Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri yesterday vetoed the ‘non-punishable’ abortion law passed on the 28th September which would have served to legalise abortion in cases of rape or life endangerment of the mother. This news comes just days after the announcement that the first legalised abortion would take place next Tuesday for a woman who had been involved with human trafficking.

The law would have allowed women who were raped to obtain an abortion at any time throughout the pregnancy, and without parental consent for minors from the age of 14.

According to the city government, the new legislation “exceeds” what was established by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation on the 13th March and that its vetoing will ensure that the resolution of the City’s Ministry of Health remains in force. The law was passed with a small majority of 30 votes to 29, and faced controversy from the outset from pro-life groups and the city government.

The decision to veto the law, however, has met opposition from the city, especially in light of the lack of explanation for it. “Macri does not explain why the law exceeds what was established by the Supreme Court… Because it clearly does not,” states Kirchnerist deputy María Rachid.

The latest veto comes as the 107th since the beginning of Macri’s term in office, marking a new record in the history of the city

It’s Friday again!

And I’m away for the weekend but as rumors of a possible coup continue to spread like gasoline, here I am writing this for you in order to bring you peace of mind.

God, I hate you.

Like us on Facebook and forgive any possible typos. I wrote this while riding a tour bus.

This is what you need to know:

• 

  This frigate, ironically named "Libertad," has been impounded by the Ghanaian government. I know, right? I honestly thought it was "Ghanan," but no, it's totally "Ghanaian." (Photo/Wikipedia)

  It’s a coup! It’s not a coup! It’s a coup, maybe! In case you haven’t been paying attention to the most important news of the week (shame on you), two branches of the armed forces are up in arms against the National Government and trust me, it ain’t pretty. The whole thing started on Tuesday when members of the Coast Guard (in Spanish, Prefectura Naval) decided to start protesting against the recent signing of a presidential decree that pretty much cut their salaries in half. The sight of men in military uniform standing up against the President is obviously not a pretty one, specially since it brings back memories from a past no one here wants to revisit (for all you low-information readers, I’m talking about this), but as usual, both sides of the political spectrum have been using the conflict to try and score a few political points:

• Pro-Government factions: “It’s a coup! Oh, my God, the armed forces are rising against our hard-earned democracy and are trying to topple our dear leaders!”

• Anti-Government factions: “It’s a legitimate protest by hard workers who are being exploited by the National Government.”

• The truth? Their protest is legitimate, their methodology is not. The leader of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo organization, known for her brave work during and after the last military dictatorship, offered a press conference to “bring peace of mind” to the population. Mayor Mauricio Macri did the same and urged the protesters to go home to their families, although he said “he understood their reasons to be angry since they have been mistreated by the National Government for the last ten years” (or “vote for me next time,” wink wink). The uniformed protesters have stated repeatedly that they are 100% behind democracy and that this is not a coup, they just want to be paid accordingly. But considering that several recent pseudo-coups in Latin America (this and this) began in a similar way it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. As of today, and even though the Government has offered a solution to their demands, the protesters have said their fight would continue during the weekend until they get what they want in writing and signed.

• Sorry for the depressing, unfunny, reductionist viewpoint I just offered. I wanted you to understand. I promise the next bullet points are as stupid as usual.

• In the meantime, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was in Lima, Perú, attending the South American - Arab summit, expressing her support for the recognition of a Palestinian state and addressing the Malvinas/Falklands issue. However, the most relevant piece of information to come out of that summit was that Cristina didn’t know that alfajores were in fact an Arabic delicacy. No, I’m serious. You think I cover shitty news? Think again, the mainstream media does the same: check it here, here, here, here and here.

• Also, the president of Lebanon visited Argentina this week but no one cared.

• Youth in revolt! High-school students continue their crusade against the City Government and its plans for a syllabus reform that would reduce hours of art and lab classes in order to focus on more core subjects such as math and Spanish language. In the last three weeks, students have taken over more than 40 schools and marched to the City Education ministry in protest and now a judge has ordered Education Minister Esteban Bullrich to meet with them so they can solve the conflict. In the meantime, it’s like spring break out there. If you walk by a school that’s been taken over, join them for a mate and stay for the protests. It could get fun.

