement at the behest of Organization of American States (OAS) as the runoff slated for April 24, 2016, was postponed and, as a result of that, the inauguration of a new president scheduled for May 14, 2016, would be deferred too. The April 23, 2016, decision by Haiti's election panel drew immediate condemnation, and the former President Michel Martelley and his hand-picked candidate, Jovenel Moise, called for demonstration on April 24, 2016.
After Missing Deadline, Haiti to Start It Over in October
After repeated false starts to have presidential polls to elect a fulltime president, Haiti's electoral commission on June 6, 2016 took a bold step to hold the first round of polls one more time, with all 54 original candidates to be allowed to run, on October 9, 2016, almost a year after the disputed presidential polls were first held.
"Priest of the Slum" Aristide Emerges to Support His Candidate
After years of hibernation, former President Jean Bertrand Aristide on September 27, 2016 came out openly and attended a massive procession through Port Au Prince in support of his political party Lavalas' candidate Maryse Narcisse. Narcisse is one of several candidates in the October 9, 2016, presidential polls. Among other candidates is Jude Celestin, who had finished in the second place in the October 25, 2015, presidential polls that had been cancelled later because of massive irregularities. Celestin is being backed by former Aristide disciple Rene Preval, country's president during 1996-2001, and again, during 2006-2011.
A SHORT SYNOPSIS OF ARISTIDE'S POLITICAL CAREER
* 1986: Led a popular uprising, leading to the ouster of dictator John-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier
* 1990: Elected Haiti's president in an election deemed the freest of electoral malpractices
* 1991: Deposed by country's pro-Duvalier military
*1994: Restored to power by an international effort led by the Clinton administration
* 2000: Re-elected as president amid opposition boycott
* 2004: Ousted amid a popular uprising led by pro-elite and pro-Duvalier politicians
*2004-2011: Lived in exile in South Africa
*2011: Accorded a hero's welcome after returning to Haiti
Haiti Postpones Presidential Polls in the wake of Hurricane Mathew
As Hurricane Mathew battered Haiti this week with its ominous gale, killing hundreds of people in the island nation, the election officials on October 5, 2016 postponed the presidential elections scheduled October 9, 2016.
Newcomer from the Predecessor's Party Wins Presidential Polls
After several rounds of cancellations due to electoral mismanagement and natural disaster stemming from Hurricane Mathew, Haiti had at last presidential elections on November 20, 2016 in which only 21 percent voters cared to go to polling stations. After days of counting and tabulating, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council on November 29, 2016 announced an entrepreneur and political newcomer, Jovenel Moise, who ran the polls under the ticket of Tet Kale Party and with the blessing of the former President Michel Martelley, received 55.6 percent votes, avoiding another costly runoff and potential for another round of political uncertainty. The second-place finisher this time too came out to be Jude Celestin of the Lapeh political party, who had campaigned for boycott in the last presidential runoff after trailing Moise. Celestin received 19.5 percent vote, while the popular, but controversial, Haitian political leader Jean Bertrand Aristide's hand-picked candidate Marysse Narcisse of the Lavalas Family Party won only 8.9 percent vote. The certification of the polling process will be complete by December 29, 2016.
President-elect's Focus: Economy
Addressing a press conference a day after Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council declared him as an outright winner from a 27-candidate slate, President-elect Jovenel Moise wasted little time on November 30, 2016 to ensure to convey that his administration's primary goal would be to improve economy, boost job opportunities and attract foreign investments.
Moise Sworn in as New President
48-year-old entrepreneur Jovenel Moise on February 7, 2017 was sworn in as the president of Haiti. Moise's swearing-in ceremony was held in the parliament hall packed with Haitian officials, politicians and foreign dignitaries. Moise appealed to Haitians to close ranks to help him re-build institutions, fight corruption and achieve prosperity for all.
Fresh Face as Haiti's Premier
About a month after President Jovenel Moise picked a gastroenterologist to lead an 18-member cabinet, Haiti's Lower Chamber of Deputies approved Jack Guy Lafontant, 55, by 95-6 vote on March 21, 2017.
U.N. to End Its Mission in Haiti
The U.N. Security Council on April 13, 2017 voted unanimously to end its 13-year-old peacekeeping mission that had begun in the aftermath of a 2004 coup, resulting in the overthrow of the then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The U.N. received a black pie on the eye after a cholera outbreak in 2010 that the U.N. personnel were later found to be responsible for had swept through Haiti and killed at least 9,500 people. Last year, the U.N. formally apologized for the cholera outbreak and pledged to compensate the affected people. The Haiti drawdown is one of 16 peacekeeping missions that had been criticized by the U.S. President Donald Trump during last year's presidential campaign. The U.S. is the largest contributor to the U.N.'s annual budget of $7.87 billion, accounting for 28 percent.
U.N. Mission Ends in Haiti
A 13-year U.N. mission, U.N. Stabilization Mission, ended on October 15, 2017, but as Trinidadian diplomat Sandra Honroe, sixth to oversee U.N. mission in Haiti, put it that a smaller mission focused on justice, human rights and police reforms would continue to be present in the island.
U.N. Mission to End in Haiti
The U.N. Security Council on April 12, 2019 unanimously voted to end a U.N. mission that had remained in the island to assist the local authorities after the international peacekeeping mission had ended on October 15, 2017. The Security Council vote cleared the way for the U.N. to withdraw completely from Haiti on October 15, 2019.
Corruption Report Fuels Protest, Violence
An investigative report released on June 7, 2019 blamed former government officials for misuse of funds related to subsidized oil funding from Venezuela under a program formally called the Petrocaribe. Although the regime of the former President Michael Martelly was implicated, including at least 14 officials from that era, in the $3.8 billion program, protesters were also aggrieved by the regime of incumbent president, Jovenel Moise, and demanded his resignation too. On June 9, 2019, protesters fought a pitched battle with law enforcement personnel on the streets of Port-au-Prince, leading to the death of two protesters. Violent mob set ablaze vehicles, looted shops and resorted to unprecedented scale of violence.
A two-day (June 10-11, 2019) general strike called by the protesters crippled the capital and rest of the island nation.
President Moise Rejects Demand of His Resignation
As the anti-government demonstration entered its fifth week, President Jovenel Moise on October 15, 2019 rejected the demand of opposition that he step down, but offered to hold talks with opposition. His statement on the same day that the U.N.'s Mission for Justice Support in Haiti has ended its function has drawn immediate fire from the opposition that has described his offer of talks "not credible". Over the past four weeks, Haitians have been demonstrating daily against endemic corruption, lack of basic government services and 20 percent inflation.
***************************** ASSASSINATION OF HAITIAN PRESIDENT ********************
Haiti
Plunges into Uncertainty over President’s Assassination
Gunmen
wielding weapons carried out assassination of Haitian President Jovenel
Moise and wounded his wife at the hilltop home of the president, plunging
the poorest nation of the Western Hemisphere into a dire political and security
crisis. The early morning July 7, 2021, assassination was reported to
have been carried out by an armed commando. The head of Haitian National
Police, Leon Charles, said on late July 7, 2021 that two of the
assailants were detained, four others killed. U.S. President Joe Biden
called the assassination as a “heinous” act. Interim Prime Minister Claude
Joseph declared himself the acting president, calling it “odious, inhuman
and barbaric”. He also declared a “state of siege” for the nation of 11 million
people. Jovenel Moise won the presidential election in 2016, but dispute
over election had forced him to assume presidency late. His term ended in
February 2021, but he continued to rule by decrees, justifying that his delayed
start as a president justified his tenure to last longer, a stand that
opposition had decried. Moise also dissolved parliament, earning the wrath of
opposition lawmakers.
Two Arrestees Reported to be American Citizens
Haitian authorities on July 8, 2021 reported that so far six people were arrested, four were killed and two missing. All 12 were linked to July 7, 2021, assassination of Jovenel Moise. Two of the six arrested are reported to have American citizenship.
Colombians Recruited for Assassination; FBI, DHS to Help Haitian Authorities
As the Acting President Claude Joseph on July 9, 2021 called for U.S. troops to be sent to Haiti to help shore up securities, a clear power struggle seemed to be looming large in the poorest nation of the Western Hemisphere. Opposition lawmakers selected the president of dissolved Senate, Joseph Lambert, as the acting president and recognized Ariel Henry, whom Jovenel Moise had named as premier a day before his assassination, as the country's prime minister. A power struggle between Claude Joseph and Joseph Lambert is all but certain as 17 people have been arrested so far linked to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Meanwhile, Colombia's police chief, Gen. Jorge Luis Vargas Valencia, said at Bogota on July 9, 2021 that 13 Colombians had been recruited by "four companies" to carry out the assassination. In Washington, Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, said on July 9, 2021 that FBI and Homeland Security personnel would be headed to Port-au-Prince to assist in the investigation.
Henry to Transition to Taking Charge of Haiti
Prodded by international community, Haiti's power brokers and politicians hashed out a ragtag solution under which Ariel Henry, chosen as premier by Former President Jovenel Moise a day before his July 7, 2021, assassination, but never sworn in as the island nation descended into chaos and anarchy following the presidential assassination, would take over the charges of the country with the Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, now the acting president, returning to the portfolio of foreign ministry, Haiti's Elections Minister Mathias Pierre said on July 19, 2021. The negotiation was still continuing by late July 19, 2021.
New Premier Installed, Memorial for Moise Held
Twin significant events marked, hopefully, a new chapter in Haitian politics on July 20, 2021 as international dignitaries, Haitian public officials and politicians attended a memorial at Port-au-Prince for the deceased president, Jovenel Moise, and later in the day, his chosen premier designate, Ariel Henry, was sworn in as the Western Hemisphere's poorest country's new prime minister.
Violence Erupts during Slain President's Funeral
Supporters of assassinated President Jovenel Moise fought against security forces outside a private funeral at Cap-Haitien on July 23, 2021, forcing the U.S. and U.N. delegation to leave even before former president's widow, Martine Moise, took to the podium. Crowd inside cheered as Martine Moise took to the stage and vowed that "we are not going to be scared".
Ex-President's Security Detail Head Arrested; Supreme Court Justice Sought in Leader's Assassination
The coordinator for Former President Jovenel Moise's security was arrested on July 26, 2021. Haiti's National Police Divisional Commissioner Jean Laguel Civil was already under solitary confinement at the time of his arrest. Meanwhile, posters have been placed across Port-au-Prince on July 26, 2021, seeking to arrest Supreme Court Justice Windelle Coq Thelot, accusing her of assassination, attempted assassination and armed robbery.
Prosecutor Fired as He Asks a Court to Charge Premier in Presidential Assassination
Port au-Prince Prosecutor Bed-Ford Claude was fired on September 14, 2021 and replaced by another prosecutor, Frantz Louise Juste, hours after Claude asked a judge to charge Prime Minister Ariel Henry in connection with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Claude filed a two-page request to Judge Garry Orelien, giving a chronology of events tying Prime Minister Ariel Henry, then not yet premier, but named to the premiership by Moise before his assassination, to one of the key suspects, Joseph Badio, who worked at the Ministry of Justice and at the government's anti-corruption unit until he had been fired in May 2021 on ethical violation charges. According to Bed-Ford Claude's filing, Henry called Badio twice hours after Moise's assassination--first time 4:03 AM and second time 4:20 AM on July 7, 2021. Combined, conversation with Badio lasted about 7 minutes. Judge Garry Orelien has three months to take action. The Associated Press obtained a letter written by Prime Minister Henry on September 13, 2021, relieving Claude immediately on "serious administrative fault". However, Claude declined to answer the question whether he knew before asking a judge on September 14, 2021 to charge the premier that he had been fired. If he knew about the letter written on September 13, 2021, Claude might be working to seek vendetta, according to many political observers. So far, more than 40 suspects were arrested, including 18 former Colombian soldiers. Authorities are still looking for Joseph Baido and a former Haitian senator.
Key Assassination Suspect Arrested
Joseph Badio, a former Justice Department official and a key suspect in the July
7, 2021, Jovenel Moise assassination case, was arrested in Port-au-Prince
on October 19, 2023 after running from the authorities for more than two
years.
Former Haitian Senator Sentence to Life
Out of 11 suspects arrested in Miami, so far three suspects were tried
and sentenced for hatching the conspiracy that had roots in Florida and Haiti
to kill Former President Jovenel Moise. On December 19, 2023, a
federal judge in Miami sentenced Former Haitian Senator John Joel Joseph to
life imprisonment.
Widow, Former Premier Indicted
A Haitian judge on February 19, 2024 submitted a report indicting the
widow of slain President Jovenel Moise along with Former Prime Minister Claude
Joseph and former chief of Haiti’s national police, Leon Charles. The report
was authored by Walther Wesser Voltaire, fifth investigating judge to
investigate into the July 2021 assassination of former president. The ex-police
chief, Leon Charles, now serving the country’s ambassador to the OAS, is facing
the most serious charges while Former First Lady Martine Moise and Joseph are
facing on the counts of conspiracy and criminal association.
***************************** ASSASSINATION OF HAITIAN PRESIDENT ********************
Haitian Election to be Pushed Further
Haiti's election commission on August 12, 2021 announced that its nine-member council had decided to hold the presidential election on November 7, 2021 instead of originally scheduled September 26, 2021. On the same day of the presidential election, there will be parliamentary election too.
Earthquake Kills Hundreds
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake on August 14, 2021 killed more than 300 people in Haiti.
Death Toll Amplifies; Thousands Rendered Homeless
A day after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern part of Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, the death toll stood at 1,297 as of August 15, 2021. At least 5,700 people were reported injured. Many of the dwellings and other structures crumbled like house of cards, burying hundreds of people, and rendering tens of thousands homeless as rain and a sweltering heat added to the woes of people. The epicenter of the August 14, 2021, earthquake was 78 miles west of capital Port au-Prince. President Joe Biden on August 15, 2021 named USAID chief Samantha Powers to oversee the relief and aid effort in Haiti. Cuba also sent a strong team of doctors and aid officials to Haiti.
Death Toll Mounts 2,000; Relief Effort Hampered by Tropical Storm Grace
Haitian authorities on August 17, 2021 estimated the death toll from August 14, 2021, earthquake close to 2,000, an upward revision by almost 500 compared to a day earlier. Meanwhile, relief effort in the southwestern Haiti, the region the earthquake had hit the hardest, was impeded because of drenching rain from the Tropical Storm Grace.
Updated Death Toll Mounts as Gang Violence Hampers Relief Efforts
Haitian authorities on August 22, 2021 updated the death toll from August 14, 2021, 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the southwest of the island. Death toll now stands 2,207, 344 are still missing, 12,268 have been injured, and at least 129,900 houses have either been damaged or destroyed. To add to the growing woes, relief efforts are being slowed down because of logistical challenges stemming from the gang violence that have made all but impossible the passage of supplies from Port au-Prince to three regions severely affected by earthquake--Nippes, Southwest and Grand'Anse--without police escort.
Premier Delays Polls to Next Year; Criticizes the Deportation of Haitian Migrants
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry told The Associated Press in an interview on September 28, 2021 that presidential and legislative elections would be held next year. Before that, a new electoral council has to be named as the previous commission has been dissolved after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. A referendum on constitutional reform will be held in Spring 2022. All three--constitutional amendment, legislative and presidential--elections are planned to be held on November 7, 2021. Henry also took swipe at the Biden administration's airlift of thousands of migrants from Texas to Haiti in recent days. His comments came hours before the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America, Assistant Secretary of State Brian Nichols, was about to arrive at Port au-Prince.
Haitians
Strike Two Days after Kidnapping of 17 Missionaries
16
Americans and
one Canadian from the Berlin, Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries were
kidnapped in east of Port-au-Prince as they went to an orphanage, Maison
La Providence de Dieu Orphanage, in Ganthier, Croix-des-Bouquets on
October 16, 2021. Haitian police said that the six men, six women and five
children had been kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang. Kidnappings dipped
in the aftermath of July 7, 2021, assassination of President Jovenel Moise
and a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in August 2021 that had killed more than
2,200 people. However, in recent weeks, kidnappings across the poorest nation
in the western hemisphere spiked up again. The news of Kidnapping spread
through the close-knit Holmes County, Ohio, a county with one of the largest populations
of Amish and Mennonites in the country, within hours and saddened the community.
Haitian
workers from all walks of profession had enough by now with rampant lawlessness,
kidnappings and murders, and they called a strike. On October 18, 2021, public vehicles
disappeared from the roads, shops and retail fronts were shuttered and population
was significantly thinner on the streets. The scale of the strike drives home
the point that this action has overwhelming support from the people.
Gang
Leader Threatens to Execute the Hostages
Days
after reports emerged that captors of 17 foreign missionaries and one
Haitian demanded $1 million in exchange for release of each hostage,
a purported video of the leader of the gang added more consternation for nervous
families of the kidnapped Americans and a Canadian. The video, circulated on October
21, 2021, shows Wilson Joseph threatening to put bullets to the
heads of hostages if his demand is not met.
Two
Hostages Freed
Ohio-based
Christian Aid Ministries
said on November 21, 2021 that two hostages had been freed.
Dozen
Remaining Hostages Freed
On December
16, 2021, came the news of glory to missionaries and officials of Christian
Aid Ministries as the remaining 12 missionaries kidnapped on October
16, 2021 had been released. White House praised the constructive law
enforcement action of Haitian authorities. Earlier this month, three hostages
were freed days after two missionaries had been freed on November 21, 2021.
Dozen
Abductees Reported to Have Fled their Captors
Christian
Aid Ministries on December 20, 2021
shared with the media a detailed chronology of events that had led to eventual
freedom of a dozen Christian missionaries. The actual series of steps that had
led to their eventual freedom on November 21, 2021 were not known until
now, and far from what had been reported at the time of their freedom. The
world came to know then that the remaining dozen were released by their
captors. But that theory was disputed by CAM during a press conference
on December 20, 2021. Missionaries had to walk for hours under a moon-lit
sky for hours before tasting freedom.
U.N. Security Council Calls for End to Violence, Blockade
On October 21, 2022, U.N. Security Council passed unanimously a resolution that called for an immediate end to violence that had engulfed Haiti and created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The resolution, jointly introduced by the U.S. and Mexico, also calls for removal of weeks-long blockade of one of the key fuel terminals allegedly by a powerful gang led by Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer. The U.N. Security Council also imposed sanctions on him.
Moderate Politician Ambushed
A week after the U.N. Security Council approved a unanimous resolution
targeting Haiti’s chronic gang activity, the leader of a center-left political
party was assassinated in a hillside community over Port-au-Prince. The October
28, 2022, ambush of a convoy in the town of Laboule 12, a serene,
lush green hillside community, around 9PM local time killed Eric Jean-Baptiste,
secretary general of the Assembly of Progressive National Democrats, and a
bodyguard.
Scores of Hardened Criminals Freed in Alleged Jailbreak
Underlining a new low, the criminal gangs overnight launched a ferocious
attack on the main prison, according to a March 3, 2024, report by The
Associated Press. Many convicts were released by gang members. Prime
Minister Ariel Henry is out of his nation when the alleged jailbreak has happened.
Attack on Airport Foiled, 72-hour State of Emergency Begins
After jailbreaks at two major prisons in Port-au-Prince that had
freed dozens of hardened gang members, gunmen on March 4, 2024 attacked
the main international airport, Toussaint Louverture International Airport,
aimed at taking control of the lifeblood of the nation’s international
relations. Haitian security forces repelled the attack. During March 4, 2024,
attempt to seize the airport, there were no planes on the tarmac, neither were
passengers. Meanwhile, a 72-hour state of emergency began on March 3, 2024
that the country’s Finance Minister and acting premier Patrick Boivert
had urged the security forces to leverage on to expand their dragnet to nab all
the inmates who had fled following audacious jailbreaks. During jailbreaks at
two of the nation’s largest prisons, Prime Minister Ariel Henry was in Kenya
for a state visit.
Caricom to Meet at an Emergency Session as Haitian Premier Under
Pressure to Resign
As the violence spread to target more government buildings, including the
Interior Ministry Department being set ablaze by a violent mob on late March
8, 2024, the 15-nation Caribbean Community, or Caricom, announced in
the late night of March 8, 2024 that it would meet at an emergency
session in Jamaica to discuss on the downward spiraling of the situation in Haiti,
Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation of 12 million people. Caricom Chairman Mohammad
Irfaan Ali said that the alliance was in talks with different stakeholders,
including Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who had been outside the
country since February 25, 2024 as he had gone to Kenya to build support
for the deployment of a multinational force, only to be stuck out of the island
of 12 million people because of the growing violence and cessation of all
commercial air traffic. Henry, last seen in Puerto Rico, is under pressure—both
domestically and from abroad—to step down.
U.S. Beefs up Security at Embassy, Evacuates non-essential Personnel
The U.S. Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM, issued a statement on March
10, 2024 that it flew aircraft to the U.S. Embassy compound in
Port-au-Prince to reinforce security and evacuate nonessential personnel out of
the country.
“Presidential College” Proposal Discussed, U.S. to Spend $100 million
for Deployment
Caribbean Community, or Caricom, the U.S. and other stake holders met at an
emergency session in Jamaica on March 11, 2024 to discuss on and address
the rising violence in Haiti. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken
attended this crucial session. Blinken announced that the Biden administration
would spend $100 million for multinational troops deployment in Haiti. The U.S.
will also spend an additional $33 million for humanitarian aid. The session also
discussed coming up with a joint proposal to create a “Presidential College” to
oversee multinational troops deployment.
U.S. Evacuates about 30 Citizens from Haiti
As the situation in Haiti is free-falling into the Black Hole of political
anarchy and disaster, U.S. began to evacuate its citizens in charter flights
from Cap-Haitien. The first flight took off the airport at the less violent
northern city of Cap-Haitien on March 17, 2024 and flew about 30
American citizens, most of them were Haitian-Americans, to the Miami
International Airport.
U.S. Organizes First Airlift from the Capital
Hitherto the U.S. has been airlifting American citizens from Cap
Haitien to Miami, but many Americans must arrange road transportation, which
is risky, on their own to the northern city. On March 20, 2024, that becomes
a little easier for Americans who are in Port-au-Prince as a helicopter has
taken off to bring at least 15 Americans to Dominican Republic. According to
the plan, the U.S. is likely to continue airlifting from the capital to
Dominican Republic.
Haiti-based Airline to Resume Service to Miami
Miami Herald reported on March 23, 2024 that Haiti-based airline Sunrise
Airways was planning to resume service from Cap-Haitien to Miami
beginning on March 25, 2024 thrice a week. Sunrise Airways launched Miami
services in October 2023. This is the first commercial aviation service since
the island nation plunged into anarchy.
First Concrete Step towards Normalcy: Transitional Council Sworn in
The poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere is plunging into a point of
no return since gangs have launched the most vicious attack on the state on February
29, 2024, followed by attacks on prisons, main airport, administrative buildings,
and police stations. More than 100,000 people fled Port-au-Prince since the February
29, 2024, eruption of violence. With this political upheaval setting the
context, there was a concerted regional effort led by Caricom—and backed by the
United States—to form a transitional council to replace the cabinet and
organize elections to elect a new premier and a new president.
