Big news in Colombia: the ELN released Salud Hernández, Diego D’Pablos and Carlos Melo after holding them for a week. Details below.
ARGENTINA
Argentina’s Last Dictator Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Cross-Border Conspiracy
An Argentine court has sentenced Reynaldo Bignone, the country’s last dictator, to 20 years in prison for his part in Operation Condor.
It’s the “first time a court has ruled that Operation Condor was a criminal conspiracy to kidnap and forcibly disappear people across international borders,” The Associated Press reports.
Under this plan, the military dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay and Brazil agreed to share information with each other to help track down political opponents and leftists starting in 1975. 376 people were killed as a result of Operation Condor, the BBC reports. As The Guardian describes, “after their arrest, the victims were made to ‘disappear’, usually by being cremated, or thrown drugged but still alive from military planes into the Atlantic Ocean.”
Argentina Plans Amnesty Over Funds Stashed Abroad. President Mauricio Macri tries to encourage Argentines to repatriate billions of dollars hidden in overseas vaults and accounts. If he succeeds, it’ll be very good news.
BAHAMAS
STRIKING NEW SNAKE SPECIES FOUND IN THE BAHAMAS
BOLIVIA
The Worst Boyfriend in Bolivia
Brazil police launch manhunt after sickening gang rape
CHILE
Chile President Bachelet testifies in tax probe into daughter-in-law
COLOMBIA
Colombian rebels free Spanish journalist, 2 others
CUBA
Reports That Castro is Legalizing ‘Private Business’ Are False
JAMAICA
Jamaica, Venezuela, OAS and Caricom
MEXICO
Attorneys for Mexico’s Chapo Seek to Block Extradition to U.S.
Sinaloa Cartel’s Takeover of US Heroin Market Questionable
Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel has taken control of the US heroin market by elbowing out traffickers of the Asian product, according to a DEA official, but the dynamics of the drug trade on both sides of the border are somewhat more complex.
Mexico Has a New US Ambassador after 10-Month Blockade – Roberta Jacobson.
NICARAGUA
ICYMI: There is Nothing New Under the Nicaraguan Sun
PANAMA
Panama Papers May Inspire More Big Leaks, if Not Reform
PARAGUAY
Refuge in Paraguay gives street kids their lives back
PERU
Poll gives Peru’s Fujimori 5.8 point lead a week before election
PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico’s born-again farmers dig for victory in island’s debt battle. They have a long way to go: agriculture accounts for less than 1% of the island’s GDP.
VENEZUELA
Oposición se reúne en secreto con régimen de Maduro para bloquear a la OEA
