This is an abbreviated summary of early 2003 events in South America. Since then, much continues the same: kidnappings, explosions and assassinations in Colombia; political unrest in Venezuela; Bolivia's natural gas crisis forcing government changes; economic woes; political instability in various countries.
Check News and Current Events and your usual news sources for complete and/or ongoing reports. Does the situation worldwide or more particularly in South America change your travel plans?
Bolivia
Following a police strike, protests, looting, ransacking of government buildings and thirty dead, President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada terminated a number of government ministries and re-organized his Cabinet. This latest unrest followed an income tax increase to reduce the budget deficit. Bolivians, of all economic levels,already upset with the 12% unemployment rate, protested.
Colombia
The FARC, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, have kidnapped thee Americans who they call CIA agents, and US officials call civilian contractors after their plane crashed in the jungle. Another American and a Colombian citizen were killed as the FARC added the three Americans to the hundreds of Colombia citizens already held hostage.
This event followed an incident in which the FARC is believed to have set off a house-ful of mortars, intended to bring down President Alvaro Uribe's plane, and instead killed 30 and wounded many others in the city of Neiva.
Paraguay
Senators chose not to impeach and depose President Luis Gonzalez Macchi, on trial for misappropriation of funds, fraud, the torture of leftist militants and illegally buying a stolen BMW car, on grounds that it would require changing the government during an already unstable political and economic crisis. In a severe recession, Paraguay has been unable to maintain a stable government since dictator Alfredo Stroessner's 35-year rule ended with a coup in 1989. Presidential elections are scheduled for April 27. Macchi is not on the ballot.
Venezuela
President Hugo Chávez chided other nations and diplomatic organizations following the arrest of Carlos Fernández, a strike co-organizer Venezuelan Workers Confederation, on charges of treason, rebellion and instigating violence the nation's oil industry. Carlos Ortega, president of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation, is also wanted on the same charges.
Venezuela is the world's fifth leading oil-exporting nation, and the internal strikes and economic loss add fuel to an already explosive political situation.
Of course, there is much more happening in South America than just these few briefly recounted events. Keep up with the news!
Remember, if you're in doubt about your travel plans, check these sources:
