Fall 2019 Published by Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas

FALL 2019 PUBLISHED BY MARIN INTERFAITH TASK FORCE ON THE AMERICAS

“The US Appears to be Destined by Providence to Plague the Americas with Misery in the Name of Freedom.” -Simón Bolívar, 1829

HONDURAS: Good News Amid the Chaos and Repression

ers, healthcare workers and students in Honduras and many groups in the US, Canada and Europe. For the last decade I have returned to Honduras many times to join delegations as an investigator of human rights issues, as a monitor of two national elections and as an investment advisor for clients who want their money to do good in Honduras. I have not dared to travel alone in Honduras during this time because I do not feel safe traveling after dark, even with a driver. This is distressing since when I first arrived in Honduras fifty years ago in the early days of the Peace Corps, I felt completely safe traveling alone, even hitching rides from Honduran truck driv- ers, when no other transportation was available. Now when in the capital city, Tegucigalpa, we are cautioned not to go alone to the corner grocery store, for fear our cell phones will be robbed. Even the local gasolinera is guarded by security, complete with AK-47s!

continued on page 2 Edwin Espinal before the Honduran attorney general’s office after his release from prison. Photo: Karen Spring

By Maria Robinson, Task Force Board groups in Honduras and worldwide has CONTENTS member also been intense but it remains to be seen whether this trial will be tainted or Ed. Note: Last fall, the Task Force on allowed to reach a legitimate outcome. Honduras 2 the Americas Report published letters On the way home from prison Ed- from Honduran political prisoners Ed- win’s first stop was at an ongoing Colombia 3 win Espinal and Raul Álvarez from La demonstration to thank his supporters. Venezuela 4, 5, 6 Tolva maximum security prison, where The worldwide campaign for their re- Argentina 7 they were being held in detention on lease was led by Honduras Solidarity trumped up charges. On August 9 news Puerto Rico 8 Network co-coordinator Karen Spring, 9 spread that Edwin and Raul had been who will be the guest speaker at TFA’s Cuba released pending trial after 19 months of Annual Dinner on September 21. The Brazil 10 incarceration. The government has not movement spread from many human Action Alerts 12 provided any proof, and it is likely to be rights groups as well as huge segments fabricated. Pressure from human rights of Honduran society. It included teach-

C E N T R A L A M E R I C A continued from front page stitute (IHSS) in 2014/2015 and the the coup it allows companies to hire Honduran government approved a new workers for only three months at a time Ever since the US and Canadian healthcare law. Meanwhile, as the Hon- with no benefits. Long-term employees backed military coup ousted popular duran government constructs new US- with benefits and pensions have been President Mel Zelaya in 2009, the num- style prisons, no new hospitals are being increasingly laid off (especially in North ber of people fleeing the country has built and old ones are not being re- American-owned sweatshops) and re- risen dramatically. While personal secu- paired. placed with temporary people, and often rity is a factor there are many more rea- Although elementary and high school the same people, under the three-month sons that have contributed program. to what is now a full scale Gas prices continue to in- migration crisis. crease. Most poor people travel Since coming to power by bus and absorb the rising gas in 2014 Honduran Presi- prices. If traveling between ci- dent Juan Orlando Hernan- ties, most vehicles pass through dez (JOH) has ruled the toll roads because one of only country with an iron fist two highways that connect the and with the blessings of north to the south of the coun- the US. Nevertheless, in an try, has been privatized. attempt to reestablish any The so-called "dropping hom- sort of democracy, a strong icide rate" cannot be trusted determined opposition of because the homicide statistics many sectors of society are reported by the corrupt Hon- sprang up. In 2017 opposi- duran police. The rate dropped tion candidate Salvador when the police took over Nasralla appeared to be counting homicides. Honduran well on his way to victory institutions don’t really work. when the vote count was When someone needs to get a suspended; when it was birth certificate or get back- resumed many hours later, Honduran refugees waiting in detention camp in Chiapas Mexico. ground checks needed for em- JOH was eventually de- Photo: Moises Castillo ployment for instance, they are clared the winner. forced to wait in long lines in This blatant stealing of government agencies that seem the election generated widespread re- education is 'public,' it is not free. Every to have no accountability to respond or sistance, which in turn led to greater school and government institution re- provide the service that only they can repression by JOH’s militarized public quires families to pay user fees. Parents supply. security. Meanwhile all social indicators of children wanting to go to school have Henry Kissinger once stated the sim- of health, education and quality of life to purchase uniforms, school supplies, ple truth that the US has no permanent have plummeted. pay for security guards, and cleaning friends only permanent interests. The US Hondurans are now paying much services. If they cannot pay these costs, military presence in Honduras including more for household electricity because then they cannot go to school. These the strategic Soto Cano Air Base has a the National Electrical Energy company user fees have been continuously in- permanence about it but President JOH (ENEE)'s services were privatized in creasing year to year. There is a slow not so much. As protests continue to 2014 as part of the structural adjust- effort by the Honduran government to escalate, the standard of living spirals ments demanded by the International privatize education particularly since the downward and government corruption Monetary Fund (IMF). Electricity bills teachers' unions were broken up in 2012 runs rampant, something has to give have increased by over 100% in the last and a new education law was passed with this illegitimate government. Just two years and continue to rise. Before shortly after. this last week JOH was hastily sum- this law was passed, poor households Food prices, particularly of staple moned to Washington DC for meetings. were given government subsidies; now foods like beans, eggs, chicken, etc., are Meanwhile Hernandez’s government is those subsidies are eliminated. And constantly increasing, and while the facing credible allegations of association power outages are endemic. minimum wage is supposed to be be- with drug trafficking. The president’s When Hondurans go to the public tween $300-$400/month, it is not en- brother, Antonio Hernández, is in jail in hospitals, they now must purchase all forced. Since there is no real rule of law, the US after having been indicted on medical supplies and medications before rules and regulations are systematically drug trafficking charges in late 2018. doctors are able to attend to their violated, especially by large companies There are signs the US might be getting healthcare needs. This includes very including those from the US. ready to let JOH go, not because of his basic supplies like painkillers, thread for The few long-term, stable jobs that connection to the drug cartels but be- stitches, prescription medications, etc. existed before are even fewer now. Most cause they doubt he can keep a lid on the Families must literally go to a medical employment is extremely precarious and growing resistance of the Honduran peo- store looking for these supplies, which the jobs that one can get from companies ple. can be difficult to find and super expen- are often only for three months. The sive. The healthcare system significantly Honduran government implemented the Source: Task Force on the Americas, deteriorated after millions of dollars Temporary Labor Law as an 'emergency' August 19, 2019 were stolen from the social security in- response to jump start the economy after

