By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Employees at a Venezuelan Pepsi-Cola plant in Caucagua, in the Miranda state were “arbitrarily detained,” according to Polar. Polar, Venezuela’s largest food and drink producer, owns the local Pepsi division. Government inspectors from the Ministry of Labour reportedly visited the plant on Friday and ordered production to restart. The manager, two human resource workers and a lawyer were arrested by police.

A tweet released by Polar late on Sunday said that, “Pepsi-Cola Venezuela managed to obtain full freedom for its Caucagua plant workers who were arbitrarily detained on Friday.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro frequently criticizes Polar and its CEO, Lorenzo Mendoza, of participating in an “Economic War” against the people. Days before the latest National Assembly election, Maduro referred to Mendoza as the “Oligarch of the devil.”

Pepsi, like a number of other products, have been in short supply in Venezuela in recent months. President Maduro accused Mendoza and Polar of purposely slowing down production and hoarding goods.

Mendoza and Polar say that production at the plant ceased due to the unavailability of necessary raw materials, which could not be imported due to Venezuelan currency controls. Maduro’s critics highlight that currency controls and price controls make it near impossible to import machinery and raw materials, or to profit from the production of consumer goods in Venezuela.

 

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Venezuela Food producer Polar says local Pepsi workers freed – 20 December 2015 

BBC – Venezuela releases detained Pepsi workers – 21 December 2015 

Curacao Chronical – Venezuela Food Company Slams Detention of Local Pepsi Workers – 21 December 2015 

HCN Dayton News – Pepsi Employees in Venezuela Detained for Halting Operations Have Been Finally Set Free – 22 December 2015 

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch, South America

 

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s opposition coalition, Democratic Unity, has defeated the Socialist Party in the election for the National Assembly for the first time in 17 years. According to the National Electoral Council’s official results, the coalition won 109 out of 167 seats in the Assembly. Indigenous representatives allied with the coalition won an additional 3 seats. The ruling Socialist party will retain 55 seats.

The supermajority gives the coalition significant power: they can remove Supreme Court justices, pass laws and even draft a new constitution.

The Democratic Unity coalition has said that its first move upon being sworn into office will be to provide amnesty for about 70 opposition members who were jailed following political violence this year. This includes Leopoldo Lopez, whose trial and conviction made headlines worldwide.

Maduro and his supporters are blaming the loss on an “economic war,” swearing to defend the “social gains” implemented by their party over the past decade and a half.

The coalition sees the country’s economy as the biggest issue they will have to face. Venezuela’s current economic situation is considered by some to be “the worst crisis in its history.” Inflation has reached 159%, and unemployment is projected to reach 18.1 % by 2016. Venezuela’s economy has suffered in recent drops in oil prices – which don’t appear to be climbing anytime soon.

“Everything should be aimed at finding a solution to the crisis and toward actions that allow Venezuela to recover economically,” according to Henriques Capriles, leader of the Justice First party, which won the most seats of any part in the coalition.

However, the legislature has limited influence over the economy – most of the control lays with Maduro.

Coalition members have also talked of exploring options to remove Maduro from office, which the legislature could do through a recall election, a constitutional amendment or a complete constitutional overhaul. However many in the coalition, including Capriles, have said that removing Maduro would come only after making strides to solve economic issues.

 

 

For more information, please see:

TeleSur – What to Expect from a Counterrevolutionary National Assembly – 7 December 2015

Venezuela Analysis – Venezuelan Opposition Sweeps Parliamentary Elections – 7 December 2015 

Los Angeles Times – Venezuela socialists’ defeat opens door to friendlier ties with U.S. – 8 December 2015 

New York Times – Opposition in Venezuela Now Has to Fix the Ills that Led to Its Victory – 8 December 2015

Wall Street Journal – Venezuela’s Opposition Secures Supermajority Against Ruling Party – 8 December 2015

Time – These 5 Facts Explain Why Venezuela is in Big Trouble- Still – 11 December 2015 

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador’s National Assembly has passed a constitutional reform to do away with presidential term limits. The move faced widespread criticism throughout the country, especially from members of the opposition. The move is the latest in a pattern of Latin American leaders abolishing term limits – which started with Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. More recently, Nicaragua has constitutionally abolished term limits, while Bolivia is currently considering it.

The Opposition views the move as a threat to democracy because incumbent presidential candidates typically have an easy time getting re-elected. In Quito, protesters gathered outside the National Assembly building. Armed with sticks and rocks, they blocked major intersections with burning tires.

Correra announced that he would not be running for re-election when his term expires in 2017 on November 18, just hours before his party announced that it would back constitutional reforms to eliminate term limits. Correra’s current term will expire in 2017.

At the last minute, lawmakers added language holding off the implementation of the reform until May 24, 2017 – after the next president of Ecuador will be selected. The effect of the modification is that Correra will not be able to run for reelection as the term limits will still be in place at that time.

However, it is thought that after taking a “break,” Correra will most likely run for election again in 2021, at such time he will be able to continuously seek re-election following the expiration of that term.

Analysts have called his decision to step back for a term a “shrewd political move” – as Ecuador currently faces a number of economic issues. Ecuador has had to cut back on spending and increase taxes in recent months due to a fall in oil prices.

Other constitutional measures passed during the vote included the declaration of communications as a public service, the removal of collective bargaining for public employees, and putting the military in charge of domestic security.

