(2019-08-30). Venezuela's Press Is More Free Than You'd Think. therealnews.com 
Opposition figures regularly speak their mind on talk shows and news programs in Venezuela, undermining the notion that freedom of the press is highly restricted, says Joe Emersberger…
(2019-08-30). Press Freedom in Venezuela: Much Freer Than Most Believe. therealnews.com Even a cursory glance at Venezuelan private television, shows that opposition figures regularly speak their mind on talk shows and news programs, undermining the notion that freedom of the press is highly restricted, says Joe Emersberger…
(2019-08-30). The Amazon Inferno. counterpunch.org 
One of the lasting highlights of my teaching at the University of New Orleans in 1991-1992 was my travel to Brazil in January 1992 for a conference on climate change. This was a rehearsal for the June 1992 Earth Summit on Climate Change in Rio. My conference took place in Fortaleza, a beautiful town in More
(2019-08-30). Ecuador: Ola Bini Faces New Charges Similar to Prior Ones. telesurenglish.net Ola Bini was called to appear at a court hearing in Quito on Thursday by Ecuador state prosecutors who now say they want to change the charges against the Swedish expert in open software development who has been under investigation by the government since April for supposedly "hacking" state computer systems. | RELATED: | Ecuadorean Tribunal Court Upholds Prison Order for Swedish Privacy Rights Activist Ola Bini | The hearing to change the charges…
(2019-08-30). US escalates regime-change machinations against Venezuela. wsws.org Having failed to instigate a military coup, the US and its puppet Juan Guaidó are attempting to flesh out a parallel government loyal to Washington.
(2019-08-30). EU Sends Technicians to Help Mitigate Amazon Fires in Bolivia. telesurenglish.net On Friday, seven countries representing the European Union sent squadrons of technicians to Bolivia in order to help the South American country put out the forest fires in their region of the Amazon. | RELATED: | Bolivia's Amazon Fire Hotspots Reduced by 85% | According to Bolivian Foreign MInister Diego Party, the E.U. technicians were deployed to the Chiquitania region, where they are working with local civil defense teams to put out these massive forest fires. | Pary stressed that the economi…
(2019-08-30). People's Travel Advisory on Colombia. indybay.org Consulate General of Colombia | 595 Market St | San Francisco, CA 94105…
(2019-08-30). Bolsonaro Calls On Trump To Help Put Out Amazon Fires. telesurenglish.net Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro stated on Friday that he requested the U.S. help fight the fires that are currently engulfing the Amazon region. | RELATED: | Bolsonaro Attacks Blacks and Calls Brazil 'Garbage' | Bolsonaro said that he may have an update on his request after speaking with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump earlier in the day. | Speaking to reporters in Brasilia, Bolsonaro said news on this front could materialize after Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo and the pres…
(2019-08-30). Amazon Forest: 2 Landowners Arrested for Burning 5,000 Hectares. telesurenglish.net Brazilian police arrested on Thursday two owners of the Ouro Verde farm for burning 5,000 hectares of forest within the Triunfo do Xingu Environmental Protection Area, at the state of Para in the southern part of the Amazon region. Authorities also found workers who remained trapped in their farm in conditions similar to slavery. | RELATED: | US Defends Brazil's Sovereign Right To (Not) Fight Amazon Fires | Suspects are expected to respond to charges of environmental damage, pollu…
(2019-08-30). Headlines for August 30, 2019. democracynow.org Florida Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Hurricane Dorian, Justice Department: Comey Violated FBI Rules But Will Not Face Charges, Former FARC Rebels to Take Up Arms Again in Colombia, Report: Indian Forces Are Beating and Torturing Kashmiris in Detention, UAE Accused of Bombing Saudi-Backed Forces in Yemen, Prominent Pro-Democracy Activists Arrested Ahead of Saturday's Protest, Scottish Judge Refused to Block Boris Johnson's Plan to Suspend Parliament, Ebola Death Toll Tops 2,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Environmental Groups Threaten to Sue Trump over Methane Rules, NAACP Calls for Alabama Gov. t…
(2019-08-30). Brazil: Rio's governor celebrates more Black deaths. greenleft.org.au 
racist policing Tony RosenbergIssue 1235 Brazil Bolsonaro governmentAugust 30, 2019Rio de Janeiro's population watched in shock on August 20 as the state's governor, Wilson Witzel celebrated the shooting by a sniper of a 20-year-old Black man who held 37 people…
(2019-08-29). Brazil's Bolsonaro causes global outrage over Amazon fires. mronline.org 
The far-right populist leader initially dismissed the hundreds of blazes and then questioned whether activist groups might have started the fires in an effort to damage the credibility of his government, which has called for looser environmental regulations in the world's largest rainforest to spur development. | Source
(2019-08-29). Venezuela migrant crisis begs a 'coherent, predictable and harmonized' response: UNHCR. un.org There is "no end in sight" to the massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees, now at around 4.3 million in number, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) shared on Thursday.
