Brasil: Indigenous Protestors Storm UN Climate Talks

Indigenous Protesters Storm UN Climate Talks in Brazil Brazil Hundreds of Indigenous and environmental activists clashed with security guards this week at the United Nations climate summit in Belém, northern Brazil, after forcing their way into the conference center to demand stronger protections for Indigenous lands and a greater voice in global climate talks, Al Jazeera reported. Conference representatives said protesters breached barriers at the main entrance late Tuesday, causing “minor injuries to two security staff, and minor damage to the venue.” Witnesses said participants included Indigenous and non-Indigenous demonstrators, some wearing feathered headdresses, holding signs that read “Our forests are not for sale” and chanting “They cannot decide for us without us.” Brazil is hosting the UN Climate of Parties – short for COP30 – where leaders and representatives of 195 countries are meeting this week to discuss efforts to combat climate change. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has sought to showcase COP30 as a milestone for climate cooperation and Indigenous leadership. Lula told world leaders last week that participants would be “inspired by Indigenous peoples and traditional communities – for whom sustainability has always been…(a) way of life.” But observers noted that the protests highlighted growing tensions between the Brazilian government’s public embrace of Indigenous inclusion and what demonstrators described as the ongoing exploitation of the Amazon rainforest by its host countries. Days before the clashes, Petrobras, Brazil’s state oil company, was granted a license for exploratory drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River. Many Indigenous groups and environmental advocates have been calling for Indigenous lands to be freed from commercial exploitation: They criticized Lula’s left-leaning administration for investing in building “a whole new city” in Belém to host the conference – it was also recently designated as Brazil’s temporary capital – instead of in education, health, and forest protection elsewhere, the Guardian wrote. Others also stressed that Indigenous people need to be present at the COP30, considering that the global conference has seen the participation of thousands of lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry in recent decades. This year’s COP30 summit follows a ruling by the International Court of Justice declaring that nations failing to meet climate commitments could be in violation of international law. The absence of the United States – which has opposed recent global climate finance and emissions initiatives under President Donald Trump – has further sharpened divisions over the summit’s direction.

Why Are They Few Black People In Argentina and Mexico?

Profile photo for Da Mu Da Mu · Follow Works at Market Force Information Mystery Shopping7y Why are there many black people in Latin America except in Mexico and Argentina? For both Mexico and Argentina the reasons are different as to why there are so few people of African descent. In Mexico, the main reasons were two fold. For one the Spanish looked at the plentiful native populations (native american) and determined it was more economical to use them for free or cheap labor rather than import African slaves at considerable cost. Secondly, Mexico went from colonial outpost to the principal Spanish settlement and ruling center in the New World, and with that meant significant Spanish migration, and with that Catholic education and teaching, evangelization/conversion, and founding of important Catholic institutions in Mexico. Whatever one may think about colonial Spaniards and colonial Catholic priests and missionaries, writings indicate that both Mexican and Spanish Catholic leaders acknowledged that slavery (whether African or native) was a moral evil that must be done away with. In fact, just like Britain did, Spain, and many Latin American countries (including Mexico) did away with slavery years (even decades) before the U.S. fought the Civil War over slavery. For Argentina the simple answer is geography and time. Argentina developed fairly late because it was such a remote region of the Spanish colonial empire. The country remained sparsely populated for a long time, even after they gained independence from Spain. The little population it had prior to the 1850s was largely Spanish, native peoples, or mestizos. The main population boom in Argentina didn’t arrive until the late 1800s, and early 1900s with large immigration waves from Europe. Many Italians, Germans, Spanish, as well as some Czechs, French, Hungarians, and a smattering of Brits made for a big wave of immigrants and their descendants. Since Argentina is a temperate weather country, it also had little to offer agriculturally to the Spanish in its early years, and therefore little need for the importation of slaves. That is not to say that African slaves weren’t transferred to Argentina, but that over time, just like in Mexico the few slaves that were transported there were diluted by the eventual far larger native and European populations. 104.1K views View 541 upvotes View 9 shares

