Podcasts about american states oas

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the President Santiago Peña of Paraguay. He shared why Paraguay is one of only 12 countries in the world that recognizes Taiwan instead of communist China and one of only six countries that have moved their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.Now I'm sitting down with his foreign minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, to learn more about Paraguay, the region, and Lezcano's candidacy for secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS).“Paraguay matters in the agenda of the United States. Why? Because Paraguay is a very important and key partner for the United States,” says Lezcano. “I think that America abandoned for a long time Latin America. In the last year, the United States lost a lot of markets, a lot of investment, and a lot of opportunities. I think that [now] is the time to work closely again.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

This Day in Legal History: Cuba Suspended from OASOn January 22, 1962, the Organization of American States (OAS) took the historic step of suspending Cuba from its membership. This decision followed the Cuban Revolution, which saw Fidel Castro's government align itself with communist ideologies and the Soviet Union, marking a stark departure from the democratic and anti-communist principles upheld by the OAS. The suspension, supported by 14 member states against six dissenting votes, highlighted Cold War tensions and the fear of communist influence spreading across the Americas. It marked the first time the OAS had taken such a measure against a member nation, emphasizing the geopolitical divide between the United States and Soviet-aligned nations.The resolution to suspend Cuba was rooted in Article 8 of the OAS Charter, which mandated respect for representative democracy as a condition of membership. Cuba's embrace of communism and its growing ties with the USSR, particularly during events like the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis, deepened the rift with its neighbors. The suspension effectively isolated Cuba from multilateral political cooperation within the Americas but did little to curtail its growing influence among leftist movements globally.Efforts to reintegrate Cuba into the OAS came decades later. On June 3, 2009, the OAS voted to lift the suspension, acknowledging changing political landscapes and calls for normalization. However, Cuba immediately rejected the offer, citing its disinterest in rejoining the organization. The Cuban government viewed the OAS as a tool of U.S. hegemony and incompatible with its principles. The 1962 suspension remains a critical moment in the history of inter-American relations, illustrating the enduring complexities of ideology and diplomacy during the Cold War.Twenty-two Democratic-led states, the District of Columbia, and San Francisco filed lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump's executive order eliminating birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents. The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in Boston, Seattle, and Maryland, argue that the order violates the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to all individuals born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction.The lawsuits emphasize the constitutional foundation of birthright citizenship, citing the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898), which upheld citizenship rights for children born on U.S. soil to non-citizen parents. Plaintiffs assert that Trump's order represents an unconstitutional overreach of presidential authority and an attempt to bypass established constitutional and legal principles.If implemented, the order would leave over 150,000 children born annually without citizenship, rendering them stateless and depriving them of rights such as voting, working lawfully, and accessing federal benefits like Medicaid. States also face increased financial and administrative burdens, including the loss of federal funding for healthcare and education programs that are tied to citizenship status.Among the plaintiffs are civil rights groups, immigrant advocacy organizations, and an expectant mother with temporary protected status. The lawsuits seek declaratory and injunctive relief, aiming to prevent the enforcement of what they call a flagrantly unconstitutional policy. Early hearings on temporary restraining orders are scheduled in some jurisdictions, marking this as one of the first major legal battles of Trump's administration​.22 Democratic-led states sue over Trump's birthright citizenship order | ReutersPresident Donald Trump's executive order delaying enforcement of a bipartisan law banning TikTok has plunged the platform into legal uncertainty. The law, passed with overwhelming support in Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, required TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the platform by January 19. It also imposed heavy penalties—$5,000 per user—on service providers like Apple and Google for noncompliance.Trump's order pauses enforcement for 75 days and directs the Justice Department to assure service providers that they won't face liability during this period. However, legal experts argue the order offers limited assurance. Executive orders cannot override duly enacted laws, and courts generally do not view such directives as binding. Moreover, the president retains the authority to alter the order or enforce the law selectively, adding to the uncertainty.This action marks a rare instance of a president attempting to circumvent a law passed by both houses of Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court. Legal analysts note that while Congress could sue to enforce the law, courts might dismiss such a case as a political question or national security issue. Meanwhile, service providers are exposed to billions in potential penalties and shareholder lawsuits if they defy the law based on Trump's directive.Despite the pause, TikTok remains unavailable on major U.S. app stores, reflecting the precarious legal and financial risks for service providers caught between compliance with federal law and Trump's temporary reprieve. This legal limbo underscores tensions between the executive branch, Congress, and the tech industry over the regulation of foreign-owned platforms.Trump executive order leaves TikTok in legal limbo, for now | ReutersPresident Donald Trump issued an executive order revoking the authority of the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to enforce diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives among federal contractors. The OFCCP, which oversees compliance with anti-discrimination laws for companies receiving federal funds, had required contractors to develop affirmative action programs and address workforce disparities based on gender, race, and other protected characteristics.Trump's order mandates the OFCCP immediately stop promoting affirmative action or workforce diversity measures. It also requires contractors to certify within 90 days that they are not implementing DEI programs deemed discriminatory under federal civil rights law. Additionally, the order redefines DEI initiatives as a potential form of illegal discrimination and encourages private companies to abandon such programs.The president's actions rescinded Executive Order 11246, a landmark 1965 order that established the OFCCP's affirmative action enforcement framework. Trump also repealed EO 13672, which protected federal contractor employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity—protections that were later recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court under Title VII.This move is part of Trump's broader rollback of DEI policies, including prior executive orders eliminating diversity programs in federal agencies and restricting the legal definition of gender. Critics argue these changes undermine civil rights protections, while supporters claim they prevent reverse discrimination. The order creates significant uncertainty for federal contractors navigating compliance and DEI program implementation.Trump Guts Contractor Watchdog's Anti-Discrimination Power (1)In my column for Bloomberg this week, a discussion of religious exemptions for unemployment taxes.The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to address a pivotal question of tax policy and religious exemptions in a case involving Catholic Charities Bureau (CCB). The organization, affiliated with the Catholic Church, argues it should be exempt from paying unemployment taxes because of its religious connection, despite providing social services that are fundamentally secular, such as job placement for individuals with disabilities and daily living assistance. This case raises concerns about fairness in the nonprofit sector. Granting CCB a tax exemption would create an uneven playing field, where secular organizations performing identical services face higher tax burdens. Such an outcome risks distorting the marketplace of charitable organizations and undermines the principle of equal obligations for entities engaging in similar work. The implications extend far beyond this case. A ruling in favor of CCB could incentivize other religiously affiliated organizations to seek similar exemptions, potentially leading to widespread abuse of the tax system. Hospitals, schools, and social service agencies with religious ties might claim exemptions for services indistinguishable from those provided by secular counterparts, further eroding tax equity and integrity.The core of the issue lies in the distinction between genuinely religious activities and secular services provided under religious affiliation. Exempting organizations like CCB shifts the financial burden of public goods, such as unemployment insurance, onto other employers, including secular nonprofits, weakening their ability to serve the public effectively. Additionally, it blurs the boundary between secular and religious activities, making tax exemptions a potential tool for avoidance rather than a recognition of genuine religious exercise.This case also highlights the challenge of determining what qualifies for a religious exemption. While proponents argue that no organization should have to prove its religiosity, some oversight is necessary to prevent abuse and maintain fairness. Without such standards, exemptions could devolve into unchecked privileges for organizations with tenuous religious affiliations.Ultimately, the Court must balance respecting religious liberty with upholding public responsibilities. Preserving the Wisconsin Supreme Court's ruling against CCB would protect the integrity of the tax system, ensure fairness among nonprofits, and maintain a clear distinction between secular and religious activities while reinforcing the shared obligations of all public-serving entities.Supreme Court Must Ensure All Charities Get Fair Treatment This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

“Southern Alaska Native Nations' Intervention: Stopping the Extractive Mining Industry from Maiming and Extinguishing Life” Today on American Indian Airwaves, we go to southeast Alaska and British Colombia (B.C.), Canada, to discuss the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC), which consists of 15 Indigenous nations in southeast Alaska and rooted along Canada's transboundary rivers, recent submission of a formal request with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a legal organization that is part of the Organization of American States (OAS), to halt the protracted and reckless mining activities that are violating Indigenous peoples human rights throughout the region. Dozens of mining companies are seeking permission from the British Columbia (B.C.) government to develop some of the world's largest gold mines in the headwaters of Southeast Alaska's transboundary rivers, and the Canadian government continues denying the sovereign rights of the Alaskan Native nations living downstream from the extractive mining activities. In fact, a recent decision, ordered by Canada's Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship on June 27th, 2024, could guarantee the destruction of both a critical ecological hotspot and the ways of life of the Southeast Alaska nations. For example, Skeena Resources Limited (“Skeena”) proposed in 2021 a major gold and silver mining project called The Eskay Creek Project. It is one of eight mines in B.C. that are at issue, but the Esky Project, which is in the final environmental review state, and if built, would produce an estimated 7.5 million tons of gold and silver over an estimated 14-year mine life span and the project would be in the same area as a previous mine that operated from 1994-2008. Lastly, the Esky Creek Project risk southern Alaska Native nations, rivers including the Unuk, Stikine, and Taku, five species of wild Pacific salmon, and more traditional lifeways with possible extinction if left unheeded. Guests: Guy Archibald, Executive Director, of the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (www.seitc.org). Guy is an analytical environmental chemist and microbiologist with over 20 years of experience. He works to utilize western science and apply traditional knowledge and practices to protect the various communities, the forest, salmon, trees, and people. Esther Reese is Eagle Tsaagweidí (Killerwhale) from Ḵéex̱ʼ Kwáan (Kake), Alaska. She is President of the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (www.seitc.org), and serves as the Tribal Administrator for the Wrangell Cooperative Association, the federally recognized Tribe in Wrangell, an Alaska Native nation at the mouth of the Stikine River. Archived AIA programs are on Soundcloud at: https://soundcloud.com/burntswamp American Indian Airwaves streams on over ten podcasting platforms such as Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, Audible, Backtracks.fm, Gaana, Google Podcast, Fyyd, iHeart Media, Mixcloud, Player.fm, Podbay.fm, Podcast Republic, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tunein, YouTube, and more.

Paraguayan Bishops Speak Out at OAS General Assembly Amid Threats to Life and FamilyBy Diego López MarinaAs the 54th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) takes place in Paraguay through June 28, the Paraguayan Bishops' Conference (CEP) and other leaders in the country are emphasizing the importance of defending the fundamental values of life and family. This year's assembly theme is “Integration and Security for the Sustainable Development of the Region.”Full text story:https://ewtn.no/paraguayan-bishops-speak-out-at-oas-general-assembly-amid-threats-to-life-and-family/Photo credit:The Presidential Palace in Asuncion, Paraguay on July 10, 2015. | Credit: Alan Holdren/CNA Episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a59a6350 Podcast: http://www.ewtn.no

[originally published February 7, 2024] I finish the story of Manuel Hevia Coscullela, the Cuban spy, based off his memoir, Pasaporte 11333 : ocho años con la CIA (1978). I examine what exactly Hevia was doing for the agency and what USAID's Office of Public Safety was up to. I discuss Lyndon B. Johnson's visit to Punta del Este, Uruguay for the Organization of American States (OAS) summits/conferences and how that affected the domestic political climate. I get obsessed with the story of Uruguayan military officer Colonel Ramon Trabal - assassinated by "the Raul Sendic International Brigade" in Paris, a story which quickly enters the funhouse hall of mirrors.  Then, to double back on the discussion of Gittinger's PAS files, entrapment ops, and MKULTRA death squad selection processes, I cover Hevia's explanation of the L and Q files. Just wait. He also explains the construction of a "parallel apparatus" and, in relation, discusses a police pimp.  Afterwards, Hevia ran a restaurant as part of ops the CIA and Uruguayan police were running in Uruguay. Finally, Mitrione appears in Hevia's story, and I go through some details left out in the prior episodes. Ice cold. [episode artwork based off the book cover] Songs: Dirty, Dirty Feeling by Elvis Presley De Cuba Traigo un Cantar by Carlos Puebla

This Day in Legal History: Organization of American States EstablishedOn this day, April 30, in 1948, a significant event in the realm of international law and diplomacy occurred with the establishment of the Organization of American States (OAS). This was formalized through the signing of the Charter of the Organization of American States during the Ninth International Conference of American States held in Bogotá, Colombia. The creation of the OAS marked a pivotal moment in regional cooperation, emphasizing the importance of legal and political solidarity among its member states.The Charter, serving as the foundational legal document of the OAS, laid down the principles of peace and justice, promoting the solidarity and collaboration among the member countries. The OAS was established primarily to foster mutual assistance and defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of the states within the Americas.The organization's core objectives included strengthening peace and security, promoting the effective exercise of representative democracy, ensuring the peaceful settlement of disputes among members, and facilitating economic, social, and cultural development. Over the years, the OAS has played a crucial role in various diplomatic and political crises in the Western Hemisphere, acting as a forum for multilateral negotiations and conflict resolution.The establishment of the OAS also symbolized a collective effort to prevent foreign interference in the Americas, which was a growing concern during the post-World War II era, particularly with the onset of the Cold War. The OAS's commitment to democracy and human rights has been tested through various crises, but it continues to serve as a prominent regional entity in promoting democratic values and facilitating cooperation among its member states.Today, the OAS includes all 35 independent states of the Americas and continues to influence the legal and political landscape of the region. Its ongoing initiatives and missions focus on critical areas such as the promotion of human rights, fostering educational and cultural exchange, and addressing contemporary challenges like drug trafficking, political instability, and the protection of the environment. The establishment of the OAS remains a landmark in the history of international relations in the Western Hemisphere, reflecting a lasting commitment to regional solidarity and cooperative governance.Jeffrey Clark, a former Trump administration official and US assistant attorney general, is facing the possibility of disbarment as the only sanction deemed appropriate by DC Bar officials. In late 2020, Clark attempted to influence Justice Department superiors to send a letter to Georgia officials, improperly questioning the election results. This act was characterized by DC Bar lawyers as a dishonest attempt to create national chaos just before January 6. The situation escalated after a three-person panel preliminarily found that Clark violated at least one ethics rule, which could potentially affect his future career prospects, particularly in a potential second Trump administration.Clark's legal representatives, Harry MacDougald and Charles Burnham, have not yet responded to requests for comments on the matter. Meanwhile, Clark has claimed in court filings that the disciplinary proceedings are being used politically against Trump's allies, arguing through his lawyer that the case is politically charged.The three-person panel involved in the case sought advice from DC Disciplinary Counsel Phil Fox on possible lesser sanctions if disbarment were not pursued. However, Fox, alongside two other attorneys, argued that suggesting a sanction other than disbarment would be inconsistent with their professional duty. They emphasized that lawyers who betray their country by violating professional conduct rules should face disbarment. The final stages of the disciplinary process will involve a recommendation by the panel, followed by reviews by the Board on Professional Responsibility and the DC Court of Appeals.The ethical violation considered here is Clark's attempt to misuse his position to influence electoral outcomes, a severe breach of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which mandates adherence to lawful and ethical standards by practicing lawyers. This emphasizes the critical nature of legal integrity and the repercussions of its breach.Jeffrey Clark Disbarment Is Only Possible Sanction, DC Bar SaysA new study by global consulting firm Workiva reveals that a significant majority of companies, nearly 90%, plan to voluntarily disclose extensive data on their carbon footprint, surpassing the mandated requirements. In the U.S., 86% of surveyed companies expressed intentions to adhere, wholly or partially, to Europe's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, despite not being obligated to do so. This directive requires companies with subsidiaries in the EU to report on their impact on local communities and fair labor practices, with enforcement potentially starting by 2026.Meanwhile, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's efforts to mandate climate impact disclosures have been delayed due to ongoing litigation, even as their proposed rules on greenhouse gas emissions reporting are perceived as less stringent.The motivation for these voluntary disclosures, as explained by Andie Wood, vice president for regulatory strategy at Workiva, stems from substantial investor demand and competitive pressures. Companies are committed to providing robust and comparable data, recognizing the strategic value in transparency.The survey involved environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practitioners from 2,204 companies globally, including 660 U.S.-based firms, all having at least 250 employees and a minimum of $250 million in annual revenue. Although these companies are confident in the accuracy of the data they volunteer, they anticipate challenges in meeting the more stringent EU reporting requirements. About 83% of respondents see accurately collecting data to comply with EU standards as a challenge, highlighting the complexity involved in fulfilling these regulatory expectations. This reflects a broader understanding among businesses that while they are confident in their current disclosures, there is room for improvement in efficiency and compliance with international standards.Most Companies Plan to Voluntarily Disclose Climate Rules DataOn Tuesday, the Biden administration announced the implementation of its second set of changes to the U.S. environmental permitting rules, aiming to accelerate the development of renewable energy infrastructure and other projects. These modifications are designed to balance the rapid construction of clean energy projects with the preservation of established environmental safeguards.The new rule introduces the concept of "categorical exclusions," which allows federal agencies to use previous decisions by other agencies for projects that are not expected to significantly impact the environment, thus bypassing more exhaustive reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It also promotes programmatic environmental reviews for broad actions, aiming to reduce the level of scrutiny for projects that either mitigate their environmental impact or provide clear environmental benefits.Additionally, the rule mandates that agencies must consider climate change impacts during environmental reviews and explore reasonable alternatives to minimize these effects. It also states that projects with long-term positive environmental outcomes may not require environmental impact statements (EIS).This rule covers a broad spectrum of construction activities, including renewable energy projects and infrastructure like roads and bridges, which are supported by recent infrastructure and climate legislation. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has worked to expedite the permitting process, with the White House reporting a 14% increase in the federal permitting workforce and faster completion of EIS processes under this administration.The rule is expected to attract more private investment in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and clean energy. Natalie Quillian, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and Lael Brainard, the national economic adviser, highlighted the importance of providing businesses with the certainty needed to invest confidently and navigate the federal permitting process efficiently.However, the rule has faced criticism from business groups who argue that it could favor certain projects, complicate agency analyses, increase litigation risks, and expand the scope of projects requiring NEPA review, potentially conflicting with the debt ceiling law. Despite these concerns, CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory expressed confidence in the new system's durability and effectiveness.Biden Issues Permitting Changes to Speed Clean Energy Build OutDonald Trump's criminal trial in New York, concerning charges of falsifying business records, is set to continue with testimony from a banker knowledgeable about the accounts involved in the alleged hush money scheme. This scheme was purportedly designed to influence the 2016 election by concealing a sex scandal. The trial, which marks the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president, began on April 22. Trump, who is also the Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election, faces accusations related to a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, to prevent her from discussing a claimed sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the encounter and pleaded not guilty.The trial has heard from various figures, including former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who testified about using his publication to suppress negative stories about Trump during the 2016 campaign. Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claims to have been paid for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump, are expected to testify.Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, is set to testify that he arranged and disguised the payments to Daniels and McDougal under Trump's direction, claims that Trump has denied. This case is one of several legal battles Trump is facing, with others concerning his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents. Trump has labeled all these cases as politically motivated witch hunts.Trump NYC hush money trial to resume with banker's testimony | ReutersChangpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, pleaded guilty to violating U.S. money laundering laws and is awaiting sentencing. The U.S. prosecutors have recommended a sentence that is twice the 18-month maximum suggested by federal guidelines, emphasizing the need for a stern penalty to serve as a deterrent in the cryptocurrency industry. Zhao has accepted responsibility and paid a $50 million criminal fine. His defense argues for probation, noting his cooperation and lack of prior criminal history.Zhao's sentencing is part of broader legal actions against cryptocurrency executives following the industry's downturn in 2022, which revealed widespread fraud and misconduct. Binance, under Zhao's leadership, admitted to evading anti-money laundering measures and agreed to a substantial $4.32 billion criminal penalty. The exchange has been criticized for a lax approach that allegedly facilitated transactions involving criminal and terrorist groups, as well as other illegal activities. Zhao, who has stepped down from his role and is on a $175 million bond, has agreed not to appeal any sentence within the recommended guidelines.Binance's CEO Zhao faces sentencing over money laundering violations | ReutersIn my column today, I discuss the increasing reliance of states on vice industries—like marijuana and online sports betting—for tax revenue. This approach seems attractive, especially as it promises substantial inflows that help offset persistent revenue shortfalls, a situation exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, California alone generated over $160 million from cannabis taxes in just one quarter of 2023.However, it's crucial to understand that these funds aren't "free money." They come with societal debts due to the decades of criminalization of these now-legal activities. Moreover, they bring potential future costs, such as increased health-related expenditures from addiction and mental health issues stemming from these industries.While the immediate fiscal benefits are undeniable, allowing states to bolster their budgets without divisive tax hikes, the long-term sustainability and ethical implications need careful consideration. Market saturation and the ineffectiveness of regional exclusivity are real risks as more states legalize these activities. It's no longer necessary to cross state lines for gambling, reducing the unique economic benefits previously offered by state-specific legalization.The revenue generated should not merely fill gaps caused by other tax policy failures but should specifically address the harms inflicted by these industries. Funds should be allocated to education, job training, and community development in areas most affected by past criminalization. Additionally, a portion should be earmarked for public health initiatives focusing on addiction treatment and mental health services.It is imperative that the utilization of vice tax revenues is approached not just as an economic opportunity but as a means to rectify historical injustices and promote social equity. This requires a strategic shift in policy, prioritizing long-term social benefits over short-term fiscal gains. Effective redistribution of these funds is essential to ensure that the communities historically disadvantaged by these policies see real improvements.Vice Taxation Isn't ‘Free Money' and Should Focus on Public Good Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Juliana de Moraes Pinheiro is the co-founder of WBO and was the organization's first executive director. With a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Erasmus Mundus program, Juliana specialized in International Political Economy and Governance at the International Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Hague and the Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. Juliana has a Bachelor's degree in International Relations & Development from the American University in Washington. With over twelve years of experience, Juliana has worked at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OAS), and has collaborated with the Global Alliance for the Green New Deal in Paris, and various NGOs in Washington, D.C. Currently, she coordinates the Socio-Environmental Program at the WBO, and the Liaison & Outreach Strategy for the Parliamentary Observatory on Climate Change and Just Transition at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC). Brazil is going through challenging times. There's never been a more important moment to understand Brazil's politics, society, and culture. To go beyond the headlines, and to ask questions that aren't easy to answer. 'Brazil Unfiltered,' does just that. This podcast is hosted by James N. Green, Professor of Brazilian History and Culture at Brown University and the National Co-Coordinator of the U.S. Network for Democracy in Brazil.Brazil Unfiltered is part of the Democracy Observatory, supported by the Washington Brazil Office. This podcast is edited and produced by Camilo Rocha in São Paulo.https://www.braziloffice.org/en/observatory#activities

