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Chile is not obliged to negotiate sea access with Bolivia after a 5 year dispute in the International Criminal Court

By
Frances Jenner
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Photo courtesy of Twitter @CIJ_ICJ

After five years of dispute, on Monday Oct. 1 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Chile has the right not to enter into negotiations with Bolivia over contested access to the Pacific Ocean.

This land dispute has haunted Bolivia since 1884 when they lost the War of the Pacific, which meant they lost 120,000 square kilometres of land and their access to the Pacific ocean, leaving them a landlocked country.

BBC Mundo reported that a large proportion of Bolivia’s trade still comes through Chilean ports, however, and Bolivia believes that access to the sea is key for the country’s economic growth. In order to negotiate a “sovereign access” to the sea for Bolivia, the country brought the case to the ICJ in 2013.

The final decision on Monday was a blow for Bolivian President Evo Morales, who despite the outcome has said that “Bolivia will never give up.” The outcome was finalised with 12 votes to three.

Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf stated that he hoped “with willingness on the part of both parties, meaningful negotiations can be undertaken.” The two countries have not had diplomatic relations since 1978.

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera was understandably content with the ruling.

“President Morales raised false expectations among his people (…),and made us waste five years which could have been spent building a healthy relationship between the two countries,” he said.

Chilean news source La Tercera estimated that the five years of land conflict have cost the Chilean state over US$24 million, adding to a sense of resentment already felt by the people.

However, there might still be an end to the ongoing dispute, as both President Piñera and Chancellor Roberto Ampuero have expressed that they are open to dialogue with Bolivia. However, Ampuero set out four conditions for this in an interview with Tele 13 Radio.

The first is that Bolivia respect the 1904 Treaty of Peace, where Bolivia lost 400 kilometres of coastline to Chile in the War of the Pacific. He asked that Bolivia both respect international law as well as the ICJ’s recent decision, with a final request to reconstruct mutual confidence between the two countries.

However, he also ratified that Chile had absolutely no obligation to negotiate land terms with Bolivia, and also stated that “it was Bolivia” who started the dispute, and that the country would have to be open to positive negotiations.

“Building trust is very important,” Ampuero said. “This is what relationships are based on in the end, good relationships, and for five years President Evo Morales has been fairly careless in his use of language in respect to Chile, in respect to our institutions, in respect to our history and our representatives, and this isn’t easily forgotten.”

However, Morales questioned the legitimacy of the final decision of the ICJ, saying that their ruling “has many contradictions,” reported TeleSur. He added that the Court wants all members to solve disputes in a peaceful way, but the sentence gives no alternatives for the two countries to reach an agreement on the subject.

“If this is what previous events say, why did they sentence the opposite?” he asked. “Has the Court made a mistake?”

 

Backlash across Latin America following suggestion of military intervention in Venezuela

By
Tamara Davison
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In response to a statement made on Friday by the director of the Organisation of American States (OAS) which suggested that military action could be taken against Venezuela, 10 governments have since come forward to refuse to participate in a military intervention.

The 10 countries are part of 14 associated within the Lima Group, which is a collection of North, South and Central American countries as well as Caribbean islands that are within the area. The 10 rejectees consist of Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia who in a recent press release stated that, ‘‘they urge the Venezuelan regime to put an end to human rights violations, to free political prisoners, to respect the autonomy of the powers of the State and to assume their responsibility for the serious crisis that Venezuela is experiencing today.’’

At this point, it remains unclear how the other four countries that are part of the Lima group, Canada, Panama, Colombia and Guyana, have chosen to respond. The collective organization was launched last year in an attempt to find a solution to the Venezuelan crisis and this marks the first time that they are believed to have collectively come to a head against the OAS.  

This Monday’s rejection of director Luis Almagro’s military proposals have continued to raise tensions between the OAS and the Lima Group. In the meantime, Venezuela’s crisis continues in full stead amidst reports that Venezuelan classrooms are nearly empty and new polls suggest that 30% of the remaining population eat just once a day. The current reality for Venezuela, ridden by an 85% poverty rate, political turmoil as well as food and medical shortages is that the historic amount of people choosing to leave in fear of their lives is merely set to balloon despite a series of border restrictions that have recently cropped up in their path.

The new statements came in response to Almagro’s speech on Friday which left a question mark hanging over the use of military power. According to Al Jazeera, the leader’s message suggested that only a restoration of a democratic system within Venezuela would offer a solution to the ongoing crisis. He continued to point out that the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his government are orchestrating crimes against humanity,  leading to the claim, ‘‘diplomacy remains the first option but we can’t exclude any action.” The statements contradict the leader’s former approach to the Dominican Republic when he refused to oust a democratically elected leader there.

