NACLA Weekly Update 08/21/08

New on nacla.org

Latin America Looks Towards European Union by Sujatha Fernandes Once thought of as the testing ground for Washington-imposed neoliberal policies, Latin America has now become the locus for a series of left-wing leaders who are contesting these policies, and as they do so, they have been turning towards allies in Europe, China, and the Middle East as a counter to U.S. hegemony. Read More

Extradition from Colombia: Crime without Punishment? by Colombia Support Network When the Colombian president extradited more than a dozen paramilitary leaders to the United States on drug trafficking charges, they took with them the truth about the thousands of massacres and murders they committed as part of the government's dirty war against guerrillas. But what weighed most heavily into the president's abrupt decision was perhaps the information these death squad leaders were revealing about their intimate collaboration with the government, armed forces, and the private sector. Read More

The Street and the Ballot Box: Voices From Bolivia's Recall Vote by Alex Van Schaick, Luis Gonzales, and Teresa Carrasco Bolivian President Evo Morales, of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party, won a resounding victory in Bolivia's recall referendum. With 96.1 percent of polling tables counted, the National Electoral Court reports 67.77 percent support for Morales nation-wide. Read More

Coming Soon! September/October 2008 NAFTA's Road to Ruin: The Decline of the Mexican Social Compact, Part II This is the second of two Reports on the decline of Mexico's "social compact" –that is, the understanding among citizens and the state that they are bound by ties of mutual support and by networks of social solidarity. Part I examined the threat to the social compact posed by the persistence of impunity– the practice of Mexican politicians, elites, and other social actors to place themselves above or outside the law. Read More

Opening at NACLA: Research Associate NACLA seeks volunteer Research Associates with a background in Latin American studies and/or journalism to periodically contribute written articles for NACLA's website. The Research Associates would work closely with the Web Editor and write brief articles for the website on timely Latin American affairs and US policy toward the region. Read More