2 ● Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 O N T H E H O M E F R O N T TASK FORCE ON THE AMERICAS ANNUAL DINNER

Saturday September 21 at 5:30 pm socializing, 6:30 dinner Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin, 240 Channing Way, San Rafael, California Featuring Karen Spring, Coordinator of the Honduras Solidarity Network We could not be happier nor prouder to have longtime Honduran Solidarity activist Karen Spring as our keynote speaker at this year’s TFA dinner. Karen will be coming directly from Honduras to give us an update on the release from prison of her husband and political prisoner, Edwin Espinal, along with a report on the struggle there against the US-backed regime of Juan Orlando Hernández and the refugee crisis. Our annual dinner is TFA’s most important fundraising event of the year and an essential part of our work. Latin America is right now at a critical crossroads between neoliberalism on one hand and self-determination and sovereignty on the other, and we want to do our part in promoting the latter. The solidarity activists and writers who comprise the Task Force most active members cannot continue at the current level without your financial support, and now is when we need it most. We look forward to your attendance at the dinner, which will be a celebration of solidarity, complete with good company, the music of well-known duo Madeleine Zayas and Fena Torres, arts and crafts sales, and as always, terrific vegan and non-vegan food. If for some reason you cannot make it, we still hope you might make a generous donation. We are asking for a $50 - $100 donation. You can easily make your reservation online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/4328093 or you can mail a check made out to: Task Force on the Americas, PO Box 925, Larkspur CA, 94977

North American Coalition for Peace in Colombia

By Alice Loaiza, TFA Board member government, in obedience to the empire of the north, is A new coalition with an initial twen- doing everything possible to ty-five organizations is forming in the destroy. United States because of the urgent Paramilitary groups, in political crisis in Colombia, a country conjunction with the Colom- that flies under the radar of the corpo- bian military and the highest rate media because of its subservient offices of government, have relationship with the US. No blaring assassinated over four hun- headlines about human rights violations dred former FARC members in Colombia are ever heard. since the Accords were The North American Coalition for signed. Peace in Colombia came together with The new coalition de- other international coalitions to defend nounces the growing attacks the Peace Accords of 2016 that ended and intimidation of Indige- 50 years of war which the Duque/Uribe nous communities in miner- al rich areas who are stand- Children mourn the death of community leader. Photo: Pablo Serrano Task Force on the Americas Report ing up for what is rightfully is published quarterly by the Marin theirs. Community leaders Interfaith Task Force on the Americas. are also being gunned down in coca peace in the region because the deci- regions to protect narcotics trafficking sions concerning Colombia’s foreign for the country that exports the largest policy and hostile operations are de- Newsletter Committee: amount of cocaine in the world. signed here. In the last TFA newsletter we ran an The Task Force on the Americas is Editorial: Bill Hackwell article that demonstrated how Colombia honored to join this coalition and we Carol Costa was a special kind of US Puppet and ask other organizations to do the same. Dale Sorensen indeed it is. Colombia acts as a hostile To find out more about it and see our Roger Stoll neighbor at its border with the Bolivari- points of unity please visit: https:// an Republic of Venezuela as part of the afgj.org/call-for-a-north-american- Production: Alicia Jrapko regime change strategy of the US. It coalition-for-peace-in-colombia also acts as a center for intelligence Photography: Bill Hackwell collection for military intervention Source: Task Force on the Americas, throughout Latin America. This makes August 25, 2019 Distribution: Faye Hinze the North American Coalition for Peace in Colombia critical in the struggle for Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 ● 3 S O U T H A M E R I C A XXV São Paulo Forum Shows that Venezuela is not Alone!

