Daily Archives: January 3, 2021

2021-01-03: News Headlines

teleSUR, CE (2021-01-03). Ecuador's Leftists Launch Presidential Campaign. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's leftist Centro Democrático has launched its presidential campaign at an event in Quito on Saturday, with an official presentation of candidate Andres Arauz expected in the coming days. | RELATED: | The official event scheduled for Saturday was dialed back in response to recent medical reports on the tests performed on presidential candidate Arauz, who despite substantial improvements in health, may still have Covid-19, havin…

Michael Albert (2021-01-03). Participatory Economics, Ecology, and Anarchism. zcomm.org The following was written for a collection to be entitled Anarquismo contemporáneo y ecología (Contemporary anarchism and ecology) to be published In Chile…

The Grayzone (2021-01-02). Top 12 The Grayzone stories of 2020: From Julian Assange persecution to Bolivia coup defeat, corporate war on free speech to OPCW cover-up. thegrayzone.com 2020 was a chaotic year for the planet. While the Covid-19 pandemic dominated global politics, The Grayzone continued shining a light on the machinations of empire, from the persecution of imprisoned journalist Julian Assange to the defeat of a US-backed coup regime in Bolivia, from the growing corporate war on free speech to the OPCW's scandalous Syria cover-up. Throughout the year, The Grayzone's website had more than 5.24 million views and 2.48 million unique visitors. Our small, independently funded team …

teleSUR, CE (2021-01-02). Taekwondo or Ballot Box: President Maduro Ready to Battle Opposition. telesurenglish.net The President of Venezuela is opting for prudence as the transition of power prepares to take place in the United States and as lobbying by extremists aims to continue the policies of hate and genocide towards Venezuela, namely the cruel economic sanctions (unilateral coercive measures) affecting all of the Venezuelan people in many areas of daily life. | RELATED: | President Nicolas Maduro joined Spanish journalist and professor, Ignacio Ramonet for…

Online News Editor (2021-01-02). Píllaro's devils dance in virtual challenge to the pandemic. laprensalatina.com Quito, Jan 1 (efe-epa).- The devils of Píllaro, an Ecuadorian city nestled in the heart of the country's Andes mountains, stepped out on Friday to dance, in a virtual challenge to the coronavirus pandemic, which has also threatened the traditional New Year's celebration. The celebration, which involves people wearing giant devil masks dancing in the …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-02). Erika Farías on strengthening the Bolivarian Revolution amid the blockade. peoplesdispatch.org Erika Farías, mayor of Caracas, Venezuela, spoke to Peoples Dispatch about the challenges of sustaining the Bolivarian process amid the blockade and the efforts by the Venezuelan government to further build the revolution…

teleSUR (2021-01-02). Bolivia's Coup Regime Policies Led to Worst Economy in Decades. telesurenglish.net Flagrant mismanagement of the Bolivian economy during the coup dictatorship of Jeanine Añez was catastrophic, according to year end figures. The economy sank to alarming levels under improvised coronavirus measures, as the regime enforced a near-total paralysis of activities as it scrambled to organize a response. | RELATED: | According to data from the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)…

teleSUR (2021-01-01). Over 52% of Ecuadoreans Fell Into Poverty in 2020. telesurenglish.net United Nations Children's Fund Office (UNICEF) in Ecuador warned of the increase in poverty indicators as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting a total of 3.2 million new poor people in 2020. | RELATED: | The UN agency noted that 1.8 million people lived in poverty while extreme poverty conditions reached 1.4 million people. Low-income families with children were impacted the most by the pandemic. | Between Dec.

