by the El Reportero’s news services
Hugo Chávez
According to Latin News, when a crossword writer is hauled in by the intelligence service for allegedly concealing details of an assassination plot to destabilize the government, it gives a strong indication of that country’s prevailing political climate.
“This is the Venezuela of today; with President Hugo Chávez absent for long periods in Cuba undergoing life-or-death medical treatment and elections looming on the horizon, political tension and uncertainty has penetrated to the heart of the Bolivarian Revolution and threats seem to lurk in every corner,” reported Latin Briefs.
Caracas takes helm of new regional bloc
Venezuelan Electricity Minister Ali Rodríguez takes the helm of UNASUR (Union of South American Nations), which was formed in 2008 to act as a counterpoint to regional organizations dominated by the United States.
The UNASUR headquarters, envisioned as an architectural wonder, will be built in Ecuador during his one-year term. An arms race looms as a barrier to the rapid integration that the bloc expects as a benefit of the relative homogeneity of the continent’s culture, religion and language. UNASUR has taken Argentina’s side in its dispute with Great Britain over the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas).
Rodríguez takes over from UNASUR Secretary-General Maria Emma Mejia, a former Colombian foreign minister, whose term began in Apr 2011.
The UNASUR members are Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela.
UNASUR envisages a regional military integration scheme, the gradual reduction of national borders, the elimination of passport and visa requirements between member states and even a common currency.
Mercopress pointed out in March that there are obstacles to overcome, but that the political, economic and military integration of Latin America is bound to be eased by the fact that South America is the only multinational continent to be united by a common language (with the exception of Brazil), a common culture and a common religion.
South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister will tour Latin America
South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, will tour four Latin American countries during the next week, when he will promote economic cooperation as a priority in his agenda. From next Tuesday until May 28, Kim will visit Colombia, Peru, Chile and Brazil, according to information of his ministry.
This will be the first trip by a South Korean Foreign Minister to Bogota.
In the case of Chile and Brazil, will also be the first official visit in 17 years.
It is expected that this tour strengthens practical cooperation with those nations, rich in natural resources, said the spokesman Cho Byung-jae quoted by media.
The ties between Seoul and Latin America have among their antecedents a recent visit to South Korea of Peruvian President, Ollanta Humala, in which both sides agreed to raise bilateral relations to an integral strategic partnership.
