This Carnival is dedicated to the new meaning of the word easement, which, following last Friday’s U.S. Department Of Commerce and U.S Department Of The Treasury Announcement Of Regulatory Amendments To The Cuba Sanctions now includes “making a deal where one gets nothing in return.”
However, the big news of the day is Alberto Nisman’s death by a gunshot wound in his home while his bodyguards were absent. Go to this morning’s post for more.
ARGENTINA
THE LONESOME DEATH OF ALBERTO NISMAN
In 2013, Argentina announced that it would collaborate with Iran in a joint commission “to advance knowledge of the truth about the attack,” as Ms Fernández wrote on Twitter at the time. The country’s Jewish population, the world’s seventh largest, was puzzled and angry about the accord. Now the prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, alleges that the controversial deal was reached in back-channel negotiations that Ms Fernández initiated with Iran. He claims that she offered to cover up the involvement of any Iranian officials in exchange for increased trade. Argentina would export grain to Iran, while Iran would sell oil to Argentina to ease its severe energy deficit.
In the end, for reasons that are still unclear, the negotiations failed and the deal fell apart. But Mr Nisman has marshalled evidence of the talks in a 300-page document that he filed in a Buenos Aires court. “They decided, negotiated, and assured the impunity of the fugitive Iranians in the AMIA case with the aim of faking Iran’s innocence to serve geopolitical and commercial interests,” Mr Nisman declared. The allegations against Ms Fernández, her foreign minister, Héctor Timerman, and others are based on “irrefutable proof” from two years of investigations and myriad wiretaps, Mr Nisman claims.
Fernandez Graft Cases Multiply in Argentine Electoral Year
A federal prosecutor in Argentina has filed a criminal complaint against President Cristina Kirchner , her foreign minister and others, accusing them of conspiring to cover up an investigation into Iran’s alleged involvement in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in this capital city.
The prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, said on Wednesday that Mrs. Kirchner had ordered Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and others to negotiate immunity for Iranian suspects in hopes this would reestablish trade ties and allow Argentina to import Iranian oil to ease a domestic energy crisis. The alleged plan didn’t come to fruition, however.
Prosecutor: Argentinian President Plotted to Cover Up Iranian Role in AMIA Bombing
ARUBA
Aruba Tops 1 Million Visitors for First Time
It also makes Aruba one of just five Caribbean destinations above the 1 million mark, along with the Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
Cuba’s 1 million visitors sure made a difference so far, or haven’t they?
BOLIVIA
Bolivian Peasants Urged On by Drug Traffickers Hold Hostage, Beat 4 Police
BRAZIL
Petrobras’s Lesson for Latin America
We Ignore Cronyism at Our Peril
Codenamed Lava Jato, or “car wash,” the investigation into Petrobras operations by police and public prosecutors revealed a colossal corruption scheme involving former top executives, construction companies, and prominent politicians from the governing coalition dominated by the Workers’ Party (PT). Evidence uncovered so far suggests the privileged club of racketeers pocketed billions of dollars under the cover of public contracts.
After a marathon 20-hour session on Wednesday, January 14, the Chilean Senate approved reform to an electoral system that dates back to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. The objective is to increase the number of deputies and senators, and change the voting mechanism from binomial to proportional.
COLOMBIA
Why is Colombia Smuggling Coca Base to Honduras?
Colombia’s Santos Orders Discussion of Bilateral Cease-Fire with FARC
Breaking News from the Rumor Desk: Fidel gravely ill due to “embolia” (embolism)
Via Babalu,
* Obama will allow Americans to use credit cards in Cuba
* Castro will continue to prohibit private businesses from accepting credit card payments
ECUADOR
Ecuador targets cartoonist as world rejects Paris attacks
EL SALVADOR
U.N.’s Ban Ki-Moon Worried by El Salvador Violence as Murders Soar
HONDURAS
U.S. Seeks to Seize Properties Bought by Corrupt Honduran Officials
IMMIGRATION
CBO: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GRANTED EXECUTIVE AMNESTY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR CERTAIN FEDERAL BENEFITS
México: las rutas de los migrantes que no pueden viajar en La Bestia
MEXICO
DECOMPOSING BODY OF MURDERED MEXICAN ACTRESS FOUND IN WATER TANK
MEXICO PROVIDING BIRTH CERTIFICATES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN U.S.
Losing marijuana business, Mexican cartels push heroin and meth
PANAMA
Obama to Meet With Cuban Dictator Raul Castro in Panama
PERU
Peru’s Entire Economy Is Threatened By Anchovies
Peru Currency Drops to Lowest Since 2009 After Surprise Rate Cut
Sony to Withdraw from Puerto Rico after 25 Years, Web Site Says
URUGUAY
Uruguay Offshore Bidding Plans Hinge on Oil Recovery
VENEZUELA
Venezuelan Bishops Get Religion
Venezuela’s Bishops Have A Message For Pope Francis on Communism
Wow! Venezuela bishops tell Pope Francis the downside of socialism and communism
Report: Coup Plot Possible Against Socialist Venezuelan President. Not quite yet.
Venezuelan oil basket down to USD 39.19 per barrel
The week’s posts and podcast:
Argentina: Cristina’s corrupt deals with the Ayatollahs
Starting the day with Smart Diplomacy
Cuba: Effective Friday UPDATED
Venezuela: Qatar gives a band-aid
Who’s publishing the new Charlie Hebdo cartoon? UPDATED
Cuba: Finally, the list of the 53 UPDATED
At Da Tech Guy Blog:
Film: Boyhood
Cuba’s outdated Cold War mentality
Is my memory correct? Isn’t Petrobras one of George Soros’s pet investments, and got some favored treatment from the US?