Online News Editor (2021-01-01). Pandemic casts pall over New Year's in Brazil. laprensalatina.com Rio de Janeiro, Jan 1 (efe-epa).- Brazilians welcomed 2021 on Friday without the typical raucous celebrations, ruled out by authorities as Covid-19 deaths continue to mount at a rate of more a thousand a day. Rio de Janeiro scrapped the world-renowned seaborne fireworks extravaganza that in previous years drew more than 2 million people to …

Online News Editor (2021-01-01). Peruvians look to dispel negative energy of pandemic-plagued 2020. laprensalatina.com By Carla Samon Ros Lima, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Hoping to leave behind the evils of 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed nearly 38,000 lives, Peruvians faithful to the ways of their indigenous ancesters are flocking to this capital's Wishes Fair to cleanse their auras and petition the gods for good fortune in 2021. …

teleSUR (2021-01-01). Venezuela Announces Return of 7+7 Quarantine. telesurenglish.net Venezuelans are resuming, as of this Monday, the conscious and voluntary quarantine under the 7+7 scheme, according to an announcement from today by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. | RELATED: | A total of 437 new cases of COVID-19, all of which were community transmitted, were detected in the last 24 hours of 2020 by Venezuelan health authorities, bringing the total number of infections to 113,558, while the rate…

teleSUR (2021-01-01). Venezuela: Opposition-Controlled Parliament To Fade Next Week. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's new Parliament will elect its Board of Directors on January 5, thus renewing the Legislative branch that has promoted foreign aggression and economic sanctions against the country over the last five years. | RELATED: | Since its installation in Jan. 2016, the outgoing opposition-controlled National Assembly advanced an agenda aimed at delegitimizing President Nicolas Maduro's administration and supporting for…

Alan MacLeod (2021-01-01). Fingers point to U.S.-backed Gov't in Colombia's ninetieth massacre of the Year. mronline.org "The Trump administration waged a full scale campaign to undermine Colombia's peace accords. We must not waste our time hoping the Biden administration might reverse course, we must demand it." — James Jordan, Alliance for Global Justice…

teleSUR, CE (2021-01-01). Colombia Ends the Year 2020 with 91st Massacre. telesurenglish.net Seven people were killed and one person was injured in the Colombian city of Buenaventura, the Valle del Cauca department, on the night of the 30th/morning of the 31st of December, in the 91st massacre of the year 2020. | RELATED: | According to authorities, this was a case of settling of accounts by criminal gangs that are disputing the territory. The mayor of Buenaventura, Mauricio Aguirre Obando, stated that…

teleSUR (2021-01-01). Mexico's President Proposes Plebiscite on Safe Abortion Bill. telesurenglish.net Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) proposed to hold a plebiscite on safe abortion so "women can decide what is best for them." | RELATED: | "Such a measure should not be taken by an authority, nor the Church. Women must be heard. It is in their hands whether a Safe Abortion bill is drafted," he assured. | AMLO made the statements one day after Argentina passed the Safe Abortion Law. On a broadcast messa…

teleSUR, CE (2021-01-01). Colombia: First Ex-Combatant Killed in 2021, Yolanda Zabala Mazo. telesurenglish.net The year begins in Colombia with the painful news of the killing of Peace Accords signer Yolanda Zabala Mazo and her sister Reina Zabala Mazo, in Briceño, Antioquia. Yolanda was carrying out her reincorporation process at the Territorial Spaces for Training and Reincorporation (ETCR) of Plancha, Anorí, Antioquia. | RELATED: | Yolanda and Reina, 22 and 17 years old respectively, were murdered in the early morning Friday, January 1st, making Yola…

teleSUR (2021-01-01). Peruvian Govt. Promises Actions Against Police Brutality. telesurenglish.net Peru's Interior Minister Jose Elice Thursday assured authorities would radically reform the National Police after three people were killed due to police brutality during farmworkers' protests against the new Agrarian Law. | RELATED: | His announcement occurred after a picture of a police officer using a firearm to suppress protests went viral on social media. | "We cannot be sure that the policeman photographed is responsible for the deaths a…

Tom Phillips (2021-01-01). Argentina Legalizes Abortion in Landmark Moment for Women's Rights. zcomm.org The victory is the result of five years of mass protest marches by Argentina's grassroots women's movement, which began as a Twitter campaign against gender violence…