• [UPDATE] Bullrich has said he will suspend the syllabus reform if students agree to end the takeovers. Which is a bummer because you could have had fun with them.

In the midst of their fourth day of protest, the National Gendarmerie was called to the Autopista Riccheri to prevent activists from the State Worker’s Association (ATE) from completely blocking traffic headed to Ezeiza International Airport.

Gendarmes ensured that protesters from the Ezeiza-Esteban Echeverría-San Vicente branch of the ATE left at least one lane open for traffic. The demonstrators are voicing their opposition to proposed “adjustments” by the provincial government to state jobs. Authorities recommend that anyone heading to the airport anticipate possible delays.

The Gendarmes themselves have been locked in protest since Tuesday, 2nd October, along with members of the Coastguard, against drastic cuts to their salaries. They have vowed that the demonstrations, which are currently taking place in front of the Coastguard and Sentinel buildings, will continue until their demands are met.

Raúl Maza, one of the Gendarme’s spokesmen, told Radio Mitre “as long as there is no signed resolution from the Ministry of Security, we are not going to leave. We are accustomed to sleeping in shifts and in crowded places”. He assured the press that protestors were only demonstrating during their time off, and that all shifts were covered.

Maza dismissed accusations from critics that the security forces were “jeopardizing democracy” by stating “we are not coup leaders, we defend democracy and it is because of that that we can demonstrate in this manner […] We are not here for any other reason than to ask for a dignified salary, that is the only thing we ask for”.

An independent Truth Commission has found that the current Honduran government is violating human rights.

The Truth Commission, an organisation approved and supported by 22 national and international NGOs, released a 306-page document entitled “The Most Relevant Voices Are Those of the Victims”.

The report counts 5,418 human rights violations between the military coup in June 2009 and August 2011. The report states that police, armed forces or government officials carried out 84% of these violations of which 60% occurred in the six first months after the coup.

The report also says “the effects of the coup continue, and before and after the elections carried out in October 2009 the governments have used and continue to use terror as tool for social control”. It also lays responsibility on big private companies and various actors of the financial industry that supported and facilitated the coup.

Elsie Monge, a member of the Truth Commission, said “it is unacceptable, that those responsible of these violations don’t receive any punishment while the victims, who are only fighting for their rights, are massacred, taken to court and sentenced without any evidence”.

The military overthrew democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya from the centre-left Liberal Party on 28^th June 2009 and replaced him with Roberto Michelletti. Michelletti remained in power until December 2009, the period in which the report dates the majority of human rights violations.

He was then succeeded by the current president Porfirio Lobo Sosa from the right-wing conservative National Party under which human rights violations have continued according to the report released this week.

At a dinner given for the Consenso Republicano, Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri announced that the city’s first legal abortion will take place this coming Tuesday, 9th October.

The law, which was passed on 28th September with 30 votes in favour and 29 against, allows women over the age of 14 to have an abortion in cases of rape or life endangerment without seeking court or parental approval. Many in favour of the legislation feared that Macri, whose colleagues in the Propuesta Republicana (PRO) cast many of the negative votes, would use his veto to null the bill.

When asked at the dinner if he would do so, Macri responded “I’m the veto boss,” seeming to imply a positive response. He then surprised attendees by stating “I want to let you know that next Tuesday the first legal abortion will be performed in the city of Buenos Aires. She is a 32 year old woman in a case that passed through all legal processes.”

The woman is a victim of human trafficking.

This news was not met with approval by everyone in attendance. PRO legislator Laura Alonso spoke in defence of the bill, however, stating “the large majority of cases at that age are interfamily violations committed by the father or stepfather, and many times the mothers are complicit with the victimiser in these sinister situations”.

Since the law’s passing, Macri has received petitions from all sides of the argument, either imploring him to use his veto or to restrain himself. A petition in favour of the bill, published yesterday in the newspaper Tiempo Argentino, contained over 1,000 signatures of politicians, journalists, celebrities, and academics among others.

On the other hand, religious sectors such as the Catholic Bioethics Centre and Evangelicals for Life called on Macri to exercise “the constitutional prerogative of the veto, this time in defence of the lives of many people”.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos appeared at his hospital window on Thursday announcing to the media that his operation “went very well”.

