news

so israel can just appoint the judge ??? A Israeli Supremecourt Judge ???

wtf..

SPILLING OVER THE BORDER

The President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, has called the Council of Ministers together for an emergency meeting. The subject is the crisis in neighboring Ecuador, and the aim is to prevent fugitive criminals from entering Peru.

According to reports on several Peruvian channels, the weapons and grenades used by the criminals in Ecuador today belong to the Peruvian Armed Forces and have been smuggled into Ecuador.

link (In Spanish)

It is also important to note that one of Ecuador's most bloodthirsty criminals, alias 'Fito', escaped from one of its prisons. In response, the PNP responded that they are reinforcing the border with this sector to prevent him or other criminals from entering national territory.President Dina Boluarte convenes an emergency Council of Ministers due to the crisis in Ecuador.

The President of the Republic will seek to take measures to reinforce the security of the national territory. Weapons used by criminals in Ecuador would belong to the Peruvian Armed Forces.

After a group of criminals unleashed chaos in Ecuador by taking over a television station, in the middle of looting in the streets of Guayaquil, Dina Boluarte called her emergency Council of Ministers in order to take urgent measures to avoid that the criminals who escaped from some prisons in that country enter Peru.

According to the latest information available to RPP, the weapons used by the group of criminals belonged to the Peruvian Armed Forces and were smuggled into Ecuadorian territory.

Foreign Ministry issued a statement

In this regard, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement and expressed its solidarity with the country of Ecuador in view of the wave of violence that this nation is experiencing. However, they did not refer to the situation of Peruvians living there.

"The Government of Peru strongly condemns the acts of violence that occurred today in Ecuador, which violate the fundamental rights of Ecuadorians and threaten the security of that brother country. It also expresses its support to the Government of President Daniel Noboa and to the democratic institutionality and stability in Ecuador, wishing a prompt reestablishment of peace and security in that country. Peru expresses its solidarity with the victims of such acts of violence," reads the letter.

National Unity goverment in Ecuador

Rafael Correa supports President Daniel Noboa.

The former president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, supports the decree of the country's president, Daniel Noboa, declaring an internal armed conflict.

Correa says his party will support Noboa's actions. He calls for national unity in these moments of crisis.

Guatemala’s president-elect announces his Cabinet ahead of swearing-in

Guatemala’s President-elect Bernardo Arévalo announced his Cabinet picks Monday ahead of his scheduled swearing-in Sunday, despite ongoing investigations of his political party.

The progressive president-elect chose an even number of female and male Cabinet members for the first time in Guatemala’s history and looked outside his relatively young Seed Movement party to staff some of the country’s most important positions.

Yeah, his party is literally called "Movimiento Semilla" which means Seed Movement.

Arévalo was the surprise winner of last year’s election, campaigning to tackle Guatemala’s deep-rooted corruption.

He said his picks were honorable people and he promised to create an autonomous anti-corruption commission to analyze his administration’s work.

Arévalo chose Francisco Jiménez Irungaray as his interior minister. Jiménez served former President Álvaro Colóm briefly in the same position and was cited by a United Nations anti-corruption mission for alleged involvement in the improper awarding of a government contract.

Asked about Jiménez’s baggage, Arévalo said he was familiar with the allegations but noted they had been dismissed.

Carlos Ramiro Martínez, a career diplomat who has four times served as the deputy foreign affairs minister including under outgoing President Alejandro Giammattei, will take the top spot in that ministry.

“Even though this Cabinet has many attributes, it shows that the Seed party, being a young party, has to give its officials to external sectors,” said political analyst Cristhians Castillo at San Carlos University’s Institute of National Problems.

He said Arévalo’s choices sent a signal of consensus and gives the incoming president a technical team capable of negotiating.

That capacity could be key as Arévalo has faced months of mounting investigations of his party and its members by an Attorney General’s Office that has alleged wrongdoing without so far showing evidence of it. Foreign election observers have declared the election free and fair and accused prosecutors of waging a politically motivated campaign against Arévalo.

Are there updates on the Ukraine situation beyond the 'continuing stalemate' narrative I see on MSNBC and other major sources? I see Zelensky is getting more creative with who he's asking for help, and rumblings about Russian gains but nothing substantial.

A shitpost if you'll allow me: The world right now

The Finnish police attack anti-fascists on independence day (observed Dec 6 but posted today)

Ecuador Conflict:

U.S. ambassador Michael Fitzpatrick has arrived at Carondelet Palace.

Reported incidents of terrorism right now near the government palace and historic center of Quito, as well as in several locations around the cities of Guayaquil, Machala and province of Esmeraldas, as Ecuador's government declares the country in Internal Armed Conflict.

The State and Public Security Council has just met in Ecuador. This follows the coordinated attacks in various places in the country. Statements will be made at the end of the meeting.

Former President Rafael Correa (Leftist) agrees to support the goverment of Daniel Noboa and asks for a National Unity goverment. (Twitter - Spanish Only)

"Full support, president. Organized crime has declared war on the State and the State must emerge triumphant. It is time for national unity.

"Replace with civilian personnel or retired policemen the thousands of policemen who are absurdly in bureaucratic positions and send them to the streets. The Homeland will triumph. ¡Hasta la victoria siempre!" - Rafael Correa

His party currently controls 50% of congress.

Venezuela Urges Guyana and the US to End Military Threats

Foreign Minister Gil asked to strengthen Latin America and the Caribbean as a "Peace Zone".

