By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is taking a tour through China and several countries in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) this week to rally financial help for his tumbling economy in the wake of sliding oil prices.  Maduro stated that the trip is “very important to take on new projects in the circumstances that our country faces in the depletion of income caused by the drop in oil prices,” in a national broadcast announcing the tour on Sunday.  While Maduro did not say which OPEC countries he was visiting on the tour, he did say that he will work with member companies to formulate a strategy to bring the price of oil back up.

One place Maduro is likely to go on his tour is China.  China is Venezuela’s top financier, almost 50 billion dollars has been loaned to Caracas from China since 2007.  Venezuela supplies more than 500,000 barrels of oil a day to China, about two-thirds of which are repayments under the countries’ oil-for-loans agreement.

Maduro will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit and take part in a meeting between China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Jan. 8-9 in Beijing.

The price of Venezuelan oil, which makes up some 95 percent of its export market, has fallen by more than 50 percent in the past six months, dipping to $46.97, at the end of 2014.  Venezuela unsuccessfully lobbied for OPEC to cut oil output to temper the price plunge in November. Last week Caracas announced the country had officially entered a recession, with annual inflation at 63 percent.

The falling oil prices were not the beginning of Venezuela’s financial woes in 2014.  The country’s problems triggered analysts’ predictions of a default on its external debt.  This past December, Fitch lowered Venezuela’s credit rating to CCC, and Bloomberg estimated a 97 percent chance of default by the end of the year.

While Maduro has slammed default speculation and blamed foreign media for stoking an “economic war,” he has turned the government’s attention to the faltering economy. Last week he announced Caracas wants to reform currency controls to boost foreign reserves. Meanwhile, Maduro’s popularity is plummeting, sinking to a record 22 percent in December, polling firm Datanalasis reported.

Maduro has also accused the US of flooding the markets with oil as part of an economic war against Russia.

The Venezuelan opposition blames the country’s economic crisis and shortages of many staples, such as corn oil and milk, on the socialist policies of Mr Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

For more information, please see:

International Business Times – Venezuela’s Maduro Jets to China, OPEC Countries For Help With Cash-Strapped Economy – 5 Jan. 2015

BBC News – Venezuelan Leader Maduro Seeks Economic Help on Tour – 4 Jan. 2015

Bloomberg – Maduro Travels to China for Financing, Oil Nations for Plan – 4 Jan. 2015

Latin American Herald Tribune – Venezuelan President to Visit China and OPEC Nations – 5 Jan. 2015

by Mridula Tirumalasetti

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—Argentina’s highest court, the Supreme Court, has ruled that a United States citizen who took refuge in Argentina can be extradited back to the United States.

Kurt Sonnenfeld moved to Argentina and started a new life in 2003 after being accused of killing his wife in 2002 and being charged with first degree murder in Denver, Colorado. Prosecutors initially dropped the charges against Sonnenfeld in 2002 due to insufficient evidence. When new charges were filed, Sonnenfeld was arrested and briefly jailed in Argentina. Sonnenfeld has requested political asylum in Argentina.

The Department of Justice and local courts in Argentina have been in dispute over the extradition of Sonnenfeld because of differences over the death penalty. Argentina’s courts have rejected requests from the Department of Justice to extradite Sonnenfeld because the Denver prosecutor’s office could not guarantee Sonnenfeld would not receive the death penalty if convicted in Colorado.

However, the Argentine Supreme Court has been assured by US prosecutors that “the death penalty will not be imposed, or if it were ruled, it will not be exercised in this case.” Further, one judge added that the extradition request was granted on the condition that if Sonnenfeld were to be found guilty, he would be sentenced to life with parole. The judges stated that a sentence of life without parole would violate Argentina’s Constitution. It is not specified within the ruling when the extradition will take place.