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by former U. S. Ambassador Luigi Einaudi, author of Learning Diplomacy: An Oral History, to discuss his book and reflect on his diplomatic career in Latin America. He shares his experiences at the State Department, the Organization of American States (OAS), and as Special Envoy, where he played a crucial role in ending the war between Ecuador and Peru in the 1990s.

This Day in Legal History: Cuba Suspended from Organization of American States (OAS)Today, January 22nd, marks a significant date in legal history. On this day in 1962, the Organization of American States (OAS), an international organization founded for the purposes of regional solidarity and cooperation among its member states in the Americas, made a momentous decision regarding Cuba. Following the communist revolution in Cuba led by Fidel Castro, the OAS voted to suspend Cuba from its membership. This action was a reflection of the Cold War tensions that were prevalent during that era, as many member countries of the OAS were aligned with the United States, which opposed communist ideologies.The suspension of Cuba from the OAS was more than a symbolic gesture; it represented a significant diplomatic and political isolation of Cuba in the Western Hemisphere. It was a part of broader efforts by the United States and its allies to limit the spread of communism, particularly in the Americas. The OAS, established in 1948, was seen as a crucial platform for political discourse and policy-making in the region, and Cuba's exclusion meant a significant limitation in its diplomatic reach and influence.However, the political landscape began to shift over the years, and in a historic move, the OAS voted to reinstate Cuba on June 3, 2009. This decision came at a time when international attitudes towards Cuba were thawing, and there was a growing recognition of the need to engage rather than isolate. The vote to reinstate Cuba was seen as a step towards normalizing relations and acknowledged the changing dynamics in international politics.Interestingly, the Cuban government, led by Raul Castro, Fidel Castro's brother, rejected the offer of reinstatement almost immediately. The rejection by Cuba was indicative of the deep-seated mistrust and the residual effects of years of political and ideological conflict. Cuba's response was also a reflection of its desire to maintain its sovereignty and political ideology without perceived interference from other nations, particularly those in the Americas.The events of January 22, 1962, and the subsequent developments in 2009 highlight the complexities of international relations and the ongoing impact of historical events on contemporary politics. They underscore the evolving nature of diplomatic ties and the intricate balance between national sovereignty, ideological beliefs, and international cooperation.The U.S. Supreme Court is set to make a ruling that could limit federal agencies' regulatory powers, significantly influencing a challenge to President Biden's rule on socially conscious investing for employee retirement plans. This challenge, initiated by 26 Republican-led states, focuses on a Department of Labor rule that allows retirement plans to consider environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions. The states have requested the U.S. appeals court to delay its decision on this matter until the Supreme Court's ruling.The Supreme Court's decision revolves around the "Chevron deference," a legal precedent from 1984 that mandates judicial deference to reasonable agency interpretations of ambiguous U.S. laws. This doctrine is currently under scrutiny in a case related to overfishing monitoring. Texas-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, overseeing the lawsuit against the ESG investing rule, previously found the Labor Department's interpretation reasonable, allowing plans to consider ESG factors as long as traditional financial considerations remain prioritized.However, the challenging states argue that federal law explicitly requires retirement plans to focus solely on the financial benefit of participants, negating the need for Chevron deference in this case. They suggest that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals should await the Supreme Court's decision on Chevron deference before proceeding.Critics of ESG investing, primarily Republicans, argue that it promotes liberal agendas, potentially harming the financial interests of plan participants or shareholders. The Biden administration, defending the ESG rule, argues for the preservation of Chevron deference, highlighting the necessity for agencies to interpret ambiguous legislation.The ESG rule, established in November 2023, reversed former President Trump's restrictions on considering ESG factors, impacting plans that invest over $12 trillion for more than 150 million people. The Supreme Court's decision on Chevron deference could have far-reaching implications, potentially making it more challenging for federal agencies to defend their rules in court and indicating a broader conservative effort to reduce the powers of the "administrative state." During the Supreme Court's recent arguments, a clear majority opinion on overturning Chevron deference was not evident, with some conservative justices expressing skepticism while others showed reluctance to reverse it.US Supreme Court ruling on agency powers may impact Biden ESG investing rule | ReutersThe Tenth Circuit is currently considering a challenge by Utah to President Joe Biden's re-establishment of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. Central to this case is the issue of judicial review regarding presidential use of the Antiquities Act for creating large national monuments. Utah, alongside two counties, appealed after their lawsuit was dismissed by Judge David Nuffer of the US District Court for the District of Utah, who ruled that Biden's actions under the Antiquities Act aren't subject to judicial review.The state argues that the vast size of these monuments, collectively covering over 3 million acres, violates the Antiquities Act's requirement for including only the “smallest area compatible” to protect antiquities. This expansion by Biden, which reversed former President Donald Trump's reduction of the monuments in 2017, has been criticized for limiting activities like drilling, mining, and logging.The Biden administration, along with environmental groups and tribes, are advocating for the appeals court to uphold the district court's dismissal of Utah's lawsuit. The Supreme Court's attention to this issue has been hinted at in a 2021 dissent by Chief Justice John Roberts, who noted the potentially limitless power of the Antiquities Act.Environmental groups argue that the Supreme Court already settled this issue in 1920, affirming President Theodore Roosevelt's use of the Act to protect the Grand Canyon. They, along with 29 law professors, contend that the challenges to the monuments are baseless and note the historical significance of these areas, dense with cultural artifacts sacred to tribes.The law professors emphasized that the Antiquities Act, which has been used by 18 presidents to establish protected areas, doesn't allow for judicial review and is a crucial piece of public land legislation. They highlight its historical use in creating significant monuments, including Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and others by recent presidents.The Tenth Circuit's decision on whether Antiquities Act proclamations are reviewable could lead to a remand to the district court for a deeper examination of Utah's claims against the Biden administration. The outcome of this case could impact the future scope and application of the Antiquities Act in the preservation of national monuments.Biden Monument Dispute in Utah to Center on Judicial ReviewThe Florida State Bar recently adopted ethical guidelines for attorneys using artificial intelligence (AI), marking it as one of the first governing bodies to provide such guidance. These guidelines, detailed in an 18-page opinion approved by the bar's board of governors, address various aspects of AI use in legal practice, from reviewing computer-generated work to fee structures and maintaining client confidentiality.The initiative to develop these guidelines stemmed from the bar President Scott Westheimer's focus on addressing the promise and peril of AI in law. An ethics committee identified potential pitfalls of AI to offer general guidance adaptable to the increasing number of AI tools in the legal industry. Brian David Burgoon, Chair of the Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics, emphasized the significance of AI in law, noting both excitement and caution due to its potential to provide a competitive edge to practitioners who use it responsibly.Despite AI being a new technology, the ethical concerns it raises are familiar. The guidance reminds lawyers of the importance of supervising and verifying the work produced by AI, akin to the traditional oversight of law clerks and paralegals. The potential efficiency and effectiveness of AI in legal practice could lead to cost savings for clients and firms. However, the guidelines stress the need for fair pricing, drawing parallels with past rulings on other expenses and overheads.A unique challenge with AI is the risk to client confidentiality, particularly with large language models that might retain and improperly divulge client information. The guidelines advise lawyers to be vigilant and continuously analyze each AI tool's use to ensure adherence to ethical principles.The rapidly evolving nature of AI technology and its growing presence in legal practice underscore the importance of having ethical guidelines. These guidelines aim to help lawyers navigate both the advantageous tools and the potential problems AI can bring to the legal field.AI Guidance From Florida Bar Builds on Familiar Ethics RulesThe $78 billion bipartisan business break and child tax credit bill passed the House Ways and Means Committee with a 40-3 vote, signaling a rare moment of bipartisanship in Congress. Despite Republican resistance to more robust child tax credit provisions and a raised state-and-local tax (SALT) deduction cap, both parties recognized the bill as a compromise. The committee's Chair, Jason Smith (R-Mo.), praised the bipartisan vote, highlighting the potential for cross-party collaboration to deliver tax relief.As the bill moves to the House floor, members from both parties expressed a desire for a swift vote, possibly as soon as January 29 when the House returns. However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has not indicated his support for the bill nor his plans for its presentation in the House. The bill might need to pass under suspension of the rules, which limits amendments and requires a two-thirds supermajority, but regular order could allow for further amendments from both parties.In the Senate, the situation is more complex. While Senate Democrats generally support the plan, Senate Republicans, including Senate Finance Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have remained critical or silent. Some Senate Republicans have concerns about the cost of the child tax credit and the proposed offsets. The bill needs at least 60 votes to pass in the Senate, suggesting possible further amendments to gain Republican support.The timing of the bill's passage is crucial, as the House returns on the same date tax filing begins, January 29. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel noted the challenges of implementing tax changes so close to the filing season but expressed confidence, as did Richard Neal, in the IRS's ability to adapt. However, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins warned that changes during the filing season could disrupt the process, potentially delaying refunds and increasing IRS call volumes. Collins advocates for a provision allowing the IRS to adjust credits post-filing to avoid the need for amended returns, addressing an existing backlog issue.What's Next for the Tax Bill? Three Questions After Panel Markup Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

This week on the show, national politics reporter Scott Martin speaks with Donald Kingsbury to talk about Canada's historic and present relationship with the Organization of American States and foreign policy in South and Central America.  This month, Stuart Savage was appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS). Notably, Savage previously served as Canadian ambassador to Haiti between October 2019 and November 2021.  In an article by Martin this week, he wrote: “The appointment of Savage to serve as ambassador to the OAS shows the relation between Canada's spotty history in Haiti, the imperialist function of the institution, and Canada's role in its implementation.”  Here to break down that spotty history is Donald Kingsbury.  About Donald Kingbury Donald Kingsbury teaches political science and Latin American studies at the University of Toronto. His work centers on extractivism, decarbonization, and social movements in the Americas. Don's recent work can be read in Environmental Politics, The Journal of Political Ecology, Cultural Studies, The Anthropocene Review, The and Latin American Research Review.  His latest book, Populist Moments and Extractivist States in Venezuela and Ecuador: The People's Oil? (with Teresa Kramarz) examines the role of oil economies for states in Latin America and grassroots responses to environmental harms and political exclusion that come with extractivist politics across political affinities. If you like the show please consider subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts. And please, rate, review, share rabble radio with your friends — it takes two seconds to support independent media like rabble. Follow us on social media across channels @rabbleca. 

In this episode of Building the Future, Dan is joined by Arturo McFields. Arturo served as the former Ambassador of Nicaragua to the Organization of American States (OAS) until his fateful decision to publicly break ranks with the government, call it a dictatorship, and denounce its human rights violations. Today, Dan and Arturo discuss that personally and nationally consequential moral decision, the situation in Nicaragua which gave rise to that decision, and how the international community should react. 

In this episode, co-hosts Jim Lewis and Chris Painter speak with Kerry-Ann Barrett, Cybersecurity Program Manager for the Organization of American States (OAS), Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, and Secretariat for Multidimensional Security. They discuss national cybersecurity strategies, the importance of intelligent capacity building, norms and accountability, what's next for the OAS, and more.   

On this edition of Parallax Views, anthropologist David H. Price, author of Weaponizing Anthropology and Cold War Anthropology: Social Science in the Service of the Militarized State, returns to discuss his latest book The American Surveillance State: How the U.S. Spies on Dissent. The conversation begins with David H. Price discussing his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests about interactions between American anthropologist, the FBI, the CIA, and American military agencies. We delve into how David became involved in looking at how anthropologists and social science were utilized in the global War on Terror, especially through the Human Terrain System program. In other words, the use of anthropology and social science for social monitoring and control. From there we delve into the thesis of The American Surveillance State and the idea, put forth by CIA whistleblower Philip Agee, that agencies like the FBI and CIA act as "the secret police of American capitalism". In this regard we discuss how intelligence agency institutions became powerful surveillance apparatuses that often targeted the labor and radical leftist movements. This also allows us to discuss the (in)famous figure of longtime FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and some conversation about the period of WWII and the transition into the Cold War. Among other topics we also manage to discuss: - The history of phone surveillance and wiretapping - The Total Information Awareness program and mass data collection - The issue of corporate surveillance as well as government surveillance - The American Surveillance State's targeting of anthropologist Gene Weltfish, Native American activist Archie Phinney, and South African anti-apartheid activist Ruth First; the targeted surveillance of activists who sought to expose systems of racial inequality - American anthropology, racial inequality, and the American surveillance state in the era of Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare in the 1940s and 1950s - Addressing arguments that the massive surveillance and suppression of privacy and individual rights is necessary to fighting security threats like terrorism - The deep roots of anti-communism in the U.S. Liberal anti-communism in the CIA and right-wing anti-communism in Hoover's FBI; President Harry S. Truman and the Truman loyalty oaths program (which targeted federal employees) as a precursor to McCarthyism; Truman vs. Harry Wallace and the weaponizing the surveillance state against political enemies - The FBI's targeting of liberal anti-communists; liberal anti-communist German-American anthropologist Andre Gunder Frank, the Global South, and Frank's critique of American economic hegemony; the FBI's massive file on Andre Gunder Frank - The FBI file on left-wing Academy Award-winning cinematographer and filmmaker Haskell Wexler, who directed the film Medium Cool (a movie filmed in the midst of the riots at the Chicago Democratic National Convention (DNC) in 1968; Wexler's film on the Weather Underground and FBI surveillance of Wexler - Court trials, jury selection, prosecutors, and the FBI - The FBI and Palestinian-American academic Edward Said, the founder of postcolonial studies; the monitoring of Said, who was known for his pro-Palestinian views - The FBI file on the late left-wing journalist Alexander Cockburn of Counterpunch; the American Surviellance State and Alexander Cockburn's visa - Anthropologist Melville Jacobs, who was a student of Franz Boaz, and how he was targeted for his involvement with communism; pre-McCarthy threats against anthropologists who addresses issues of inequality; academic freedom, Cold Wars paranoia/fears, and the rumored-to-be-antisemitic academic who acted as an FBI informant against Jewish professors - Spanish anthropologist Angel Palerm, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the monitoring of Palerm over his work on Latin America; informants in the OAS - Why is certain information redacted in FOIA documents?; why is some information withheld or claimed to be non-existent when it comes to FOIA requests? - FBI incompetence and FOIA - Price's thoughts on the FBI and it's handling of modern domestic terrorism threats, specifically far right-wing groups like the Proud Boys and white supremacist organizations; how surveillance of right-wing groups like the Ku Klux Klan arguably differs from surveillance of left-wing groups; intelligence agency responses to the far-right as being far too late and far less numerous than targeting of left-wing activists - Liberal sentiments that the FBI and other intelligence agencies are the heroes that will save America from Trump and the far-right; Price's response to this - How to make a FOIA request; the ins and outs of making a FOIA request - Has Price ever requested a FOIA on himself?; the CIA's review of one of Price's books - Responding to people who believe that any talk of the surveillance state is just tinfoil hat, right-wing conspiracy theory crankery territory - The CIA vs. the FBI during the Cold War and the roots of the CIA at Yale University - J. Edgar Hoover as a creature of the FBI rather than the Cold War FBI being a creature of Hoover; analysis of institutions vs. hyper-focusing on specific individuals like Hoover - Edward Snowden and the need for a new Watergate moment which will bring about new investigations into the American Surveillance State and possible reforms; FBI oversight, the Pike Committee, and the response to the Watergate scandal - Are we too numb to the American Surveillance State at this point to be outraged by it? - And more!

