Evictions in Guatemala

This is an interesting video of the type of injustices happening throughout Latin America especially where money trumps the civil rights of indigenous peoples.

Zapatista Movement enters Second Stage of "The Other Campaign"

Communiqué of the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee—General Command
Zapatista Army of National Liberation

The EZLN, by means of their Sixth Commission, announces to the compañeras and compañeros adherents to the Sixth Declaration and the Other Campaign, to the Zezta International and to the people of Mexico and the world the following:

First: Due to the new offensive against the Zapatista communities carried out by paramilitaries affiliated with the PRI and PRD and supported by the state [Democratic Revolution Party] and federal [National Action Party] governments, the Zapatista leadership has had to make some adjustments that will allow continued protection of our communities and at the same time fulfilling their commitments with the Other Campaign.

We will resist the attacks of the paramilitaries in an organized and civil form. With the mobilization of our communities and calling on the solidarity support of the honest people of Mexico and the entire world, we will continue to link our Zapatista struggle for indigenous rights and culture with other Indian peoples of Mexico and the American continent, and with the struggles maintained by organizations, groups, collectives, families and individuals of the Other Campaign in our country.

Second: Furthermore, over the next few days, the Sixth Commission of the EZLN will initiate the second stage of its direct participation in the Other Campaign in Mexico with a delegation consisting of seven comandantas, seven commandantes and one subcomandante.

For their participation in this second stage the Sixth Commission of the EZLN has established a sort of territorial distribution in zones and regions. The different delegations of the Sixth Commission will spread out throughout the entire country, during this year of 2007, to work jointly with the organizations, groups, collectives, families and individuals adhering to the Sixth Declaration.

Third: Simultaneously, in addition to their territorial distribution, the Sixth Commission will have a special delegation that will participate directly in the works undertaken by the compañeros and compaeras of the National Indigenous Congress with the Indian peoples of Mexico.

A delegation from the Sixth Commission will also be present in the international encampment "The Indigenous Peoples in Defense of Life, Culture and Nature: Below and to the Left," in the territory of the indigenous Cucupa people in the community of El Mayor in Baja California, Mexico, in the months of April and May of this year.

Fourth: This second stage will begin on March 25, 2007 and will start off with the concentration of the delegates in the city of San Cristo'bal de Las Casas, Chiapas. There, together with NGO's adherent to the Otra in Chiapas, an international solidarity campaign with the Zapatista indigenous communities and in defense of indigenous autonomy will be announced.

Afterwards they will set off to install the delegations of the Sixth Commission to the National Indigenous Congress and the Northern Zone of Mexico. These delegations will be working with the compañeros and compañeras of the Otra in the states of that part of our country until the beginning of June 2007. In the second half of the year, the delegations in the center and southern zones of Mexico will be installed.

Fifth: A delegation of the Sixth Commission will also participate in the mobilizations marking the first anniversary of the repression against the noble people of Atenco, the Popular Front in Defense of the Land (FPDT) and the Other Campaign, demanding the freedom of our compañeros and compañeras prisoners in the prisons of Texcoco, Santiaguito and La Palma, which will take place in several places of the other national and international geography, on May 3, 4 and 5, 2007.

Sixth: In spite of the attacks, silences and contempt, the EZLN will carry on with the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona, and, in doing so, demand:

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR ATENCO!

FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR OAXACA!

From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast.
For the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee—General Command of
the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
Sixth Commission of the EZLN

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos

Mexico, March 2007

Source: Enlace Zapatista
Label: Mexico Zapatista

Nicaragua Deputies Accuse Guatemala

Managua, Apr 6 (Prensa Latina) Nicaraguan Deputy to the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), Jacinto Suarez, accused the government of Guatemala of not complying with security commitments made to the sub regional legislative institution that has its headquarters in that country.

In declarations to the El Nuevo Diario newspaper the deputy assured that there are "no conditions for work or security" in the PARLACEN headquarters.

PARLACEN met two weeks ago in Nicaragua and next month will meet in Panama due to the lack of security in Guatemala where three Salvadorian deputies and their driver were killed last February 19.

The crisis reached a climax when four police agents were arrested as material authors of the crime and were later executed in the maximum-security prison where they awaited conclusion of investigations.

In view of events, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega invited PARLACEN to change headquarters to Managua offering the Presidential Palace, a spacious and modern building that he refuses to occupy for reasons of austerity,

The Central American presidents must unanimously approve any permanent change of venue, although the subject has not yet been discussed.

