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1.12.2010
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Ecuadorean officials say Foreign Minister Fander Falconi is resigning.
The Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Falconi was stepping down, but gave no reason for his decision.
News reports, however, point to President Rafael Correa's criticism of the way Falconi was handling an Amazon rain forest protection project involving the Yasuní National Park in eastern Ecuador.
Under the government's Yasuní initiative, Ecuador would leave untapped about 850 million barrels of oil in the region. In return for not exploiting the oil, the OPEC member nation would look to other countries for compensation.
President Correa had said the negotiations between Ecuador and potential donor nations were being handled "shamefully."
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Yasuní National Park a biosphere reserve in 1989, and scientists have called it one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world.
Ecuadorean officials say Foreign Minister Fander Falconi is resigning.
The Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Falconi was stepping down, but gave no reason for his decision.
News reports, however, point to President Rafael Correa's criticism of the way Falconi was handling an Amazon rain forest protection project involving the Yasuní National Park in eastern Ecuador.
Under the government's Yasuní initiative, Ecuador would leave untapped about 850 million barrels of oil in the region. In return for not exploiting the oil, the OPEC member nation would look to other countries for compensation.
President Correa had said the negotiations between Ecuador and potential donor nations were being handled "shamefully."
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Yasuní National Park a biosphere reserve in 1989, and scientists have called it one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world.
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Those supporting greater autonomy for France's overseas departments of Martinique and French Guiana are voicing disappointment after voters rejected the drive in referendums.
Voters in Martinique and French Guiana resoundingly rejected efforts to reduce French control of the two overseas departments. Results from Sunday's referendums showed that nearly 79 percent of Martinique residents and almost 70 percent of those in French Guiana voted against greater autonomy.
In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the outcome, saying it reflected the strong ties between the territories and metropolitan France. Both Martinique, in the Caribbean, and South America's French Guiana were granted French department status, when Paris relinquished total control more than half a century ago.
Champions of greater autonomy have argued it would allow the territories greater say in key issues like development, education and employment. And some - like politician Alfred Marie-Jeanne, a leader of Martinique's independence movement -- voiced deep disappointment at the results.
In remarks broadcast on French radio, Marie-Jeanne said the loser of the referendum was Martinique -- and that the vote reflected people's fears, not their aspirations.
But others, like Chantal Meignan, a senior member of Mr. Sarkozy's ruling UMP party in Martinique, said the vote marked a victory for the population.
Meignan told French radio the Martinique residents had other concerns than wanting more autonomy. She says the next step is to simplify administration procedures for the territories. Voters in both departments will vote on that measure in separate referendums, later this month.
The referendums come a year after Martinique and another overseas French territory, Reunion, were rocked by violent protests and strikes caused by low wages and high prices. Unemployment in France's overseas territories is generally far higher than in mainland France. Reports show food and fuel are also more expensive - despite government efforts to cut prices.
Those supporting greater autonomy for France's overseas departments of Martinique and French Guiana are voicing disappointment after voters rejected the drive in referendums.
Voters in Martinique and French Guiana resoundingly rejected efforts to reduce French control of the two overseas departments. Results from Sunday's referendums showed that nearly 79 percent of Martinique residents and almost 70 percent of those in French Guiana voted against greater autonomy.
In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the outcome, saying it reflected the strong ties between the territories and metropolitan France. Both Martinique, in the Caribbean, and South America's French Guiana were granted French department status, when Paris relinquished total control more than half a century ago.
Champions of greater autonomy have argued it would allow the territories greater say in key issues like development, education and employment. And some - like politician Alfred Marie-Jeanne, a leader of Martinique's independence movement -- voiced deep disappointment at the results.
In remarks broadcast on French radio, Marie-Jeanne said the loser of the referendum was Martinique -- and that the vote reflected people's fears, not their aspirations.
But others, like Chantal Meignan, a senior member of Mr. Sarkozy's ruling UMP party in Martinique, said the vote marked a victory for the population.