By Alicia Jrapko, Task Force Board Bolivia, Ecuador and El Salvador. The For those delegates coming from the member current situation is very different than it United States they had to go through a was then. The integration of Latin series of added hurdles just to get there. From July 25 to 28 the XXV São America is now in jeopardy, and a num- After the suspension of diplomatic rela- Paulo Forum took place in Caracas, ber of countries in the region are led by tions in January 2019 traveling to Vene- Venezuela, with the participation of 190 puppet governments subordinate to the zuela has become more difficult with no organizations, political parties, social designs of the US government. Vene- direct flights from the US and no consu- movements, workers movements, parlia- zuela has held on but it is in the cross- lates to grant visas. Nevertheless, activ- mentarians and intellectuals from Latin hairs of the empire to bring about re- ists were creative and found the way to America, the Caribbean and several gime change at all costs. This reality be present, including representatives of continents. made the Forum to be held in Venezuela the Collective for the Protection of the The date chosen for this historic all that more important. Never before in Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC meeting had a symbolic character to it. the 29 years since its inception, has the who occupied and protected the embas- During those four days a number of co- host country been more besieged and sy for thirty seven days. inciding historical events During the opening were celebrated, such as ceremony of the Forum, the birth of the Liberator the First Vice-President Simón Bolívar, the assault of the United Socialist on the Moncada Barracks Party of Venezuela that marked the beginning (PSUV) and president of the Cuban revolution, of the National Constit- and the 65th anniversary uent Assembly, Di- of the birth of Commander osdado Cabello set the Hugo Chávez. tone when he told the The Forum of São enthusiastic audience Paulo is the oldest contin- “No one will be able to uing event of progressive do it alone, it is the unity in Latin America. unity of the people that The first Forum was held is necessary. The more in the city of São Paulo they insist, the more we Brazil in 1990 as an initia- are going to solve our tive of the historic leader problems. Here in Ven- of the Cuban revolution, ezuela the right wing Fidel Castro Ruz and the will not be able to gov- then leader of the Work- ern. The right likes ers’ Party of Brazil (PT), elections when they Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. win; when the people The two put out a call to win they don’t like it. political parties and organ- Forum participants joined the Venezuelan people in the street. Photos The right doesn’t re- izations from Latin Amer- Alicia Jrapko spect the process. They ica and the Caribbean to can’t, their nature discuss alternatives to doesn’t allow them to. neoliberal policies. Since then the Fo- The right wing is the same everywhere. rum adopted the name of the city where blockaded than Venezuela today and it We feel the support of the people but it was born. Twenty-six countries from is here where the destiny of the Great those people also need our support. We Latin America and the Caribbean make Homeland lies in the balance. resisted and marched with the convic- up the member countries of the Forum. Despite the difficult situation in this tion that we are going to win. The peo- Today the scenario of all Latin South American nation, whose only ple here don’t get depressed because America is very different from previous crime in the eyes of US imperialism has with Chávez they learned to have a forums. Of the two leaders who brought been to divert their vast natural re- voice. We have even been threatened the idea of the São Paulo Forum to life, sources for the betterment of those who with everything including a military one is no longer physically present and had been poor and dispossessed, approx- invasion, but we are willing to defend the other one is serving an unjust sen- imately 700 people merged with hun- the Bolivarian revolution, which is a tence in a Brazilian prison for having dreds of Venezuelans in this critical four revolution for the peoples, not just for had the audacity to lift 30 million Bra- -day meeting to discuss the burning Venezuela. No one can do it alone.” zilians out of poverty. The triumph of questions of Latin America and also to Other speakers included Monica Valen- the Bolivarian revolution in 1998, with reinvigorate the same spirit of regional te, of the Brazilian Workers Party the popular election of Hugo Chávez, integration sown by those who founded opened the door to a new continental the Forum. Overall those in attendance continued on page 5 stage where progressive projects sprout- came to show the world that Venezuela ed up in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, is not alone.

4 ● Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 S O U T H A M E R I C A continued from page 4 Forum, Venezuela’s President Nicolás president said. He presented the activists Maduro reiterated his gratitude to the with a replica of Simon Bolívar’s sword. and the Executive Secretary of the São members of the Protection Collective of The closing ceremony took place Paulo Forum, and the Ambassador of the after a walk to the Cuartel de la Monta- Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to ña, in the 23 de Enero neighborhood, Cuba, Adan Chávez. Also Julio Muriente where the remains of Hugo Chávez rest. Pérez, member of the National Hostosian Present at the closing were Presidents Independence Movement of Puerto Rico. Nicolás Maduro, President of Cuba Mi- Muriente also talked about the popular guel Díaz Canel, Diosdado Cabello, and victory that just took place in Puerto Mónica Valente. Rico. “Thousands of Puerto Ricans The Forum issued a Final Declaration raised the flag of dignity forcing the cor- of support for Venezuela, Cuba, Nicara- rupt Governor Ricardo Roselló to re- gua and other progressive governments sign.” he said, as the audience stood up under attack by US imperialism and cheering. “It wasn’t that he resigned, the demand for the freedom of Lula and oth- people took him out.” er left-wing leaders imprisoned for polit- It is important to note that this was ical reasons. not just a talking conference but a meet- What the XXV São Paulo Forum ing of activists who on Saturday went demonstrated most were the essential out to the street along with thousands of and immeasurable examples inherited Venezuelans to call for the US hands off from Fidel to guide the revolutionaries of Venezuela and all of Latin America. In Latin America and the Caribbean. These all meetings inside and the rally outside, are the unity of the left progressive forc- participants expressed their support to Venezuela’s Embassy in Washington. es and the practice of internationalism. the only president of Venezuela elected “Their performance reflects high morals by popular will, Nicolás Maduro Moros. for the defense of the dignity and sover- Source: Global Research on August 1, During the last day of the São Paulo eignty of the Venezuelan people,” the 2019