Since the announcement, heads of state have also come forward to personally condemn the idea of military intervention such as Evo Morales of Bolivia.

The condemnation of military aggression against the democratically-elected Venezuelan leader, and essentially a refusal to plunge the South American continent into a conflict that could jeopardize the well-being of Venezuelan citizens even further leaves the question of what solution could actually work.

Dogged by hyperinflation that has seen Venezuela’s currency drop in value by 99.9%, a government that is refusing to provide citizens with the passports they need to leave,  and an ongoing desperation that has seen an exodus of some 2.3 million people in the past five years, the South American continent is facing a humanitarian crisis in which no country can be devoid of participation. The question remains what leverage can be used to actually push the Venezuelan government into action.

Colombian students march against the lack of education funding

By
Illimani Patiño
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The main roads of 20 Colombian cities were closed this Wednesday as students from both public and private institutions marched against the persistent fiscal deficit of 32 public universities that have already reached USD 6 billion.

One of the core points of the protest regards the termination of the controversial program “Ser Pilo Paga” (It pays to be smart) announced by president Iván Duque. Students claim that the USD 800 million invested in the program should be invested into universities.

Duque assures that he will create another model where “one part is paid by the state and the other one by the university”, different to that of the current program where the state funds 100% of the credit/scholarship. The president has also promised to alleviate the funding problem faced by public universities.

But students are not the only ones concerned about the current education system. Teachers of the Antioquia University, the third most important in the country, have been in permanent assembly for some weeks and it is anticipated that a strike is imminent.

Universities themselves are lobbying Congress to amend Articles 86 and 87 of Law 30 which, passed in 1992, detail the methods through which public education institutions get funded.

The Principal and Deans from the State University System propose to increase the budget of the institutions by at least 4% over the inflation rate every year, so they can progressively fill up the financial hole.

Colombia has the third lowest enrollment rate in tertiary education of the OECD with only 35% of young Colombians attending universities or technical institutions.

What does Bolivia’s political gender-parity mean for the country?

By
Tamara Davison
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The high Andean country of Bolivia is deeply ingrained in tradition and rich in a cultural history that harks back to indigenous heritage and ancient languages.

Whereas such traditional values commonly place an importance on strict gender roles, which are still considerably rife throughout the country, its political system appears to be advancing in terms of gender equality far beyond that of its neighbours.

Bolivia now ranks second in the world for the most gender-equal government, sitting between Rwanda in first place and Cuba in third. It is worth noting, however, that the gender-parity in Rwanda’s government was borne from a civil war which had resulted in staggering losses in the male population. The only other two contenders are Nicaragua and Mexico, however, no other South American country makes the cut in the top ten gender-equal governments around the globe.

Maintaining almost half of the seats in Congress, Bolivian women have the opportunity to mould policies and mandate laws which dictate the way that their country is run, however, it isn’t a story without setbacks. According to the Associated Press, the mission to bring gender balance to Bolivia’s political sphere began back in 1997 when a law was passed that required 30% of political candidates to be women. Despite this, it was just over 10 years ago that a mere 4% of municipal assembly posts were held by women.

Since the first implementation of gender-equality laws, the country has taken vast strides in ensuring that its political arena is equal. This process, achieved democratically, has thus allocated more power to indigenous women and follows a long line of relentless campaigning in order to achieve a council which is 53% female.

The effects of Bolivia’s gender-equal government might have had some exciting implications for the country’s laws, which for instance in July last year saw the proposed overhaul of Bolivia’s penal regulations. There are further hopes that this year bills will be passed which could shake-up both Bolivia’s human rights legislation as well as touching on topics such as sexual health and family planning.

Though it has been heralded by campaigners as certainly a step in the right direction for the country, increased reports of aggression towards women appear to be coinciding with their growing ascent to power. The Associated Press recently pointed out that there were 36 complaints of politically-focussed violence towards women in Bolivia, however those statistics are outweighed by claims from electoral officials themselves who say there have been over 60 complaints. The Council Women’s Association of Bolivia out this number even higher, claiming they received over 90 reports of similar violence.

Alongside reports of increased femicide taking place within Bolivia, claims of politically fuelled aggression paint a picture of the country as still some way off achieving a country-wide awareness of the challenges facing gender equality. It is certainly not the only country in the Latin American spectrum that faces such challenges, however with a global average for women in government standing at just over 22%, the legal opportunity for Bolivian women to bring these issues into the limelight at least appear in their favour.

