2020-01-12: News Headlines

Ben Norton (2020-01-13). Under US pressure, social media companies censor critical content and suspend Venezuelan, Iranian, and Syrian accounts. thegrayzone.com As the US escalates its hybrid wars, Twitter and Facebook are suspending accounts and censoring content that conflicts with Washington's…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Star War Actor Rejects Advertising Depicting Pinochet as Jedi. telesurenglish.net The U.S. actor Mark Hamill, who is best known for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, Saturday rejected an image in which far-right activists portrait Chile's dictator Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) as a Jedi. | RELATED: | Chile: College Admissions Test Suspended Due To Student Protest | The story began when Natire Bolledo wrote to Hamill telling him that…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Brazil to Go Through With Mining on Tribal Lands. telesurenglish.net Brazil's right-wing regime said it was pushing ahead with its plans to mine on tribal lands, despite the objections of the people that live in these targeted areas. | RELATED: | Number of Fires in Brazilian Amazon Increased 30% in 2019 | The Brazilian regime held a briefing on Friday to inform European diplomats about the proposals that have drawn criticism from Indigenous advocates in Brazil and overseas. | According to a public statement on the ministry's website, the Mning and En…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Juan Guaido Wants to Silence teleSUR by Taking Over TV Signal. telesurenglish.net The self-proclaimed 'president' of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, announced on Saturday that he has plans to take over teleSUR's television signal in an attempt to silence the channel. | RELATED: | US Seeks to Affect Cuba's Revenue by Banning Charter Flights | "In the next few days we keep moving forward: tomorrow we announce the steps to recover the teleSUR signal in the continent, and be aware of where and when we are going to hold the session of the @AsambleaVE to open all together th…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Colombia: Two Indigenous Leaders Were Killed in Cauca Valley. telesurenglish.net Two members of the Quintin Lame's Grandchildren Movement (NQL), Amparo Guejia and Juan Dicue were killed by an unidentified armed group‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã on Friday at La Buitrera village, in the Cauca Valley, Colombia. | RELATED: | Colombia: A Woman Is the First Social Leader Killed This Year | "They were founders of a social organization. We just know…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Bolivia: De Facto Regime Supporters Kidnapped Evo's Ex-Minister. telesurenglish.net Evo Morales' former Interior Minister Carlos Romero denounced Saturday that The Resistance, a shock group supporting the coup-based government led by Jeanine Añez, kept him kidnapped for two days inside his home. | RELATED: | Bolivia: Coup Govt. Tries to Convince Europe There Was No Coup | "They have kidnapped me in my own house. They've locked the water stopcock, I had no food or water," Romero told reporters at the hospital where he is still convalescing.

Lucas Koerner (2020-01-11). For Western Press, the Only Coup in Venezuela Is Against Guaidó. commondreams.org The international corporate media have entered crisis mode following the replacement of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as head of the country's National Assembly.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-11). Around the World in 8 Minutes: Chile's youth on the path of struggle. peoplesdispatch.org We also look at the campaign for the release of a Pakistani professor on the death row and a struggle by Greek telecom workers.

teleSUR (2020-01-11). Bolivia: Coup Govt. Tries to Convince Europe There Was No Coup. telesurenglish.net The de-facto Government of Jeanine Añez entrusted Friday to her now ex-vice chancellor Gualberto Rodriguez to report in Europe that in Bolivia there was no coup d'etat, but a constitutional succession, from his new position as Chargé d'affaires in Spain. | RELATED: | Bolivia One Month After the Coup: A Recount of Pivotal Events | At a ceremony during which Rodriguez's successor was sworn in, de-facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Karen Longaric, wished the new chargé d'affaires "much…

teleSUR (2020-01-10). 34,000 Haitians Still Displaced 10 Years on from Quake. telesurenglish.net There are at least 34,000 people living in displacement camps 10 years after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti. | RELATED: | Chile's MPs Reject Proposal to Probe Troops' Abuses in Haiti | Just shy of a decade since the temblor brought the island nation to its knees on Jan. 12, 2010, the head of the IOM's mission in Haiti, Giuseppe Loprete, told EFE about how the…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-10). Chilean secondary students protest entrance exam and inequalities in higher education. peoplesdispatch.org In Chile, the week began with student protests. On January 6 & 7, high school students demonstrated across the country against the University Selection Test or PSU, a standardized national entrance exam for admission to the country's universities. Student organizations such as the Coordinating Assembly of High-School Students (ACES) and the National Coordinator of High-School Students (CONES), which gave the call for mobilizations, claim that the PSU is discriminatory and deepens inequalities in the education sector. | On January 6, hundreds of young students demonstrated outside several examination centers throu…

Venezuela Analysis (2020-01-10). Venezuela's Guaido Installs Parallel Parliament After US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Opposition leader Juan Guaido installed a "parallel" parliament in Caracas on Tuesday.

