Latin America

April 07, 2008 -- "President Bush’s decision to send the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement to Congress tomorrow over the strong objections of the leadership of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate shows an outrageous disregard for basic human and workers’ rights.

Colombia FTA protesters: Photo by b.wu (CC)

Workers in Colombia are terrorized every day for standing up for their economic freedom and union supporters are routinely murdered. Our government should not reward the Colombian government for such callous indifference to the rights and lives of Colombian workers.    » read more »

Hoffa Says Bush Again Turns His Back On Workers

April 7, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said Monday he will strongly oppose the trade agreement with Colombia that the Bush administration is sending to Congress.

Colombia free trade protester: Photo by b.wu (CC)

“This trade deal is an insult to every American who works for a living,” Hoffa said. “Workers are feeling the pain of the trade deals that began with NAFTA. They’ve been disasters.    » read more »

Cites ongoing ‘Impunity Slayings’ of unionists by forces with ties to government

April 7, 2008 -- Pittsburgh – Leo W. Gerard, President of the United Steelworkers (USW) today called on Congress to reject the proposed Colombia Free Trade Agreement transmitted by President Bush today for a vote.

“It’s an affront to working people and human rights advocates that George W. Bush is trying to do what no other American President has done in the past 30 years – shove a proposed free trade agreement on Congress over the wishes of the congressional leadership. No one wants a deal with a corrupt regime that continues to rule over the most dangerous country in the world in which to be a trade unionist.    » read more »

April 7, 2008 -- THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please be seated. I want to thank members of my Cabinet for joining me here today. Madam Ambassador, thank you for coming. I appreciate those who support free trade and fair trade for joining us on this important occasion.

President George W. Bush signs transmittal papers for the Colombian Free Trade Agreement: Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian    » read more »

Microsoft collaborates with strong local and regional partners to expand educational initiatives to reach underserved people in Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru and Brazil

MIAMI, April 3, 2008 — At the Government Leaders Forum—Americas in Miami today, Microsoft Corp. announced new and expanded partnerships that will play a strong role in transforming education and creating economic opportunity in Latin America.    » read more »

31 March 2008 -- A U.S.-based press freedom organization has criticized Venezuela's growing restrictions on freedom of the press, Cuba's jailing of journalists and U.S. court pressure on reporters to reveal confidential sources.

The Inter American Press Association wrapped up its midyear meeting Sunday in Caracas with a statement that accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of using attacks and intimidation to curb criticism of his government.

Last year Mr. Chavez refused to renew the license of Radio Caracas Television and replaced it with a state-run channel that airs government propaganda.

The IAPA also said Cuba's detention of 25 journalists amounted to a demonstration of total intolerance.    » read more »

March 12, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after the Bush Administration said it plans to send the Colombia Free Trade Agreement to Congress soon for a vote, even without the consent from Congressional leadership to bring it up:    » read more »

Press Briefing by Ambassador John Veroneau, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Dan Fisk, Director of Western Hemisphere Affairs for the National Security Council, and Chris Padilla, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade

March 12, 2008 -- MR. FRATTO: Hey, everyone. Thanks for coming to this background briefing -- actually, we're doing this on the record; off camera, but it's actually on-the-record briefing -- with three of our best minds on trade, and especially trade in this particular region.    » read more »

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 4, 2008 — Latin American nations could become important suppliers of ethanol for world markets in coming decades, according to an Oak Ridge National Laboratory study released recently.

The report, "Biofuel Feedstock Assessment for Selected Countries," presents findings from research conducted in support of a larger study of "Worldwide Potential to Produce Biofuels with a focus on U.S. Imports" by the Department of Energy. The ORNL study highlights the importance of Brazil's dynamic sugarcane industry in future world trade in fuel ethanol.    » read more »

Senators say they plan to engage the Organization of American States on matter

March 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – As tensions in South America persist following the movement of Ecuadorian and Venezuelan troops to the Colombian border, two members of the Senator Foreign Relations Committee who are prominent on Latin American issues today called for increased diplomacy in the region.    » read more »

04 March 2008 -- President Bush is backing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in his stand-off with Venezuela and Ecuador. Venezuela and Ecuador cut diplomatic ties with Colombia after its forces attacked Colombian rebels inside Ecuador on Saturday.

President Bush says he telephoned President Uribe and told him that America will continue to stand with Colombia as it confronts violence, terror, and drug traffickers.    » read more »

04 March 2008 -- Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has accused the United States of complicity in the Colombian government's attack on FARC rebels inside Ecuador last Saturday.

In an essay published in the Cuban Communist Party newspaper, Granma, Mr. Castro said "a monstrous crime" was committed in Ecuador. He accused the United States of providing the weapons and the technology for Colombia to stage the attack on the rebels.    » read more »

03 March 2008 -- Colombia -- Venezuela and Ecuador moved their armies to the Colombian border and shut down their embassies in Bogota amid rising tensions about Colombia's cross-border raid against FARC rebels in Ecuador.

Venezuela has also deployed tanks and fighter planes to the border. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says Colombia's incursion into Ecuador has pushed South America to the brink of war.    » read more »

February 13, 2008 -- U.S. Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral will host Mexican Finance Secretary Agustín Carstens and other Latin American leaders this week for a two-day Workshop on Financial Inclusion, building on Secretary Henry Paulson's initiative to improve Latin Americans' access to basic financial services announced in a June 2007 speech.    » read more »

12 February 2008 -- Bolivian President Evo Morales has declared a national disaster in the Andean country following heavy rains and flooding that have killed at least 50 people in recent weeks.

Mr. Morales issued the decree Tuesday to release government aid to flooded areas. On Monday, he toured the hard-hit city of Trinidad, where officials have pitched tents to accommodate people fleeing the town's flooded outskirts.

Officials say the flooding has affected some 45,000 families across Bolivia.

Source: VOA News