NACLA Update 06/04/09 - The Dark Side of Plan Colombia

New on nacla.org

The Dark Side of Plan Colombia
by Teo Ballvé
Grants for biofuel crop production from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) —paid for through Plan Colombia, the multibillion-dollar US aid package aimed at fighting the drug trade-appears to have put drug-war dollars into the hands of a confessed paramilitary and two accused narco-traffickers, in possible violation of federal law. USAID internal documents, corporate filings and press reports raise questions about the agency's vetting of applicants, in particular its ability to detect their links to narco-paramilitaries, violent crimes and illegal land seizures.
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Guatemala's "Twitter Revolution"
by Marisol LeBrón
The political crisis currently unfolding in Guatemala reads like the script of a Hollywood summer blockbuster. The Economist even quipped that it was like something out of Gabriel García Márquez's novella Chronicle of a Death Foretold. But this is far from magical realism; in fact, it was the virtual reality of interactive networking websites – collectively labeled by some "Web 2.0" – that may have brought a presidency to its knees.
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Obama's Choice: Human Rights First or Plan Mexico
by Kristina Aiello
The Mexican government's increasing crackdown on social movements underscores the urgency for the Obama administration to move away from a failed drug war model. The military aid Washington is sending across the border is facilitating a militarization of Mexican society that will likely cause greater suppression of political dissent.
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Job Opening: NACLA Web Editor
The North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) seeks a part-time web editor to coordinate all aspects of the organization's online news content. Although advanced web design/coding knowledge is a definite plus, this job does not require extensive technical skills.

Primary responsibilities include coordinating all editorial content of the website, managing a team of volunteer Research Associates who remotely contribute articles to the website, managing and soliciting outside editorial submissions to the website, writing original articles for the site and monitoring independent media sites for articles on Latin America.

The position requires editorial and copy editing experience, compatibility with the goals and perspectives of NACLA, knowledge of Latin America and U.S. foreign policy, fluency in Spanish, excellent writing and editing skills, ability to work on deadline, and more.
Click here for more information and to apply.

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