Cecilia Nowell (2021-01-01). Argentina's Decades-Long Fight to Legalize Abortion Ends in Victory. thenation.com Argentina's Decades-Long Fight to Legalize Abortion Ends in Victory…

Online News Editor (2020-12-31). Covid-19 vaccination still weeks away in hard-hit Brazil. laprensalatina.com By Alba Santandreu Sao Paulo, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Brazil, which is second only to the United States in deaths from Covid-19, is entering 2021 without a firm date for the arrival of vaccines amid numbers indicating that the dreaded second wave of the pandemic has arrived. Mass vaccination is already underway in several Latin American …

teleSUR, CE (2020-12-31). President Arce Encourages Use of Traditional Indigenous Medicine. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's government is encouraging the use of traditional medicine, in addition to more orthodox approaches, as a means to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the country prepares for the arrival of the Sputnik V vaccine acquired from Russia. | RELATED: | President Luis Arce noted the benefits reported by Bolivians in rural areas, many of which experienced no major COVID-19 outbreak, in contrast with the city of Santa…

teleSUR (2020-12-31). Mexico Is Set to Receive Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine in March. telesurenglish.net Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) Wednesday informed that his country will receive the first doses of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine made by the United Kingdom-based AstraZeneca company and the Oxford University. | RELATED: | On Tuesday, the U.K. approved Mexico and Argentina to use the vaccine to immunize their people. Four months ago, British authorities also allowed both countries to produce the drug and distribute it in…

Online News Editor (2020-12-31). Brazil suffers 1,194 Covid deaths, largest one-day toll in 4 months. laprensalatina.com Rio de Janeiro, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Over the past 24 hours, Brazil has registered 1,194 deaths from Covid-19, the highest one-day death toll from the coronavirus since Sept. 1, when 1,215 people died. The total number of Covid-19 deaths in the South American giant is now approaching 194,000, according to figures released Wednesday by the …

teleSUR (2020-12-31). Venezuela: Top Court Supports New Parliament's Inauguration. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Supreme Court (TSJ) Wednesday ruled to void a legislative reform submitted by opposition lawmakers of the outgoing Parliament, which sought to prevent the inauguration of a new legislative period set to begin on January 5. | RELATED: | The TSJ ruling responds to an appeal requesting a mandate extension of the 2015 Parliament which is currently in contempt and is set to end with the installation in…

_____ (2020-12-31). The Death Of Democracy In Brazil. popularresistance.org The dismantling of Brazil's democracy, which culminated in the jailing of former president Lula Da Silva as he looked certain to be reelected, is the subject of a new English-language investigative podcast. | Cícero Ezequiel Filho lay beneath the sweltering sun of Brazil's capital, Brasilia. He wore khaki shorts, John Lennon glasses and a long white beard, which stretched far below his chin and over a red long-sleeved shirt with the face of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the front. | When I met him in August 2018, Cícero had been outside Brazil's Supreme Court for two weeks. He refused to eat until…

teleSUR (2020-12-31). Putin Highlights Strategic Partnership with Venezuela in 2020. telesurenglish.net The Foreign Ministry of the Eurasian country highlighted the Russian-Venezuelan strategic partnership, thanks to the interest of Presidents Nicolas Maduro and Vladimir Putin. | The Russian Head of State expressed his hope to continue the joint work, the development of bilateral relations and to coordinate efforts in the international arena. | RELATED: | In early December 2020, President Nicolas Maduro…

Eds. (2020-12-31). When Bolivians defeated U.S. imperialism with democracy. mronline.org The resounding victory of the MAS presidential ticket in the elections held on October 18 came after a year of struggle against the U.S.-backed coup regime.