The first concrete outcome emerged on April 25, 2024 as the
transitional council was sworn in at the National Palace in downtown
Port-au-Prince. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Henry sent his
resignation letter from Los Angeles. The outgoing cabinet of Ariel Henry
chose Michael Patrick Boisvert, outgoing Henry cabinet’s economy and finance
minister, as the interim premier until the nine-member transitional council
named a new transition prime minister. The composition of the transitional
council encompasses around seven voting and two non-voting members. The term of
the transitional council is through February 7, 2026 and it will not be
renewed. Its tasks are cut out as it has to form a provisional election
commission before holding a nationwide election and transition the country to a
democratically elected administration in less than two years.
HONDURAS
Dam Resistance Leader Slain
A Lenca Indian activist whose fierce resistance eventually forced the government to abandon constructing a dam on the Gualcarque River, considered sacred to Lenca tribe, was slain at her home on March 3, 2016 in the town of Le Esperanza. Indian Council of People's Organizations of Honduras said that the organization's leader, Ms. Berta Caceres, was shot dead by at least two assailants. The dam was originally bid by the Chinese state-owned company Sinohydro that had built more than 120 dams throughout the world, many of them in Latin America, but had to abandon in 2013 under a fierce protest led by Berta Caceres. Berta Caceres won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize award for her leadership and perseverance for leading the grass-root campaign against the proposed dam on the Gualcarque River. The U.N. special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, said on March 3, 2016 that Caceres' assassination might be linked to her life-long struggle for protecting the rights of indigenous people of Honduras. At Tegucigalpa, U.S. Ambassador to Honduras James Nealon issued a statement during the day calling for a "prompt and thorough" investigation. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez wrote in a twitter posting that all of Honduras was mourning the death of Berta Caceres.
Different Treatment for Conservative Candidate
When the then-Leftist President Manuel Zelaya tried to out-maneuver the political process to seek re-election in 2009, country's political and business establishment threw him out. Six years later in 2015, Honduras' Supreme Court had a different take, abolishing the iron-clad ban on running for re-election and paving the way for the Conservative President Juan Orlando Hernandez to run for re-election. November 26, 2017 will be a big electoral test for Hernandez and the country's Conservative ruling establishment to show the world that the Supreme Court action two years ago deserved appreciation.
Opposition Candidate Ahead in Preliminary Vote Count
Upsetting the opinion polls and voting calculus, opposition candidate Salvador Nasrallah surged ahead of incumbent and frontrunner President Juan Orlando Hernandez in the preliminary count of November 26, 2017, presidential election. Honduras' election commission head David Matamoros said on November 27, 2017 that, as of 2AM in the morning, Nasrallah received 45.7 percent to Hernandez' 40.2 percent based on 57 percent of the votes tallied. However, the update of the results from the election panel was then suddenly put on hold, raising suspicion of foul play.
Honduras on the Edge as Final Votes Are Tallied amid Violent Protests
As allegation over foul-playing in vote counting loomed large, supporters of the opposition candidate Salvador Nasrallah staged protests almost daily basis in Tegucigalpa, the capital, San Pedro Sula and other cities since November 27, 2017. Occasionally, the protests turned violent. Honduras' electoral court announced on December 1, 2017 that it had tallied 95 percent of the votes and was to begin hand count of another 1,031 boxes. Based on 95 percent of the votes tallied as of December 1, 2017, incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez was now ahead of Salvador Nasrallah by 46,000 votes.
One Killed in Protest
A protester was killed and several injured on December 2, 2017 as the opposition candidate Salvador Nasrallah demanded a new vote, but not under the local authorities. Both Salvador Nasrallah and incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez declared victory in November 26, 2017, presidential polls.
Opposition Candidate Demands a Total Recount
Opposition candidate Salvador Nasrallah, who claimed victory in the November 26, 2017, presidential polls, demanded on December 9, 2017 for a recount of all the votes as the election commission was in the midst of hand-counting 5,000 ballot boxes. Incumbent Juan Orlando Hernandez is ahead of Nasrallah by about 52,000 votes, or 1.6 percent, after Salvador Nasrallah had taken early lead and electoral panel suddenly went dark in publicly disclosing the vote count, raising a specter of foul play to tip the balance in favor of the conservative president.
Opposition Supporters Block Highway; Hand-counting of 5,000 Boxes Over
Tens of thousands of supporters of opposition candidates Salvador Nasrallah took to streets on December 15, 2017, protesting against vote tallying irregularities and complicity of Supreme Electoral Tribunal in vote counting fraud. Protesters blocked highways in Tegucigalpa with flaming barricades. Former Socialist President Manuel Zelaya, who was overthrown in 2009, led the protest, calling the administration of President Juan Orlando Hernandez as a "spurious regime". Meanwhile, the electoral panel finished counting all 5,000 ballot boxes, but the results were not disclosed.
Incumbent Declared Winner
President Juan Orlando Hernandez on December 17, 2017 was declared winner in November 26, 2017, presidential polls in a razor thin margin of 42.95 percent compared to his challenger Salvador Nasrallah's 41.42 percent. Opposition alleged ballot fraud and counting manipulation, leading to days of protests in Tegucigalpa, the capital, and other parts of the country that had resulted in at least 17 deaths.
Protests Erupt across Honduras; OAS Calls for a Vote Re-do
A day after President Juan Orlando Hernandez was declared winner of the November 26, 2017, presidential poll, protests erupted on December 18, 2017 in Tegucigalpa, the capital, San Pedro Sula, country's second-largest city, and other cities and towns. Demonstrators blocked highways and streets with burning tires and other obstructive materials. Amid intensifying protest, Organization of American States (OAS) on December 18, 2017 proposed a redo of the presidential vote, citing a list of problems that included
* Deliberate human intrusion into the computer system
* Intentional elimination of digital traces
* Opened ballot boxes
* Lack of definitive determination of the vote outcome due to "extreme statistical probability"
Responding to OAS demand, Vice President Ricardo Alvarez dismissed the allegation of any vote-related irregularities and accused the opposition of behaving like children.
President Calls for Calm
As nationwide protest continued on December 19, 2017, President Juan Orlando Hernandez called for calm and peace, and asked the opposition to accept the electoral verdict.
President Sworn in for a Second Term amid Violence
President Juan Orlando Hernandez was sworn in on January 27, 2018 for a second term at a pomp-filled ceremony held at the national stadium in Tegucigalpa. However, the mood outside the venue was starkly opposite as thousands of protesters fought a pitched battle with security forces. As the death toll from almost daily protests that had erupted since opposition had accused the authorities of November 26, 2017, voting irregularities and the resulting vote counting fraud climbed to 22, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Honduras called for government to ease on its crackdown.
U.S. Prosecutors Implicates Honduran President to Drug Bribes
Federal prosecutors from the the Southern District of New York on January 8, 2021 filed paper with the court in a related case, indirectly linking Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to taking bribes in exchange for protecting cocaine lab and shipping them to the U.S. The documentation filed by the federal prosecutors referred the president as CC-4, or Co-Conspirator-4, in the pretrial hearing of Giovanni Fuentes Ramirez, who had been arrested in Miami in March 2020, seeking to admit certain evidence in the trial. However, the description in the documentation, in addition to the fact that one of his brothers, Juan Antonio Hernandez, had been charged in a drug trafficking case in 2019, left it very clear that prosecutors had their eyes on President Juan Orlando Hernandez while describing the CC-4 in the document.
Honduras
Set to Elect First Woman President
Honduran
voters sent a clear message in November 28, 2021, presidential poll that
corruption, misgovernance and high-handedness would have to stop. In the
process, they sent the wife of a former Leftist president, who had been ousted
in a 2009 coup, to a land-sliding victory. The electoral commission stopped
tallying the votes in the early morning of November 29, 2021. By then, Xiomara
Castro de Zelaya was winning with 54% vote, far ahead of ruling
party candidate Nasry Asfura’s 34%. vote. Xiomara Castro de Zelaya
will be the first woman president of Honduras if the winning streak remains
intact.
Honduras Installs First Female as President
In a historical first step, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya on January
27, 2022 became the first woman to become the president of Honduras as
the key nation of the Northern Triangle faced tremendous head winds from
a host of issues including soaring unemployment, economic stagnation and
outward migration to the U.S.
Former Honduran President Faces Extradition to U.S.
A Honduran judge on February 15, 2022 signed off on an arrest
warrant for Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez, paving the way for
his eventual extradition to the U.S. to stand trial on drugs and weapons
charges. U.S. requested extradition of Juan Orlando Hernandez less than
three weeks after the change in administration.
Honduras the Second Central American Nation to Declare State of
Emergency against Gangs
After El Salvador, it’s now Honduras’ turn to declare war on street
gangs who are indiscriminately extorting, killing, and threatening bus
operators and cab drivers. On November 24, 2022, Honduran President Xiomara
Castro declared a state of emergency against gang members and leaders,
curtailing their constitutional rights and freedom of assembly.
JAMAICA
Ruling Party Defeated in Parliamentary Polls
Final results of the February 25, 2016, Jamaican parliamentary polls threw significant uncertainty in the Caribbean nation's political destiny as opposition Jamaica Labor Party won a wafer-thin victory. According to final tally issued by the Electoral Office of Jamaica on March 1, 2016, Jamaica Labor Party won 32 seats in 63-seat parliament and the ruling People's National Party won 31 seats. The leader of the Jamaica Labor Party, Andrew Holness, is expected to be sworn in as premier by the end of the week.
MEXICO
Historic Zapatista Uprising Marked
Zapatistas and their hundreds of supporters on January 1, 2014 marked the 20th anniversary of historic uprising that drew world's attention to the wide-spread discrimination and denial of rights of the indigenous people in Mexico in general and southern state of Chiapas in particular. The revolt lasted just for few days, but ended with a truce. The revolt triggered the necessary political momentum that eventually led to constitutional amendment to enshrine indigenous rights in 2001. The movement led by Subcomandante Marcos brought out caravan to seek support for the amendment, and masked Zapatistas delivered speeches before Congress, an event that went down in the history as remarkable event. However, in the following years, Zapatistas as a political movement lost much of its significance. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
***************** POLITICAL STORM OVER MISSING STUDENTS ******************
Massacre Suspected in Guerrero
A protest organized by the students from a teachers training college in the southern state of Guerrero spun out of control on September 26, 2014, leading to violence, mayhem and disappearance of 43 college students. The student protestors came to Iguala from a teacher training college at a remote area in Guerrero. During the melee, six students were killed, 20 wounded and 43 students disappeared. City's mayor, Jose Luis Abarca, and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, went on hiding as suspicion fell on them behind the disappearance of 43 students. On October 5, 2014, the Guerrero state prosecutor Inaky Blaco said that authorities had found a mass graveyard in the nearby town of Iguala and remains of 28 people were found there.
President Nieto Condemns the Attack on Students
President Enrique Pena Nieto stepped in the muddy water of Guerrero politics on October 6, 2014, and called the disappearance of 43 students "unacceptable, outrageous and painful".
Disappearence of 43 Invites International Criticism
On October 9, 2014, the Organization of American States Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza denounced the killing of six demonstrators and disappearence of 43 protesters, and said that all of Latin America was grieving.
Missing Students Not Among the Remains Found in Grave
Mexican authorities on October 14, 2014 said that none of the 43 student-teacher protesters missing since September 26, 2014 were not among the 28 people whose remains were dug from nearby graves and tested in recent days.
Mexican State Governor Quits Over Missing Students
Amid the rising din and demand for authorities to account for 43 missing students from a teacher training college in the southern state of Guerrero, the first significant political fallout was the state Governor Angel Aguirre Rivero, who turned in his paper on October 23, 2014.
UN Steps in Missing Students Affair
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement at Geneva on October 24, 2014 urging the Mexican government to step up efforts to find 43 missing students who had disappeared after a bloody confrontation with local police force on September 26, 2014 at Iguala, in Guerrero.
City Mayor and His Wife Arrested
Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca, and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, who went on hiding in the aftermath of September 26, 2014, violence in Guerrero state were arrested on November 4, 2014 by a federal police team from a dilapidated house in Mexico City.
Attorney General Confirms the Death of Missing Students
Mexico's AG Jesus Murillo Karam said on November 7, 2014 at a heart-breaking news conference that the federal government had ample evidence that 43 students in the southern state of Guerrero who had gone missing since September 26, 2014 were killed, burned and their remains were disposed in a river. The revelation sent a shock wave throughout a petrified nation because of the scale of cruelty, even in a nation that grew accustomed to daily gruesome killings and mayhem, used in this case. So far, at least 74 people were arrested over the disappearance of 43 students from a teachers training college in a remote part of Guerrero.
Report Disputes Government Theory of Burning Death
A 400-page report was issued on September 6, 2015 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The report sharply disputed and disagreed with the official government report issued in November 2014 that 43 students from a teachers college in Guerrero who were kidnapped were later burned to death and disposed in a river. Mexico's Attorney General Arely Gomez, who was not in the office when the incident took place and the official report was issued, immediately responded that she would call for a new forensic investigation of the garbage dump where the charred bodies were initially reported to be left.
A Second Missing Student Identified
After positively identifying the remains of Alexander Mora Venancio, the first of 43 missing students, in December 2014, the remains of a second student, Jhosivani Gurrero de la Cruz, were identified, according to a statement issued by Mexico's Attorney General Arely Gomez on September 16, 2015.
Argentine Forensic Report Disputes the Theory of Burnt Remains at a Dump
A report prepared by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team was issued on February 9, 2016, and the report basically reached at the same conclusion as a separate report issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on September 6, 2015 that had triggered the Argentine forensic investigation. According to the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team report, there was no evidence that the remains of at least 19 people found near a dump in Cocula, Guerrero were linked to any of 43 students who had disappeared during a protest in late September 2014.
Mexican President Visits for First Time to the Town at the Heart of Missing Students
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on February 24, 2016 visited for the first time the town of Iguala in Guerrero where disappearance of 43 teacher-in-making students in September 2014 created international furor and outcry and shamed the Mexican government. President Pena Nieto emphasized on moving forward of a community that remained shell-shocked until now.
International Panelists Slam Government
A panel of five international experts invited with much fanfare by the Mexican authorities to investigate into what had happened to 43 missing students from the Ayotzinapa teachers college in Guerrero left the country without being able to complete the investigation. The New York Times on April 22, 2016 reported that the panelists were bitter at the stonewalling tactics by the government authorities. They complained about intimidation, refusal to share information and intimidation by concerned authorities with near-connivance by the federal agencies.
JAMAICA
Ruling Party Defeated in Parliamentary Polls
Final results of the February 25, 2016, Jamaican parliamentary polls threw significant uncertainty in the Caribbean nation's political destiny as opposition Jamaica Labor Party won a wafer-thin victory. According to final tally issued by the Electoral Office of Jamaica on March 1, 2016, Jamaica Labor Party won 32 seats in 63-seat parliament and the ruling People's National Party won 31 seats. The leader of the Jamaica Labor Party, Andrew Holness, is expected to be sworn in as premier by the end of the week.
MEXICO
Historic Zapatista Uprising Marked
Zapatistas and their hundreds of supporters on January 1, 2014 marked the 20th anniversary of historic uprising that drew world's attention to the wide-spread discrimination and denial of rights of the indigenous people in Mexico in general and southern state of Chiapas in particular. The revolt lasted just for few days, but ended with a truce. The revolt triggered the necessary political momentum that eventually led to constitutional amendment to enshrine indigenous rights in 2001. The movement led by Subcomandante Marcos brought out caravan to seek support for the amendment, and masked Zapatistas delivered speeches before Congress, an event that went down in the history as remarkable event. However, in the following years, Zapatistas as a political movement lost much of its significance. (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
***************** POLITICAL STORM OVER MISSING STUDENTS ******************
Massacre Suspected in Guerrero
A protest organized by the students from a teachers training college in the southern state of Guerrero spun out of control on September 26, 2014, leading to violence, mayhem and disappearance of 43 college students. The student protestors came to Iguala from a teacher training college at a remote area in Guerrero. During the melee, six students were killed, 20 wounded and 43 students disappeared. City's mayor, Jose Luis Abarca, and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, went on hiding as suspicion fell on them behind the disappearance of 43 students. On October 5, 2014, the Guerrero state prosecutor Inaky Blaco said that authorities had found a mass graveyard in the nearby town of Iguala and remains of 28 people were found there.
President Nieto Condemns the Attack on Students
President Enrique Pena Nieto stepped in the muddy water of Guerrero politics on October 6, 2014, and called the disappearance of 43 students "unacceptable, outrageous and painful".
Disappearence of 43 Invites International Criticism
On October 9, 2014, the Organization of American States Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza denounced the killing of six demonstrators and disappearence of 43 protesters, and said that all of Latin America was grieving.
Missing Students Not Among the Remains Found in Grave
Mexican authorities on October 14, 2014 said that none of the 43 student-teacher protesters missing since September 26, 2014 were not among the 28 people whose remains were dug from nearby graves and tested in recent days.
Mexican State Governor Quits Over Missing Students
Amid the rising din and demand for authorities to account for 43 missing students from a teacher training college in the southern state of Guerrero, the first significant political fallout was the state Governor Angel Aguirre Rivero, who turned in his paper on October 23, 2014.
UN Steps in Missing Students Affair
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement at Geneva on October 24, 2014 urging the Mexican government to step up efforts to find 43 missing students who had disappeared after a bloody confrontation with local police force on September 26, 2014 at Iguala, in Guerrero.
City Mayor and His Wife Arrested
Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca, and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, who went on hiding in the aftermath of September 26, 2014, violence in Guerrero state were arrested on November 4, 2014 by a federal police team from a dilapidated house in Mexico City.
Attorney General Confirms the Death of Missing Students
Mexico's AG Jesus Murillo Karam said on November 7, 2014 at a heart-breaking news conference that the federal government had ample evidence that 43 students in the southern state of Guerrero who had gone missing since September 26, 2014 were killed, burned and their remains were disposed in a river. The revelation sent a shock wave throughout a petrified nation because of the scale of cruelty, even in a nation that grew accustomed to daily gruesome killings and mayhem, used in this case. So far, at least 74 people were arrested over the disappearance of 43 students from a teachers training college in a remote part of Guerrero.
Report Disputes Government Theory of Burning Death
A 400-page report was issued on September 6, 2015 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The report sharply disputed and disagreed with the official government report issued in November 2014 that 43 students from a teachers college in Guerrero who were kidnapped were later burned to death and disposed in a river. Mexico's Attorney General Arely Gomez, who was not in the office when the incident took place and the official report was issued, immediately responded that she would call for a new forensic investigation of the garbage dump where the charred bodies were initially reported to be left.
A Second Missing Student Identified
After positively identifying the remains of Alexander Mora Venancio, the first of 43 missing students, in December 2014, the remains of a second student, Jhosivani Gurrero de la Cruz, were identified, according to a statement issued by Mexico's Attorney General Arely Gomez on September 16, 2015.
Argentine Forensic Report Disputes the Theory of Burnt Remains at a Dump
A report prepared by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team was issued on February 9, 2016, and the report basically reached at the same conclusion as a separate report issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on September 6, 2015 that had triggered the Argentine forensic investigation. According to the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team report, there was no evidence that the remains of at least 19 people found near a dump in Cocula, Guerrero were linked to any of 43 students who had disappeared during a protest in late September 2014.
Mexican President Visits for First Time to the Town at the Heart of Missing Students
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on February 24, 2016 visited for the first time the town of Iguala in Guerrero where disappearance of 43 teacher-in-making students in September 2014 created international furor and outcry and shamed the Mexican government. President Pena Nieto emphasized on moving forward of a community that remained shell-shocked until now.
International Panelists Slam Government
A panel of five international experts invited with much fanfare by the Mexican authorities to investigate into what had happened to 43 missing students from the Ayotzinapa teachers college in Guerrero left the country without being able to complete the investigation. The New York Times on April 22, 2016 reported that the panelists were bitter at the stonewalling tactics by the government authorities. They complained about intimidation, refusal to share information and intimidation by concerned authorities with near-connivance by the federal agencies.
25,
including Soldiers, Sought on Arrest Warrants in "Forced Disappearance" of Would-be-Teachers
The
attorney general of Mexico, Alejandro Gertz Manero, on September 26, 2020 issued arrest
warrants against 25 people, including military personnel, federal police
officers and others, in the September 26, 2014, “forced disappearance of
43 students” of a teacher college at Ayotzinapa in Iguala, Guerrero
state. The prosecutor leading the case, Omar Gomez Trejo, said that one
federal police official was already taken into custody.
Ex-General Arrested in Missing Students Case
Mexican authorities on September 16, 2022 arrested an ex-general in the disappearance of 43 students of a teacher college.
Former Head of anti-Kidnapping Unit Arrested
Mexican Assistant Interior Secretary Alejandro Encinas said on June 26, 2023 that the former head of a federal anti-kidnapping unit, Gualberto Ramirez, was arrested in connection with the 2014 disappearance of 43 teacher-students in southern Mexico.
***************** POLITICAL STORM OVER MISSING STUDENTS ******************
Founder Leaves the Leftist Party
One of the most influential leaders in modern-day Mexico, Cuauhtémoc Cardenas, on November 25, 2014 left the party over policy and ideological difference. Cardenas, son of the country's first president, Lazaro Cardenas, who had nationalized country's oil industry in 1938, founded the Party of Democratic Revolution, or PRD.
Mexico's Remittance Increases in 2014
Mexico's central bank said on February 3, 2015 that the remittance, one of country's two major sources of foreign income beside oil, increased in 2014 by 7.8 percent to $23.6 billion from $21.9 billion in 2013, a year that had registered 3.7 percent drop compared to preceding year.
Report Disputes Government Theory of Burning Death
A 400-page report was issued on September 6, 2015 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The report sharply disputed and disagreed with the official government report issued in November 2014 that 43 students from a teachers college in Guerrero who were kidnapped were later burned to death and disposed in a river. Mexico's Attorney General Arely Gomez, who was not in the office when the incident took place and the official report was issued, immediately responded that she would call for a new forensic investigation of the garbage dump where the charred bodies were initially reported to be left.
Mexico's Remittances Take over Oil as Primary Source of Foreign Currency
Mexico's central bank, Bank of Mexico, reported on February 2, 2016 that remittances from emigrant Mexicans totaled $24.8 billion last year (2015), 4.75 percent higher than the preceding year's (2014) total of $23.6 billion. Last year (2015) also marked the first year since 1995, the year Bank of Mexico began to track remittances, when revenue from remittances surged ahead of revenue from oil. Earnings from oil totaled $23.4 billion last year (2015). The collapse of crude prices was the primary culprit for significant decline in oil revenue. Manufacturing stood number 1 source for foreign currency income in 2015.
********************* POPE FRANCIS' MEXICO TRIP 2016 *************************
Pope to Meet Russian Orthodox Church Leader
Pope Francis on the eve of his six-day Mexico visit will meet with Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill I on February 12, 2016 at Havana, according to a press statement by Vatican issued on February 5, 2016. The meeting will set a new precedent, if not direction, in the often tense relations between the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches since it will mark the first such meeting between a Russian Orthodox patriarch and a Pope since the Great Schism of 1054, leading to formal split between Eastern and Western churches. Pope Francis has already established meaningful ties with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. The upcoming Havana meeting will add another layer, irrespective of how thin it is, to the warmth in Pope's outreach to other religions in general and other Christian denominations in particular.
