Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

April 2, 2016 By Fausta

Colombia: Andrés Sepúlveda, hacker

Interesting article on How to Hack an Election: Andrés Sepúlveda rigged elections throughout Latin America for almost a decade. He tells his story for the first time.

Three days after arriving at Bogotá’s La Picota prison, he went to the dentist and was ambushed by men with knives and razors, but was saved by guards. A week later, guards woke him and rushed him from his cell, saying they had heard about a plot to shoot him with a silenced pistol as he slept. After national police intercepted phone calls revealing yet another plot, he’s now in solitary confinement at a maximum-security facility in a rundown area of central Bogotá. He sleeps with a bulletproof blanket and vest at his bedside, behind bombproof doors. Guards check on him every hour. As part of his plea deal, he says, he’s turned government witness, helping investigators assess possible cases against the former candidate, Zuluaga, and his strategist, Hoyos. Authorities issued an indictment for the arrest of Hoyos, but according to Colombian press reports he’s fled to Miami.

Read the whole thing.

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Filed Under: Colombia, elections Tagged With: Andrés Sepúlveda, Fausta' blog, J.J. Rendón

May 7, 2014 By Fausta

Colombia: Another campaign aide quits

First Rendon, now Andres Fernando Sepulveda; Rendon has not been charged, but Sepulveda is under arrest (emphasis added):
Aide to Colombia Presidential Candidate Arrested on Spy Charge
Advisor to Oscar Ivan Zuluaga Charged With Intercepting Emails of President, Chief Rebel Negotiator

An adviser to a leading candidate in Colombia’s presidential election was arrested Tuesday and charged with heading a spy ring that allegedly intercepted the emails of President Juan Manuel Santos and the Marxist rebels’ chief negotiator in peace talks with the government.

Attorney General Eduardo Montealegre read the charges at a news conference after authorities raided a Bogotá office and arrested Andres Fernando Sepulveda, who is an adviser to Oscar Ivan Zuluaga. Mr. Zuluaga, a conservative supported by former President Álvaro Uribe in his quest to win the presidency on May 25, is in second place in the latest polls behind Mr. Santos, who is seeking re-election.
. . .
The attorney general said that the spy ring’s objective appeared to have been to sabotage the peace talks, which began in November 2012 and are being held in Havana, Cuba. Mr. Montealegre said investigators had not determined who was benefiting from the information.

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Filed Under: Colombia, Cuba, elections, news Tagged With: Andres Fernando Sepulveda, Fausta's blog, J.J. Rendón

May 6, 2014 By Fausta

Colombia: Santos campaign chief resigns

Today’s top news in Latin America:
J.J. Rendón, who has managed some of the most successful political campaigns in Latin America (and the failed campaign for Henrique Capriles in Venezuela, which he did pro-bono), has resigned as campaign manager for Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos on allegations that Rendón had negotiated with drug traffickers an offer to surrender in 2011 and shut down their operations.

Who is J.J. Rendón?

Rendón is THE topmost campaign advisor in Latin America. He plays to win, and plays hardball. Here’s his talk on neo-totalitarianism:

Who is the accuser?
The man making the accusations, Javier Antonio Calle, was one of Colombia’s most hunted drug traffickers. He turned himself in to the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2012 and is now in jail in the U.S.

The firestorm:
Since Colombia is holding a presidential election on May 25, this has generated a political firestorm.

Adding to the fire, there’s also the 18-month old FARC negotiations in Havana, Rendón’s opposition to Chavismo (he’s Venezuelan), and speculation as to what role international players may have had in the release of this news. One may also have to consider Calle’s motivations, too.

The Espectador story:
Last Sunday El Espectador newspaper published an article claiming that Rendón was given $12 million for submitting a proposal to end 90% the country’s lucrative drug trade

According to El Espectador, the former drug lord, Javier Antonio Calle, alias “Comba,” has told prosecutors that several of the country’s drug traffickers made ​​a deal in 2011 with Rendon in order to submit the proposal to the government.

The proposal outlined a route to shutting down 90% of Colombia’s drug trade, with the surrender of top capos and their henchmen. Among those who participated in the proposal were some of Colombia’s top drug lords, such as Luis Enrique Calle, alias “Comba,” alias “Cuchillo,” Diego Rastrojo, and Loco Barrera.

The 2011 document called ”Agenda for solving the problem of drug trafficking and the violence it generates,” allegedly shows that Rendon officiated as a general strategist for the proposal, which was facilitated by former ELN guerrillas Francisco Galan and Jorge Castañeda. Other sources consulted by El Espectador confirmed that Rendon was actively involved in creating the plan.