(2019-08-29). Thursday's Daily Brief: UN refugee agency on Venezuelan migrant crisis, dramatic resurgence' of measles in Europe, a UN News visit to former nuclear test site, Colombian law for disabled persons receives praise, Security Council on violence in Yemen. un.org A recap of Thursday's stories: 'No end in sight' to massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees; 'Dramatic resurgence' of measles threatens Europe; Report from nuclear test site in Kazakhstan; UN expert welcomes new Colombian law for persons with disabilities; Security Council concerned over violent spams in Yemen.
(2019-08-29). Live Updates: FARC Party Affirms Goal of Peace in Colombia. telesurenglish.net Update: Colombia's President, Ivan Duque condemned the actions of the minority faction of the FARC and asked Interpol to step in while putting a bounty on information on those who have decided to take up arms. Duque also accused, without offering any proof, the government of Venezuela of being supportive of this faction. No mention was made of the inability of the government to provide security to social activists and former members of FARC who have been murdered since the signing of the Peace Agreement. He further announced the creation of a security detail in charge of tracking down the rebels. Finally, he s…
(2019-08-29). UN Welcomes Teen Climate Activist with 17 Sailing Ships. telesurenglish.net Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg sailed into New York Harbor Wednesday in a zero-carbon emissions vessel, completing her nearly 14-day journey from England to take part in a United Nations climate summit. | RELATED: | US Defends Brazil's Sovereign Right To (Not) Fight Amazon Fires | The 16-year-old Swedish schoolgirl, who set sail from Plymouth, England, on Aug. 14, was greeted by cheers, chants and singing as her silver sailboat, the Malitzia II, cruised past the Statue of…
(2019-08-29). Colombia: FARC Breaks with Peace Accord's JEP, Truth System. telesurenglish.net Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) released a statement Thursday evening saying it is officially breaking with the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition (SIVJRNR), the institutions that form the basis of the Havana Peace Accords signed nearly three years ago between the guerrilla group and the Santos administration. | RELATED: | Live Updates: FARC Party Affirms Goal of Peace in Colombia
(2019-08-29). Maduro Confirms New Dialogue With Venezuelan Opposition. telesurenglish.net The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, confirmed on Wednesday that his Government resumed contacts with Norway to engage in dialogue with the opposition, after the freezing of the negotiating table in protest against the executive order imposed by the U.S. against the South American nation. | RELATED: | Cuba, Canada Meet to Discuss US Intervention in Venezuela | "I can report that contacts with the Norwegian government have resumed, there have been several meetings, contacts wit…
(2019-08-29). Thousands Protest against 'Trigger-Happy' Police in Argentina. telesurenglish.net Thousands of Argentinians took to the streets of Buenos Aires and other major cities around the country on Tuesday to protest against police violence and what they define as "trigger-happy" police officers in their country. | RELATED: | Massive March in Argentina to Protest Macri, IMF Policies | Social organizations and victims of police brutality, held posters and chanted slogans in memory of those who died at the hands of the police during the 5th "Marcha Nacional contra el Gatillo…
(2019-08-29). Venezuela Opts for Sustainable Local Economy to Resist Blockade. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Vice President of Planning and Development Ricardo Menendez stressed Wednesday that the government will "redouble" its efforts to guarantee the protection of the population through the "Plan of the Homeland" 2019-2025 and the objectives of the U.N. 2030 Agenda. | RELATED: | Maduro: #NoMoreTrump Petition Hits 5 Million | "Venezuela will take a leap forward, all the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations System by 2030, we will reach them by 2025 (…) and if they plan t…
(2019-08-29). How Bolsonaro's climate change denial & anti-indigenous policies led to massive fires in the Amazon. nationofchange.org In Brazil, fires continue to rage in the Amazon, and new drone footage shows the smoke and flames gathering strength. A vast plume of smoke has spread across South America and the Atlantic Ocean and is visible from space. The fires are also destroying large swaths of land in Bolivia. The fires are unprecedented in …
(2019-08-29). Western regime-change operatives launch campaign to blame Bolivia's Evo Morales for Amazon fires. thegrayzone.com As Brazil's Bolsonaro allows elite landowners to incinerate the Amazon, professional regime-change operatives like Jhanisse V. Daza seek to redirect…
(2019-08-29). No Refuge for the Amazon in Evo Morales' Bolivia. commondreams.org Response by the ideologically leftwing government of Evo Morales has been forced, instead, largely due to domestic pressure by Bolivians that increasingly view the response as not only as too little too late, but also directly blame Morales' pro-development policies for ongoing destruction of the Amazon. (Photo: Evo Morales by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1155098303.jpg …