Nino Pagliccia (2020-01-10). Venezuela: Leadership of National Assembly Split Between Competing Opposition Groups. globalresearch.ca Last January 5 the members of the National Assembly of Venezuela elected its new leadership as mandated by the constitution. The new president of the National Assembly, Luis Parra, elected by a majority vote, will replace Juan Guaidó. …

Eoin Higgins (2020-01-10). USAID, OAS Arrive in Bolivia to Give "Technical Aid" in Elections, Raising Fears of US Meddling. theantimedia.com Officials from USAID and the Organization for American States arrived in Bolivia to "give technical aid to the election process in Bolivia."

teleSUR (2020-01-10). Bolivia: Morales' Minister Under Attack by De-Facto Government. telesurenglish.net The de-facto government of Bolivia continues with the siege and political persecution of leaders and supporters of the Movement Toward Socialism party (MAS) and authorities that were part of the Evo Morales government, this time the former minister Carlos Romero. | RELATED: | Bolivia One Month After the Coup: A Recount of Pivotal Events | The former Minister in Evo Morales Administration reappeared publicly on Wednesday since the coup on Nov. 10, when a journalist from an international agency…

Alan Macleod (2020-01-10). Bolivia's New Right-Wing Government Intensifies Crackdown on Journalists, Doctors. mintpressnews.com The US-backed administration of Jeanine Añez is arresting prominent members of the press and even doctors in what it calls a "dismantling of the propaganda apparatus of the dictatorial regime of Evo Morales."

teleSUR (2020-01-10). Argentina: Alberto Fernández Reassures Economy. telesurenglish.net In dialogue with journalists at the Government House, just one month after assuming the presidency of Argentina, leader of Front of All, Alberto Fernández made a positive assessment of his management. | RELATED: | Bolivia's MAS to Launch Presidential Campaign in Argentina | He highlighted that since the arrival of the Front of All to government it has been possible to "calm the economy," with measures to "tidy up public accounts" without affecting the most vulnerable sectors and…

pip.hinman (2020-01-10). Venezuela: Guaido installs parallel parliament, US threatens more sanctions. greenleft.org.au Venezuela Ricardo VazIssue 1248 Venezuela Juan Guaido US Vice President Mike PenceJanuary 10, 2020Opposition leader Juan Guaido installed a "parallel" parliament in Caracas on January 7. | The…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-01-10). USAID Arriving in Bolivia to 'Monitor Elections,' Raising Fears of US Meddling in May 3 Vote. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bolivia_protest_1.jpg

Lucas Koerner (2020-01-10). For Western Press, the Only Coup in Venezuela Is Against Guaidó. fair.org The Washington Post ( 1/5/20) described Venezuelan lawmakers voting against someone other than Washington's chosen candidate to head the assembly as "sedition within the opposition." | The international corporate media have entered crisis mode following the replacement of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as head of the country's National Assembly. | In headline after headline, Venezue…

Leonardo Flores (2020-01-09). This might be the final episode of Juan Guaidó's surreal Venezuela regime-change reality show. thegrayzone.com The farcical scene of Juan Guaido attempting to break into Venezuela's National Assembly as its members voted him out was…

teleSUR (2020-01-09). Yangtze Spatula Fish: First Extinct Species of This Decade. telesurenglish.net The Yangtze spatula fish (Psephurus gladius) has been declared extinct, according to a study recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. | RELATED: | Number of Fires in Brazilian Amazon Increased 30% in 2019 | This species, often dubbed "the Yangtze River panda" because of its large size, which could reach 7 meters long, was the only one of the genus Psephurus and fed on other fish and crustaceans. | According to scientists at the Yangtze River Fisheries Rese…