EPISODE: CELAC 2023-Latin American Integration includes the Voices of the PeopleGUEST:  Alejandro Rusconi, Secretary of International Relations for Evita MovementSpanish to English interpretation provided by Carmelo Velasquez of Velasquez Translations, Buenos AiresBACKGROUND:Founded in 2011,.CELAC, or the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, is a multilateral group of 33 countries from across the Western Hemisphere that excludes Canada and the United States It was created to be an alternative forum for Latin American countries. Inaugural leaders, such as Venezuela's Hugo Chávez, envisioned the group as a counterweight to the Washington-based Organization of American States (OAS), which they viewed as dominated by the United States. CELAC, unlike the OAS, allows Cuba to be a member. Its stated goals are to promote regional integration and cooperation. CELAC represents 600 million people.The Seventh Summit of CELAC leaders was held Tuesday, January 24 in Buenos Aires hosted by CELAC President Pro-Tempore Alberto Fernandez, current President of Argentina.The seventh summit witnessed two firsts:   At the invitation of CELAC President Alberto Fernandez, the United States was invited and sent US Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas Christopher Dodd U.S. Special Presidential Advisor for the Americas The Summit was preceded by a joint proposal of social and trade union organizations. The Social Summit took place Monday, January 23 in the city of Buenos Aires, at the former Naval Mechanics School, a former secret detention center during the military dictatorship, which today functions as a space resigned from the perspective of human rights. With the presence of about 300 leaders of social organizations, unions and popular movements from all over the region, the meeting was a forum to discuss the most relevant issues affecting the different countries in the context of the Conference of Heads of State and Government.FOLLOW OUR GUEST:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ale_rusconiADDITIONAL LINKS:CELACDeclaracion de Buenos AiresSocial and Union Organizations Meet the Day before the CELAC Summit in ArgentinaArgentina Hosts 7the CELAC Summit amid New Presidential LandscapeArgentina and Brazil Relaunch their Strategic AllianceWTF is Going on in Latin America & the Caribbean is a Popular Resistance broadcast in partnership with Black Alliance for Peace Haiti/Americas Team, CODEPINK, Common Frontiers, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Friends of Latin America, InterReligious Task Force on Central America, Massachusetts Peace Action and Task Force on the Americas.

We speak with Larry Clinton, author of Cybersecurity for Business. Larry is the president of the Internet Security Alliance. He advises industry and government on cyber policy and regularly appears in the media to provide an expert opinion. He has briefed NATO, the Organization of American States (OAS), G-20 and the US Congress. He has twice been named to the NACD 'Directorship 100' list of the most influential individuals in corporate governance. Larry is also the author of the published book, 'Cybersecurity for Business'. The Internet Security Alliance provides thought leadership in cybersecurity and works with the US government to advocate for public policy that will advance the interests of cybersecurity. For a copy of the book head to https://www.koganpage.com/product/cybersecurity-for-business-9781398606142Interview recorded on MySec.TV on Friday 21 October, 2022#cybersecurity #koganpage #larryclinton #internet #internetsecurity #alliance #companydirectors #NACD #riskmanagement #cyberinsurance

In this new episode, we talk with David Smolansky, Commissioner of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the Crisis of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees. With him, we review the differences between migrants and refugees, the causes of this crisis, the impact on the region, the policies implemented by the host countries and the work of NGOs and civil society, as well as the challenges for the future. This episode was recorded in September 2022. As of the date of its publication, the number of migrants was updated to 7.1 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the world.

In this episode of Brazil Unfiltered, James Naylor Green speaks with Marcelle Decothé. Marcelle is the advocacy director at the Instituto Marielle Franco. She is completing a doctorate in sociology at the Fluminense Federal University. Her academic interests include activism, race, favelas, and public security. As a representative of the Instituto Marielle Franco, Marcelle was one of the members of a delegation of 19 Brazilian NGOs that traveled to Washington D.C. in late July 2022. The trip was organized by the Washington Brazil Office with the purpose of speaking to policymakers and legislators about the threats to democracy in the upcoming Brazilian elections. The delegation met with officials at the State Department, members of Congress, a representative of the AFL-CIO, ambassadors of the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Brazil is going through turbulent times. There's never been a more important moment to understand Brazil's politics, society, and culture. To go beyond the headlines, and to ask questions that aren't easy to answer. 'Brazil Unfiltered,' does just that. This podcast is hosted by James N. Green, Professor of Brazilian History and Culture at Brown University and the National Co-Coordinator of the U.S. Network for Democracy in Brazil.Brazil Unfiltered is part of the Democracy Observatory, supported by the Washington Brazil Office, and produced by Camarada Productions.➡️ https://www.braziloffice.org/en/observatory#activities

Hello Interactors,EVs made headlines this week as members of the U.S. Congress continue to chase their tail in search of remnants of the Green New Deal. I talked about cobalt last week as a key ingredient for lithium-ion batteries, but a new bill offered by congress this week has implications for another, more obvious, mineral — lithium. The biggest source is in an environmentally sensitive area of Bolivia, and U.S.-Bolivian relations are equally sensitive.As interactors, you’re special individuals self-selected to be a part of an evolutionary journey. You’re also members of an attentive community so I welcome your participation.Please leave your comments below or email me directly.Now let’s go…THE PARADOX OF NATURAL STOCKSToday is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. These words appeared on a ceramic plaque in the shape of a tea kettle that hung in the kitchen of my grandma’s house. Why do we worry about tomorrow? Is it because we don’t know what it brings? No way to control it? We wake up every day in a past tomorrow living in a future yesterday. Today’s tomorrows are becoming increasingly worrisome on a warming planet that needed help yesterday.Democrats in Washington DC worried about tomorrow focused their action, in part, on Electric Vehicles (EV) this week. As part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, they hope to expand EV tax credits and invent $10 billion in investment tax credits to build clean-technology manufacturing facilities.There’s a provision on the EV tax credit regarding the sourcing and processing of the minerals needed to make the lithium-ion batteries found in EVs. It says, “with respect to the battery from which the electric motor of such vehicle draws electricity,” a certain percentage of the “critical minerals contained in such battery” must be ‘‘(i) extracted or processed in any country with which the United States has a free trade agreement in effect, or (ii) recycled in North America.”This might explain why Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for more ‘friend-shoring’ while in Seoul South Korea earlier this week. That’s a term she uses to woo countries into trade practices agreeable to the U.S. She chose South Korea because we need their lithium-ion battery production. In April, LG announced plans for a $1.4 billion battery plant in Queen Creek, Arizona. They are the number two battery producer in the world behind China.The provision isn’t just about the source of the battery, but the source of the materials in the battery. Their key ingredient – lithium – will most likely come from one or more of three countries in Latin America. They’ll need to be ‘Friend-shored’ if America wants to dominate the EV market. The country with the largest and most accessible source, Bolivia, has no shore and recently have not been friendly with the United States.The world’s largest lithium reserves sit in the Atacama Desert which forms a triangulated region known as the “Lithium Triangle”. It sits within the geopolitical boundaries of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile which were drawn in the 19th century. Bolivia, now home to the largest population of Indigenous people, became land locked when Chile crushed them in the War of the Pacific from 1879-1884. They took away land that gained Bolivia access to the Pacific Ocean. Bolivia lost even more land in the Gran Chaco region to Paraguay after the Chaco War from 1932–35Much of the international law that governs these disputes were written to advantage American and European colonist expansion. They were part of a neoliberal agenda by the global North to ensure the rights of these borders and those legally living within them, but also to exploit their natural and human resources. Latin American countries rich with natural resources were eager to participate in the global economy. Many in these Latin American countries viewed their natural resources as an economic blessing – a way to secure and grow their new nation’s economic prosperity amidst a burgeoning global economy. But for most, it was a curse that invited environmental degradation and poverty at the hands of outsiders. This paradox was observed as early as 1711 in a British publication, The Spectator, "It is generally observed, that in countries of the greatest plenty there is the poorest living." In 1995 economist Richard Auty saw this geographical pattern occurring in East Asia, Africa, and Latin America and gave it a name: ‘Resource Curse’.Auty observes the curse is often explained away by neoliberals as a factor of work ethic; they are simply too lazy to keep up with ‘advanced’ economies or lack the necessary resources. But he says politics are blamed as well. The U.S. has spent centuries of time, energy, and money backing Latin American neoliberal regimes and schemes toward their globalist agenda. Both overtly and covertly and always rhetorically. Authoritatively from the right, ‘Peace through Strength’, or diplomatically from the left, ‘Friend-shoring.’The United States has long envisioned an American continent that mimics the United States. University of Iowa international law professor, Christopher Rossi, writes, “Latin Americanism emerged from a deeply circumspect nineteenth century regard for hegemonic foreign policy intentions of the United States, which had weaponized the defensive construct of its Monroe Doctrine (1823) with the annexation of Texas (1845), the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), and an assortment of turn of-the-century interventions and power plays in the Caribbean and Central America over future control of the Panama Canal.”One of the most recent power plays came with the suspected ousting of one of only two elected Indigenous leaders in the history of colonized America, in a country rich with lithium, Bolivia’s 65th president, Evo Morales.REAGAN BIRTHS A POLITICIANEvo Morales was born in western Bolivia in a small Indigenous Aymara village to farmers in 1959. As a young boy he helped his dad grow coca and trade it in the markets of Cochabamba, Bolivia’s third largest city. It took two weeks by foot to get there. Coca is an Aymaran word, “Khoka” – ‘the tree’. It is most associated with cocaine, but the leaf has been central to Andean culture for thousands of years. It’s one of the oldest cultivated plants in South America and has been used as currency, tea, and was even the original ingredient in Coca-Cola. (Kola is a caffeinated African nut) Coca is also commonly chewed by Andeans. Saliva breaks down the leaf to release alkaloids; none of which produce the euphoric effects of processed coca for cocaine but are believed to have health benefits.Growing up, Evo Morales learned Spanish and attended the Agrarian Humanistic Technical Institute of Orinoca (ITAHO), but never finished. After his military service, he became a coca grower. As cocaine gained popularity in America in the 70s, the price of coca increased and farming coca became popular. Morales soon joined a farmers union protecting Indigenous rights to farm coca for traditional Andean purposes in the face of competition among many, and hostilities toward some, coca growers.In 1980 a far-right, anti-union, military dictator, Luis García Meza, became displeased with Bolivia’s turn toward a more pro-civilian communitarian government. He also sensed the decline of the Carter administration in the U.S. and gambled on the country swinging to the right in line with his beliefs. So, as Reagan entered the White House Meza took military control of Bolivia. A year later soldiers kidnapped a coca farmer accusing him of trafficking cocaine, beat him up, and burned him to death. This event is what spurred the young Evo Morales into politics.Reagan distanced himself from Meza, who was eventually pressured to resign. His replacement was a leftist moderate, Hernán Siles Zuazo, who had served previously as president in the 1950s. Amid widespread poverty he came to the U.S. for aid. They agreed under the condition Bolivia would adopt their neoliberal economic plan. That plan involved the privatization of Bolivia’s natural resources – including the coca plant.With Siles back in office in the 1980s, Reagan had a neoliberal ally and a partner in his infamous War on Drugs. Reagan pressured Siles to use military force to suppress coca growers. The U.S. sent troops to help burn coca fields. There were reports of beatings should owners resist. Farmers were offered $2500 an acre to voluntarily eradicate their crops. Morales was one of them and he refused. In that moment, the coca plant became a symbol of Bolivian natural resources, and his Indigenous Andean ancestral heritage, and he didn’t like U.S. imperialists threatening to control it. Activists protested chanting, “Long live coca! Death to the Yankees!"Evo Morales organized similar protests throughout the 1980s and 90s and rose through the ranks of various union groups. He took leadership of MAS (Movement for Socialism) – “an indigenous-based political party that calls for the nationalization of industry, legalization of the coca leaf ... and fairer distribution of national resources." By the 2002 elections MAS became Bolivia’s second largest party gaining 20% of the popular vote.In 2003, more protest erupted after a U.S. company offered to buy a nationalized natural gas pipeline for below market value. Activists took to the street resulting in 80 people dead. Morales called for President Sánchez de Lozada to resign. Lozada fled to Miami, Florida and was replaced by Carlos Mesa who had ties to U.S. In 2004 he resigned fearing a civil war between the upper-class White Bolivian elites concentrated in major cities and the rural working and middle class. In 2005, 85% of Bolivians turned out to vote. Evo Morales earned 54% of the total. This was the first victory by absolute majority in Bolivia in 40 years and the highest national vote percentage of any presidential candidate in Latin American history.President Morales maintained focus on state sovereignty over natural resources. His administration nationalized Bolivian oil and natural gas, telecommunications, electricity, and restructured a state-owned mining company. Thanks to high international commodity prices, for the first time since its borders had been ratified, Bolivia experienced a continuous economic public-sector surplus between 2006-2013.Because of his extractive agenda, Morales is sometimes regarded as capitalist; but a communitarian one. Instead of the profits going to privately held companies and select shareholders, they fund social programs. Morales is also regarded as an environmentalist and a voice for climate justice. His philosophy links to Andean Indigenous heritage and a widely held Amerindian belief in natural rights called “Buen Vivir” or “Living Well”. He ensconced many of these philosophies into the Bolivian constitution. His actions made Bolivia a world leader in encoding Indigenous and natural rights into law.His ‘Living Well’ Bolivian laws, were simply following international law. The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth is part of the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth. It was this ratification that declared April 22 as International Earth Day. The Declaration is intended to spur every country in the world to enact laws and practices that recognize “Mother Earth is the source of life, nourishment and learning and provides everything we need to live well.” (my italics) There is a difference between ‘living well’ and ‘living better’. The current dominant economic philosophy encourages competition between individuals to live better then another, but Morales, and the UN are asking, what if we all could live well?BATTERY POWERED COUPThe aim to for all to live well is why Morales included laws like: “The State and any individual or collective person must respect, protect, and guarantee the rights of Mother Earth for the well-being of current and future generations” There are 58 articles intended to help countries regulate ‘Living Well’, including: “non-commercialization of the environmental functions of Mother Earth; integrality; precautionary action; guarantee to restore Mother Earth; guarantee to regenerate Mother Earth; historical responsibility; priority of prevention; plural participation; water for life; solidarity among human beings; harmonious relation; social justice; climate justice; plural economy; complementarity and equilibrium; and dialogue of traditional knowledges and science.”It also includes a ‘Right to Development’ that Morales was following with his extractive economic policy.“the right to development [as] an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.”The Organization of American States (OAS), an organization largely funded by the U.S. government and headquartered in Washington D.C., helped draft these declarations which Morales inserted into the Bolivian constitution. It’s derived from the 2007 United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that“provides a shared framework for improving temporary situations where two opposed interests collide, that is, the rights of indigenous peoples and State politics.”There are 148 countries who ratified this declaration in 2016, but the United States, Canada, Colombia, and Brazil are not among them. They have issues with ideas of “free determination, consultation, and consent, collective rights, and natural resources, land, and territories.” Which is why the United States may have had issues with Morales.Seeing Bolivia’s lithium stores were the next natural resource to be exploited by the United States, Morales turned his attention to developing lithium according to his ‘Living Well’ constitutional articles. But some Indigenous separatists, and Indigenous people most impacted by lithium extraction, became critical of Evo Morales and his eagerness to capitalize on this economic opportunity.The first attempts at extraction were privatized, but seeking to avoid the ‘resource curse’, Morales formed the state-owned YLB, Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos, for the sole purpose of lithium development. However, seeing Venezuela’s failure to effectively drill oil without outside investment or expertise, he decided to ease his stance on sole state-ownership and sought public-private partnerships. In 2014 and 2017 he invited a French and a Chinese company to build battery plants. In 2018, he signed on a German company, ACI Systems. And in 2019, the Chinese Xinjiang TBEA Group became a strategic partner to explore new extraction opportunities.In October of that same year, 2019, came the national elections and with it another Morales victory. But he was accused of election fraud. (It’s still disputed, but findings fall along political, ethnic, and cultural lines) Around election time protests erupted in the city where the German plant was built. Locals claimed to unhappy with the ACI deal. In November, Morales cancelled it. A week later the military ousted Morales in what is widely believed to be a far-right coup not unlike the one that spurred Morales to political action in the 80s. Morales escaped in exile to Mexico and then Argentina. He also claims his life had been threatened by U.S. CIA operatives.Predictably, the interim government was led by an opposition senator named Jeanine Áñez. The Catholic pink bible carrying former news anchor not only put lithium projects on hold, but criminal liability for police brutality against protesters enraged by the coup. She also cut off ties to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba and became cozy with the United States. A year later, October 2020, elections were held again and Morales’s former Minister of Economy, MAS candidate Luis Arce, won in a landslide.Arce is viewed as a pragmatist but also an adherent the principles Morales instilled in the constitution. Including upholding his 2006 implementation of the Productive Community Social Economic Model which distributes economic surpluses to all Bolivian people so they may ‘live well’.Arce said in a recent interview, “Parallel to the economic growth achieved, we managed to reduce moderate poverty from 60.6 percent in 2005 to 37.2 percent in 2019; extreme poverty from 38.2 percent to 12.9 percent and inequality," And just this week Bolivia micro-mobility startup, Quantum, said they hope Arce’s plans to build Bolivian batteries plays out soon, they want to put them in their tiny electric urban micro-cars and motorcycles. They operate out of Cochabamba where Morales traded coca for corn with his dad in public markets decades ago. Bolivian elections come in just three years but even Arce’s allies don’t believe their facilities can bring Bolivian batteries to market before 2030.In the meantime, outside investors continue to court Bolivia, including the United States. But the U.S. hasn’t had an ambassador in Bolivia since Morales kicked Rob Goldberg out in 2008 on counts of espionage. And I’m sure American companies won’t want to legally adhere to the ‘Living Well’ laws of the Bolivian constitution; just as the American government doesn’t want to ratify the UN’s versions into international law. It may be hard for the U.S. to ‘Friend-shore’ Bolivia. Especially when their shore was taken by Chile. Meanwhile environmentalists worry the state’s ambition to curb poverty through extractive mining will continue to harm the environment.Massive amounts of water are needed to lure lithium from their salty beds. Mining operations can use as much water in one day that a single family would use in twenty-two years. Alpine runoff is the only source of water in the ‘Lithium Triangle’ and La Niña can bring extended periods of drought. Furthermore, this area is home to three of the world’s six species of flamingos. Both plants and animals in this rich avifauna area are sensitive to ecological extremes risking further depletion of biodiversity.Little attention is given to the environmental impacts of lithium mining. The largest number of scholarly research on the subject overwhelming comes from the three countries who seek to exploit and consume it the most for the worldwide lithium-ion battery market: The United States, China, and Germany.But if Arce keeps to the laws of his own constitution, as ensconced by his friend and colleague Evo Morales, he must balance “precautionary action”, “guarantees to restore Mother Earth”, “guarantees to regenerate Mother Earth”, and respect “water for life” with “economic, social, cultural and political development” so that “all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.”  There’s a mind twisting saying associated with ‘Living Well’ that reminds me of that plaque in my grandma’s kitchen. It says, “that which already is, is that which will be, without yet being what it already is.” Today, that which already is, is the tomorrow, that which will be, that you worried about yesterday, yet being what it already is. We may worry what tomorrow brings on the horizon of life, but this much is for sure: it depends on the recognition, and lawful ratification, of Mother Earth as the source of life, nourishment, and learning because it provides everything we need to live well.Podcast Music:1.      Loca de Remate: Ronny Lovy.2.      Queremos Saya: Los Kjarkas.3.      Huellas de Mi Llamita - Grupo Aymara.4.      Tarpuricusum Sarata - Captain Planet Remix: Luzmila Carpio, Captain Planet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