Argentine former footballer Diego Maradona turns coach in Mexico

By
Tamara Davison
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Argentine football coach, Diego Maradona, has been hired to train Mexican soccer club Dorados of Sinaloa.

According to reports from Clarin, the football heavyweight will head to Mexico on Saturday before officially starting his role on Monday as the new team director in Culiacan, Sinaloa.

Maradona is renowned in Argentina and remains one of the most well recognised named in world football after scoring a famous goal in the 1986 FIFA World Cup known as the ‘hand of God.’ As well as coaching teams from around the world, however, he has also struggled with substance abuse throughout the years. The former footballer’s cocaine abuse stems back as far as the 1980 ’s and in 1991 he was banned from playing for 15 months after testing positive for the drug.

Throughout the nineties he continued to battle with drug charges which saw the player suspended a number of times, yet, controversy continued to follow the player, who received a two-year sentence for shooting journalists with an air rifle. Although he claims to be clean of illegal drugs, there was ongoing speculation at this year’s Russia World Cup which exposed a number of questionable pictures that looked like the Argentine was under the influence once again.

The incoming Mexican coach has been welcomed by the team on social media, however, little details have been revealed about Maradona’s contract following his break from another contract that was previously signed with Belarus. He will be joining a team that ranks in the second division and will manage four other Argentine natives amongst the squad: Luis Jerez Silva, Jorge Córdoba, Facundo Juárez and Gaspar Servio as goalkeeper. It comes amidst high hopes that the new coach will turn the fate of the team around and help them succeed through the leaderboards.

“It took us all by surprise, we are eager to welcome him and be with Diego, for us he is the greatest idol we have, it will be a unique experience, I will try to learn what I can, to listen to him,”, Servio was recently quoted by Clarin.

The appointment comes months after the Colombian coach of Mexico’s national football team resigned after the Russian World Cup. The Mexican national team, known as El Tri to commemorate Mexico’s tricolor flag, was seen as somewhat of an underdog yet took the recent World Cup 2018 by storm when they beat football heavyweight Germany 1-0 in their first game, closely followed by a 2-1 win over South Korea. Although they didn’t make it past Sweden and Brazil, it was the first time that Osorio had taken a team to the World Cup and alongside a stellar selection of captain Andres Guardado and star player Javier Hernandez, the team had  certainly caught the attention of the world audience. It was, however, a disappointing 12th place finish.

Juan Carlos Osorio began to spend considerable time back in Colombia, and a few months ago ESPN quoted the football coach as looking to coach his own national team. Following the announcement of his leaving the club, Ricardo Ferretti has since been placed as the Mexican coach interim.

“It is no secret that my coaching the national team was a dream,’’ Osorio had previously said. “But just like any other Colombian coach, the possibility that I may be able to coach such a great [national] team as our own is inevitable.’’

News of Maradona’s move to Mexico has actually been met with a number of jokes, as news stories point out the connection between the coach’s past and Mexico’s booming narcotics trade. It remains to be seen whether the famous footballer will turn the team around, and his somewhat tarnished image, and prove himself in the football sphere once again.

Campaign for Zero Hunger seeks empowerment of indigenous women

By
Sophie Foggin
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0
Indigenous Women Zero Hunger
Image courtesy of @FAOIndigenous - Twitter.

According to the United Nations, indigenous women have higher malnutrition rates than any other social group and typically earn a lot less than men, putting them at a serious disadvantage. Statistics published by Reuters also show that indigenous peoples, of which there are around 5000 different communities across the world, constitute 15% of those reportedly in a position of extreme hunger and poverty.

Speaking to the Mexico City Forum on Indigenous Women, FAO director-general Jose Graziano da Silva commented, “indigenous women face a triple discrimination – poverty, gender and ethnicity, both within and outside their communities – making them highly vulnerable.”

It is no surprise, therefore, that the UN Food and Agriculture organisation (FAO) argue that tackling malnutrition among female indigenous communities is a critically important aspect of solving the issue of world hunger.

For this reason, the UN is working with the International Forum of Indigenous Women and the News Agency for Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women in a global campaign entitled #IndigenousWomen Visible Women to highlight the discrimination they face around the world.

Yesterday, September 5, marked the celebration of Indigenous Women Day, which saw the FAO make another special call for 30 South American leaders to join the campaign for the empowerment of indigenous women.

This year’s celebration also marked the introduction of an initiative labelled ‘violet chair,’ an urgent call to encourage the participation of indigenous women in Zero Hunger policy discussions, behind the metaphor of a seat at the table.

“We cannot be short of food…corn… plantain… these are the foods that characterise our countries,” said Indira Vargas, a member of the Ecuadorian Quechua indigenous people, in a Visible Women campaign video.

