Welcome to the Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean. If you would like your posts included in the Carnivals, please email me: faustaw2 “at” gmail “dot” com.
Today’s big story: Bill Richardson’s trip to Caracas to ask Hugo Chavez, who has given $300 million dollars to the FARC, to negotiate for the release of three American FARC hostages.
Simon Romero of the NY Times reports,
The meeting itself was exceptional, marking a rare personal encounter between and a prominent American official and Mr. Chavez, following a sharp deterioration of political relations between the Bush administration and Venezuela’s government.
It’s not clear whether Richardson is ignorant of or indifferent to the anti-American propaganda Chavez spews weekly on TV.
Video: Bill Richardson habló después de reunirse con Chávez, video in Spanish:
IBD Blogs commented on the visit. Others blogging about it:
Richardson working hard for his VP spot with Obama
Foreign policy by BDS
Gov. Bill Richardson Meets With Hugo Chavez
No thugs left to pander to
I also posted about it yesterday.
Another big story from last week, the body of Beatriz Porco, a 22-year-old Bolivian who won a scholarship to study medicine in Cuba two years ago, was returned to her family on April 2, minus several internal organs, including the girl’s brain, kidneys, lungs, and uterus. Humberto Fontova writing at NewsMax notices that this is not the first time this has happened under the Cuban “free healthcare” system.
LATIN AMERICA
NAFTA is working
ARGENTINA
Argentina Farmers Ready to Revolt Again
Official: Argentine economy minister resigning
BOLIVIA
Morales sees threat from ‘separatist’ groups
Bolivia’s Morales: End Capitalism to Save the World
BRAZIL
Brazil Oil Finds May End Reliance on Middle East, Zeihan Says
Brazilian Assumptions of a McCain Victory ‘Premature,’ ‘Reckless’
COLOMBIA
What’s at Stake in Colombia
Colombia denuncia nuevo ataque de las FARC desde Ecuador
Guerrilleros de las FARC atacaron con armas no convencionales desde Ecuador a tropas de Colombia que prestaban seguridad a una petrolera, que cumple actividades de exploración en la frontera binacional, denunció el sábado el comandante del Ejército colombiano, general Mario Montoya.
Cousin Mario: “Parapolitics” touches the first family
FARC computer reveals more South American ties
CUBA
WaPo Editorial: No Space for Dissent
Fins ain’t wot they used to be
ECUADOR
Official: Laptop reveals ties to Ecuador
New documents from computers seized in a March raid on a FARC camp in Ecuador show that the guerrilla group may have ties to a prominent Ecuadorean politician.
Dictator Correa is Indeed an “Outrage to Democracy”
Southcom: Air base in Ecuador will not be replaced
“My Hands are Clean and Bloodless, Something Uribe Can’t Say”
GUATEMALA
The Indian/Guatemalan Tuk-Tuk Connection?
MEXICO
Mexico’s Calderon Makes Fierce Defense Of NAFTA
Kidnappings soar in Mexico as drug gangs seek new income
Editorial: Calderón can’t expect unconditional aid
PARAGUAY
Paraguay wants to renegotiate Itaipu treaty with Brazil
Latin America’s Latest Marxist Leader Takes Power in Paraguay
Fernando Lugo, Hugo’s latest buddy
PERU
EEUU instalará base militar en Iquitos en reemplazo de la de Manta, revelan
VENEZUELA
Gary Casparov on Chavez
Venezuela’s Chavez wants government monitoring of news
Venezuela nationalisations show disarray
Video
HACER’s Eneas Biglione was a guest on “Four Corners” of Press TV, making the case for NAFTA and Free Trade Agreements.
BLOGGING ABOUT THE CARNIVAL
Obi’s Sister
