By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

On Saturday, President Rafeal Correa of Ecuador presented the labor code reforms package, which coincided wight eh 92nd anniversary of the workers massacre in Guayaquil.  President Correa spoke to an audience of about 100,000 people.

In the coastal city of Guayaquil, before more than 100,000 workers, President Rafael Correa presented the final package of reforms to the labor code to the President of the National Assembly Gabriela Rivadeneira.

Carlos Marx Carrasco, minister of labor relations spoke about Ecuador’s labor reforms, following the massive show of support.

“Of course, these reforms represent a milestone int eh region and surely, unions, the governments, entrepreneurs from other countries will be watching us.  And hopefully these dreams of our workers are made into reality throughout Latin America also,” said Marx.

The document seeks to expand workers rights, the reforms are universalizing the social security system, extending benefits to some 1.5 million homemakers.  Furthermore, the reforms seek to give rester proaction to workers from historically marginalized groups as well as eliminate fixed-term contracts, among other gains for employees.

“Some have all their right guaranteed, and others, like the campesinos, informal workers, and homemakers did not have anything.  This is why we are presenting these reforms to the labor code and to social security.” said President Correa on Saturday.

Several of the workers attending Saturday’s rally are members of a recently formed union, the United Workers Trade Union Federation (CUT).

The event purposely coincided with the 92nd anniversary of a massacre of about 1,500 workers in the city of Guayaquil who were involved in a general strike.  The fall of cacao prices under the presidency of Dr. Jose Luis Tamayo following World War I obliterated the country’s export potential, greatly affecting the national economy as well as working conditions and salaries.

The strike led to a freeze of all economic and political activities in Guayaquil.  On November 14, several trade union leaders were arrested.  Several people demanded they be released as well as greater protection rights, reasonable work hours and adequate living salaries.  These demands attracted other workers, an their demonstrations were violently repressed.  Around 3,000 members of the military attacked crowds, killing both workers and civilians.

The massacre is commemorated each year with a ceremony, where workers and civilians leave crosses and flower crowns to drift in the river.  The reforms package will not be debated within the National Assembly.

For more information, please see:

Cuenca High Life – Ecuador marks 90th anniversary of ‘Guayaquil Massacre’, as many as 1,500 labor demonstrators died in hail of bullets – 15 Nov. 2014

telesur – Massive Ecuador Rally Commemorates Workers, Advances Revolution – 15 Nov. 2014

el ciudadano – Workers’ massacre of 1922 was hidden by the media in Guayaquil – 11 Nov. 2014

telesur – Ecuador: As Reforms to Labor Code Pushed Forward, Past Remembered – 15 Nov. 2014

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BRASILIA, Brazil — A judge in north-eastern Brazil has sentenced three people after they were convicted of killing a woman, and then eating her.

Jorge Beltrao Negromonte da Silveira was sentenced to 23 years in prison.  His wife, Isabel Cristina Pires and his mistress, Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The trio made parties from a woman’s flesh and then sold the pastries to their neighbors.  Additionally, they confessed to killing two more women and will be sentenced later.  Their lawyer’s are planning an appeal against the Friday’s sentences.

The three were arrested in April 2012, in the city of Guaranhuns.  Together they were convicted of murder, desecration and concealment of a body.

At the trial’s opening, Silveira said that he had “committed a horrible monstrous mistake,” according to local news channels. 

Their victim was a homeless woman named as Jessica Camila da Silva.  The victim was of no relation to Bruna Cristina Oliveira da Silva.

The trio allegedly lured the victims to their house by telling them that they were looking to hire a nanny.

They admitted to the court that they murdered and ate their victims as a part of a purification ritual.  However, they denied that they sold the victims remains baked inside of ’empada’ pastries.

It is alleged that the trio passed off the human pastries as non-human meat to sell to their neighbors.  It is also alleged that the trio fed the human remains to a child that was living with them.

Authorities found human remains in the garden behind the house that the three shared.

Police also found a book written by Jorge Beltrao Negromonte da Silveira titled “Revelations of a Schizophrenic”.  In the 50-page book he detailed how he constantly heard voices and was fixated on killing women.

