US Action News

Sunday’s vote takes place six days after a candidate for governor from the northern state of Tamaulipas, Rodolfo Torre, was shot dead while campaigning in the state. Torre represented the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which is expected to sweep the elections.

At least 21 people have been killed in a gunfight between two of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels near the border with the US, officials have said.

In areas of the country worst-hit by the drugs conflict, which has left some 23,000 people dead since late 2006, political parties admit they have found it hard to find citizens willing to run for office.

In recent months there has been a growing interest in the deepening relationship between Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva and Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Brazil has long been an American ally and analysts are questioning the motives behind Lula’s eagerness in furthering ties with Iran; a long-time US enemy.

Juan Manuel Santos has won an overwhelming victory in Colombia’s runoff presidential election, making him the successor to two-term President Alvaro Uribe. Santos wins an overwhelming 69 percent of the vote.

First it was power outages now Chavez’s revolutionary miracle so adored by Oliver Stone, Mark Lloyd at the FCC, and Sean Penn is having problems just getting enough to eat. Yes, we know, its all Bush’s fault.

Four Colombian men held captive by rebels for nearly 12 years have returned to Bogota. The former police and military hostages got a hero’s welcome on their return.

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez intends to inject new urgency into his socialist and anti-imperialist revolution, claiming “capitalism is destroying the world”. Sounds like Obama White house top visitor Andy, ‘workers of the world unite’, Stern. Privately owned enterprises are now being expropriated with increasing frequency – sounds just like the US.

Colombian security forces have rescued two senior police officers and a soldier who had been held hostage by Marxist rebels for almost 12 years.

During the past two years there have been increasing signs that drug-trafficking gangs from Mexico have infiltrated Guatemala, as well as Honduras and El Salvador, recruiting operatives and establishing smuggling routes.