NewsTrust - Latin America - Most Recent Stories: Opinion (Independent)

Guatemala: Speaking Out on the Genocide of Indigenous Women

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Global Voices - By Juliana Rincón Parra - Feb. 22 (Opinion) - The 36 year civil war (1960-1996) that ravaged Guatemala left more than 200,000 people dead and at least 100,000 women raped: most of the victims were Mayan. Only recently have women started speaking out about the violence they suffered in hands of the Army and paramilitaries and finally, the sexual violence perpetrated against Mayan women is being investigated as part of the genocide proceedings taking place in Spanish tribunals.

NewsTrust Rating: 1.8 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

"Granito: How to Nail a Dictator": New Film Tracks Struggle for Justice After Guatemalan Genocide

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Juan Gonzalez, Amy Goodman - Sep. 15 (Review) - A new documentary links Guatemala’s turbulent past with those who are active players in its present.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.2 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Exclusive Interview with Manuel Zelaya on the U.S. Role in Honduran Coup, WikiLeaks and Why He Was Ousted

Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Amy Goodman - May. 31 (Interview) - Shortly after Manuel Zelaya returned to his home this weekend for the first time since the 2009 military coup d’etat, he sat down with Democracy Now! for an exclusive interview. He talks about why he believes the United States was behind the coup, and what exactly happened on June 28, 2009, when hooded Honduran soldiers kidnapped him at gunpoint and put him on a plane to Costa Rica, stopping to refuel at Palmerola, the U.S. military base in Honduras. “This coup d’etat was made by the right-wing of the United States,” Zelaya says. “The U.S. State Department has always denied, and continues to deny, their any ties with the government with the coup d’etat. Nevertheless, all of the proof incriminates the U.S. government. And all of the actions that were taken by the de facto regime, or the contista regime, which are those who carried out the coup, favor the industrial policies and the military policies and the financial policies of the United States in Honduras.”

NewsTrust Rating: 4.4 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa on WikiLeaks, the September Coup, U.S. Denial of Climate Funding, and Controversial Forest Scheme REDD

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Democracy Now - By Rafael Correa, Amy Goodman - Dec. 09 (Interview) - Secret U.S. diplomatic cables recently published by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks revealed new details about how the U.S. manipulated last year’s U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen. Ecuador was one of the nations that lost funding after it refused to sign on to the U.S.-led Copenhagen Accord. Democracy Now! asks Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa about the latest WikiLeaks revelations on how the United States denied his country aid, the failed coup against him earlier this year, and his support for the controversial carbon market-based forest protection scheme known as REDD.

NewsTrust Rating: Not rated yet - See Info » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Castro's reality check

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Freedom Politics - By George Will - Sep. 19 (Opinion) - Fidel Castro, 84, may have failing eyesight but he has noticed something: "The Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore." So, the secret is out. And there is no joy among the alumni, if any still live, of the golden days of Les Deux Magots.

NewsTrust Rating: Not rated yet - See Info » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Oliver Stone Tells the Real Story of the Leftist Latin American Leaders Transforming the Continent

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700

AlterNet - By Daniela Perdomo - Jul. 12 (Review) - After decades of military dictatorships and IMF puppetry in Latin America, the southern cone of the New World is slowly but surely moving toward reformist, left-leaning governance. This all started in 1999, when Hugo Chávez was elected in Venezuela. Today, Chávez has left or left-center allies at the helm of Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and preceding him, Cuba. But given the minimal and distorted coverage of political developments in Latin America, most Americans don't know the real story. And when the U.S. corporate media does deign to discuss the region's significant ideological shift, it's usually in a very alarmist way. "Leftist menace," CNN has blared, while Fox News consistently warns of "Rising dictators" when one of these so-called despots wins a democratic election.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Academy-Award Winning Filmmaker Oliver Stone Tackles Latin America's Political Upheaval in "South of the Border", U.S. Financial Crisis in Sequel to Iconic "Wall Street"

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Oliver Stone, Tariq Ali - Jun. 21 (Interview) - Academy-Award Winning Filmmaker Oliver Stone Tackles Latin America's Political Upheaval in "South of the Border", U.S. Financial Crisis in Sequel to Iconic "Wall Street"

NewsTrust Rating: 4.7 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Arizona Immigration Law Violates Constitution, Guarantees Racial Profiling

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Southern Poverty Law Center - By Mary Bauer - Apr. 28 (Opinion) - Given the authors of this law, no one should be surprised about its intended targets. The law was drafted by a lawyer for the legal arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), whose founder has warned of a “Latin onslaught” and complained about Latinos’ alleged low “educability.” FAIR has accepted $1.2 million from the Pioneer Fund, a racist foundation that was set up by Nazi sympathizers to fund studies of eugenics, the science of selective breeding to produce a “better” race. The legislation was sponsored by state Senator Russell Pearce, who once e-mailed an anti-Semitic article from the neo-Nazi National Alliance website to supporters.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.5 average - 4 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Author Nikolas Kozloff on "No Rain in the Amazon: How South America's Climate Change Affects the Entire Planet"

