The failed 21st Century Socialism Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

Hugo Chávez “died without having to experience the tragedy of his legacy.” The country descends into chaos.

Chávez’s buddies Dilma and Cristina are not doing well, either:
In Brazil, Dilma Rousseff was suspended from office as the Senate voted to start her impeachment trial

on charges that she illegally moved money between state-controlled entities to make her government’s budget deficit appear smaller than it really was

The following day in Argentina, former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and other officials were indicted on charges fraud and of manipulating the nation’s Central Bank during the final months of her administration. Losing billions sure does not help her case.

ARGENTINA
Argentina Agrees $217 Million In Energy Company Arbitration Deal

BOLIVIA
Chinese Company to Convert Bolivian Airport into Regional Hub

BRAZIL
New Brazil Government to Cut Public Spending, Audit Social Welfare Programs

Brazil’s new leader has a lot to fix — starting with the Olympics.

CHILE
Red Tide Becoming Environmental Crisis in Chile

COLOMBIA
Colombian Government and FARC Achieve Legal Certainty for Peace Agreement

Colombia to investigate ELN rebel leaders for nearly 16,000 war crimes

CUBA
Rousseff’s fall in Brazil casts cloud on Cuba

Over the last 13 years, Brazil’s leftist governments also provided at least $1.75 billion in credit on favorable terms, drawing fire from opponents who are also angered by a program that put 11,400 Cuban doctors to work in Brazil.

Those projects will now be re-examined after Brazil’s Senate voted on Thursday to put Rousseff on trial for breaking budget laws. She is now suspended from office while the trial takes place in coming months, and a likely conviction would end her presidency.

ECUADOR
Meet an indigenous tribe in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest

JAMAICA
Island story: Globalisation may be out of favour. Jamaica provides a surprising example of its value. Bottom line,

Turning round a country with a history of mismanagement and violence will be painful. The government needs to resist resorting to its bad old ways. In particular, abandoning the IMF’s programme just when it is beginning to work would be disastrous. Betting on globalisation does not guarantee a boost in the growth rate. Betting against it does guarantee sclerosis.

MEXICO
Former Mexico Pres. Vicente Fox Drops ‘F’ Bomb About Trump Wall — Again. Vicente Fox is starting to remind me of Dr. Seuss,

Socks on chicks and chicks on fox.
Fox on clocks on bricks and blocks.
Bricks and blocks on Knox on box.

BALLS OVER WALLS. Forget Trump’s wall, Mexico and the US are plotting a joint 2026 World Cup bid
PANAMA
Panama flying thousands of Cuban immigrants to U.S.-Mexico border

Panama papers: Joint Investigation Reveals Further Role of Cuban Officials in Offshore Schemes

PARAGUAY
Paraguay battles over land rights in the courts and across the airwaves. As soya companies appropriate land in Paraguay, many small-scale campesino farmers are forced out to cities. For those who stay to fight for their land, the conflict can turn bloody

PERU
Peru drugs mule Melissa Reid ‘to be released’ from prison

PUERTO RICO
Tourism Industry in Cash-Stapped Puerto Rico Attempts to Calm Zika Fears

I’m glad: House GOP misses self-imposed deadline to help Puerto Rico

VENEZUELA
Congratulations To Bolivarian Socialism: At Least Venezuela Hasn’t Run Out Of Tear Gas Yet