On Thursday, Venezuela called on the governments of Guyana and the United States to end their military threats, emphasizing that Latin American and Caribbean unity is a key factor in preserving regional peace.

"The threats to the our region's stability, driven by Guyana and its military association with the U.S., must be decisively cleared," stated the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil.

He also urged the strengthening of the unity of Latin American and Caribbean countries to ensure "our zone of peace against imperial pretensions." His statement came after Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez rejected the plans of the United States in the region.

On Tuesday, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Daniel P. Erikson, announced that President Joe Biden's administration would help reinforce the Guyanese armed forces.

"A few days before the 10th anniversary of the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense made statements in Guyana announcing the intensification and increase of U.S. military capacity," Rodriguez said, emphasizing that these statements "do not contribute to regional peace."

In January 2014, the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States concluded by defining a common position known as the Havana Declaration.

Through it, the countries reaffirmed respect for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. They also committed to the peaceful resolution of interestate conflicts.

Swedish government broadcaster SVT has the following headlines on the war panic in the country:

• Supreme commander to [newscast directed at children]: "Children and youths needs to understand", many are questioning about preparing for war
• "If you ask Putin Sweden is already at war". Analysis
• List: How to prepare yourself if the crisis comes. Expert: "It is not illegal to pitch a tent indoors". Here is where you need to crisis-proof your home
• Special: So many gets a spot in bomb shelters where you live. See area for area.

If you read explainer articles about why the right-wing government and the top military brass is scaring people about war you will read such bangers as "Russia is attacking peace-loving neighbours", "If Russia wins in Ukraine they will get an appetite for more" and "Russia has chosen war as it's ideology". It is a weird unserious panic though as the most prominent story on the SVT homepage right now is about the violence in Ecuador, something you would imagine getting a lower priority than an actual imminent threat of war to your viewership.

♪ Strike a blow at Tel Aviv! ♪

Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arévalo, who is due to take office today, has received a number of international endorsements, such as from the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, and the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez.

The President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, has asked the Guatemalan authorities, especially the country's Congress, to respect the will of the people and give the country's President-elect, Bernardo Arévalo, his mandate.

The weekly update ain't here. I'm going to be honest, though: not a shitload has really been happening. The reason why I stopped doing daily briefings after Tuesday last week wasn't exhaustion, but because I had like, at best, 3-4 articles of any interest to share on any given day.

--

The Country of the Week is Ethiopia!

As mentioned in the preamble, feel free to post or recommend any material related to Ethiopia, whether from a thousand years ago or yesterday. You can post it anywhere in the thread, but you can also reply to this comment if you wish.

If you're feeling particularly ambitious and want homework, you could take on any or all of these questions (no reward, but I'll be very proud of you):

• Who are the main political actors? Are they compradors, nationalists, international socialists, something else?
• What are the most salient domestic political issues; those issues that repeatedly shape elections over the last 10, 20 years. Every country has its quirks that complicate analysis - for example, Brexit in the UK.
• What is the country's history? You don't have to go back a thousand years if that's not relevant, and I'm counting "history" as basically anything that has happened over a year ago.
• What factions exist, historically and currently? If there is an electoral system, what are the major parties and their demographic bases? Are there any minor parties with large amounts of influence? Independence movements? Religious groups?
• How socially progressive or conservative are they? Is there equality for different ethnic groups, or are some persecuted? Do they have LGBTQIA+ rights? Have they improved over time, or gotten worse?
• What role do foreign powers play in the country’s politics and economy? Is there a particular country nearby or far away that is nearly inseparable from them, for good or bad reasons? Is their trade dominated by exports/imports to one place? Are they exploited, exploiters, or something in between?
• If applicable, what is the influence of former colonial relationships on the modern economy and politics?
• Is the country generally stable? Do you think there will be a coup at some point in the future, and if so, what faction might replace them?

The previous country was Haiti.

This is our Geopolitics Reading List so far! Please chime in with suggestions!

General Theory:

• Super Imperialism, by Michael Hudson.
• Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century: Globalization, Super-Exploitation, and Capitalism’s Final Crisis, by John Smith.
• Superexploitation and the Imperialist Drive of Capitalism: How Marini's 'Dialectics of Dependency' Goes beyond Marx's 'Capital', by Andy Higginbottom.
• Capital Volume 3 Lecture Series, 32 videos, 10-15 minutes each, by Andy Higginbottom.
• World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction, by Immanuel Wallerstein.
• Geopolitical Economy: After US Hegemony, Globalization and Empire, by Radhika Desai.
• Capitalism, Coronavirus and War: A Geopolitical Economy, by Radhika Desai.

Canada:

• Canada in the World: Settler Capitalism and the Colonial Imagination, by Tyler Shipley.

Chile:

• 1000 Days of Revolution: Chilean Communists on the Lessons of Popular Unity (I cannot personally find an online version).
• Santiago Boys Podcast, analyzing Allende's government and Cybersyn.

Lebanon:

• A History of Modern Lebanon, by Fawwaz Traboulsi.

United States:

• Drug Cartels Do Not Exist: Narcotrafficking in US and Mexican Culture, by Oswaldo Zavala.

Venezuela:

• Objective Conditions in Venezuela: Maduro’s Defensive Strategy and Contradictions Among the People, a longform article by Steve Ellner.

Copying a reply I made on an old comment, regarding Ecuador, for visibility:

I take it that some of these groups [multiple cartels named by the president] aren't working together, eg. Aguilas and AguilasKiller, so what exactly is the situation regarding the "offenders"? Is it a huge coalition of cartels? What are they demanding?