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Juan Gonzalez, Amy Goodman - Apr. 16 (Interview) - Environmentalists and indigenous communities along the Amazon celebrated an important victory Thursday after a Brazilian judge suspended bidding on the construction of what is slated to be the third largest dam in the world. We speak to Nikolas Kozloff, author of the new book "No Rain in the Amazon: how South America's Climate Change Affects the Entire Planet." Kozloff argues that protecting the rainforests of the Amazon from environmental damage is not just crucial for the populations that live in and around it, but is a global necessity.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.1 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Guatemala: The Colorful Sights of Holy Week

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Global Voices - By Eduardo Avila - Apr. 04 (Opinion) - Holy Week, which is celebrated the week before Easter, is an eagerly anticipated time in Guatemala. With colorful religious traditions and the abundance of typical foods. Local bloggers have been experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells of Holy Week in Guatemala.

NewsTrust Rating: Not rated yet - See Info » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Haiti and America's Historic Debt

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Consortium News - By Robert Parry - Jan. 13 (Opinion) - Announcing emergency help for Haiti after a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, President Barack Obama noted America’s historic ties to the impoverished Caribbean nation, but few Americans understand how important Haiti’s contribution to U.S. history was. In modern times, when Haiti does intrude on U.S. consciousness, it’s usually because of some natural disaster or a violent political upheaval, and the U.S. response is often paternalistic, if not tinged with a racist disdain for the country’s predominantly black population and its seemingly endless failure to escape cycles of crushing poverty.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.0 average - 6 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

US Group That Supported Overthrows of Democratically Elected Governments in Haiti and Venezuela Will Observe Elections in Honduras

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Common Dreams - Nov. 23 (Press Release) - Both groups are apparently planning to assist with observation of the elections, despite the fact that the electoral process will be effectively controlled by thousands of military troops and police officers - the same forces who have committed innumerable human rights violations, including killings, rapes, beatings and thousands of detentions, since the June 28 coup d'etat.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Obama, Ignoring Local Outrage, Set to Expand U.S. Military Presence in Colombia

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

AlterNet - By Moira Birss - Aug. 22 (Opinion) - Under U.S. military terminology -- using euphemisms that call to mind George W. Bush's "Clear Skies Initiative" -- the proposals for Colombia would not be bases because they would not be property of the U.S, but instead be called Forward Operating Locations, or Cooperative Security Locations.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.4 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Official Report Reveals that Salmon Aquaculture in Chile Uses 600 Times More Antibiotics Than Norway

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

oceana.org - Jul. 24 (Press Release) - For the first time the Chilean Government revealed that the national salmon industry has been using roughly 385 tons of antibiotics, 600 times more than Norway, the main producer of farmed salmon in the world. The information was disclosed in response to a request for access to public information that the international marine conservation organization, Oceana, made to the Minister of Economy, Hugo Lavados.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.7 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Memo to the Media: "Puerto Rican" Is Not a Race

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

AlterNet - By Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, - Jul. 17 (Opinion) - Puerto Rico is one of the most racially diverse places on earth. Just as there is no single Hispanic/Latino race, there is no Puerto Rican race, either; there are many.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

The Patriot's Guide to Legalization

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Mother Jones - By Kevin Drum - Jul. 06 (Opinion) - Maybe the war against pot is about to get a lot uglier. After all, in the 1920s, Prohibition gave us Al Capone and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and that was over plain old whiskey and rum. Are we about to start paying the same price for marijuana?

NewsTrust Rating: 3.8 average - 5 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Global Capitalism, Why He Won't Renew the US Base in Manta, Chevron in the Amazon, Obama's War in Afghanistan, and More

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Rafael Correa, Amy Goodman - Jun. 29 (Interview) - AMY GOODMAN: Talk about why you think at this point capitalism should be criticized, what you think needs to happen now. PRESIDENT RAFAEL CORREA: [translated] Well, what we’ve undergone in recent decades worldwide has been totally insane, and all of this in function of capitalism. If you look at what was done with the workforce in Latin America, it was treated as a vulgar instrument for capital accumulation. Mechanism of exploitation were imposed, such as outsourcing, labor intermediation and the like. Efforts were made to destroy nation states, or at least to minimize nation states, especially in key areas such as the economy, on grounds that were closer to religion than to science, that everything would be resolved by the marketplace. I could speak at much greater length on this, but the results are plain to see: greater inequality in Latin America. We haven’t resolved the unemployment problem. Indeed, unemployment is higher than in previous decades. We haven’t resolved the problem of poverty. We’ve lost a great deal of sovereignty by implementing policies that didn’t answer to our international reality.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.4 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

An Exclusive Interview with the President-Elect of El Salvador

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Link TV - By Andy Orin - May. 07 (Interview) - El Salvador, a tiny Central American country of 7 million inhabitants, recently elected its first leftist president, Mauricio Funes. Not unlike the evening Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States, the crowds in the capital city of San Salvador were chanting "Sí se pudo" - "Yes we did!"