“It is important to make indigenous women visible because it is a debt that states still owe indigenous towns and particularly indigenous women,” Salvadorian Betty Elisa Perez Valiente of the Nahuat Pipil community stated in an FAO campaign video.

In Mexico, advances in this area have already been made as July’s presidential election saw the first indigenous woman, traditional healer and Nahua speaker Maria de Jesus Patricio Martinez, run as a presidential candidate.

 

Ecuadorian authorities to investigate kidnapping in Mexico

By
Tamara Davison
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0

Ecuadorian authorities have reportedly been working with Mexican counterparts following the rescue of an Ecuadorian citizen who had been kidnapped after trying to cross into the United States. The Ecuadorian ambassador has requested that Mexican authorities look after the security of the rescued migrant whilst the investigation between the countries, as well as Central American authorities conduct a thorough investigation into the case.

The story is, in fact, related to the recent news of twenty-two Central American migrants, who had planned to cross into the United States. They had instead been detained by Mexican human traffickers and were being kept in squalid conditions in the southern state of Chiapas.

On Sunday, authorities managed to rescue the migrants and arrest three people who were believed to have orchestrated the kidnapping, as well as confiscating over 400 kilos of cocaine during the raid.

The detained group were believed to have come from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and as far south as Ecuador, and were on route when the kidnapping occurred. Consisting of seven men, six women, two teenagers and seven children, according to statements, the perpetrators had demanded information and a ransom of $15,000 from the migrant’s families on top of the 160 thousand Mexican pesos that they agreed to pay for the safe passage into the United States.

According to authorities, the alarm was sounded when one of the captive migrants managed to escape and reach out to locals who were willing to help. A collective of Mexican authorities including the Attorney General of Chiapas, the General Prosecutor, Federal Police, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen  Protection joined forces to orchestrate the rescue and catch the traffickers.

Since the 36-hour-long rescue mission, the migrants have received health care and are being treated for injuries and the investigation continues into the background behind the criminal ring. According to local police, they will then be referred to the National Migration Institute in order to see if there is a possibility of humanitarian residency approval.

The migrant trafficking route continues to be a lucrative and incredibly dangerous process, however, a number of Central Americans feel there is little choice than to undergo the trip. Amidst rising crime rates and plummeting economies that force people from their homes, further violence awaits migrants who jump onto moving trains, and risk being captured by cartels such as the Zetas or even organ trade traffickers. Last year, ten migrants were reported to have suffocated in the back of a truck when there was no air to breathe, however, many more incidents go unreported. Jumping on trains has been considered very dangerous, and also prone to attacks whilst on board, that most women and children steer away from it. This, however, does not prevent it from happening.

The common denominator is cartel control. Failures in the migrants’ own countries continue to push people to use these perilous routes and, as a result, risk falling into the hands of organised crime leaders.

Latin American countries meet to discuss the Venezuelan crisis

By
Tamara Davison
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Following a meeting in Lima, Peru on Wednesday, authorities from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia came together to address the humanitarian crisis taking place in Venezuela.

The emergency meeting which took place at the General Secretariat of the Andean Community headquarters aimed to reaffirm collaboration between the countries in order to support the flow of migrants, as well as enhance mechanisms of border control and assistance across the continent.

Taking part in the meeting were leaders of the Andean Committee of Migration Authorities (CAAM) as well as Bolivian representatives, who are not officially part of the organisation. On the same day, Peru declared a state of emergency regarding the influx of migrants, hot off the heels of Ecuador who too are facing a state of emergency and have recently closed their borders to Venezuelans without a passport.

The strain of Venezuela’s mass exodus continues to come to light, as leaders from around Latin America become more vocal about their concerns for facilitating migrants. Venezuela is currently ridden by an 85% poverty rate, a currency that dropped in value by 99.9%, political turmoil, food and medical shortages which have led to a historic amount of people choosing to leave in fear of their lives. Although Peru and Ecuador have recently imposed restrictions it seems unlikely that this will deter a number of Venezuelans.

In countries such as Colombia, 47,094 Venezuelan migrants entered the country in January 2018 alone and further reports from the United Nations suggest two million people have recently left the struggling nation. The scope of the crisis has been accentuated by experts who have also suggested Latin America’s migration crisis could surpass the number of people who have left Syria in the face of their civil war.

