Category: Latin-American Affairs

For the Regional Coordinating Body of Community Authorities of the Mountain and Costa Chica of Guerrero (CRAC-PC), the seizure of the House of Justice in San Luis Acatlán by leaders and supporters of the Union of Peoples and Organizations of Guerrero (UPOEG) is “a direct attack against the communal system” that “seriously jeopardizes the CRAC project to build people power by the people.” The CRAC, also commonly known as the Community Police , calls upon social organizations to be aware of the conflict, “which represents an escalation of UPOEG aggression toward the community justice system.”

More than 500 people from 12 countries traveled the sinuous mountain road from Oaxaca, México to the small Zapotec community of Capulálpam de Méndez to attend the “Yes to Life, No to Mining” Forum of Mesoamerican Peoples. Community activists and indigenous leaders shared experiences of resistance, and developed strategies for defending their territories against the onslaught of ongoing and planned mega-mining projects that threaten their communities.

Despite the ongoing and historic repression directed against them, Mexico’s indigenous communities push forward in defense of their lands, their cultures and their ecosystems. The year 2012 reminded the world of the relevance of the slogan that was popularized after that New Year’s Day nearly two decades ago when the Zapatista National Liberation Army burst into history: “Never a Mexico without Us!”

The negotiations between the government and the guerrilla forces are seen by a large part of the Colombian public as a good opportunity to seal a peace deal. Many believe that the hour has come and that the main actors in the conflict will not let this opportunity escape. The reality, however, is much more complicated.

The U.S. locks up the highest percentage of its population in the world—nearly two and a half million people. Latinos now make up the majority of people sent to federal prison for felony crimes, with sentencing for newly defined immigration felonies like illegal border crossing or aiding in border crossing accounting for the increase. This makes the private prison industry very rich.

In less than a week the foreign policy of the U.S. suffered two defeats on two closely related issues: the triumph of Hugo Chávez and the failure to impose the Pentagon’s objectives at the Tenth Conference of Ministers of Defense.

Mexico is seeing the birth of a movement for real democracy. It is led by a generation that wants to break through the cynicism of a nation accustomed to corruption and authoritarian rule. Its members challenge not just the election results, but the very definition of democracy.

Dear Friends and Readers, Our Americas Program team is coming off a hectic couple of weeks observing and writing on the Mexican elections. You […]

Current Election Coverage It’s been a whirlwind week for the Americas Program, writing on the Mexican elections before, during and after. This post provides […]

The vitality of the Argentine student movement has transformed into a space for organizing, debate, and the creation of new generations of activists that, […]