por los servicios de noticias de El Reportero
Alvaro Colom
Yesterday saw the conclusion of the international conference on the role of trade unions in the fight against impunity, held in Guatemala City by the ITUC, its regional organisations ORIT and CLAT, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the ITUC’s Guatemalan affiliates, the CGTG and CUSG. The event was inaugurated by the President of Guatemala, Alvaro Colom. At the close of the event, the Conference Declaration was handed over to the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Edgar.
The aim of the Conference was to devise and apply political and trade union strategies to promote respect for core labour standards, to build trade union capacity to fight impunity, and to secure full investigations into the murders of trade unionists, so that those responsible are brought to justice and sentenced as soon as possible.
Guatemala is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for trade unionists; a fact confirmed just one day prior to the Conference when two armed men attacked the head office of the CGTC. The two individuals forced staff at gunpoint to open one of the offices, from which they took two computers containing valuable information.
Killing in southern Mexico sparks new fears
The state government in Oaxaca said on 31 January that the Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca had hired gangsters to kill a local police chief. The federal government’s nightmare is that its war on organised crime will become politicised and this is what may be happening in Oaxaca, one of the poorest and most politically polarised states in the country.
U.S. responds to Alba challenge with soft diplomacy
Food and war. These were the main topics of discussion during the Alternativa Bolivariana para las Américas (Alba) summit in Caracas. Unsurprisingly, the world’s media preferred to focus on the latter. President Hugo Chávez accused Colombia of plotting with the US against Venezuela and discussed with his Nicaraguan peer, Daniel Ortega, creating a joint defence force in readiness for an attack on any Alba member. The U.S. did not take the bait. The State Department rejected what it described as “wild conspiracy theories”, focusing instead on a charm offensive in the region.
Conservatives form new bench in Nicaragua
On 30 January the Partido Conservador (PC) in Nicaragua decided to end its alliance with the Alianza Liberal Nicaragüense (ALN) and form its own bench in congress.
Nicaraguan dairy firms eying Venezuela
Managua, Jan 30 (Prensa Latina) Nicaraguan dairy producers are setting their sights on Venezuela, a market with 30 million consumers, where they aspire to market their excess production.
Businessman Alfredo Lacayo considers that the country must use its great exporting potential of these products, as only 20 percent of it is currently used.
Nicaragua went from exporting dairy products worth $300,000 in 1996 to $100 million in 2007, which shows its potential, according to official statistics.
He considered that if transportation conditions improve, a flourishing business in the sector may emerge, favoring both countries.