VENEZUELA: Myth of US Humanitarianism

world are peaceful and well-intended, here, how could they possibly deliver a having voices that break through the humane intervention in Venezuela or deception to explain the reality is essen- anywhere else for that matter? What tial if real change is to take place. their plans are if they can’t bring down One of these voices is progressive the Maduro government through well author and longtime supporter of anti- financed and violent coercion then they imperialist movements in Latin America, are more than willing to strangle the en- Dan Kovalik who is currently on a week- tire country into complete economic col- long tour in California with his new lapse. It is either one or the other; that is book, The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela. exactly what they plan to do. Every time Stops on the tour included a meeting that the US says that it is intervening in a in Berkeley organized by KPFA Pacifica country on humanitarian grounds the Radio station, several events in Los An- exact opposite result takes place.” Dan Kovalik. Photo Bill Hackwell geles, and other appearances in Oakland, Also speaking in San Francisco were San Francisco, San Mateo, Sacramento David Paul, from the Embassy Protec- and Corte Madera. tion Collective, and Alicia Jrapko speak- By Bill Hackwell, Task Force Board In front of a well-attended event in ing from the International Committee for member San Francisco’s Mission District Kovalik Peace, Justice and Dignity who was re- spoke at length about the myth of US cently in Venezuela to participate in the Ed. Note: Dan Kovalik is a human humanitarian interventionism when it São Paulo Forum. TFA board member rights, labor rights lawyer and peace comes to the crisis in Venezuela. “How Roger Harris, who coordinated Ko- activist. He currently teaches Interna- can it be that the US could have humani- valik’s tour, introduced him at the meet- tional Human Rights at the University of tarian answers for the problems that ing. The event was organized by the Pittsburgh School Of Law and is a mem- Venezuela is enduring when they are the Task Force on the Americas and the In- ber of the advisory board of the US originators of an economic blockade of ternational Committee for Peace Justice Chapter of the Network in Defense of life essentials that they keep tightening? and Dignity. Humanity. I was just in Los Angeles and was In the battle of ideas against a corpo- shocked to see the level of homelessness Source: Task Force on the Americas, rate media that inundates the minds of in the middle of that city. If they can’t August 20, 2019 people into thinking that any and all provide for housing for the poor, health things the United States does in the care for all or jobs with a living wage

Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 ● 5 S O U T H A M E R I C A VENEZUELA: US Strangulation of Economy Officially Becomes an Embargo

By Misión Verdad news dence, the only entity empowered to Washington has applied measures of this issue sanctions is the UN Security Coun- kind against a government in the West- The Trump Administration has cil, and for that express reason, the ern Hemisphere in more than thirty reached a new zenith in its destructive measures taken by the US government years.” No congressional representative acts against the Venezuelan economy against Venezuela are illegal. uttered a sound of opposition to this or- and society by extending the coercive To explain it in detail, Venezuelan der, that will impact the elderly and chil- and unilateral measures against the Boli- State programs such as the Local Supply dren the most. varian Republic to the level of an embar- and Production Committees (CLAP), The measure calls into question any go. According to The act of alienation, transfer Wall Street Journal, this and confiscation of CIT- measure consists of a GO assets by order of a “total economic embar- US court, such as the go.” ruling of the US Court of Once again through Appeals in favor of his often-used Execu- Crystallex, a company tive Orders the US pres- claiming $1.8 billion of ident is strengthening CITGO property. all prohibitions against But the embargo any commercial rela- measure grants the US tionship with the Vene- government’s total con- zuelan state by any US trol of those assets in an company or companies exercise of clear discre- doing business with the tion, which indicates no US. The measure im- compensation of the loss- poses an embargo on es of the assets of the Venezuelan assets on Republic. In other words US soil, including CIT- outright theft of every- GO, a subsidiary of Trump signs another Executive Order against Venezuela. Photo: NBC thing Venezuela owns. Venezuela’s state oil What Washington company PDVSA. would be imposing is a According to the Miami based El which import food, or the program that clear intrusion into the affairs and sover- Nuevo Herald, Trump “substantially purchases medicine internationally for eignty of another country, by giving an expanded the sanctions” against Vene- the public health system, will undoubted- ultimatum that the popular reelected zuela by “taking the economic blockade ly be seriously affected. The CLAP pro- government of President Maduro must imposed on Venezuela to extremes simi- gram provides basic food supplies dis- be removed from power and the presi- lar to those applied to North Korea, Iran tributed by communal councils to six dency transferred to the self-proclaimed and Cuba.” million Venezuelan families . “president” Juan Guaidó, imposed by The new measure, according to the The provision of essential public ser- instructions from the White House. In Herald, would essentially “allow the vices, such as electricity and water, other words, Washington is suggesting application of sanctions against any indi- which depend largely on US technolo- to holding “free elections” in the midst vidual or company that sustains opera- gies and which are supplied by compa- of a consummated coup plot. tions or provides any type of support to nies linked to that country, could be fur- The measure is announced on the eve the Caracas regime,” which puts into ther compromised by the impossibility of another meeting of the Lima Group, place a deepening of the asphyxiation for these suppliers to enter into direct or this time with the presence of Trump’s against Venezuela. indirect agreements with the Venezuelan Security Advisor, John Bolton. The US The complexity of the measure means state. is not a member country of the Lima that any oil company, financial entity or In a letter to Congress reported by Group but is there to give them their any economic activity of trade in goods Reuters, Trump saying, “I have deter- orientation and marching orders. and services that has any link with the mined that it is necessary to block the Bolton said Monday that he expected United States will be subject to punitive properties of the Venezuelan government a productive day in Lima, boasting of the actions, applying the methodology of in light of the continued usurpation of conditions the United States has imposed “sanctions” that Washington unilaterally power by the illegitimate regime of Ni- on Venezuela to increase pressure on the executes against countries behind the colas Maduro.” The measure will be Bolivarian Republic. back of international law. This would applied to “all assets and interests owned include extraterritoriality jurisdiction of by the Venezuelan government that are Source: Misión Verdad, translation, Re- any subsidiary of a US company operat- in the United States, or that are under the sumen Latinoamericano, North America ing in another country. power or control of any person in the bureau on August 10, 2019 According to international jurispru- United States.” According to The Wall Street Journal, this is “the first time