Mexican President Presses Charges After Being Groped While On The Street

Mexican President Presses Charges After Being Groped in the Street Mexico Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Wednesday that she is pressing charges against a man who groped her while she was greeting people outside the presidential palace in the capital this week, the Washington Post reported. Video shared on social media shows that while Sheinbaum, 63, was walking from the presidential palace to the Education Ministry and interacting with supporters on Tuesday, a man approached her from behind. He put an arm around her, grabbed her breast, and tried to kiss her neck until a member of her team stepped between them. Sheinbaum is seen calmly but swiftly removing the man’s hands and walking away. The man had been bothering other women in the area before groping the president. Sheinbaum, who said she was unaware of the attack until she saw the video, filed a complaint with the Mexico City attorney general’s office. The man has been arrested, according to the BBC. Women’s rights groups noted that the attack demonstrates how ingrained machismo is in Mexican society, where women are routinely assaulted on the street in broad daylight. Sheinbaum’s decision to press charges was seen as a message that these crimes cannot go unpunished. “If I do not report the crime, what condition will all Mexican women be left in?” Sheinbaum said. “If they do this to the president, what will happen to all of the young women in our country?” Sheinbaum said Tuesday that sexual harassment should be criminalized across the country, adding that she would take action to address the problem. She had promised to tackle these crimes during her campaign. Data from 2022 found that seven in 10 Mexican females over the age of 15 have reported having experienced some kind of violence. Feminicides are also common in the country, and about 98 percent of gender-based murders go unpunished.

Cristina Kirchner Goes On Trial For Largest Corruption Case In Argentina History!

Kirchner on trial in Argentina's 'biggest ever' corruption case By Tomás VIOLALuis ROBAYO, 11 hours ago Cristina Kirchner has been under house arrest after being convicted of fraud in a separate case /AFP Argentine ex-president Cristina Kirchner, already serving a six-year fraud sentence under house arrest, went on trial Thursday in a new corruption case described as the biggest in her country's history. The center-left Kirchner, a dominant and polarizing figure in Argentine politics for over two decades, served two terms from 2007-2015. Her latest trial comes as her ailing Peronist movement -- named after iconic post-war leader Juan Peron -- reels from its stinging defeat at the hands of budget-slashing President Javier Milei's party in last month's midterm elections. Milei has hailed the result as a vindication of his radical free-market agenda, which the Peronists, champions of state intervention in the economy, vehemently oppose. The so-called "notebooks" case at the heart of Kirchner's latest trial follows "the biggest ever corruption investigation in Argentina's legal history," according to prosecutor Estele Leon. It revolves around records kept by a government chauffeur of cash bribes he claims to have delivered from businessmen to government officials between 2003 and 2015. Kirchner, 72, was first lady from 2003-2007, when her late husband Nestor Kirchner was president. She succeeded him after his term ended and later served as vice president to Alberto Fernandez from 2019 until 2023, when Milei took office. She is accused of leading a criminal enterprise that took millions of dollars in bribes from businesspeople in return for the awarding of state contracts. She appeared at the start of her trial via Zoom from her apartment in Buenos Aires. A total of 87 people are charged in the case, including dozens of businesspeople and a former minister. Kirchner's defense team has cast doubt on the credibility of the notebooks at the heart of the prosecution's case, saying the entries were changed over 1,500 times. - Battle over left's future - Kirchner's political career effectively ended in June when the Supreme Court upheld her corruption conviction over the awarding of public works contracts in the southern Patagonia region when she was president. She was sentenced to six years in prison, which she was allowed serve under house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor, and banned from holding public office for the rest of her life. The charismatic politician, who is revered by many on the left but detested by the right, maintains she is the victim of a right-wing judicial hounding aimed at destroying her career. Kirchner faces between six and 10 years in prison if convicted at the end of what is expected to be a lengthy trial, and would likely ask again to serve her term under house arrest. She continues to try to rally her supporters on social media and by appearing regularly on her balcony to greet well-wishers. Her attempt to retain leadership of the Peronist movement has created tensions with Buenos Aires' popular governor, Axel Kicillof, widely seen as a possible future presidential contender. "Peronism is going through a leadership crisis," political analyst Raul Timerman told AFP. 4 Comments Login to write comments Response Community Policy YOU MAY ALSO LIKE AFP partner publisher · 191.3K followers Follow Argentine ex-president Kirchner goes on trial in new corruption case Argentine ex-president Cristina Kirchner, who is serving a six-year fraud sentence under house arrest, goes on trial Thursday in a separate case for allegedly taking millions of dollars in bribes. Kirchner, who was placed under house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor in June after being convicted of "fraudulent administration" as president, maintains she is the victim of a politically-inspired judicial hounding. 21h

