Battle for The Amazon

Brazil's new environment minister, Carlos Minc, announced this week that he will be pressing for criminal charges against 100 of the worst individuals or companies responsible for most of the deforestation since 2005. New figures just released show that the rate of deforestation has increased by 133% since last month in the nine states of the Amazon region, which is an increase of 228% compared to a year ago.

Correa Celebrates Victory In Constitutional Referendum

QUITO, Ecuador - Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa celebrated victory Monday after winning what he said was a "crushing victory" in a constitutional referendum aimed at broadening his powers.

Initial official returns, reflecting just five percent of the ballot, indicated 65-percent popular backing for the new basic law. But they were supported by unofficial exit polls showing that Correa's proposal had won between 66 percent and 70 percent of the vote.

Ecuador To Vote on President Correa's Leftist Constitution

QUITO - Ecuadorans went to the polls Sunday to vote on a new constitution that expands the powers of President Rafael Correa and ushers his "21st century socialism," in lock step with leftist allies in Venezuela and Bolivia.

Balloting began throughout the country as scheduled at 1200 GMT.

Passed by a Constitutional Assembly on July 24, the new Magna Carta would strengthen the government's hold on the economy of this small nation of 13.9 million people -- half of whom live in poverty -- which is based chiefly on oil exports and money sent by its emigrants.

Morales Cites "Evidence" of US Meddling

UNITED NATIONS - Bolivian President Evo Morales reiterated the charge Tuesday that the U.S. government was plotting to overthrow his government and that Washington had a hand in the recent episodes of violence in which a number of his supporters were killed and wounded by opposition gangs.

"You Are So Like Me" - Chavez Serenades Foe Bush

BEIJING - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez broke into an unlikely snippet of song for bitter ideological foe George W. Bush on Thursday, trilling "you are so like me" about the man he has called a donkey and the devil.

The staunch leftist said the world financial crisis had forced his U.S. counterpart to recognise flaws in the economic system that he had been pointing out for years.

After Violence, US Role in Bolivia Questioned

NEW YORK - As tensions remain high between government and opposition in Bolivia, where more than 30 people have been killed in politically motivated attacks in recent days, a group of Latin America experts are calling for Washington to clarify its engagement in the internal affairs of Bolivia.

The U.S. government needs to "turn a new page" in its relations with Latin America, says an open letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain, as well as other top U.S. officials.

US Ties to Bolivian Opposition 'Shrouded in Secrecy'

NEW YORK - Who in Bolivia is receiving millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars? That is what many Latin America policy analysts in Washington want to know.

'Washington has decided to keep its ties to Bolivia's opposition shrouded in secrecy,' said Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research, an independent think tank.

Bolivia Politicial Talks Aim To Cool Off Crisis

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia - Socialist President Evo Morales and Bolivia's autonomy-seeking opposition governors began negotiating Thursday to try to defuse a violent political crisis that has left at least 18 people dead.

The talks being monitored by observers from the Organization of American States and United Nations got under way in Cochabamba amid tight security measures with zero ceremonial pomp.

Facilitators for the talks include the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Roman Catholic church, European Union and the United Nations, officials sources said.

Bolivia: Governor Arrested for "Porvenir Massacre"

LA PAZ - The governor of the northern Bolivian province of Pando was detained by the military Tuesday and is being flown to the capital to face prosecution for allegedly instigating the killings of at least 15 local indigenous people.