6 ● Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 S O U T H A M E R I C A

ARGENTINA: A Stunning Setback for Macri and Trump

By Alicia Jrapko, TFA Board member Macri is not going to leave quietly Let’s pleasantly imagine for a mo- who left Argentina in 1976 during the and the days prior to the general election ment that the Macri team is expelled Military Dictatorship are dangerous for the country, especially from power in October and consider the regarding new currency devaluations and possibilities of the next Fernández- Primary elections are at best a gauge other economic issues. The international Fernández Administration. Although of which way the wind is blowing. Pri- banking network is capable of anything, socialism is not on the agenda, the oppo- maries were introduced in Argentina in and let’s not forget that Macri is connect- sition presidential candidate promised 2009 to cut down on the number of can- ed at the hip to the IMF and to the whop- measures to repair the most serious dam- didates running in the age caused during the last presidential elections. four years. But the main Contenders must win a issue will be Argentina’s minimum of 1.5% to be relationship with the IMF eligible to stand for and the odious foreign debt presidential elections. caused by the current gov- This year’s primary, ernment. Though Fernán- where voting is obliga- dez has repeated that "all tory, was held on Au- payment will be fulfilled" gust 11. The results and "Argentina will meet were shocking to all its debt," it would be good and seemed more like a to stop putting out those referendum on the per- types of promises. If formance of incumbent there is any obligation that president, and Interna- should be met it should be tional Monetary Fund to those millions of voters (IMF) darling, Mauricio who deserve better than to Macri. When the dust be made to sacrifice the settled and all the votes Argentineans joyfully celebrate primary election results in the street future of their children and were counted, the left grandchildren to pay the coalition backing Al- IMF debt. Making commit- berto Fernández and former president ping $57 billion it loaned his government ments to the IMF that can’t be fulfilled Cristina Fernández de Kirchner had near- without parliamentary approval. Like all can only mean decades of continuing ly 50% of the votes and those supporting IMF deals, paying it back means ending poverty. Macri had 32.1%. In electoral terms subsidies and assistance programs, and The August primary vote was a mo- Macri got trounced. more inflation. ment of resistance for Argentina and im- In his frustration Macri’s only re- In reality that huge loan achieved plicitly for all the countries of the region sponse that night was his paternalistic nothing but to fund capital flight to the seeking to wrest control of their land and instruction to the thousands dancing in benefit of the regime's friends and allies, resources from the imperial grip. But the the street to “go home to sleep.” while looting the country's wealth. Ac- election in Argentina in October isn’t the The great irony here is that these are cording to official Central Bank data only one; Bolivia and Uruguay will also the very same voters who made a big released by economist Ismael Bermúdez, be holding elections and there are en- mistake by voting against their own in- the outflow of assets was about $70.2 couraging signs in both countries. While terests and for Macri in 2015, like a soci- billion between 2016 and the first quarter Argentina and Uruguay may make slight ety docilely shuffling off to the slaugh- of 2019. turns in a more humane direction the re- terhouse. But four years of authoritarian The Macrist project had been held up election of Evo Morales in Bolivia would power that returned Argentina to the as an exemplary model against populism. mean a continuation of a project advanc- worst of economic times in the country’s He was the hero of the first Davos sum- ing towards socialism. Regardless, the history, turning the nation into a suffer- mit he attended. But while they slapped elections are important because they ing, devalued colony of Trump’s imperi- him on the back they never invested a would isolate the increasingly hated alism, changed all that. This primary vote single peso in Argentina’s productive Trump clone Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and served as a way for the masses to stand capacity. Macri's friends came to specu- put the brakes on attacks against the real up, do an about face and say enough is late and borrow; they advised the IMF to targets of the Empire in Latin America: enough. And at least for now there is indebt the country to the brim in order to Venezuela and Cuba. While the corpo- again a hope for democracy. control any future act of rebellion against rate media have been cheering the end of The upheaval created by years of the the neoliberal policies of looting and the progressive cycle that began with Macri administration resulted in his pri- dependence. Hugo Chávez, who followed the example mary loss in every province, including in It is an illegal debt with the objective of Cuba, there are signs that their cele- those that had voted him into office four of aiding Macri's re-election campaign; bration is premature. years ago. But October 27, when the real failing that, the debt is designed to ham- vote takes place, is a long time from per any government that might succeed Source: Task Force on the Americas, now. his, burdening the people for generations. August 23, 2019

Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 ● 7 T H E C A R I B B E A N