Brasil Dismantles Hundreds Of Illegal Dredges In Major Amazon Mining Crackdown

Brazil dismantles hundreds of illegal dredges in major Amazon mining crackdown By Steven Grattan, 14 hours ago Dredging barges operated by illegal miners converge on the Madeira River, a tributary of the Amazon River, searching for gold, in Autazes, Amazonas state, Brazil, in November 2021. (Edmar Barros / Associated Press) Brazilian police backed by Interpol have destroyed hundreds of dredges used in illegal gold mining along the Madeira River, in one of the biggest coordinated crackdowns yet on criminal networks operating across the Amazon Basin. The international police agency said officers dismantled 277 floating mining rafts worth an estimated $6.8 million. When factoring in lost gold, equipment and environmental damage, officials estimated the total financial blow to organized crime groups at about $193 million. The Madeira River, one of the Amazon’s largest tributaries, flows from the Andes through Bolivia into northern Brazil before joining the main Amazon River — an area long plagued by illegal mining and environmental crime. The raids were led by Brazil’s Federal Police Amazon and Environment Protection Division, a special unit focused on combating environmental crimes, with support from a new regional coordination center linking law enforcement agencies from several Amazon countries. More than 100 officers used satellite data to map 155 square miles of forest and river areas scarred by mining, Interpol said Monday. Interpol — the international organization that helps police in nearly 200 countries share intelligence and coordinate operations — said the crackdown builds on a series of recent cross-border missions in Latin America targeting illegal gold mining, logging and wildlife trafficking. Such crimes are among the biggest drivers of deforestation and river contamination in the Amazon, and often fund broader organized crime networks. The operation comes just weeks before world leaders gather in the northern Brazilian city of Belem for COP30, where Brazil is expected to highlight its efforts to curb Amazon destruction and illegal mining. “This operation marks a new chapter in our collective effort to protect the Amazon,” Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said in a statement, calling it proof that regional cooperation can strike at the financial networks behind environmental crimes. Interpol said liaison officers from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Suriname took part in the operation, though it did not specify when it took place. Authorities said samples of sediment and other materials were collected for forensic analysis to trace their origin and detect hazardous substances such as mercury and cyanide. Residents were also tested for possible toxic exposure linked to gold-mining activities. Brazil’s Federal Police said follow-up investigations aim to identify and prosecute the financiers and ringleaders behind the illicit gold trade — not just the miners, who are often exploited in the process. Grattan writes for the Associated Press.

Mexicans Protest Murder Of Mayor Killed At Day of the Dead Festivities

Mexicans Protest Murder of Mayor Killed At Day of the Dead Festivities Mexico Hundreds of Mexicans took to the streets of Uruapan, in the western state of Michoacán, on Sunday, calling for justice during the funeral of Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, an outspoken critic of organized crime who was shot dead the day before during Day of the Dead festivities, Al Jazeera reported. Uruapan residents, clad in black clothing and holding up photographs of Manzo Rodríguez, 40, participated in the funeral procession of the former mayor while chanting “Justice! Justice! Out with Morena!” referring to the ruling party of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the Associated Press added. Manzo Rodríguez, a former Morena legislator, was shot Saturday night in the town’s historic center and died later that day at the hospital, according to authorities. Footage of the attack shared on social media shows dozens of people running for cover after hearing gunshots. A city council member and a bodyguard were also wounded in the shooting. The former mayor, who had expressed concerns for his safety and was often seen wearing a bulletproof vest, had been under protection since December 2024, three months after taking office. Authorities told reporters that the mayor was killed by an unidentified man who shot him seven times and was later killed at the scene. The murder weapon was connected to two previous armed clashes between rival criminal groups in the area. Recently, Manzo Rodríguez had used social media to ask the federal government for help to confront the criminal groups. He had also accused Michoacán’s pro-government governor and the state police of corruption. After the shooting, Sheinbaum condemned the assassination and promised justice. The murder is the latest in a long list of assassinations of local politicians in Mexico, often targeted by criminal gangs. A mayor of the municipality of Tacambaro, also in Michoacán, was killed in June. Michoacán is one of the country’s most violent states, where criminal gangs fight for control of the territory, drug distribution routes, and other illegal activities. Uruapan, also known as Mexico’s avocado capital, is particularly vulnerable because the industry is a target for organized crime.