Vijay Prashad (2020-12-31). The Future Will Only Contain What We Put into It Now. dissidentvoice.org Image in homage of Bolivian people's resistance by Tings Chak (China) Towards the end of November, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres addressed the German Bundestag to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN). At the heart of the UN is its Charter, the treaty that binds nations together in a global project, …

Stephen Lendman (2020-12-31). The Great 2020 Seasonal Flu/Influenza Disappearing Act. globalresearch.ca According to the WHO, seasonal flu/influenza practically disappeared this year in the southern hemisphere. | "In tropical South America, there were no influenza detections…" | "Globally… influenza activity remained at lower levels than expected for this time of the year." | Lower …

teleSUR (2020-12-31). Officials from Bolivia's Coup Regime Will Be Put on Trial. telesurenglish.net Bolivian authorities will investigate members of Jeanine àÅñez's executive, involved in these acts of corruption in the middle of the quarantine against the pandemic, Minister of Justice Iván Lima assured. | RELATED: | The official pointed out there is no documentation to withstand such acquisitions, about which some processes remain open, such as one referring to the purchase of some 300 defective respirators.

Sophia Seawell (2020-12-31). 7 Ways Women of Colour Resisted Racism This Year. commondreams.org Women are leading anti-racist activism around the world, from Black Brazilians running for election to Germany's migrant rights movement. #12DaysofResistance | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1229482477.jpg

teleSUR (2020-12-31). President Duque Authorizes First Fracking Project in Colombia. telesurenglish.net The Association Against Fracking in Colombia rejected a US$ 76 million contract signed between the National Hydrocarbons Agency (NHA) and the Colombian oil company Ecopetrol to start fracking practices in the country. | RELATED: | Once the environmental licenses are obtained, Ecopetrol will launch the Kale project which will use the hydraulic fracking technique in Puerto Wilches, in the Santander department. | Drilling wil…

teleSUR (2020-12-31). Ecuador: 799 Observers to Monitor the 2021 Elections. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) approved 799 people who will participate as national observers to the elections set to take place on Feb. 7. | RELATED: | CNE officials noted that 789 citizens, two foreigners residing in the country, and eight Ecuadorians residing abroad, were selected as observers, while 139 media were qualified as electoral promotion providers. | A plan was also approved for the "out-of-country voting…

_____ (2020-12-31). US Blockade Prevents Venezuela From Funding COVAX. popularresistance.org Venezuela's Health Minister Carlos Alvarado on Sunday said that the economic blockade imposed by the United States is preventing his country from funding the COVAX initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO). | He recalled that his country offered to place US$18 million into the COVAX fund, but as a result of the U.S. blockade, Venezuela has not "been able to free those resources to pay the fund." | Alvarado added that the U.S. sanctions have affected other vaccination programs previously conducted through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) revolving fund. | "We have not been able to pay the re…

Online News Editor (2020-12-31). Argentinian government expects rapid implementation of abortion law. laprensalatina.com Buenos Aires, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Argentina will rapidly implement the newly approved law to legalize abortion to ensure greater reproductive rights reach women in the Latin American country, a top government official has said. Vilma Ibarra, the legal and technical secretary of the Argentinian government, said the preparatory stage for the amendment of the law …

news.un (2020-12-31). Argentina: 'Ground-breaking' new abortion law crucial to ending gender discrimination — UN experts. news.un.org The year drew to a close in Argentina with "a ground-breaking law" that legalizes abortions up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, in a move that independent UN rights experts called on Thursday, "a crucial step in eliminating discrimination against women and girls".