PUERTO RICO: Not Just a Puerto Rican Crisis

By Jesús Arboleya, historian and teach- At its peak, say by the end of World showcase in Latin America. Thus large er at the University of Havana War II, the US could afford the luxury of investments were made to show that it maintaining the colony at its own ex- was a “good bargain” to be a colony of Editor’s note: On Wednesday, August pense. This was advisable because of the United States. To follow the Puerto 7th, Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court ruled Puerto Rico’s military importance, since Rican model was in fact the advice Rich- that in the previous week Pedro R. the island occupies a privileged geo- ard Nixon gave to Fidel Castro at their Pierluisi had been unconstitutionally graphic position for control of the Pana- 1959 meeting. It is now seen to be a sworn in as governor. Wanda Vázquez, ma Canal and other Caribbean routes. It failed bargain, and this is the true politi- Attorney General of Puerto Rico, then possesses deep-water coasts ideal for cal importance of recent events in Puerto took office to become the third Puerto moving submarines through the Atlantic Rico for the rest of Latin America and Rican governor within the Caribbean. five days. The conclusion to be drawn is that the United As of this writing it States is in no condition to is unclear whether Puer- maintain a colony that con- to Rico has a governor. tributes little and costs much. A popular struggle had Even less can it absorb the challenged the constitu- island as a state as the annexa- tional legitimacy of Ped- tionists hope, who now com- ro Pierluisi’s hurried pete with each other for pow- appointment to the gov- er -- a power that has been ernorship after Ricardo blown to bits. Roselló was forced to The recent demonstration resign in the face of of Puerto Rican people’s pow- popular demonstrations er was an adrenaline rush for on a scale unprecedent- a people having to confront ed in Puerto Rico’s his- the hard truth of never having tory. had the power to determine its own desti- Nevertheless, this is not the most im- Ocean, as well as territories used for ny. Perhaps that demonstration of power portant thing that’s happened. With or shooting ranges and training camps by is insufficient to transform the reality of without a governor, the world now North American armed forces. These the country, but it was a show of dignity knows that the US governs Puerto Rico, attributes lost their importance for sever- much needed by Latin Americans within and that it is the superpower that now al reasons, including the Puerto Rican and outside the United States. trembles as a result of its own contradic- opposition movements, and the Pentagon It is likely that most Puerto Rican tions. began to lose interest in the island. citizens who went into the streets would The mainstream media tell us the pro- Another reason for the island’s past not vote for independence in the event of tests stem from the report of a few cases importance to the US was the necessity another referendum. It is an apparent of corruption in the government, along at one time for the expansion of North contradiction, given the outpouring of with the publication of homophobic and American manufacturing, which found in images of patriotism, that the colonialist misogynous messages Roselló had Puerto Rico a tax haven, weak labor and mindset could not be eliminated. The shared with his colleagues. But the histo- environmental regulation, and lower explanation must be found in ideology. ry of the governments of Puerto Rico is wages than on the continent. Among other things, the United States plagued with crimes much more serious It was an epoch of some degree of has spread the idea that independence for than those, and they never produced a economic growth, although with ques- Puerto Rico is not economically viable reaction of such proportions. tionable social and environmental impli- for the country. A major conflict arises The mobilizations of the Puerto Rican cations, among them the galloping in- here, since in practice dependency has people might be attributed to recent creases in emigration, creating a Puerto proved to be even less viable. abuses and insults, like the indifference Rican diaspora which today is four times The dilemma for the United States is of the federal government to the destruc- greater than the population of the island that even if, hypothetically, it could get tion caused by Hurricane Maria, or the itself. And emigration continues to in- rid of Puerto Rico, it will never get rid of sight of Donald Trump throwing toilet crease. Industrialization failed in Puerto Puerto Ricans, who were once baptized paper to the hurricane victims, to remind Rico for the same reasons of globaliza- as US nationals for use as cannon fodder them theirs is “a country of shit,” as he tion that explain the deterioration of US in their wars. has characterized the region. manufacturing, which was worsened by However, beyond the disturbances of the refusal of US industrialists to remain Source: Progreso Weekly, translation, the moment, and the accumulated bur- competitive at the cost of their bottom Resumen Latinoamericano, on August dens of the colonial condition, lie symp- line. 14, 2019 toms of a fundamental problem stem- Finally, in the face of the Cuban Rev- ming from the deterioration of the hege- olution, it was expected that Puerto Rico monic power of the US. would be presented to the world as a US 8 ● Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019

