In a speech marking the one month anniversary of the parliamentary coup that overthrow left-leaning Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, the ousted leader said on July 22 that a motivating interest for the coup-plotters was a sought-after deal between Paraguay and Montreal-based mining company, Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA).
“Those who pushed for the coup are those who want to solidify the negotiations with the multinational Rio Tinto Alcan, betraying the energetic sovereignty and interests of our country,” Lugo told supporters.
Benjamin Dangl
For two weeks in January, Belgian brewery workers blocked roads, set fire to beer crates, kidnapped managers and handed out free beer in protest against job cuts proposed by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer.
Workers and activists gathered in the central plaza of Asuncion, Paraguay on May 1 to commemorate International Workers Day. Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, a former priest elected in April last year on a pro-poor platform, marked the day by raising the minimum wage by 5%, half of what many of the unions present were demanding.
On April 1, Bolivia beat the Argentine soccer team, coached by legendary Diego Maradona, by 6-1.
After Bolivias new constitution that greatly expands rights for the indigenous majority was passed in a national referendum on January 25, thousands gathered in La Paz to celebrate.