Rendon subsequently told El Espectador that there was no exchange of money, that he “acted as a simple messenger”. He insists that he only recently learned the details of the proposal, adding that he will take legal action in response to the allegations.

In the dossier held by El Espectador, Rendon is described as the “general strategist” charged with “damage control, crisis management and facilitator of the negotiations.”

When asked by the journalist Daniel Coronell of Semana Magazine if money had been involved, Rendon replied that, “if there was money involved it must have been in the hands of those who put him in touch with representatives of the narcos: the then senior presidential advisor for political affairs German Chica.”

Rendón has tweeted seven points in response, which I translate (Rendón’s tweets posted below the fold)

1. I received from F[rancisco] Galán a request to communicate to the Government the illegal groups’ proposal to submit to justice.

2. I communicated to Mr. President @JuanManSantos in the presence of prosecutor @Viviane_Morales and General Naranjo their intention.

3. Mr. President @JuanManSantos requested that I channel to the Prosecutor’s Office the documents of that intention to submit to justice.

4. So I did: transparently and officially. With the document # 2011-100-001832-3 dated 7/5/2011 at the General Prosecutor’s Office (Despacho de la Fiscal General).

5. The document was on the hands of the competent authority, for study and follow-up. That was the extent of my part in that matter.

6. I firmly insist that I have not received any money, stipend or benefit, and I dare anyone who says I have to prove it.

7. I am fully willing to collaborate with the competent authorities to clarify anything they may consider relevant, as always!

Uribe’s tweets:
Former president Álvaro Uribe, who is staunchly opposed to negotiations with the narcoterrorists, in turn tweeted,

“Pres. Santos has been carrying a long dialogue with ELN in spite of that terrorist organization’s continuous crime, adding it to the FARC’s impunity.”

PteSantos lleva largo rato en diálogo con ELN no obstante crimen continuado de esta organización terrorista,hoy la suma a impunidad de Farc

— Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) May 5, 2014

and,

“Pres. Santos announces reform to Prosecutor’s [Office] on the day they ordered to investigate him.”

Pte Santos anuncia reforma a la Procuraduría el día que ordenan investigarlo

— Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) May 5, 2014

My question:
Never mind Santos; Who gains the most by taking down Rendón?

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Algeria, Alvaro Uribe, Colombia, corruption, crime, drugs Tagged With: ELN, J.J. Rendón, Juan Manuel Santos

February 10, 2014 By Fausta

The Winter Olympics week Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

While the Sochi accommodations are nowhere near as nice as those in the more modest hotels in our hemisphere, Mexico sent the most interesting skier in the world, Bermudans wore shorts, and the guys from the Caymans wore shorts and flip-flops (which may explain why there only three). Dominica, Tortola of the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica (whose bobsled is now complete), Paraguay, Brazil, Peru and the US Virgin Islands also have athletes in Sochi.

ARGENTINA
Argentina bus crash near Mendoza kills at least 18

COUNTING THE COST
Argentina’s great decline
It has gone from being one of the world’s wealthiest nations to a serial defaulter, but can it get back on track?

Argentina: Repeat Economic Offender

ARGENTINA FREE FALL
Kirchner Government Doubles Down In Its War Against Math

Argentina is doubling down in its war against math. The WSJ reports that political activists loyal to President Kirchner are publicly targeting retailers by putting posters of the executives up all over Buenos Aires. The posters accuse the leaders of Walmart and other companies of fueling the country’s ruinous inflation by raising prices, even as the government continues to devalue the official currency and ignore traditional IMF economic policy.

Argentina to US senators: Show a little respect

BELIZE
A magical world at Francis Ford Coppola’s luxe resorts in Belize
Need isolation? Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge is in the middle of the untamed, natural beauty of a Belizean forest preserve. Need local culture? Turtle Inn is on the coast near the fishing village of Placencia

BOLIVIA
Bolivia floods kill 38, more heavy rains forecast

The European Union (EU) Thursday called on Bolivia to respect the ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in favor of British power generator Rurelec PLC, said an official. US$41 million.

BRAZIL
Brazil may face water shortages during World Cup, group says, but I’ll bet it won’t be like the Sochi water.

Removida delegada que apura ligação de Lula com mensalão

Responsável pelo inquérito que investiga a suposta participação do ex-presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva no esquema do mensalão, a delegada Andrea Pinho foi removida do cargo nesta sexta-feira, 7. O inquérito que tem Lula como alvo será tocado por outro delegado, ainda não designado que pode pedir novas diligências ou o arquivamento do caso.