Venezuela: Some In The Region Welcome US 'Gunboat Diplomacy'

As the US Ships Move Toward Venezuela, Some in the Region Welcome the ‘Gunboat Diplomacy’ Venezuela As the world’s biggest warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, headed to the Venezuelan coast, the South American country’s president, clearly worried, claimed US President Donald Trump was manufacturing a crisis. “They are fabricating an extravagant narrative, a vulgar, criminal, and totally fake one,” said President Nicolás Maduro, in an address to the nation. “Venezuela is a country that does not produce cocaine leaves.” Only a small amount of cocaine in the US arrives via Venezuela, according to the Washington Office on Latin America, a think tank. But Trump has claimed that Maduro, as the alleged leader of the Cartel de los Soles, along with Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua, are leveraging the Venezuelan state to aid and abet drug runners selling their products in the US. American officials have killed 64 people in air strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats in recent weeks in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Trump has described the attacks as acts of war. He hasn’t ruled out invading Venezuela either. “We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela,” he said, adding: “We’re going to stop them by land also…The land is going to be next.” His critics, including Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, have described these attacks as extrajudicial killings, the Guardian noted. “So far, they have alleged that these people are drug dealers. No one’s said their name, no one’s said what evidence, no one’s said whether they’re armed, and we’ve had no evidence presented,” he said on Fox News Sunday. Meanwhile, many legal experts deem them illegal, questioning the administration’s justification that it is in an “armed conflict” with drug traffickers. The US has also sought to apprehend Maduro by offering a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The endgame, according to analysts, is that Trump is likely trying to increase pressure in a bid to oust Maduro’s regime, wrote the BBC. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina, who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democracy and civil rights in Venezuela, and is in hiding because of them, has undoubtedly influenced the White House’s thinking, added Reuters. The Gerald R. Ford, its accompanying destroyers, and detachments of US marines in the region could represent a force whose goal might be to invade Venezuela, an oil-rich nation that has sunk into poverty under Maduro’s corruption and collectivist economic policies. American bombers have been flying in Venezuelan airspace, too. Until more American soldiers mass in Puerto Rico, a land invasion is unlikely, however, the Economist contended. “Plenty of firepower is in place,” it wrote. “The build-up of ships is the largest in the region since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962…(but) the aim of this gunboat diplomacy is fuzzy.” This could all be an effort to rattle Maduro, it added, or to map out his air defenses, or both. Alternatively, the American goal might be to scare Venezuelan generals sufficiently for them to mount a coup against Maduro, the Hill reasoned. The results might be backfiring so far, however. Venezuela and Russia recently signed an agreement to cooperate more closely on energy, mining, transport, and security, for instance, the German Press Agency noted. To that end, a Russian cargo plane that may have carried mercenaries or weapons recently landed in the capital of Caracas, Defense News added. Maduro is a survivor. He probably lost reelection in 2024, but, as the Journal of Democracy explained, he controls the government and kept himself in office. Gunboat diplomacy can be very effective, too, however, as well as popular in Latin America. “At first glance, the number of countries and leaders that are rhetorically supportive of Trump’s aggressive military operations against the cartels may be surprising, as it goes against the conventional narrative that Latin America always rejects US interference in regional affairs,” wrote World Politics Review. “But on closer scrutiny, it makes more sense. Security populism and promises to use military assets to target criminals are winning election campaigns across the region.”