At the time of their arrest the trio claimed to be a part of a group that supported “the purification of the world, and the reduction of its population”.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Brazil ‘cannibal trio’ sentenced – 15 Nov. 2014

9news – Brazilian cannibal trio who baked woman into pastries sentenced – 17 Nov. 2014

International Business Times – Trio Who Ran Brazilian ‘Cannibal Bakery’ Sentenced – 16 Nov. 2014

ITV News – Brazilian cannibalism trio jailed after making pies out of human flesh – 15 Nov. 2014

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South Ameria

BOGOTA, Colombia — In Colombia, the Nasa Indians have captured seven FARC Guerilla soldiers, including two minors, for the murder of two members of their tribe.  The Nasa Indians intend to try the suspects on Sunday under their laws.  The trial will take place on the Nasa Indian land and will be convened by several members of the tribe.  If the suspects are found guilty they could face in stocks or forced labor, according to indigenous leaders.

Allegedly, the Guerillas killed two tribe members on Wednesday.  The tribe members were removing a banner that commemorated the death three years ago of Alfonso Cano, the top commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia who was slain during a military assault.  Others say the two victims were pursuing guerrillas who had tried, but failed, to kill community leader Edgar Tumiña near Toribio.

Word of the killings spread and some 300 Nasa Indians pursued the Guerilla suspects.  Armed with little more than wooden staffs hundreds of Nasa Indians surrounded the seven Guerillas.

“They were surrounded and forced to surrender,” said Gabriel Padi, a senior member of the indigenous council in Cauca.

Colombia’s government has condemned the killings.  At this time negotiations are happening between the Colombian government and the FARC in Havana, Cuba.  The negotiations are said to be entering their final, and most crucial time.

“It’s unforgivable that while we make progress in negotiations in Havana to end the Colombian conflict, the FARC continue attacking civilian populations in this way,” chief negotiator Humberto de la Calle said in a statement Friday from the Cuban capital.

According to human rights groups 40 members of indigenous tribes have been killed this year in Colombia, several at the hands of guerillas.

Apparently another Indian was killed in the southwestern Colombian province of Cauca, the same area where two other members of the Nasa indigenous community were gunned down three days ago, officials in the region confirmed on Saturday.  All three of the victims belonged to the Indigenous Guard.  

The Indigenous Guard is an organization dedicated to defending Indian rights, land, autonomy and culture.

On Saturday, 26 death threats were issued against representatives of the indigenous assemblies of that region in a leaflet attributed to the FARC but for which the rebels have not yet claimed nor admitted responsibility.

For more information, please see: 

ABC News – Colombia Indians to Try Guerillas for Killings – 7 Nov. 2014

Fox News Latino – Another Indian Slain in Southwest Colombia – 8 Nov. 2014

The New Zealand Herald – Colombia Indians to try guerillas for killings – 8 Nov. 2014

Latin America Herald Tribune – Indian Guard Units Capture 8 Guerillas in Colombia – 7 Nov. 2014

By Delisa Morris,

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

QUITO, Ecuador–President Rafael Correa highlighted and appreciated advances in gender equality on Wednesday, acknowledging the recently released World Economic Forum report, Global Gender Gap for 2014.

“Finally, gender justice in the country,” said President Correa via his Twitter account. Ecuador currently stands as the second most equal country in Latin America, following Nicaragua, which ranks as the 6th most equal country in the world.

The report ranked Ecuador at 21 for global gender equality.  Iceland was found to be the most equal, followed by Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

On a scale of 0.00 of inequality to 1.00 of complete equality, Ecuador obtained an overall score of 0.745.  This ranking takes into account the four distinct categories of: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.  Ecuador scored above average in all areas.

Factors include wage equality, labor force participation, literacy rate, enrollment in primary education, healthy life expectancy and number of women in ministerial positions.

Females play a strong role in Ecuador’s political life, standing at 29 percent inclusion. Currently the ministers of Justice, Social Inclusion, Health, Transport and Public Works, the Coordinating Minister of Social Development, President of the National Assembly and the two Vice Presidents of the National Assembly are positions held by women in Ecuador.