From June 6 to 10, the Biden administration will host the 9th 'Summit of the Americas.' The event, organized by the US-dominated Organization of American States (OAS), is turning out to be another huge foreign policy embarrassment for President Biden. In response to the exclusion of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, an unprecedented number of Latin American and Caribbean Nations are refusing to attend. Clearing the FOG speaks with Claudia de la Cruz about this new era of solidarity and opposition to US hegemony. Social movements are organizing a counter summit, the People's Summit, in Los Angeles and a Workers' Summit in Tijuana. Countries are beginning to abandon the OAS and meet using CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) as an alternative formation. This is another nail in the coffin of the US' unipolar power and a sign that the multipolar world has arrived. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Today's episode: Nicaragua Expels the Organization of American States.. How will this impact Nicaragua and the integration of the Americas via institutions such as CELAC (La Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribeños)?On Sunday, April 24, 2022, Nicaragua said it had closed the local office of the Organization of American States (OAS), a US-based group that claims to promote solidarity and cooperation among countries in the Americas, and revoked the credentials of several of its staff. The official Government statement reads, in part:"The People and Government of Nicaragua have denounced and continue to denounce, the shameful condition of one of the Political Instruments of intervention and domination of the State Department of the Government of the United States, wrongly and falsely called the Organization of American States."The People and Government of Nicaragua do not and will not recognize this Instrument of Colonial Administration, which does not represent at any time, the Sovereign Union of Our Latin and Caribbean America, and that on the contrary, is an Instrument of Yankee Imperialism to violate Rights and Independences, sponsoring and promoting interventions and invasions, legitimizing coups in different formats and modalities with the aim, which they have not accomplished, of disintegrating through humiliation, submission and surrender of our National Sovereignties."We ratify our unwavering decision to leave the OAS, as expressed on 19th November, 2021, and by confirming our irrevocable denunciation and resignation, before this calamitous, truculent and lying dependency of the State Department of Yankee Imperialism. We also communicate that as of this date, we cease to form part of all the deceitful Mechanisms of this monstrosity, be it the Permanent Council, Commissions, Meetings or Summit of the Americas...Nicaragua is not a colony of anyone."This was a huge event for the Americas on April 24, and I am honored for the opportunity to have discussed this in further detail with Nicaragua's Foreign Minister Denis Moncada who joined us live from Managua.In partnership with Friends of Latin America, Massachusetts Peace Action and Task Force on the Americas, original broadcasts of WTF is Going on in Latin America & the Caribbean can be viewed every Wednesday at 4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET on CODEPINK YouTube Live

Defamation (also known as calumny, vilification, libel, slander, or traducement) is the oral or written communication of a false statement about another that unjustly harms their reputation and usually constitutes a tort or crime. In several countries, including South Korea, a true statement can also be considered defamation. Under common law, to constitute defamation, a claim must generally be false and must have been made to someone other than the person defamed. Some common law jurisdictions also distinguish between spoken defamation, called slander, and defamation in other media such as printed words or images, called libel. In the United States, false light laws protect against statements which are not technically false but are misleading. In some jurisdictions, defamation is also treated as a crime. The United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled in 2012 that the libel law of one country, the Philippines, was inconsistent with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as urging that "State parties should consider the decriminalization of libel". In Saudi Arabia, defamation of the state, or a past or present ruler, is punishable under terrorism legislation. Overview. As of 2017, at least 130 UNESCO member states retained criminal defamation laws. In 2017, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media issued a report on criminal defamation and anti-blasphemy laws among its member states, which found that defamation is criminalized in nearly three-quarters (42) of the 57 OSCE participating states. Many of the laws pertaining to defamation include specific provisions for harsher punishment for speech or publications critical of heads of state, public officials, state bodies and the state itself. The OSCE report also noted that blasphemy and religious insult laws exist in around one third of OSCE participating states; many of these combine blasphemy and religious insult with elements of hate speech legislation. In Africa, at least four member states decriminalized defamation between 2012 and 2017. The ruling by the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights in Lohé Issa Konaté v the Republic of Burkina Faso set a precedent in the region against imprisonment as a legitimate penalty for defamation, characterizing it as a violation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Countries in every region have moved to advance the criminalization of defamation by extending legislation to online content. Cybercrime and anti-terrorism laws passed throughout the world have led to bloggers appearing before courts, with some serving time in prison. The United Nations, OSCE, Organisation of American States (OAS) and African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression stated in a joint declaration in March 2017 that "general prohibitions on the dissemination of information based on vague and ambiguous ideas, including 'false news' or 'non-objective information', are incompatible with international standards for restrictions on freedom of expression...and should be abolished." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/law-school/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/law-school/support

