Juanson World

During a press conference with foreign journalist, Peruvian president Alan Garcia declared that legal production of coca would aid in fighting cocaine production, and citing its many uses in cooking and medicine. BBC, AP

Radio and TV Marti will both be the focus of a government probe next year, led by Democratic congressman William Delahunt. The US-government funded stations, which are broadcast to Cuba, have come under fire for mismanagement and lack of effectiveness. Miami Herald

USAID-funded development projects in Bolivia, such as a farming management program implemented by Food for the Hungry International, are in doubt due to deteriorating US-Bolivia relations. Wall Street Journal

The United States and Panama have signed a bilateral free trade agreement, which faces an uphill battle for ratification in next year’s US Congress. Bloomberg

Mexican troops deployed by president Felipe Calderon in Michoacan have discovered a “hybrid marijuana plant” which can be cultivated year-round and resists herbicides. AP

US Ambassador to Venezuela William Brownfield said that Washington is optimistic in pursuing a pragmatic relationship with Caracas despite ideological differences, seeking cooperation on issues such as trade, energy and drug trafficking. AP

Hippos once owned by Pablo Escobar on his Napoles ranch have grown and produced offspring, providing a dilemma for residents as the enormous mammals represent a safety hazard. LA Times

A street in the upper class Santiago neighborhood of Las Condes will be named after deceased dictator Augusto Pinochet, while other right-wing politicians have proposals for monuments to be erected in his honor throughout the country. BBC, Reuters

# posted by Juanson : 2:59 PM