Santos, 61, underwent an operation on Wednesday after he made public that he was suffering from prostate cancer in a surprise announcement on Monday.

“Luckily I am recovering well” said Santos, who also took time to thank the numerous support messages he has received in the last few days. Among those who have contacted Santos to wish him a full recovery are Spanish Prime-Minister Mariano Rajoy and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

A statement released by the medical team treating Santos read “the patient is active and presents stable vital signals. In accordance with the recovery plan, he will remain in the hospital today”.

It is believed Santos will be discharged from the hospital in the next few days, and will finish his recovery at the presidential palace. He has not delegated his responsibilities to Vice-President Angelino Garzón as he only underwent local anaesthesia.

Garzón went to visit the president before undergoing a medical examination himself as he is recovering from mobility problems caused by a cerebrovascular accident.

Garzón’s examination was demanded by the Colombian Senate to see if he is able to fulfil his obligations as vice-president. His own health issues have taken on an added significance following Santos’ announcement.

Santos, whose mandate runs until 2014, adds to the surprisingly long list of Latin American leaders to be diagnosed with cancer in recent years joining Chávez and former presidents Lugo, from Paraguay, and Lula, from Brazil.

Enrique Alfonso Severo, the ex-railway worker and key witness in the Mariano Ferreyra murder trial who went missing on Wednesday night, was found alive yesterday in Gerli, a neighbourhood of the Avellaneda district. The discovery comes after a nationwide manhunt and dramatic protests in the capital.

Severo, a former manager for the railway company Ferrobaires, was due to testify yesterday at noon in the ongoing trial of José Pedraza, general secretary of the Railway Union (UF) and Juan Carlos Fernández, his assistant, who are accused of organizing the clash on 20th October 2010 that left Partido Obrero (PO) militant Mariano Ferreyra dead. Of the more than 300 witnesses in the trial, Severo is believed to hold the key evidence linking Pedraza and Fernández to those who carried out the murder.

Ferreyra and other PO activists were protesting on 20th October 2010 with outsourced railway workers, known as “tercerizados”, on the Roca line in the south of the city. The protesters, who were demanding equal pay and benefits as fulltime employees, were met by a gang of unionized railway workers, who followed them as the protest moved to Barracas. Violence broke out between the two groups near the Constitución train station, in a clash that left Ferreyra dead and another PO militant, Elsa Rodriguez, seriously injured.

The suspected shooters are Cristian Favale and Gabriel Fernando Sánchez, football hooligans with ties to political and union violence. Several police officers are also on trial for failing to stop the attack.

Severo left his home around 11.30pm on Wednesday night to visit his grandson but never made it to his intended destination. After failing to appear at his testimony on Thursday at noon, Minister of Security Nilda Garré called for a nationwide search. Various left-wing and social organizations, spearheaded by the PO, marched on the Plaza de Mayo last night demanding an end to the kidnapping of witnesses.

The situation echoed the disappearance of Jorge Julio López in 2006, key witness in the trial against ex-director general of police investigations for Buenos Aires province Miguel Etchecolatz. López disappeared before his scheduled appearance in court and remains missing to this day.

After an anonymous call to 911 on Thursday night, Severo was found outside of a taxi station in Gerli, his hands bound with plastic ties and showing signs of physical abuse. Earlier in the day, police had located his car, with the keys placed in a nearby street. Severo was taken to nearby Finochietto de Sarandí hospital and stated that he does not know who is responsible for the kidnapping.

His son, Gastón Severo, told Canal 9 that his father told him he was held captive in a location three blocks from a railway facility used by his former employer, Ferrobaires. He was taken from his car by two armed men on a motorcycle. After a blow to the head, he lost consciousness.

“He’s dehydrated, he’s vomiting and coughing”, Gastón said. “He couldn’t talk much.”

“The message was not for me”, Severo told the press before being taken to the hospital. “It was for the president.”

Severo would not give details of what had occurred during his kidnapping, but vowed that the experience had not deterred him from delivering his testimony. “Whatever happens, I’m going to testify in court”, he affirmed. “Somebody has to do something. I’m going to testify, I’m going to recount everything…I’m not scared.”