CHILE
Chile cool: art, music and graffiti in laid-back Valparaíso
The Chilean city of Valparaíso is alive with avant-garde culture and vibrant street art. Think mini Berlin by the seaside

COLOMBIA
Colombia`s media are wrong; election is up for grabs

Photo of Pres. Santos shaking hands with Timochenko, the FARC leader, back in the day, “If you want Timochenko as president and Iván Márquez in the Senate, you know who to vote for in the upcoming elections.”

Si quiere a Timochenko en la presidencia e Iván Márquez en Senado, ya sabe por quien votar en próximas elecciones. pic.twitter.com/HmfE9jj3BJ

— cazador (@cazador2050) February 7, 2014

COSTA RICA
‘Black Heart’ in Brazil heat drives coffee turnaround h/t DP

CUBA
Gorki Aguila, Cuban Rocker Faces Sham Trial

Cuba Regime Supporters Caught Off Guard with Reaction to Fanjul Story

Oh Happy Day! NBC refers to Communism as “pivotal experiment”

The Truth About Che Guevara

ECUADOR
Xavier Bonilla’s cartoon before:

Freedom of speech in Ecuador
Drawn and quartered
The government orders a newspaper to “correct” a critical cartoon

Xavier Bonilla’s cartoon after:

EL SALVADOR
JJ Rendón is suing Salvador’s president Mauricio Funes for $100 on defamation of character and slander from Funes calling him “a fugitive from justice, a rapist.” (link in Spanish) I hope Rendón wins, and gets to collect.

GUATEMALA
Claudia Paz y Paz, A Guatemalan crusader is reined in

Guatemalan court upholds top prosecutor’s ouster

HONDURAS
Democracy

MEXICO
In Apatzingán:Mexican Vigilantes Enter Key City in Michoacán State
Vigilantes Aim to Take Control of City from Organized Crime Group

THE AMERICAN VIGILANTE VERSUS THE MEXICAN CARTEL

Sochi 2014: ‘Mexican prince’ ready to hit slopes in Mariachi suit

Well, he already was successful lobbying against soft drinks: Look who’s giving advice to Mexico City? Señor Bloomberg. I suggest he brush up his Spanish,

Yo soy honoredo that Presidente Obamba que appointedo mi as el officialo translator de Españish para el Obambacare websitero. Si can puede!

— Miguel Bloombito (@ElBloombito) January 13, 2014

NICARAGUA
Nicaragua: Ortega allowed to run for third successive term

PANAMA
Panama Canal work stops in $1.6bn row
The Spanish-led consortium working on a project to widen the Panama Canal confirms work has been suspended amid a row over cost overruns.

PARAGUAY
Julia Marino becomes Paraguay’s first Winter Olympian

PERU
400 Dead Dolphins Washed Up on Peru Beaches in January

PUERTO RICO
Networks Completely Ignore $70 Billion Puerto Rican Debt Crisis

Puerto Rico Downgrade Puts Bond Deal in Spotlight
Investors are looking beyond the junk-rated credit of Puerto Rico to see if it can sell debt needed for short-term finances, lay groundwork for economic recovery.

URUGUAY
Uruguay’s president nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for legalizing marijuana

VENEZUELA
D.C. mayoral candidate’s business to host Venezuelan government’s pro-Chavez event

Toyota Halts Venezuela Production as Car Sales Fall

Venezuelans fume as government signals end to ‘free’ petrol
In a country where petrol is cheaper than water, ministers say prices must increase for the first time since a rise 15 years ago sparked deadly riots

The fascists in charge of Venezuela want to kill the press, while banging students

The Paradox Of Chavista “Planning”: Even Simple Things Are Hard For Them

Antonio Pardo, A Venezuelan in Sochi (Important Update)

According to Alek Boyd and others, Mr. Pardo is not quite the feel-good story we made him out to be. Turns out he allegedly has links to Antonini Wilson and the suitcase scandal. State news media is falsely reporting he won a gold medal.

Venezuelan “skier” in #Sochi2014 has a Swiss bank, is partners with Carlos Kauffmann & Co. His brother’s a partner of L. Oberto in St Barts

"esquiador" venezolano en #Sochi2014 tiene un banco en Suiza, socio de Carlos Kauffmann y cia. Su hermano es socio de L. Oberto en St Barts.

— Alek Boyd (@alekboyd) February 8, 2014

The week’s posts and podcast:
“Smart diplomacy”: Ambassador to Argentina may not even speak Spanish

Mexico: The most interesting skier in the world

Brazil: Cuban doctor seeks asylum

Argentina: Burning down the house

Venezuela: Squatting at the Presidential Mansion

Puerto Rico: Junk bond status

Sochi: Airline loses Jamaicans’ bobsled

Mexico: Behind the Peña Nieto-Fidel photo-op

Left turns: El Salvador and Costa Rica

At Da Tech Guy: Ask Fausta: Is now the time to travel to Latin America? The answer is yes.

