2019-10-23: News Headlines

Joe Emersberger (2019-10-23). Ecuador's Austerity Measures, Repression Based on Lies AP Happily Spread. fair.org AP piece in the LA Times ( 10/14/19) | Bernie Sanders tweeted an Associated Press article in the LA Times ( 10/14/19) about Ecuador's recent protests, in which eight protesters were killed in 11 days. "Economic elites ke…

Tom Coburg (2019-10-23). UK authorities may have just provided the perfect reason why Assange's extradition should end. thecanary.co A UK authority may have just provided the perfect reason for dismissing the US extradition request for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. | Court hearing: | At a 21 October court hearing, Assange's lawyers made it clear to district judge Vanessa Baraitser that the US extradition request should be denied because of surveillance in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Significantly, that surveillance included the monitoring of privileged client-lawy…

Lynda Carson (2019-10-23). Activist claims CITES exemption for finished musical instruments may set a bad precedent. indybay.org The handmade guitar made by the author of this story around 34 years ago is partially made of East Indian rosewood and Brazilian rosewood. It would be confiscated by government officials if it was taken across an international border.

Jen Moore (2019-10-23). Abusive North American Companies Pay Off Latin American Police to Harass Critics. commondreams.org Indigenous Peruvians protest mining pollution, 2015. (Photo: Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/peru.jpeg

WSWS (2019-10-23). Mass protests continue in defiance of military crackdown in Chile. wsws.org The military-police crackdown on protests in Chile is only one of the most shocking expressions of the global turn toward dictatorship by governments throughout the world.

Lucas Koerner (2019-10-23). US Renews Chevron License as European Refiner Cuts Venezuela Ties over Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com Finnish-Venezuelan refiner Nynas is one of PDVSA's few remaining cash buyers.

Fight Back (2019-10-23). South America and the coming 'Red Tide'. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – Last year, Brazil emerged from its greatest political crisis since the dictatorship to find that Jair Bolsonaro, an extreme right winger, was now president. His victory marked the high point of the so-called 'roll-back' of the Pink Tide, a political phenomenon that saw left-wing governments elected across Latin America, on platforms of sovereignty and freedom from U.S. interference. Bolsonaro's election was a moment openly celebrated in the halls of the White House, as many hoped that the few isolated governments left standing from the Pink Tide movement would soon be snuffed out. | The Pink Tide be…

Staff (2019-10-23). Abusive North American Companies Pay Off Latin American Police to Harass Critics. truthout.org In late April 2017, U.S. investigative journalist John Dougherty and I were screening John's documentary Flin Flon Flim Flam in Peru. The film documents violence, environmental contamination, broken promises, and police repression at mining projects owned by the Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals in several countries — including in Peru. | As we left the Cusco Cultura…

United Nations (2019-10-23). UN and partners call for solidarity, as Venezuelans on the move reach 4.5 million. un.org Since 2015, approximately 4.5 million Venezuelans have fled their country as the Latin American nation's political, humanitarian and economic crisis drags on, creating one of the "direst" displacement crises in the world, the UN and European Union said on Wednesday, ahead of a solidarity conference next week.

Edu Montesanti (2019-10-23). Bolivia's Presidential Election: Violence and Terror All Over the Country. globalresearch.ca People attacked and bleeding, public institutions burning. A government official hanging on the window not to die burned fell from the third floor of the Electoral Court. Carlos Mesa, President Evo Morales opponent, has been inciting violence. Shocking images …

Solidarity With Chilean People (2019-10-23). SF Emergency Solidarity action with the people of Chile! indybay.org Consulado Chileno de San Francisco 870 Market Street San Francisco, Flood Building…

susan_p (2019-10-23). Popular revolt drowning Chile's neoliberal 'oasis'. greenleft.org.au democracy Pablo LeightonIssue 1242 Chile Latin America solidarity general strike 2019 Chile protestsOctober 23, 2019Cou…