His family said they had begun receiving threatening phone calls in the days leading up to the court date. However, since they were never reported, according to the Ministry of Justice, Severo did not qualify for witness protection.

The children of ex Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, currently in prison for human rights violations, have announced that they will formally ask for their father’s pardon on medical grounds.

Prime Minister Juan Jiménez assured that his case will be considered independently of any political inclination as it is “a strictly technical and medical” issue.

Fujimori, 74, has been diagnosed with mouth cancer and there are questions concerning the gravity and stage of his disease but the debate in Peru goes much further than the ex-president’s health and has triggered a polarisation of Peruvian society among old political lines.

Although experts will be called in to analyse the case, the only person able to grant such a pardon is the current president himself, Ollanta Humala who will take the final decision.

The Peruvian branch of Amnesty International released a statement claiming “any possible pardon for Fujimori would perpetuate impunity and injustice with respect to the killing of 25 people in attacks perpetrated by death squads during Fujimori’s regime”.

Fujimori was president from 1990 to 2000 and his authoritarian regime was in conflict with the Shining Path left-wing rebels. During this period it has been proved that Fujimori authorised illegal killings carried out by government agents and mercenaries.

A Peruvian of Japanese descent, Fujimori fled to Japan in 2000 after he was accused of corruption.

In December 2005 he was arrested on an international warrant for human rights abuses and corruption during a visit to Chile. He was the first former head of state to be successfully extradited and charged in his home country.

In 2009 he was found guilty of human rights violation for his involvement with illegal death squads and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

On Tuesday, Bolivian officials broached the possibility of resorting to international arbitration in their dispute with Chile over coastal territory. The comments advance a verbal spar between Chilean president Sebastian Piñera and Bolivian president Evo Morales that has stormed since last week.

“Now that Chile is incapable of sitting down to a dialogue with Bolivia, we will surely have to sit down in front of an international court,” said Bolivian Vice Minister of the Exterior Juan Carlos Alurralde to Bolivian media group Compañera.

The recent quarrel ignited on 26th September, when Morales asserted in front of the United Nations General Assembly, “the intangibility of treaties isn’t dogma” and “like every manmade creation, they can be modified.” The remark alludes to the bilateral Treaty of 1904 that demarcated borders between the two countries after the War of the Pacific, leaving Bolivia landlocked.

Piñera responded the next day, insisting, “Treaties are signed to be followed” and vowed to defend Chile’s land, sea, and air sovereignty “with all the force in the world.”

On Tuesday, Morales revisited the issue, calling Chile a “danger” not only to Bolivia, but also to Perú and the entire region. The same day, Vice Chancellor Alurralde expressed his hope that international courts would offer a forum for favourable resolution.

Today, Piñera responded, “When countries think they can fail to recognize treaties they have signed they are committing a grave error and putting the peace and stability of our continent at risk.”

Aside from a brief period during the 1970s, Chile and Bolivia have not had diplomatic relations since 1962, when negotiations regarding the establishment of sovereign Bolivian coastal territory fell through.

Yesterday Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff signed into law “Caring Brazil”, a programme designed to combat childhood extreme poverty. Since its launch last May, the program has lifted almost three million children out of extreme poverty and anticipates doubling that figure.

The programme distributes R$70 (the equivalent of US$35) monthly to each family of a child under the age of six living in extreme poverty. The amount is exactly that necessary to no longer classify a family as living in extreme poverty.

According to Minister of Social Development Tereza Campello, the programme will benefit almost nine million children and their family members. Children currently make up 40% of Brazilians living in extreme poverty.

“We will improve the situation of the most vulnerable group in Brazilian society: children, who also represent the future of the country,” stated Rousseff.

The programme compliments the “Family Pocket” program created in 2003 by Rousseff’s predecessor Luiz Inacio “Lula” Da Silva, which created a safety net of food, education, and health for Brazil’s poorest families. “Family Pocket” aids 11m families, a quarter of the country’s population, making it the largest social assistance programme in the world.

“Brazil has earned enormous respect throughout the world for its social policies” Rousseff said. And now “it has made another step towards perfecting them.”