In mid-November, following the re-election of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Congress passed and President Biden signed the RENACER Act, which escalated an ongoing economic war against President Daniel Ortega. In this episode learn about what the RENACER Act does as we examine the situation in Nicaragua and find out and why Daniel Ortega has a target on his back. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Essential Background Episodes CD102: The World Trade Organization: COOL? CD167: Combating Russia (NDAA 2018) LIVE CD186: National Endowment for Democracy CD187: Combating China Rabbit Hole Episodes CD041: Why Attack Syria? CD067: What Do We Want In Ukraine? CD108: Regime Change (Syria) CD131: Bombing Libya CD156: Sanctions – Russia, North Korea & Iran CD172: The Illegal Bombing of Syria CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress CD190: A Coup for Capitalism CD191: The “Democracies” Of Elliott Abrams CD208: The Brink of the Iran War CD224: Social Media Censorship CD225: Targets of the Free Marketeers CD229: Target Belarus U.S.-Nicaragua Relations Maureen Taft-Morales. November 4, 2021. “Nicaragua in Brief: Political Developments in 2021, U.S. Policy, and Issues for Congress.” Congressional Research Service. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. September 14, 2021. U.S. Relations With Nicaragua William I. Robinson. August 19, 2021. “Crisis in Nicaragua: Is the Ortega-Murillo Government Leftist? (Part I)” North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) Clare Ribando Seelke. March 17, 2008. “Nicaragua: Political Situation and U.S. Relations” [RS22836]. Congressional Research Service. Maureen Taft-Morales. April 19, 2007. “Nicaragua: The Election of Daniel Ortega and Issues in U.S. Relations [RL33983] Congressional Research Service. IMF Staff. May 16, 2006. “Nicaragua : Staff Report for the 2005 Article IV Consultation, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Reviews Under the Three Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, Requests for Rephasing and Waiver of Performance Criteria, Financing Assurances Review, and Request for Extension of the Arrangement.” The International Monetary Fund. Author's Name Redacted. May 16, 1997. “Nicaragua: Changes Under the Chamorro Government and U.S. Concerns” [96-813 F]. Congressional Research Service. Edgar Chamorro. January 9, 1986. “Terror Is the Most Effective Weapon of Nicaragua's 'Contras.'” The New York Times. Fred Hiatt, Joanne Omang, Michael Getler and Don Oberdorfer. April 7, 1984. “CIA Helped To Mine Ports In Nicaragua.” The Washington Post. Nicaragua Relationships to Russia and China 100% Noticias. September 9, 2021. “Nicaraguan Parliament Ratifies Security Agreement with Russia. Havana Times. “Russia, Nicaragua ink information security deal.” July 19, 2021. TASS: Russian News Agency. Frida Ghitis. June 8, 2017. “A Russian Satellite-Tracking Facility in Nicaragua Raises Echoes of the Cold War.” World Politics Review. Cristina Silva. May 22, 2017. “New Cold War: Is Russia Spying on the U.S. From a Nicaragua Military Compound?” Newsweek. Carrie Kahn. November 17, 2016. “U.S. To Monitor Security Agreement Signed Between Russia And Nicaragua.” NPR Morning Edition. John Otis. June 4, 2015. “Nicaraguan Canal Plan Riles Landholders.” The Wall Street Journal. Matthew Miller. May 4, 2014. “China's 'ordinary' billionaire behind grand Nicaragua canal plan.” Reuters. 2021 Sanctions “Nicaragua Leaves the Organization of American States.” November 19, 2021. Telesur. U.S. Department of the Treasury. November 15, 2021. “Treasury Sanctions Public Ministry of Nicaragua and Nine Government Officials Following Sham November Elections.” Antony Blinken. November 15, 2021. “New Sanctions Following Sham Elections in Nicaragua.” U.S. Department of State. Ned Price. August 6, 2021. “The United States Restricts Visas of 50 Additional Nicaraguan Individuals Affiliated With Ortega-Murillo Regime.” U.S. Department of State. Antony Blinken. July 12, 2021. “The United States Restricts Visas of 100 Nicaraguans Affiliated with Ortega-Murillo Regime.” U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of the Treasury. June 9, 2021. “Treasury Sanctions Nicaraguan Officials for Supporting Ortega's Efforts to Undermine Democracy, Human Rights, and the Economy.” “Nicaragua Minimum Wage.” Minimum-Wage.org 2021 Nicaraguan Elections “North Americans Debunk US & OAS Claims on Nicaragua Election.” November 10, 2021. Kawsachun News. Monique Beals. November 7, 2021. “Biden slams Nicaragua's 'sham elections,' calls Ortegas autocrats.” The Hill. Meta (formerly Facebook). November 1, 2021. “October 2021 Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior Report.” Meta (formerly Facebook). November 1, 2021. “October 2021 Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior Report Summary.” Nahal Toosi. October 26, 2021. “Tiny Nicaragua is becoming a big problem for Joe Biden.” Politico. Antony Blinken. October 22, 2021. “The United States Applauds the OAS Resolution Condemning the Undemocratic Electoral Process and Repression in Nicaragua.” U.S. Embassy in El Salvador. Carlos Dada. October 6, 2021. “La prioridad ahorita es que no nos maten; luego, la justicia y la democracia.” El Faro. Kai M. Thaler and Ryan C. Berg. August 24, 2021. “To replace autocrats of Nicaragua, think beyond this fall's election.” The Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. December 11, 2020. “Nicaragua opposition figure seeks rule changes for 2021 vote.” The Associated Press. Foreign Agent Law Guy José Bendaña-Guerrero. May 2, 2021. “Changes in Nicaragua's Consumer Law.” Marca Sur. “Nicaragua: National Assembly Approves Law To Defend Its People. December 22, 2020. Telesur. LAND Staff. October 29, 2020. “Nicaragua Approves Cybercrime Law.” Latin America News Dispatch (LAND). Associated Press. October 15, 2020. “Nicaragua passes controversial 'foreign agent' law.” ABC News. Oretega's Arrested Opponents Felix Maradiaga Biography. World Economic Forum. Felix Maradiaga Curriculum Vitae. Academia.edu Cristiana Chamorro Biography. The Dialogue: Leadership for the Americas. Cristiana Chamorro LinkedIn Profile. Juan Sebastian Chamorro LinkedIn Profile. Samantha Sultoon Biography. The Atlantic Council. Jared Genser, Brian Tronic, Stephanie Herrmann, and Michael Russ. October 28, 2021. “Petition to United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.” Perseus Strategies. Tom Phillips. October 22, 2021. “Nicaraguan business leaders arrested in Ortega's pre-election crackdown.” The Guardian. “Nicaragua: Police arrest 2 more opposition contenders.” September 6, 2021. Deutsche Welle (DW). Ismael López Ocampo and Mary Beth Sheridan. June 9, 2021. “As election looms, Nicaraguan government arrests Ortega's challengers.” The Washington Post. “Ortega Holds Arturo Cruz Prisoner at Interrogation Jail.” June 7, 2021. Havana Times. “Nicaraguan police detain another opposition presidential contender. June 5, 2021. Reuters. “Nicaragua: Opposition Leader Linked To Money Laundering Scandal.” June 3, 2021. Telesur. The Guardian Staff and agencies in Managua. June 2, 2021. “Nicaragua police detain opposition leader and expected Ortega challenger.” The Guardian. Trump Era - April 2018 Protests Paz Gómez. August 25, 2021. “The Break-Up: COSEP's Love Affair with Daniel Ortega.” Impunity Observer. Mary Beth Sheridan. August 4, 2019. “Nicaragua's Ortega is strangling La Prensa, one of Latin America's most storied newspapers.” The Washington Post. U.S. Department of the Treasury. April 17, 2019. “Treasury Targets Finances of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's Regime.” Samantha Sultoon. November 29, 2018. “Trump administration's new Nicaragua sanctions strategically target the top.” New Atlanticist Blog from the Atlantic Council. Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua [Executive Order 13851] November 27, 2018. Federal Register Vol. 83 No. 230. Rocio Cara Labrador. November 26, 2018. “Nicaragua in Crisis: What to Know.” Council of Foreign Relations. Rafael Bernal. November 01, 2018. “Bolton dubs Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua the 'Troika of Tyranny'” The Hill. Mabel Calero. July 26, 2018. “Daniel Ortega buries his model of alliance with private companies that lasted 11 years.” La Prensa. Max Blumenthal. June 19, 2018. “US govt meddling machine boasts of ‘laying the groundwork for insurrection' in Nicaragua.” The Grayzone. “Pension reforms in Nicaragua leads to violent protests and opposition from business groups.” The Caribbean Council. Foreign “Assistance” to Nicaragua About ForeignAssistance.gov National Endowment for Democracy Grants Awarded to Fundacion Nicaraguense para el Desarrollo Economico y Social National Endowment for Democracy Grants Awarded to Instituto de Estudios Estrategicos y Politicas Publicas Associated Press. August 26, 2021. “Nicaragua Orders Closure of 15 More NGOs.” U.S. News and World Report. William I. Robinson. August 20, 2021. “Crisis in Nicaragua: Is the US Trying to Overthrow the Ortega-Murillo Government? (Part II)” North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) Elliott Abrams. June 9, 2021. “Biden and Democracy in Nicaragua.” Council on Foreign Relations. Ben Norton. June 1, 2021. “How USAID created Nicaragua's anti-Sandinista media apparatus, now under money laundering investigation.” The Grayzone. John Perry. August 4, 2020. “The US contracts out its regime change operation in Nicaragua.” Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Responsive Assistance in Nicaragua [RFTOP No: 72052420R00004] “Section C - Statement of Work.” March-April 2020. USAID OIG Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office. October 24, 2019. “Financial Audit of the Media Strengthening Program in Nicaragua, Managed by Fundación Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Para la Reconciliación y la Democracia, Cooperative Agreement AID-524-A-14-00001, January 1 to December 31, 2018 (9-524-20-004-R)” USAID. IMF Western Hemisphere Department Staff. June 27, 2017. “Nicaragua : Selected Issues.” The International Monetary Fund. Richard Falk. February 21, 2012. “When an ‘NGO' is not an NGO: Twists and turns under Egyptian skies.” Al Jazeera. Laws S. 1064: RENACER Act Sponsor: Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) Passed by Voice Vote in the Senate November 3, 2021 House Vote Breakdown Law Outline Sec. 2: Sense of Congress "Congress unequivocally condemns the politically motivated and unlawful detention of presidential candidates Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga, and Juan Sebastian Chamorro." "Congress unequivocally condemns the passage of the Foreign Agents Regulation Law, the Special Cybercrimes Law, the Self Determination Law, and the Consumer Protection Law by the National Assembly of Nicaragua..." Sec. 3: Review of Participation of Nicaragua in Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement "The President should review" the continued participation of Nicaragua in the agreement. The authority listed is Article 21.2 of the agreement that says, "Nothing in this agreement shall be construed... to preclude a Party from applying measures that it considers necessary for the fulfillment of its obligations with respect to the maintenance or restoration of international peace or security, or the protection of its own essential security interests." President Trump issued an Executive Order on November 27, 2018 that said that the response to the protests that began on April 18, 2018 "and the Ortega regime's systematic dismantling and undermining of democratic institutions and the rule of law, its use of indiscriminate violence and repressive tactics against civilians, as well as its corruption leading to the destabilization of Nicaragua's economy constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States." Sec. 4: Restrictions on International Financial Institutions Relating to Nicaragua Directs the United States Executive Director at the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and the International Monetary Fund to "increase scrutiny of any loan or financial or technical assistance provided for a project in Nicaragua" and "to ensure" that the loan or assistance is administered through an entity with full independence from the Government of Nicaragua. Sec. 5: Targeted Sanctions to Advance Democratic Elections The Secretary of State and Secretary of Treasury, "in consultation" with the intelligence community, "shall develop and implement a coordinated strategy" for implementing targeted sanctions in order to "facilitate the necessary conditions for free, fair, and transparent elections in Nicaragua." Targets sanctions specifically at... Officials in the government of President Daniel Ortega Family members of Daniel Ortega High ranking members of the National Nicaraguan Police Members of the Supreme Electoral Council of Nicaragua Officials of the Central Bank of Nicaragua Party members and elected officials from the Sandinista National Liberation Front and their family members Businesses that conduct "corrupt" financial transactions with officials in the government of President Daniel Ortega, his party, or his family. The sanctions are authorized by the 2018 law (outlined below) against "any foreign person" who, on or after April 18, 2018... Used violence "or conduct" that "constitutes a serious abuse" against protestors Taken "actions or policies" that undermine "democratic processes or institutions" Any current or former government official that used "private or public assets for personal gain or political purposes" Any current or former government official involved in corruption related to government contracts Any current or former government official involved in bribery Any current or former government official that transferred the proceeds of corruption Arrested or prosecuted a person disseminating information to the public The sanctions include... Asset blocking of "all property and interests in property" if they are in the United States, come within the United States, or come within the possession or control of a "United States person." Exclusion from the United States and revocation of visas and other documents. Anyone who "violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation" of sanctions can be hit with a civil penalty of a $250,000 maximum fine or up to twice the amount of sanctions violating transaction and/or a criminal penalty of up to $1 million or up to 20 years in prison. Sec. 6: Developing and Implementing a Coordinated Sanctions Strategy with Diplomatic Partners Requires the Secretary of State to coordinate with other countries - specifically Canada, members of the European Union, and governments in Latin America and the Caribbean - to impose the sanctions together "in order to advance democratic elections in Nicaragua." Sec. 7: Inclusion of Nicaragua in List of Countries Subject to Certain Sanctions Relating to Corruption Adds Nicaragua to an annual report that gets submitted to Congress. The people identified in the report who are accused of corruption in regards to government contracts, bribery, extortion, money laundering, or "violence, harassment, or intimidation directed at governmental or non governmental corruption investigators" will have their visas revoked and be prohibited from entering the United States. Sec. 9: Classified Report on the Activities of the Russian Federation in Nicaragua The Department of State - working with intelligence officials - will submit a classified report to Congress within 90 days about... Cooperation between the Nicaraguan military and Russian military, intelligence, security forces, law enforcement, and Russian security contractors. Cooperation between Russia and Nicaragua in telecommunications and satellites Economic cooperation, specifically in banking Threats that cooperation between Russia and Nicaragua pose to "United States national interests and national security." Sec. 12: Supporting Independent News Media and Freedom of Information in Nicaragua The Secretary of State, Administrator of USAID and the CEO of the United States Agency for Global Media will submit a report to Congress listing all media "directly or indirectly owned or controlled by President Daniel Ortega, members of the Ortega family, or known allies of the Ortega government" and it will access the extent to which Voice of America is reaching the Nicaraguan people. Sec. 13: Amendment to Short Title of Public Law 115-335 Renames the "Nicaraguan Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018" the "Nicaragua Investment and Conditionality Act of 2018" or "NICA Act" H.R. 1918: Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018 Signed into law on December 20, 2018 Sponsor: Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Law Outline Sec. 2: Sense of Congress on Advancing a Negotiated Solution to Nicaragua's Crisis Congress wanted the Catholic Church of Nicaragua to negotiate for early elections on behalf of "civil society", the student movement, private sector, and the "political opposition" Congress did like that the Government of Nicaragua was refusing to negotiate Sec. 4: Restrictions on International Financial Institutions Relating to Nicaragua Forces the Treasury Secretary to instruct our representatives at the World Bank Group and Inter-American Development Bank to oppose "any loan or financial or technical assistance to the Government of Nicaragua for a project in Nicaragua." We can support loans "to address basic human needs" or "promote democracy in Nicaragua" Sec. 5 : Imposition of Targeted Sanctions with Respect to Nicaragua Authorizes sanctions against "any foreign person" who, on or after April 18, 2018... Used violence "or conduct" that "constitutes a serious abuse" against protestors Taken "actions or policies" that undermine "democratic processes or institutions" Any current or former government official that used "private or public assets for personal gain or political purposes" Any current or former government official involved in corruption related to government contracts Any current or former government official involved in bribery Any current or former government official that transferred the proceeds of corruption Arrested or prosecuted a person disseminating information to the public The sanctions include... Asset blocking of "all property and interests in property" if they are in the United States, come within the United States, or come within the possession or control of a "United States person." Exclusion from the United States and revocation of visas and other documents. Punishes anyone who "violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation" of sanctions with a civil penalty up to a $250,000 fine or up to twice the amount of sanctions violating transaction and/or a criminal penalty of up to $1 million or up to 20 years in prison. The asset blocking sanctions do not authorize the blocking of goods imports. Sec. 6: Annual Certification and Waiver Allows the President to waive the travel restrictions and sanctions. Sec. 10: Termination The sanctions authorized by this law expire on December 31, 2023. Audio Sources Kawsachun News - Nicaragua 2021 Election Observer Press Conference November 10, 2021 Moderator: I present Paul Pumphrey from Friends of the Congo. Paul Pumphrey: Here in Nicaragua, I saw a free and fair election. I talked to many people who were not a part of the Sandinistas party. And yet they themselves said they were willing to accept whatever result happened in the election. Moderator: Next we have Craig Pasta Jardula who is a journalist based in the United States. Craig Pasta Jardula: Mainly, I want to talk about the process, meaning the chain of custody, because that's something that we really saw that was great here in Nicaragua, it made this election a home run. The chain of custody is very strong here, including the fact that in Nicaragua, we have something that is awesome that a lot of countries need to adopt, which is where the vote is cast, it is counted, that ensures a strong chain of custody. Moderator: Next is Rick Cohn from Friends of Latin America. 13:05 Rick Cohn: I want to speak just a little bit though a group of 11 of us went to Bilwi on the Caribbean coast. And in the United States, one of the things they'll use to say this election is fake, is that a high percentage of people voted, and a high percentage of people voted for the FSLN. And that can't happen, because American politicians that would never happen. Well, so I want to say something about why the voters told us they were voting. They told us that basically, they had two Category Four and Category Five hurricanes last year, and the government came and saved their lives, saved many, many lives. And, you know, people have trust in that government. And then the government came in and made sure the electric was up. In Puerto Rico from a year earlier, electric still isn't isn't working, because they, you know, are making money selling electric, but it still doesn't work. They told us they had new roofs put on almost immediately they were delivered. They told us that the schools were rebuilt. All of the schools were in good condition. Oh, the schools and some of them have new buildings. So we had a situation where they were very happy with the performance of the government. And that is why -- oh, they also told us they had one kilometer of road before the FSLN came into power from the neoliberal period, now they have 500 kilometers. And with 70 more kilometers, they'll be able to drive from all the way to Managua, which they've never been able to do in history. So they told us these things. And the FSLN party received the highest percentage of votes, but that's not strange, because they really support the government. They received 86.7% of the vote. You know, there's no way that's made up - it's not fake. It's where they're at. It is certainly the biggest deficiency in democracy in Nicaragua is the interference that there is so much interference from the US government and the media, and the censorship and the lies that they tell. That's the interference that's occurring in this election. 33:52 Rick Cohn: Corporate media like Facebook, well, all of the corporate media including Facebook and Twitter, but social media, are actually just part of the US system and they're contracted to provide information back and forth, they're actually an aspect of the government and they close 1000s of people's accounts, who are people, and I met some of them, they're actual people, and they close their accounts. And they weren't, you know, anyone who was saying anything other than the fact that they may have been supporting the Nicaraguan people or opposed to the the sanctions on Nicaragua. AN INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO ORTEGA'S DESTRUCTION OF DEMOCRACY IN NICARAGUA September 21, 2021 House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy *Hearing not on C-SPAN Witnesses: Emily Mendrala Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Laure Chinchilla Former President of Costa Rica Co-Chair at The Inter-American Dialogue Ryan Berg, PhD Senior Fellow in the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Oct. 2018 - Apr. 2021: Research Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Apr. 2018 - Oct. 2018: Research Consultant at The World Bank July 2014 - Oct 2014: US State Department negotiator at the Organization of American States (OAS) 2009: Intern for Paul Ryan Berta Valle Wife of Felix Maradiaga Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ): The regime has rounded up nearly every potential challenger to Ortega and has not even tried to hide these arrests and forced disappearances under the veneer of legality. 05:42 Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ): Having written the NICA Act with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), I am frustrated that the International Monetary Fund recently provided $350 million to the regime. The IMF should not take Ortega's us word for it that these funds will be used to address the COVID pandemic. 06:53 Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ): We should also begin preparing a number of severe diplomatic consequences, assuming Nicaragua's election in November becomes a coronation for Ortega. Nicaragua should be suspended under the International Democratic Charter on November 8, and its participation under the Central America Free Trade Agreement should be reconsidered. 10:39 Rep. Mark Green (R-TN): On November 7 a political farce will be held, claiming to resemble elections. No one should be fooled about the outcome -- any hope of unseating the socialist dictatorship is sitting inside of Ortega's prisons. 13:56 *Emily Mendrala: As you are well aware, the Ortega-Murillo government has carried out a ruthless crackdown over the past several months, canceling the registration of opposition parties, incarcerating journalists, opposition leaders, potential presidential candidates, students, private sector leaders and others who defend free and fair elections, attacking the free press, closing long standing NGOs that provide humanitarian and medical assistance to Nicaraguans in need. 15:06 Emily Mendrala: In the face of sham elections in Nicaragua, we and our international partners must continue to denounce and push back against the Ortega-Murillo government's anti-democratic rule as well as its use of Russian-inspired laws to carry out repression. 17:56 Emily Mendrala: Through USAID we continue to support Nicaraguan civil society, independent media and human rights defenders. Our continued support assures Nicaraguans that the outside world has not forgotten them. 19:06 Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ): Are we using our voice? Is the administration using its voice and vote with international financial institution to oppose loans and other financial assistance to Ortega? Because I have to tell you, it's very upsetting to me that we do all this work here. We asked the administration to put sanctions on different people. And yet the IMF, which we probably contribute the largest amount of money, or if not, one of the largest amounts of money, they seem to just ignore what's going on in Nicaragua. And it has to -- I intend to write a letter to the IMF. And hopefully we'll have them before this committee, because this is not acceptable. 20:22 Emily Mendrala: We are using our voice and our vote and every opportunity in front of multilateral institutions to oppose lending to the Ortega-Murillo government. We will continue to use our voice, vote and influence to advocate against lending from international financial institutions to the Ortega-Murillo government and we will also continue to collaborate with international partners where appropriate: EU, Canada and others to do the same. 30:43 Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX): The upcoming November 7 elections will be neither free nor fair 1:04:30 Berta Valle: Even though Félix [Maradiaga] has dedicated his life to serving our country, the regime has charged him and others with a conspiracy to undermine national integrity. The government is alleging that Félix and others were part of a global conspiracy to use foreign resources, including from the US Agency for International Development, the International Republican Institute and the National Endowment for Democracy to harm the interests of the nation. 1:16:33 Ryan Berg: As well as November 7, I think we need to declare Nicaragua's elections illegitimate under current conditions. 1:27:16 Ryan Berg: Thank you, Congressman Green, for the question. Yes, the two countries that I would point out as extra-hemispheric actors who have have come into the hemisphere to shore up the Ortega regime are Russia and Iran. Russia, we've seen with a significant presence in Nicaragua for a while. Its increased its presence in past years, to an extent that I think should be very alarming for the US government. Not only does it have a number of port agreements with Nicaragua, and access to the Caribbean, where it can engage in anti access and area denial capabilities, potentially. But also in cyberspace. We saw recently the Russians and Nicaraguans sign a major agreement in the cyberspace, particularly to help the regime not only increase its domestic security apparatus, but to spy potentially on the opposition on our own citizens, and indeed, potentially on on other governments in Central America, depending upon the strength of the equipment transfers that we'll see in future. So they have a whole number or whole range of capabilities that they are developing within Nicaragua, that there are signals intelligence stations that are actually quite close to the US Embassy in Managua. And so that's that's Russia, Russia has an interest in shoring up this regime on the cheap. And I think Iran has approached the regime in a number of ways, most specifically, in offering partnerships to circumvent US sanctions architecture, in which it excels, because of the sanctions architecture that it has been under for so long. And we haven't seen as deep I would say, as a presence of the Iranians in Nicaragua, but it's it's there and it's also concerning. I think, in general, Congressman, part of the Ortega regime's plan for survival is to sort of recreate a situation of rivalry and enmity in Central America again, and lend a platform for major geopolitical competitors to the United States to increase their capabilities on the US doorstep and I think that's a significant aspect of this political, economic and social crisis here. 1:35:50 Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ): If the Ortega regime moves ahead was stealing this November's elections the international community must come together to impose a very steep price. John Bolton: Miami Dade College's National Historic Landmark Freedom Tower November 1, 2018 John Bolton: The "Troika of Tyranny" in this hemisphere -- Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua -- has finally met its match. John Bolton: Today in this hemisphere we are also confronted once again, with the destructive forces of oppression, socialism and totalitarianism. In Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, we see the perils of poisonous ideologies left unchecked. Nicaraguan President Speech at the United Nations General Assembly September 25, 2007 16:50 President Daniel Ortega: The General Assembly is simply a reflection of this world where a capitalist and imperialist minority is imposing global capitalism to impoverish the world continue to enslave us all and promote apartheid against Latin American immigrants and against African immigrants in Europe. This global capitalism is one beast and it has tentacles everywhere. 25:30 President Daniel Ortega: They have to understand once and for all, that just as they have managed to profit from privatizations that have given rise to these huge multi-nationals that then set up in developing countries, they say that they are helping us. No business person provides assistance, they simply go to earn as much money as they can, they don't go to invest. Developing countries are considered to be insecure countries, and we are simply being ransacked. If we compare the volume of riches that they're extracting from our countries -- the capitalists in developed countries I'm talking about -- through their major companies, the globalized multinationals. If we can compare that wealth with what the Latin American immigrants send back to their families from the U.S. or the Asian and African families in Europe send back to their families, it is a miserable amount compared to the volume of wealth that is extracted on a daily basis by these forms of institutionalized oppression. 28:30 President Daniel Ortega: These companies are simply using cheap labor. They are benefiting from clauses in free trade agreements. I've got us free trade, why not? Free trade for societies and nations. But clearly in that system, it's the law of the jungle the strongest will impose themselves on the rest. What well the world needs is fair trade. What the world demands is really a genuine change in the capitalist, globalized, imperialist economies, that is where we need to have a change. They have to change this concept that they have of a free market. They have to change the slant of these free trade agreements. Nicaraguan Presidential Address to Congress April 16, 1991 20:00 President Violetta Chamorro: My government is committed to radically reducing government intervention in the economy and the enormous bureaucratic apparatus that we have inherited. Our Congress approved a law that authorizes private banks to operate and encourages foreign investments and is studying the privatization law in order to convert government to businesses. We are rapidly advancing towards the establishment of a social market economy. Restrictions on prices and salaries must be lifted. Likewise, we have initiated a serious economic stabilization program accompanied by the corresponding tax reforms in order to discipline and improve and decrease public spending to encourage domestic production and to stimulate private domestic and foreign investment. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Nicaraguan diplomat Michael Campbell Hooker speaks with Ben Norton about why they are leaving the Organization of American States (OAS), which he says is a “failed,” “coup-plotting” organization dominated by Washington. Campbell also responds to US attempts to discredit Nicaragua's November elections, and explains the importance of autonomy for Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities on the Caribbean Coast. VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=DTRODfuRp6o TRANSCRIPT: https://thegrayzone.com/2021/11/21/nicaragua-leaving-oas-elections

Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "America's Undeclared War," joins us to discuss Russia-gate. Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple argues that media outlets must review their coverage of the Steele dossier and be ready to retract stories that they find to be unverifiable or false. Also, the firm "New Knowledge" was creating false "Russian" accounts online to mislead voters in Louisiana, but was still used by the US Senate to write an extensive document regarding alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Jim Kavanagh, writer at thepolemicist.net and CounterPunch, joins us to discuss Julian Assange. The British High Court has heard the arguments in the US appeal of the Court's decision regarding the extradition of Julian Assange. Joe Lauria's latest piece dissects the case and evaluates the potential outcomes.Jonathan Kuttab, human rights lawyer, joins us to discuss US foreign policy. The US currently has special operations teams drilling with military personnel in 33 of the 44 nations in Europe. Also, a new CBO report has outlined measures that would allow Congress to cut one trillion dollars from the military budget over the next decade.Ajamu Baraka, 2016 US vice presidential candidate for the Green Party, joins us to discuss Nicaragua. President Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista party won the Nicaraguan elections with over 70% of the votes. The Biden administration and the Organization of American States (OAS) are making outrageous claims to discredit the overwhelming statement by the Nicaraguan people.Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Israel continues their sabre rattling with claims of how they will wage war against the Islamic Republic. Also, the recent sale of US weapons to Saudi Arabia assuredly guarantees more death and carnage in the impoverished nation of Yemen.Marjorie Cohn, professor of law at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, joins us to discuss the Supreme Court's upcoming ruling regarding the Texas abortion ban case. Professor Marjorie Cohn has penned an article in which she argues that the SCOTUS will likely allow a challenge to the Texas legislation, but may still overturn Roe v. Wade.Obi Egbuna, activist and US rep for The Zimbabwean Newspapers, joins us to discuss the leadership of Black politicians in America. Recent revelations that the Congressional Black Caucus helped Speaker Nancy Pelosi overcome the objections of House progressives regarding important fiscal legislation have renewed the discussion about the effectiveness of Black politicians and powerbrokers in the struggle for a fair and just society.Arial Gold, national co-director of Code-Pink, joins us to discuss Israel. Palestinian activists are complaining about the recent revelations that Israeli intelligence agencies used the Pegasus spyware platform to tap their phones. Also, we examine the West's role in the ever-increasing number of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.