Pope Meets Russian Orthodox Leader at Historic Havana Meeting
It was a historic and poignant symbol toward rapprochement between the 1.2 billion member Catholicism and the largest of Eastern Orthodox churches, 150 million member Russian Orthodox Church, as the leaders of both churches, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill I, met for the first time since the Great Schism of 1054 in a meeting held at Havana on February 12, 2016. The leaders later in the day released a 30-point statement that emphasized on the core theme of their meeting: "we are not competitors, but brothers".
Pope Gives Hopeful Message in His First Mass
Addressing a strong 300,000 people in the heart of Mexico's blight and crime at Ecatepec on the outskirts of Mexico City, Pope Francis on February 14, 2016 urged the nation to be vigilant against "greed". The Mass in Ecatepec reflected Pope's desire to bring the Catholic Church closer to the people at the margin.
Pope Steps into the Epicenter of Native Culture
Pope Francis on February 15, 2016 put his step in Chiapas, the poorest state of Mexico, with his uplifting message of hope and reconciliation for the native people. The Mass at a sports stadium in San Cristobal de Las Casas was an extraordinary combination of pomp, culture, joy, religion and, most prominently, papal message that continued resonating with the so-called "marginalized" and "misunderstood" people of Chiapas long after Pope Francis had left the state. Addressing an enthusiastic mass inside the stadium, many of whom wore in the local native costumes, sprinkled with few words in the native language of Tzotzil, Pope Francis said that "the law of the Lord is perfect, and his word revives the soul". Pope Francis' trip to the land of Mayan ruins, including Palenque and Bonampak, was another indication of the Pope of the People to bridge the gap between the Catholic Church and the people at the margin.
Pope Takes His Message of Hope to Michoacán
Pope Francis on February 16, 2016 steeped into the city of despair, Morella in the province of Michoacán, and urged the people to give up on despair.
Pope Visits the Borders, Urges Respect for All
Pope Francis on February 17, 2016 visited the borders with the U.S. and waved thousands, who were assembled on the other side at El Paso, from an elevated podium with a huge cross at the backdrop. Pope's visit to the border was an extraordinary journey for the pontiff who had made bridging the gaps between people hallmark of his papacy. The day started with a visit to an infamous prison at Ciudad Juarez, Prison Number 3, where he had talked to inmates and preached change that he had urged them to believe in. Later he had addressed a huge mass that was broadcast live across the border at the UTEP stadium, and urged respect for all, including the migrants.
Fighting Words Ensue between Pope and Trump
Pope Francis steeped himself into the earthly world of the U.S. presidential politics on February 18, 2016, and volleys of political fire immediately began to fly two days before the crucial South Carolina primary. During a conversation with reporters as he was returning to Vatican after a six-day trip in Mexico, Pope Francis responded to a question that someone who only talked about building walls, not bridges, couldn't be a Christian. Immediately afterward, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired back at Pope, calling his comments disgraceful. Trump added that "for a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful".
********************* POPE FRANCIS' MEXICO TRIP 2016 *************************
Mexican President Backs Gay Marriage
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on May 17, 2016 submitted to Congress a proposal to legalize gay marriage so that a patchwork of local laws on gay marriage would be replaced by a uniform nationwide law. If passed and signed into law, Mexico will join other notable South American nations such as Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil to allow same-sex marriage. Ecuador has approved civil unions, and Colombia grants all the benefits to same-sex couples.
Mexico Bracing for Protests over Fuel Price Rise
As the fuel prices are set to hike by an approximate 20 percent effective January 1, 2017 because of the energy sector reforms instituted by the government in 2013, Mexico is getting ready to witness massive protests.
Massive Earthquake Kills Hundreds
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck an wide swath of Mexico on September 19, 2017, 32 years to the same day in 1985 when a similar earthquake had killed at least 10,000 people, killing at least 149 people in Mexico City, Morelos State, Puebla State and the state of Mexico that surrounds the capital. The earthquake came about two weeks after an earthquake had struck country's south, killing at least 90 people.
Death Toll Rises to at least 273
As heroism from common people was displayed in open abundance after the September 19, 2017, 7.1-magnitude earthquake, authorities raised the death toll on September 21, 2017 to at least 273.
*********************** MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2018 ****************
Parties Nominate Candidates
Three leading candidates on February 18, 2018 accepted the nomination for July 1, 2018, presidential election. This time the look and shape of political equation is anything but traditional. Longtime Leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has bolted off Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, is running on the ticket of the party, Morena Party, that he has helped found as an alternative and viable leftist movement. There is a peculiar alliance between two strange bedfellows: right-wing National Action Party, or PAN and Left-leaning PRD, and their joint ticket has nominated PAN candidate Ricardo Anaya. For the first time, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, gave nomination to an outsider, Jose Antonio Meade.
House, Senate also in the Play
On July 1, 2018, Mexican voters will not only decide who will be the next president, but also on the fate of 500-member Chamber of Deputies and 128-member Senate.
AMLO Makes it--Quite Convincingly--on Third Try
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on July 1, 2018 secured his place in Mexico's history as Mexican electorate frustrated by years of corrupt and violent politics made their bet this time with Moreno party founder and Leftist veteran with overwhelming margin. After sunset as trends became increasingly clear, opposition candidates conceded defeat gracefully one by one. Earlier in the day, after casting his ballot, Obrador said that "today, people are going to decide if they want more of the same or a real change".
Trump, AMLO Hold First Conversation dubbed "Respectful"
A day after winning the Mexican presidential election in a land-sliding margin, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and U.S. President Donald Trump on July 2, 2018 talked over phone, and both leaders called the phone conversation in positive light. Taking to twitter, AMLO said that the conversation was "respectful", and addressing a press conference at the White House alongside Dutch premier, Mark Rutte, Trump said that the "relationship will be a very good one".
*********************** MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2018 ****************
***************** POLITICAL STORM OVER MISSING STUDENTS ******************
Founder Leaves the Leftist Party
One of the most influential leaders in modern-day Mexico, Cuauhtémoc Cardenas, on November 25, 2014 left the party over policy and ideological difference. Cardenas, son of the country's first president, Lazaro Cardenas, who had nationalized country's oil industry in 1938, founded the Party of Democratic Revolution, or PRD.
Mexico's Remittance Increases in 2014
Mexico's central bank said on February 3, 2015 that the remittance, one of country's two major sources of foreign income beside oil, increased in 2014 by 7.8 percent to $23.6 billion from $21.9 billion in 2013, a year that had registered 3.7 percent drop compared to preceding year.
Report Disputes Government Theory of Burning Death
A 400-page report was issued on September 6, 2015 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The report sharply disputed and disagreed with the official government report issued in November 2014 that 43 students from a teachers college in Guerrero who were kidnapped were later burned to death and disposed in a river. Mexico's Attorney General Arely Gomez, who was not in the office when the incident took place and the official report was issued, immediately responded that she would call for a new forensic investigation of the garbage dump where the charred bodies were initially reported to be left.
Mexico's Remittances Take over Oil as Primary Source of Foreign Currency
Mexico's central bank, Bank of Mexico, reported on February 2, 2016 that remittances from emigrant Mexicans totaled $24.8 billion last year (2015), 4.75 percent higher than the preceding year's (2014) total of $23.6 billion. Last year (2015) also marked the first year since 1995, the year Bank of Mexico began to track remittances, when revenue from remittances surged ahead of revenue from oil. Earnings from oil totaled $23.4 billion last year (2015). The collapse of crude prices was the primary culprit for significant decline in oil revenue. Manufacturing stood number 1 source for foreign currency income in 2015.
********************* POPE FRANCIS' MEXICO TRIP 2016 *************************
Pope to Meet Russian Orthodox Church Leader
Pope Francis on the eve of his six-day Mexico visit will meet with Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill I on February 12, 2016 at Havana, according to a press statement by Vatican issued on February 5, 2016. The meeting will set a new precedent, if not direction, in the often tense relations between the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches since it will mark the first such meeting between a Russian Orthodox patriarch and a Pope since the Great Schism of 1054, leading to formal split between Eastern and Western churches. Pope Francis has already established meaningful ties with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. The upcoming Havana meeting will add another layer, irrespective of how thin it is, to the warmth in Pope's outreach to other religions in general and other Christian denominations in particular.
Pope Meets Russian Orthodox Leader at Historic Havana Meeting
It was a historic and poignant symbol toward rapprochement between the 1.2 billion member Catholicism and the largest of Eastern Orthodox churches, 150 million member Russian Orthodox Church, as the leaders of both churches, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill I, met for the first time since the Great Schism of 1054 in a meeting held at Havana on February 12, 2016. The leaders later in the day released a 30-point statement that emphasized on the core theme of their meeting: "we are not competitors, but brothers".
Pope Gives Hopeful Message in His First Mass
Addressing a strong 300,000 people in the heart of Mexico's blight and crime at Ecatepec on the outskirts of Mexico City, Pope Francis on February 14, 2016 urged the nation to be vigilant against "greed". The Mass in Ecatepec reflected Pope's desire to bring the Catholic Church closer to the people at the margin.
Pope Steps into the Epicenter of Native Culture
Pope Francis on February 15, 2016 put his step in Chiapas, the poorest state of Mexico, with his uplifting message of hope and reconciliation for the native people. The Mass at a sports stadium in San Cristobal de Las Casas was an extraordinary combination of pomp, culture, joy, religion and, most prominently, papal message that continued resonating with the so-called "marginalized" and "misunderstood" people of Chiapas long after Pope Francis had left the state. Addressing an enthusiastic mass inside the stadium, many of whom wore in the local native costumes, sprinkled with few words in the native language of Tzotzil, Pope Francis said that "the law of the Lord is perfect, and his word revives the soul". Pope Francis' trip to the land of Mayan ruins, including Palenque and Bonampak, was another indication of the Pope of the People to bridge the gap between the Catholic Church and the people at the margin.
Pope Takes His Message of Hope to Michoacán
Pope Francis on February 16, 2016 steeped into the city of despair, Morella in the province of Michoacán, and urged the people to give up on despair.
Pope Visits the Borders, Urges Respect for All
Pope Francis on February 17, 2016 visited the borders with the U.S. and waved thousands, who were assembled on the other side at El Paso, from an elevated podium with a huge cross at the backdrop. Pope's visit to the border was an extraordinary journey for the pontiff who had made bridging the gaps between people hallmark of his papacy. The day started with a visit to an infamous prison at Ciudad Juarez, Prison Number 3, where he had talked to inmates and preached change that he had urged them to believe in. Later he had addressed a huge mass that was broadcast live across the border at the UTEP stadium, and urged respect for all, including the migrants.
Fighting Words Ensue between Pope and Trump
Pope Francis steeped himself into the earthly world of the U.S. presidential politics on February 18, 2016, and volleys of political fire immediately began to fly two days before the crucial South Carolina primary. During a conversation with reporters as he was returning to Vatican after a six-day trip in Mexico, Pope Francis responded to a question that someone who only talked about building walls, not bridges, couldn't be a Christian. Immediately afterward, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired back at Pope, calling his comments disgraceful. Trump added that "for a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful".
********************* POPE FRANCIS' MEXICO TRIP 2016 *************************
Mexican President Backs Gay Marriage
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on May 17, 2016 submitted to Congress a proposal to legalize gay marriage so that a patchwork of local laws on gay marriage would be replaced by a uniform nationwide law. If passed and signed into law, Mexico will join other notable South American nations such as Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil to allow same-sex marriage. Ecuador has approved civil unions, and Colombia grants all the benefits to same-sex couples.
Mexico Bracing for Protests over Fuel Price Rise
As the fuel prices are set to hike by an approximate 20 percent effective January 1, 2017 because of the energy sector reforms instituted by the government in 2013, Mexico is getting ready to witness massive protests.
Massive Earthquake Kills Hundreds
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck an wide swath of Mexico on September 19, 2017, 32 years to the same day in 1985 when a similar earthquake had killed at least 10,000 people, killing at least 149 people in Mexico City, Morelos State, Puebla State and the state of Mexico that surrounds the capital. The earthquake came about two weeks after an earthquake had struck country's south, killing at least 90 people.
Death Toll Rises to at least 273
As heroism from common people was displayed in open abundance after the September 19, 2017, 7.1-magnitude earthquake, authorities raised the death toll on September 21, 2017 to at least 273.
*********************** MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2018 ****************
Parties Nominate Candidates
Three leading candidates on February 18, 2018 accepted the nomination for July 1, 2018, presidential election. This time the look and shape of political equation is anything but traditional. Longtime Leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has bolted off Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, is running on the ticket of the party, Morena Party, that he has helped found as an alternative and viable leftist movement. There is a peculiar alliance between two strange bedfellows: right-wing National Action Party, or PAN and Left-leaning PRD, and their joint ticket has nominated PAN candidate Ricardo Anaya. For the first time, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, gave nomination to an outsider, Jose Antonio Meade.
House, Senate also in the Play
On July 1, 2018, Mexican voters will not only decide who will be the next president, but also on the fate of 500-member Chamber of Deputies and 128-member Senate.
AMLO Makes it--Quite Convincingly--on Third Try
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on July 1, 2018 secured his place in Mexico's history as Mexican electorate frustrated by years of corrupt and violent politics made their bet this time with Moreno party founder and Leftist veteran with overwhelming margin. After sunset as trends became increasingly clear, opposition candidates conceded defeat gracefully one by one. Earlier in the day, after casting his ballot, Obrador said that "today, people are going to decide if they want more of the same or a real change".
Trump, AMLO Hold First Conversation dubbed "Respectful"
A day after winning the Mexican presidential election in a land-sliding margin, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and U.S. President Donald Trump on July 2, 2018 talked over phone, and both leaders called the phone conversation in positive light. Taking to twitter, AMLO said that the conversation was "respectful", and addressing a press conference at the White House alongside Dutch premier, Mark Rutte, Trump said that the "relationship will be a very good one".
*********************** MEXICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2018 ****************
U.S. Ambassador to Step Down, Former Telecom Exec to Replace
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson sent a memo to employees of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and other diplomatic corps in Mexico on March 1, 2018, announcing her plan to step down in May 2018. One of the candidates mentioned by media immediately is Edward Whitacare, former CEO of ATandT.
U.N. Takes Hardline against Mexico for Disappearances
As news began swirling round in recent months after dozens of men and women had gone missing in and around the northern city of Nuevo Laredo since early this year and allegations were being pointed at the Mexican Navy, aggrieved families and residents began to show up for protests, culminating in blockade of an international bridge to Laredo days earlier. At the urging of local human rights groups, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, commissioned an investigation, and on May 30, 2018, the report was released. The report directly held government security forces responsible for abduction of 23 people--21 men and two women--that included several teenagers. President Henrique Pena Nieto referred questions to the Foreign Ministry.
High-level American Officials Hold Talks with AMLO Team
In a reflection of emphasizing on rebalancing the Trump administration's diplomatic and political equation with Mexico, four high-level officials--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner--on July 13, 2018 held talks in Mexico City with the officials of AMLO's transition team.
50th Anniversary of the Tlatelolco Massacre Remembered
Thousands of activists, including graying ones who were at the front and center of the fateful day on October 2, 1968 at the Tlatelolco Square in Mexico City to protest against lack of democracy, flooded the epicenter of the massacre on October 2, 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the uprising, mostly by student activists, in which hundreds, if not thousands, were killed.
Highest Award for Foreigners to be given to Kushner
Infuriating an overwhelming section of Mexican population, the outgoing administration of Enrique Pena Nieto on November 28, 2018 announced that it would confer the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest award for foreigners, to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, "for his significant contributions" to a preliminary new trade deal reached among U.S., Mexico and Canada in September 2018, U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (UMCA), that would replace the NAFTA. Mexico's outgoing Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, who is close to Kushner, has said during the day that President Nieto will award Kushner in the coming weekend (December 1-2, 2018) at Buenos Aires, where both are expected to be present for G-20 Summit.
AMLO Inaugurated
Mexico's new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, was inaugurated on December 1, 2018 as the country's 79th president, raising hope for rapid development to amelioration of widespread poverty, increasing focus on energy independence, breaking the sense of impunity for crimes syndicates and drug gangs. AMLO won the presidency in his third try and after staying on populist message.
AMLO's Political Ally, a Female, Inaugurated as Mexico City's Mayor
Claudia Sheinbaum made sort of history on December 5, 2018 by becoming the first elected female mayor of Mexico City. Sheinbaum is a trusted ally of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a doctorate in Environmental Engineering and has worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Claudia Sheinbaum has also served as a member of U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Before Claudia Sheinbaum, there was only another female mayor, Rosalio Robles, but she was appointed to serve out the remaining term of Cuauhtémoc Cardenas after he had decided to run in 2000 presidential polls.
Former Pemex Chief's Arrest Warrant Issued, Steel Company's Account Frozen
In one of the boldest moves to fight financial crimes, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's government on May 28, 2019 issued arrest warrant against former Pemex Director Emilio Lozoya on corruption charges. The arrest warrant came a day after Mexican government's financial crimes chief, Santiago Nieto, informed The Wall Street Journal on May 27, 2019 that the federal government had frozen Lozoya's account tied to 2014 sale of a fertilizer plant owned by Mexico's one of the steel giants, Altos Hornos de Mexico, or AHMSA, to Pemex for $475 million. The AHMSA's bank accounts were also frozen, a move called by the steel giant as "unprecedented, arbitrary". On May 28, 2019, Interpol had detained the head of AHMSA, Alonso Ancira, in Spain.
Investigation into Former President Revealed
Normally done and kept under a veil of secrecy to protect proofs and evidences, Mexican authorities took an unprecedented open channel of communication to make public ongoing investigation, even involving a strategic asset like Pemex. On August 12, 2020, Mexican Attorney-General Alejandro Gertz Manero said that during interrogation with authorities, former Pemex head, Emilio Lozoya, who had been brought back from Spain to face trial and who had subsequently cooperating with the interrogators for leniency, had shared that the Brazilian construction giant at the epicenter of a hemispheric-wide corruption scandal, Odebrecht, had paid the sleek election campaign ads for the then-candidate Enrique Pena Nieto. Another former cabinet official, Former Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, currently teaching at MIT's Sloan School of Management, was implicated too. Both the former president and treasury secretary have yet to respond to their names being implicated.
U.N. Takes Hardline against Mexico for Disappearances
As news began swirling round in recent months after dozens of men and women had gone missing in and around the northern city of Nuevo Laredo since early this year and allegations were being pointed at the Mexican Navy, aggrieved families and residents began to show up for protests, culminating in blockade of an international bridge to Laredo days earlier. At the urging of local human rights groups, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, commissioned an investigation, and on May 30, 2018, the report was released. The report directly held government security forces responsible for abduction of 23 people--21 men and two women--that included several teenagers. President Henrique Pena Nieto referred questions to the Foreign Ministry.
High-level American Officials Hold Talks with AMLO Team
In a reflection of emphasizing on rebalancing the Trump administration's diplomatic and political equation with Mexico, four high-level officials--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner--on July 13, 2018 held talks in Mexico City with the officials of AMLO's transition team.
50th Anniversary of the Tlatelolco Massacre Remembered
Thousands of activists, including graying ones who were at the front and center of the fateful day on October 2, 1968 at the Tlatelolco Square in Mexico City to protest against lack of democracy, flooded the epicenter of the massacre on October 2, 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the uprising, mostly by student activists, in which hundreds, if not thousands, were killed.
Highest Award for Foreigners to be given to Kushner
Infuriating an overwhelming section of Mexican population, the outgoing administration of Enrique Pena Nieto on November 28, 2018 announced that it would confer the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest award for foreigners, to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, "for his significant contributions" to a preliminary new trade deal reached among U.S., Mexico and Canada in September 2018, U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (UMCA), that would replace the NAFTA. Mexico's outgoing Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, who is close to Kushner, has said during the day that President Nieto will award Kushner in the coming weekend (December 1-2, 2018) at Buenos Aires, where both are expected to be present for G-20 Summit.
AMLO Inaugurated
Mexico's new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, was inaugurated on December 1, 2018 as the country's 79th president, raising hope for rapid development to amelioration of widespread poverty, increasing focus on energy independence, breaking the sense of impunity for crimes syndicates and drug gangs. AMLO won the presidency in his third try and after staying on populist message.
AMLO's Political Ally, a Female, Inaugurated as Mexico City's Mayor
Claudia Sheinbaum made sort of history on December 5, 2018 by becoming the first elected female mayor of Mexico City. Sheinbaum is a trusted ally of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a doctorate in Environmental Engineering and has worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Claudia Sheinbaum has also served as a member of U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Before Claudia Sheinbaum, there was only another female mayor, Rosalio Robles, but she was appointed to serve out the remaining term of Cuauhtémoc Cardenas after he had decided to run in 2000 presidential polls.
Former Pemex Chief's Arrest Warrant Issued, Steel Company's Account Frozen
In one of the boldest moves to fight financial crimes, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's government on May 28, 2019 issued arrest warrant against former Pemex Director Emilio Lozoya on corruption charges. The arrest warrant came a day after Mexican government's financial crimes chief, Santiago Nieto, informed The Wall Street Journal on May 27, 2019 that the federal government had frozen Lozoya's account tied to 2014 sale of a fertilizer plant owned by Mexico's one of the steel giants, Altos Hornos de Mexico, or AHMSA, to Pemex for $475 million. The AHMSA's bank accounts were also frozen, a move called by the steel giant as "unprecedented, arbitrary". On May 28, 2019, Interpol had detained the head of AHMSA, Alonso Ancira, in Spain.
Investigation into Former President Revealed
Normally done and kept under a veil of secrecy to protect proofs and evidences, Mexican authorities took an unprecedented open channel of communication to make public ongoing investigation, even involving a strategic asset like Pemex. On August 12, 2020, Mexican Attorney-General Alejandro Gertz Manero said that during interrogation with authorities, former Pemex head, Emilio Lozoya, who had been brought back from Spain to face trial and who had subsequently cooperating with the interrogators for leniency, had shared that the Brazilian construction giant at the epicenter of a hemispheric-wide corruption scandal, Odebrecht, had paid the sleek election campaign ads for the then-candidate Enrique Pena Nieto. Another former cabinet official, Former Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, currently teaching at MIT's Sloan School of Management, was implicated too. Both the former president and treasury secretary have yet to respond to their names being implicated.
Mexico’s
Push to Curb Drug Inquiry Collaboration with U.S. Raises Alarm
In
the sequel to detention of a former high-level Mexican cabinet member in Los
Angeles, Mexican government and legislature are taking measures to curb
cooperation between the two countries over drug-related investigation. On December
15, 2020, Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies passed a measure by 329-98
vote to limit the binational collaboration to fight against the drug cartels. Mexican
Senate has earlier passed the measure, and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador,
who has initiated the action, is all but certain to sign the measure into law.
The incident that triggered so furious national outrage in Mexico was the
arrest of Former Defense Minister Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos in Los Angeles
on drug trafficking-related charges after Drug Enforcement Administration
had launched an investigation into his activities, leading to tapping of former
defense minister’s BlackBerry device. Although charges were later dropped
without any explanation and Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos had left for
Mexico, the damage had already been done. President Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador pushed for a measure that would require local officials to take
permission from a special panel before meeting with “foreign agents” and later
to give a report to Foreign Ministry of what had been discussed during such
meetings. The measure, now passed by Chamber of Deputies and Senate, will chill
the local officials, leading to their reluctance to share information with DEA
or FBI.
