Free Republic

INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION AGAINST THE ILLICIT MANUFACTURING OF AND TRAFFICKING IN FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, EXPLOSIVES, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIALS THE STATES PARTIES, AWARE of the urgent need to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials, due to the harmful effects of these activities on the security of each state and the region as a whole, endangering the well-being of peoples, their social and economic development, and their right to live in peace; CONCERNED by the increase, at the international level, in the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives,...

The rule of law is disappearing in Venezuela Marcel Granier, President of Radio Caracas Television (Inter-American Press Agency) The reaction of President Chavez is verbally violent and crude each time someone dares to have a different opinion. ____________________________________________________ President Chavez verbally announced his decision to close Radio Caracas Television, a channel which for more than 53 years and with the best facilities draws the greater audience, moreover of being the television broadcaster that employs the most people in Venezuela. Thus culminates a long chain of aggressions against journalists, employees, managers, and shareholders of the independent media. He is trying to...

On the surface, when the Organization of American States convenes its General Assembly at the Broward County Convention Center on June 5, the product generated will be lots and lots of words. Picture 600 diplomats talking for three days about democracy. But there will be some dollars spent, too. Even a diplomat needs a bed, a ride and a bite to eat between speeches. Diplomats' spouses and families might want to shop. And if President Bush and his travel party show up to kick off the discussion, hotels could get a windfall of White House spending. The three-day event could...

The realities of global trade and politics are driving Asia's new economic powerhouse China and resources-rich Latin America closer, with Japan watching warily, according to researchers. China is searching for energy sources to feed its fast-expanding economy and for new markets to sell its goods manufactured at low production costs. For their part, Latin American countries are trying to diversify trading partners, shifting away from over-dependence on the United States which is aiming to create a huge Americas trading bloc to compete with Europe. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) called for closer links in trade and investment between Asia and...

Migrants living in the US, Europe and elsewhere around the world sent a record amount of remittances - some $45 billion - to Latin America and the Caribbean last year, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The remittances - or money transfers - sent by Latin American and Caribbean workers living abroad rose nearly 20% over 2003, when $38 billion was sent home, the IDB said. About three-quarters of the remittances came from the US, while Europe was the second-largest source. Japan continued to be a major source of remittances to Brazil and Peru with foreign workers in Canada...