Bolivia
Resumen: Bolivia, The Shadow of the Coup The strike that yesterday (10/31) completed its 10th day in the province of Santa Cruz,, brings with it echoes of the coup d’état that three years ago deposed former president Evo Morales and installed a coup government headed by the now imprisoned Jeanine Áñez. The script repeats itself in an illustrative way: the oligarchic sectors mobilize their shock groups and articulate strident disinformation campaigns to incite citizens to rebel against the legitimate national authorities. They make use of their economic power and their control over key items of the economy to generate unrest in the population and install a climate of chaos that facilitates violent exits such as the one that took place in 2019.
Reuters: Bolivian civic group threatens national strike as census protests escalate On Thursday, a group of civic committees from cities around the country threatened a national strike from Nov. 7 unless the government of leftist President Luis Arce promised to do the census in 2023 and end what it called a “siege” of Santa Cruz. In recent weeks, protesters have set up road blockades in the city of Santa Cruz, the country’s wealthiest, while another regional town this week saw clashes break out on the street, with fireworks thrown and police using tear gas.
Almayadeen: Bolivian President warns of unrest as right-wing demands early census The Bolivian President Luis Arce warned on Tuesday that far-right conservative politicians who seek to repeat a coup d’état are fomenting violence in Santa Cruz’s civic strike.”Today, Bolivia is once again threatened by those who, unable to contribute to democracy, bet on confrontation and violence,” he denounced. “Only the People have an authentic democratic conviction because they know that they are the majority.” Over the last months, Santa Cruz governor Luis Fernando Camacho and other conservatives have been promoting the regional strike to demand that the Population and Housing Census be carried out in 2023, even though the Arce administration scheduled it for 2024.
US Political Prisoner Alex Saab
Orinoco Tribune (William Camacaro): Alex Saab Case – The Fabrication, Persecution and Criminalization of a Venezuelan Diplomat This article goes into more detail concerning the background of the US case to frame up Alex Saab.
Venezuela
Orinoco Tribune (Roger Harris): NATO in the Amazon – Petro Plays with Fire NATO’s entry into the Amazon is in the works under the aegis of newly elected President Petro of Colombia. President Petro invited US and NATO military forces into the Amazon on the pretext that the imperial war machine could be repurposed as “police” aimed at protecting the environment instead of the old ruse of the war on drugs. He proposed deployment of US Black Hawk helicopters to put out fires. From August 26 to September 11, US and Colombian militaries conducted joint NATO exercises. During this period, US Army General Laura Richardson, commander of the US Southern Command, made a five-day visit to meet with the newly elected president.
Multipolarista: Colombia’s new president reverses stance on US coup operation against Venezuela, visits President Maduro The Petro-Maduro summit was the first between the two heads of state since fully restoring diplomatic relations in August leaving behind years of broke-off ties. Maduro detailed that the two leaders agreed to prioritize “border security and the fight against drug trafficking” as well as energy, trade and economic relations, the return of Venezuela to the Andean Community of Nations, and strengthening the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) for regional integration.
TeleSur: Maduro and Lula Agree to Resume Cooperation Agenda “I had a good telephone conversation with the president-elect of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with whom we agreed to resume the binational agenda of cooperation between our countries. We appreciate his willingness!” Maduro said through his Twitter account.
Foreign Policy: To Halt the Venezuelan Migration Crisis, Stop Banning Venezuelan Oil
For years, the U.S. government pursued a “maximum pressure” strategy of imposing harsh oil and financial sanctions, with the idea that they would help oust President Nicolás Maduro from power. The sanctions failed to bring about regime change; instead, they helped cripple the country’s economy and fuel one of the largest peacetime migration exoduses in recent history. Now, the United States is shutting its door in the face of thousands of Venezuelans who have risked their lives to escape the economic collapse that it played a hand in creating. The only way in which Venezuela can sustainably recover its economy and regain the living standards it had until recently is by regaining access to global oil markets.
Cuba
Granma: Overwhelming victory for Cuba at the UN: 185 countries vote against the blockade The resolution was approved 185-2 (US & Israel), with two abstentions (Ukraine & Brazil). Only between August 2021-February 2022 that unilateral policy caused Cuba losses of $3.8 billion. The figure is 49% higher than that reported between January and July 2021 and a record in just seven months. Copy of Cuba report to United Nations
Nicaragua
NicaNotes: New US Sanctions Are Designed to Hit Nicaragua’s Poorest Citizens The Biden administration announced new sanctions which are intended to hit the poorest Nicaraguans – both in their pockets and in the public services on which they depend. This latest attack on a small Central American country is, as usual, dressed up as promoting democracy saying that the sanctions will “deny the Ortega-Murillo regime the resources they need to continue to undermine democratic institutions in Nicaragua.” But everyone knows the real target is ordinary Nicaraguans who voted overwhelmingly to return a Sandinista government to power in last year’s elections.
Events and Delegations
Donate to help Cuba recover from Hurricane Ian
Donate to help Nicaragua recover from Hurricane Julia
Wednesdays: WTF is Going on in Latin America & The Caribbean with Teri Mattson
Travel to Cuba with Witness for Peace
Travel to Nicaragua with Casa Ben Linder Tours: Women in Nicaragua
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