Mexico’s
Three Main Opposition Parties Form Alliance before Legislative Election
What
a popular president even in the middle of a pandemic can do is reminded one
more time in Mexico as three main opposition parties with a very scant degree
of commonality in their respective policies and agenda items, but much more on
the same page in their collective desire to defeat President Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador’s ruling Morena party, have announced something that’s
unheard and unprecedented in Mexico. They will be on the same side of the aisle,
at least in the coming legislative election. Leaders from Institutional
Revolution Party, or PRI, National Action Party, or PAN, and Party for
Democratic Revolution, or PRD on December 22, 2020 formed an alliance to
contest the June 6, 2021, National Assembly election.
Subway Overpass Collapse Kills at least 24
That even as grim a tragedy as a subway overpass collapse in Mexico City on late May 3, 2021, resulting in the death of 24 people, can not avoid political recriminations reflects poorly on how political system in Mexico can be drawn to settle scores and make cheap shots in the midst of a human disaster where all hands should be on deck to help out the victims and their families. The subway overpass collapsed on a highway underneath because of a reported failure of a support beam that had buckled. The Line 12 collapse immediately took a nastier turn for political jockeying. Two Morena politicians and public officials, rumored to be the party's standard-bearers in the 2024 presidential election, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, respectively, have become immediate targets of opposition criticism, especially Marcello Ebrard as a mayor of Mexico City has overseen the construction of the so called Golden Line. National Action Party leader Marko Cortes bluntly told on May 4, 2021 that "the politicians of Morena kill people through their corruption and bad decisions".
Mexico's Midterm Poll may Slow AMLO's Agenda
In the June 6, 2021, mid-term poll, President Andres Manual Lopez Obrador's Morena political party won majority in 500-seat National Assembly, but fell short of getting a two-third mandate, or 333 seats, needed for constitutional amendment. AMLO was pushing for a constitutional amendment to accelerate the economic reform that the president had worked up to get traction and help usher in the so called Fourth Transformation. The border state of Chihuahua elected its first female governor, Maria Eugenia Campos Galvan.
Merida Initiative Replaced by Bicentennial Framework for Security
U.S. and Mexico on October 8, 2021 announced a new bilateral security deal to replace the Merida Initiative, the linchpin of the U.S-Mexico security agreement that was far more focused on supplying equipment and providing training to Mexican military. Under the Bicentennial Framework for Security, both nations will strive for a reimagination of the bilateral bond from a more holistic perspective.
U.S.,
Mexico Working on “Birth Certificate” of a New Treaty
U.S.
and Mexican officials are meeting on December 14, 2021 at Mexico City to
work on a framework, structure and functional process of a new deal that will
replace the Merida Initiative. Mexican Foreign Minister Mercelo
Ebrard called the working group meeting as a session to produce a “birth
certificate” for the U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public
Health and Safe Communities.
Fifth Journalist Killed in Six Weeks
After killing of seven journalists last year (2021) that has made Mexico
one of the worst places, if not the worst place, for the journalists, this year
is not shaping up any better for the community of journalists in Mexico. Five
journalists were killed in as many as six weeks, latest being Heber
Lopez Vasquez, the director of RCP Noticas, who had been killed on February
10, 2022 in Oaxaca. Unfortunately, instead of showing any remorse
over the frequent murders of journalists, President Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador on February 11, 2022 went on venting a long diatribe against
another reporter, Loret de Mola, a contributor to The Washington Post,
saying that Mola earned “15 times more than me”. To many, it’s not clear how
the salary drawn by Loret de Mola is having to do with the insecurity of
the country’s journalists.
Unnecessary
Referendum Attracts Few Voters amidst $80 million Price Tag
This
was an unnecessary referendum as most of the opposition had boycotted it. President
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador imposed a referendum on Mexico’s voters to see
whether they would recall him halfway in his tenure. The referendum held on April
10, 2022 got rough going from the very beginning as the Mexican parliament,
dominated by lawmakers from AMLO’s political party, had reduced the budget for
the National Electoral Institute, leading to the nation’s electoral
panel to state that it didn’t have the money to conduct the referendum
estimated to cost $191 million. Later at the intervention of the Mexican
Supreme Court, the National Electoral Institute agreed to hold the
referendum at a shoestring budget of $78.2 million. After the close of
the polls on April 10, 2022, Lorenzo Cordova, president of the National
Electoral Institute, said that AMLO was expected to receive support from 90%
of a meager turnout of 17%-18%.
AMLO-Biden Summit at the White House: Mexico to Spend $1.5 billion for Smart Border Initiative
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador seemed to be putting a healing touch on the diplomatic wound inflicted by his abstention from the L.A. Summit of the Americas over exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. On July 12, 2022, President Joe Biden hosted his Mexican counterpart, and two of the hemisphere's most seasoned leaders had candid talks on migration, trade, border security, smuggling and climate change. Mexico agreed to spend $1.5 billion in bolstering the so called "smart border security" over the next two years. Both nations issued a joint communique, reiterating joint actions on numerous fronts.
Mexico Makes History as Supreme Court Elects First Woman Chief Justice
Mexican Supreme Court on January 2, 2023 elected Justice Norma
Lucia Pina as the nation’s first female chief justice. Her four-year stint
as the head of the country’s apex court will provide a more comprehensive view of
her political and social imprimatur and will likely lead the 11-member court to
be more assertive against President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Tens of Thousands Turn out to Protest Electoral Reforms Law
As President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is preparing to sign a
controversial electoral reforms law, tens of thousands of demonstrators on February
26, 2023 massed the central plaza of the Mexico City to protest the law
that, many opposition and democracy activists complained, was designed to
curtail the authority of National Electoral Institute and allocate less
money and resources for election staff and election-related services.
Mexico Likely to Get a Female President in 2024
In a historic possibility next year, Mexico is likely to elect a female
for the first time to lead the nation, according to the September 8, 2023,
edition of The Dallas Morning News. On September 6, 2023 night, Morena
Party of the incumbent president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has elected Former
Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum as its presidential candidate. Last
week, Xochiti Galvez became the presidential candidate for the three main
opposition parties—Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Party of the
Democratic Revolution (PRD) and National Action Party (PAN).
NICARAGUA
Work on Canal Starts with Chinese Help
A Panama Canal-type of 173-mile waterways connecting Caribbean with the Pacific Ocean were launched with a ground-breaking ceremony on December 22, 2014 with Nicaraguan Vice President Omar Halleslevens and Wang Jing, President of the Chinese contracting firm HKND Group, attending the event. The $50 billion investment will be operational by 2019 and have potential to change the economic fortune of the Latin American country.
Ortega, Wife Set to Win Polls
President Daniel Ortega, this time running with his wife Rosario Murillo as his running mate, is all set to win the third term as Nicaragua's president in November 6, 2016, presidential election.
Ortega Wins Third Term
Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council on November 7, 2016 made public the results of November 6, 2016, presidential polls. According to the electoral panel, 68.2 percent Nicaraguan voters cast their ballots, and President Daniel Ortega won about 1.8 million, or more than 72 percent, votes, handily defeating his nearest rival Maximino Rodriguez, who had received about 373,000 votes. A 2014 amendment to the Nicaraguan constitution removed the presidential term limit, making it possible for Ortega to run for the third term. His Vice President is his wife, Rosario Murillo.
Nicaragua at the Throe of Political Unrest
In what appeared initially as another push-through and strong-armed tactic by Nicaraguan husband-wife rulers to reform country's beleaguered social security backfired severely on the regime's face as a phalanx of protesters, led by students, erupted in protest on April 18, 2018 decrying not only the government move to reform the entitlement program, but also against endemic corruption and growing authoritarianism by President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo. Under pressure, Ortega on April 22, 2018 reneged his social security reform push, but vowed to restore order as the his government "cannot allow groups to impose chaos, crime and looting".
Tens of Thousands Decry Ortega Regime
Not deterred by the strong-armed tactic of the Daniel Ortega government and not satisfied by the regime back-down a day earlier on a crucial social security reform measure, tens of thousands of people from all walks of life on April 23, 2018 participated in an anti-government rally in Managua. All of a sudden, the iron-clad grip of Sandinista seemed fraying in the face of growing popular disenchantment and frustration amid government's radical move to increase tax and reduce benefit in social security program.
Second Mass Demonstration in a Week Rock Managua
Five days after a massive demonstration was held in Managua on April 23, 2018, a second protest rally was organized at the behest of Nicaragua's Catholic Church that had brought an eclectic mix of groups ranging from youth to Catholic observant to working class to students to environmentalists. The April 28, 2018, Catholic Church-organized rally was dubbed as "Peace and Justice" rally that decried government crackdown on spontaneous protests that had killed at least 63 people, wounded more than 160 and left at least 15 missing since the unrest had erupted on April 18, 2018. Addressing the crowd during the day, Francisca Ramirez, a leader of the Inter-Oceanic Canal movement, warned Daniel Ortega that the time was over for him to do whatever he "wants with this country". The movement stemmed from strong reservations by environmentalists and indigent people who had taken a strong stand against a Chinese-financed canal construction that would connect Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as part of Nicaraguan initiative to build an international waterway aimed at serving an alternative to the congested Panama Canal.
Under pressure, Daniel Ortega government on April 22, 2018 rescinded the social security revamp measure that aimed at imposing higher contribution by employees and employers as well as withholding 5 percent of the social security check for health care.
Senators Call for Independent Inquiry into Killing of about 40 Demonstrators
In a not so welcoming sign for Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators penned a letter to Donald Trump on May 11, 2018, prodding the president to investigate into the death of about 40 protesters in the recent anti-regime demonstration. The Senators include some marquee names such as Sen. Robert Menendez, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Roger Wicker and Sen. Richard Durbin. Their joint letter urged the Trump administration to work closely with the Organization of American States to open a comprehensive inquiry into alleged political suppression.
Nicaragua Plays Opposite to Venezuela, Extends Olive Branch to OAS
Taking a leaf from the Venezuela disaster, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega took a vastly different stand, and acquiesced a key condition of Nicaragua's powerful Catholic Church for holding negotiation which would now begin on May 16, 2018. On May 14, 2018, Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary-General Luis Almagro published on Twitter a letter of Nicaragua's acceptance of a delegation from the organization's human rights branch, Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, as a mediator for talks between Nicaraguan government and the Nicaraguan Council of Bishops to resolve the weeks-long violent protest that had so far killed at least 65 people.
Nicaragua Hurtles toward Abyss of Political Uncertainty
As Nicaraguan opposition activists staged a rally on May 30, 2018 to observe the so-called Mother's Day to honor the mothers of the victims in the government's six-week crackdown on political unrest, violence reigned supreme in the Central American nation, killing 15 people in the week alone, according to The New York Times' May 31, 2018, report. A leading Catholic Church official called it a "massacre", and the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua on May 31, 2018 announced to abstain from future mediation talks aimed at resolving the political crisis that had so far killed about 100.
U.S. Slaps Sanctions on Three Nicaraguan Officials
Trump administration as part of a tightening the noose around the Nicaraguan government imposed sanctions on three Nicaraguan officials tied to Daniel Ortega's government. The July 5, 2018, sanctions were the latest step against Ortega regime's harsh crackdown on political protest that had killed at least 235 people since April 18, 2018.
Nicaraguan Paramilitary Forces Kill 2 Students in a 12-hour Night-long Standoff
Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega moved on July 13, 2018 evening to clear the siege by hundreds of students at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua and as the night wore on, tension ran high. The students occupied the prestigious university since anti-government protest had erupted in the spring over Ortega regime's effort to reform the country's Social Security program. As the violence began to spill over the streets near the university, many students sought refuge at the adjacent Church of the Divine Mercy. Two students were killed in the melee between students and paramilitary troops and dozens wounded. An agreement was reached by the early morning of July 14, 2018 between government authorities and Archbishop Leopoldo Jose Brenes Solórzano of Managua, and hundreds of students were evacuated. On July 11, 2018, Inter-American Human Rights Commission said that 264 people had been killed since the protest had erupted in April 2018.
Ortega Marks 39th Anniversary of Sandinista Revolution amid Unrest, Crackdown
This year's July 19, 2018, anniversary to mark the Sandinista Revolution that had toppled the dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979 was anything but normal as government put extra effort to bring in more people to prove that its support base was still intact despite months-long anti-government protest that had taken, according to the Pro-Human Rights Association, more than 351 lives between April 19, 2018 and July 10, 2018. Sea of red and black Sandinista National Liberation Front flags were seen fluttering along the Lake Managua. Addressing the loyal support base that numbered tens of thousands, President Daniel Ortega said that "it was a painful battle" for the past several months because "we have confronted a conspiracy armed by internal forces we all know and external forces we all identify".
Nicaragua Expels U.N. Human Rights Team
On August 30, 2018, a letter written by Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada reached the regional team of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in which the foreign minister ordered the delegation to leave the country immediately as the "reasons, causes and conditions" under which the team was invited did not exist anymore. According to the U.N., more than 300 were killed and at least 2,000 injured in the anti-government protest that had erupted in April 2018.
Nicaragua Unveils Peace Talks Agenda
After fits and starts, talks between Daniel Ortega government and opposition umbrella group Civic Alliance resumed on February 27, 2019, and just last week, there was an evolving road map that had emerged as part of striving toward a sustainable and formal peace negotiation aimed at ending the political unrest that had erupted in the Spring last year. Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry on March 9, 2019 issued a multi-point agenda for the incoming peace talks with the Civic Alliance, including removing of international sanctions, review of case files of political prisoners and strengthening the electoral institutions. The March 9, 2019, unveiling of the negotiation agenda came a day after Roman Catholic Church had declined to participate in the peace talks as observer, thus confirming the belief of several government critics that the talks agenda might have been unveiled to gain credibility in the negotiation process. Since the unrest erupted last spring, at least 325 people were killed in Nicaragua, according to the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.
Nicaraguan Security Blocks Anniversary Demonstration
Nicaraguan police and security forces covered Managua with security blanket on April 17, 2019 to prevent one-year anniversary of mass uprising against Daniel Ortega's rule.
Ortega
Regime in Arrest Spree of Opposition Leaders
That
even the former Sandinista rebels who had fought alongside Daniel
Ortega, but later broke ranks for his increasingly autocratic bent were not
immune from political prosecution became clear in recent days as one opposition
leader, Tamara Devila, a former Sandinista comrade turned a member of Unamos
and a leader of the Blue and White National Unity that had been formed following
2018 government crackdown, had been arrested on June 12, 2021 and four
others—Hugo Torres, a former Sandinista general; Dora Maria Tellej, who had led
a 1978 assault on the National Palace and forced Anastasio Somoza to release
Sandinista rebels in a hostage swap; and Suyen Barahona, leader of the
political movement Unamos—were arrested on June 13, 2021, raising the
total number of detentions since June 2, 2021 to 12. Ortega seems to be squelching
dissent before the November 7, 2021, presidential election.
U.S. and European Parliament are calling out the Nicaragua's November 7, 2021, election of what it actually is: a "sham" election. Seven opposition candidates are behind the bar under an "anti-treason" law passed in December 2020. President Daniel Ortega is seeking the fourth consecutive five-year term, and opposition political parties have alleged that many of their activists have been persecuted and jailed by the ruling Sandinista regime. U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Menendez issued a statement on the eve of November 7, 2021, presidential election, calling the election a "sham". The statement signed by Senator Bob Menendez, European Parliament and representatives from 14 governments, including Sweden and Costa Rica, added that the "regime has prefaced Nicaragua's pseudo presidential elections scheduled for November 7, 2021 with callous violations of democratic rules".
Nicaragua
Shutters the OAS Office
In
a blatant move, Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega on April
24, 2022 shuttered the offices of the Organization of the American
States in Managua. The OAS-Nicaragua relationship, never good under President
Daniel Ortega’s rule, took a turn for the worse after Ortega’s win for a
fourth term in the November 7, 2021, presidential election that the OAS,
along with plenty of other international organizations, had slammed as sham. Nicaragua’s
own ambassador to OAS embarrassed the Daniel Ortega regime in March 2022
by criticizing the government’s effort to muzzle dissidence.
Biden Admin Imposes Sanctions on Nicaraguan Gold Trade
On October 24, 2022, Biden administration issued an executive
order banning old trade by any Americans in Nicaragua. The penalty
targeting a specific industry is unique and, according to Under-Secretary of
the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson, is
meant to “deny the Ortega-Murillo regime the resources they need to continue to
undermine democratic institutions”. Biden administration’s October 24, 2022,
executive order is the latest expansion of the Trump-era punitive rules in
response to Daniel Ortega regime’s crackdown on the country’s political
opposition and Roman Catholic Church, including arrests of a bishop and other
Church officials in August 2022.
At the daily press briefing, Vice President Rosario Murillo on
October 24, 2022 called the Nicaraguans “defenders of national sovereignty”
who would fight against “aggressive imperial ambition” of the U.S.
Nicaraguan Bishop Gets 26 Years after Refusing to Board Plane En Route
to the U.S.
A day after a Catholic bishop and a vocal opponent of Nicaraguan
President Daniel Ortega refused to join 222 other political prisoners to be
sent to the U.S., Bishop Rolando Alvarez on February 10, 2023 was
sentenced to 26 years in prison and stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship. Bishop
Rolando Alvarez said that before he boarded the plane, he needed to talk to
other priests and Catholic Church.
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
Summit of Americas Faces Boycott, Uncertainty
That the Biden administration is planning to showcase the upcoming Summit of Americas as Washington's continuing commitment to the region is somehow at risk as Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador made it clear on May 10, 2022 that he would stay away from the summit at Los Angeles if Biden administration chose not to invite Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Bolivian President Luis Arce also stated in unwavering term that he would not participate if "the exclusion of the sister nations persists". Reuters reported on May 11, 2022 that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro might skip the summit. Miami Herald reported on May 11, 2022 that the 15-nation Caribbean bloc CARICOM would meet on May 12, 2022 to collectively decide whether they would attend the Summit of Americas in Los Angeles. U.S. is hosting the Summit of Americas 28 years after the 1994 inaugural summit in Miami.
Mexican President not to Attend the Summit of Americas
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on June 6, 2022 said that he would not attend the Summit of Americas to be held this week in Los Angeles. This is a setback for Biden administration as the summit that's being held in the U.S. only for the second time after the inaugural summit at Miami in 1994 provides an opportunity to spotlight on a region that is trending left and dispel the notion that Washington ignores its own backyard to pivot on the Indo-Pacific Region.
President Addresses CEOs at Summit of the Americas
On June 9, 2022, President Joe Biden, addressing the CEOs
of the region, called for playing a “bigger role in driving inclusive,
sustainable, equitable growth” in the region. The Los Angeles Summit of the
Americas is already adversely affected by staying away of heads of state of
Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador over Washington’s decision to not
invite the Leftist trio of nations: Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Vice President Kamala Harris is playing a significant role at the Summit
of the Americas, first time being held on the U.S. soil since the Miami
inaugural summit in 1994, to build a consensus for a joint communique, Los
Angeles Declaration, that would aim to portray a unified stand to address
issues related to immigration, climate change, democracy and others.
A Joint Declaration Pushes a United Front for the Region
The Summit of the Americas, though afflicted by boycotts by few heads of state who had sent their cabinet colleagues instead, was able to produce a joint declaration on the concluding day of the summit at Los Angeles. The agreement, dubbed as the "Los Angeles Declaration", issued on June 10, 2022, espouses a collective approach and a shared set of goals for, among others, (1) legal pathways to enter countries, (2) aid committed to regions most affected by migrants, (3) humane border management and (4) coordinated emergency responses. Some of the pledges have already made by individual nations such as Costa Rica to give protections to people who have Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela and arrived before March 2020. U.S. is committing $314 million in aid for the migrant-hosting nations and reuniting Haitian and Cuban families. Standing in front of a row of flags of 20 nations, President Joe Biden said that "it's just a beginning".
******** AMERICAS PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY LEADERS' SUMMIT *******
Biden Contrasts Chinese "Debt Trap Diplomacy" with U.S. Investment in Western Hemisphere
The first Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Leaders' Summit is being held in Washington D.C. amidst new geopolitical challenges posed by China's assertiveness to buy influence in the USA's backyard. The summit is being attended by the leaders from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Panama. President Joe Biden told the leaders on November 3, 2023 what China was doing was "debt trap diplomacy" by burdening the nations with high-interest loans and pushing them into vicious cycle of debt entrapment. Biden highlighted the U.S.-led approach that emphasized on a model to "mitigate investment risk with the agility of private sector financing".
******** AMERICAS PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY LEADERS' SUMMIT *******
PANAMA
Leaks Expose Massive Tax Evasion Scheme
Leaks of 11.5 million secret documents, dubbed as so-called Panama Papers, from a Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca and Co., shed light on the dark alley of tax evasion schemes used by world's powerful and politicians alike to deprive national treasuries. The leaks directly, or indirectly, implicated at least a dozen current and former world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, British premier David Cameron, Chinese President Xi Jingping, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Iceland's premier. At least 29 billionaires were also tied to this maze of tax evasion scheme by Mossack Fonseca, co-founded by Ramon Fonseca who often justified his firm's service on the ground that car should not be held responsible for carjacking, that grew over the years as one of top five tax shelters in the world. Panama Papers were first delivered to a German newspaper, Suddeutsche Zeitung, that in turn shared the documents--a collection of e-mails, financial spreadsheets and other electronic documentation--with a Washington-based journalist group, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, or ICIJ. Several McClatchy journalists were privy to the Panama Papers as part of ICIJ. McClatchy carried the report on April 3, 2016, and The Dallas Morning News published it in its April 4, 2016, edition. The leaked papers cover nearly 215,000 companies and 14,153 clients of Mossack Fonseca.
Iceland's Premier Panama Paper's First Victim
Iceland's premier Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson resigned on April 5, 2016 after a national outcry over his conflict of interest and direct connection to tax evasion scheme brought to the fore by leaked Panama Papers.
Putin Calls Panama Papers to be Part of U.S. Ploy
Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 7, 2016 took a dig at the USA for an apparent campaign of discredit against Russia by using the leak of the so-called Panama Papers that had linked Putin's childhood friend Sergei Roldugin to web of tax mesh totaling more than $2 billion.
Source of Panama Papers Leaks Wants a Deal with Prosecutors
On May 6, 2016, a statement published in the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and attributed to the source behind making public the so-called Panama Papers asked for a deal from prosecutors in exchange for helping the world's law enforcement agencies in prosecution of potential culprits.
Panama Canal Expansion Celebrated
A much vaunted, $5.25 billion Panama Canal expansion was completed after significant cost-overrun, labor strife and bureaucratic delays, and the first ship to use the new lock was greeted with an air of pomp, platitude and patriotism. The gigantic ship, Chinese-owned Cosco Shipping Panama, passed through the Atlantic lock at Agua Clara early in the morning on June 26, 2016, and was greeted by an ebullient crowd led by Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela in the afternoon at the Pacific lock at Cocoli, 50 miles to the west. The opening of the expanded passageway took place amid a slowdown in international shipping.
Former Dictator Passes Away
Manuel Antonio Noriega died on May 29, 2017 at the age of 83. He was born in a poor family on February 11, 1934.
* Noriega joined Panama's Defense forces in 1962.
* Noriega formed a loyal bond with strongman Gen. Omar Torrijos, who had become the de facto leader of the Latin American nation after a coup in 1968.
* Gen. Omar Torrijos died in a mysterious plane crash in 1981.