Three members of the steering committee share their knowledge, career experience and hopes for the Singleton Foundation commitment to the Tucson community. The non-profit will help give everyone who wants it free financial skills to better manage their lives and businesses. Learn More...About Carolyn Roberts Gorst A Tucson Native, Carolyn Roberts Gorst is a proud alumna of the University of AZ, where she studied Elementary Education, Fine Art and Humanities.Throughout her career Carolyn has had a passion for helping other.As a former middle school teacher, Carolyn understands the importance of learning and discovery at every age. Her career path has taken her from the classroom to the corporate world, allowing her to work in both the public and private business sectors.Prior to coming to Junior Achievement, Carolyn spent 12+ years developing and directing life enrichment programs for seniors.Carolyn then took the leap from senior program development to youth educational enrichment with Junior Achievement of Arizona, where she has been working with schools, teachers, and community partners in Southern AZ, to ensure that all students have the financial tools to take charge of their futures and create long-term economic security for themselves and their families.During her time off, you can find Carolyn enjoying the Tucson music scene, painting, and exploring the outdoors with her three dogs and husband, who come along for the ride.About Ana Greif Ana has been a contributor to international organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the World Bank and has done work for the International Business Innovation Association (Imia), US Department of State, US Aid, the Inter-American Development Bank, and The United Nations.Ana holds a master's degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Arizona and is a Doctoral Candidate at Johns Hopkins University with a specialization in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education.For over 25 years, Ana has been an advocate for economic development initiatives that empower individuals to reach their potential. Her passion for education led her to her current role as CEO of JobPath, a non-profit that provides financial and socioemotional support to adults pursuing short-term training in high demand industries. She leads a talented team of coaches and staff supporting nearly 700 students in industrial trades, information technology, and healthcare career pathways.Ana has had an exceptionally busy career with your past work founding and leading Varela Consulting, which assisted governments, universities, public and private institutions around the world, in developing programs and policies to support entrepreneurship with your firm specializing in economic development, entrepreneurship, innovation, internationalization, and technology commercialization.About Howard Stewart Howard Stewart is President/CEO of AGM, a Tucson manufacturing company with 120 employees. AGM manufactures environmental protection hardware for containers and missiles, as well as the world's premier wheelchair lift under the brand name “Ascension”.

Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to wrap up the important stories for the week. The US empire has lost, the Syrian war is over, and the neocons are feebly working to stop the rebuilding process. Also, we discuss President Biden's UN Speech, Pentagon spending, and Iran.Jack Rasmus, professor in economics and politics at St. Mary's College in California, joins us to discuss the economic stories for the week. We discuss the Chinese real estate Evergande and compare it to the relative stability of the US real estate market. Also, we discuss weekly job numbers and the Democrat's 3.5 trillion dollar budget proposal. Dr. Colin Campbell, DC senior news correspondent, joins us to talk about this week's news. Hillary Clinton's lawyer Michael Sussman has been charged with lying to the FBI. Also, some African leaders are calling the West out for vaccine apartheid as their countries are ignored in the international push for universal vaccinations. Netfa Freeman, host of Voices With Vision on WPFW 89.3 FM, pan-Africanist and internationalist organizer, and Margaret Kimberley, editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents," come together to discuss US imperialism including Haiti, Latin American, Africa, and the Caribbean. We talk about the US using AFRICOM for regime change operations in Africa. Also, we discuss the Haitian immigrant crisis, Cuba, and the move to replace the US empire's regime change machine known as the Organization of American States (OAS).Author and professor of East Asian and global history at New Mexico State University, Kenneth Hammond, and Professor Peter Kuznick, author and historian, join us to discuss this week's issues, including China and President Biden's UN speech. We go in-depth to discuss the Biden United Nations speech. Also, we talk about Iran's presence in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the new Cold War.

The saying goes that countries will often export their strengths. But when it comes to foreign assistance for democracy support, Canada does remarkably little compared to its neighbour to the South and partners in Europe. Inclusive democracy is foundational pillar to Canadian society, and in an era when many countries are teetering towards populism and anti-democratic processes, where is Canada's voice and support in the conversation? To offer her expertise and insight into the place of Canada in the world of democracy support, GDP is happy to have Monika Le Roy join this episode. Monika Le Roy is an Advisor to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) on political affairs, democracy and human rights, leading programs to address rising authoritarianism, atrocity prevention, and threats to international peace and security in the region. She directs OAS efforts to document crimes against humanity in Venezuela and is the first OAS focal point on the Responsibility to Protect. A senior public policy and development expert, Monika has served as Senior Policy Advisor to two Canadian Foreign Ministers and has deep experience in global politics, government and the not-for-profit sector. She has worked in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and the MENA regions. Monika's career has focused on supporting peaceful democratic transitions, strengthening democratic governance and women's empowerment, and has led global advocacy campaigns to end child, early and forced marriage and the fight to end sexual violence in conflict. She holds an HBA from Carleton University and an LLM in International Law with International Relations from the University of Kent. Follow Dr. Bob on Twitter: @ProfessorHuish

Key Insights!:Hexapodia!Drop the embargo now!There is nothing that enables an authoritarian régime—or, indeed, pretty much any type of régime—hang together other than an implacable external enemy.For the Cuban military-bureaucratic junta-oligarchy, that implacable external enemy consists of the Cuban exiles in Miami and their descendantsReferences:Alexa van Sickle (2014): Viva la Revolución: Cuban Farmers Re-Gain Control Over Land: ‘As the state loosens its grip on food product… Damian Cave: Raúl Castro Thanks U.S., but Reaffirms Communist Rule in Cuba Marianne Ward and John Devereux (2010): The Road Not Taken: Pre-Revolutionary Cuban Living Standards in Comparative Perspective Brian Latell (2005): After Fidel: The Inside Story of Castro’s Régime and Cuba’s Next Leader New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2005 Carmelo Mesa-Lago (2019): There’s Only One Way Out for Cuba’s Dismal Economy Carlos Eire: Raúl Castro Leaving Power Won’t Bring Change to Cuba Anytime Soon Noah Smith: Why Cuba Is Having an Economic Crisis &, of course:Vernor Vinge: A Fire Upon the Deep Notes:Post-Fidel Timeline:2008 February - Raul Castro takes over as president, days after Fidel announces his retirement.2008 May - Bans on private ownership of mobile phones and computers lifted.2008 June - Plans are announced to abandon salary equality. The move is seen as a radical departure from the orthodox Marxist economic principles observed since the 1959 revolution. EU lifts diplomatic sanctions imposed on Cuba in 2003 over crackdown on dissidents.2008 July - In an effort to boost Cuba's lagging food production and reduce dependence on food imports, the government relaxes restrictions on the amount of land available to private farmers.2008 September - Hurricanes Gustav and Ike inflict worst storm damage in Cuba's recorded history, with 200,000 left homeless and their crops destroyed.2008 October - State oil company says estimated 20bn barrels in offshore fields, being double previous estimates.2008 November - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visits. Two countries conclude new trade and economic accords in sign of strengthening relations. Raul Castro pays reciprocal visit to Russia in January 2009. Chinese President Hu Jintao visits to sign trade and investment accords, including agreements to continue buying Cuban nickel and sugar.2008 December - Russian warships visit Havana for first time since end of Cold War. Government says 2008 most difficult year for economy since collapse of Soviet Union. Growth nearly halved to 4.3%.2009 March - Two leading figures from Fidel era, Cabinet Secretary Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, resign after admitting "errors". First government reshuffle since resignation of Fidel Castro. US Congress votes to lift Bush Administration restrictions on Cuban-Americans visiting Havana and sending back money.2009 April - US President Barack Obama says he wants a new beginning with Cuba.2009 May - Government unveils austerity programme to try to cut energy use and offset impact of global financial crisis.2009 June - Organisation of American States (OAS) votes to lift ban on Cuban membership imposed in 1962. Cuba welcomes decision, but says it has no plans to rejoin.2009 July - Cuba signs agreement with Russia allowing oil exploration in Cuban waters of Gulf of Mexico.2010 February - Political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo dies after 85 days on hunger strike.2010 May - Wives and mothers of political prisoners are allowed to hold demonstration after archbishop of Havana, Jaime Ortega, intervenes on their behalf.2010 July - President Castro agrees to free 52 dissidents under a deal brokered by the Church and Spain. Several go into exile.2010 September - Radical plans for massive government job cuts to revive the economy. Analysts see proposals as biggest private sector shift since the 1959 revolution.2011 January - US President Barack Obama relaxes restrictions on travel to Cuba. Havana says the measures don't go far enough.2011 March - Last two political prisoners detained during 2003 crackdown are released.2011 April - Communist Party Congress says it will look into possibility of allowing Cuban citizens to travel abroad as tourists.2011 August - National Assembly approves economic reforms aimed at encouraging private enterprise and reducing state bureaucracy.2011 November - Cuba passes law allowing individuals to buy and sell private property for first time in 50 years.2011 December - The authorities release 2,500 prisoners, including some convicted of political crimes, as part of an amnesty ahead of a papal visit.2012 March - Pope Benedict visits, criticising the US trade embargo on Cuba and calling for greater rights on the island.2012 April - Cuba marks Good Friday with a public holiday for the first time since recognition of religious holidays stopped in 1959.2012 June - Cuba re-imposes customs duty on all food imports in effort to curb selling of food aid sent by Cubans abroad on the commercial market. Import duties had been liberalised in 2008 after series of hurricanes caused severe shortages.2012 October - Spanish politician Angel Carromero is jailed for manslaughter over the death of high-profile Catholic dissident Oswaldo Paya. Mr Carromero was driving the car when, according to the authorities, it crashed into a tree. Mr Paya's family say the car was rammed off the road after he had received death threats. The government abolishes the requirement for citizens to buy expensive exit permits when seeking to travel abroad. Highly-qualified professionals such as doctors, engineers and scientists will still require permission to travel, in order to prevent a brain drain.2012 November - President Raul Castro says the eastern province of Santiago was hard hit by Hurricane Sandy, with 11 people dead and more than 188,000 homes damaged. A United Nations report says Sandy destroyed almost 100,000 hectares of crops.2013 February - The National Assembly re-elects Raul Castro as president. He says he will stand down at the end of his second term in 2018, by which time he will be 86.2013 July - Five prominent veteran politicians, including Fidel Castro ally and former parliament leader Ricardo Alarcon, are removed from the Communist Party's Central Committee in what President Raul Castro calls a routine change of personnel.2014 January - First phase of a deepwater sea port is inaugurated by Brazil and Cuba at Mariel, a rare large foreign investment project on the island.2014 March - Cuba agrees to a European Union invitation to begin talks to restore relations and boost economic ties, on condition of progress on human rights. The EU suspended ties in 1996.2014 July - Russian President Vladimir Putin visits during a tour of Latin America, says Moscow will cancel billions of dollars of Cuban debt from Soviet times. Chinese President Xi Jinping visits, signs bilateral accords.2014 September/October - Cuba sends hundreds of frontline medical staff to West African countries hit by the Ebola epidemic.2014 December - In a surprise development, US President Barack Obama and Cuba's President Raul Castro announce moves to normalise diplomatic relations between the two countries, severed for more than 50 years.2015 January - Washington eases some travel and trade restrictions on Cuba.Two days of historic talks between the US and Cuba take place in Havana, with both sides agreeing to meet again. The discussions focus on restoring diplomatic relations but no date is set for the reopening of embassies in both countries. President Raul Castro calls on President Obama to use his executive powers to bypass Congress and lift the US economic embargo on Cuba.2015 February - Cuban and US diplomats say they have made progress in talks in Washington to restore full relations.2015 May - Cuba establishes banking ties with US, which drops country from list of states that sponsor terrorism.2015 July - Cuba and US reopen embassies and exchange charges d’affaires.2015 December - Cuban and US officials hold preliminary talks on mutual compensation.2016 January - US eases a number of trade restrictions with Cuba.2016 March - Cuba and the European Union agree to normalise relations. US President Barack Obama visits Cuba in the first US presidential visit there in 88 years.2016 May - Cuba takes steps to legalise small and medium-sized businesses as part of economic reforms.2016 November - Fidel Castro, former president and leader of the Cuban revolution, dies at the age of 90. Cuba declares nine days of national mourning.2017 January - Washington ends a long-standing policy which grants Cuban immigrants the right to remain in the US without a visa.2017 June - US President Donald Trump overturns some aspects of predecessor Barack Obama's policy on Cuba which brought about a thaw in relations between the two countries.2017 October - Diplomatic row over mysterious sonic attacks which are said to have affected the health of US and Canadian embassy staff in Havana.2018 April - Senior Communist Party stalwart Miguel Diaz-Canel becomes president, ending six decades of rule by the Castro family.2019 May - Cuba introduces food rationing.2020 March - Cuba closes its borders in an attempt to keep out the COVID-19 plague.2021 April - Raul Castro steps down as General Secretary of the Cuban Communist PartyAlexa van Sickle (2014): Viva la Revolución: Cuban Farmers Re-Gain Control Over Land: ‘As the state loosens its grip on food production, Cuban farmers and independent co-operatives will need support to help solve the country’s agriculture crisis: Last year, Cuba spent over $1.6bn (£1bn) on food imports… 60% of its domestic food requirement…. Since 2007, President Raul Castro, noting its connection with national security, has made food security a priority. State farms hold over 70% of Cuba’s agricultural land; about 6.7m hectares. In 2007, 45% of this land was sitting idle. In 2008 Castro allowed private farmers and co-operatives to lease unused land with decentralised decision-making, and loosened regulations on farmers selling directly to consumers. Since 2010, Cubans with small garden plots, and small farmers, have been allowed to sell produce directly to consumers. However, agriculture in Cuba remains in crisis. A government report issued in July 2013 showed that productivity had not increased…LINK: Marianne Ward and John Devereux (2010): The Road Not Taken: Pre-Revolutionary Cuban Living Standards in Comparative Perspective: ‘All indications are that Cuba was once a prosperous middle-income economy. On the eve of the revolution, we find that incomes were fifty to sixty percent of European levels. They were among the highest in Latin America at about thirty percent of the US. In relative terms, however, Cuba was richer earlier on. The crude income comparisons that are possible suggest that income per capita during the 1920’s was in striking distance of Western Europe and the Southern States of the US. After the revolution, Cuba has slipped down the world income distribution. As best we can tell, current levels of income per capita are below their pre-revolutionary peaks…LINK: Carlos Eire: Raúl Castro Leaving Power Won’t Bring Change to Cuba Anytime Soon: ‘Raúl Castro is relinquishing all power on the eve of his 90th birthday. It would be a mistake to think that this piece of kabuki theater will bring change to Cuba any time soon…. The Communist Party in Cuba, which has had total control of the island for over 60 years, is not about to relax its grip. And since this party is controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Cuba is really governed by an old-fashioned Latin American military junta. It is an unusual junta, full of former rebels, but it is a junta…. Raúl Castro is stepping down from the throne, so to speak, but he will keep casting a long shadow as long as he can. Moreover, plenty of generals and colonels remain, ranging in age from their 50s to 80s. A top member of that exclusive circle is Raúl’s son, Col. Alejandro Castro Espín, who is only 55 and runs the country’s dreaded secret police. Official posts outside of the armed forces have a cosmetic sheen to them. The prime example is President Miguel Díaz-Canel…. Raw power resides in men such as Alejandro Castro Espín and 60-year-old Gen. Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, ex-husband of Raul’s daughter Deborah. A member of the Castro dynasty by marriage, he is one of the most powerful men in Cuba, totally in charge of the branch of the Revolutionary Armed Forces that runs most of Cuba’s tourist industry. Since tourism is the country’s main source of income, his clout is considerable. The two brothers-in-law are purported to be engaged in a fierce struggle behind the scenes for the throne vacated by Raúl…..A new constitution in 2019…. Many articles outlaw dissent, such as No. 4: “The socialist system that this Constitution supports is irrevocable. Citizens have the right to combat through any means, including armed combat… against any that intends to topple the political, social, and economic order established by this Constitution.”… Article 229 seeks to drive a nail in the coffin of hope: “In no case will the pronouncements be reformed regarding the irrevocability of the socialism system established in Article 4.”…What will happen next? Is it possible that among the younger Cuban communists a Gorbachev lurks?… Is it possible that the junta could be overthrown, somehow, in traditional Latin fashion? Theoretically, one must suppose, anything is possible…. Theoretical possibilities fall into the realm of faith rather than reason…LINK: Carmelo Mesa-Lago (2019): There’s Only One Way Out for Cuba’s Dismal Economy: ‘The island’s economy is neither efficient nor competitive. To move forward it must deepen and accelerate reforms. The market socialism model could provide a way….. For the past 60 years, Cuba has been unable to finance its imports with its own exports and generate appropriate, sustainable growth without substantial aid and subsidies from a foreign nation. This is the longstanding legacy of Cuba’s socialist economy…. Between 1960 and 1990, the Soviet Union gave Cuba $65 billion (triple the total amount of aid that President John Kennedy’s Alliance for Progress gave Latin America). At its peak in 2012, Venezuelan aid, subsidies and investment amounted to $14 billion, or close to 12 percent of the gross domestic product. And yet, despite the staggering foreign aid subsidies it has received, the economy’s performance has been dismal…. Industrial, mining and sugar production are well below 1989 levels, and the production of 11 out of 13 key agricultural and fishing products has declined. Cuba is now facing its worst economic crisis since the 1990s.Tourism has been a bright spot for Cuba. From 2007 to 2017, visitors to the island doubled, largely thanks to the arrival of more Americans, whose numbers grew considerably after President Barack Obama eased diplomatic relations in 2015. But Hurricane Irma and the tightening of travel restrictions by President Trump (like barring American tourists from using hotels and restaurants run by Cuba’s military) and the alert declared by the administration after the sonic attacks on United States diplomats in Havana led to a drop in tourism during the end of 2017 and the first half of 2018. Tourism rebounded in September, driven by a cruise industry that offers customers lodging, meals and tours. Those visitors spend about 14 percent of what those arriving by air spend….Cuba’s woes are a result of the inefficient economic model of centralized planning, state enterprises and agricultural collectivization its leaders have pursued despite the failure of these models worldwide. In his decade in power, President Raúl Castro tried to face his brother Fidel’s legacy of economic disaster head on by enacting a series of market-oriented economic structural reforms. He also opened the door to foreign investment, but so far, the amount materialized has been one-fifth of the goal set by the leadership for sustainable development…. The pace of reforms has been slow and subject to many restrictions, disincentives and taxes that have impeded the advance of the private economy and desperately needed growth. It is time to abandon this failed model and shift to a more successful one as in China and Vietnam….Poor agricultural production, the result of collectivized agriculture, causes the island to spend $1.5 billion a year on food imports. As part of his agrarian reform, Mr. Castro began leasing fallow state-owned land to farmers through 10-year contracts—now increased to 20 years—that may be canceled or renewed depending on the farms performance. Farmers must sell most of their crops to the government at prices set by the state, which are below market prices…. If reform is carried out and foreign investors are allowed to hire and pay a full salary directly to their employees, there will be a significant improvement in the economy and the government can undertake the desperately needed monetary unification that will attract more investment and eliminate the economic distortions that plague the economy.LINK: Cuba Employment Shares: Agriculture 25%, Industry 10%, Services 65%(Remember: You can subscribe to this… weblog-like newsletter… here: There’s a free email list. There’s a paid-subscription list with (at the moment, only a few) extras too.) Get full access to Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality at braddelong.substack.com/subscribe