According to Suarez, the Guatemala evasion to discuss a change obeys political, personal and even economic interests.

The regional parliament was founded in 1991 and is integrated by Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic.

Source: go here

Terrorist to be released by U.S.

MIAMI - Luis Posada Carriles, wanted by Cuba and Venezuela for the deadly downing of a Cuban jet, will be released from jail pending a hearing on immigration charges. Posada, known as "Bambi" by his family, is wanted for planning the bombing of a Cubana Airlines flight leaving the island of Barbodos on 6 October 1976. The explosion killed 73 people. Evidence points to his recruiting of Hernan Ricardo Lozano and Freddy Lugo, both Venezuelan. In an interview with The New York Times, Posada stated that he had received $200,000 from Jorge Mas Canosa, of the Cuban American National Foundation, to engage in terrorism against Cuba. He is also wanted in Cuba for a 1997 terrorist attack.

Rafael Cancel Miranda, poet and former political prisoner, speaks about
Puerto Rican independence at the Law School Auditorium yesterday.


Je'well Pearson
Contributing Writer for The South End

Former Puerto Rican political prisoner Rafael Cancel Miranda was welcomed by applause yesterday as he approached the podium at Wayne State's Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium. Almost 100 people gathered to hear Miranda speak on the fight against U.S colonial rule of Puerto Rico. Miranda said independence is a necessity for his country.

Puerto Rico has been ruled by the U.S. for more 100 years but has its own governor. Miranda argues that is not enough. He said the U.S. controls everything.

"They control our trade," Miranda said. "They control our customs, I want to be free."

Read the full article at here

Jay Miller needs to do some research

Inside the Capitol's reporter Jay Miller recently posted this gem of misinformation about Puerto Rico. Not only has this idiot managed to completely misrepresent Puerto Rico's political status, but has also demonstrated the extent of his 3rd grade New Mexico History education. Read along for his "report" and my responses:

Puerto Rico Could Learn from New Mexico

By JAY MILLER
Syndicated Columnist

SANTA FE -- Three stops in Puerto Rico during our recent Caribbean trip brought back more thoughts about the similarities between the Puerto Rico of today and the New Mexico of 100 years ago.

First of all, I am so glad to see that a casual tourist to my island with a whopping "three stops" of experience feels confident and knowledgeable enough to recommend a course of action for the Puerto Rican people. WOW, we are so dumb, you know, thank GOD you have decided to share your insights.

In 1898, when the United States took Puerto Rico in the Spanish American War, the territory of New Mexico was getting its act together for one more push at convincing Congress to approve statehood.
New Mexico, which had been taken in the Mexican-American War 50 years earlier, had been trying since 1850 to become a state. It would take another 14 years to achieve final success but we had figured out a systematic approach.
Our political leaders wanted statehood. They could see many advantages for the state as well as for themselves. By 1898, they were trying hard to look more like mainstream Americans. We built a capitol building with a dome on it. We started building houses out of brick. And we began promoting tourism.

OK, lets take this step by step.
1. New Mexico had to convince Congress that whites were in control of the territory.
2. This was done through the subjugation of the Navajo and Apache peoples as well as the demotion of the landed New Mexican Spaniard/Mexican population to second class citizenship.
3. It was finally the onset of American migration into the territory that convinced Congress that the population was now suitable for statehood.
4. Building a domed capitol has nothing to do with it.
5. People were already using bricks in construction before Americans showed up in New Mexico and everyone promotes tourism, even Siberia.

Possibly the most important factor was that our politicians realized they had to work in a bipartisan manner to demonstrate a united front to Congress.
But even though Puerto Rico's leaders continually push for statehood, they aren't doing it in a united manner. Each of several political parties has its own solution for the island's political status.

"Puerto Rico's leaders" do not continually push for statehood, only the pro-statehood Partido Nuevo Progresista pushed for statehood. The other two major political parties are pushing for independence or continued commonwealth status. So there cannot be a "united manner" if the goals are mutually exclusive.

And they aren't moving the island toward looking more like a part of the United States. Most Puerto Ricans speak only Spanish even though English also is an official language. Nearly every American chain has stores all over the island but signs and billboards are almost totally in Spanish.That, in itself, would convince many members of Congress that Puerto Rico should not be a state. It runs against the English-Only movement, in addition to the anti-Hispanic feelings generated by our immigration crisis.