* Manuel Noriega became the Armed Forces chief in 1983 and the de facto leader of Panama
* U.S. President George H.W. Bush ordered invasion of Panama in 1989 as links between Noriega and drug cartels had grown
* Noriega sought shelter at the Vatican embassy, but surrendered after 10 days
* Noriega was never a free person since then, spending jail time in Florida, then France, and at last house arrest in Panama
Cattle Rancher Declared Elected
Panama's electoral board on May 6, 2019 named cattle rancher Laurentino Cortizo the winner of May 5, 2019, presidential election. Cortizo with the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party won 33 percent vote while the businessman Romulo Roux of former President Ricardo Martinelli's Democratic Change Party won 31%.
Cattle Rancher Sworn in as Panama's President
On July 1, 2019, Laurentino Cortizo was sworn in as Panama's president.
PARAGUAY
Paraguay Reverses Its Embassy Move to Jerusalem
Asuncion on September 5, 2018 announced that its embassy in Israel would return to Tel Aviv where it had been. In May 2018, Guatemala and Paraguay followed the U.S. in relocating their embassies to Jerusalem. However, on September 5, 2018, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni reversed the May 2018 action, saying that he hoped for "excellent ties" with both "the states of Israel and Palestine".
PERU
Ex-Dictator's Daughter Running for President
Keiko Fujimori, 40-year-old daughter of the former dictator Alberto Fujimori, is running in Peruvian presidential elections. If Ms. Fujimori, a graduate from Columbia University, doesn't get an outright majority in April 10, 2016 polls among a slate of 10 candidates, she needs to face runoff with the second-place finisher, a contest that will be hard to win for her given the depth of animosity and degree of divisiveness her last name has come to symbolize in this Andean nation. Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to a 25-year prison term in 2009 on charges of corruption and human rights abuses. Although Keiko Fujimori, a lawmaker of Peruvian Congress since 2006, has staked out her place in Peru's politics separate from her dad, that may not be enough to help her sail through the finish line.
Peruvian Presidential Polls Heading to Runoff
The April 10, 2016, polls, as expected, were headed to runoff as the frontrunner Keiko Fujimori was not able to garner more than 50 percent of the vote. She will most likely face off with investor-friendly Pedro Kuczynski. Leftist congresswoman Veronika Mendoza was relegated to the third spot.
Peru's Presidential Polls in a Cliff Hangar
Peru's presidential runoff on June 5, 2016 between Keiko Fujimori, who had narrowly lost to Ollanta Humala five years ago in 2011, and Pedro Kuczynski was too close to call by nightfall on the election day.
Fujimori Fails to Win, Electoral Panel Says
In the closest presidential race in five decades, former World Bank economist Pedro Kuczynski edged past Keiko Fujimori by a wafer-thin margin of 50.1 percent to 49.9 percent, according to the National Electoral Board on June 9, 2016.
Opposition Moves to Oust President
As Brazil's "carwash scandal" sucks region's many prominent political and official figures into vortex of corruption allegation every day, it becomes clear that Peru is not immune to massive bribery machination orchestrated by Brazilian construction magnate Odebrecht SA. The recent tainted leader was Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kucynski who was accused of the link to bribes to his companies when he was a government minister, triggering call for his resignation. However, on December 14, 2017, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kucynski denied the allegation that he was involved in corruption and refused to step down. On December 15, 2017, three opposition parties launched drive in parliament to impeach Kucynski.
Former President Pardoned
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kucynski on December 24, 2017 granted amnesty to former President Alberto Fujimori who was serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and torture charges, just hours after surviving a no-confidence vote in parliament that was abstained by Fujimori's son Kenji Fujimori's party.
Fujimori Thanks the Peruvian President for Clemency
From his hospital bed, former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimore, who was in the midst of 12 of 25-year jail term, thanked President Pedro Pablo Kucynski on December 26, 2017 for pardoning him as the 79-year-old former strongman was going through treatment for his tongue cancer and cardiac arrhythmia.
Maduro Plan to Attend Summit May Cause Heartburn to Peru's Leader
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on February 15, 2018 made it clear that he was giving a serious consideration to attend the April 2018, Summit of Americas as an uninvited guest, implying an unwelcome and undiplomatic scenario for Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kucynski. after Maduro was excluded from the invitee list due to pressure, Maduro and his allies alleged, from the administration of Donald Trump, who was planning to attend the summit April 13-14, 2018.
Peruvian President Resigns over Bribery Video
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kucynski on March 21, 2018 resigned as a video had gone viral showing several of the Kucynski loyalists, including Kenji Fujimore, arms-twisting opposition lawmakers not to vote for a December 2017 no-confidence motion against the president in exchange for lunches with the president, authority to appoint government officials and keeping even the public funds. Kucynski's resignation came days before Donald Trump's planned attendance in Summit of Americas in Lima and amid a growing demand to impeach him anyway as an impeachment vote was called for March 22, 2018. Many believe that Pedro Pablo Kucynski will be spared from the humiliation of impeachment although if history is any guide, that may not be the case as Congress has impeached former strongman Alberto Fujimore, father of Kenji and Keiko Fujimori, leader of the Popular Force, an avowed opponent of Pedro Pablo Kucynski,in 2000 after rejecting his resignation letter faxed by the strongman from Japan.
An Obscure Politician Assumes Mantle of Head of State
Hitherto unknown to most of Peruvians, First Vice President and country's ambassador to Canada, Martin Vizcarra, was sworn in Andes country's new president on March 23, 2018. Earlier in the day, Peruvian parliament saved the former President Pedro Pablo Kucynski from inevitable embarrassment by voting--105 of 130 lawmakers favoring--to accept his resignation. Pedro Pablo Kucynski resigned on March 21, 2018, but in his resignation letter, he admitted no wrongdoing, instead blaming Congress for obstruction. Peru's parliament, however, returned the gesture in kind, by approving a resolution on March 23, 2018 that did "deplore and reject" the language used by Pedro Pablo Kucynski in the resignation letter.
Former President Barred from Leaving the Nation
A Peruvian judge on March 24, 2018 imposed a ban on former President Pedro Pablo Kucynski's overseas visit for eighteen months as investigation into allegation that he might have been involved in a $782,000 bribery linked to Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht.
Peru's Judicial Chief Resigns
Allegation of widespread corruption has now reached hitherto sacred judicial branch too. Two weeks ago, an investigative website IDL-Repoteros and the Panorama news analysis TV show published a detailed report, including tapes, that showed a detailed collusion among judges, local authorities, businesses and politicians to tip the verdicts one way or the other. On July 19, 2018, judicial chief, Duberli Rodriguez, coming under fire, tendered his resignation.
Peruvian Supreme Court Sends Fujimori to Jail
Overturning the former President Pedro Pablo Kucynnski's medical pardon, Peruvian Supreme Court on October 3, 2018 ordered former strongman Alberto Fujimori back to prison to serve out the his remaining 14 of the 25 years of sentence.
Peru's Former President Seeks Asylum
After a Peruvian judge granted a government request on November 17, 2018 to bar former President Alan Garcia from leaving the country for 18 months and impound his passport as part of investigation into the epic corruption scandal involving the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, Garcia was reported to have sought refuge in the Uruguay's embassy in Lima.
Former Peruvian President Takes His Life
Former president and populist center-left leader Alan Garcia on April 17, 2019 took his life after security forces arrived at his Lima house to arrest in a corruption charge. Garcia shot himself, and upon arrival at a local hospital, doctors tried to save his life, but failed. He was president of this Andean nation twice--first in 1980s and second time two decades later. Alan Garcia was well liked and had a mass following for his populist policies, but in recent years had been ensnared in corruption scandal related to giant Brazilian construction magnate Odebrecht, which had pleaded guilty in 2016 that it had spent about $800 million throughout Latin America to secure to secure lucrative contracts. Alan Garcia until the last day denied any culpability and accused the authorities of political vendetta.
Former President Sentenced to Three Years
As large number of mourners attended the funeral of a former president in Lima, another former president on April 19, 2019 was handed out a three-year sentence for the corruption and bribery related to the same Brazilian construction giant, Odebrecht, that had led to the suicide of Alan Garcia two days earlier. A Peruvian judge sentenced Pedro Pablo Kucynski in the scandal that roiled many Latin American nations.
Former Peruvian President Arrested in U.S.
Former President Alejandro Toledo was arrested on July 16, 2019 in California on corruption charges and extradition request related to a $20 million bribery tied to Brazilian construction magnate Odebrecht. U.S. Marshals Service arrested Toledo and presented him in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson on July 16, 2019, who had ordered Toledo detained.
Peru's Former President Seeks Asylum
After a Peruvian judge granted a government request on November 17, 2018 to bar former President Alan Garcia from leaving the country for 18 months and impound his passport as part of investigation into the epic corruption scandal involving the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, Garcia was reported to have sought refuge in the Uruguay's embassy in Lima.
Former Peruvian President Takes His Life
Former president and populist center-left leader Alan Garcia on April 17, 2019 took his life after security forces arrived at his Lima house to arrest in a corruption charge. Garcia shot himself, and upon arrival at a local hospital, doctors tried to save his life, but failed. He was president of this Andean nation twice--first in 1980s and second time two decades later. Alan Garcia was well liked and had a mass following for his populist policies, but in recent years had been ensnared in corruption scandal related to giant Brazilian construction magnate Odebrecht, which had pleaded guilty in 2016 that it had spent about $800 million throughout Latin America to secure to secure lucrative contracts. Alan Garcia until the last day denied any culpability and accused the authorities of political vendetta.
Former President Sentenced to Three Years
As large number of mourners attended the funeral of a former president in Lima, another former president on April 19, 2019 was handed out a three-year sentence for the corruption and bribery related to the same Brazilian construction giant, Odebrecht, that had led to the suicide of Alan Garcia two days earlier. A Peruvian judge sentenced Pedro Pablo Kucynski in the scandal that roiled many Latin American nations.
Former Peruvian President Arrested in U.S.
Former President Alejandro Toledo was arrested on July 16, 2019 in California on corruption charges and extradition request related to a $20 million bribery tied to Brazilian construction magnate Odebrecht. U.S. Marshals Service arrested Toledo and presented him in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson on July 16, 2019, who had ordered Toledo detained.
Peru’s
Congress Impeach President
Peru’s
Congress on November 9, 2020 impeached President Martin Vizcarra
on bribery charges dated back to years ago allegations and on mishandling of
COVID-19 pandemic. Peru has the world’s highest per capita mortality from the
COVID-19, and Vizcarra administration is facing strong criticism over handling
of coronavirus pandemic. President Martin Vizcarra passionately and forcefully
defended himself from the allegation of bribery charges that, president’s critics
accused, he had taken more than $630,000 in bribes in exchange for
greenlighting two construction projects when he was the governor of a small
southern state from 2011 to 2014. The claims had been brought by prosecutors
after offering leniency to the accused defendants in that case who had
implicated the then-Governor Vizcarra.
New
President Sworn in in Peru
Another
corruption-tinted politician was sworn in as the president of this Andean
nation on November 10, 2020, a day after Martin Vizcarra, who
made a point to fight against institutional corruption, was ousted by Congress
on bribery charges, which many of his supporters called cooked up. As Manuel
Merino, former head of Congress and a businessman, was sworn in, protesters
outside had street skirmishes with law enforcement personnel. Manuel Merino
will rule till July 2021 when there will be a presidential election.
A Short
Stay in Presidency; Peru Slides into Deeper Crisis
Days
after sworn in as Peru’s president, Manuel Merino, a former head of Congress,
faced challenges from the very beginning as youth protesters have emerged on
the streets of Lima and other cities of what they have called a “political coup”
by a tainted Congress, half of whose members themselves have faced corruption
and other criminal charges. Congress has ousted a popular president, Martin
Vizcarra, by using a 19th century law that allows removal
of head of state on the ground of “permanent moral incapacity”. Vizcarra
was alleged to have taken $630,000 in bribe in exchange for okaying two
construction projects years ago when he was a governor of a small Peruvian
state although any formal charge was yet to be filed against Martin Vizcarra.
The daily protest turned extremely violent on November 14, 2020, with
two protesters dead in Lima and several missing. Security forces used
disproportionate degree of force on November 14, 2020, evoking strong
protest from human rights groups and others, including Nobel Laureate Mario
Vargas Llosa, who in a twitter message blasted the state-sponsored “repression”.
On November 15, 2020, Manuel Merino announced that, for the sake of Peru,
he would step down although he defended his choice as president by Congress as
legitimate. Manuel Merino’s six-day (November 10-15, 2020) stay in
presidency is one of the shortest stints ever, if not the shortest stint
itself, in the western hemisphere and marks the power of youth uprising against
the entrenched political establishment in Latin America.
A
Respected Peruvian Academic Becomes Country’s Third President in a Week
It
seems that Peru’s Congress has been able to extinguish the political fire, at
least for the next six months in the run-up to the presidential election.
Congress on November 16, 2020 chose Francisco Sagasti to head the
country. Francisco Sagasti, 76, held various positions in prestigious
institutions as well as at World Bank. Francisco Sagasti is yet to be
sworn in as president, but as head of Congress is next in line to become the
country’s president in absence of a sitting president and a sitting vice
president.
Peru Chooses from Two Extremes in the Presidential Runoff
The Peruvian presidential runoff on June 6, 2021 is too close to call as the Free Peru Party candidate Pedro Castillo, a novice from the political Left, is challenging the scion of the well-renowned Fujimori political family as Keiko Fujimori of Popular Force Party is trying to win the presidency in her third run.
Shining Path Leader Passes away
Shining Path founder Abigail Guzman passed away at a military hospital in Peru on September 11, 2021. He was 86. A former Philosophy professor, Guzman founded the guerrilla movement in 1980, and launched a violent class-based movement against the Peruvian regime. The ensuing violence killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 600,000 and tens of billions of dollars of economic damages. Abigail Guzman was arrested in 1992, and he was sentenced to life in prison. A year after his arrest, Guzman proposed peace talks with the government.
Peru’s President Removed
Peru’s President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested on December 7, 2022
after he tried to dissolve the Congress. Castillo tried to prevent an
impeachment vote by Congress, triggering a potential for a constitutional
crisis by trying to dissolve the Congress. Vice President Dina Boluarte
became the interim head of state, marking the first time that a woman had ascended
to presidency.
Two Killed in Protest; Interim President Calls Early Polls
Two Killed in Protest; Interim President Calls Early Polls
Peru’s interim president, Dina Boluarte, on December 12, 2022
called for early elections to elect a president. The change in heart from
completing the remainder of her predecessor’s term to an early poll around April
2024 came after days of intense protests by the supporters of ousted and
jailed Former President Pedro Castillo. Castillo’s supporters are
demanding that he be freed unconditionally and immediately. Two protesters were
killed during the day at one of the protests in the remotest Andean communities.
Peru Declares “Police State” for 30 Days
As there is no sign of the anti-government protests by the supporters of
the country’s deposed and jailed president, Pedro Castillo, subsiding,
Peru’s defense minister, Luis Otarola Penaranda, on December 14, 2022
announced a 30-day “police state”, enabling the government to carry out
searches at will, restricting the freedom of assembly and political
participation.
Peru Reels under Bloody Violence
Peru’s deposed president’s supporters are swelling the protest movement
all over the Andean nation, especially in mountainous regions. The Bloomberg
News on December 16, 2022 reported a death toll of at least 14 since
Pedro Castillo had been ousted from presidency last week. He had been
impeached by Congress, and as he tried to dissolve the Congress, the unicameral
body ousted him. He had been detained as he was headed for Mexican Embassy to
seek asylum. Authorities clamped curfew on December 16, 2022.
Peru’s Lawmakers Approve Early Polls
As part of a growing government effort to defuse a volatile political
situation, Peruvian parliament on December 20, 2022 approved a measure—with
91 of 130 lawmakers voting in favor—that would advance the presidential and
Congressional polls to April 2024 from 2026.
Demonstrators Return for the Second Day in Capital Demonstration
For the second day on January 20, 2023, protesters of deposed and
arrested Former President Pedro Castillo were locked in pitched battle
with security forces in Lima. Most of the protesters are from the remote
Andean mountainous regions, backbone of support for Castillo. Protesters are
demanding that President Dina Boluarte, who has been vice president in
Castillo administration and sworn in on December 7, 2022 after Castillo
has been removed—and subsequently arrested—after trying to dissolve Congress to
ward off a politically motivated impeachment drive, resign as well as Congress
be dissolved, Castillo be released and elections be held soon. This is the
first time that a major wave of anti-regime demonstration has arrived at the
doorstep of Lima, home to one-third of Peru’s 34 million population. Since December
7, 2022, unrest spread in Andean mountainous areas, mostly in the south
including Puno region, resulting in at least 55 deaths and more than 700
injuries. This time, demonstrators, most of them have descended on the capital
from the remote regions, are determined, well-prepared and assertive.
Pope Calls for Violence to End in Peru
Peruvian political violence that has been rocking the Andean nation since President Pedro Castillo has been ousted from power on December 7, 2022 and is responsible for at least 55 deaths is catching plenty of high-level attention. As a proof of that, world can see that even Holy See can't remain silent in the face of blood spilling on the streets. On January 22, 2023, Pope Francis, addressing 15,000 people at St. Peter Basilica, called upon the people to pray for violence to stop in Peru.
Fujimori Ordered to be Released Immediately
Peru’s Constitutional Court on December 5, 2023 issued a ruling,
ordering the state prison authorities to immediately release the former ruler Alberto
Fujimori, 85, on humanitarian ground. Fujimori was convicted in 2009 on
charges related to murder of 25 Peruvians by a military death squad during the
strong-armed leader’s rule (1990-2000). Fujimori is serving 25 years behind
bars. In 2017, the court ruled in favor of a pardon, but the order was later
voided.
Peru Reeling under Political Crisis
Security personnel on March 29, 2024 broke open the front door of
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte‘s house as the president was ensnared
in a corruption scandal tied to undisclosed number of luxury watches that she
was alleged to have collected since she had become vice president and social
inclusion minister in July 2021. Six cabinet ministers on April 1, 2024
resigned as an act of no-confidence in the president. Lawmakers on April 1,
2024 submitted a motion before the unicameral parliament to remove Boluarte
from presidency. President Dina Boluarte’s removal requires 87 votes in the 130-seat
unicameral parliament. At present, the five parties that support
Boluarte’s removal have 54 lawmakers.
SURINAME
Sitting President Convicted
Currently in the midst of a state visit in China, Suriname's president, Desi Bouterse, has some bad news on November 29, 2019 as a court in Paramaribo, the capital, convicted him in the political killings of 15 people in 1982. The trial began in the same year after Bouterse in 2007 took moral responsibility for the killings that had happened quarter century ago and also apologized to victims' families, but little he realized that he could have been convicted.
URUGUAY
Montevideo Takes a Rightward Turn with New President
A center-right candidate and son of a former president, who had narrowly won the November 2019 presidential polls, was on March 1, 2020 sworn in as the president of this Latin American nation. Luis Lacalle Pou, 46, who ended a 15-year stretch of a left-centric rule, vowed to crack down against crime and "recover national competitiveness".
VENEZUELA
Since the election of Nicolas Maduro last year (2013) as Venezuela's president, political unrest began to brew up and bolster the tattered opposition to take to streets in a show of defiance amid rampant lawlessness, shortage of basic necessities and runaway inflation as high as 50 percent. Since February 12, 2014, the anti-Maduro movement intensified both in people's participation as well as militancy, leading to deaths of at least 12 and more than 130 injuries. In this backdrop, Maduro administration launched a meeting on February 24, 2014 that was called the "national dialogue". Notable among the absentees was the opposition's star power and former presidential candidate Gov. Henrique Capriles of wealthy Miranda state. Gov. Capriles was categorical that he didn't want to hand out a public relations opportunity by participating in a farcical session. Capriles also dismissed a February 26, 2014, peace conference called by Maduro and made it clear that he would boycott that session too.
National Fingerprinting Plan to Prevent Hoarding
In a peculiar, but innovative, administrative action against hoarding and price rise of basic commodities, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro late August 20, 2014 introduced a fingerprinting system for shoppers to track and monitor buying patterns and ensure against hoarding. It's not clear when and how the new system will be implemented.
Caracas Mayor's Office Raided, Mayor Arrested
In a show of what political opponents call autocratic moves, Venezuelan security forces raided the office of Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma, a harsh critic of President Nicolas Maduro, on February 19, 2015, and arrested him. The raid was conducted without any prior warning. Maduro accused Ledezma of colluding with USA in hatching a plot to overthrow his government, a charge dismissed by his supporters, opposition political parties and rights groups.
US Slaps Sanctions against 7 Ruling Party Officials
Obama administration on March 9, 2015 imposed sanctions on 7 Venezuelan officials on charges of human rights abuses.
Tension Spiking in Venezuela-Colombia Bilateral Relations
In recent weeks, Venezuelan government closed six of its border crossings with Colombia and cracked down on many of the estimated 10,000 Colombians who had been living in Venezuela illegally. Caracas accused them of running drug trade, smuggling and undermining the governing authority. As a result of the crackdown, thousands of Colombians began to flee Venezuela to their own country. On the top of that, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made an outlandish and uncorroborated claim, according to Colombian authorities, on August 31, 2015 that Bogota was hatching a plan to assassinate him.
Opposition Leader Sentenced to Long Prison Sentence for Participating in Anti-Government Protest
The opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez on late September 10, 2015 was sentenced to 14-year term in a military jail. Lopez led anti-government demonstration in 2014, thus attracting the ire of Nicolas Maduro regime. The harsh sentence drew rebuke from the White House, Amnesty International, EU and U.N. human rights officials.
Prosecutor Now Says that the Opposition Leader's Trial is a Sham
The leading prosecutor who helped convict opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez last month had fled the country in the third week of October 2015, and was rumored to be seeking asylum in the USA. Over a video posted on a Venezuelan news website La Patilla on October 26, 2015, prosecutor Franklin Nieves said that Lopez prosecution was full of flaws and a total sham.
Opposition Wins National Assembly Elections
In a setback to almost one-and-half decade of absolute dominance of Socialistic policies in Venezuelan political landscape, opposition won the majority seats in the National Assembly in December 6, 2015, national elections. Venezuela's opposition parties won 99 seats in 167-seat National Assembly, and Socialist Party led by President Nicolas Maduro came up with a poor show by grabbing just 46 seats. As results began to pour in, thousands of opposition supporters, especially the youth, flooded the street of Caracas and celebrated the opposition win with joyful festivities. Former presidential candidate and opposition leader Henrique Capriles captured the joyous mood in the streets with a Twitter message: "Venezuela Won".
Opposition Decries Supreme Court Move to Bar Four Lawmakers
The decision by Venezuela's Supreme Court on late December 30, 2015 to bar four newly elected lawmakers from taking their seats drew sharp rebuke from the opposition and raised eyebrows among legal circle. The Supreme Court, whose 13 justices' appointment was approved by a lame-duck, Socialist-controlled parliament in the last week, took the unusual action against the four lawmakers--three of them had won in opposition ticket in December 6, 2015, parliamentary polls--after complaints were filed by the outgoing Socialist Party.
Chaos, Catcalls and Confusion Reign Supreme on the Opening Session of Parliament
The new session of Venezuelan parliament was seated on January 5, 2016 in a vastly different look and set-up. Opposition will be the dominant force in the parliament, and the incoming National Assembly President Henry Ramos Allup had made no bone of opposition' effort to remove Nicolas Maduro from presidency. On the opening day, catcalls and insults were hurled by Socialists and opposition lawmakers.