Podcast: Elections in El Salvador plus other US-Latin America issues


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Filed Under: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Carnival of Latin America, Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, FARC, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Michael Bloomberg, Nicaragua, Olympics, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Uruguay, Venezuela Tagged With: Claudia Paz y Paz, Fausta's blog, Gorki Águila, J.J. Rendón, Juan Manuel Santos, Mauricio Funes, Sochi, Xavier Bonilla

November 18, 2013 By Fausta

Venezuela: Involving Interpol against @JJRendon

Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro has asked Interpol to arrest JJ Rendón, the political strategist to opposition leader Henrique Capriles, allegedly for violence against a woman. Maduro claimed that (my translation)

“It was requested from the International Police to search and find the location of Juan José Rendón Delgado for allegedly committing crimes against the Organic Law for the Women’s Right to a Life Free of Violence.”

Curiously worded statement, to say the least.

Rendón left Venezuela in 2006, which is why Maduro is trying to involve Interpol.

In Venezuela, former judge Blanca Rosa Mármol de León, says that not only has no arrest warrant been issued against Rendón, indeed, the court dismissed charges.

Orden de captura de JJ Rendón no ha sido ordenada por el tribunal. Por el contrario, se estableció que no habia elementos en su contra.

— BRMarmol de Leon (@BMarmoldeLeon) November 18, 2013

It’s worth pointing out that Interpol notes that its constitution prohibits “activities of a political, military, religious or racial character”, but yet,

Interpol took 18 months to accept that the Red Notice issued against Patricia Poleo, a Venezuelan investigative journalist, by her government was politically motivated.

As of the writing of this post, I have not been able to ascertain whether the Maduro regime has actually filed a Red Notice – or nothing – against Rendón.

Rendón, who has managed many successful presidential campaigns in Latin America (most recently that of Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico), tweeted immediately upon hearing of Maduro’s ploy, “I don’t surrender, I don’t fold, I don’t sell out. If the illegitimate @NicolasMaduro’s attack is the price for the cause of Venezuela, welcome the attacks!”

No me rindo,no me pliego,no me vendo.Si el ataque del Ilegítimo @NicolasMaduro es el precio x la causa Venezuela.Bienvenidos los ataques!

— J.J.RENDON (@JJRENDON) November 17, 2013

Rendón also tweeted a danceable salsa song, “La culpa es de JJ Rendón” (It’s all JJ Rendón’s fault)

(Jaime Bayly interviewed Rendón last April; you can watch it here)

Rendón is able to continue his work from outside the country. In the current wave of repression marking the start of really bad news, 11 women were arrested this morning for peacefully protesting the new enabling law that Venezuela’s National Assembly passed last week allowing Maduro to bypass the country’s top legislative body for a twelve-month period.

@rightnowio_feed URGENT! #Venezuela 11 women have been detained for protesting #Maduro´s enabling law @DianaFreites pic.twitter.com/Y6YPb4yP6z

— El_bicho_popular (@Elbicho_popular) November 18, 2013

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Filed Under: Communism, news, Venezuela Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Interpol, J.J. Rendón, Nicolas Maduro

April 13, 2013 By Fausta

Venezuela: How important is tomorrow’s election? UPDATED

According to star political consultant J.J. Rendón, “the most important of all” 27 presidential campaigns he’s been involved with.

Important enough he’s working pro-bono.

You can watch the interview in Spanish,
part 1,

part 2,

part 3,

Follow him on Twitter

In the interview, Rendón forecasted that Capriles will win by a wide enough margin that fraud won’t matter. Last October Capriles got 6 million votes.

The army’s setting up the polling places:

Venezuelan citizens living in Florida travelled to New Orleans to vote at that consulate.

I stand by my prediction, but I fervently hope J.J. Rendón is right.

UPDATE,
Right on time for the polls to open, Chavista gangs take over electrical power plants (my translation: if you use it, please link to this post and credit me),

The Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV, Venezuelan United Socialist Party, the chavistas) mobilized its militants to take over the electrical power plants, which it would do in complicity with the Army, as the government announced that the military were in charge of protecting the locations.

The article goes in detail on how the government is making sure Maduro is “elected.”

Linked by Extranos Alley. Thank you!

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Filed Under: Communism, elections, Venezuela Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Henrique Capriles Randoski, J.J. Rendón, Nicolas Maduro

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