More on the Honduran Crisis

I was able to find the exact text of the plebiscite that Manuel "Mel" Zelaya wanted to proffer to the citizens of Honduras this past Sunday. The text and a photo of the ballot that was to be used can be found here. The odd thing, and a fact that hasn't made it into a lot of press accounts or ...

On the Honduran Coup

The events in Honduras today have been some of the more dramatic in recent Latin American (and especially Central American) politics. The events are certainly of relevance to the democratic evolution of Honduras. Dave Schuler asked that I post a few comments given my academic focus on Latin America. If anyone is interested in the topic, I have written ...

Yet Another Blow to the FARC

Via the BBC: Farc 'co-ordinator' held in Spain Spanish police say they have arrested the representative of the left-wing Colombian rebel group Farc in Spain. Maria Remedios Garcia Albert, a Spanish national, was detained near Madrid, as part of a joint operation by the Spanish and Colombian authorities. [...] It is claimed that Ms Garcia helped co-ordinate the group's wider activities in ...

Colombia Misused Red Cross Symbol in Betancourt Rescue

The daring rescue of Ingrid Betancourt from FARC terrorists misused the Red Cross symbol in violation of the Geneva Conventions. A member of the military mission that tricked Colombian rebels into freeing 15 hostages wore the insignia of the International Red Cross during the operation, President Alvaro Uribe said Wednesday. Mr. Uribe said his government had apologized to the Red Cross for ...

Ingrid Betancourt Rescued by Colombia Army

Íngrid Betancourt Pulecio was freed yesterday in a daring rescue by the Colombian National Army after more than five years of captivity by FARC narco-terrorists. [S]he and 14 other hostages — including three U.S. military contractors held since 2003 — were airlifted to freedom in an audaciously "perfect" operation involving military spies who tricked the rebels into handing over their prize ...

James Cason, Ambassador, Paraguay Singing Sensation

James Cason, the U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, has achieved rock star status in that country. Literally. [H]e learned the obscure Paraguayan Guaraní language, recorded a music album of indigenous folk songs and sold 1,000 tickets to a concert in a downtown theater. Now, in the final year of his four-decade diplomatic career, Cason has suddenly become the toast of Paraguay, or ...

Absolut Redraws USA – Mexico Border

Absolut Vodka has got some 'splainin' to do: Laura Martínez found the ad in the print edition of Quién magazine in Mexico City and it's going viral. Jim Hoft has picked it up, calling it an "Absolut-ly Outrageous Ad," Pierre Legrand profanely calls for a boycott, and Brian Ledbetter goes with "Absolut-ly Insulting." Michelle Malkin cranks it up a ...

Confirmed: Ecuadoran Killed in Colombian Raid on FARC

Here's a follow-up to a story I noted yesterday: (via the BBC), Ecuadorean death report confirmedColombia has confirmed that an Ecuadorean was killed when its troops attacked a rebel camp inside the neighbouring state three weeks ago. Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said his body was taken to Colombia after the raid along with that of top leftist Colombian rebel ...

Coca’s Continual Comeback: This Time, Peru

Via the LAT: Peru sees cocaine making a comebackPeru's cocaine industry, the world's largest and most violent in the late 1980s and early 1990s, is again on the upswing. Plots of coca bushes, whose leaves yield cocaine, have increased by about one-third since 1999, to about 127,000 acres, according to Peruvian and United Nations estimates. And this time, the traffickers ...

Tensions Continue Between Colombia and Ecuador

Via the BBC: Ecuador warns Colombia over raidEcuador President Rafael Correa has warned of diplomatic tension if an Ecuadorean is found among the victims of a Colombian raid inside Ecuador. Mr Correa said Ecuador would not forgive the murder of Franklin Aisalia, if he had indeed died during the raid on Farc rebels inside Ecuador. But he said he hoped Colombia ...

Fidel Castro Retires

Fidel Castro has finally resigned the presidency of Cuba. Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday that he will not return to lead the country as president or commander-in-chief, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution. Castro, 81, who has not appeared in public for almost 19 months after undergoing stomach surgery, ...

Castro Well Enough to be a Candidate

Via the BBC: Castro 'well enough for election'The health of Cuban President Fidel Castro is good enough for him to be a candidate in next month's parliamentary elections, his brother Raul has said. Which raises the question: apart from breathing, how healthy is "enough" to run, given that he won't have to campaign or do much of anything else? We ...

Chávez Narrowly Loses Referenda Votes

Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez will have to make do with the powers he currently has after voters narrowly rejected two packages of constitutional amendments proposed by Chávez and the Chavista-dominated national legislature: Venezuelan voters narrowly rejected a constitutional referendum that would have bolstered President Hugo Chavez's embrace of socialism and granted an indefinite extension of his eligibility to serve as president, ...

Mexico and Driver’s Licenses

In light of the recent flap over whether the United States should issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, USA Today helpfully notes that Mexico requires proof of legal residency before issuing licenses. Which, I'm sure, is a real inconvenience for all those gringos headed south of the border to take jobs from hard-working Mexicans. Photo: Chris Hawley, USA Today/Arizona Republic. ...

Musharraf vs. Chavez

Glenn Reynolds wonders, "WHY IS THE WORLD MORE CONCERNED with Musharraf's coup than with Hugo Chavez's emerging dicatatorship? Because enemies of the United States, like Chavez, get a pass." Tom Maguire responds, reasonably enough, "because Pakistan has nuclear weapons and harbors (willingly or otherwise) the remnants of Al Qaeda and the Taliban. What's that compared to a spot of Venezuelan ...