Political Brick-Batting Amid Hyperinflation and Economic Contraction
Facing the most challenging political landscape in his presidency, Nicolas Maduro on January 15, 2016 delivered the state of union address, and blamed the business owners and his opponents of the state for the triple-digit inflation and the prevailing economic crisis. The National Assembly President Henry Ramos Allup gave the rebuttal that was transmitted over national TV to Venezuelans' homes, the first time the political opposition received this opportunity after winning majority of assembly seats in December 6, 2015, national elections for the first time in 17 years. Earlier in the day on January 15, 2016, Venezuela's Central Bank issued an ominous prognosis of the Latin American nation's economic health. The Central Bank pegged the inflation at 141.5 percent on annualized basis and the economic contraction at 7.1 percent during the quarter ending September 2015. The Venezuelan currency, Bolivar, plunged in the last year.
Venezuela's President Receives Economic Emergency Powers
Venezuela's Supreme Court on February 12, 2016 overturned opposition-dominated Congress' action to reject President Nicolas Maduro's January 2015 declaration of an economic emergency, ruling that president didn't need his authority in this respect from Congress. The Supreme Court's February 12, 2016, ruling in effect granted Maduro unlimited authority over the country's economic affairs for the next 60 days.
Presidential Decree to Conserve Powers
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on April 7, 2016 issued a presidential decree to give Fridays off to state employees for the next 60 days to conserve powers. President Maduro had also some advice to the country's women: use fingers instead of hairdryers to tend their hair.
President Threaten to Seize Idled Factories
Faced on a probable default on its debt in the fourth quarter of this year and days after saying that he would extend state of emergency for another sixty days to manage the unprecedented economic crisis, President Nicolas Maduro on May 14, 2016 blamed the country's factory owners for shuttering down their plants as part of a conspiracy to bring down his administration and threatened to seize their factories if not re-opened soon.
Protesters Defiant against Maduro, Hold a Massive Rally at the Capital
As Venezuela has headed to an economic morass of unprecedented scale, Nicolas Maduro faces a real challenge to his iron-clad rule. Amid hyperinflation and economic gloom, basic commodities are disappearing from store shelves seen nothing like before. A restive nation seems to be sitting on the top of volcano that is about to explode anytime with the slightest provocation. Daily protests have become a way of life. Maduro blamed low oil prices and conspiracy by political opposition at the behest of foreign powers for political unrest. On September 1, 2016, tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Caracas, demanding that Maduro tender his resignation letter immediately.
Opposition Decries Suspension of President's Recall Process
As the Venezuelan opposition is gearing up for a nationwide effort to recall President Nicolas Maduro, country's election commission on October 20, 2016 suspended the recall process a week before its official launch. The election commission based its suspension order on the court rulings from four states that had found irregularities in petition drive collecting from 1 percent of electorate. Two days ago, October 18, 2016, the electoral panel ordered gubernatorial polls originally scheduled for the yearend to be delayed by six months. International condemnation was fast and furious, with U.S. leading other western hemispheric nations, including leftist governments of Chile and Uruguay, decrying the suspension of recall effort. Opposition parties on October 20, 2016 called for a massive protest on October 26, 2016, the day recall petition was scheduled to begin in which at least 20 percent signatures from each province would have been collected and validated within three days. Meanwhile, a confidante of the president, Diosdado Cabello, demanded that opposition figures should be put behind the bar for trying to commit poll fraud.
Government, Opposition Hold Talks
After months of street demonstrations and amid a free-falling of national economy with inflations jumping by leaps and bound, better sense seems have prevailed over the government and political opposition as a channel of communication has been opened. For the first time in months, government and opposition negotiators held preliminary talks on November 12, 2016 and decided to continue negotiation in the coming days although skepticism loomed large on the sincerity of that pledge to have follow-up talks. Among the common grounds reached by the negotiators was the holding of elections to fill the three National Assembly seats from the Amazonas State and respecting the independence of legislature.
Venezuela to Abolish 100-bolivar Note
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on December 11, 2016 that the government would abolish the widely used 100-bolivar note, worth of only 2 cents, and instead, roll out six denominations ranging from 500 to 20,000 bolivars.
Government Closes Borders with Colombia
As Venezuelans gathered at banks to exchange soon-to-be defunct 100-bolivar notes, Nicolas Maduro administration on December 12, 2016 announced that the borders with Colombia would be sealed through December 15, 2016 night to bar the smuggled 100-bolivar notes to flood the Venezuelan market.
Venezuela Extends Currency Replacement Timeline
In the background a bungled and badly executed implementation of abolishment of 100 bolivar notes, Venezuelan government on December 17, 2016 extended the timeline of its use through January 2, 2017.
U.S. Sanctions Venezuelan VP
The February 13, 2017, U.S. action to designate Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami as a drug trafficker, freeze his U.S. assets and impose a travel ban snowballed U.S-Venezuelan relationship, already in a state of diplomatic vacuum since 2010 because of absence of exchange in ambassadors, into further tailspin. Washington accused El Aissami of facilitating cocaine shipment to the USA. Venezuelan government fired back on February 14, 2017, with El Aissami calling the U.S. action as "miserable and defamatory aggression" and vowing to re-double his commitment to the revolution launched by the former President Hugo Chavez.
Venezuelan Court Upholds Opposition Leader's Sentence
Venezuelan Supreme Court on February 16, 2017 upheld the 14-year sentence that had been imposed on the opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez for inciting anti-government demonstration in 2014. The apex court ruling came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump met with Lopez' wife and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
OAS Asks Venezuela to Hold Fresh Polls
Organization of American States Secretary-General Luis Almagro on March 14, 2017 issued a 75-page report recommending Venezuela to be suspended from the regional bloc until the government of President Nicolas Maduro agreed to hold fresh general elections.
Venezuela's High Court Usurps Parliament's Authority
In a shameless and naked interference, Venezuela's Supreme Court on late March 29, 2017 stripped the authority of country's parliament of the legislative authority, setting off a severe political and social crisis and inviting international condemnation. Trump administration condemned the move, calling for immediate elections to give people option to choose who would and should rule the Latin American nation. The rash action of the Venezuelan Supreme Court came in reaction to opposition-controlled legislature's continued refusal to accept court's order to suspend the laws it had passed earlier.
Venezuela's AG Breaks Ranks with Government
Ms. Luisa Ortega Diaz, a Nicolas Maduro loyalist and Venezuela's Attorney-General, on March 31, 2017 opposed the Supreme Court's late March 29, 2017, action to usurp the authority of National Assembly, marking the first sign of fissures among government officials amid escalating tension and mounting protests. Reacting to March 29, 2017, Supreme Court's order stripping National Assembly of legislative authority, Luis Almagro, head of Organization of American States, called it a "self-inflicted coup".
Supreme Courts Partially Backs off amid Stiff Opposition Protests
As tens of thousands of opposition activists continued demonstrating against one of the most undemocratic acts taken by Venezuela's apex court, made up of pro-government judges, in recent memory, President Nicolas Maduro sensed the mood of the public at large and requested the country's Supreme Court to restore the authority to the National Assembly. On April 1, 2017, Venezuelan Supreme Court rescinded its March 29, 2017, order stripping the National Assembly of its legislative authority. However, the apex court also handed a carte blanche to President Maduro to enter into agreements on foreign investments and joint-venture businesses, clearing the way for the embattled president to reach out to Russia to help Caracas bail out the economic storm stemming from the collapsed oil prices and a looming $3 billion in debt services due in less than two weeks.
Scuffle Breaks out near Parliament
Six days after usurping the legislative authority of the National Assembly and three days after backpedalling, Venezuelan Supreme Court became a focal point for the country's legislative body as lawmakers on April 4, 2017 convened a session to discuss on ways to remove the Supreme Court judges. As thousands of protesters were escorting the opposition lawmakers to the National Assembly building, scuffle broke out on April 4, 2017 between demonstrators and security forces, with the police using pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
Violent Protest Continues for the Third Straight Day
On April 6, 2017, thousands of opposition supporters flooded an artery of Caracas, and clashed with security forces in an increasingly violent show of force.
Opposition Leader Barred from Political Process
In a move that's sure to heat up the political tension, opposition leader Henrique Capriles complained in a Twitter post on April 7, 2017 that he had been barred from running for political office for 15 years. Government did not confirm or deny his twitter allegation.
Government Forces Use Tear Gas to Disperse Protesters
A day after government had barred country's key opposition leader from seeking political office for 15 years, tens of thousands of opposition protesters on April 8, 2017 held anti-government rallies at the capital, Caracas, and other Venezuelan cities. At Caracas, security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an aggressive throng of protesters.
First Death in Venezuela Protest Reported
The first casualty in the intensifying anti-government protest was reported from the eastern Venezuelan city of Valencia as a student, Daniel Queliz, 20, had been shot in the neck on late April 10, 2017 during a rally against President Nicolas Maduro regime.
Two Killed in Opposition Protest
The daily protests in Venezuelan capital of Caracas and other cities turned partially violent on April 19, 2017 with the death of two protesters, bringing the death toll to 7 since the political turmoil had erupted after Venezuela's Supreme Court's March 29, 2017, judicial overreach to seize powers from the parliament.
Venezuela Threatens to Withdraw from OAS
Venezuela on April 26, 2017 said that it was planning to withdraw from Organization for American States, first such act since the founding of the organization in 1948 if the Latin American nation went ahead with its threat. The matter came to the pass during the day after a turbulent meeting at the Washington headquarters of the group in which the organization's Permanent Council voted in favor of holding a special session to evaluate the deteriorating situation of Venezuela. Reacting angrily, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said on April 26, 2017 at Caracas that the Nicolas Maduro administration would think seriously to quit the organization. The tension has been brewing since a March 2017 report prepared by the OAS chief to suspend Venezuela until it held fresh polls. Meanwhile, fierce clashes between anti-government protesters and combined force of pro-regime militia and security forces had killed at least two dozens of people as of April 26, 2017.
President Boosts Minimum Wage
In the backdrop of the worst inflation in the world--IMF forecast an inflation of nearly 2,000 percent by the next year--Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on April 30, 2017 increased minimum wage by about 60 percent, marking the third such hike this year and 15th since he became President. Also on April 30, 2017, several state officials handed out hundreds of new apartments to the people in a televised event, with a smiling Maduro overseeing it remotely, bringing the total homes given to needy to almost 1.4 million since the program had been launched by ex-President Hugo Chavez.
Venezuela's President Calls for New Constitution
Increasingly isolated internationally and besieged domestically by a two-month protest movement, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on May 1, 2017 that he would call for a citizens assembly to draw up a new constitution. The present constitution was created in 1999 at the dawn of Hugo Chavez regime.
President Issues Decree for Constitutional Assembly amid Intense Protest
President Nicolas Maduro on May 3, 2017 launched the process of a constitutional assembly to draw up a new constitution as thousands of protesters blocked the streets of Caracas. Security forces lobbed tear gas against the anti-government protesters. The May 3, 2017, presidential decree sets a weeks-long process that is sure to draw ire from opposition and condemnation from international community.
Two Killed in Violence amid Anti-Government Protest
A month-and-half-long anti-government protest is turning increasingly violent by the day as young demonstrators are turning to more militant tactic while pro-government militia are arming themselves with and using the deadly weapons ever more frequently. The latest spell of violence occurred on May 15, 2017, a day scheduled to be marked as a 12-hour "sit-in against the dictatorship". For the most parts of the country, including the capital Caracas, the sit-ins were held peacefully with tens of thousands of demonstrators bringing folding chairs, beach-style umbrellas and boisterous enthusiasm. However, in the western border state of Táchira abutting Colombia, violence in two separate incidents killed two demonstrators: Luis Alviarez, 18, and Diego Hernandez, 33.
OAS to Mediate; Goldman Sachs Draws Ire from Opposition
OAS foreign ministers are to meet at Bogota on May 31, 2017 to formulate a strategy, most likely to flop, to bring an emboldened opposition and bellicose government to the negotiating table. Meanwhile, U.S. investment firm Goldman Sachs is facing outrage over its purchase of $2.8 billion in government bonds in the secondary market at a deep discount of 31 cents for a dollar. Pouring out his scorn over the transaction, the president of National Assembly, Julio Borges, wrote off a letter to CEO of Goldman Sachs Lloyd Blankfein, calling it "an outrage" that provided a "lifeline to [an] authoritarian regime that is systematically violating the human rights of Venezuelans".
Supreme Court Rejects Chief Prosecutor's Bid to Halt Maduro Effort to Rewrite Constitution
Four days after an impassioned plea on June 8, 2017 by Venezuela's Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz on the steps of country's supreme court to intervene and stop Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from going forward to hold a nationwide referendum to form a Constituent Assembly in order to rewrite the constitution, Venezuelan Supreme Court on June 12, 2017 rejected Diaz' appeal. Meanwhile, a transportation strike hit Caracas and surrounding areas on June 12, 2017, grinding the normal life to a near-complete halt in the latest wave of turbulence since the conflict had erupted in late March and killed at least 68 people since then.
Cop Turned Actor Bombs Two Government Buildings
A cop, turned an action hero in 2015 movie Suspended Death, turned helicopter pilot, turned dog trainer on June 27, 2017 stole a helicopter, attacked the country's Supreme Court and Interior Ministry with gunfire and grenades. However, no one got hurt, or killed. On June 28, 2017, a massive manhunt was launched to nab Oscar Perez.
Tension between Government and Chief Prosecutor Escalates
Venezuela's Chief Prosecutor Luis Ortega Diaz, prohibited by the Supreme Court earlier in the week from leaving the country, on June 30, 2017 asked the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for protection. During the day, she ordered the country's intelligence agency chief Gustavo Gonzalez to appear on suspicion of "committing grave and systemic violations of human rights". However, undermining the authority of Ortega-Diaz, President Nicolas Maduro promoted Gonzalez to the chief of nation's military within hours. Earlier in the week, Venezuelan Supreme Court transferred some of the excusive authorities of chief prosecutor's office to the country's ombudsman.
4 Killed, 8 Injured in Protests
At least four people were killed in the central Venezuelan city of Barquisimeto on June 30, 2017, bringing the total death toll to at least 80 since the violence had erupted in March 2017. City's mayors blamed the pro-government militants for the killing.
Opposition Lawmakers Attacked
Armed supporters of government attacked lower house of parliament on July 5, 2017 with sticks and metals, injuring at least half a dozen lawmakers. The attack came as the political climate in Venezuela was getting tense in the wake of July 30, 2017, election for a new constitutional convention. Since late March 2017 when violence had erupted, at least 91 people were killed and more than 2,500 injured.
Opposition Leader Released from Military Prison
Firebrand opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who had been arrested in 2014 and sentenced to a 13-year term on charges of mass incitement, was released from the military prison in the wee hours of July 8, 2017 to home confinement. Although the release was reasoned by the government on the health ground, opposition activists called this as victory of resistance movement.
Trump Administration Slaps Sanctions on 13 Venezuelans Days Before Elections
Four days before the July 30, 2017, Constituent Assembly elections, Donald Trump administration on July 26, 2017 announced sanctions--involving freezing assets and forbidding doing business transactions--against 13 Venezuelan officials, including police, army and national guards chiefs.
Many Venezuelans Boycott Constituent Assembly Votes
An image of fractured nation was reflected on July 30, 2017 as Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro held a constituent assembly vote in defiance of appeal by OAS and international community. Just before midnight, National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena said that 8,089,320, or 41.53% people voted in the polls.
Opposition Leader Released from Military Prison
Firebrand opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who had been arrested in 2014 and sentenced to a 13-year term on charges of mass incitement, was released from the military prison in the wee hours of July 8, 2017 to home confinement. Although the release was reasoned by the government on the health ground, opposition activists called this as victory of resistance movement.
Trump Administration Slaps Sanctions on 13 Venezuelans Days Before Elections
Four days before the July 30, 2017, Constituent Assembly elections, Donald Trump administration on July 26, 2017 announced sanctions--involving freezing assets and forbidding doing business transactions--against 13 Venezuelan officials, including police, army and national guards chiefs.
Many Venezuelans Boycott Constituent Assembly Votes
An image of fractured nation was reflected on July 30, 2017 as Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro held a constituent assembly vote in defiance of appeal by OAS and international community. Just before midnight, National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena said that 8,089,320, or 41.53% people voted in the polls.
President Maduro Blacklisted
Trump administration on July 31, 2017 included Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the blacklist to punish his administration for going ahead and defying the international community to hold elections for Constituent Assembly.
International Isolation Grows, but Maduro Remains Defiant; New Constitutional Assembly Convenes
Days after the July 30, 2017, Constituent Assembly polls, international community, including hemisphere's most influential bloc, OAS, increased the diplomatic and economic pressure on Caracas, but with a little effect as Nicolas Maduro administration on August 4, 2017 seated 545 delegates elected to the Constituent Assembly in the cavernous hall of legislative palace. The delegates arrived at the venue with tight security of police personnel and red-shirted volunteers of the ruling party. While the opposition protested against the convening the Constituent Assembly, the proceeding went smoothly according to choreographed schedule. The first order of the business was to elect the head of Constituent Assembly, and the former Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, a hardcore government loyalist, was elected to lead the Constituent Assembly. Rodriguez warned the opposition and threatened to begin crackdown on "violent fascists".
Venezuela's Chief Prosecutor Removed by Constituent Assembly
Carrying out its threat a day earlier to crack down on dissidence, on the second working day of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), August 5, 2017, Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz was dismissed from her job and ordered not to leave the country. ANC's second-vice president, Isias Rodriguez, issued a statement during the day, giving reason for firing Ortega Diaz, saying that she had not been "objective in her duties". Luisa Ortega Diaz was replaced by a regime loyalist, Tarek William Saab.
Fire-fight Breaks out at a Military Base
About 20 intruders in the early hours of August 6, 2017 sneaked into the Paramacay military base in the central city of Valencia, triggering an hours-long fight with Venezuelan troops before two of the intruders were killed, one wounded and seven seized. About 10 other attackers fled the base with arms and ammunition. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez called the attack as "paramilitary expedition".
Constituent Assembly Occupies Parliamentary Hall; Fissures in Latin Nations over Venezuela
Venezuela's recently constituted Constituent Assembly on August 8, 2017 met at the cavernous hall of National Assembly, and declared that it had authority over other branches of government. Opposition lawmakers were barred from entering the parliament. Referring to convening the Constituent Assembly in the same building where National Assembly was to meet, First Vice President of the Assembly Aristobulo Isturiz said that they were trying to coexist with National Assembly. However, the action since convening on August 4, 2017 showed something else: it fired country's chief prosecutor, Luisa Ortega Diaz, established a so-called "truth commission" and threw its weight behind President Nicolas Maduro. Meanwhile, a clear fissure and rift emerged among Latin American nations. Foreign ministers from 17 Western Hemispheric nations met in Peru on August 8, 2017, and condemned the Constituent Assembly. Foreign Ministers also urged both the Venezuelan government and opposition to find a negotiated settlement to the current impasse. At the same time, 11 Latin American nations under the auspices of Bolivarian Alliance met at Caracas on August 8, 2017 to lend unequivocal support for Venezuela's sovereignty and Constituent Assembly.
Barrack Attack Mastermind Detained
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on August 11, 2017 that country's security forces had captured the alleged mastermind of August 6, 2017, Paramacay military base attack. Former National Guard Captain Juan Caguariapano was captured from Caracas along with an active-duty soldier.
Peru Expels Venezuelan Ambassador
Peruvian government on August 11, 2017 wielded diplomatic stick against Venezuela on two fronts: first, it refused to grant any audience of Venezuelan protest over hosting a foreign ministerial level meeting at Lima by 17 Latin American nations on August 8, 2017 that condemned high-handed, autocratic crackdown by President Nicolas Maduro's regime. Second, During the day, Peruvian government ordered Venezuelan Ambassador Diego Molero to leave Peru within five days, saying that the move was meant for applying pressure on Caracas "to help restore Venezuela's democracy". Meanwhile, reacting to Venezuelan situation, U.S. President Donald Trump did not rule out military intervention in the Latin American nation as he spoke with reporters at his Westminster Golf Club on August 11, 2017.
Arrest Warrant Issued for Former Chief Prosecutor's Husband
Venezuela's highest court on August 17, 2017 ordered the arrest of German Ferrer, a lawmaker and husband of former chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz, who was one-time ally of the Socialist government of Nicolas Maduro and later turned on his administration after country's supreme court had tried to usurp opposition-dominated legislature's authority, on charges of running an extortion ring. The Supreme Court also referred the case to newly formed Constituent Assembly in order to take away the impunity of Ferrer.
Former Chief Prosecutor, Husband Flee Venezuela
A day after Venezuela's Supreme Court issued arrest warrant for German Ferrer, husband of former Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz, Diaz and Ferrer flew on a private plane from Aruba to Colombia and sought asylum on August 18, 2017.
Venezuela's Constituent Assembly Makes Congress' Authority Null and Void
In a draconian move, Venezuela's newly-installed Constituent Assembly on August 18, 2017 passed a decree in a voice vote to give itself the authority to pass legislation to guarantee peace, sovereignty and economic prosperity. Even to hold a legislative session in the neo-classical building of Congress, as per August 18, 2017, decree, lawmakers need the permission of Constituent Assembly. In a sharp comment of disregard for the opposition-led Congress, Constituent Assembly President Delcy Rodriguez said that "we will teach them a historic lesson". Equally defiant was the response of Congress' president, Julio Borges, who called a session for August 19, 2017 to repudiate the Constituent Assembly's action, which he dubbed as "illegal and unconstitutional".
Venezuela's Beleaguered Congress Convenes in Defiance
A day after Venezuela's Constituent Assembly all but made the opposition-held Congress dysfunctional, a defiant opposition convened at the assembly hall on August 19, 2017. The Congress received political and moral backing by presence of foreign dignitaries and diplomats such as Brian Naranjo, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas.
Venezuelan Gubernatorial Polls Expose Schism in Opposition Armor
The unity among opposition parties and their grand coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, or MUD, which had been formed in 2008 as a front to unify the splintered opposition and spearheading the anti-government movement this year since President Nicolas Maduro's administration tried to usurp powers of lawmakers, were severely tested in the October 15, 2017, election for governors in 23 states. Despite calls by many to boycott the governors' race, opposition parties put up candidates in all 23 states in the hope to score big wins. What spawned subsequently was nothing short of a humiliating defeat of opposition that won only five of 23 states. Days afterward, President Nicolas Maduro's administration tightened the noose around the neck of a splintered opposition by putting another humiliating condition: the governors-elect would be sworn in by the recently formed Constituent Assembly, a body that opposition likened an extra-judicial authority and illegal and was formed out of an electoral process boycotted by the opposition. It was expected that opposition governors-elect would rather forego their win instead of giving legitimacy to the Constituent Assembly. To the chagrin of opposition activists and supporters, four of the five opposition governors-elect took the oath of office on October 23, 2017 at a government-sponsored event led by the Constituent Assembly.
Two Parties among Splintered Opposition to Boycott Mayoral Polls in December
Humbled by almost total rout in the October 15, 2017, gubernatorial election, Venezuela's dumb-founded opposition seemed more divided and splintered than ever. On October 30, 2017, National Assembly President Julio Borges announced that his Justice First Party would boycott the upcoming mayoral election in December 2017. The Popular Party also announced that it would refrain from mayoral polling process.
