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Establishment of military bases in Chile and Peru reveals United States’ intention to increase influence in the region

[Translation of an article from Brasil de Fato of São Paulo for July 5. See original here and related articles here and here.]

by Patrícia Benvenuti

The hope for new relations between the United States and Latin America continues to be ever more distant. Recent activity, in particular the establishment of new military bases, reveals an attempt by the United States to increase its influence in the region.

On April 5, work on the Personnel Training Center for Peace Operations in Urban Zones was completed in Chile. Located at Fort Aguayo, in Concón, in the Valparaíso Region, the base was constructed in 60 days, considered a record time for this kind of project.

The structure consists of eight buildings, which simulate a small city. The cost of the base, financed by the Southern Command of the United States armed forces, was almost 500,000 dollars. The Center will be used for training the so-called Peace Forces of Latin American nations that are part of United Nations missions. (more…)

((Brasil de Fato photo))

[Translation of an article from Brasil de Fato of São Paulo for November 23. See original here.]

By Eduardo Sales de Lima

What after all is the role of the police in society? Considering this year alone, it is striking how actions of the militarized state police have been marked with “excesses.” Police violence has been seen especially in responses to public political demonstrations (taking as an example the Marcha da Maconha [Marijuana March], where journalists were injured by the police), in the troubled relations between the police and inhabitants of poor communities in large Brazilian cities and, more recently, in the evictions from the rector’s building of the University of São Paulo. (more…)

Calderón recognizes drug war has stained country’s image

[Translation of an article by Reuters news agency as published in La Jornada of Mexico City for May 14.]

Mexico will not change its strategy in the war against drug trafficking despite the increasing violence generated by drug cartels, which has stained the country’s image, President Felipe Calderón has said.

Calderón took up the war on narcotrafficking when he assumed the presidency in late 2006 by sending tens of thousands of soldiers and federal police to several states of the country.

Conflicts among the criminals themselves and with security forces have raised violence to levels never before seen in the country and have resulted in thousands of deaths, most of them among drug traffickers but also among civilians, including youths and children caught in the crossfire. (more…)