(2021-02-06). Incarcerated and at COVID's mercy: New York must do more for elderly imprisoned people. mronline.org 
COVID-19 is now raging uncontrolled throughout the United States. New variants that are more easily transmitted have entered the country from the U.K., Brazil and South Africa. Vaccine is scarce.
(2021-02-06). Ecuador's historic election explained: Inside the Citizens' Revolution. thegrayzone.com Ben Norton traveled to Ecuador to report on the historic February 7 election, which pits a wealthy US-backed right-wing banker against a left-wing economist who pledges to continue the socialist Citizens' Revolution launched by former President Rafael Correa. In this dispatch, working-class Ecuadorians explain why they support leftist candidate Andrés Arauz and oppose the repressive Washington-allied government of Lenín Moreno. QUITO, ECUADOR — The South American nation of Ecuador is currently suffering through its worst economic crisis in decades. Poverty …
(2021-02-06). Biden Administration Rules Out Maduro Talks, Pledges Support for Guaido. venezuelanalysis.com State Department Spokesperson Ned Price indicated that the Biden White House will not change tack in its predecessor's Venezuela foreign policy.
(2021-02-06). Lessons From The November 2019 U.S.-Backed Coup In Bolivia. popularresistance.org In October of 2020, the Movement Towards Socialism (acronymed MAS in Spanish) returned to power 11 months after the U.S.-backed far-right coup regime of Jeanine àÅñez ousted Evo Morales and his government during Bolivia's November 2019 elections. The MAS party restored majority control over Bolivia's legislature, and MAS candidate Luis Arce won the presidential election by a landslide victory, earning about 55% of the vote against the two main anti-MAS candidates, center-right ex-president Carlos Mesa (who received almost 29%) and far-right Luis Camacho (who received only 14%). | The right-wing opposition h…
(2021-02-06). Canceling their own? NYT's lead Covid-19 reporter resigns after reprimand for use of 'N-word' fails to appease co-workers. rt.com 
Donald McNeil Jr., the New York Times' top reporter on the Covid-19 pandemic, has resigned after management's decision not to fire him for innocuously using the "N-word" left many staffers at the newspaper "outraged and in pain." | The episode began when a student on a Times-sponsored trip to Peru in 2019 asked McNeil whether he thought her classmate should be suspended for using a racial slur on a video made years earlier. The reporter, who was on the trip as an expert to inform the students, repeated the slur when asking the girl about the context in which it had been used. | Allegations regarding McNeil's c…
(2021-02-06). Ecuador's Left Is Back. popularresistance.org Since the beginning of the right-wing turn by Moreno's government and the political persecution of the key leaders of the Citizen Revolution—most notably Rafael Correa and Jorge Glas—countless attempts have been made to prevent the participation in the elections of either Correa himself or any other political leader affiliated to his movement. | This has included preventing the registration of the Citizen Revolution Movement as a political party, a ban on the Fuerza Compromiso Social (FCS) electoral movement used by them to run in the 2019 local elections, a ban on Correa running as a vice-presidentia…
(2021-02-06). [Obituary] Tabaré Vázquez. thelancet.com Former President of Uruguay and oncologist. Born on Jan 17, 1940, in Montevideo, Uruguay, he died from lung cancer there on Dec 6, 2020, aged 80 years.
(2021-02-06). New coronavirus variants cause concern in Spain. yenisafak.com While the peak of Spain's third wave appears to have passed, new variants are causing unease as Madrid confirmed Spain's first ever case of the Brazil variant on Friday.Spain has now detected all three of the variants that have alarmed health officials worldwide.The mutant virus was detected in a 44-year-old man who had flown into the Madrid airport from Brazil. He presented a negative PCR test upon arrival on Jan. 29, but officials gave him a rapid test and discovered he was contagious.After sequencing the virus, scientists can now confirm that he was carrying the variant, which some studies suggest increases th…
(2021-02-05). Are we not all in search of tomorrow. mronline.org 
Money floods the system, eats into the loyalties of politicians, corrupts the institutions of civil society, and shapes the narratives of the media. It matters that the dominant classes in our world own the main communications outlets and that these outlets shape the way people decipher the world around us.