Caracas' Fired Mayor Sneaks out of Country
Caracas' former mayor, Antonio Ledezma, 62, pulled the biggest surprise on November 16, 2017 as he had sneaked past the security put around his house, drove to the Colombia borders overnight, entered into Colombia and took a flight to Spain. As he was about to board a commercial plane on November 17, 2017 at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Ledezma, who had been fired and put under house-arrest since 2015, vowed to continue his fight for democracy from abroad.
Maduro's Party Ahead of Opposition in Mayoral Races
Inflicting a heavy toll on a fractured opposition, Socialist Party candidates took early lead as counting progressed in the December 10, 2017, mayoral races in Venezuela's 335 municipalities. The latest setback for opposition came two months after October 15, 2017, rout in gubernatorial polls in which opposition candidates managed to win in only 5 out of 23 states.
Presidential Election Date Announced
After negotiation with opposition broke down, the head of National Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena, announced on February 7, 2018 that the presidential polls would be held in April 22, 2018.
Maduro Plan to Attend Summit May Cause Heartburn to Peru's Leader
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on February 15, 2018 made it clear that he was giving a serious consideration to attend the April 2018, Summit of Americas as an uninvited guest, implying an unwelcome and undiplomatic scenario for Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kucynski. after Maduro was excluded from the invitee list due to pressure, Maduro and his allies alleged, from the administration of Donald Trump, who was planning to attend the summit.
Venezuela's Main Opposition Parties to Boycott Presidential Election
Main opposition party, Democratic Action Party, and two other parties on February 20, 2018 decided to boycott April 22, 2018, presidential polls, raising the number of parties that had announced to stay away from election to four.
Maduro Regime to Delay Presidential Polls to Assure Token Opposition Participation
After days of secret meetings with smaller opposition parties that had broken off from the boycott decision by the main opposition alliance, Democratic Unity, Venezuelan government on March 1, 2018 hammered out an agreement and announced to delay the presidential election by few more weeks. Under the March 1, 2018, agreement, the presidential election will now be held around mid-May.
GOP Rules Committee Chair Meets with Maduro
The Associated Press reported on April 5, 2018 that House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions had made a secret, unofficial visit to Venezuela this week and met with President Nicolas Maduro, but the details of the meeting remained unknown.
Haley Calls for Maduro's Ouster
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley on May 8, 2018 delivered a hard-tongued speech at the 48th Annual Washington Conference on the Americas in the State Department in Washington, D.C., calling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government a threat to not only to "unwilling victims of a criminal narco-state", but "all people of Latin America", and "it is time for Maduro to go". This is the first time that a high-ranking American official explicitly called for regime change in Caracas. Haley's unsparing rhetoric came as the Trump administration announced a package of $18.5 million for the U.S. Agency for International Development to spend on nutrition and education program in the chronically suffering Latin American country.
Maduro wins in a Disputed Poll
President Nicolas Maduro was declared winner, an unsurprising news, by the country's electoral commission in May 20, 2018, presidential election that had been boycotted by most of the major opposition parties and rejected by the U.S. and many other countries in the region and beyond. To put a further dent in the credibility of the electoral process, the turnout was also low. Maduro won by receiving almost 68 percent of the vote, edging his long-shot rival Henri Falcon, who had demanded for re-poll citing large-scale electoral irregularities, an allegation denied by the National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena who dismissed them as minor infractions. The third-placed candidate, Javier Bertucci, a well-known TV evangelist and who received about 11 percent vote, did not call for re-election, and instead, trained his gun at the opposition who had boycotted the poll for helping Maduro to get reelected.
Maduro Expels Top U.S. Diplomat, His Deputy y
In an unusual, undiplomatic way, President Nicolas Maduro on May 22, 2018 vented his anger against the USA and ordered Charge d'Affaires Todd Robinson and his deputy, Brian Naranjo, out of the Latin American nation in 48 hours. In a televised address to the nation, Maduro accused Robinson of trying to orchestrate a coup and undermine the just-held, much disputed, presidential election in which Maduro had won with overwhelming margin. Venting his anger, Maduro said that the "empire does not dominate us here".
Maduro Extends Olive Branch, Releases Dissidents
Sensing that it was now time to get buy-in from his political opponents if he had to bring this Latin American country from the brink, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on June 1, 2018 released 39 political prisoners.
Maduro Releases more
Extending his reconciliation effort, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro released 40 additional prisoners on June 2, 2018. Now, it's to be seen how the opposition responds to his limited political gesture.
Rhetoric, Political Firework Heats up at OAS Meeting
June 4-5, 2018 Organization of American States' meeting at Washington D.C. started off with flash of threat and emotional rebuke against big-brotherly attitude. Taking the lectern first on June 4, 2018, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked members of OAS to stand up for the principles and values of the alliance and suspend Venezuela in a vote the following day. Responding to Pompeo's call, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza later in the day boldly said, in an emotional speech, that "we are an independent nation. We are free, and no imperialist is intervening our country".
EU to Provide $40 million in Relief
The European Union on June 8, 2018 announced that the bloc would send relief supplies worth of $40 million to help the besieged people of Venezuela. The aid was announced as a humanitarian step, not to help the government of Nicolas Maduro, whom EU took to the task for increasing undemocratic practices.
U.N. Report Blasts Venezuela for Absence of Rule of Law
In a scathing report issued June 22, 2018 by the Office of the U.N. Human Rights High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, U.N. criticized Venezuela of gross human rights violation. Al Hussein was unsparing, calling out the lack of any "rule of law" in Venezuela and demanding that "the impunity must end". Venezuela rejected the report as a "grotesque media farce".
Attempt on Maduro's Life Fails, but Exposes Security Hole
Two explosives-filled drones exploded over Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as he was at an outdoor military event on August 4, 2018, but Maduro escaped unscathed. However, the attempt on president's life underlined the militancy nature that the anti-government movement was turning by the day and the degree of violence that might loom over this Latin American nation as economy had been heading in downward spiral and social unrest boiling. The August 4, 2018, event stunned the nation and created confusion in the region. As of August 5, 2018, half a dozen people were detained, and a murky group, Soldados de Franela, or T-Shirt Soldiers, claimed responsibility for assassination attempt. There have been rumors of potential coup, and in June 2017, a renegade police officer, Oscar Perez, has tried to bomb government target. In January 2018, Venezuelan security forces cornered Perez, and in a shootout, killed him.
Pro-Government Rally Held to Show Solidarity with Maduro
Two days after two drones were used to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, regime loyalists on August 6, 2018 held an impressive rally at Caracas to show support for and solidarity with the besieged president and his government. Addressing the crowd, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza described the mood of regime supporters with a buoyant definition "the river of red". Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said that the six people detained might face charges ranging from murder to treason.
Constituent Assembly Strips Immunity of former Speaker
Venezuela's Constituent Assembly on August 8, 2018 stripped immunity of former parliament head, opposition leader Julio Borges, and another opposition lawmaker, Juan Requesens. The Constituent Assembly's action came after Venezuelan Supreme Court ordered arrest of both. On August 7, 2018, Requesens was arrested. Borges could not be detained as he was in exile in Colombia, and on August 8, 2018, met with Colombian senate's president, Ernesto Macias, at the Senate building in Bogota. Venezuelan government accused both lawmakers of planning the weekend assassination attempt on President Maduro's life. Meanwhile, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on August 8, 2018 that the country had asked the U.S. Embassy in Caracas to help extradite a Venezuelan, Osman Delgado Tabosky, who had, according to the Venezuelan government, masterminded the August 4, 2018, assassination attempt against Maduro. Tabosky is now living in exile in Miami.
Two Military Officials Arrested over Alleged Assassination Attempt
Venezuelan authorities arrested and hauled two senior military officials to a Caracas court on August 14, 2018 in charges related to August 4, 2018, failed assassination attempt against President Nicolas Maduro. With the arrest of Col. Pedro Zambrano and Gen. Alejandro Perez, total number of people detained related to failed attempt on the life of country's president rose to 14. Venezuela's chief prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, said on August 14, 2018 that at least 20 other people sought after were absconding.
Official Accuse Embassy Staff of Colluding in Assassination Attempt
Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez on September 24, 2018 lobbed explosive allegation, tying the embassy staff from Colombia, Mexico and Chile to the August 4, 2018, failed assassination plot against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. As three more suspects were arrested during the day, Rodriguez said that he was ready to provide proof that embassy staff from three Latin American nations either had lent to support to would-be assassins or had been ready to do so.
Dissident's Reported Suicide under Captivity Raises Suspicion
A dissident activist who had helped harden international condemnation of Venezuelan government's anti-people crackdown policies was reported dead on October 8, 2018 as the government said that Fernando Alban, who had been arrested on October 5, 2018 at the Caracas International Airport after arriving from New York, jumped to his death from the 10th floor of the state police agency headquarters where he had been brought for interrogation. There was an immediate suspicion to the government version of October 8, 2018, death of Alban as many at home and abroad thought that it was a state-sponsored murder of an activist who had worked tirelessly to raise the international outrage against the Nicolas Maduro regime. U.S. condemned the death of Fernando Alban as human rights violation while U.N. asked the authorities to launch an impartial investigation.
Bolton's Comments don't Offer any Promise of Stability
Hawkish U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, instead of offering a way-forward policy prescription for Latin American so called adversarial nations, poured out the same old "verbal lashing" without any specific plan of action as he addressed an audience at the Freedom Tower, a Miami-based key foundation for Cuban dissidents, on November 1, 2018, characterizing Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela as the region's "troika of tyranny".
3 Millions Flee Venezuela, U.N. Says
A report compiled by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioners for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration painted the crisis in Venezuela in the same light as some of the other nations which were going through civil wars such as Syria, South Sudan and Afghanistan. The report issued on November 8, 2018 estimated that at least 3 million Venezuelans had fled the country, including more than a million to neighboring Colombia, and these displaced Venezuelans, although not refugees because of civil war, still fell under the 1984 Cartagena Declaration signed, among others, by 14 Latin American nations, according to a spokesman of UNHCR, William Spindler. As of 2017, more than 6.3 million Syrians, 2.6 million Afghans and 2.4 million people from South Sudan fled their nations.
Lima Group Asks Maduro to Eschew Inauguration
A newly formed Latin American group formed recently of mostly conservatives-run Latino governments on January 4, 2019 asked the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro not to take an oath of office for the second term on January 10, 2019. Instead, the Lima Group, called for restoration of democracy and fresh election to reflect people's will.
Opposition-controlled National Assembly Elects Its Leader
Defying President Nicolas Maduro, opposition-controlled National Assembly met on January 5, 2019, and chose 35-year-old Juan Guaido as the president of the body. Diplomats from 20 nations, including US, Canada, Japan, Italy and Germany, attended the National Assembly session.
Maduro's Inauguration for the Second Term Clouded by a Host of Nations De-recognizing
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated for a second six-year stint on January 10, 2019 as 17 Latin American nations, Canada and the USA refused legitimacy of his administration and demanded for fresh polls. Taking a dig at the Washington, President Maduro said in a post-swearing-in speech that "Venezuela is the center of a world war led by the North American imperialists". During the day, thousands of miles away, Organization of American States approved a measure tabled by a host of nations, including USA, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay, not to recognize the second term of Maduro regime. Venezuelan OAS Ambassador Samuel Moncada blasted the measure as a "hostile act" that undermined the "will of our nation". Paraguay took an unusual measure by severing ties with Venezuela and Peru recalled its diplomats from Caracas. The civil unrest in Venezuela led to political upheaval and uprooting of 2.3 million people, according to a recent UN estimate.
Head of National Assembly to Assume Parallel Presidency
Chaos and confusion is all set to loom large in Venezuela as the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Juan Guaido, has vowed on January 11, 2019 to become transitional president and hold fresh polls. A day after President Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated for a second six-year stint of presidency, Juan Guaido addressed an energetic crowd at a Caracas street, and called for people's support as well as the backing of international community and country's armed forces in leading the Latin American country. Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General Luis Almagro was prompt to respond to Juan Guaido's call, tweeting "you have our support". Juan Guaido is planning to assume the presidency on the historic date of January 23 when 61 years ago in 1958 a mass uprising has overthrown dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez. Under Venezuelan constitution, when the president of the country is deemed illegitimate, head of National Assembly assumes the reign of the nation.
National Assembly Head Receives Trump Administration's Support
A day after National Assembly head Juan Guaido had announced that he would become transitional president in a January 23, 2019, ceremony, Trump administration said on January 12, 2019 said that the Nicolas Maduro regime was illegitimate and it would support Guaido as interim president. Trump administration's backing came as a press statement issued by the U.S. State Department and provided cover to Juan Guaido to what many Latin American experts called as usurpation of powers.
Juan Guidavo Declares Himself President
Political landscape in Venezuela got muddier and murkier on January 23, 2019 as National Assembly head Juan Guaido, addressing hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters, claimed himself the rightful president of the country. U.S. fully backed Juan Guidavo, recognizing him the legitimate president of the Latin American nation. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement, supporting the "people of Venezuela" for "courageously" speaking out against "Maduro and his regime". Nicolas Maduro responded to Trump's action by severing diplomatic relations with "the imperialist U.S. government" and ordering the American diplomats out of the country in 72 hours. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, reacting to Maduro's expulsion orders, said that U.S. would heed to Juan Guaido's directive and would not pull out diplomats. Subsequent to unofficial swearing in of Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate president, violence broke out at several places of the capital, Caracas.
U.S. Turns to U.N. Security Council to Recognize Guaido, Oust Maduro
Three days after the National Assembly head Juan Guaido assumed transitional presidency and the Trump administration recognized him as legitimate president of Venezuela, all eyes were set on the U.N. Security Council on January 26, 2019 as Mike Pompeo asked the U.N. Security Council to end the "illegitimate mafia state". A resolution moved by the U.S. to recognize the opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate president didn't sail through as Russia and China threw their gauntlet in favor of Nicolas Maduro. Meanwhile, the two permanent U.N. Security Council members from Europe, Britain and France, joined Spain and Germany to demand that Nicolas Maduro regime announce re-election within the next eight days (through February 3, 2019) failing which would lead to recognition of Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate president. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza took a broad swipe at the United Nations, vowing that Caracas "will not allow anyone to impose on us any decision or order". Russian ambassador to the U.N., Vassily Nebenzia, accused the Venezuelan government's "extremist opponents" of seeking "maximum confrontation". China's U.N. ambassador, Ma Zhaoxu, blasted the U.S. for interfering in the internal affairs of another nation.
Pope Calls for Peaceful Solution to Venezuelan Crisis
Pope Francis, who was wrapping up a visit to Panama, said on January 27, 2019 that he had asked the "Lord to seek and find a just and peaceful solution", but stopped short of recognizing Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Supreme Court Bars Guaido from Leaving the Country
Venezuelan Supreme Court, responding to a move petitioned by the country's chief prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, who had opened a criminal investigation into the head of National Assembly, on January 29, 2019 ordered disbarment of travel of Juan Guaido, who declared himself the Latin American nation's interim president on January 23, 2019 and supported by the U.S., Canada and Lima Group nations among others, outside Venezuela. Meanwhile, a day earlier, January 28, 2019, U.S. imposed a crippling sanction on the country's state-owned oil company.
EU Heavy Hitters Recognize Guaido
After the eight-day deadline for a fresh poll demand passed a day earlier without any action by Nicolas Maduro regime, Spain, Germany, Britain and France joined dozens other European nations on February 4, 2019 to recognize the legitimacy of Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Army Blocks a Bridge that Aid Convoy Likely to Use
Venezuelan Army on February 5, 2019 blocked a key route to bring in aid and supplies to Venezuela from the Colombian border city of Cucuta. The Tienditas International Bridge was blocked by a giant orange tanker, two large blue containers and makeshift fencing to prevent any shipment of aid from Cucuta. Trump administration has pledged $20 million and Canada an additional $53 million to aid supplies. Opposition leader Juan Guaido is coordinating the relief operation and logistics to bring in supplies from the staging area in Cucuta.
Maduro Reveals Meeting with U.S. Special Envoy while Spewing Venom for American "Crumbs"
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in an Associated Press interview on February 14, 2019 that the country's foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, had held two meetings in recent days with the U.S. special envoy for the country, Elliott Abrams, the second one held on February 11, 2019, four days after the envoy made the comment that the time for "dialogue with Maduro had long passed". Maduro invited Abrams to the country for further talks. In the same interview, Maduro launched a blistering attack on the USA, saying "they hang us, steal our money and then they say, 'here, grab these crumbs'".
Senator Rubio Visits Cucuta
Taking a high-profile stand, Florida Senator Marco Rubio on February 17, 2019 visited Colombian border city of Cucuta, the staging ground for U.S.-backed relief supplies.
Opposition Activists in High Spirit before Relief Bring-in Date
Opposition activists are gearing up to break the government blockade at three entry regions of Venezuela and bring in aid to distribute among millions of suffering people. Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared President Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 governments, including the USA, is leading and coordinating the February 23, 2019, campaign to ship relief and aid by defeating the government blockade. Opposition is planning to bring in aid and relief from Colombia, Brazil and Caribbean island of Curacao. Venezuelan government closed land borders with Brazil on February 21, 2019, and suspended all naval and air travel with Curacao.
Guaido Appears at a Massive Aid Concert across the Border in Colombia
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido defied government ban on his leaving the country and appeared on February 22, 2019 at the near end of a massive aid concert at the Colombian border town of Cucuta to a heroic welcome from the crowd, many of them were Venezuelans who had fled the country, and embraced by the presidents of Colombia, Chile and Paraguay. The concert was organized by British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and was billed as Live Aid Venezuela. Across the Tienditas International Bridge Cucuta with Venezuela, a smaller pro-government gathering held a "hands off Venezuela" rally.
Violence Breaks out as Opposition Tries to Break Government Blockade to Ship Relief Supplies
Violence erupted at several places near Colombian and Brazilian borders as opposition activists on February 23, 2019 forcefully tried to enter Venezuela with relief supplies, clashing with Nicolas Maduro's security forces. The violence began early in the morning and continued all day long in several areas near Brazil border and Colombian borders. The ensuing violence killed at least 2 people and injured hundreds. During the day, Nicolas Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with "fascist" Colombian regime. Meanwhile, at least 50 low-ranking Venezuelan military personnel deserted the ranks and sought refuge in Colombia.
Pence Leads Call to Stifle Maduro's Economic Lifeline at a Bogota Meeting
Two days after a failed opposition effort to break government blockades and ship aids to Venezuela from Colombia and Brazil had led to violence, leading to four deaths and at least 300 injuries, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence attended a regional summit at Bogota on February 25, 2019 and urged fellow regional right-of-center governments to tighten the noose around Nicolas Maduro regime by freezing oil assets and transfer the proceeds to self-declared President Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 nations, including the USA and Canada.
Guaido Appears at Caracas Rally; Challenges the Regime
Juan Guaido, who had defied late last month the moratorium on his travel abroad, returned to Venezuela and appeared at a Caracas rally on March 4, 2019, challenging the authority of Nicolas Maduro regime. At the rally, he was greeted by a thunderous applause and his wife, Fabiana Rosales. Guaido infuriated the regime by leaving for Colombia on February 22, 2019 for a failed effort to break government blockade and bring relief to the chronically suffering Latin American nation. There was always a possibility of Guaido being arrested upon return, and therefore, foreign diplomats from U.K. and USA were on hands at the Caracas International Airport to ensure Guaido not arrested and allowed to attend the rally. Hours earlier, British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt and U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton warned the Venezuelan government against harming Guaido.
Guaido Prods Public Sector Unions to Revolt
A day after returning from a 10-day overseas trip defying government-imposed, court-ordered travel ban, opposition leader and self-proclaimed President Juan Guaido on March 5, 2019 met with about 100 public sector union officials and prodded them to begin rollout strikes. Guaido is also planning a massive rally on the coming Saturday (March 9, 2019). On the same day, government backers are also planning their own rally with the call to mark the day as the "Day of Anti-imperialism". Rhetoric is already heating up before March 9, 2019, rival rallies. President Nicolas Maduro, attending a military ceremony on March 5, 2019 to mark the sixth death anniversary of former President Hugo Chavez, founder of the Socialist movement in Venezuela, belittled Juan Guaido without naming him as leading a group of "minority of opportunists and cowards".
Electrical Outage Strikes Venezuela
Hours-long power outages crippled much of Venezuela on March 7, 2019, affecting essential services ranging from hospitals, healthcare, travel, schools and retail and raising suspicion that it might be orchestrated to put pressure on Nicolas Maduro government. The state-owned electric power operator CORPOELEC issued a statement on its twitter account, blaming a "power war" against the country.
Trump Administration Officials not in Favor of Military Solution
Two key Trump administration officials intimately involved in Venezuela affairs testified on March 7, 2019 at the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasizing that there was no plan now to militarily intervene in Venezuela. U.S. Special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Director Mark Green stressed on peaceful transition of power that would see Maduro to leave office. Their testimony came after self-claimed president of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, backed by some 50 nations, including USA and Canada, failed to secure any large-scale defection from the Venezuelan military.
Rival Rallies Speak of Two Countries as Venezuela Reel under Massive Power Cuts
It was a contrast in motion on March 9, 2019 that had been rolled out in the Venezuelan capital. On one side of it was the young, energetic opposition leader Juan Guaido who had electrified the opposition activists at one of the rallies at Caracas. Opposition held several rallies around the country March 9, 2019 to demand the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro. Same day, pro-government activists held a massive rally at Caracas to mark a "Day of Anti-Imperialism".
Last of U.S. Envoys Leave Venezuela
On March 14, 2019, U.S. completed days-long withdrawal of all its diplomatic corps from Venezuela, leaving its Caracas embassy look like a ghost place without flag at its front entrance.
Guaido's Top Aide Arrested
Venezuelan authorities on March 21, 2019 arrested a top aide of self-proclaimed president of the country, Juan Guaido. Venezuelan Interior Minster Nestor Luis Reverol said during the day that Guaido's Chief of Staff Roberto Marreo had been part of terrorist cell. The U.N. expressed concern over Marreo's arrest. Guaido called the overnight arrest of his top aide as cowardice.
As Outages Cripple, Regime Bars Guaido from Public Office
As the nationwide rolling outages that had begun on March 7, 2019 had taken a toll on the country's basic infrastructure and medical services and the government blamed the anti-government sabotage for the outages, Venezuelan State Comptroller Elvis Amoroso on March 28, 2019 announced that opposition leader Juan Guaido would be barred from holding public office because of financial irregularities. The underlying allegation relates to his about 90 international trips since being elected to National Assembly in 2015 and source of about $94,000 spent for these trips. U.S. State Department called the government action ridiculous.
Guaido Promises Aid Delivery
Opposition leader and self-proclaimed president, Juan Guaido, on March 29, 2019 vowed in a twitter post that the aid would be brought in to help suffering Venezuelans, and added that aid would be brought in on April 5, 2019.
Rival Rallies Held
On March 30, 2019, both the regime and opposition had upped the ante. Government supporters held a massive rally at Caracas while Juan Guaido, self-proclaimed president who had been recognized by about 50 or so nations, including U.S. and many of the Latin American nations ruled by right-wing governments, made several stops in the Miranda State and denounced President Nicolas Maduro.
