Latin America News Round Up – August 11, 2017

As Maduro’s Venezuela Rips Apart, So Does His Military

Aug 8 – “Fugitive Venezuelan soldiers have declared a rebellion against “the murderous tyranny” of the president. Dissident officers have fled the country, seeking asylum. Grenades have been fired at the Supreme Court and, this weekend, assailants under the command of a mutinous captain attacked an army base, making off with weapons.” …read more

Check out these articles, and learn more about the evolving crisis in Venezuela:

Aug 1 – Venezuela in Crisis

Aug 5 – What comes after a farcical “election” in Venezuela

Aug 5 – Could political tension in Venezuela ignite a civil war?

Aug 8 – Venezuela: UN rights chief decries excessive force used against protesters

Aug 9 – U.S. Sanctions Eight More Venezuelans, Including Hugo Chavez’ Brother

 

Mexico’s Deadliest Town. Mexico’s Deadliest Year.

Aug 4 — “He slumped in a shabby white chair, his neck unnaturally twisted to the right. A cellphone rested inches away, as if he had just put it down. His unlaced shoes lay beneath outstretched legs, a morbid still life of what this town has become. This was once one of the safest parts of Mexico, a place where people fleeing the nation’s infamous drug battles would come for sanctuary. Now, officials here in Tecomán, a quiet farming town in the coastal state of Colima, barely shrug when two murders occur within hours of each other. It’s just not that uncommon any more.” … read more

 

Brazil’s Clouded Political Horizons

Aug 8 – “Brazil is in a confusing place, with unprecedented voter dissatisfaction but no clear path out of crisis. Markets cheered last week when Congress voted 51 percent to 45 percent not to permit President Temer’s trial on corruption charges. But it was a pyrrhic victory, coming only because of a large number of expensive concessions to deputies, which raised the price of all future votes.”  …read more

 

Read also: Embattled Brazilian President Survives Corruption Charge — For Now

 

Ecuador’s new president shows an independent streak

Aug 10 – “Will Lenín Moreno be his own man? Or will he be the puppet of his forceful predecessor, Rafael Correa? Ecuadoreans have been wondering that since Mr Moreno became president on May 24th. An answer came on August 3rd, when Mr Moreno removed the vice-president, Jorge Glas, from any active role in government.” …read more

 

 

Franklin weakens to tropical storm after making landfall in Mexico

Aug 10 – “Franklin weakened to a tropical storm after it made landfall in eastern Mexico early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said. It hit the eastern coast as a hurricane, threatening to bring torrential rains and strong winds” …read more

 

 

Mysterious Health Issues Drove U.S. Diplomats From Cuba

Aug 10 – “State Department officials are investigating health-related incidents that caused some American diplomats and their families to leave Cuba, but they refused on Thursday to identify any particular country or cause as a source for the ailments.Officials also did not release the number of Americans affected.” …read more

 

 

Why Neymar is different

Aug 9 – “Poor FC Barcelona. Four summers ago the club outfought all opposition to sign the golden boy of Brazilian football, a 21-year-old known only as Neymar. Details soon emerged of the financial acrobatics used to sign him up: his transfer fee was not €57m ($76m), as advertised to interested parties and tax collectors, but in fact €86m. In the wake of the scandal, Spanish authorities fined the club €5.5m and have charged Sandro Rosell, the club’s president, with misappropriation of funds (he denies all wrongdoing). The player and his parents have also ended up in court (and also deny wrongdoing).” …read more