Following the gathering, Director General of the Andean Community (CAN) José Arróspide presented the consolidated agreements that the countries have come to. It involved calling on the ‘‘Republic of Venezuela to facilitate the granting of identity, filiation and travel documents for its migrant nationals,’’ as well as working with other countries outside of South America to finance the resettlement of migrants across the globe. Combined with soaring black market fees of up to $2,000 for a passport and refusal from the government to provide passports, many Venezuelans who have left since the economic crisis hit five years ago have no other option but to leave with just their ID cards. As recently as last week, this allowed free movement across South America, however security fears have since seen this revoked in Ecuador and Peru.

Furthermore, the statement stressed the importance of safe movement across borders as well as working with organisations such as the Red Cross to share information and support the humanitarian crisis. Although El Peruano pointed out that Bolivia did not sign the agreement, this is due to the country not officially being recognised as a CAAM member. Nonetheless, it has been reported that the country actively participated in the meeting and aims to supports its neighbouring countries to the fullest extent.

In regards to international support, it was also recently revealed that the issue of Venezuelan migration was discussed between Peru and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

What all the countries agree on is that Venezuelan migration doesn’t appear to be stopping and more needs to be done to facilitate this movement. Although the meeting demonstrates an activeness by the Latino governments, this solidarity still means that Venezuelans are flooding across borders and sometimes enduring thousands of miles on foot in order to find a better life. Calls for multilateral support is one thing, putting this into practice and actively making a positive change is another. The further pressing issue of finding a way to stop the migration and solve Venezuela’s crisis, still has no solution.

Bolivia’s undiscovered tech potential is no longer a secret

By
Sophie Foggin
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0

Founded in 2014, Bolivia Tech Hub is an early stage incubator that serves as one of La Paz’s only support systems for the city’s tech community, helping entrepreneurs to learn, develop and collaborate on new projects.

From her temporary base at this year’s LatAm Internet Governance Forum in Argentina, Pamela Gonzales, co-founder of the Tech Hub spoke to Latam.tech about the initiative, its place in La Paz’s tech startup scene and the changes she would like to see on a national level to make Bolivia a better place to be an entrepreneur.

“We found a gap in Bolivia’s tech ecosystem,” Gonzales pointed out, recalling the Tech Hub founding process a few years ago. “It was starting very slowly and there were lots of students studying systems science who wanted to learn new skills in order to be more competitive,” she continued, explaining how the idea was to set up a space to help them.

Initially, the space resembled more of a co-working environment, Gonzales recalled, explaining how the team started from scratch, “when we started, there weren’t even any seats. All we had in the place was internet.”

Thanks to early funding from Dutch NGO Hivos, who helped with the initial growth of the Tech Hub within its first year, the team were then able to raise funding to see the business through into its second.

In its third year, finding a niche was what eventually secured the extra funding the team needed in order to launch their new venture: educational programmes for children between the ages of eight and fifteen.

Bolivia Tech Startup Scene

Photo by The Way of MandO

Nowadays, whilst part of the Tech Hub works with clients making software and taking part in global hackathons, another sector is dedicated entirely to providing internet access and education for young people to be able to develop innovative and creative entrepreneurial ideas.

From courses about artificial intelligence which run in collaboration with US NGO Iridescent, to empowering young girls through education about entrepreneurship, the Tech Hub strives to teach youngsters that “intelligence is not a bad thing” and hopes to provide them with the tools to excel in their future professional lives.

Bolivia Tech Start Up Scene

Photo by Pamela Gonzales

In a country like Bolivia which, as Gonzales pointed out, has a significantly larger young population than the rest of Latin America, it is particularly important to make the most of their creativity right from the beginning, she emphasised.

This is all part of an effort to formalise the country’s entrepreneurial scene, which still remains very informal, Gonzales explained. “Bolivia is a very entrepreneurial country, in fact the majority of people always have a business on the side as well as their normal job due to economic necessities.”

However, “with regards to tech entrepreneurship in Bolivia, I think we are the country that is most behind in the region. This is something I have noticed from visiting other Latin American countries,” she stated.

Although there are a lot of startups, Gonzales pointed out, the concept of startup culture is sometimes misunderstood, “in Bolivia, for example we call some cafes co-working spaces, but in reality they’re not.”

This issue could be attributed to a general lack of startup support from the Bolivian government, she suggested, as they do not offer much support for creativity, nor attempt to encourage banks to understand tech startups. In comparison to neighbouring Latin American countries where government-financed accelerators are not uncommon, such as Chile and Argentina, for example, Bolivia stands at an automatic disadvantage.

“The government gives credits to entrepreneurs but when there is someone from a tech startup who wants to take out a loan, often they do not give it to them,” Gonzales pointed out. Alternative forms of investment such as funding from abroad is possible, but difficult to come by, she said.