Staff (2019-10-23). Headlines for October 23, 2019. democracynow.org Taylor Testifies Trump Tied Ukraine Aid to Investigation of Hunter Biden, Trump Tweets Impeachment is a "Lynching," Sparking Widespread Condemnation, Turkey and Russia Reach Agreement on Northern Syria, Protests Erupt in Bolivia Over Allegations of Election Rigging, Chilean President Announces Reforms Aimed to Curb Massive Protests, Boris Johnson Loses Critical Brexit Vote, Canada's New Anti-Immigrant Party Is Crushed in National Elections, UAW Member Dies After Being Struck by Car Near Picket Line, Chicago Teachers Head into Second Week of Strike, New York's Probe of Facebook Backed by 46 Attorneys General, Mexi…

Peter Koenig (2019-10-22). Bolivia at Crossroads: Choosing Between Continued Success or Handover to US Hegemony. dissidentvoice.org "I don't want to be the best President in the history of Bolivia, I want to be the President of the best Bolivia in history." So proclaimed Evo Morales in a pre-election rally a few days before general elections, today, 20 October 2019. At the same time, Evo declared that ever since the Tribunal Constitucional …

Staff (2019-10-22). Bolivia's Evo Morales Barely Wins Reelection in First Round; Opposition Calls Foul and Protests. therealnews.com Despite a dramatic drop in poverty and increasing per capita income, incumbent president Evo Morales only barely managed to avoid a run-off election in Sunday's vote against ex-president Carlos Mesa. We spoke with Kathryn Ledebur before the results were final to analyze the close outcome.

Karla Martin and Sebastian Link (2019-10-22). Chile erupts in popular uprising against capitalist injustice. liberationnews.org What is behind the massive demonstrations nationwide is a profoundly unequal economic system, created by decades of neoliberal policies that have continuously increased the cost of living while wages have stayed stagnant.

WSWS (2019-10-22). Dockworkers, miners initiate national strike as military kills 11 in Chile. wsws.org Tens of thousands of workers declared strike action in response to a military crackdown resembling the military coup of 1973.

Staff (2019-10-22). Headlines for October 22, 2019. democracynow.org Erdogan Meets with Putin as Turkish Ceasefire in Syria Expires, William Taylor Testifies in Impeachment Hearings, NYT: U.S. Has Quietly Pulled Thousands of Troops Out of Afghanistan, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Held onto Power in Tight Elections, Israel: Netanyahu Fails to Form Coalition Government, Massive Protests Continue in Chile, Northern Ireland Decriminalizes Abortion & Legalizes Marriage Equality, Indonesia: Former General Prabowo Subianto to Join the Cabinet, ExxonMobil Goes on Trial in New York over Climate Change, Four Drug Companies Reach Settlement with Two Ohio Counties, Macy's to Stop Se…

Bryan Ellis (2019-10-21). Right-wing enemy of Venezuela opens Sarasota lecture season. liberationnews.org On Wednesday, regime change advocate and former diplomat Diego Arria will be speaking in Sarasota. The talk, titled "Venezuela: A Real Threat in Our Backyard", is being held at Mildred Sainer Pavilion at New College of Florida. It will be the first lecture in this year's high-profile foreign affairs lecture series, which Sarasota World Affairs Council (SWAC) has hosted annually since 2014.

Staff (2019-10-21). Massive Anti-Austerity Protests, Curfew, Repression in Chile. therealnews.com A wave of anti-austerity protests swept through Chile over the weekend, with right-wing President Piñera ordering troops into the streets and imposing a curfew. Shortly after this story was filed, Piñera announced a retraction of the subway fare increase, one of the main issues that brought people into the streets.

United Nations (2019-10-21). Monday's Daily Brief: Online hate, gender equality in Africa, Chile protests, African migrants in Europe, Security Council in South Sudan. un.org A recap of Monday's main stories: companies 'failing' to address offline harm incited by online hate; gender equality 'precursor' to sustaining peace; UN rights chief urges 'immediate dialogue' to resolve Chile crisis; African migrants would make perilous Europe journey again; Security Council visits South Sudan.

Paul Dobson (2019-10-21). Venezuela Government Hosts International Commune Congress. venezuelanalysis.com Maduro affirmed that popular power is "the soul" of the Bolivarian project.

