Excluded Headlines: Lots of important Global South news this past week
Stay up to date on the global news stories the US- and Eurocentric media overlooks, with journalist and author, Tamara Pearson.
In this week’s Global South news, downplayed or ignored by the English-language mainstream media:
Migrant shelters overwhelmed in Mexico - While much of the mainstream media has covered the lack of an expected surge of migrants at the US-Mexico border, it has glossed over the US forcing Mexico to accept deported migrants (almost all migrants are deported). At the moment, migrant shelters (all run by civil society volunteers) in Mexico City are at 800% of their capacity. Forced to flee their homes, but barred from entry to the US and denied visas in Mexico, refugees and migrants are sleeping in the streets, and in camps. Source.
Honduras seeks tax justice and the US is pissed - The left leaning government in Honduras is discussing the creation of a Tax Justice law which would increase taxes on industry in the country - national and foreign-owned companies which historically and in the present have brutally exploited Hondurans and the country’s resources, while giving nothing back. The proposed law includes progressive taxation (wealthier people are taxed a higher rate), countering tax exoneration abuses by companies, and taxing foreign income. The US ambassador to Honduras, Laura Dogu, directly condemned the law and complained that Honduras was sending a clear message to US companies to take their business elsewhere. Source, source, source, source.
Lasso violates constitution as he dissolves Ecuadorian parliament - President Lasso dissolved the Ecuadorian parliament and called for early elections, claiming there was a “political crisis” in light of an impeachment process against him for corruption. Interestingly, while the US and Lasso immediately condemned the left-leaning Peruvian president for dissolving parliament after it tried to remove him for a third time, the US did not do so towards the right-wing Ecuadorian president. The CONAIE Indigenous movement in Ecuador condemned US interference in the country and called for assemblies. The Armed Forces and police immediately supported Lasso’s decision and said they would react firmly to protests. Source, source, source, source, source, source.
Iraq, Syria, Yemen missing out on climate funds - Affected by conflict, the three countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change, but of the funds allocated by organisations like the UN, World Bank and other multilateral funds, only 0.5% of money spent so far has gone to Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. Oxfam also noted that the G7 (wealthy countries) owe the Global South US$13.3 trillion in unpaid development aid and climate funding. Source, source.
Water crisis in Uruguay - Lack of rainfall (and the worst drought in the country in a century) means the country’s capital is likely to run out of water. Source.
Nigerian doctors strike - Nigerian doctors are striking for five days over their salary structure and arrears owed going back to 2015. Source.
Oil spills in Nigeria require US$12 billion in funds - Shell and Eni are the main culprits of oil spills in Nigeria. The clean-up would take 12 years, according to a recent report, and US$12 billion to do so. Source.
Brazil blocks oil project near Amazon River mouth - Brazil's environmental regulator denied a license for an offshore oil drilling project near the mouth of the Amazon River, requested by the state-run oil company Petrobras. Source.