South America

People stand together to spell out a message that reads in Portuguese: “Defend the Amazon coral reef”, on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 29, 2017. The event is a protest organized by the non-governmental environmental group Greenpeace against announced plans to explore for oil in the Amazon River Basin. (AP/Mario Lobao)
The controversial offshore oil drilling project in the mouth of the Amazon river could pose a significant risk to the mysterious nearby coral reef, according to documents filed by Total and BP.

After 52 years of armed conflict inside the country, Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or ‘FARC’ marxist rebels, have reached the final stages of weapons hand-over to a United Nations at multiple designated ‘demobilization’ camps across the country. According to UN officials, as of this week the weapons transfer is nearly complete. 

Bolivia’s President Evo, cnter, attends a ritual ceremony honoring Pachamama, Mother Earth, at the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia. (A/Juan Karita)
President Evo Morales recalled today that the expulsion of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. military base allowed Bolivia to recover economic and political sovereignty.
“I do not regret the decision about the DEA and the military base,” the president said in a public ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the municipality of Villa Tunari, in the central region of Cochabamba.

May 24, 2017 (Tony Cartalucci - LD) - The US media has been paying increasing attention to the unfolding crisis in the South American nation of Venezuela.

(MPN) There’s no denying that Venezuela is deeply embroiled in a significant crisis. While most are aware of the country’s recent string of violent protests, food shortages and government crackdowns on opposition protesters, few are aware of the opposition’s use of underhanded and downright illegal tactics, as well as the United States’ role in funding opposition forces.

Neo-Ottoman foreign policies combined with a singular, egotistical attitude have earned Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the nickname ‘Sultan’ and even ‘Mad Sultan’.

(MPN) The involvement of the U.S. military in an upcoming multilateral military drill in South America has raised concerns over potential ulterior motives on the part of the U.S.

U.S. guided-missile destroyer Nitze, third from left, docks with other warships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during a joint military exercise, April 27, 2011. (AP/Victor R. Caivano)

(ANTIMEDIA) Caracas — Venezuela, a country with only $10 billion left in reserves to run on, is in trouble. The people are starving. The government has gone full-on authoritarian, and now desperate human beings are dying in the streets.

21st Century Wire says…
Paraguay is feared to be sliding towards another dictatorship after President Horacio Cartes, amidst months of behind the scene preparations, has moved to amend the constitution to allow him to be re-elected in 2018.