Ecuador’s Correa Receives Press Freedom Award in Argentina
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa traveled to Argentina on Monday to receive an award from the Universidad de la Plata in La Plata, Argentina, recognizing his contributions to freedom of expression in Ecuador. The U.S. government has long criticized Correa’s record on freedom of speech, and granted political asylum to the Ecuadorian journalist Emilio Palacio in August after he faced a … Read more
Monday Memo: Mercosur Considers Ecuador and Bolivia – Peña Nieto in the Presidency – Colombia, FARC Continue Talks – Peru, Chile at The Hague – and more
Top stories this week are likely to include: Mercosur convenes; first week of Enrique Peña Nieto’s presidency; FARC peace negotiations resume; Peru, Chile dispute their border at The Hague; and Rousseff’s oil royalties veto makes waves in Brazil. Mercosur Considers Ecuador and Bolivia: When Mercosur’s member nations convene on Friday in Brasilia, they will consider … Read more
Bolivia holds first census in 11 years
A national population and housing census will take place in Bolivia today, the first in the country in 11 years. Ahead of the survey, President Evo Morales has imposed a general curfew, which restricts private traffic, bans alcohol and closes the country’s borders during the day. Exceptions to the curfew include government officials, diplomats, journalists … Read more
Monday Memo: Colombia, FARC in Cuba – Honduran Presidential Candidates – Canada Negotiates FTA with European Union – and more
Top stories this week are likely to include: Colombia-FARC peace negotiations move to Havana; 2013 presidential contest set in Honduras; Canadian trade minister in Brussels for free trade talks; and The Hague rules on the Nicaragua-Colombia maritime border dispute. Colombia-FARC Talks Resume: Representatives from the Colombian government arrived yesterday in Havana, Cuba, ahead of the … Read more
Lima Mayor Villarán to Face Recall Referendum
On Thursday, the Peruvian government agency Registro Nacional de Identificación y Estado Civil (National Identification and Civil Status Registry –RENIEC) finished validating over 400,000 signatures supporting a referendum to recall the mayor of Lima, Susana Villarán. Villarán, the first woman to take office as mayor of Lima in January 2011, has received extensive criticism for … Read more
Colombian Vice President May Step Down for Radiation Therapy
Just three weeks after Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his prostate gland, Vice President Angelino Garzón announced yesterday that he may step down from office in order to undergo radiation therapy for a similar condition. He will receive 39 sessions over eight weeks. This is the first … Read more
La Paz en Colombia y Dos Visiones de País
Lejos de la selva, y de la imagen de la silla vacía que el expresidente Andrés Pastrana miraba de reojo aquel día en que el fallecido comandante de las FARC Manuel Marulanda—alias Tirofijo—no se apareció a instalar los diálogos de paz, gobierno y Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) vuelven a sentarse en una mesa. … Read more
Colombia, FARC Peace Talks Begin in Oslo
After a half-century of armed conflict, representatives of the Colombian government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—FARC) convened in Norway to inaugurate a new round of peace talks today. The groups have been engaged in conflict since the 1960s, and for the first time the two sides will be … Read more
Exclusive Interview: Sergio Fajardo, Governor of Antioquia, Colombia
Sergio Fajardo, the governor of Antioquia (2012-2015) and former mayor of Medellín (2004-2008) spoke with AQ Online about the role of public-private partnerships in his administration, his views on the peace process in Colombia and his opinion on the role of the middle class in Colombia and Latin America. AQ Online interviewed the governor while … Read more
Chávez’ Victory: A Country Divided
Caracas, Venezuela – On Sunday, 8,044,106 voters in Venezuela granted incumbent President Hugo Chávez a fourth consecutive term in the nation’s highest political office. The latest official numbers indicate an unquestionable victory for Chávez, who won 55 percent of the votes and all but two of 24 states. The results extend Chávez’ mandate until 2019. … Read more
The Challenges Ahead for Hugo Chávez
After Hugo Chávez convincingly won re-election on Sunday, the margin of victory—over 1.5 million votes, totaling over 10 percentage points—has stunned members of Venezuela’s opposition, leaving them searching for answers. Some pointed to the Consejo Nacional Electoral (National Electoral Council—CNE), which is controlled by chavistas and turned a blind eye to government abuses. Others pointed … Read more
Santos Back at Work After Surgery
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos resumed his governmental duties on Monday after undergoing surgery to remove a non-aggressive, cancerous tumor from his prostate in Bogotá last Wednesday. Following a prognosis with a 97 percent chance of a full recovery without chemotherapy or radiation, the president’s doctors deemed the surgery a success. Santos is the … Read more
Ganó Chávez, pero Capriles queda fortalecido
*This post originally appeared on the Revista Perspectiva blog and is being republished with permission of the author. Caracas, Venezuela – Con una participación histórica, equivalente al 80,94% del censo electoral, Presidente Hugo Chávez ha ganado su cuarta elección presidencial consecutiva con más de un millón de votos de diferencia frente a su contendor, el … Read more
Ganó Chávez, pero Capriles queda fortalecido
*This post originally appeared on the Revista Perspectiva blog and is being republished with permission of the author. Caracas, Venezuela – Con una participación histórica, equivalente al 80,94% del censo electoral, Presidente Hugo Chávez ha ganado su cuarta elección presidencial consecutiva con más de un millón de votos de diferencia frente a su contendor, el … Read more
[i]AQ[/i] Slideshow (UPDATED): Election Photos from [i]Colegio Eugenia Ravasco[/i] in Caracas
Exclusive photos taken this morning of the polling station at Colegio Eugenia Ravasco located on Avenida Principal de los Chorros in Caracas. Additional photos taken this afternoon at the voting centers located at the Colegio Santa Gema and Instituto Universitario Tecnológico Americo Vespucio, both in Caracas. All pictures taken October 7 by Romina Hendlin.
