The Garzon Trial: Petty Vengeance

By Robert Bosschart, Radio Netherlands. More than anything, Judge Baltasar Garzon is paying the price for seeking to uncover a vast corruption ring (the so-called Gurtel case) within a Conservative party that embezzled millions during its previous administration and has just returned to power.

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Pirate Party: a Global Civil Rights Movement

By PP International. Pirate Parties are in place or being formed in over 50 countries. See the Principles of Pirate Party.

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Haitian CELAC Participants Warned to Avoid Conflict as Haiti Assumes ‘Zombie Presidency’ of OAS | Dirigeants haïtiens qui ont participé au sommet de la CELAC appelés ‘à éviter toute situation de conflit’ dans L’OEA

By Staff, AHP | Commentary and translation by Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. Haitians leaders who participated in the CELAC summit in December 2011 have been warned by Haiti’s Foreign Ministry to behave themselves in the Organization of American States (OAS). (English | French)

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Haitians Emigrating to Brazil Undocumented

iBy Staff, Listín Diario | By Najla Passos, Carta Maior | Translated from Spanish and Portuguese by David Holmes Morris for lo-de-alla. Some 500 undocumented Haitian immigrants entered the Brazilian city of Brasileia, in the last three days of 2011. The illegal entry might have been dangerous and mediated by human traffickers. On Feb 2, 2012, during a visit to Haiti, Brazilian President Dilma Rousef said her country would grant Haitians 1,200 visas per year for the next five years. (English | Spanish | Portuguese)

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No Time Left to Adapt to Melting Glaciers | Noroeste de Perú sin tiempo para adaptarse al deshielo glaciar

By Stephen Leahy, IPS | Tierramerica. Glacier water from the Cordillera Blanca, vital to northwest Peru, is decreasing 20 years sooner than expected. “The decline is permanent. There is no going back.” – Glaciologist Michel Baraer. (English | Spanish)

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Argentina Invokes Universal Jurisdiction for Crimes Against Humanity | Argentina invoca la jurisdicción universal para crímenes contra la humanidad

By Marcela Valente, IPS, Periodistas En Español | Princeton Principles of Universal Jurisdiction, Univ. Minnesota Human Rights Library. A judge in Argentina has begun to investigate human rights crimes committed during Spain’s civil war and the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco (between 1936 and 1975). The case is invoking the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity and has landed in Argentina because Spain’s justice system is not effectively taking action. (English | Spanish)

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Cuba Announces Massive Prisoner Release, Gradual Ease of Travel Restrictions

By Staff, Xinhua | Commentary by Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. The release of 2,000 Cuban prisoners on the anniversary of the release of the Bay of Pigs invaders by Cuba is hardly coincidental. It is now the United State’ turn to free the Cuban 5.

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Haitian Migrant Workers Heading Home from Dominican Republic for Year End Might Not Return

By Staff, Dominican Today. Thousands of Haitians who work in banana plantations, farms, and agro-companies in northwestern Dominican Republic traditionally cross the border to visit home for the holidays. This year, Dominican authorities are not guaranteeing the return crossing, and many Haitians say they plan to stay at home anyway.

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Floods Cause Colombia Landslides, Deadly Pipeline Explosion

By Tim Hinchliffe | Adriaan Alsema, Colombia Reports. Heavy rains have made many roads in Colombia impassable due to landslides, flooding, and embankment collapses. Landslides have also ruptured an oil pipeline causing an explosion that left 13 dead, 17 critically wounded, and 80 injured.

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Mercosur Signs Free Trade Agreement With Palestinian Authority

By Staff, MercoPress. Mercosur signed a free trade agreement with the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday Dec 20, 2011: this is the first between the Palestinian territories and a block of nations outside the Arab world.

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Chile to Gradually Withdraw UN Military Contingent from Haiti | Le Chili annonce le retrait progressif de son contingent d’Haïti

By Wilner Jean Louis, AHP | Staff, Xinhua. “We have proposed to the Latin American Defense Council that during 2012, we will begin to withdraw our troops in gradual, proportional and coordinated ways.” – Chilean Defense Minister Andres Allamand. The plan is to finish this withdrawal by 2016: hardly the reverse of their swift arrival. (English | French)

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Sweatshops: Stepping Stone or Dead End? | Tremplin ou cul-de-sac?

By Staff, Haiti Grassroots Watch. Part 5 of 7. Are low-wage, low-skilled assembly industries in Haiti really a “stepping stone” to more complex industrial development? In the Mexican maquiladora boom areas, the water table is dropping by 1 to 1.5 meters every year due to intensive use of water; the blue dye run-off from jeans pollutes rivers and irrigation ditches; 67% of homes have dirt floors, and 52% of streets are unpaved. (English | French)

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Full Text of the Open Letter from Oscar Arias Sanchez to Michel Martelly | Texto completo de la Carta abierta de Oscar Arias Sánchez a Michel Martelly

By Oscar Arias Sanchez, Acento | Translated by Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. In this open letter from December 9, 2011, Oscar Arias Sanchez, the Nobel laureate and former President of Costa Rica (1986-1990, 2006-2010), urges Martelly to focus on social programs rather than reestablish the armed forces that were disbanded on January 6, 1995 by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. (English | Spanish)

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Cuba Strengthens Regional Ties | Cuba fortalece lazos con su región sin descuidar su frente norte

By Patricia Grogg, IPS | Anna Ramdass, Trinidad Express. President Raúl Castro recently traveled to Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the 4th Cuba-CARICOM summit. CARICOM chairman Dr Denzil Douglas has since called on the U.S. to put an immediate end to the trade embargo against Cuba. Cuba maintains diplomatic ties with CARICOM’s 14 members, including Haiti. (English | Spanish)

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