by the El Reportero’s news services
Evo Morales
Fifteen leaders from the Union of South American nations (Unasur) met in Santiago, Chile on Sept. 15 to discuss the current crisis in Bolivia.
The meeting would almost certain to result in more support for Bolivia’s President Evo Morales. The meeting was called by Unasur’s president, Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, and follows the violence in Bolivia last week which left at least 30 people dead in Pando.
The killings on Sept. 10 occurred, the government said, after a group of indigenous peasant supporters of Morales were ambushed by armed supporters of the regional opposition prefect, Leopoldo Fernández.
Nicaragua’s Ortega says he won’t meet with Bush in solidarity with Bolivia
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega says he will reject an invitation to meet with President Bush out of “solidarity” with Bolivia in its diplomatic spat with Washington.
Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador this week after accusing him of conspiring against his government.
Washington rejected the accusations and expelled Bolivia’s ambassador to the U.S. the following day.
During his announcement Saturday, Ortega also accused Washington of trying to foment a coup against Morales.
Ortega, whose first administration fought U.S.-backed Contra rebels in the 1980s, has often been strident in criticizing Washington. He did not say why he had been invited to the White House.
Colom administration shaken by “Guategate” spying scandal
The discovery of spying devices in the offices and home of Guatemala’s President Alvaro Colom, and the alleged complicity of his top security officials, shook the government to its core last week, once again illustrating the way in which the mafia and organised crime have infi ltrated the highest echelons of the state. Adding to the resultant climate of fear and uncertainty was Colom’s decision to call in the military to take charge of the presidential palace. The move, which was curious and hugely symbolic given the country’s history of civil war, cast a whole new light on Colom’s recent announcement of plans to expand the army [WR-08-35].
Recall vote ratifies Morales – and his foes – in power
Hopes that the Aug. 10 recall vote would spell an immediate end to the political crisis afflicting Bolivia rapidly evaporated after President Evo Morales and the Media Luna opposition prefects were overwhelmingly ratified in power. Nevertheless with more than two-thirds of the vote, two key opponents ejected and a surge in support in eight of the country’s nine regions, Morales undoubtedly emerged the stronger, providing him with renewed impetus to push on with his plan for constitutional reform.
Petroleras de Venezuela, Chile y Ecuador crearán empresas conjuntas
Las entidades estatales Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) y la Empresa Nacional de Petróleo (ENAP) de Chile firmarán hoy acuerdos con Petróleos de Ecuador (PETROECUADOR) para explorar gas en el golfo de Guayaquil.
PDVSA y la ENAP crearán con la estatal ecuatoriana de crudo empresas de economía mixta con miras a investigar y hacer análisis en los bloques cuatro y 40, ubicados en el Golfo de Guayaquil. (Latin News, AP and Prensa Latina contributed to this report).