Guaido's Immunity Revoked by Maduro Allies
Lawmakers loyal to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on April 2, 2019 stripped the immunity of Juan Guaido.
Pence Implicitly Threatens Maduro Regime at the U.N.
At the behest of the USA, a special session of the U.N. Security Council was convened on April 10, 2019 to discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Venezuela. Hours before the special session was convened, Human Rights Watch and researchers from the Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine asked the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to declare the Venezuelan situation "a complex humanitarian emergency that poses a serious risk to the region". They issued their call based on their research that had found severe shortages in medicines and food. Taking the floor at the U.N. later in the day, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reiterated U.S. resolve to restore democracy in Venezuela and uttered that "all options are on the table", implying a military solution. Pence, pointing at the Venezuelan Ambassador Samuel Moncada, insulted him, saying that "with all due respect, Mr. Ambassador, you shouldn't be here". Pence also implored the U.N. to recognize Juan Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. Since only 54 nations now recognize Guaido, it's not very clear how U.S. will garner a strong support for Juan Guaido among 193-member United Nations.
Failed Uprising Pinches Opposition Hope to Seize Power
Opposition leader Juan Guiado on April 30, 2019 launched what could have been the ultimate shock to Nicolas Maduro regime, but fizzled out without any apparent support from military hierarchy. Juan Guaido tried to orchestrate defection of military leaders and overthrow the Socialist government based on wrong and misleading information provided by Trump administration, especially Trump administration's National Security Adviser John Bolton. who claimed in Washington D.C. that at least three high-ranking Venezuelan government officials would defect and help in the uprising. As the day wore on, it was evident that Guaido was unable to fracture the unity of the country's military hierarchy and no significant defection occurred in the Nicolas Maduro ministry. Opposition's sudden uprising, dubbed Operation Freedom, fizzled out as soon as it was launched in the early hours of April 30, 2019, with an unknown number of protesters killed.
Opposition's Failed Coup Raises Doubt in Leader's Ability to Promote Military Desertion
Opposition's failed April 30, 2019, uprising had a chilling effect on Venezuelan opposition ranks the country's Supreme Court on May 2, 2019 ordered arrest warrant for opposition leader Juan Guaido's mentor, Leopoldo Lopez, who had escaped house arrest on April 30, 2019 morning and managed to appear with Guaido and a small band of military personnel in urging the people to resort to uprising. Lopez is now apparently hiding in Spanish embassy in Caracas.
Supreme Court Opens Investigation into 7 Opposition Lawmakers
After the failed April 30, 2019, uprising, government is tightening the noose around the opposition's neck, and the country's Supreme Court on May 7, 2019 has opened investigation into seven opposition lawmakers, including Henry Ramos Allup and Luis German Florido, for what it calls the "betraying the homeland" and "instigating an insurrection". Meanwhile, Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said on May 7, 2019 announced that the government would nationalize country's three private airports, citing illegal activity.
Sides Head to Norway for Re-conciliation Talks
After a failed April 30, 2019, opposition effort to orchestrate uprising by Venezuelan Army, it was all but clear that opposition lost its last hope to force President Nicolas Maduro out, leading to a window of opportunity for international community to open reconciliation talks. Norwegian authorities seized the opportunity to host a meeting between the warring sides. On May 16, 2019, both the regime and opposition sent officials to Oslo.
Sides to Meet at Oslo for the Second Round
Praising both sides for showing flexibility and political openness, Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said on May 25, 2019 that Venezuelan government representatives and opposition negotiators would soon meet at Oslo to resume talks.
After Two Rounds, Norway-mediated Talks Stall
After Russian foreign ministry raised hope for a third round of talks at Oslo between opposition and government representatives, self-proclaimed president and opposition leader, Juan Guaido, poured cold water on June 7, 2019 on any hope of holding third round of talks. Guaido, speaking in Valencia, Venezuela, said that holding a fresh presidential election is non-negotiable.
Border with Colombia Reopens
In February 2019, Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro closed the country's border with Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Brazil and Colombia to prevent foreign-aided relief supplies to be shipped in. In May 2019, Venezuelan government opened the borders with Aruba and Brazil. On June 8, 2019, Caracas reopened the border with Colombia, including two cross-border bridges, Simon Bolivar International Bridge and Francisco de Paula Santander International Bridge.
U.N. Human Rights Chief Meets Both Parties
The U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Michele Bachelet on June 21, 2019 arrived at Caracas in a fact-finding mission, and met with President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido.
U.N. Demands Inquiry into Death of a Former Navy Captain
Navy captain Rafael Acosta was accused of trying to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro and he had been arrested. While under custody, reports suggest, Acosta has been subjected to physical and mental torture. On June 29, 2019, days after his arrest, Acosta was brought in a wheelchair to a Caracas court. The court ordered Rafael Acosta, bruised and injured, to be taken to a hospital. Rafael Acosta died a little while later at a Caracas hospital. Rafael Acosta's unnatural death raised international concern about Maduro regime's treatment of political opponents. On July 1, 2019, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres chimed in, calling for an independent inquiry into Rafael Acosta's death.
Venezuela Witnesses another Bout of Long Power Outage; President Blames U.S.
Venezuela had experience a massive power outage on July 22, 2019 that had lasted hours and many of facilities, including groceries, hospitals, banks and government offices, didn't return to normalcy until after workday started on July 23, 2019. The outage hit millions of commuters during rush hours. 48 hours after the massive power outage had crippled the normal life in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro on July 24, 2019 accused U.S. of orchestrating this unprecedented "high-tech electromagnetic attack" to undermine the Socialist rule.
White House Ups the Ante against Venezuela by Including it in the "Black List"
On August 5, 2019, Trump administration took a very unusual step by blacklisting Venezuela as rogue state, thus all but freezing assets of Venezuelan government in the USA. The August 5, 2019, announcement put Caracas in the same league with North Korea, Cuba and Iran. Venezuela received the rare distinction in the western hemisphere as similar blacklisting had happened in few rare cases, dating back to decades to the Cold War era when Sandinista leadership had been slapped with similar sanctions in 1980s and Panama's strongman Manuel Noriega later in the decade.
Bolton Warns anyone Doing Business with Venezuela
Attending a day-long conference at Lima involving regional governments opposed to Nicolas Maduro regime, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on August 6, 2019 warned any nation against dealing with Venezuela in view of Trump administration's August 5, 2019, placing of Caracas in a list of rogue nations.
Under U.S. Pressure, Pro-U.S. Latin Regimes to Invoke 1947 Rio Treaty
Under the pressure of Trump administration to force the regime change in Venezuela, right-wing governments of Latin America met on the sidelines of U.N. General Assembly on September 23, 2019 and invoked the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, better known as Rio Treaty, signed in 1947, to allow the governments to adopt collective measures of multilateral economic sanctions on Venezuela. The 1947 Rio Treaty allows a collective response by all members to a threat to any one of the member nations, and the treaty has not been activated since September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. The invoking of 1947 Rio Treaty underlines the degree of political pressure exerted on Latin American countries by Trump Administration in its quest for regime change in Caracas.
Former Spy Chief's Extradition to USA Becomes Easier
A panel of Spain's National Court on November 8, 2019 overturned a mid-September 2019 ruling of the Spanish National Court that had rejected the extradition of former Venezuelan spy chief, Hugo Carvajal, to the U.S. to stand trial on charges that he had been key to flooding the U.S. streets with drugs. Hugo Carvajal was a steadfast supporter of Hugo Chavez and, for the most part, of Nicolas Maduro. He parted with Nicolas Maduro in recent years and threw his hat in favor of opposition. In March 2019, he fled to Spain and requested asylum. Now, the extradition needs to be cleared by Spanish Cabinet.
Guidao Blocked from Entering the National Assembly
Opposition leader and self-declared president Juan Guaido was blocked on January 5, 2020 from entering the National Assembly for a special session to launch the final year of the opposition-dominated assembly's five-year term of 2015-2020. Guaido tried to scale a fence too, but was repelled by the security forces. Later the opposition lawmakers held an emergency session in an opposition-dominated neighborhood of Caracas and reelected Juan Guaido as their leader. The government-sanctioned session--attended by the ruling party's lawmakers as well as some opposition breakaway faction's lawmakers--was held inside the National Assembly building, and a former Guaido-loyalist-turned-now-government loyalist, Luis Parra, as the new head of National Assembly.
New National Assembly Head Defends His Election
A day after military blocked Juan Guaido from entering the National Assembly building, paving the way for a former Guaido ally-now-a turncoat, Luis Parra, to become the head of the assembly, Parra on January 6, 2020 defended his election, calling all primary rules were followed. Meanwhile, U.S. State Department's special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, said during the day that Venezuelan regime had played a serious gamble by refusing Guaido to enter the National Assembly. However, Russia's foreign ministry on January 6, 2020 defended the election of Luis Parra, calling it as an outcome of a "legitimate democratic procedure".
Maduro, His Inner Circle Indicted by the USA in an Unprecedented Move
In what is one in a rare event of indicting a sitting foreign head of state, the U.S. Department of Justice on March 26, 2020 unsealed several indictments against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his "cabal" inner-circle, including party boss Diosdado Cabello, head of Constitutional Assembly, for conspiring with Colombian rebels and country's military to "flood the United States with cocaine" as part of "weapons against America". U.S. Attorney-General William Barr said in a video-conferencing call that Venezuela's president and ruling clique had hollowed out their own nation and fill "their pockets with drug money" while the "Venezuelan people suffer". U.S. Secretary fo State Mike Pompeo has announced up to $55 million in reward, leading to the arrests or convictions of the accused, including up to $15 million for Maduro and $10 million for each of the other indicted Venezuelan officials. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro angrily dismissed the charges, saying it was a joint U.S.-Colombian conspiracy to "flood Venezuela with violence". It's not all clear how these indictments will help ouster of Socialist regime in Venezuela, but they are likely to help, although moot at this point, President Donald Trump's winning chance in the battleground state of Florida.
Pompeo Proposes a Transition Council to Rule Venezuela
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 31, 2020 floated a far-reaching proposal that would exclude both President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido from a five-member transition council that would rule the Latin American country as it struggled with a rapidly spreading coronavirus. Under the plan, dubbed the Democratic Transition Framework for Venezuela, the five-member council will rule the country for six to 12 months until new presidential election is held. Country's military high-command that has been backing the Maduro regime throughout the opposition protest will remain intact. Four members of the transition council will be elected by the opposition-controlled national assembly, but to make the selection process acceptable to both parties, the members have to be selected by two-third majority. The fifth member will be chosen by the other members and will become the president. Mike Pompeo's proposal, coined after a similar March 28, 2020, proposal from Juan Guaido that called for formation of a national emergency government, was immediately rejected by Nicolas Maduro.
Trump Denies U.S. Involvement in Alleged Assassination Plot
U.S. President Donald Trump on May 5, 2020 categorically denied any involvement in two Americans trying plot against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Two former American Special Operations Forces soldiers were arrested in Venezuela on charges of trying to kill Maduro. Caracas identified two Americans as Luke Denman and Airan Berry. Both worked for a Florida-based private security firm, Silvercorp USA, founded by former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau. Goudreau claimed responsibility for May 3, 2020, beach-landing at Venezuela's coast by at least half a dozen mercenaries. Venezuela called the aggression a clear act of assassination attempt, and said that six of the invaders were killed. Jordan Goudreau called the mission "Operation Gideon", and also claimed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to have backed the mission and promised funding which didn't happen. Jordan Goudreau criticized Guaido for unpaid bill. Guiado denied any association with Silvercorp USA. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused Colombia and USA of carrying out the May 3, 2020, assassination attempt.
First of Five Tankers Arrives at Venezuela with Iranian Oil
Defying Trump administration's embargo on both nations, Venezuela on May 25, 2020 celebrated the docking of first of five Iranian tankers carrying much needed oil as the country, sitting atop one of the largest oil reserves, was barely surviving with crippling economic sanctions and coronavirus pandemic. The move also underlined Iran's effort to expand influence in the Western Hemisphere amidst growing tension with Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump on May 5, 2020 categorically denied any involvement in two Americans trying plot against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Two former American Special Operations Forces soldiers were arrested in Venezuela on charges of trying to kill Maduro. Caracas identified two Americans as Luke Denman and Airan Berry. Both worked for a Florida-based private security firm, Silvercorp USA, founded by former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau. Goudreau claimed responsibility for May 3, 2020, beach-landing at Venezuela's coast by at least half a dozen mercenaries. Venezuela called the aggression a clear act of assassination attempt, and said that six of the invaders were killed. Jordan Goudreau called the mission "Operation Gideon", and also claimed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to have backed the mission and promised funding which didn't happen. Jordan Goudreau criticized Guaido for unpaid bill. Guiado denied any association with Silvercorp USA. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused Colombia and USA of carrying out the May 3, 2020, assassination attempt.
First of Five Tankers Arrives at Venezuela with Iranian Oil
Defying Trump administration's embargo on both nations, Venezuela on May 25, 2020 celebrated the docking of first of five Iranian tankers carrying much needed oil as the country, sitting atop one of the largest oil reserves, was barely surviving with crippling economic sanctions and coronavirus pandemic. The move also underlined Iran's effort to expand influence in the Western Hemisphere amidst growing tension with Washington.
Venezuela's Supreme Court Orders Takeover of Juan Guaido's Political Party
Venezuelan Supreme Court on July 7, 2020 ordered government takeover of the political party of opposition leader and self-declared president, Juan Guaido, assuring all but decimating any remaining vestiges of opposition to the rule of Nicolas Maduro in the run up to December 2020 legislative election. As a result, Leopoldo Lopez has to cede the leadership of the party he has founded and Guaido belongs to, Popular Will.
U.S. to Continue Recognizing Guaido as Country's Legit President
Appearing before the foreign relations committee of the U.S. Senate on August 4, 2020, the U.S. Special Envoy for Venezuela Elliott Abrams reiterated Trump administration's continuous support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's head as about 50 or so nations around the world had extended recognition to the U.S.-backed leader of opposition-controlled National Assembly. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced election of the National Assembly and slated it for December 6, 2020. However, Maduro imposed several restrictions and limitations on who could participate in the December 6, 2020, election, leading to Guaido and other opposition leaders to boycott the polls.
U.N. Human Rights Council Issues a Damning Report against Maduro
In a scathing report issued on September 16, 2020, the investigators from the U.N. Human rights Council accused the Venezuelan government led by Pesident Nicolas Maduro of perpetrating crimes against humanity against its own people by an untold number of extra-judicial executions, unauthorized detentions and systemic suppression of protest movements. The report also called for bringing the perpetrators to justice. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on September 16, 2020 lashed out, calling the report full of falsehoods authored by governments subservient to Washington.
Venezuela’s Parliamentary Election Called a Sham by U.S., E.U.
Despite boycott by key opposition parties and warning from the U.S. and E.U., Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro went ahead and held the polls to choose a new National Assembly on December 6, 2020 that many independent observers had blasted as fraudulent. With no meaningful opposition staying in the fray, it’s all but certain that ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela is set to seize the last vestige of opposition in Venezuelan political world. Opposition leader Juan Guidao, who had self-declared a de facto president and been recognized by the U.S., Canada and other western nations, headed the National Assembly whose mandate would expire in January 2021. This year, country’s Supreme Court has appointed a new election commission whose three of the members are under the sanction list of the USA and Canada. Meanwhile, Venezuelan economy is projected to shrink by 25% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund, and its currency, Bolivar, is worth nothing because of hyper-inflation. With this backdrop, the December 6, 2020, election will produce a monolithic hold on power and people’s wide-spread distrust in the political process. However, Juan Guidao’s plummeting popularity is giving a lease of life to Maduro regime.
Maduro Consolidates His Power
The last vestige of opposition’s power was whittled away in the December 6, 2020, National Assembly election as President Nicolas Maduro’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela and allied political parties were set to get two-third seats in National Assembly. According to government’s own electoral commission, only 31% voters exercised their franchise. Ruling Socialists control judiciary and all other institutions except National Assembly that opposition has won in the last poll in 2015. A key opposition bloc led by National Assembly head and self-declared head of state, Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by the U.S., Canada and many other European nations, has boycotted the poll. Juan Guaido, whose popularity has plummeted in recent days, is leading a parallel effort to hold a referendum on the government of Nicolas Maduro. The referendum has begun on December 7, 2020.
Maduro and Socialists Sweep the Last Remaining Institution
The opening session of the new National Assembly looked far different than the preceding assembly as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's United Socialist Party had swept to victory in the last month's boycotted poll. As the session opened on January 5, 2021 in a total contrast to last year's dramatic scene with opposition leader Juan Guaido scaling up the barrier of the building past the security dragnet that had earned the 37-year-old, self-styled president to earn bravado from his foreign benefactors. In one year since then, Nicolas Maduro has consolidated his grip on power as opposition movement has by and large fractured.
Fourth Round of Talks between Government and Opposition to Begin
The fourth round of talks between Nicolas Maduro regime and the opposition led by Juan Guidao is set to begin on August 13, 2021 at Mexico City. The fourth such talks in the past five years are being mediated by Norway. The difference between this round and the previous rounds are quite a few, including the government team is entering the negotiation with strongest position ever, opposition has dropped the demand for immediate resignation of Maduro and there will be several international players in the talks: including Russia on behalf of Maduro regime, the Netherlands will help the opposition and about 10 other nations, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Turkey and Bolivia, will join as key observers.
Government Suspends Talks as Maduro Ally Arrested to Face Charges in the U.S.
The chief government negotiator, Jorge Rodriguez, said on October 16, 2021 that he and his colleagues in the government would not return to talks in Mexico City with the opposition in protest against the hours-ago arrest of Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab, a confidante of President Nicolas Maduro, as he was en route to Iran and had made a stop at Cape Verde when the U.S. agents arrested him and put him in a U.S.-bound plane. The talks with the west-backed opposition began in August 2021. Alex Saab fought against his extradition to the U.S. on charges of money-laundering for the past 16 months. Coincidentally on the same day, six American executives, known as Citgo-6, had been picked up by Venezuelan security forces. They are serving time under home arrest. They have been lured into the country in 2017, and had been detained since then. They had been convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms on charges of embezzlements. Executives as well as the U.S. denied those charges.
Spanish Court Rules in Favor of Extradition of Former Aide of Chavez
Spain's National Court on November 10, 2021 approved extradition of Venezuela's former ruler Hugo Chavez' security chief to stand trial in the U.S. According to the U.S. extradition request, Adrian Velazquez and his wife, Claudia Diaz, country's former treasurer, took bribes from businessman Raul Gorrin in exchange for the businessmen to secure rights to exchange foreign currencies in the U.S. worth more than a billion dollars on behalf of the Venezuelan government during 2011-17.
EU Report Points out “Structural Deficiencies” in Venezuelan Regional Election
European Union observers on November 23, 2021 made public their findings of how the elections to about 3,000 local, regional, gubernatorial and mayoral seats had taken place. The findings have been compiled from a network of lawmakers from the EU, Switzerland and Norway deployed across Venezuela to oversee the November 21, 2021, local polls. The report has been made public at a press conference in Caracas on November 23, 2021 by Isabel Santos, an EU lawmaker and chief observer of the 2021 EU Election Observation Mission to Venezuela. The report said that the electoral process “showed the persistence of structural deficiencies, although electoral conditions improved compared to the three previous national elections”.
Jailed CITGO Executive Released
One of the six CITGO executives, known as CITGO-6, who had been languishing in Venezuelan prison system since around the Thanksgiving of 2017 on cooked-up charges was released on March 9, 2022. On March 9, 2022, Gustavo Cardenas was back to his home in Houston. He thanked President Joe Biden and others for negotiating his release, and called for the release of five other fellow American executives of CITGO.
Venezuela, Iran Sign 20-year Agreement
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were full of praise to each other on June 11, 2022 as the presidents signed a 20-year agreement. Maduro was in Tehran and was greeted lavishly by Iranian regime. Maduro lauded Iran for shipping oil to Venezuela during the time of current energy crisis.
7 Americans Released by Venezuela in Prisoner Swap
On October 1, 2022, Biden administration said that 7 Americans--including five CITGO executives--had been released by Venezuela in exchange for freedom of two nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro, Opposition Sign Deal for Aid; U.S. Loosens Embargo
Emerges a ray of hope for resumption of long-stalled negotiation between Nicolas Maduro regime and opposition political parties, including the faction backed by the U.S. and led by Juan Guaido as representatives from both sides have signed an agreement on November 26, 2022 at Mexico City to create a U.N.-managed fund to provide aid to Venezuelans in education, health and food programs. The November 26, 2022, agreement at Mexico City is a welcome relief to the regional powers as well as to Biden administration, which has responded by easing the sanctions to allow Chevron to resume oil production in Venezuela.
Longtime Government Critic Wins Opposition Primary
In a novel experiment in a country that had descended into dark hole of autocracy, millions of Venezuelans on October 22, 2023 thronged the polling centers in the primary election organized by the political opposition to elect the opposition standard bearer to challenge President Nicolas Maduro. On October 23, 2023, the National Primary Commission that organized the opposition primary reported that Maria Corina Machado had 1,473, 105 votes, approximately 93%, after counting was complete for 65% of the cast ballots.
Maduro Regime Launches Inquiry into Primary Election
Venezuelan Attorney-General Tarek William Saab on October 25, 2023 announced that his office would launch an investigation into whether the acts and steps undertaken by the independent National Primary Commission in organizing the October 22, 2023, primary election were tantamount to the usurpation of authorities historically entrusted in the government-backed National Electoral Council. The attorney general also added that the investigators would look into whether identity theft, money laundering and conspiracy had been committed as part of the “buffoonery” and “theater to deceive the national and international public opinion”. The latest partial results released by the National Primary Commission show that 2.3 million people inside Venezuela and 132,000 overseas have voted in the presidential primary election to choose the opposition candidate.
Venezuela’s Supreme Court Suspends Primary Election
Venezuela’s Supreme Court on October 30, 2023 suspended the electoral process and its outcome related to October 22, 2023, primary election. The lawsuit was filed by a ruling party-allied lawmaker. The Supreme Court also ordered the National Primary Commission to hand over all ballots, tally sheets and voting notebooks.
Hours after the Supreme Court verdict, the National Primary Commission President Jesus Maria Casal went to meet the investigators of the attorney general’s office, which had launched an investigation whether identity fraud and other crimes had been committed during primary election.
Biden Admin Swaps a Key Prize with 10 Americans Detained by Venezuela
The U.S. on December 20, 2023 brought back 10 of its citizens from Venezuela in exchange for the release of a high-profile Venezuelan diplomat, Alex Saab. As part of the swap, a Malaysian ship-servicing firm owner, Leonard Glenn Francis, implicated in one of the largest Pentagon bribery scandals, was returned to the U.S. The U.S. detainees arrived at Kelly Airfield Annex in San Antonio. A defiant Nicolas Maduro, standing alongside Saab, said on December 20, 2023 that Venezuela would new bow to the U.S. dominance.
Venezuela Expels U.N. Agency
Accusing the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for the Human Rights of harboring “colonialist” mentality and interventionist attitude, Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro on February 15, 2024 ordered the operation of the local office of the U.N. agency suspended and all foreign workers with the office to leave the nation in 72 hours. The suspension and expulsion order follows U.N. criticism of the arrest of a respected Venezuelan human rights lawyer, Rocio San Miguel.