(2021-02-05). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide and Rule to Get Its Way in South America. counterpunch.org 
Guyana's government used money from ExxonMobil "to meet the estimated cost in 2018 of presenting Guyana/Venezuela controversy at the International Court of Justice including payment of legal fees." In mid-2020, the Guyanese paper Kaieteur News' senior reporter Kiana Wilburg broke the story that the World Bank had paid $1.2 million to Hunton Andrews Kurth, a law firm long associated with ExxonMobil, to revise Guyana's petroleum laws.
(2021-02-05). Ecuador: US-Backed Gov't Scrambles to Privatize the Central Bank Before Elections. mintpressnews.com An emergency law dubbed the Humanitarian Support Organic Law would "lockdown" Ecuador's central bank, siphon it from the public sector, and place its financial sovereignty at the whims of private interests under the guise of saving the country from de-dollarization.
(2021-02-05). The Struggle Inside Senator Mitch McConnell's Brain. counterpunch.org Since 2015, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled the Senate with an iron hand, describing himself as "the Guardian of Gridlock." He was Senator "NO," except for confirming over 200 mostly corporatist federal judges. Now comes a new challenge for Mitch McConnell as he leads 49 other Republican Senators, twenty of whom are up
(2021-02-05). Open Letter From 40+ Economists Regarding Ecuador and the Dollar. commondreams.org Not only has leading presidential candidate Andr√©s Arauz emphasized that he is committed to maintaining the dollar as the national currency, he and his party have a long track record of taking strong measures to make sure that dollarization did not come under threat. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/ecuador_1.jpg …
(2021-02-05). Paraguay: UN rights chief calls for 'prompt, independent' probe into girl deaths and disappearance. news.un.org Following the disappearance in Paraguay of a teenage girl and killing of two 11-year-olds, the UN human rights chief has expressed her deep concern, also noting on Friday other disturbing elements of abuse against women and girls, surrounding the cases.
(2021-02-05). Trans persons in Brazil live in fear in deadliest country for that community. laprensalatina.com By Nayara Batschke Sao Paulo, Feb 5 (efe-epa).- Isabella Souza has paid a steep price for being a transgender person in Brazil, having suffered beatings and abuse and feared for her life since she was a young girl. Her experience is one shared by thousands of trans individuals in that South American country, the world's …
(2021-02-05). Colombian artists honor civil violence victims with urban memory museum. laprensalatina.com Bogota, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- They were killed by police or for defending a cause they believed in, and now their faces, painted in vivid colors on the columns of a bridge in Bogota, occupy a place in Colombia's first open-air memory museum. Cars whiz on by on Boyaca Avenue as several street artists, perched on …
(2021-02-05). What you need to know about the upcoming Ecuadorian elections. peoplesdispatch.org On February 7, 13 million Ecuadorians will vote for the next president of the country. A record number of 16 candidates are contesting in the presidential elections. The country has been submerged in a social, economic and political crisis due to misgovernance of President Lenin Moreno.