RT (2020-12-30). Bolivia signs contract to purchase 2.6mn doses of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com Bolivia has become the third Latin American nation to strike an agreement with Russia's Direct Investment Fund for supplies of its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19. Under the deal, Bolivia will receive 2.6 million doses. | The contract between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Bolivia's Health Supply Center (CEASS) was signed during a videoconference, which was also attended by Bolivian President Luis Arce. | The president praised Sputnik V in a Twitter

RT (2020-12-30). Bolivia signs contract to purchase 2.6 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com Bolivia has become the third Latin American nation to strike an agreement with Russia's Direct Investment Fund for supplies of its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19. Under the deal, La Paz will receive 2.6 million doses. | The contract between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Bolivia's Health Supply Center (CEASS) was signed during a videoconference, in which Bolivian President Luis Arce took part. | The president praised Sputnik V in a Twitter

Online News Editor (2020-12-30). Coronavirus vaccination gets under way in Argentina. laprensalatina.com Buenos Aires, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- Health care workers were at the head of the line Tuesday as Argentina began Covid-19 vaccination using Sputnik V, developed by Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute, amid concerns about a second wave of infections in the South American country that has already lost nearly 43,000 lives to Covid-19. "It is a …

teleSUR (2020-12-30). Chile Confirms Its First Case of the UK COVID-19 Strain. telesurenglish.net Chile's Health Under-Secretary Paula Daza Tuesday confirmed one case of British COVID-19 variant. | RELATED: | The new strain (SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01) was detected in a Chilean woman who arrived in the country on December 22 from Spain. She had previously traveled to London and Dubai. | The woman, who is asymptomatic, was quarantined in the city of Panguipulli located in the Los Rios region, along with her closest contacts. | Daza al…

Anya Parampil (2020-12-30). An exclusive look inside Iran's supermarket in Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil visits Megasis, an Iranian supermarket which recently opened in Caracas, Venezuela, and explores cooperation between Tehran and Caracas against the US economic blockade. The Grayzone's Anya Parampil provides an exclusive look inside a superstore which the US government and corporate media have condemned and attempted to link to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. She also speaks with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza about how increased cooperation between Tehran and Caracas is improving the material …

teleSUR (2020-12-30). Brazil: Bolsonaro's Remarks Targeting Rousseff Spark Critics. telesurenglish.net Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016) on Tuesday condemned spiteful comments made by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who discarded acts of torture committed against her during the dictatorship's rule (1964-1985). | RELATED: | Previously, through a video posted on social networks, Bolsonaro cast doubts on acts of torture committed against Rousseff during her years of imprisonment and requested an X-ray sho…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-30). Abortion legalization marks historic win for feminist movements in Argentina. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands who had gathered in front of the Argentine Congress erupted in mass celebrations as the Senate voted in favor of the Bill approving the voluntary termination of pregnancy…

teleSUR (2020-12-30). Peruvian Workers Are Dissatisfied With the New Agrarian Law. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of Peruvians Wednesday blocked the Pan-American highway in the Viru province to reject the new agricultural law. | RELATED: | They deployed vehicles, rocks, and torches on the highway to demand the law to establish a wage increase for the agricultural sector. | The new law, which was passed by Congress on Tuesday, "does not consider our needs. Protests and roadblocks will continue until our demands are con…

Staff (2020-12-30). Argentina Passes Bill to Legalize Abortion. truthout.org Thousands of women gathered in Buenos Aires erupted with joy early Wednesday after Argentina's Senate voted to approve legislation that would legalize abortion, the culmination of a The bill permitting elective abortions up to the 14th week of a pregnancy passed by a vote of 38 to 29, and President Alb…

teleSUR (2020-12-30). Bolivia Will Acquire 5.2 Million Doses of the Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Bolivia becomes the third country in the region to acquire the Russian vaccine Sputnik V for free in its population. | The Government of Bolivia signed this Wednesday an agreement with Russia to acquire 5.2 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus. | RELATED: | During the signing ceremony of the agreement, carried out via videoconference, President Luis Arce stated that the acquisition of the…

Online News Editor (2020-12-30). Argentina waiting tensely to learn if Senate approves abortion law. laprensalatina.com By Rodrigo Garcia Buenos Aires, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- Argentines are waiting with bated breath in the coming hours to find out whether the Senate approves a bill legalizing abortion up until the 14th week of pregnancy, which although it is being supported by the government is sparking differences between government backers and the political opposition, …