Meignan told French radio the Martinique residents had other concerns than wanting more autonomy. She says the next step is to simplify administration procedures for the territories. Voters in both departments will vote on that measure in separate referendums, later this month.
The referendums come a year after Martinique and another overseas French territory, Reunion, were rocked by violent protests and strikes caused by low wages and high prices. Unemployment in France's overseas territories is generally far higher than in mainland France. Reports show food and fuel are also more expensive - despite government efforts to cut prices.
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The U.S. military is denying a claim by Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez that a U.S. military plane entered his country's airspace.
President Chavez says that he ordered two F-16 jets to intercept what he said was a U.S. P-3 aircraft over his country Friday. The Venezuelan leader says the American plane twice entered his country's airspace from the nearby Netherlands Antilles.
But a spokeswoman for the U.S. Southern Command in Miami, Air Force Sergeant. Shanda De Anda, said Saturday that no U.S. plane few into Venezuelan airspace. She said the U.S. does not fly over another nation's airspace "without prior consent and coordination."
Last month, Mr. Chavez accused the Netherlands of allowing the U.S. to use the Dutch-owned Caribbean islands to prepare an attack on Venezuela. The United States has called that assertion "baseless."
Venezuela's president also accused the United States of launching a spy plane from Colombia in December into Venezuelan airspace. He vowed then to shoot down any such aircraft in the future.
Ties between Venezuela and Colombia have been strained since early 2009 when Colombia agreed to give U.S. troops more access to its military bases.
The U.S. and Colombia insist the agreement is solely for anti-drug operations.
The U.S. Southern Command is responsible for U.S. security operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
The U.S. military is denying a claim by Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez that a U.S. military plane entered his country's airspace.
President Chavez says that he ordered two F-16 jets to intercept what he said was a U.S. P-3 aircraft over his country Friday. The Venezuelan leader says the American plane twice entered his country's airspace from the nearby Netherlands Antilles.
But a spokeswoman for the U.S. Southern Command in Miami, Air Force Sergeant. Shanda De Anda, said Saturday that no U.S. plane few into Venezuelan airspace. She said the U.S. does not fly over another nation's airspace "without prior consent and coordination."
Last month, Mr. Chavez accused the Netherlands of allowing the U.S. to use the Dutch-owned Caribbean islands to prepare an attack on Venezuela. The United States has called that assertion "baseless."
Venezuela's president also accused the United States of launching a spy plane from Colombia in December into Venezuelan airspace. He vowed then to shoot down any such aircraft in the future.
Ties between Venezuela and Colombia have been strained since early 2009 when Colombia agreed to give U.S. troops more access to its military bases.
The U.S. and Colombia insist the agreement is solely for anti-drug operations.
The U.S. Southern Command is responsible for U.S. security operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
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The Honduran attorney general's office has issued "abuse of power" charges against military commanders involved in the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya last June.
Prosecutors say the top leaders charged include Army Commander Romeo Vasquez Velasquez. The prosecutors say they presented the charges to the Supreme Court, which has three days to respond.
The Supreme Court has sided with coup leaders in several rulings. The Honduran Congress is also reported to be considering amnesty for those involved in the coup, as well as for Mr. Zelaya, who faces charges of treason and abuse of power.
Interim President Roberto Micheletti held discussions Wednesday in Tegucigalpa with visiting U.S. diplomat Craig Kelly, deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, on the nation's political crisis.
The two met for at least two hours on reuniting the parties involved in the political stalemate.
In a televised interview Wednesday, Mr. Micheletti accused the U.S. of pressuring him to step down by January 15, with the promise of millions of dollars in aid to Honduras. He says he will stay in office until President-elect Porfirio Lobo takes office January 27.
The State Department has said the U.S. is trying to help the parties move forward in implementing an agreement, known as the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord, on ending the turmoil over Mr. Zelaya's removal. The deal calls for the creation of a national unity government and a truth commission to look into the circumstances of the military-backed coup.