On top of a general reluctance to make the payment transition from cash to card, other e-commerce problems that Bolivian startups are currently experiencing include the fact that Paypal doesn’t exist in Bolivia, explained Gonzales, as well as the fact that “taking out a license from the bank in order to be able to sell online is not that easy.”

In order for changes to begin to take place on a national level, Gonzales suggests that the government should start by helping traditional businesses, “incorporating them into the tech ecosystem and empowering them using technological tools so that they can at least have an online presence.”

Bolivia Tech Startup Scene

Photo by Pamela Gonzales

This way, once traditional businesses become more tech-savvy, the government can begin to consider financing more startups, who currently are only able to finance themselves privately.

Meanwhile, the team at Bolivia Tech Hub plan to continue developing at their own pace, so that they are eventually able to offer support to a wider range of organisations and entrepreneurs. At the moment, they have three projects that are almost ready to be launched, which will involve working with startups in the three areas of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and video games.

To many, Bolivia is a country deeply entrenched in tradition. Despite this, its major cities are not short of potential and, what this offers, is a blank canvas for a technology to develop. Though some startups might believe the country’s official capital Sucre would be the best place to launch a company, Gonzales and the Bolivia Tech Hub continue to empower prospective entrepreneurs with the necessary building blocks to do this in La Paz.

Crisis worsens as countries begin to close borders to Venezuelan migrants

By
Tamara Davison
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0

The turbulence surrounding Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis has begun to veer towards breaking point as neighbouring countries place limitations on Venezuelan entry requirements.

Until last week, Venezuelan citizens were able to travel through the majority of South America with just a possession of an ID card. Ecuador, however, closed its border to Venezuelans not in possession of a passport last weekend and Peru is set to follow suit by next Saturday.

Citing a state of emergency in a number of Ecuador’s northern states and the need for a contingency plan to stem the flow of some 4,200 migrants entering Ecuador every day, by Sunday the new decision has left over 1,000 people stranded in Colombia just metres away from the Ecuadorian border. Some have walked over 900 kilometres in search of work in countries further south and the sense of desperation is merely accentuated amidst growing hostility and violence towards migrants across the continent.

Driven by hunger and insecurity, it is unlikely that Ecuador’s new regulations will stop migrants leaving a country dogged by hyperinflation that has seen the currency value drop by 99.9%. On top of this, over half of Venezuelans travelling through Colombia do not own a passport because the country is refusing to issue them, reported Al Jazeera. Combined with soaring black market fees of up to $2,000 for a passport, many of the estimated 2.3 million Venezuelans who have left since the economic crisis hit five years ago have no other option but to leave with just their ID cards.

The current reality for Venezuela, ridden by an 85% poverty rate, political turmoil, food and medical shortages is that the historic amount of people choosing to leave in fear of their lives is merely set to balloon despite the new hurdles that have been put in front of Venezuelans.

Ecuador’s partial border closure is set to send ripples across the rest of South America as governments rally to support the humanitarian crisis. Bearing the brunt of Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno’s decision will be Colombia, in which 47,094 Venezuelans enteredin the space of January 2018 alone. Yesterday the Colombian government relayed support for an urgent meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS (Organisation of American States) proposed by OAS Secretary General,  Luis Almagro.  Expressing concern at the decisions by Ecuador and Peru to stem the flow of migrants, Colombia pointed out that the meeting stands to represent a multilateral effort across the continent in order to support the humanitarian crisis. In the meantime, Colombia remains the largest receiver of Venezuelan migrants who either look for work or continue the epic journey across the continent.

Over the weekend, headlines recently surfaced that revealed Brazilian citizens had attacked Venezuelan migrants in the bordering town of Pacaraima.  Following reports that four Venezuelans had attacked a shopkeeper, the backlash saw Brazilian locals use a bulldozer to destroy a migrant camp as well as setting fire to migrant’s belongings. Despite the growing violence, Brazilian legal authorities have announced, however, that Roraima’s call to close the border would be illegal and wouldn’t improve the situation.

Peru has become the latest country to impose the requirements of a passport on Venezuelan migrants following rising tensions within the country. The country has experienced some of the largest influx of Venezuelans after authorities gave migrants the permission to work and study in the country.  According to Bloomberg, the decision is linked to a case earlier this month in which a group of Venezuelan gang members had been caught after planning to rob a bank in Lima. Before the border closes, it is expected that there will be an increased influx of Venezuelans attempting to access the country.

