Excluded Headlines: Ecuador in a nutshell, drone massacre in Mexico, strike in Argentina..
This week: Global South countries support South Africa in genocide case, and more: Stay up to date on the global news stories the US- and Eurocentric media overlook, with journalist, Tamara Pearson.
In this week’s overlooked, distorted, and ignored news about the Global South:
Ecuador’s “internal armed conflict” - The media has covered this, but of course used the word “chaos” in most of their headlines, shrouding the situation in mystery, making it seem like it just came from nowhere, or perhaps from the trope of Latin America being “naturally” violent, with little to no context about the deeper origins of the violence, the problems with the right wing governments, US and corporate influences in that, and the role of the Correa government (2007-2017) in drastically decreasing crime rates.
This news wrap-up isn’t the place for a proper, in-depth analysis, but the nutshell is: Following from a previous right-wing government, businessperson and right-winger, President Daniel Noboa, took office in November last year, with combatting violence a key promise. After a gang leader disappeared from prison on Sunday, Noboa declared a 2-month state of emergency on Monday. That includes a curfew and military in the streets. Then on Tuesday, armed men stormed a main television station during a live broadcast and were seen holding guns to heads. The attack was allegedly one of various coordinated attacks, and Noboa then declared an “internal armed conflict”, designating 20 gangs as terrorist groups. As of yesterday, there had been 10 deaths and 70 arrests.
Analysts on the ground in Ecuador argue that the lack of social welfare policy is a contributor, that narcos have become transnational, that the previous government did nothing and largely let the mafias take over the prisons, and that although cracking down on crime like this runs the risk of oppressing journalists, activists, and Indigenous people and of paving the way to something like Plan Colombia, it is also necessary to do something about the violence people are having to live with. Source, source, source, source, source.
Drone massacre in Mexico - In a small town in the mountains of Guerrero state, 30 people were reportedly killed in drone attacks around 4-5 January. Armed men also entered the area. Killing with drones is characteristic of the LFM crime group. It is typical of such groups to control politics and push people off their land in order to be able to carry out their operations. A separate official report is that 5 burnt bodies were found. Source, source, source.
Kenyan farmers want guaranteed minimum returns - The coffee farmers in a region of Kenya are also demanding their debts be waved. Source.
Argentinians call for national strike despite threats - Workers in the CGT (General Worker’s Confederation) and other organisations are calling for a strike for January 24 to protest a decree and a law by the new government that violate worker rights and conditions and the right to strike. Source.
Almost all countries supporting South Africa’s case against Israel for genocide are from the Global South - The list needs to be continuously updated, but the most up-to-date one at the time of writing is here, though Cuba has also supported the case. Over a thousand organisations have also come out in support.
Bangladeshi PM secures 5th term - Sheikh Hasina swore in today after winning another election. The opposition apparently boycotted the vote. Source.
Useful reads:
Will the ICJ find Israel guilty of genocide?
Ecuador in crisis: five points to understand a country broken by neoliberalism
Cooperative Farming Makes Bangladesh’s Coastal Women Farmers Climate-Resilient
The Sudanese Resistance: fighting for survival