NewsTrust Rating: 3.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Breakfast at Hugo's

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0700

American Prospect - By Tim Fernholz - Apr. 02 (Opinion) - The diplomatic rift between the U.S. and Venezuela is more rhetorical than substantive. Chávez used George W. Bush as an international foil, but the U.S. remains the largest consumer of Venezuela's oil -- the single economic factor that allows Chávez to continue the social programs that constitute his "Bolivarian revolution."

NewsTrust Rating: 3.9 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Economist Ha-Joon Chang on "The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism"

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By HA-JOON CHANG, Amy Goodman - Mar. 10 (Interview) - the myth is that America has been founded on the free market; the government has done very little; it has thrived under free trade. But actually, if you look at the history, this is actually the country that has succeeded most with protectionist policies. This is a country which has huge industrial policy, only that it’s called research funding in defense industry and research funding in health research. It actually spends, in proportional terms, a lot more money than Japan or European countries in supporting research and development, thereby steering the industries into certain directions. So let’s put it this way. I mean, this country has to basically come to terms with what it has done. I mean, it has been haunted by this ideology that, “Oh, we never did anything other than free market and free trade.” It’s time to give that up.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.5 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Can Obama's Change Find El Salvador?

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Consortium News - By Don North - Mar. 10 (Opinion) - More than a quarter century ago, the U.S. government under Ronald Reagan drew a Cold War line in El Salvador and made the defeat of the leftist Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (the FMLN) a major foreign policy goal. Over the next decade, El Salvador became synonymous with death squads and massacres, leaving some 75,000 dead, with the vast majority of the killings blamed on the security forces armed and supported by Washington.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.8 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Obama Should Make A Clean Break With the Past on Latin America

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

cepr.net - By Mark Weisbrot - Dec. 03 (Opinion) - Obama has an opportunity to forge a new relationship with the region after his predecessor drove U.S.-Latin American relations into a ditch. But it will require a major change in Washington’s attitude toward our southern neighbors. Most importantly, as the Brookings Institution recently noted, the Obama administration will have to abandon Bush’s efforts to divide the left-of-center governments into a “good left” and “bad left,” rewarding the former and punishing the latter.

NewsTrust Rating: 4.3 average - 3 Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Evo Morales Accuses Right-Wing Governors of Trying to Stage Violent Coup

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Martin Sivak, Jim Shultz, Amy Goodman - Sep. 17 (Interview) - the United States isolating itself from Latin America almost by the hour. I mean, here you have the presidents of South America meeting in an emergency session in Chile to figure out how to help Bolivia, and Washington is busy whining about one ambassador being sent back and still hasn't commented on the fact that thirty people, at least--probably many more--were massacred by the opposition. So, I mean, I think this is a watershed week for the United States basically painting itself almost out of the loop in terms of Latin America.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.8 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

Chevron Lobbies White House to Pressure Ecuador to Stop $12 Billion Amazon Pollution Lawsuit

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Democracy Now - By Michael Isikoff, Atossa Soltani, Marco Simons, Amy Goodman - Aug. 05 (Interview) - The oil giant is being accused of promoting geopolitical blackmail in its efforts to stave off a lawsuit accusing it of contaminating the Ecuadorian rain forest. Nearly 30,000 Amazon residents are seeking $12 billion from Chevron for dumping billions of gallons of toxic oil waste. Activists have described the disaster as an Amazon Chernobyl. Earlier this year, a court-appointed expert recommended Chevron be required to pay up to $16 billion to clean up the rain forest. Now, Newsweek magazine has revealed new details of how Chevron is lobbying the Bush administration to pressure Ecuador. Chevron is urging the Bush administration to yank special trade preferences for Ecuador if the country's government doesn't force the Amazon residents to drop the case.

NewsTrust Rating: 3.6 average (not enough reviews) - See Reviews » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer

COCAINA: The Untold Truth - The trailer

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

YouTube - By Marco Vernaschi - Jul. 25 (Entertainment) - This documentary is based on the Italian photojournalist Marco Vernaschi's story "Bolivia, Broken Promises", defined by the New York Times as "unprecedented". Directors: Marco Vernaschi & Sebastiano Vitale Producer: Re:think Entertainment - Canada http://www.rethinkentertainment.com/productiondevelopment.html

NewsTrust Rating: 5.0 average (not enough reviews) - See Review » - Review It Visit NewsTrust | About | Sign Up | Disclaimer