After travelling nearly 2,500km past restrictive borders, when looking further south to Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, so far humanitarian laws allow for the freedom of movement within the countries. The introduction of Chile’s ‘Visa of Democratic Responsibility,’ channels a direct attack against Maduro’s government in name and in motive. In May of this year it was recorded that over 31, 167 Venezuelans currently resided in Argentina, a phenomenal growth from the 1,510 recorded in 2011. Similar to Chile, the Argentine government has slammed the Venezuelan government for the treatment of its people to the extent that President Macri wanted to take Maduro’s government to International court for human rights violations.

In the face of ever-growing migration rates, the question remains: where to next for the many helpless migrants? Although so far a number of countries both in South America and overseas have endeavoured to help Venezuelans, experts have suggested Latin America’s migration crisis could surpass the number of people who have left Syria in the face of their civil war. The reality is that the majority of migrants are young workers who hope to find employment and funds that they can send back to their families, though increasing hostilities have begun to mount against their plight.

Looking past the treacherous Darien Gap which cuts off Colombia from Central America, northern countries might also be potentially facing another brewing crisis, following an estimated 350 people that  have been killed in Nicaragua by pro-government forces. Despite nationwide protests against the Nicaraguan government, protestors have been met with significant violence in recent months and reports have surfaced of refugees travelling for 13 days to reach safety in Costa Rica.

The South American continent is facing a humanitarian crisis in which no country can be devoid of participation. Before Venezuela’s population can even reach a neighbouring border, little has been spoken of the phenomenal overland journeys which many migrants have undertaken across mountain ranges and testing climates with little belongings. What hunger and socioeconomic struggle could lead to, however, is an increased, more desperate irrationality which, in the face of growing hostility from locals, could exacerbate this crisis even further.

Climbing in Colombia’s Los Nevados National Park

By
Tamara Davison
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I was nearing 4,000m on the ascent to Colombia’s Cerros Los Nevados when the situation became serious. My trekking partner, delirious from the cold, thinning air had begun to struggle with his balance as we slowly pushed up the volcanic mountainside and I was close to follow. Both seasoned trekkers, it came as a surprise when the hangover of altitude sickness slowly took its grasp leaving me with an overpowering headache and cross vision. To make matters a little more serious we had been trekking for the past 20km on an unused, cliffside trail and I hadn’t seen a car in nearly two days.

It is in the heart of the Caldas region of Colombia, overlooking the city of Manizales that you can find Los Nevados National Park. Nestled high in the Andes, the park is home to a complex of the country’s most active volcanoes as well as a plethora of unusual flora and fauna, steaming hot springs and otherworldly landscapes among the fertile volcanic ground. The vast expansive area is high, incredibly cold and eerily beautiful.

Though some locals had mentioned that the park was accessible alone, Nevado Del Ruiz volcano currently has a Yellow Alert (Level III) is notoriously dangerous and unpredictable due to the glacier at its peak that could result in deadly lahars. With an elevation of over 5,311m, Nevado Del Ruiz towers above the parklands yet remains off-limits to visitors. Its last eruption was in 2016, but many remember the tragedy of 1985 when a volcanic eruption killed 22,000 inhabitants and the neighbouring town of Armero was buried and completely wiped out by mudslides. Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the volcano continues to remain a threat to nearby villages and, as a result, you can only enter the park for two hours after paying for a  guide at the park entrance.

Our journey had begun by making our way to Manizales in the Colombian-coffee region. The minibus had weaved in and out of towering hills which, covered in coffee-plants gave for an unusual, futuristic texture to the country image. Out of the rolling valleys suddenly emerged Manizales, home to just over half a million people and a thriving student city widely spread across steep mountainous tops.

It was at dawn the next morning that the adventure truly began with a local bus to the small town of Gallinazo. The single strip through the village is dotted with routes to popular hot springs (termales) throughout the area from vast family-friendly, brightly-lit and out of place commercial resorts to high-end luxury hotel complexes, all warmed by the geothermal activity happening above. Originally starting at 59 degrees, after a journey of 12km down the mountain through pipes the hot water still reaches 42 degrees, the owner of Tierra Viva Hot Springs told me.

It was from the edge of the village, however, at a fork in the road that a single track leads you away from the bright lights, past a sign marking ‘50km until the national park’ and up to the realm of volcanos, waterfalls and ancient cliff formations.

Though relatively well-used, the path laid with volcanic rock, was empty yet the air was warm and the wilderness hummed around us. Steadily creeping upwards, the landscape began to shift from rural farmland to a completely unexplored jungle and the sheer cliff-edges continued to grow around us. Occasionally we’d pass a steaming pipe or bubbling grid which served to remind us of the volcanic activity rushing not too far beneath our feet.

Four hours into the trek the air suddenly shifted from humid to a brisk chill as we neared 3,000m, by which point we had passed countless waterfalls cascading down the cliffs and the clouds began to finally consume us.

