Bolivia's only ski operation, now closed on account of the glacier's retreat.
Mt. Illimani, the iconic peak that towers over La Paz.
Bolivia's highest peak, Mount Sajama
When will the absurdity end? If you didn’t know better, you’d think the news out of Caracas and Bogota these days were actually coming from Washington and Moscow . . . in 1962.
-NF
The world has lost a true hero. Jaime Escalante, a native Bolivian who overcame great challenges upon immigrating to the U.S. to become one of the most inspiring teachers of all time, passed away today in his son’s California home. Made famous through 1988′s Stand and Deliver, Escalante was best known for teaching math to troubled teens in East L.A.
-NF
This isn’t related to South America per se, but Jimmy Carter has been doing some great work in Liberia. Click here to read about his efforts to improve local, community-based dispute resolution as a means to move past the ravages of civil war. As Carter explains,
in countries emerging from war, it is common that the state lacks the capacity to uphold the law, and that citizens do not trust the authorities. In such environments, local communities always will find ways to resolve local conflicts and address their own justice needs. One danger is that these will not be compatible with the new political order, human rights, or the maintenance of peace. In this transitional phase, giving citizens the tools to know and understand the law, and moving quickly to strengthen and supplement existing institutions are important steps that are seldom given sufficient priority. Governments and donors tend to focus on physical and structural reform, without providing the people themselves with parallel support to solve problems and maintain the peace locally.
It is in the communities scattered throughout Liberia and other recovering post-conflict countries that peace will either take root or discontent will re-emerge. Giving communities in transition the tools to address their own problems provides them with the means to reestablish social order compatible with the new direction of the state at the local level, making this an essential element of preventing a return to war.
It seems to me that the benefits of local, community-based justice apply not only to countries emerging from war, but to all nations where a significant percentage of the population feels disenfranchised by the formal, state-sponsored justice system.
-NF
This post is only tangentially related to things South American–and it’s probably more in the way of shamless self-promotion than anything else–but there is a connection. A dear friend (Joe Mead) and I recently published an article in the Stanford Environmental Law Journal called “Equal Standing with States: Tribal Sovereignty and Standing After Massachusetts v. EPA.” In the article, we argue that Indian tribes within the U.S. should have the same ability as domestic states to sue the federal government. We say that the case for equal standing is especially strong in the field of environmental litigation, because Indian tribes have historically had (revisionism aside) a special relationship with the land, and because they have significant regulatory and enforcement duties under federal environmental legislation.
So what’s the connection with South American law and politics? Well, we’re living in a special time, a time when indigenous peoples in South America and beyond are achieving huge political victories. Bolivia is a prime example, but there are many others (including the UN’s recent Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples). As we think about indigenous rights in South America, we should ponder the situation here in the United States. In many ways, U.S. Indian policy is a model of what shouldn’t be done. But, as we all know far too well, there is a lot to be learned from mistakes.
-NF
I have been woefully negligent in maintaining this blog over the past few months. But if I forget to mention everything else, I at least need to express my support for the peoples of Chile and Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
-NF
At least, that’s my basic impression. See this piece as an example of how Lula is bridging two worlds, taking a reasoned approach, and still acting with an appropriate level of independence. Am I giving him too much credit?
-NF
Posted in Uncategorized
This past Wednesday, Venezuela assigned the rights to exploit a massive oil block to a consortium led by Chevron. Although Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA, will retain a 60% stake in the revenues, the deal with Chevron is symbollically important. Is Chavez compromising his anti-U.S. stance as the going gets tough economically (Venezuela has had a very rough go of it this past year)? That’s what some are claiming. But Chavez can just point to PDVSA’s 60% stake, right?
. . . you should read this. Not exactly reflective of a government that believes it’s in the right.
-NF