Staff (2020-01-08). Headlines for January 8, 2020. democracynow.org Iran Strikes 2 Iraqi Bases in Retaliation for Soleimani's Assassination, McConnell Says He Has Enough Votes to Open Impeachment Trial Without Witnesses, Trump Declares Emergency for Puerto Rico Following Earthquake, Spain Poised to Form First Progressive Coalition Government Since 1930s, Argentina Deals Blow to Legitimacy of Venezuela's U.S.-Backed Opposition, Indian Workers & Students Launch Strike to Protest Privatization, Wet'suwet'en Nation Issues Eviction Notice to Workers of Pipeline Company in Canada, Planned Parenthood Attacked with Incendiary Device in Delaware, NYT: More Than 20 Shootings at After Schoo…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-01-08). Venezuela: Guaido Installs Parallel Parliament After Washington Threatens More Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The Trump administration is reportedly mulling sanctions against opposition deputies who voted against Guaido.

Fight Back (2020-01-08). Juan Guaidó, the political joke of Venezuela. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – Juan Guaidó is not that smart of a politician. He never seems to care much about strategy, or coalition building, or putting forward a serious political platform. The only political talent Guaidó seems to have is in front of the cameras. He knows how to put on a good show for the audience he wants to please. | | While that could be seen throughout the past year, as Guaidó and his allies bumbled their way through one of the worst coup attempts in recent memory, it is the best way to understand what has happened in Venezuela these past few days. | | On Sunday, January 5, Guaidó's support amo…

Staff (2020-01-07). Headlines for January 7, 2020. democracynow.org John Bolton Willing to Testify in Senate Impeachment Trial, Confusion in Pentagon & Trump Administration over U.S. Policy on Iran, Julián Castro Endorses Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Can Now Deport Mexican Asylum Seekers to Guatemala, Wildfires Rage in Australia; India Suffered Hottest Decade on Record, Harvey Weinstein Charged with Rape in Los Angeles County, Mexico: 60,000 People Disappeared Since U.S.-Backed Drug War Began, Bolivia Sets May 3 Date for New Election, After Morales's Ouster, Confusion over Leader of National Assembly Reigns in Venezuela, Earthquake Knocks Out Power Across Puerto Rico, Men Sue Boy Scout…

news.un (2020-01-07). UN chief monitoring Venezuela developments 'with concern'. news.un.org The latest twist in Venezuela's ongoing political crisis "make urgently needed dialogue even more difficult to achieve", the UN Secretary-General has said.

Staff (2020-01-07). Meet Brittany Kaiser, Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower Releasing Troves of New Files from Data Firm. democracynow.org New details are emerging about how the shadowy data firm Cambridge Analytica worked to manipulate voters across the globe, from the 2016 election in the United States to the Brexit campaign in Britain and elections in over 60 other countries, including Malaysia, Kenya and Brazil. A new trove of internal Cambridge Analytica documents and emails are being posted on Twitter detailing the company's operations, including its work with President Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton. The documents come from Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Brittany Kaiser, who worked at the firm for three-and-a-half yea…

Paul Dobson (2020-01-06). Venezuelan Government and Opposition Fraction Announce Release of 14 'Political Prisoners'. venezuelanalysis.com The National Roundtable for Peaceful Dialogue also offered its backing to the new National Assembly president, Luis Parra.

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2020-01-05). Venezuela: Guaido Replaced as Parliament Head in Disputed Vote. venezuelanalysis.com Pro-Guaido opposition lawmakers have rejected the vote, forming a parallel parliament with US and international right-wing support.

The Grayzone (2020-01-02). Top 20 The Grayzone stories of 2019: From Venezuela coup attempt to Russiagate delusions, information warfare to new cold war. thegrayzone.com 2019 was a big year for The Grayzone. We traveled the world and broke many stories, exposing the empire's schemes…

Luiz ignacio lula Da silva (2019-12-28). Prison gave me a greater will to fight. zcomm.org Interview on the reality that Brazil is experiencing and the social protests that have occurred in several Latin American countries…

The Real News (2019-12-28). Chileans Demand New Constitution as Protests Continue. zcomm.org For two months, Chileans have been protesting all over the country on a daily basis…

Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-23). Venezuela Repels 'Terrorist' Attack on Military Bases, 1 Soldier Dead. venezuelanalysis.com The assailants stormed several military installations before being engaged by the Venezuelan army.