Sonnenfeld worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a cameraman and was employed to document the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Sonnenfeld claimed the video footage he collected proved the government knew that the terrorist attacks would happen. He also alleged that the Denver district attorney’s office framed him for the murder of his wife in order to silence him, and that his wife, found dead on 1 January 2002, had actually committed suicide. The Denver prosecutor’s office has denied such allegations. Sonnenfeld also accused the US government of tapping his phone calls, hacking his personal email, and even attempting to kidnap his family. He has written a book about his case, El Perseguido, published it in Spanish, and has made appearances in Argentine news media.

For more information, please see:

The New York Times—Argentina Agrees to Extradite American Who Sought Asylum—2 January 2015

The Denver Post—Argentine court OKs extradition of man facing Denver murder charge—2 January 2015

The Guardian—Argentina agrees to extradite US man charged with wife’s murder—3 January 2015

Buenos Aires Herald—Supreme Court approves extradition of US national—3 January 2015

By Mridula Tirumalasetti

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

LIMA, Peru—At least 5000 people protested in the capital on Monday against a new Peruvian labor law, which discriminates against young people. Protests were held outside of the home of President Ollanta Humala, in downtown Plaza San Martin, and in front of Confiep, which is Peru’s biggest business organization. The peaceful protest has been the third protest against the legislation. The first protest earlier this month became violent as police armed with riot gear and water tanks used tear gas and beat protesters to disperse crowds. Some protesters fought back by throwing sticks and stones, and small Molotov cocktails.

The Youth Employment Law, which has been dubbed “Ley Pulpin” is supported by President Humala and passed by Congress. The law allows for employers to cut employment benefits, such as social security, life insurance, bonuses, and holiday benefits for young employees between the ages of 18 and 24.

The Peruvian government maintains that the new law will not only help reduce youth unemployment, which is four times higher for those aged between 18 and 24 than those between the ages of 30 and 65, but it will also help the poor. Lawmakers believe that because it will be cheaper to employ young people, employers will be more drawn to the idea of hiring new graduates and younger workers. Further, the benefits initially reduced will be incorporated if the employee continues to work for the employer after he or she turns 25.

However, the law has been met with opposition from student groups and labor unions. “We cannot allow the government, through their inaction and the few measures they have taken to reactivate our economy, to claim it has an effect on us young people with this package [law], with these abusive measures that violate the labor rights of the young,” declared Leonardo Rojas, one of the many protesters. Another protester, Marco Agurre said, “Unfortunately the fundamental rights of young people are being assaulted, many young people, this law is affecting all the young people in the country.” Picket signs were used, such as the one protester Cesar Ames used which read, “We are not just university students but also the people, citizens, and hundreds of members of the unions to annul this law and to open it up for debate and a general plan about what the labor law is.”

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has also criticized the new law. The ILO argues that the informal labor sector will not disappear, which is what the Peruvian government has claimed to justify the law.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera—Thousands protests against Peru labour laws—31 December 2014

teleSur—Peruvian Youth to Protest Against New Labor Law—22 December 2014

teleSur—Peruvian Police Attack Youth Labor Rights Protesters—19 December 2014

SkyNews—5,000 protest employment laws in Peru—30 December 2014

Peruvian Times—New Round of Protests Take Off Against Youth Labor Law—30 December 2014

By Mridula Tirumalasetti
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia — Head of the Southern Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and member of the rebel group’s Secretariat, Joaquin Gomez, arrived in Havana this past Sunday to participate in the peace talks between the FARC and the Colombian government. The presence of Gomez during peace negotiations represents “a new gesture of peace from the FARC, expressing our determination to advance toward the signature of the final agreement that will establish a foundation for the Colombia of the future,” according to organization’s peace delegation. The Colombian government issued a statement that confirmed Gomez’s trip to Cuba, which asserted that Gomez’s departure “was carried out according to established protocol and with the express authorization of the President of the Republic.” Gomez joins two other FARC leaders participating in peace negotiations, Pastor Alape and Carlos Lozada, and is the fifth FARC Secretariat member in Havana.

