Juanson World

The Venezuelan television network Venevisión has thus far failed to strike up the ire of Hugo Chavez. Miami Herald

Chavez’s shut-down of television station RCTV have ignited the youth of Venezuela. Miami Herald

The Miami Herald editorial page commends Colombian president Alvaro Uribe for authorizing the release of FARC prisoners held by the government next week. Miami Herald

The Buenos Aires mayoral election approaches on June 3, and will be in part a referendum on Argentine president Nestor Kirchner’s popularity. The Economist

Spain and the US disagree over the approach that Spain took in meetings with Cuban officials last month. AP

# posted by Juanson : 4:22 PM  0 comments

Mexico opened a consulate in Little Rock, the 47^th Mexican consulate in the US. New York Times

Senator Carlos Garcia of Colombia declared that the failure to ratify an FTA with the US could mean withdrawal from Plan Colombia. LA Times

Silvas Rondeau, Brazil’s minister of energy and mines, has resigned after being accused of taking a bribe in the awarding of an electricity contract. Financial Times, AP

Pope Benedict’s comments in Brazil that colonizers did not trample over native civilizations in Latin America raised the ire of indigenous groups throughout the region. LA Times

Despite President Felipe Calderón’s popular deployment of federal troops in anti-drug operations, violence has actually worsened in Mexico. Christian Science Monitor

Brazil’s new Growth Acceleration Project aims to increase sluggish growth through $252 billion in public and private investment over the next four years. Christian Science Monitor

Bolivian president Evo Morales called capitalism the “worst enemy of humanity” at a conference in Cochabamba. AP

Guatemala ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions. AP

Cuba plans to modernize 11 of its 17 ethanol-producing refineries. AP

# posted by Juanson : 11:49 AM  1 comments

Brazil struggles to prepare Rio to host the Pan American Games, to be held beginning July 13. New York Times

The city of Buenaventura on Colombia’s Pacific coast is the country’s deadliest. New York Times

Continued revelations from former Colombia paramilitary commanders claim that paramilitarism was “state policy.” Washington Post

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte calls for continued cooperation with Colombia. Miami Herald

The murder of the transit chief of a Monterrey suburb is the 25^th murder this year in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. Dallas Morning News

Brazilian president Lula and Paraguayan president Duarte recently met to discuss the triple border at Ciudad del Este, and Lula announced that Brazil had scrapped plans to build a wall on the Brazilian side of Friendship Bridge. AP

Venezuelans protested in Caracas the failure to renew the license of private television station RCTV. AP, BBC

Chilean president Michelle Bachelet apologized again for the difficulties on the 100 day anniversary of the Transantiago, and promised to invest more in education and transit. AP, BBC

Brazil’s minister of energy is implicated in a scheme that alleges he took bribes to award electricity contracts. BBC

# posted by Juanson : 10:21 AM  0 comments

Mary O’Grady comments on the closing of the magazine Vitral in Cuba, urging the Catholic Church to stand up to the Cuban government. Wall Street Journal

Brazilian President Lula signed a controversial decree for a compulsory license, bypassing a Merck patent on an AIDS drug. Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, AP

Before he became Pope, Benedict XVI worked against liberation theology in Latin America. He will be visiting Brazil on Wednesday. New York Times

The Pope hopes to counter the trend of Catholics converting to Pentecostalism. Miami Herald

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez threatens to nationalize banks controlled by American and Spanish financial institutions, as well as the steelmaker Sidor. New York Times

ConocoPhillips is holding out against Chavez’s terms for expropriation. Financial Times

# posted by Juanson : 2:26 PM  0 comments

The Wall Street Journal editorial page laments the consequences of Democrats blocking FTAs with Panama, Peru, and Colombia. Wall Street Journal

As Pope Benedict prepares to arrive for a four-day Brazil visit, the Catholic Church faces challenges from declining membership and Penecostal Protestantism in the region. The Economist

Two army deserters attempted to hijack a Cuban charter flight, killing an army officer in the process. Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, AP

Former Bolivian president Tuto Quiroga joined five former Latin American finance ministers in expressed his concern that the Paul Wolfowitz scandal at the World Bank is aiding Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The ministers called on Wolfowitz to resign in a letter to the Financial Times. Financial Times

Marcela Sanchez comments on Colombian president Alvaro Uribe’s little known “dark side.” Washington Post

A Mexican government report states that more than half a million Mexicans migrate to the US every year, which tops the number of annual deaths in the country. AP

Mexico City plans on making the teaching of the Aztec language Nahuatl compulsory in public schools starting in 2008. BBC

There have been nine attempted hijackings in Cuba since 1987. AP

Three Republican members of Congress from Florida blasted the Justice Department for sending FBI agents to Cuba in order to collect intelligence on Luis Posada Carriles. Miami Herald

Brazil is close to breaking a patent on an AIDS drug after negotiations with Merck broke down. AP

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez threatened to nationalize private banks as well as the country’s largest steel producer. AP, Reuters

# posted by Juanson : 9:41 AM  1 comments