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-20). Notes on a private TV newscast in Bolivia. The contrast with Venezuela is clear as day. zcomm.org In August, I took detailed notes a news broadcast on one of Venezuela's largest TV networks. I summarized these notes in an interview I did with the Real News Network making the point that Venezuela's private media (which reaches 60-90% of households) is remarkably free — most especially when you consider the US is openly Read more…

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-18). Venezuela: Guaido Introduces Remote Voting in Bid to Secure Reelection. venezuelanalysis.com The opposition leader has been under fire amid recent scandals.

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-16). Francisco Rodriguez answers some questions I asked about Venezuela. zcomm.org Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodriguez, formerly of Torino Economics, answered a few questions of mine about his country. He was the economic adviser to Henri Falcon, the second place finisher in the May 2018 presidential election. His updated estimate for 2019 is that Venezuela's real GDP will contract by 25% . That's horrific, but less severe Read more…

Paul Dobson (2019-12-16). ALBA Summit: Venezuela Promises to Relaunch PetroCaribe in 2020. venezuelanalysis.com Heads of state also pledged to bolster various regional social programs including the Miracle Mission and Latin American Medical Schools.

Joe Emersberger (2019-12-15). 128 Reuters articles on Bolivia since October 20, 2019 election with no mention of expert criticism of OAS audit UPDATED. zcomm.org Bolivia ¥s foreign minister says Mexico appeal to International Court 'a mistake' Bolivia's YPFB strikes transition deal with Petrobras to extend natural gas exports Bolivia is not a Mexican colony, acting foreign minister Longaric tells El Pais Mexico says Spanish diplomats' cars blocked by Bolivia at La Paz embassy Mexico appeals to international court as diplomatic Read more…

Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-11). Venezuela Oil Production Continues Slow Recovery. venezuelanalysis.com According to state oil company PDVSA, production is again approaching one million barrels per day.

Paul Dobson (2019-12-09). Venezuela's Civilian Militia Surpasses Target, Reaches 3.3 Million Members. venezuelanalysis.com The body is due to be legally incorporated into the Armed Forces as a "combat unit."

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-05). Venezuela: Guaido Embattled as Opposition Splits over New Corruption Scandal. venezuelanalysis.com The latest scandal has further called into doubt Guaido's credibility as leader of the opposition.

Lucas Koerner (2019-12-04). TIAR Countries Blacklist Top Venezuelan Officials as US Slaps New Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Venezuela of "hijacking" mass anti-neoliberal protests in "our own backyard."

Ricardo Vaz (2019-12-04). Red Cross Chief: Venezuela Aid Being Politicized to 'Destabilize the Country'. venezuelanalysis.com Francesco Rocca slammed the underfunding of aid programs as a problem of "political will."

Paul Dobson (2019-12-02). Venezuela's PDVSA Secures Temporary Lease Extension for Curacao Refinery. venezuelanalysis.com Despite the extension, refinery owners are looking to end the 34-year cooperation under pressure from US sanctions.

Boaventura de Sousa Santos (2019-12-02). Ecuador: From the middle of the world to the end of the world. zcomm.org Demonstration in Quito Ecuador, by Fabiana Lando/Shutterstock.com As its very name suggests, Ecuador is geographically located in the middle of the world. And now, from all appearances, neoliberalism has decided to carry out its end-of-the-world maneuvers in this country. That is perhaps the reason it is coming to the realization that the Ecuadorean people are Read more…

Lucas Koerner (2019-11-28). US Vows to 'Reinforce' Sanctions, Accuses Venezuela and Cuba of Stirring Regional 'Strife'. venezuelanalysis.com Elliott Abrams reiterated support for Guaido and denied that sanctions are damaging the Venezuelan economy.

Paul Dobson (2019-11-25). Venezuela Unveils First Gold Processing Complex in Mining Arc. venezuelanalysis.com While already operational, the complex will reportedly be the 5th largest in the continent upon completion.

Lucas Koerner (2019-11-21). Colombia's US Ambassador Advocates 'Covert Actions' Against Venezuela in Leaked Audio. venezuelanalysis.com Top Colombian officials acknowledged failure of regime change in Venezuela and total disarray in Washington.

Paul Dobson (2019-11-18). Venezuelans Protest Bolivia Coup After Diplomatic Break. venezuelanalysis.com The de facto government in La Paz has broken relations with Caracas and recognised Guaido.