Hemisphere Highlights, Volume IX Issue 6 - June 2010

July 12, 2010

A new bill could change enrollment requirements for English language public schools in the Canadian province of Quebec, further recognizing French as the primary language of the region. Mexican electrical workers continue to protest the liquidation of state-owned power company Luz y Fuerza del Centro. In Haiti, the full Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC) had its first meeting. Increased cooperation efforts between the United States and Cuba on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are a precursor to further oil activity by both countries in shared waters. Guatemala confronts corruption allegations against attorney general of the Constitutional Court. Secretary Clinton’s speech at the 40th conference of the Organization of American States (OAS), bringing forth the question of whether to readmit Honduras into the OAS, produced strong disapproval from many Latin American countries. In Colombia, President-elect Santos seeks a unified government and looks to continue his predecessor’s security strategies. In Bolivia, a recent incident involving implementation of indigenous justice raises concerns regarding human rights and a new law proposed by Evo Morales that grants greater judicial autonomy to indigenous groups. Though improved relations between United States and Bolivia looked promising in early June, disputes over the presence of USAID in the Chapare region underscore the lack of unified policy in the Morales administration. Venezuela opens a highly regulated foreign exchange market, amid fears of a lack of U.S. dollars in reserves and high inflation of the local currency. Also in Venezuela, the end of a lengthy drought has temporarily relieved a serious electricity crisis. LGBT advocate group in Chile launches public awareness campaign in Santiago to promote rights for sexual minorities.