T H E C A R I B B E A N

On July 26, Cuba Has a lot to Be Proud Of

the Cuban people have given to the world. The World Health Organization has reported that Cuba has nine doctors per thousand inhabitants whereas the US has 2.3 doctors per thousand. And the Cuban Ministry of Health has just announced that Cuba, a country of 11 million, has over 2,000 citizens who are right now over 100 years old. This is not a fluke but rather the priority of a society that never discards people even after they are no longer productive or are living with a disability. All Cubans at all levels and capacity have access to health care, education, culture, sports etc., to keep them fully engaged their entire lives. A Save Our Children report has ranked Cuba as the safest country in Latin America to be a child or adoles- cent (not to mention to visit), and Photos: Bill Hackwell UNICEF has declared that Cuba, despite The ideals and principles of July 26 the blockade, has no malnutrition. Cuba remain vibrant in Cuba and can be seen has eliminated Malaria through its pre- By Bill Hackwell, Task Force Board in the legacy of a people whose example ventative health model, Cuba has elimi- member has raised the bar of human conduct nated mother to child HIV transmission, between each other and nations as well. th Cuba has invented a new drug that ar- Today marks the 66 anniversary of While insistent and determined in main- rests lung cancer, and Cuba’s infant the simultaneous assaults on the taining their sovereignty, Cuba is the mortality rate per 1000 is four. Cuba’s Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba first to make and promote respectful life expectancy is close to 80, social and the military garrison in Bayamo led agreements with other nations based on indicators better than many developed by Fidel Castro and less than 200 com- what is mutually beneficial while con- countries including the US; and on and batants in what is known as the impossi- stantly promoting world peace as a goal. ble storming of the heavens against the Cuba opens it arms to the world not brutal US puppet dictator Fulgencio to profit off it but to make it a better Bautista, who in the seven years before place. Fidel Castro was the first world the Revolution, carried out a reign of leader to sound an alarm about the glob- misery and poverty punctuated by tor- al climate crisis back in the 1980s. turing and executing 20,000 Cubans. When it comes to health and education The attacks marked a new stage of Cuba is not just interested in that for Cuba’s quest for independence and sov- their own country but for others too. ereignty that is deeply ingrained in all Cuba is rightfully proud to export teach- Cubans. Fidel, however, made it clear ers to help combat illiteracy and has that July 26 was not the beginning of the medical brigades working in 66 devel- La Colmenita, Cuba’s Children Theater revolution; that it was born in 1868 oping countries. when Manuel de Céspedes freed his Just this past week Cuba’s Latin on. slaves marking the beginning of the American School of Medicine (ELAM) So let’s ask the question once again, Wars of Independence against Spain. graduated another 500 doctors from 84 why is it there is so much sustained ha- Heroic Moncada, which today serves as countries, most of whom received full tred coming from consecutive US ad- a middle school, was a dramatic rea- scholarships. Brought into existence in ministrations? Well, it is because Cuba wakening of a flame that the imperial 1999 by the Cuban government, ELAM provides an inconvenient good example powers could never extinguish. has graduated nearly 30,000 doctors of what collectively striving for a better For the Cuban people July 26 is a from 115 countries in these 20 years world looks like, an example that was day of great pride for all the gains they including 170 from the US, whose only catapulted onto the world stage with the have made through determination and cost was a moral one to go back and attack on the Moncada Barracks on July sacrifice against all the nonstop attacks work in a community of need. This is 26, 1953. and a unilateral blockade by the United not a token public relations program but States that has remained in place one that has become the largest medical Source: Resumen Latinoamericano on throughout the last 12 presidential ad- school in the world and a project that July 26, 2019 ministrations.

Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 ● 9 S O U T H A M E R I C A BRAZIL: The Amazon Rainforest is Burning as Bolsonaro Fans the Flames

By Página 12 news zil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Since he took office, Jair Bolsonaro With the world's largest river and made it clear that environmental protec- Brazil's National Institute for Space source of natural resources where count- tion would not be a priority for his ad- Research (INPE) confirmed with satel- less animal and plant species coexist, the ministration. One of his first election lites what environmentalist organizations Amazon is the home to 34 million peo- promises was to merge two opposed around the world had been announcing ple, including over 350 indigenous ministries, Agriculture and Environment. since President Jair Bolsonaro took of- groups. The decision was adamantly rejected by fice: the Amazon, often called the Social media users from around the environmental organizations because "Lungs of the World," is in danger. globe have been demanding the media they warned that the ministry responsible Between January and August, 72,843 spread information about this environ- for fostering agriculture and cattle rais- intermittent wildfires have been regis- mental disaster. "While UN experts on ing business would be the same one in tered in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest climate change warn about the im- charge of granting environmental per- due to the "development policy" under- portance of taking care of the planet's mits for production in preserved areas. taken by President Jair Bolsonaro in mat- land, soil and forests, the Amazon has Because he could not swing that, Bol- ters of agriculture and mining. Non- been on fire for 16 days," highlighted a sonaro appointed as Minister of the En- governmental organizations used the Twitter message. vironment right-wing lawyer Ricardo hashtag #PrayForAmazonia in the differ- Salles, previously in charge of a similar ent social media throughout the week to office in São Paulo, accused of changing try and get Bolsonaro's attention given proposals in a plan to manage an envi- the massive hectares of forests that are ronmentally preserved area to favor pri- being scorched by fire. vate enterprises. Also, one of his first "I used to be called Captain Chain- measures as Minister was stopping in- saw. Now I Am Nero, setting the Ama- digenous land boundaries, ordering that zon on fire, but it is the season of the such decisions should first be analyzed fire," said the President, arguing in the by the Ministry of Agriculture. face of criticism that the fires are a natu- Bolsonaro took it even further by ral process. The President even rejected promising to open indigenous lands pro- the data provided by INPE, which had tected by the Constitution for mining and reported that fires increased by 83 % this forest exploitation under the excuse that year compared to the same period in indigenous people would live off of 2018. At least 68 protected areas have those royalties. This plan could not be been affected by the fires. The INPE anymore condescending and disgusting director was dismissed by Bolsonaro to indigenous people who look at land as under the accusation of fostering a life and not as a commodity for capital "terrible" image of Brazil abroad with investment. The President is also expect- "fake" data. ing to complete the construction of An- The institute emphatically denied that gra 3, a nuclear power plant on the coast fires may have increased due to the dry between the regions of São Paulo and season or natural events on their own Rio de Janeiro. The area destined for the because "there is nothing strange about project is Itaorna beach, well known for the climate this year or in the rainfall It’s not Fire, it’s Capitalism landslides that have historically revealed amount over the Amazon region." Fires unstable soil. The plant would comple- International institutions and compa- may be common during the dry season ment a large hydroelectric dam in Belo nies, including NASA, showed satellite but they are also caused by farmers who Monte, over the Xingu River which is images of high concentrations of carbon do illegal burning to clear lands and car- part of the Amazon pluvial system. monoxide in the areas where an environ- ry out their business, sheltered by the Norway has directly accused Brazil of mental alert had been declared due to the lack of government control and enforce- causing the deforestation of the Amazon increase of fires. NASA researcher San- ment of environmental laws, and Bolso- and not properly investing the money tiago Gasso posted on his Twitter ac- naro's policies that favor corporate land- deposited by that country and Germany count that the Latin American area cov- owners. into the Amazon Fund, created in 2008 ered by smoke was about 3.2 million From August 8 to 14, INPE reported for the prevention, monitoring and square kilometers. 9,507 new wildfires, especially in the preservation of the region. Bolsonaro, who welcomed the fact Amazon Basin, home of the world's larg- The Norwegian Government halted that US President Trump abandoned the est tropical rainforest and vital to coun- the remittance of 30 million dollars to Paris Agreement on climate change and teract global warming. Fires have spread Brazil. Mad, Bolsonaro shared fake news refused to host the 2019 UN Climate through the states of Acre, Rondonia, Change Conference, seems oblivious to Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, continues on page 11 the problem. reaching the triple frontier between Bra- 10 ● Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 S O U T H A M E R I C A continued from page 10 Merkel so she can reforest Germany." in his social media profiles. "Look at the The Interstate Commit- killing of whales sponsored by Norway," tee on Legal Sustainable posted Bolsonaro, who usually com- Development for the Ama- plains that the media has a biased cover- zon, made up of 27 Brazili- age. His tweet includes a video and pho- an states, stated that they tos of a whaling hunt with sad back- were going to bypass the ground music. The problem was the im- federal government and ages had been taken in the Faroe Islands, were expecting "to have a a North Atlantic archipelago owned by direct dialog" with the Denmark. countries that finance the The German Government had already Amazon Fund for its preser- blocked around 35 million euros (about This year almost 73,0000 wildfires in the Amazon vation. "The Amazon bloc $39 million) last August 10 for different deplores the positions of the programs until deforestation figures had sources to preserve the area, Bolsonaro Brazilian Government that caused the improved again, or at least when they responded with more scorn for the two suspension of resources of the Fund," stabilize. Bolsonaro in perfect Trumpian countries: "She should keep the money reads the document that was signed by style said, "They can use that money as and reforest Germany. And what was the governors of the nine states of the Ama- they please. Brazil does not need it." other country? Sweden, Norway...? Oh! zon region. Threatened by German Foreign Min- Yes, Norway, which is not giving a simi- ister Angela Merkel to not send re- lar amount to Brazil. Send it to Angela Source: Pagina 12, translation Resumen Latinoamericano on August 21, 2019