(2021-02-04). 'Right-Wing Media Attack Arauz to Halt His Victory' Expert Say. telesurenglish.net Argentine political scientist Atilio Boron on Wednesday denounced that the Latin American mainstream media is harassing Andres Arauz in an attempt to prevent his victory in the Ecuadorian presidential elections on February 7. | RELATED: | On Monday, for instance, the Buenos Aires outlet Clarin reported that the leftist candidate got the Sputnik V vaccine in Argentina last month. | "The information is based on uni…
(2021-02-04). Uruguay Detects the Brazilian COVID-19 Strain in Its Territory. telesurenglish.net Uruguay's Pasteur Institute biologist Lucia Spangenberg on Thursday confirmed the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 strain "P.2". | RELATED: | The researchers analyzed samples from eleven COVID-19 positive patients, five of whom were identified with the P.2 variant. | The strain has more presence in Brazil's State Rio Grande do Sul that borders the Artigas, Rivera, and Rocha departments where the survey was conducted. | Uruguayan…
(2021-02-04). Chile Launches Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign. telesurenglish.net Chile's Health Minister Enrique Paris Wednesday reported that over 140,000 people received the COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the mass vaccination campaign. | RELATED: | Among those who received the first dose, there were 23,942 people over 90 years old, 66 percent of whom were women. | National Service for Minors' officials, health workers, and students in practice were also vaccinated. | From Feb. 8 to 1…
(2021-02-04). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide And Rule To Get Its Way. popularresistance.org Tensions rise between neighboring Guyana and Venezuela over a piece of land that has been disputed since at least 1835. Both Guyana's President Irfaan Ali and Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro have exchanged sharp words about the status of the Essequibo region, which both countries claim. Since 1990, the two countries have pursued their claims through a United Nations "good offices" process; as recently as 2013, President Maduro and Guyana's then-President Donald Ramotar said that the discussions over Essequibo were "going well" under this UN framework. | Everything changed in 2015, and since then the tensions…
(2021-02-04). Brazilian footballer slapped with 8-game ban for stripping and waving genitals at rivals while celebrating goal. rt.com 
Brazilian winger Emerson Carioca has been handed an eight-game ban for violating disciplinary protocol after his bizarre naked goal celebrations sparked an on-pitch riot in December. | The 25-year-old, who until recently played for Sampaio Correa, netted a winner against Marica, sending his team into the the Carioca Championship. | But Carioca's wild celebrations took…
(2021-02-04). Two S. Africa, one Brazil variant detected in Turkey. yenisafak.com Two Turkish citizens have contracted the South African variant of the coronavirus while one has contracted the Brazilian variant, the country's health minister said Wednesday.Moreover, 196 cases of the UK virus strain have been detected in the country, Fahrettin Koca said.The patients have been isolated, he added.In the wake of rising cases once again, the measures against the pandemic will continue full throttle, he said.The vaccination of citizens over 65 and the second group will commence after safety tests are completed, Koca said.So far, 2.4 million people in the country have been vaccinated with vaccination…
(2021-02-04). Ecuador: Presidential Elections Could Bring Back The Citizens' Revolution. popularresistance.org On February 7, Ecuador will hold elections for President and for its legislative body, with 137 positions to be decided for the National Assembly. Though 16 presidential candidates participated in the debates, there are three major candidates. Andrés Arauz and his vice presidential candidate, Carlos Rabascall, represent La Unión por la Esperanza (The Union of Hope, UNES), what was Alianza País led by former president Rafael Correa before the party split in 2017. Guayaquil banker Guillermo Lasso and Alfredo Borrero are the candidates for the conservative alliance Creando Oportunidades (Creating Opportunities, CREO…
(2021-02-04). Inventing reality: Venezuela's parliamentary election. greenleft.org.au The bare minimum the Western mainstream media could do is report accurately on Venezuela's recent parliamentary election, writes Rodrigo Acuna. Once again they have failed.
