President Rafael Correa of Ecuador is leading a relentless campaign against free speech, harassing his critics, forcing independent broadcasters off the air and hijacking the nation’s courts in his bid to bankrupt the country’s largest newspaper. After Emilio Palacio, the editorial page editor of El Universo, wrote a column accusing Mr. Correa of ordering the army to open fire on a hospital during a police protest, Mr. Correa filed a criminal suit against the editor and three of...

When the Peruvian Prime Minister Salomon Lerner Guitis resigned from his post as Prime minister early in December, it generated a reaction of panic, both among government supporters and among the opposition. Fear was focused mostly on the potential instability Lerner’s resignation could generate. Lerner had been praised by members of the opposition who thought he had done a good job because he had succeeded in generating business confidence and had secured the continuous flow of...

Crime and violence seriously threaten Venezuela’s medium and long-term stability, regardless of whether or not President Hugo Chávez retains power in the 2012 election. , the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses how the extensive presence of international organised crime, soaring impunity levels, millions of firearms in civilian hands as well as police corruption and brutality have entrenched violence in society. Positive steps such as constructive...

Guatemala’s Elections: Clean Polls, Dirty Politics, the latest policy briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the approaching general elections (presidential, legislative and local) in the context of political institutions still haunted by the legacies of a 36-year civil war and now facing serious challenges from drug traffickers and other violent criminals. The presidential contest will likely pit Otto Pérez Molina, former head of military intelligence, against...

December's "Enabling Law" - which grants President Hugo Chávez far-reaching decree powers for 18 months - constitutes an illegitimate infringement on the new National Assembly's authority, subverting the will of the electorate. President Chávez's recent offer to limit the term of the law to five months is a positive step. But the underlying problems with the law remain, whether it is in force for 18 months, five months, or one day. The "Law for the Defense of...

Uncertainty was high as the police closed in, but instead of pursuing a criminal, they had surrounded a democratically elected president, aiming to overthrow him. Another coup attempt was underway in Latin America. On Sept. 30th, 2010, a group of police officers led a protest over benefit cuts, in Ecuador’s capital, Quito. After President Rafael Correa spoke to the group of revolting officers, he was attacked with tear gas and was rushed to a hospital. He later declared he was being...

Nicaragua cannot be called a democracy any more with a straight face. The president has stacked the Supreme Court, had them declare that he can run for re-election contrary to the constitution, had a new constitution printed when Congress refused to change it to his liking, and ignores blatant election fraud such as tossing 100% of opponent votes in the garbage bin. This appears to be part of a plan to perpetuate the Ortegas at power. The plan is spearheaded by Venezuela, backed by Cuba, and...

A dictatorship that fosters the production and distribution of cocaine is not apt to enjoy a positive international image. But when that same government cloaks itself in the language of social justice, with a special emphasis on the enfranchisement of indigenous people, it wins world-wide acclaim. This is Bolivia, which in two weeks will hold elections for president and both houses of congress. The government of President Evo Morales will spin the event as a great moment in South American...

With U.S. policymakers distracted by the situation in Honduras, Nicaragua continues to move toward authoritarianism. On October 19, a Nicaraguan Supreme Court panel overturned a constitutional provision limiting presidents to two non-consecutive terms in office. The ruling will allow incumbent Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega--the Sandinista party leader, former Soviet client, vociferous critic of the United States, and current Hugo Chávez acolyte--to run for another term in 2011. If...

To: The Governments of Afghanistan and Iran and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights* We, the undersigned academics from all disciplines from around the world do hereby call upon and demand that the governments of Afghanistan release student Sayed Perwiz Kambasksh and for Iran to release student, Esha Momeni, and Prof. Mehdi Zakeriam Furthermore,we call upon the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to look into these and other apparent human rights abuses and harassments...