(2019-08-29). Spanish Singer Rosalia Under Fire For Receiving MTV Latin Award. telesurenglish.net Spanish singer Rosalia sparked controversy after her collaboration with Colombian J Balvin "Con Altura" won the Latin category at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards Monday. | RELATED: | Cardi B Meets Bernie Sanders, Talks Minimum Wage, Unemployment | Dressed in a tight black suit with crystals of the same color, the Spanish singer said she's "incredibly honored" to be at the gala. "Thank you for letting me perform tonight and sing in Spanish," said the visibly excited singer. | But…
(2019-08-29). Colombia: Over 8 Million People Have Been Affected by War. telesurenglish.net Up to August 1, 2019, the Colombian armed conflict had generated 8,874,110 "registered" victims, according to the National System of Attention and Reparation for Victims (SNARIV), an official policy instrument created in 2012 to comply with the Land Restitution and Victims Act (Law 1448). | RELATED: | Minority Faction of FARC Leadership Take Up Arms | Among the accumulated historical national data, there are also 7,535,682 people displaced from their homes, 1,009,990 homicides, 416,463 peopl…
(2019-08-29). US Defends Brazil's Sovereign Right To (Not) Fight Amazon Fires. telesurenglish.net The United States government said Wednesday it did not approve the offer of US$20 million in aid to Brazil made by the countries during the G7 summit last weekend to fight the fires in the Amazon rainforest. | RELATED: | Bolsonaro Attacks Blacks and Calls Brazil 'Garbage' | "We didn't agree to a G7 initiative that failed to include consultations with (Brazilian President) Jair Bolsonaro," Garrett Marquis, the official spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said on Twitt…
(2019-08-29). Amazon Fires Will Have Global Consequences. The UN Must Act. truthout.org | | The Amazon is burning. Nearly 75,000 fires have started in the iconic Brazilian rainforest this year to date, an 84 percent increase from the year before. Since August 10, a spate of intentionally set fires have been raging in the Amazon. But Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro, who t…
(2019-08-29). Neocolonialism Will Spell the Amazon's Demise. truthdig.com The 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz unnecessarily handed Brazil's Neofascist Bolsonaro a propaganda coup with which to rally his dwindling support. With his approval falling to record lows and facing international attacks of unprecedented intensity, their colonial-sounding rhetoric allowed him to appear heroically nationalistic, a defender of Brazilian sovereignty over the Amazon, when in reality he and his government are fully geared to serve the interests of foreign capital in true comprador tradition. | Jair Bolsonaro is effectively the G7's guy. H…
(2019-08-29). Brazil's Chief Prosecutor, Deltan Dallagnol, Lied When He Denied Leaking to the Press, Secret Chats Reveal. theintercept.com The top Car Wash prosecutor leaked sensitive information to a Brazilian reporter with motives that could jeopardize the task force's convictions.
(2019-08-29). The Other Man-Made Disaster Ravaging the Amazon. thenation.com The Other Man-Made Disaster Ravaging the Amazon…
(2019-08-28). US Opens Venezuela Interest Section in Colombia as Guaido Rebuffs Further Talks. venezuelanalysis.com It remains unclear whether the new Venezuela Affairs Unit will facilitate talks with Caracas.
(2019-08-28). Report: One Venezuelan Migrant Killed Every Day in Colombia. venezuelanalysis.com Criminal activity and xenophobic attacks have been cited among the main causes.
(2019-08-28). How Bolsonaro's Climate Change Denial & Anti-Indigenous Policies Led to Massive Fires in the Amazon. democracynow.org 
In Brazil, fires continue to rage in the Amazon, and new drone footage shows the smoke and flames gathering strength. A vast plume of smoke has spread across South America and the Atlantic Ocean and is visible from space. The fires are also destroying large swaths of land in Bolivia. The fires are unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. So far this year, there have been nearly 73,000 fires in Brazil, with over half of them in the Amazon region — an 83% increase from the same period last year. Far-right Brazil…
(2019-08-27). Venezuela: "Landowners Persecute and Murder the Yukpa with Impunity" dissidentvoice.org 
The French journalist Angèle Savino lived in Venezuela for thirteen years, during which time she followed closely the conflict between the Yukpa and the major landowners. "After Chavez decided to hand over the land to the Yukpa, the assassinations ensued" — she confides. Convinced that in Venezuela, the indigenous struggle for land is also that …
(2019-08-27). What Will It Take To Declare A Climate Emergency? dissidentvoice.org 
Students march in Melbourne, Australia. Source AAP. The Embassy Protectors Defense Committee is calling on the US State Department to drop the federal charges against us. On May 16, federal forces invaded the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC in violation of the Vienna Convention and arrested four Embassy Protectors even though we were there with …
(2019-08-27). Rainforest on Fire: Brazilians Mobilize Against President's Amazon Policies. therealnews.com 
Mobilizations took place throughout Brazil on Monday, to declare their opposition to President Bolsonaro's environmental policies, which have contributed to the largest increase in Amazon rainforest fires in years…
(2019-08-27). A Top Financier of Trump and McConnell Is a Driving Force Behind Amazon Deforestation. theintercept.com 
Steve Schwarzman is the CEO of the Blackstone Group, which partially owns a Brazilian firm that is helping transform the Amazon from jungle to farmland.