By midday, our spirits were high but cold. We had reached Termales Del Gruta and embarked at a turning which, locals claim, lead to beautiful hot springs. The path briefly takes you past a torrential river and you are left to grip onto a few loose nails riveted into the cliffside as you carefully tread an ever-thinning muddy ledge. It is here, however, next to a powerful river and unbelievable two-tier waterfall rushing down the mountain that welcomes you to a large, natural hot spring where thermal water pours out of the cliffs themselves. A cool mist surrounds the area, yet as cold droplets fall from the overhanging wilderness above, the green mossy cliff steams with heat and the sulphuric water beckons the weary hiker.

As the expected torrential evening rain rolled across the mountain, we found a camping place a further ten minutes climb that even boasted its own thermal pool. As the poncho-clad Colombian walked the hill above, we relaxed in the steaming water as the downpour continued around us.

After a staggeringly cold night, another hot spring leap was our encouragement for the next early climb. The road, now increasingly rugged, weaved up steep corners and through landscapes that were a cross between Jurassic Park and Jumanji: past steaming hot water grids, archaic wildlife and high Andean foresty.

It was at this point that disaster struck.  My trekking partner instantly fell as he struggled to maintain balance and a spinning head. Violent and sporadic sickness followed as we battled to stay calm and control our breathing. After a sleepless night, the reality hit that a hangover-like feeling had been consuming me.

Acute Mountain Sickness is caused by a diminished amount of air pressure that can be found at Colombia’s higher altitudes yet the country’s visitors occasionally talk about headaches in cities such as Bogota with an elevation of over 2,500m. It doesn’t matter if you are male, female, healthy, young or a good climber, altitude sickness can strike at any time and when you least expect it.

The symptoms of altitude sickness can also be hard to detect, especially as a number of medicines advertised to help such as Diamox only mask symptoms rather than prevent them. Alongside the natural Andean remedy of Coca leaves, the only proven method of preventing altitude sickness is to ascend slowly and never more than 500m a day, at which each period it is advised to spend a night to then further acclimatise.

For me, the sickness was not going away. My muscles, deficient in oxygen, ached as they struggled to hold my body weight. By this point, neither hiker could think or respond effectively. The delirium of altitude sickness was beginning to consume us. It was at this point, instead of aiming for the road kilometres ahead and a popular track for milk trucks that could give us a ride, a frustrated yet mutual decision was met that might have just saved our lives. The overbearing weight of our situation had pushed us to turn around and rapidly descend.

As we quickly pushed downwards, my sickness and headaches still continued to plague me and even back in Manizales it took a few hours before it had all felt like a bad dream. In the meantime, however, the best views of Manizales can be appreciated from Mirador Finca Morrogacho.

Altitude sickness is positively no joke. Yet the mysteries and beauty of Caldas’ volcanos await for another day.

This article originally appeared on travel website Hibiscus and Nomada.

Peru’s colonial town, Arequipa, is world’s third most vulnerable to volcanic activity

By
Michael Krumholtz
-
0
Arequipa, Peru, South America

Being surrounded by three volcanoes gives Arequipa a stunning backdrop that could rival any city in the world in terms of beauty. But it also makes it one of the world’s most vulnerable cities, according to a new study.

Findings from Peru’s Institute of Geology, Mining and Extraction (Ingemmet) show that Arequipa ranks third in the world in measurements of vulnerability to volcanic activity. For example, a potential eruption from Misti Volcano could see high levels of ash, rock fall and molten lava quickly reach the city centre. The report further attempts to explain how the small city could prepare for and prevent devastating damage if a nearby volcano does erupt.

The study included a 3D map given to authorities in the region that shows the most dangerous areas in case of an eruption at Misti. This was meant to not only plan for evacuation scenarios but also for future urban planning, as areas shown in red below should be avoided for any further development projects.

The project was shared with local municipalities, health agencies, and educational institutions like private and public universities.

Unfortunately, existing infrastructure in the colonial-style capital of Arequipa already sits in at-risk zones. These include hospitals, schools, a bus terminal and centres of commerce. The Chili River and some five hydroelectric posts could also be affected in a potential eruption from Misti or the other surrounding volcanoes.

The map study was based off how quickly the city would be affected by volcanic activity.

Misti, which stands at an enormous 5,822 above sea level, last erupted between 1984 and 1985. Currently considered dormant, Misti is just 17 kilometres (about 10 miles) away from the city of Arequipa, which houses over a million people.

Those interested can download the 3D map study at the following link: https://goo.gl/6ahgXE.

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