insurrección

In Mexico, the government’s proposal to build El Zapotillo dam in Jalisco state, has sparked the resistance of local communities and there are already over 200 reports filed by social organizations before the State’s Human Rights Commission.

The people’s protests are not taken into account by the authorities, who demand the communities to immediately abandon the lands to build the dam and accuse the local groups of “politicizing” the conflict.

While the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) of Panama confirmed that there are nearly thirty hydroelectric projects in the country, social organizations are increasing their criticism to the advance of this model.

Panamanian activist Lucía Lasso, from the Alliance for Conservation and Development told Real World Radio that the country’s economic growth has led to an extraordinary increase of the energy demand.

As a result of this, the authorities have promoted a series of hydroelectric projects. There are nearly 150 projects currently operating without proper regulations.

The day has come. Neither the previous conflicts nor the overwhelming propaganda supporting the ‘NO’ option or the rumors of an upcoming catastrophe could change the result. An overwhelming majority- over 60 per cent- voted to support Evo Morales in Sunday’s recall referendum.

Trade agreements with big blocs like the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or with the European Union have experienced a recent boost in Uruguay.

The Second Hemispheric Meeting Against Militarization will take place in La Esperanza municipality, Intibuca department, Honduras, from October 2nd to 6th. Delegates of over twenty countries confirmed their participation.

The activity will be held five years after the first call, held in the Mexican state of Chiapas, in preparation for the Americas Social Forum to be held in Guatemala from October 7th through 12th.
The calling groups believe this is another space of the Americas Social Forum and want this issue to be key in the struggle for emancipation.

Tens of youth will meet at the Paranymph of the University of the Republic in Uruguay on August 9th, to discuss strategies to be considered in the future direction the country should take.

Youth from (trade unions, student unions, civil society) organizations of different parts of the country will participate in this meeting. But the meeting is open to anyone interested in participating.

Several people died in Honduras after an attack against peasants living in Guadalupe Carney community, near Puerto de Trujillo.

According to Prensa Latina news agency, Rafael Alegria, counselor of the Coordinating Committee of Peasant Organizations, said the attack had been carried out by gunmen paid by estate owner Henry Osorto, who claims the property of the lands donated by the municipality, which have been occupied by nearly 560 families for twenty years.

The Latin American banana producers could create a “common front” to force the European Union (EU) to honor its promise of reducing tariffs. The European bloc took a step backwards in the negotiations with Latin American countries and showed its real face under the cooperation mask it uses to promote free trade agreements.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has not finished “repairing the damages” caused by hydroelectric megaprojects, but he is still promoting the building of new projects considered as a “national priority”.

Natalia Landivar from the Food First Information Action Network (FIAN) talked with Real World Radio within the 4th Meeting of the Latin American Network of People Affected by Dams, held in the city of Lorica, Colombia.

A group of neighbors of Cuchilla de Rocha, 40 kilometers off Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, addressed the local authorities to express their rejection to agribusiness and ask for protection from it. Their lands have been surrounded by GM soy plantations.

Real World Radio reported that there has been an expansion of GM soy plantations in areas where vegetables had been traditionally planted. The GM crops have been previously fumigated with glyphosate and other agrotoxics.