Damn, you found us out. We speak Spanish. Yes you are right, for the oh so great prize of statehood we must give up over 500 years of history, literature, and culture, so we may fool Americans into thinking we are just like you. Again thanks for the tip.

But perhaps the biggest problem is political. If Puerto Rico were to become a state, its large population would qualify it for about 10 members of Congress. And it's certainly a possibility that all 10 would be Democrats. Think what that would do to our current delicate balance.
Another problem is that the other political entity advocating for statehood is the District of Columbia, which also is very likely to elect all Democrats. If one of those two were Republican, the chances for both would be better.
Ever since pre-Civil War days, Congress has liked to admit states in pairs. Back then, slave states and free states were paired. Most recently, the admission of Alaska and Hawaii was balanced between Republicans and Democrats.

Point of clarification here. There is actually no way of knowing whether Puerto Ricans would vote Democratic or Republican, while Puerto Ricans may be more inclined toward labor rights and universal healthcare, Puerto Ricans are far more religiously christian than the most christian state in the Union.

There are reasons to admit Puerto Rico to the union. The island's residents pay no federal taxes and yet they receive well over $10 billion in federal benefits.
Not only do residents not pay taxes, U.S. corporations don't pay taxes on profits made in Puerto Rico, even though the goods are sold in the 50 states. The federal government loses several billion more on that loophole.

Wrong, Puerto Ricans do pay Social Security to the Federal Government and in fact get less benefits in return. Yes there is no Federal Income Tax, but Puerto Rico does not have representation in Congress, remember that little thing about "No taxation without Representation". Also Puerto Rico is required to ship all goods in American Merchant ships the most expensive in the world and it is required to use American money which provides the United States with an automatic profit margin when conducting commerce in the island. The United States also forbids Puerto Rico to control its own customs service, immigration control, or conduct diplomatic or trade talks with other nations. Also American corporations are taxed as income garnered in Puerto Rico is considered foreign income and it is taxed appropriately by the IRS. In all the Federal Government profits from the current system immensely especially because Puerto Rico is powerless to change the system, or voice its concerns.

Previous polls and referenda indicate that a large minority of Puerto Ricans want statehood, but most of the people I talk to say they would be crazy to give up the deal they have now.

Based on everything you have said so far I doubt you spoke with anyone. True, a large minority of Puerto Ricans do want statehood, but the majority does not. Many want independence from the colonial relationship imposed by the United States. Many are afraid of instability in independence and choose to retain the current colonial system known in the U.S. as commonwealth, but they know they do not want to be a state.

Many politicians and social activists claim that denying statehood is just another vestige of American colonialism. For that reason, Congress invented a commonwealth status for the territory back in the '50s. No one is real sure what that means because the status can be removed by Congress at any time.
The majority of the population hasn't been convinced of anything yet. They don't want to give up their Spanish language even though English classes are available in every school.
And everyone seems to recognize a good deal on taxes when they see one.
FRI, 4-06-07

You know I've been to New Mexico, lived in Albuquerque for about a month, and I must tell you that for a place that claims to be so multicultural, all I saw were people using culture as a novelty attraction. Santa Fe is a perfect example of what I and many others do not want Puerto Rico to become, a pageant show of culture without real substance.

Read the original article here http://insidethecapitol.blogspot.com/2007/04/puerto-rico-could-learn-from-new.html

Dominican Republic Documentary from the Discovery Channel

This is not a particularly in-depth look at life in the Dominican Republic but it does present much more than most documentaries which look more like travel videos than actual documentary works. Poverty is perhaps the central theme here. Enjoy.

Calle 13 video tribute to Filiberto Ojeda Rios

Calle 13, a celebrated Reggeaton Puerto Rican artist and part of a growing movement of Puerto Rican artists who are increasingly letting their true voices be heard against the colonial status of Puerto Rico under the American Empire.

In this video, Calle 13, pays tribute to Filiberto Ojeada Rios leader of the Machetero movement whose actions since the 1970's have served as inspiration for the continued fight against imperialism in Puerto Rico. Filiberto was shot through the neck and left to bleed to death for over 16 hours by the FBI on September 23, 2005, on the day pro-independence Puerto Ricans celebrate El Grito de Lares which conmemorates the revolt in the city of Lares against the Spanish Empire in 1868.