(2019-08-27). Clampdown on Housing Rights Activists in Bolsonaro's Brazil. thenation.com Clampdown on Housing Rights Activists in Bolsonaro's Brazil…
(2019-08-27). Glenn Greenwald on the Amazon fires and the fight for Brazil's future. thegrayzone.com Glenn Greenwald of The Intercept discusses the record-setting Amazon forest fires, the struggle against Brazil's far-right government, and how his…
(2019-08-27). Amazonia in Flames. dissidentvoice.org On 28 October 2018, Jair Bolsonaro was elected President of Brazil with 55.1% of the vote and with a gigantic help from Cambridge Analytica. At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in January 2019 in Davos Switzerland, Bolsonaro made a sumptuous presentation, "We Are Building a New Brazil". He outlined a program that put literally Brazil up …
(2019-08-27). Football is 'refuge for those who have left everything'; UN initiative aims to bolster well-being of refugee, migrant children in Peru. un.org Sport brings people together "regardless of conditions or flags", a senior United Nations official in Perú said on Tuesday referring to a new initiative launched over this past weekend to promote the well-being of children and youth in Lima's refugee and migrant communities through football.
(2019-08-27). Headlines for August 27, 2019. democracynow.org Oklahoma Wins Case Against Johnson & Johnson as Court Finds Pharma Giant Fueled State's Opioid Crisis, Brazil Rejects G7 Amazon Aid Amid Mounting Environmental Disaster, Prosecutors Investigate After Gov't Ignored Warnings About Planned Amazon Fires, Trump Dismisses Wind Power Again at G7 as WH Walks Back Comments on Kim Jong-un, Lebanon Says Air Attacks Over Weekend Amount to "Declaration of War" from Israel, U.N. Says Floods in Sudan a "Humanitarian Emergency" as Death Toll Tops 60 People, Iran Sentences Journalist and Activist Marzieh Amiri to 10 Years & 148 Lashes, 19 States and D.C. Sue to Block Trump's Term…
(2019-08-26). Venezuela: Major Gas Explosion Called Act of 'Sabotage'. venezuelanalysis.com Government spokespersons have blamed opposition activists from First Justice Party.
(2019-08-26). MLB Breaks Ties with Venezuelan Baseball over US Embargo. venezuelanalysis.com All US-based ball players, including Venezuelan nationals, are now barred from playing in Venezuela.
(2019-08-25). Max Blumenthal: US sanctions on Venezuela are 'sociopathic'. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal discusses his heated exchange with a former Obama official and a member of Venezuela's far-right opposition…
(2019-08-24). Analysis and implications of the Argentine elections. uwidata.com 
The victory of Alberto Fernández in the PASO has generated a financial, social and political earthquake in Argentina. Who is Fernández, and what would his victory mean for the crisis-worn South American country? Argentina's internal political context Fernández' incumbent opponent, Mauricio Macri, was likely surprised that, after the economic and social disasters of left-wing Peronism …
(2019-08-24). Brazil Isn't the Only Far-Right Government Destroying the Planet. progressive.org As the Amazon burns, the terrifying parallels between the U.S. and Brazilian governments highlight the damage authoritarian leaders are doing.
(2019-08-23). Venezuela's Maduro Confirms Secret Trump Talks as US Navy 'Ready' For Action. venezuelanalysis.com US Southern Command chief said US Navy will "do what needs to be done."
(2019-08-23). GOP Lobbyists Help Brazil Recruit U.S. Companies to Exploit the Amazon. theintercept.com This summer, fires are being used to clear wide swaths of the Amazon at an unprecedented rate. One-fifth of the Amazon has already been destroyed in the past 50 years; further industrialization of the rainforest risks destroying another fifth, a loss that would be catastrophic for the global ecosystem. | The disaster is widely blamed on interests seeking to clear the world's largest rainforest for cattle ranching, mining, and export-focused agribusiness. Documents reveal that those interests a…
(2019-08-23). "Our House Is On Fire": Brazil Faces Global Outrage as Massive Fires Spread in Amazon Rainforest. democracynow.org 
The United Nations is calling for the protection of the Amazon amid fears that thousands of fires raging across Brazil and some parts of Bolivia are rapidly destroying the world's largest rainforest and paving the way for a climate catastrophe. The fires have spread a vast plume of smoke across South America and the Atlantic Ocean that's visible from space. They're unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. Indigenous people in Brazil have accused far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of encouraging the destruction. Bols…