United Nations (2019-10-21). UN rights chief urges 'immediate dialogue' to end Chile unrest. un.org The top UN human rights official is calling for politicians and civil society in Chile to engage in "immediate dialogue" to resolve the deadly crisis which has gripped the nation in recent days.

Staff (2019-10-21). "We Want Democracy to Be Restored": Protesters in Chile Decry Inequality Amid Military Crackdown. democracynow.org In Chile, as many as eight people have died in widespread civil unrest that has brought Santiago to a standstill and sparked a violent police crackdown across the country. The protests began in response to a subway fare hike two weeks ago and have grown into a mass uprising against rising inequality, high cost of living and privatization. President Sebastián Piñera canceled the fee increase on Saturday, but protests are continuing, with a national strike called for today. Over the weekend, Piñera declared a state of emergency in Santiago and five other cities, imposing a curfew and sending the military into the s…

Staff (2019-10-21). Headlines for October 21, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Troops Leaving Syria Headed for Iraq, Anti-Government Protests Sweep the Globe, Bolivia Presidential Election Appears to Head for a Runoff, Brother of Honduran President Found Guilty of Cocaine Trafficking, Trump Says G7 Will Not Be Held at His Private Golf Course, Hillary Clinton Accuses Jill Stein, Tulsi Gabbard of Being Linked to Russia, Landmark Trial over Opioid Epidemic in Cleveland, Ohio, Tornado Rages Through Dallas, Leaving 100,000 Without Power, Judge Temporarily Blocks Florida Law Limiting Voting by Ex-Felons…

Vijay Prashad (2019-10-20). The IMF does not fight financial fires but douses them with gasoline. mronline.org On 13 October, Moreno had to promise to withdraw Decree 833. Pressure from the streets, from the United Nations, and from the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference forced him to the table, where a televised discussion was held. The indigenous leaders won the 'debate'—they were much more prepared and far more humane than the president and his […] | Source

Eds. (2019-10-20). Socialist feminism and the Communal State. mronline.org Blanca Eekhout is the Minister of People's Power for the Communes and Social Movements of Venezuela and a woman linked to revolutionary militancy long before President Hugo Chávez came to power, whose team she was part of. | Source

Ben Norton (2019-10-20). Longest-held Puerto Rican political prisoner sends support to Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Puerto Rico's longest-held political prisoner, Oscar López Rivera, who was incarcerated in the US for 36 years, sent a message…

Venezuela Analysis (2019-10-20). Venezuela Elected to UN Human Rights Council Despite US Opposition. theantimedia.com The Maduro government was elected to a three-year term with backing of 105 out of 195 UN member-states.

Nellie Bailey (2019-10-20). Phony progressives follow Trump lead on Venezuela. mronline.org So-called progressives sound just like Donald Trump when they describe Venezuela's elected government as a "dictatorship," said Nicholas Evan Ayala, co-editor of Anti-Conquista. "A lot of Democrats pretend to be anti-war, yet fail to see that every intervention they advocate follows a long history of US evil…leading to the deaths of millions of people," said […] | Source

Michael Otto and Zoila Ramirez (2019-10-19). An inside account of the Indigenous uprising in Ecuador. workers.org Oct. 16 — On Oct. 7, 4000 Indigenous people from towns in and around the same canton marched for four hours to Ibarra to present a manifesto to the governor of Imbabura. The governor refused to meet with them and later rejected their primary demands: Cease the military aggression against . . . | Continue reading An inside account of the Indigenous uprising in Ecuador at Workers.org

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-19). BCV: Venezuelan Economy Contracted by 23.7 Percent in First Trimester of 2019. venezuelanalysis.com The Venezuelan Central Bank also released inflation figures for the first time in six months.