Mr. Zelaya was overthrown June 28 and sent into exile. He returned to Honduras in September and has been holed up at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa under the threat of arrest. Mr. Zelaya's opponents say he was trying to illegally change the constitution to extend his term in office.
The Honduran attorney general's office has issued "abuse of power" charges against military commanders involved in the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya last June.
Prosecutors say the top leaders charged include Army Commander Romeo Vasquez Velasquez. The prosecutors say they presented the charges to the Supreme Court, which has three days to respond.
The Supreme Court has sided with coup leaders in several rulings. The Honduran Congress is also reported to be considering amnesty for those involved in the coup, as well as for Mr. Zelaya, who faces charges of treason and abuse of power.
Interim President Roberto Micheletti held discussions Wednesday in Tegucigalpa with visiting U.S. diplomat Craig Kelly, deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, on the nation's political crisis.
The two met for at least two hours on reuniting the parties involved in the political stalemate.
In a televised interview Wednesday, Mr. Micheletti accused the U.S. of pressuring him to step down by January 15, with the promise of millions of dollars in aid to Honduras. He says he will stay in office until President-elect Porfirio Lobo takes office January 27.
The State Department has said the U.S. is trying to help the parties move forward in implementing an agreement, known as the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord, on ending the turmoil over Mr. Zelaya's removal. The deal calls for the creation of a national unity government and a truth commission to look into the circumstances of the military-backed coup.
Mr. Zelaya was overthrown June 28 and sent into exile. He returned to Honduras in September and has been holed up at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa under the threat of arrest. Mr. Zelaya's opponents say he was trying to illegally change the constitution to extend his term in office.
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Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano has erupted for the first time in more than a century, spewing ash and prompting the evacuation of a small group of people living in nearby communities.
Authorities monitoring Turrialba's activity increased a volcano alert level Wednesday, saying "intense" but "low" seismic activity continued in the crater area.
Officials also say winds could blow some of the ash from the 3,328-meter volcano toward the Costa Rican capital, San Jose.
Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano has erupted for the first time in more than a century, spewing ash and prompting the evacuation of a small group of people living in nearby communities.
Authorities monitoring Turrialba's activity increased a volcano alert level Wednesday, saying "intense" but "low" seismic activity continued in the crater area.
Officials also say winds could blow some of the ash from the 3,328-meter volcano toward the Costa Rican capital, San Jose.
6.25.2009
Agreement improves bilateral communication, enhances U.S. outreach - State Department
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
June 25, 2009
STATEMENT BY IAN KELLY, SPOKESMAN
The United States and Venezuela Agree to Resume Full Diplomatic Representation
Through an exchange of diplomatic notes, the United States and Venezuela have agreed to rescind the declarations of persona non grata issued in September 2008 and return U.S. Ambassador Patrick D. Duddy and Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Álvarez to their respective posts in Caracas and Washington.
An experienced career diplomat, Ambassador Duddy enjoys the full confidence of President Obama and Secretary Clinton. With his return, full diplomatic representation will resume. This important step will help advance U.S. interests by improving bilateral communication and enhancing our outreach to the Venezuelan people.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
June 25, 2009
STATEMENT BY IAN KELLY, SPOKESMAN
The United States and Venezuela Agree to Resume Full Diplomatic Representation
Through an exchange of diplomatic notes, the United States and Venezuela have agreed to rescind the declarations of persona non grata issued in September 2008 and return U.S. Ambassador Patrick D. Duddy and Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Álvarez to their respective posts in Caracas and Washington.
An experienced career diplomat, Ambassador Duddy enjoys the full confidence of President Obama and Secretary Clinton. With his return, full diplomatic representation will resume. This important step will help advance U.S. interests by improving bilateral communication and enhancing our outreach to the Venezuelan people.
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