Blog entries Archive - Page 58 of 198

ALBA and Snowden: It’s Not All about You

The spectacle of certain Latin American countries lining up to offer asylum to National Security Administration (NSA) contractor and leaker Edward Snowden has become a sad reminder of the lack of diplomatic maturity of those countries and a red herring to the whole issue that they want to highlight. Whatever you may think of the … Read more

Participatory Budgeting Advances in Lima, But Stalls Elsewhere in Peru

A novel political endeavor took place earlier last month in Lima, as just over 17,000 citizens participated in the city’s first consulta ciudadana virtual (virtual citizen consultation) as part of the municipality’s participatory budgeting (PB) process. Across the city, residents used a new online system to vote in the consulta. Although those who participated represent … Read more

Monday Memo: Mexico Elections—Peru Protests—Same-Sex Unions—NSA Activities—UNASUR Meets

Likely top stories this week: results in the race for governor of Baja California; protests over legislation in Peru; Costa Rica approves same-sex civil unions; Brazil responds to surveillance reports; and UNASUR divided over Evo Morales’ flight interruptions. Baja California’s Next Governor On Sunday, nearly half of Mexico’s 31 states held elections for mayors and … Read more

Guatemala Considers Abandoning Petrocaribe

On Wednesday, Guatemalan Vice President Roxanna Baldetti submitted a petition to Petrocaribe, an oil trading alliance among Caribbean nations and Venezuela, threatening that her country will leave the block unless the Venezuelan government agrees to maintain originally established interest rates. Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez created Petrocaribe in 2005 to sell crude oil to neighboring … Read more

Incentive-Based Contracts in Mexico’s Oil Sector

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto’s plan to reform state-owned Petroléos Mexicanos (PEMEX) has attracted the attention of many analysts. Since President Lázaro Cárdenas nationalized the oil sector in 1938, no president has been able to push for reform to allow for foreign ownership of petroleum assets. Peña Nieto sees allowing foreign investment to be critical … Read more

At a Funeral, Thousands of Rio Protestors Ask to “Pacify the State”

Protesters blocked off a highway lane in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone yesterday to hear speeches, three eulogies and a funk music performance, just days after the end of the Confederations Cup—nicknamed the “Demonstrations Cup” —on Sunday. Over 2,000 demonstrators from across the city showed that the spirit of protest is still strong in Rio, … Read more

Criminal Violence Becomes Political Ahead of Mexico’s July 7 Elections

Not since Mexico’s transition to democracy in the late 1980s has the country witnessed the high levels of political violence that have characterized the build-up to the July 7 local elections. Local politicians across the country have been the target of death threats, arson attacks and shootings. Although organized crime and drug-related violence in Mexico … Read more

Nicaragua’s Interoceanic Canal: Is it Progress?

It’s now been nearly a month since the HKND Group (HK Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Co.) and the Nicaraguan government signed an agreement to build an inter-oceanic canal that would cut through the Nicaraguan heartland. The megaproject, with a tentative price tag of $40 billion, is set to include an oil pipeline, two deep-water ports, … Read more

Dilma Reacts to Brazilian Protests

Responding to weeks of protests in over 100 Brazilian cities against corruption and government spending, President Dilma Rousseff sent Congress a proposal package on Tuesday, which included a referendum to make the country’s political system more representative. Even if it passes Congress, the non-binding plebiscite is not expected to take place before September. It would … Read more

Correa’s Hand in the Snowden Affair

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said Monday that Ecuador will not grant asylum to Edward Snowden, the former contractor wanted by the United States for leaking National Security Agency information, unless he reaches Ecuadorian territory. Correa maintained his support for Snowden, whose actions he said were a brave act against tyranny—in defense of universal freedoms and … Read more

Colombia-FARC Peace Talks Resume in Havana

The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—FARC) began their tenth round of peace negotiations in Havana, Cuba on Monday. This round of talks will address the second point in the five-point peace agenda: integration of the rebel group into Colombian politics. The FARC’s post-conflict participation in Colombian … Read more

Canada’s Antiterrorism Bill

The spring session in Canada’s parliament was anything but dull. But while much of the attention was on senators’ unauthorized expenses, an important bill passed under the radar. The so-called Antiterrorism Bill, which revives controversial sections of the Combating Terrorism Act, was passed into law during session. Two sections of the bill deserve a fuller … Read more

Ecuador and Snowden: Really?

As we wait to hear Ecuador’s decision on whether to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, the 29-year-old contractor who leaked the details of the U.S. National Security Agency surveillance program, two questions loom large: Why would Ecuador do it? And will it? First the why. Snowden’s request was based on Ecuador’s offering of asylum … Read more