Support the Venezuelan Embassy Protectors

The Embassy Protectors Defense Committee was formed after the illegal raid of the Venezuelan Embassy by the US Secret Ser- vice and the arrest on May 16 of four members of the Embassy Protection Collective: Kevin Zeese, Margaret Flowers, David Paul and Adrienne Pine. For 37 days, with the permission of the legitimate government of Venezuela, members of the Embassy Protec- tion Collective heroically refused to hand over the control of the Venezuelan Embassy to a representative of the US-appointed, self -proclaimed “interim President” of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó. Please sign the petition to the US Attorney’s office to drop the charges against the Embassy Protectors. https://defendembassyprotectors.org/defense-committee-members/

Task Force on the Americas Stands in Solidarity with the Embassy Protectors

Marin Task Force on the Americas ● Box 925, Larkspur, CA 94977 ● 415-578-7930 ● www.taskforceamericas.org ● Fall 2019 ● 11 A C T I O N A L E R T S Immigrant Rights: Protect Colombia: Protest the Cover DACA, TPS and DED! up of Duque on Sept. 27! A Ninth Circuit panel is deliberating the Trump Admin- September 27 is Interna- istration’s 2017 decision to strip legal protections from pro- tional Tourism Day and grams including Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), and Colombian President Ivan Deferred Action for Childhood Duque is trying to sell Co- Arrivals (DACA) and Tempo- lombia as a beautiful, safe rary Protective Status (TPS), and memorable vacation putting immigrant lives in dan- destination for tourists. ger. The ruling will affect the What Duque does NOT legal status of 300,000 immi- include in his travel bro- grants from Sudan, Nicaragua, chure is Colombia’s hun- Haiti and El Salvador and could dreds of assassinations of affect another 100,000 from Protest for Peace in Colombia social leaders and commu- Nepal and Honduras. nity activists, the poverty What is really needed is not temporary stays of justice from and the massive displacement. The real living conditions of Trump but legislation that would create permanent protec- the Colombian people must be exposed. We want to expose tions for TPS, DACA, and DED holders. Congress must act these myths to make sure that people hear about the real living to pass legislation that keeps families and communities togeth- conditions of the Colombian people. er. On Friday September 27 demonstrations will be taking The House has already passed the Dream and Promise Act place in cities across the US called by the newly formed North (H.R. 6), which would create permanent protections and a American Coalition for Peace in Colombia. Please join us in roadmap to citizenship for TPS, DACA, and DED holders. your area or help organize an action. In San Francisco the pro- Two similar bills have been introduced in the Senate, the test will take place in front of the Colombian Consulate, 595 Dream Act of 2019 and the Secure Act of 2019. Market St. from 12 pm – 1pm. Reach out to your senators today and tell them to support For more information go to: https://afgj.org/call-for-a-north the Dream and Secure Acts of 2019. -american-coalition-for-peace-in-colombia

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