 

For more information, please see:

Fusion – Ecuador’s president will take a short break, but don’t worry – he could return as president for life – 19 November 2015

Daily Mail – Ecuador lawmakers vote to end presidential term limit – 3 December 2015

Herald-Whig – Protesters clash with Ecuador cops ahead of term limit vote – 3 December 2015 

New York Times – Ecuador Lawmakers Vote to End Presidential Term Limit – 3 December 2015

TeleSur – Constitutional Amendments Approved in Ecuador – 3 December 2015

TeleSur – Ecuador’s Opposition Responds with Violence – 3 December 2015

TeleSur – UPDATE: Ecuador Lawmakers Debate Constitutional Reforms – 3 December 2015

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government is facing intense scrutiny in the days leading up to the national election following the murder of an opposition leader last Wednesday. Luis Diaz, the Guarico States leader of the Democratic Action party of Guarico State was shot and killed during a public meeting.

Mr. Diaz was on stage with Lilian Tintori, a campaigner and activist. Ms. Tintori is married to opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez whose trial garnered worldwide criticism. It is unknown whether Ms. Tintori was also an intended target of the attack.

Other opposition figures have faced violence in the lead up to the election. Ms. Tintori alleged that she was the victim of at least two attacks, including the dismantling of brakes on a plane used by her team. Henrique Capriles, who lost the 2013 presidential election to Maduro has also been the victim of aggression.

President Maduro’s government has faced international criticisms in the aftermath of the killing, with statements of concern coming from a number of NGO and the United States. In a statement released the day after Diaz’s death, the Director of Amnesty International Venezuela, Marcos Gomez, said that the killing gave a “terrifying view of the state of human rights in Venezuela.”

The Democratic Action party is part of the Democratic Unity coalition, a bloc of opposition parties looking to unseat the Maduro’s Socialist Party. Democratic Action national leader Henry Ramos blames the Socialist party for Diaz’s death.

The Venezuelan government has denounced any connection between the ruling party and the killing, and has said that it would sue opposition leaders blaming the Socialist Party. Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said in a tweet that trying to establish such links was in “bad faith.”

Venezuela has opened an investigation into the killing through the Public Prosecutor’s office. Government officials claim that Mr. Diaz was involve with a violent gang in Guarico, and that the killing was carried out on behest of a rival gang member.

The upcoming elections may be historical – there is a significant chance for the first time in 16 years that the Socialist Party may lose the legislature. In the past year alone, 43 people have died and hundreds have been injured during violence sparked by opposition protests..

 

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – Venezuela: Killing of opposition politician sparks fears of spiraling violence – 26 November 2015

The Guardian – US condemns murder of opposition politician before Venezuela election – 26 November 2015

Reuters – Opposition activist’s murder shakes Venezuela before election – 26 November 2015

Business Insider – Venezuela lashes U.S., opposition amid blame over activist’s slaying – 27 November 2015

Global News – Calls for Venezuela to protect politicians after opposition leader killed – 27 November 2015

UN News Centre – Top UN human rights official calls for more safety after political opponent killing in Venezuela – 27 November 2015

Fox News – Slaying of Venezuelan opposition leader has become flashpoint ahead of elections – 28 November 2015

 

By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BRASILIA, BRAZIL — A report from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights states that the mud and residue unleashed in areas of Brazil earlier this month contains toxic heavy metals and chemicals at high levels. This is in contrast to declarations made by the dam’s owner that the mud released in the collapse did not present a danger to human health and that the water was not contaminated.

The report was authored by special rapporteurs John Knox and Baskut Tuncak. The rapporteurs expressed their concern that information about the toxicity of the disaster took three weeks to surface.

Samarco claims that the levels of metals and chemicals in the water, while high, are below what is considered dangerous. The Brazilian government has also backed the company’s claims that there was no increase in the presence of heavy metals.

However the report, citing data obtained from the town of Baixo Guandu’s water department, describes heavy metal levels that are “several thousand times the acceptable maximum.”

Mr. Tuncak has said that he finds it “difficult to imagine that you would see such high, elevated levels normally – in a region where people are eating fish and drinking the water – and not have major impacts on human health or the environment.”

The dam was located at an iron ore mine owned by Samarco, which is jointly owned by BHP Billton (Anglo-Australian) and Vale (Brazilian). The collapse released 60 million cubic meters of mud and mine waste into the city of Mariana and the Rio Doce.

The initial burst and resulting outpour of mud and waste killed 13 people. A quarter of a million people in the region depend on the river for drinking water, which has been cut off as a result of the incident. Thousands of fish in the river have also died.

The incident has been called Brazil’s worst environmental disaster to date. Brazil’s Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira told reporters that Brazil’s federal and state governments intend to sue Samarco for 20 billion reais ($7.2 billion) in damages.

 

For more information, please see:

Guardian – Mud from Brazil dam disaster is toxic, UN says, despite mine operator denials – 25 November 2015

Wall Street Journal – Brazil Dam’s Failure Flooded Region With Toxic Waste, U.N. Report Says – 25 November 2015

Gaurdian – Arsenic and mercury found in river days after Brazil dam burst – 26 November 2015

Reuters – Mud from Brazil dam burst is toxic, UN says – 26 November 2015

Sydney Morning Herald – Brazil to sue BHP, Vale for $7b in damages for Samarco dam burst – 28 November 2015

Reuters – RPT-UPDATE 2-Brazil to sue BHP, Vale for $5 bln in damages for dam burst – 29 November 2015

Water World – Brazil mine disaster: Doce River transporting “toxic sludge” towards protected habitat, says UN – 30 November 2015