 

Peace talks have been ongoing between the government of Columbia and the FARC since 2012. Although the FARC has declared ceasefires previously, these have been temporary. The FARC declared an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire earlier this month, which would only end if they were to be attacked.The move, which was welcomed by the UN and the European Union, was met with skepticism from the Colombian government. President Juan Manuel Santos called the ceasefire a “gift…full of thorns,” cautioning that the truce was a chance for the FARC to re-arm. The government declared it would not join in the truce. Santos also condemned the attack by the FARC that killed five soldiers in a rural area of western Colombia. He said the soldiers died “defending the security of their fellow Colombians.” In November, the FARC captured Colombian general Ruben Dario Alzate, which halted negotiations and almost derailed the peace talks. However, the General was released unharmed in order to revive negotiations. FARC also captured and recently released a soldier, Carlos Becerra Ojeda.

The Colombian state has been at war with the Marxist group for over 50 years. The FARC, which was formed in 1964, was one of a few guerilla groups that emerged in response to governmental repression of popular progressive movements during the 1950s and 1960s. The Colombian government and the FARC have reached partial deals on the issues of land reform, ending drug trade, and the FARC’s future participation in Colombian politics. However, the issues of victim compensation and ending the armed conflict have not yet been agreed upon.

For more information, please see:

Prensa Latina—In Havana Commander of the South Block of the FARC—29 December 2014

teleSUR—Armed Conflict in Colombia Has Affected 6.8 Mn People—28 December 2014

BBC News—Colombia Farc ceasefire starts after deadly attack—20 December 2014

Reuters—Colombia’s FARC rebels free soldier captured during attack—26 December 2014

The Tico Times—Colombia suspends peace talks with FARC after general kidnapped—16 November 2014

The Tico Times—Southern-bloc FARC chief arrives in Cuba to support peace process—29 December 2014

By Delisa Morris,

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BRASILIA, Brazil–Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has stirred up the wrath of environmentalists by appointing a controversial advocate of agribusiness and weaker forest conservation as her new agriculture minister.

Kátia Abreu, nicknamed the “Chainsaw Queen”, by her enemies, is included in a new cabinet that rewards political allies who supported Rousseff in her recent narrow re-election victory.

Abreu, is a leading figure in the “ruralista” party.  The ruralista party prompted the Brazilian government to weaken Brazil’s forrest code.  In both congressional debates and her newspaper column Abreu has called for more roads through the Amazon.  Abreu has also advocated for congressional control over demarcation of indigenous reserves, more efficient monocultures, and the approval of genetically modified ‘terminator seeds’.

The cabinet post is the first step towards further political gains for Abreu.  Abreu is known as a formidable political operator. In a previous interview the cabinet member expressed a desire to run for president and emulate former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.  Abreu has also said that she wanted to make Brazil the leading agricultural producer in the world.

Abreu says she is an advocate of sustainable development and insists that Brazilian agriculture can overtake the US without any further deforestation.

But her promotion has horrified and outraged many environmental campaigners. In a statement titled “Miss Deforestation is the new agricultural minister,” Greenpeace warned that the Rousseff administration was now set on an alarming course.

“By choosing Katiá Abreu, the president has confirmed that the path the government will take in the coming years will put agribusiness above the environment”, it said, claiming the senator was a leading figure in forest destruction and suppression of the rights of rural workers and indigenous people.

Reinforcing such concerns, the new science and technology minister will be Aldo Rebelo – a man with a reputation as a climate change sceptic. In a tweet posted several years ago, Rebelo used a cold spell in São Paulo to mock claims of global warming and support the Belo Monte hydro electric dam.

“Hello, Sao Paulo, cold in here, huh? Where are the advocates of global warming now? In the shops, buying the last heater … Electric! Long live Belo Monte!”, he said.

For more information, please see:

malaymail – From housewife to senator: Katia Abreu is Brazil’s ‘ranching queen’ – 25 Dec. 2014

the guardian – Brazil’s ‘chainsaw queen’ appointed new agriculture minister – 24 Dec. 2014

Yahoo News – Rise of Brazil’s ranching queen sparks green protests – 24 Dec. 2014

Merco Press – Katia Abreu to become Brazil’s new Minister of Agriculture – 24 Dec. 2014