Greeting's world and welcome to another episode on Tosh Base with Shantol McIntosh. Today, you will hear from Sh-Shanna Ellington. She is a recipient of many Scholarships- from the undergraduate level to the Ph.D. level.  In this interview, she shares some useful tips on where to search for a Scholarship (for example, on Amazon website, United Nations, Embassy's, and the Organization of American States- OAS) how to apply, and how to prepare if considered for the Scholarship. In addition, read the application instructions carefully so that your professional statement/letters and resumes are correctly tailored. Finally, don't stop or give up but keep working hard, keep motivated and get that scholarship! Keep listening!Enjoy episode 31 and be inspired to love and share your story today! You can connect with me on Instagram and Facebook @toshbasepodcast or email me at toshbasepodcast@gmail.com. Remember to share, rate, and subscribe. Tosh Base Podcast Jingle and Stinger done by @oshanemais on Instagram.Cheers!

Sam and Emma host Jemima Pierre, professor of African American Studies at UCLA, to unpack the long history of Haiti, the first free black republic established in 1804, and successive years of occupation and exploitation by France and the US. Then, Jemima discusses how this history has led to the current political situation in Haiti where the Organization of American States (OAS) and the UN have essentially propped up dictators, such as current leader Jovenel Moïse, against the will of the Hatain people. After, Brian Concannon, director of Project Blueprint and advisor at IJDH, joins to further explain the U.S.’, along with France and Canada’s, economic and geopolitical interest in thwarting Haitian democracy. Brain describes steps that the Biden administration and the House of Foreign Affairs Committee should take to end their support of Jovenel Moïse’s government and restore Haitain sovereignty.   And in the Fun Half: Nomiki Konst tunes in, are Sam and Emma giants in a China shop?, Trump thinks Biden is destroying our country with “woke,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas resigns….oh wait, he didn’t, the humanitarian crisis and the militarization at the Southern border, Evanston, Illinois approves the first plan to allocate reparations to black households, elitist bicycle lanes are going to take over the roads, plus your calls and IMs! Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com Get all your MR merch at our store https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ (Merch issues and concerns can be addressed here: majorityreportstore@mirrorimage.com) The AM Quickie is now on YouTube Subscribe to the AM Quickie at https://fans.fm/amquickie Make the AMQ part of your Alexa Flash Briefing too! You can now watch the livestream on Twitch Support Austin DSA and their Homes Not Handcuff efforts to stop Prop B in Austin. Support the Mass Nurses Association and the nurses striking at St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester. Check out Joshua Kahn Russell's friend, activist and organizer Casey Harrell who is raising money to treat his ALS diagnosis. Subscribe to Discourse Blog, a newsletter and website for progressive essays and related fun partly run by AM Quickie writer Jack Crosbie. https://discourseblog.com/ Subscribe to AM Quickie writer Corey Pein’s podcast News from Nowhere, at https://www.patreon.com/newsfromnowhere Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel! Check out The Nomiki Show live at 3 pm ET on YouTube at patreon.com/thenomikishow Check out Matt’s podcast, Literary Hangover, at Patreon.com/LiteraryHangover, or on iTunes. Check out Jamie’s podcast, The Antifada, at patreon.com/theantifada, on iTunes, or at twitch.tv/theantifada (streaming every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7pm ET!) Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @BF1nn

Welcome to the People's Voice Podcast. Visit us online at www.peoplesvoice.caThe Lima Group is a Canada-led organization dedicated to the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In January 2019, National Assembly member Juan Guaidó tried to declare himself president of Venezuela, and Lima Group countries—with the exception of Saint Lucia—recognize Guaidó as president.The Lima Group has faced criticism within Canada and from member states' politicians and journalists. Dr. Maria Paez Victor, a Venezuelan sociologist living in Canada, explained: “Unable to get the Organization of American States (OAS) votes needed to agree to their nefarious plot, this group of governments with no official international standing, few democratic principles, most led by known discredited leaders… allied itself, throwing all of its diplomatic and economic support behind a man who self-proclaimed himself president of Venezuela in a public plaza, violating the country's constitution and all electoral rules. So much for the ‘respect for the rule of law' that the Canadian Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland so frequently spouts.”Read the article in full.

Professor Duncan Hollis, Temple University, gives a talk for the Public International Law seminar series on 21st January 2021. Abstract: On 7 August 2020, the Inter-American Juridical Committee of the Organization of American States (OAS) adopted its Guidelines on Binding and Non-Binding Agreements. The project found its impetus in the rising number of non-traditional international agreements, including both non-binding agreements among States as well as binding and non-binding agreements concluded by government ministries and sub-national territorial units. Drafted over four years under the Rapporteurship of Professor Duncan B. Hollis (with input from Member States and other stakeholders) the guidelines and accompanying commentary address: (i) definitions for each of the various forms of international agreement, including treaties, political commitments, contracts, and inter-institutional agreements; (ii) the capacity of different State institutions to conclude different forms of international agreement; (iii) the methods of identification employed in international practice to identify agreements by type; (iv) the procedures States use to authorize and publicize their various forms of international agreements; (v) the different legal effects, if any, that State practice suggests follows the conclusion of treaties, political commitments, contracts; and (vi) training and other educational efforts to improve transparency in States' law and practice with respect to both binding and non-binding agreements. Translated by the OAS into four languages, the Guidelines and their accompanying Commentary provide a set of voluntary understandings and practices that States and other stakeholders may employ to improve knowledge on international agreements and, in doing so, reduce the risk of future inter-State and inter-institutional difficulties and disagreements. Bio: Duncan B. Hollis is editor of the award-winning Oxford Guide to Treaties (2012, 2nd ed., 2020), International Law (7th ed., 2018, with Allen Weiner), and Defending Democracies: Combating Foreign Election Interference in a Digital Age (forthcoming 2021, with Jens Ohlin). He teaches in the areas of public international law and cybersecurity, which are also at the center of his research agenda. Professor Hollis is a Non-Resident Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an elected member of the American Law Institute, and a strategic consultant for the Microsoft Corporation's Digital Peace Team. From 2016-2020, Professor Hollis served as an elected member of one of the Organization of American States' principal organs -- the Inter-American Juridical Committee. There, he has served as Rapporteur for projects producing guidelines on binding and non-binding agreements as well as improving the transparency of how States understand international law applies in cyberspace. He is also the principal investigator for a grant from the Hewlett Foundation to offer a “boot camp” on technical issues in cybersecurity for non-technical experts. Most recently, Professor Hollis's research led him to co-organize The Oxford Process on International Law Protections in Cyberspace, a process housed at the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict that, to date, has produced three widely publicized statements on international law protections for healthcare, vaccine research, and elections.

Margarita R. Seminario sits down with Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian, director of the department of social inclusion at the Organization of American States (OAS). They discuss food insecurity, poverty, gender disparities, and other barriers to social inclusion in the region. Betilde outlines how the Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, including women, indigenous peoples, Afro-Latinos, and people with disabilities. She shares her vision for how the OAS can work with other organizations to achieve greater equity and social inclusion in the region.

Overview. As of 2017, at least 130 UNESCO member states retained criminal defamation laws. In 2017, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media issued a report on criminal defamation and anti-blasphemy laws among its member states, which found that defamation is criminalized in nearly three-quarters (42) of the 57 OSCE participating states. Many of the laws pertaining to defamation include specific provisions for harsher punishment for speech or publications critical of heads of state, public officials, state bodies and the state itself. The OSCE report also noted that blasphemy and religious insult laws exist in around one third of OSCE participating states; many of these combine blasphemy and religious insult with elements of hate speech legislation. In Africa, at least four member states decriminalized defamation between 2012 and 2017. The ruling by the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights in Lohé Issa Konaté v the Republic of Burkina Faso set a precedent in the region against imprisonment as a legitimate penalty for defamation, characterizing it as a violation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Countries in every region have moved to advance the criminalization of defamation by extending legislation to online content. Cybercrime and anti-terrorism laws passed throughout the world have led to bloggers appearing before courts, with some serving time in prison. The United Nations, OSCE, Organization of American States (OAS) and African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Special Rapporteurs for Freedom of Expression stated in a joint declaration in March 2017 that "general prohibitions on the dissemination of information based on vague and ambiguous ideas, including 'false news' or 'non-objective information', are incompatible with international standards for restrictions on freedom of expression...and should be abolished." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/law-school/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/law-school/support

The US opioid crisis is a result of a fractured and fragmented healthcare service. Federal and state policy created a system whereby doctors were rewarded for prescribing highly addictive substances. This epidemic was compounded when the same federal and state government suddenly restrained these prescriptions, forcing people into the black market. Now underground drug dealers control this oversaturated demand, from Mexican smugglers to Chinese clandestine chemists…the harms of opiates are rising every day. Bryce Pardo is an associate policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. His work focuses on drug policy with a particular interest in the areas of cannabis regulation, opioid control, and new psychoactive substance markets. Recently, he has provided Congressional testimony about his research on illicit supply of fentanyl to several subcommittees within the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to joining RAND, he served five years as a legislative and policy analyst at the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) within the Organization of American States (OAS) where he worked directly with policymakers and practitioners. He has independently consulted with multi-lateral institutions, including the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Pardo also served as lead analyst with BOTEC Analysis Corporation to support the Government of Jamaica in drafting medical cannabis regulations. The Future of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic OpioidsRAND Corporation RAND Drug Policy Research Centre Heroin Oxycodone Oxycontin  2010 additive added to prescription opiates so they couldn't be crushed or snorted Golden triangle Fentanyl BuprenorphineMethadone Vivitrol Heroin Assisted Treatment Supervised consumption facility Isotonitazene CarfentanilBecome a Drug Science Community Member: https://www.donate.drugscience.org.uk/Twitter: @ProfDavidNutt @Drug_ScienceA Fascinate Productions podcast for Drug Science ★ Support this podcast ★

Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.Lorena Julio is a human rights advocate with a Master in Compared Public Policies and a degree in Social Communication. She worked for more than 14 years in the promotion and protection of human rights in Latin America and the United States.She participated in multiple high-level events as a speaker on human rights, youth and disabilities in the United States, India, Israel, and many countries in Latin America. Lorena worked for the Government of Argentina as Head of Press in the Human Rights Secretariat of the Province of Buenos Aires as well as in the Coordination Team of the Vulnerable Groups Assistance Program. In the international arena, Lorena worked in the Organization of American States (OAS) as Program Officer of the Young Forum of the Americas in the framework of the Presidents Summit. After that, she took functions as Communications Officer at the Young Americas Business Trust, leading the youth networks from the Forum. Lorena completed courses on entrepreneurship in Israel and Silicon Valley and a leadership course for social change-makers at Kanthari in India. In 2015 she founded Fundación Comparlante in Argentina to shorten the gap to access education and information for visually impaired persons. Currently, Comparlante promotes equity through universal accessibility.She was awarded an “Honorable Mention” under Ideas For Action Program by the World Bank and Wharton Business School in 2015 and as “Iconic Woman Creating a better world for all” by Women Economic Forum in 2018.Fundacion Comparlante was awarded and funded by the Government of Buenos Aires Province and IncluYes by the National Government of Chile in 2018.In 2020 she joined Jai Jagat Global Peace Campaign. A wake-up call to respond to the current deepening economic, social and environmental crisis.

¿Cómo nace la relación entre psicología y economía? ¿Qué idea novedosa plantea la economía conductual? Además de la psicología, ¿la economía conductual se nutre de otras disciplinas? ¿Qué aplicaciones tiene la economía conductual y en qué campos? ¿Cuál es el futuro de la economía conductual? Para conversar sobre estos asuntos tuvimos como invitado a Marco Carrasco, magister de Investigación en Economía y Gestión, con mención en Economía y Psicología, por la Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne — egresado en 1er puesto: Summa Cum Laude—, y Bachiller en Economía por la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Sus principales áreas de interés e investigación son la economía conductual y las políticas públicas. Se ha desempeñado como consultor y analista de la Organization of American States (OAS) de esta en su sede principal de Washington, DC y de Institutos de Investigación en Shanghai. Trabaja para el Ministerio de Desarrollo e Inclusión Social (Perú) y ha sido docente en la Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos. Es Co-Fundador e investigador del Instituto ASIA, así como Director-Fundador e investigador de BEST: Behavioral Economics & Data Science Team. Obtuvo el segundo puesto en el I Concurso de Ensayos de Investigación organizado por el Observatorio América Latina - Asia Pacífico (2015); y el primer puesto —categoría Indonesia— en el V Concurso de Investigación organizado por la Red Peruana para Estudios del Asia Pacífico - REDAP (2012).

Rev. Celeste's guest for this episode is the Rev. Alex Escudero, Founding Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Living DC. Rev. Alex takes to heart that we are all one. Alex worked for the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS.org). Her grandmother gave her the idea to be a citizen of the world. To get Alex going, she gave her a subscription to National Geographic (nationalgeographic.org). Rev. Alex, like Buddha, was sheltered growing up, but she got involved in human rights in graduate school (John Hopkins University). Alex studied Amnesty International (https://www.amnesty.org/en/) and later became the Chief Operating Officer or immigration rights at Casa of Maryland (wearecasa.org). They serve immigrants from all over the world, including ex-offenders. Immigrants get help with jobs, housing and more. Alex felt like she couldn't sit still and do nothing. She was comfortable with both English and Spanish, so she had a way to help people who were not being understood. Alex feels DC is an amazing place. She loves the diversity of DC. She particularly loves the King memorial (www.kingmemorialpark.com) and the King monument.Rev. Alex mentioned that although Centers for Spiritual Living (csl.org) seeks to create a world that works for everyone, the world is not working for everyone. Alex became a diversity commissioner and brought her enthusiasm for celebrating diversity and her desire to build inclusivity. She currently manages the CSL Spanish ministries worldwide.Rev. Celeste asked about the appeal Religious Science has to Spanish-speaking peoples. Rev. Alex explained that most feel deeply spiritual but want a new teaching and feel a yearning for the universal truth principles. Those who have found New Thought philosophies have come together as communities and then come together with people in other parts of the world who are already doing this great work.Rev. Alex started a center in DC because she found New Thought philosophy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Thought) at a low point in her life when she was struggling with a one-year old child. Her husband drank so she found Al-anon (Al-anon.org) She enjoyed a book by Louise Hay and wrote to Ms. Hay. Louise Hay directed Alex to a center 30 or 40 miles away. Alex started taking classes and letting go of her victim mentality. She went to graduate from ministerial school. She filed the paperwork in 2009 to begin the process to create the Center for Spiritual Living in DC (csldc.org). Celeste said she's grateful Alex did so because we need high vibrations in our nation's capital! Alex was the daughter of a feminist who escaped from an orthodox Catholic family. Alex's mother took her children to the Unitarian Church where she learned about a lot of religions. The church she attended is now the home for a Buddhist mediation group run by Tara Brach (tarabrach.org).During the pandemic, Rev. Alex compels herself to walk daily. She feels nurtured by the trees during the day and the stars at night where she feels the connection to God. She feels renewed and restored in infinite space and infinite time. Whenever she can connect with nature, she feels confidence and bliss. And she has an idea of what it feels like to be enlightened.Rev. Alex encouraged us to support Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org). She donated her stipend to this organization because when she finds a place to give to, she feels better about herself. She also encouraged seekers to go to csl.org and find a Center for Spiritual Living near you and connect. Celeste's poem "You and I" is in her book, "In Spirit In Love" and is available on Amazon.com.Support the show (http://paypal.me/rev107)