(2021-02-04). More than 100 Chilean women pregnant due to negligence, abortion impediments. laprensalatina.com By Patricia Nieto Santiago, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Estefany Cavieres, 28, is quite familiar with the signs of pregnancy. Your abdomen and your breasts hurt, you feel nauseous and tired. So, when she felt those feelings, she was sure: she was one of the 111 Chilean women who had gotten pregnant because of defective birth control …
(2021-02-04). Venezuela: Opposition, Colombian Leaders Allegedly Involved in Foiled Terror Plot. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Venezuelan authorities have reportedly dismantled a terrorist plan. | National Assembly President …
(2021-02-04). Venezuela Frees Guyanese Who Fished Illegally in Its Territory. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MPPRE) on Wednesday announced the release of 12 Guyanese fishermen who were arrested on Jan. 23 for illegal fishing in Venezuelan waters. | RELATED: | The decision comes after the mediation of Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago governments and it is a sign of Venezuela's commitment to regional stability and good coexistence. | MPPRE reite…
(2021-02-04). Ecuador: European Observer Expects Smooth Election Day. telesurenglish.net European Left Party Vice-President Maite Mola believes that the problems between the National Electoral Council (CNE) and the Electoral Disputes Tribunal (TCE) will not affect the transparency of the presidential elections to be held in Ecuador on February 7. | RELATED: | She considers that the quality of the democratic process should be guaranteed by both the boards where citizens cast their vote and 24 provincial b…
(2021-02-04). Dirty campaign intensifies against progressive candidate Andrés Arauz. peoplesdispatch.org Several members of the progressive Union for Hope (UNES) alliance, including its presidential candidate Andrés Arauz, former president Rafael Correa, among others, are denouncing that plans to suspend the February 7 general elections are underway in Ecuador…
(2021-02-04). Brazil: Vale Pays $7 Billion Fine Over Brumadinho Dam Collapse. telesurenglish.net Brazilian mining company Vale will pay the equivalent of about $7 billion for "social and environmental" damages caused by the rupture, in January 2019, of a mining waste dam in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, which left 270 dead. | The agreement between the parties contemplates the value "in socio-economic and socio-environmental reparation projects." According to the government of Minas Gerais, the "largest reparation agreement signed so far in Latin America." | The clauses stipulate, among other points, that Vale, one of the largest iron ore producers in the world, must disburse these amounts in direct aid to tho…
(2021-02-03). What Explains COVID's East-West Divide? counterpunch.org 
COVID-19 has been ruthless in choosing winners and losers around the world. The obvious "losers" have been those countries led by right-wing nationalists: Brazil, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, and (until recently) the United States. These five countries are responsible for more than half of the world's coronavirus infections and nearly half the deaths. Just
(2021-02-03). Soup kitchens cry out for aid to feed hungry amid Peru quarantine. laprensalatina.com By Carla Samon Ros Lima, Feb 3 (efe-epa).- The announcement of a new quarantine came like a "bucket of cold water" in Peru's most disadvantaged communities, where the local soup kitchens are trying desperately to feed the public amid the coronavirus pandemic as everyone waits for the authorities to come to the rescue. In the …
(2021-02-03). Corrupt firm funded by right-wing candidate will produce Ecuador election exit polls. thegrayzone.com Ecuador's top TV network will broadcast exit polls of the upcoming February 7 presidential election by a notoriously corrupt polling firm CEDATOS, which was funded by the main right-wing candidate. On the eve of the presidential election in Ecuador on February 7, observers are warning of a series of anti-democratic actions targeting the country's left-wing Citizens' Revolution movement. Ecuador's most-watched TV network is relying on a notoriously corrupt and politicized polling firm called CEDATOS, which works closely with right-wing politicians, …
(2021-02-03). Brazil: transgender murders increased by 41% in 2020. peoplesdispatch.org In 2020, 175 trans women were murdered in Brazil. The figure represents a 41% increase over the previous year. | The data is presented in the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals (Antra) dossier released on Friday, January 29th, the Last year's index is 43.5% above the average recorded since 2008, when monitoring started. There was a 201% increase in such crimes during that period. | Unlike in other year…
(2021-02-03). Major hospital in Chile goes up in flames amid near collapse of public health system. wsws.org The fire that engulfed San Borja Hospital in Santiago, Chile bears the hallmarks of decades of under-resourcing the public health system by both right-wing and "left" governments.
(2021-02-03). What's at Stake in Ecuador's Elections? indybay.org Andrés Arauz is the candidate for President of Union Por La Esperanza. Despite years of repression of the progressive/left, this party allied with former President Rafael Correa has led in all polls over the last month.
(2021-02-03). Guyana, Venezuela & Exxon. counterpunch.org Why is Canada pushing Guyana, an impoverished nation of 800,000, into conflict with Venezuela while helping multinationals grab its oil? Recently Canadian officials criticized Venezuela's position regarding its territorial dispute with Guyana, which sits on the northeastern tip of South America. Soon after the US put out a statement on the century-old dispute, the Canadian High Commission declared "Venezuela's recent