In the area of education, women obtained ratings surpassing men.  Enrollment in primary education stood at 1.01, secondary education at 1.03 and tertiary education 1.15. The total score for women in the category of educational attainment stood at 0.996, as literacy rate is at 0.098.  The average for all sampled countries for educational attainment stands at 0.935, therefore Ecuador was above average.

The World Economic Forum has been publishing reports on gender equality since 2006.  The company reports on gender equality in 142 nations around the world.

Ecuador’s current standing sharply contrasts with its standing at 82 in 2006. Following the election of President Correa in 2007, Ecuador’s ranking dropped drastically to 44.

The Global Gender Gap Report seeks to represent the gender based disparities which are found worldwide. The country rankings are provided to provide comparison and create awareness of the gender gaps existing in today’s world, and the opportunities that could be generated through greater female inclusion.

Through the study, the correlation between female inclusion and the long term economic competitiveness of countries is tracked to devise mechanisms to reduce the gender gap. Currently, the gender gap for economic participation worldwide stands at 60 percent.

Cuba followed Ecuador with a ranking at 30, Argentina (31), Peru at (45), Panama (46), Chile (66), Brazil (71), Mexico (80), Venezuela (86), and Guatemala (89).

For more information, please see:

telesur – Strides in Gender Equality Recognized in Ecuador – 29 Oct. 2014

World Economic Forum – Top 10 most gender equal countries in Latin America and the Caribbean – 28 Oct. 2014

Buenos Aires Herald – Country is strong in gender equality index – 29 Oct. 2014

telesur – Cuba, Nicaragua and Ecuador Among World’s Best for Women Representation – 28 Oct. 2014

By Delisa Morris, 

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Heavy rain and strong winds plummeted Buenos Aires Tuesday night forcing over 1,000 people to evacuate the city due to flooding.  Fallen trees and power outages were among the wet conditions flowing into Wednesday evening.

Cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich said power outages have been applied in certain areas as a preventive measure, and confirmed 5,000 policemen have been sent to the 17 damaged areas with water, food and mattresses to aid local governments.

The most damaged areas are in Buenos Aires province. For instance in Marcos Paz, 60 kilometers away from Argentina’s capital, 120 families had to be evacuated, while in Coronel Pringles, 500 kilometers away from Buenos Aires city, 450 people decided to leave the area.

The Municipality of Lujan also issued a red alert due to the dangerous 4-meter rise of the Lujan River during the storms.  Local firemen informed reporters that, 12 families had to be evacuated.

“The river is growing at a rate of 20 centimeters per hour,” the fire department told reporters.

Roof collapses and structural damage to buildings has been attributed to the strong winds in the city of Bragado.  Local firemen told reporters the city appears to have been hit by a “tornado”.

Capitanich confirmed the city was hit by a tornado during a press conference today, and stated Bragado was the most damaged city so far.

Though many people have been evacuated and 70 houses have been damaged, no injured people have been registered.

In Buenos Aires City, more than 100 trees have collapsed due to the strong winds, Civil Defense director Daniel Russo informed.

Bus and train services have been interrupted.

Delays were also noted on the General Paz highway at the level of the Oeste freeway and the San Martín Avenue, due to water accumulation.

On the Puente Pueyrredón Bridge, water was completely covering the road, prompting traffic chaos.

Furthermore, flight delays and 30 cancellations have been registered in both the International Ezeiza Airport and the City’s Metropolitan Airport.

In 2013, one of the heaviest storms recorded in Argentina killed dozens of people in the province and forced thousands more to evacuate.

For more information, please see:

Buenos Aires Herald – Over 1,000 people evacuated over floods in BA City province – 29 Oct. 2014

NBC News – Heavy Downpours Cause Flooding in Buenos Aires – 29 Oct. 2014

BBC News – Rains and winds lash Buenos Aires province, Argentina – 29 Oct. 2014

Fox News Latino – Storm forces evacuation of 1,000 people in Argentina – 29 Oct. 2014