Michael Brooks hosts former Foreign Minister of Ecuador Guillaume Long (@GuillaumeLong) to discuss the failed coup attempt in Venezuela and the kind of lawfare being used against governments in Latin America during the age of Covid-19. On today's show: Ahmaud Arbery murdered by racist vigilantes while jogging in Georgia; suspects have ties to local law enforcement. Former Foreign Minister of Ecuador Guillaume Long (@GuillaumeLong) joins Michael to discuss the latest failed coup attempt in Venezuela and the kind of lawfare being used against governments in Latin America during the age of Covid-19. Silvercorp's pathetic coup attempt and the privatization of military operations. How the US government uses private contractors to distance itself from responsibility. The reasons why open military intervention in Venezuela would be unlikely. How each unsuccessful coup attempt makes Maduro stronger. How the US-controlled Organization of American States (OAS) is returning to its Cold War duties. How "lawfare" (a combination of law and warfare) is being used against former president Rafael Correa to subvert democracy in Ecuador. The influence of China in Latin America. What should be at the top of the agenda for the Latin American left? On the fun half: Brian Mier explains SilverCorp USA's presence in Brazil during 2018 elections. Flashback: Nancy Pelosi gives standing ovation to Juan Guaido. Wednesday: Trump dismisses nurse who says her New Orleans hospital has PPE troubles. Thursday: Nurses demonstrate outside White House, 88 pairs of shoes for 88 nurse deaths during Covid-19. Kayleigh McEnany says there were supposed to be 2.2 million deaths, moving goal posts. Kayleigh McEnany on Trump's "warriors" statement: he meant Americans are "warriors" because they're staying home and observing social distancing. GOP Rep. Dr. Andy Harris says "we're safer from death if we're not born" in BS defense of no contact tracing measures. Rally for Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia: "We want justice!" Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com The AM Quickie is now on YouTube Subscribe to the AM Quickie at https://fans.fm/amquickie Make the AMQ part of your Alexa Flash Briefing too! You can now watch the livestream on Twitch Jamie and Andy of The Antifada will be moderating a panel, "Corona Virus and the Future of Work," for Red May Seattle (virtual edition) w/ Aaron Benanav, Annie McClanahan and Magally Miranda, TONIGHT May 7, at 9pm ET/6pm PST! Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0m0_CwVDzM Buy Michael Brooks' book Against the Web at Red Emma's. Subscribe to AM Quickie writer Corey Pein's newsletter at theend.substack.com Check out The Michael Brooks Show at patreon.com/tmbs and Michael Brooks Show on YouTube and the new TMBS website, TMBS.FM Check out The Nomiki Show at patreon.com/thenomikishow Check out Matt’s podcast, Literary Hangover, at Patreon.com/LiteraryHangover, or on iTunes. Check out Jamie’s podcast, The Antifada, at patreon.com/theantifada, on iTunes, or at twitch.tv/theantifada Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @_michaelbrooks @MattLech @jamie_elizabeth @BF1nn

In Tuesday's slate of Democratic presidential primaries, former US Vice President Joe Biden prevailed in four states: Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri and Idaho. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) won North Dakota. The race in Washington state has not yet been called. The delegate ranking is now Biden with 786, Sanders with 645 and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) with two. What are the takeaways from Tuesday night's rout?"The Afghan government said on Wednesday it would free 1,500 Taliban prisoners, while delaying the release of another 3,500 that the militants say must be set free for talks to begin under a peace deal reached with the United States," Reuters reported Wednesday. What's going on with these negotiations? Who's playing hardball, and who has the hardball to play?"The number of cases of the novel coronavirus in the US soared to 1,037 and the death toll to at least 31 by early Wednesday, per data from Johns Hopkins and state health departments," Axios reported Wednesday. "Nearly 40 states had reported cases by Tuesday, and at least 12 have declared a state of emergency: Washington, California, New York, Oregon, Kentucky, Maryland, Utah, Colorado, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Florida and Michigan — which reported its first two cases on Tuesday evening." What are we to make of all of this, especially when the World Health Organization is officially calling the coronavirus a pandemic?"The Grayzone and CODEPINK call on the Organization of American States (OAS) to provide emergency international election observers in the US Democratic presidential primary, after many more irregularities than alleged in Bolivia," reads a Monday news release from the Grayzone.GUESTS:Dr. Yolandra Hancock — Board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist who combines her hands-on clinical experience and public health expertise with her passion for building vibrant families and communities by providing patient-empowering, best-in-class health and wellness care to children and adolescents who are fighting childhood obesity. Daniel Lazare — Journalist and author of three books: "The Frozen Republic," "The Velvet Coup" and "America's Undeclared War."Medea Benjamin — Co-founder of human rights group Global Exchange and peace group Code Pink.

Researchers at MIT say they have found "no evidence of fraud" in Bolivia's presidential elections last October, which was won by incumbent President Evo Morales but had its results dismissed after the Organization of American States (OAS) accused his government of manipulating the results. Morales stepped down in the ensuing uproar.I discuss the real reason Morales may have been removed from power, the large lithium deposits in the country which he wanted to price control for the rest of the world. Lithium is a critical metal for the development of electric vehicles.

Guest: Jeb Sprague. We discuss how regime change projects seem to be on overdrive right now, the key role played by the Organization of American States (OAS) in regime change operations in Latin American and Caribbean states (former colonial states). Recently in the Commonwealth of Dominica (an island country in the West Indie), there was a successful resistance to regime change. In Bolivia, there was strong resistance as well, but the coup plotters succeeded. Jeb’s research and reporting on the role of Bolivia’s top police and military brass in planning and executing the coup, shows that it was a long term project with training at the School of the Americas.  Dr. Jeb Sprague is currently a Research Associate at the University of California, Riverside. He formerly taught at the University of Virginia and at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a founding member of the Network for Critical Studies of Global Capitalism (NCSGC) and has taught in  the Caribbean, East Asia, and North America. He is the author of two books: “Globalizing the Caribbean: Political economy, social change, and the transnational capitalist class” (2019) and “Paramilitarism and the assault on democracy in Haiti” (2012). FOLLOW Jeb Sprague @JebSprague and find his writing at The Grayzone, MintPress News, The Canary and at his website jebsprague.blogspot.com.  Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com.  SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app. Recorded on December 6, 2019. Music by Fluorescent Grey. Reference Links: Top Bolivian coup plotters trained by US military’s School of the Americas, served as attachés in FBI police programs, Jeb Sprague, The Grayzone Book: “Globalizing the Caribbean: Political economy, social change, and the transnational capitalist class” (2019), Jeb Sprague Book: “Paramilitarism and the assault on democracy in Haiti” (2012), Jeb Sprague Around the Empire: Ep 109 Hybrid War on Venezuela, Embassy Seizure feat Jeb Sprague

Roqayah is off this week, so Kumars is joined once again by activist extraordinaire Medea Benjamin, cofounder of the antiwar organization CODEPINK, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and the author of many books. Medea also just returned from Bolivia, where she witnessed the state’s brutal repression of dissent in the aftermath of the Nov. 10 ouster of President Evo Morales by the military and police. Medea begins by laying out the basics of the situation in Bolivia, refuting the far-right opposition’s charges of election fraud and clarifying the role of the US-dominated regional multilateral body Organization of American States (OAS) as a vehicle for legitimizing regime change in Latin America.  Medea and Kumars then touch on the history of foreign intervention in Bolivia, Morales’s record and his now scuffled plan to nationalize the country’s lithium reserves. Medea breaks down the dynamics of the counterrevolution, including interim president Jeanine Añez, explaining how an unpopular Christian nationalist minority was able to stoke the traditional elite’s racist resentment of Bolivia’s indigenous majority and leverage a violent intimidation campaign against socialist leaders to shut Morales’s party out of government—tactics now codified in the coup government’s decree granting security forces legal immunity to crack down on dissent. Medea goes on to share her eyewitness account of the military junta’s Nov. 19 massacre of at least 9 protesters in the indigenous city of El Alto.  You can follow Medea on Twitter at @medeabenjamin and CODEPINK @codepink. If you want to support the show and receive access to tons of bonus content, subscribe on our Patreon for as little as $5 a month. Also, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show on iTunes. We can't do this show without your support!!!

For this week's episode, Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola spend the full hour on the coup in Bolivia. The military and right-wing opposition forced President Evo Morales to resign after he won a fourth term. The first half of the episode features Kevin Cashman, a senior associate for the Center for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR), who worked on a that analyzed the October 20 election returns and tallies. The analysis concluded there were no irregularities or fraud that affected the outcome. As Cashman describes, the Organization for American States (OAS) put out a preliminary report that Western media relied upon to report there was "electoral fraud," when in fact it failed to prove there were “widespread or systematic irregularities." The second half of the episode is spent highlight some of the figures who are seizing power through violence and the promotion of anti-indigenous hatred. The woman who appointed herself president of Bolivia, Jeanine Añez Chavez, believes indigenous ceremonies are "satanic." She is a religious zealot. Luiz Fernando Camacho, as The Grayzone , is a Christian fascist. He stormed Morales' presidential palace. He held a Bible in his hand and a Bolivia flag in his other hand then pledged to purge the government of its native heritage. Morales and several other government leaders from the Movement Toward Socialism Party were threatened and forced to resign. They managed to flee after Mexico agreed to grant them asylum. In the final part of the show, Rania and Kevin how the United States Capitol Police showed up to Code Pink activist Medea Benjamin's home and attempted to arrest her for "assaulting" Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz at a press conference held to promote congressional support for the coup attempt in Venezuela. The police did not even know if the allegation against Medea was true or not, and they did not have a warrant.

Although the de facto government of Venezuela headed by Nicolas Maduro regime is no longer recognized as legitimate by the Organization of American States (OAS) or by most democratic nations around the world, it clings to power with the support of the military leadership and of its allies Cuba, Russia, and China. Many of the the Venezuelan people increasingly blame the Maduro regime not only for election fraud and serious human rights violations but also for hyperinflation, endemic extreme poverty, and violent crime. The crisis in Venezuela is also causing regional instability from the unprecedented outflow of refugees, the presence of heavily armed militias in border areas, and the regime’s involvement with transnational criminal organizations. Suggested solutions range from “strategic patience” to outside military intervention. Our panelists are a Venezuelan human rights activist, a dissident military officer now living in exile, and a former senior U.S. diplomat who specializes in Western Hemisphere affairs.Featuring: Ambassador Roger Noriega, former US Ambassador to the OAS and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere AffairsRodrigo Diamanti, president of "Un Mundo Sin Mordaza” (A World Without Censorship)Col. José Gustavo Arocha, exiled military officer and political analystModerator: Grover Joseph Rees, writer, advocate, and former United States Ambassador to East Timor Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

Although the de facto government of Venezuela headed by Nicolas Maduro regime is no longer recognized as legitimate by the Organization of American States (OAS) or by most democratic nations around the world, it clings to power with the support of the military leadership and of its allies Cuba, Russia, and China. Many of the the Venezuelan people increasingly blame the Maduro regime not only for election fraud and serious human rights violations but also for hyperinflation, endemic extreme poverty, and violent crime. The crisis in Venezuela is also causing regional instability from the unprecedented outflow of refugees, the presence of heavily armed militias in border areas, and the regime’s involvement with transnational criminal organizations. Suggested solutions range from “strategic patience” to outside military intervention. Our panelists are a Venezuelan human rights activist, a dissident military officer now living in exile, and a former senior U.S. diplomat who specializes in Western Hemisphere affairs.Featuring: Ambassador Roger Noriega, former US Ambassador to the OAS and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere AffairsRodrigo Diamanti, president of "Un Mundo Sin Mordaza” (A World Without Censorship)Col. José Gustavo Arocha, exiled military officer and political analystModerator: Grover Joseph Rees, writer, advocate, and former United States Ambassador to East Timor Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

In this episode, host and B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin talks with Eduardo Kohn, B’nai B’rith’s director of Latin American Affairs, about the upcoming yearly meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Medellin, Colombia. Kohn and Sienna Girgenti, Program Director for Strategic Engagement, will represent B’nai B’rith at the meeting. B’nai B’rith attends the OAS General Assembly each year. Mariaschin and Kohn also discuss the situation that Jews face in Latin America today, including the biggest dangers for Jewish communities in the region and the influence of Iran in the Western Hemisphere.

Please join the CSIS Americas Program for a timely public discussion on the relevance of the international commitment of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) in the context of the rapidly developing crisis in Venezuela.  For this discussion, we will be joined by Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and Miguel Angel Martin, the President of the Venezuelan Supreme Court in Exile.   In 2005, the United Nations developed the concept of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) commitment, the purpose of which is to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Given the rapidly escalating political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and the repression and physical harm that the Venezuelan people have been subjected to in recent years, the relevance of R2P has become a crucial part of the discussion surrounding the strategy of how the international community should respond to the crisis. The critical question is whether R2P could be used to justify further international action to end the current suffering of the Venezuelan people.   We will discuss the purpose and nuances of R2P as it could apply to Venezuela and how the international community could use this principle as a tool in future crises. The discussion will be moderated by CSIS Americas Associate Director and Venezuela expert, Moises Rendon.  Additional speakers to be announced.This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

The current exodus of Venezuelans has generated the largest migration crisis of its kind in recent Latin American history, as Human Rights Watch has pointed out in its most recent report. More than 2.3 million Venezuelans have left their country since 2014, according to the United Nations, and many others have left whose cases have not been registered by authorities. Venezuelans are fleeing their country for multiple reasons, which includes severe shortages of medicine, medical supplies, and food; extremely high rates of violent crime; hyperinflation; and thousands of arbitrary arrests, torture and other abuses against detainees. Today on CID’s Speaker Series podcast, Nizar El Fakih, MPA/MC Mason Fellow candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School, interviews José Miguel Vivanco, director of the Americas division of Human Rights Watch and a general expert on Latin America, who provides insight on this mass exodus and the current humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and the role of the international community in this crisis. // www.growthlab.cid.harvard.edu // Interview recorded on September 26, 2018. About José Miguel Vivanco: José Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch's Americas division, is a general expert on Latin America. Before joining Human Rights Watch, Vivanco worked as an attorney for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the Organization of American States (OAS). In 1990, he founded the Center for Justice and International Law, an NGO that files complaints before international human rights bodies. Vivanco has also been an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center and the School of Advanced International Studies at John Hopkins University. He has published articles in leading American and Latin American newspapers and is interviewed regularly for television news. A Chilean, Vivanco studied law at the University of Chile and Salamanca Law School in Spain and holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School.

The political crisis [continues in Nicaragua](https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/human-rights-body-calls-on-nicaragua-to-protect-students/), and Latino Rebels Radio talks with [Rita Delia Casco](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/07/09/the-woman-warrior-of-embassy-row/cd208207-17af-42fd-8e92-d75bcea38ef1/?utm_term=.7e437833d67d), former Ambassador of Nicaragua to the United States, former Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the Organization of American States (OAS) and former Ambassador of Nicaragua to Mexico. Ambassador Casco was also a member of the Nicaraguan delegation that negotiated the Central American peace agreements of the 1980s.

Date: November 17th, 2015 David P. Stewart was the distinguished speaker of this event. Member of the Organization of American States (OAS), he addressed the construction of principles for privacy and protection of personal data by OAS. Brazil still does not have a general law regarding citizens’ data protection, which generates legal and personal insecurity regarding the use of the network. Follow us: // Facebook: on.fb.me/1LwlAVy // Twitter: bit.ly/1LcG2Jw

Another push to recall a president and the power of remittances provide the twin themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes the latest moves with diplomacy and electoral laws to recall President Nicolas Maduro or at least restore some balance to the eroded democratic system in Venezuela.  The program reviews the debate between Argentina and Venezuela at the Organization of American States (OAS).  The program also includes the second part of our extended look at the links between remittances and globalization.  The news segment of the program includes the latest developments regarding the debt crisis in Puerto Rico.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Michael McCarthy of American University's Center for Latin American & Latino Studies (CLALS) & the Woodrow Wilson Center ; andManuel Orozco of the Inter-American Dialogue.Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; andAssociate Producer: Jim Singer.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericapoliticsMexicoVenezueladiplomacycoupArgentinaUnited States Puerto RicoOASdebt crisisU.S. CongressOrganization of American StateseconomicsmilitaryHondurasmigrationremittancesglobalizationArgentinaUnasurlaborjusticemilitaryimmigrationNicolas Madurorecall movementrecall petitionCentral AmericaLuis AlmagroNational AssemblyMauricio MacriThe VaticanSupreme CourtEl SalvadorCubaNicaraguaviolenceGuatemalaglobalization

A controversial presidential race in Peru and seeking justice in El Salvador provide the themes this week on Latin Pulse. The program analyzes how protest marches and concerns raised by the Organization of American States (OAS) may impact the voting in Peru after several candidates were removed from the ballot.  The program also traces moves toward justice in the massacre of Jesuit priests and religious workers in El Salvador; a case that began in 1989.  The news segment of the program outlines the report known as the Panama Papers and how those revelations may affect politicians in Argentina and Mexico.The program includes in-depth interviews with:Cynthia McClintock of George Washington University; andGeoff Thale of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA).Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell; Technical Director: Jim Singer; andProduction Assistant: Brittney Madison.(To download or stream this podcast, click here.)   (The program is 30 minutes in length and the file size is 42 MB.) podcastnewsLatin AmericapoliticselectionsPanamaPeruMexicocorruptionUnited StatesPanama PapersArgentinaMauricio Macriprotest movementKeiko FujimoriAlberto Fujimorihuman rightsCristina Fernandez de KirchnerGeorge H. W. BushEnrique Pena NietoJuan Carlos VarelaPedro Pablo KuczynskiInocente Orlando MontanoLuis AlmagroEl SalvadorCentral Americacivil warJulio GuzmanCesar AcunaRonald ReaganOASJesuitsmassacrereligionjusticecoupdictatorshipdemocracySpainmilitaryGuatemalamilitaryamnesty

When asked about the coordinator of Liberty and Refoundation (Free), Manuel Zelaya Rosale, he said he was surprised by the attitude of the politician to speak of "Los Indignados" like him.

The Yardie Skeptics are back at it this Sunday, July 5th at 12:30pm EDT (11:30am Jamaica time) to investigate the recent news in the Dominican Republic of "ethnic cleansing" where Haitians born to Dominican parents have been deported for no other reason but being Haitian. The caricature of the superstitious, backward Haitian has always been a part of the political scapegoating in Dom. Rep., but why has it escalated to the point of an all out Haitian purge?  Joining us live in studio will be  Celso Perez, the author of "We are Dominican" a recent Human Rights Watch Report on the situation in the Dominican Republic;  Serge Bellegarde, Haitian born interpreter/translator and retired Organization of American States (OAS) employee; Marie Hitchens, Haitian born business owner residing in Jamaica; Azolin Jean Baptiste, who has extensive experience working on the Dom. Rep./Haiti relationships; and  Alfredo Oguisten, a Haitian-Dominican who has been affected by the denationalization process in the Dominican Republic.