Peter Koenig (2019-10-19). Ecuador: The Fight against Moreno and the IMF is Far from over. dissidentvoice.org In Ecuador, the fight against IMF austerity measures is far from over. Just a few hours after my article was published on Sunday, 13 October, "Ecuador and the IMF's Killing Spree," President Lenin Moreno declared the infamous Decree 883 was canceled; i.e., the astronomical price increases for fuel were reversed, the (police) state of emergency …

susan_p (2019-10-18). Ecuador: Fuel subsidies restored but people's struggle continues. greenleft.org.au anti-austerity Jelena RuddIssue 1241 Ecuador Decree 883 IMF QuitoOctober 18, 2019In a victory for the social movement that brought Ecuador's capital,…

Lucas Koerner (2019-10-17). Venezuela's Opposition Declares PDVSA 2020 Bond Void, Nixes Payment. venezuelanalysis.com Venezuela's CITGO could be seized by creditors.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-17). Venezuela Elected to UN Human Rights Council. venezuelanalysis.com The Maduro government was elected to a three-year term with backing of 105 out of 195 UN member-states.

Cira Pascual Marquina (2019-10-17). Grassroots Communication fights back! A conversation with Jessica Pernia. mronline.org A founding member of Tatuy TV speaks about what it means to be a group of revolutionary journalists in hard times. | Source

Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-16). Venezuela: Gov't Increases Minimum Wage, Announces Public Spending. venezuelanalysis.com Governorships will manage gold mines as a direct source of revenue.

Paul Dobson (2019-10-14). Venezuela Denies Guatemalan President-Elect Entrance, Congratulates Ecuadorian People on IMF Defeat. venezuelanalysis.com President Nicolas Maduro also called on Chavista forces to prepare to "rescue" the National Assembly in the upcoming elections.

Kim Barzola (2019-10-13). Ecuador's masses rise up against neoliberal policies. liberationnews.org Stand with Ecuador's working people fighting to reject institutions and solutions that reinforce and serve the imperialist ruling class.

Julian Cola (2019-10-11). Indigenous-Led Protests Rock Ecuador Decrying IMF Deal and Demanding Moreno's Resignation. mintpressnews.com Labeled "savages" in times past, today the mobilizing efforts of the indigenous have been associated with the work of "terrorist groups" and "criminal groups" by President Moreno.

Aaron Maté (2019-10-11). Real life and resistance in Venezuela — Ben Norton reports on effects of US blockade. thegrayzone.com Ben Norton speaks about his reporting in Venezuela, where he investigated how bipartisan US sanctions and Trump's embargo are making…

Aaron Maté (2019-10-10). CIA spied on Julian Assange 24/7 in Ecuadorian embassy. thegrayzone.com The CIA was given 24/7 video and audio surveillance of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange while he lived under asylum at…

Edward Hunt (2019-10-10). The Trump Administration Is Moving to Restart Aerial Fumigation in Colombia. progressive.org The move further endangers the country's already-fragile peace accord.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-10). Venezuelan Oil Output Falls as Inflation Reaches Six-Month Low. venezuelanalysis.com Inflation slowed down in September after crossing the hyperinflation threshold in August.

Jessica Corbett (2019-10-09). Ecuador's President Moves Government Operations From Capital to Escape Protests. theantimedia.com Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno has moved government operations out of the capital of Quito following days of nationwide protests.

Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-09). Guaido Signs USAID Agreement as Adobe Suspends Venezuela Service. venezuelanalysis.com Financial company TransferWise likewise stopped servicing Venezuelan clients.

Paul Dobson (2019-10-07). Venezuela Arrests Oil Exec for Corruption, Receives $4bn in Russian Investment. venezuelanalysis.com Moscow and Caracas are reportedly working on a long-term cooperation agreement set to last at least until 2030.

Anya Parampil (2019-10-06). How Venezuela defeated Washington's coup attempt at the United Nations. liberationnews.org Close observers had expected that the US would try to block Rodríguez from speaking as part of its effort to delegitimize her government. Yet Rodríguez ultimately appeared at the podium to deliver a jeremiad against US meddling in her country's affairs and what she called "capitalist violence."

Ricardo Vaz (2019-10-02). Venezuela's CITGO in Danger as Maduro Seeks Debt Renegotiation. venezuelanalysis.com US financial sanctions have stopped Venezuela from renegotiating foreign debt since 2017.