Dear Friends, here is your FOR Latin America update for April.
By Susana Pimiento and John Lindsay-Poland
After visits by U.S. Joint Chief General Dempsey, President Obama, and Defense Secretary Panetta, the Pentagon is deploying commanders from Iraq and Afghanistan to Colombia to support a two-year war plan against guerrillas, and agreed to a new regional plan for joint military operations by the two countries in Central America. Read more.
Free webinar, Wednesday, May 2, 2:00 pm Eastern Time
Student information is automatically released to military recruiters in school districts across the country, giving privileged access to those recruiters when young people are making decisions about their futures. But some communities have mobilized to prevent the military's penetration of schools and private information, locally and at the state level. How do you learn the information to make change in military recruitment in your community? Learn more or register now.
The federal government released data April 26 showing more than two thirds of guns recovered and traced from Mexico were manufactured or sold in the United States.
The Mexican peace movement is leading a caravan across the United States this summer that will address U.S. gun trafficking, the drug war, human rights and money laundering. Read more.
At this V People’s Summit – The True Voice of the Americas – thousands of fighters from organizations of women, unions, students, farmers, indigenous people, African-descended people, small businesses, and ecumenical religious persons gathered from throughout the hemisphere. We deliberated on the problems that we consider truly fundamental for our countries. Read more.
Poet, peace activist, poet and friend Piedad Morales died on April 23. Co-founder of the Women’s Peaceful Path (Ruta Pacífica de la Mujer) in 1995, and social worker with Vamos Mujer in Medellín for 20 years, Piedad won several poetry prizes and founded the literary magazine Cigarra.
“Strong words that beat back the wind and weave hopes. Tireless dreamer, we will miss you in this winter in which you leave us. So much light came from your mouth, so much voice from your heart.” Read more.
by Dominique Aulisio
"City people feel content looking at nature. We, on the other hand, value the campo in a deeper way. It is a very clean way of life. Most of what we grow here is organic. Living one’s entire life in the campo, the campesino is capable of producing everything he needs. This is the wish of the campesino: That you respect me so that I can work, that you leave me in peace. ¡El campo es bueno! I was born in the campo, I’ll die in the campo." Read more. |
United States Sends Combat Commanders to Colombia
U.S. to Mexico: Guns Are US
