Organization of American States

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Onondaga Nation Takes Land Fight to International Panel

Case seeks return of some New York territory sold in 1788, a claim once rejected by President Washington

(Newser) - The Onondaga Nation has protested for centuries that illegal land grabs shrank its territory from what was once thousands of square miles in upstate New York to a relatively paltry patch of land south of Syracuse. It took its case to President George Washington, to Congress and, more recently, to...

Venezuela Threatens to Pull Out of OAS

Organization prepares to hold special meeting

(Newser) - Venezuela is threatening to pull out of the Organization of American States as the government's response to political unrest that has been blamed for 26 deaths in recent weeks draws rebuke from the hemisphere's major powers. Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said late Tuesday that she had been instructed...

More Cancer Treatment for Hugo Chavez

He returns to Cuba for 'home stretch' of therapy

(Newser) - Hugo Chavez made his first televised address in weeks to Venezuelans yesterday as he signed a new labor law—and announced his return to Cuba for another round of cancer treatment. The president, who has spent 50 days this year in Havana being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer,...

Honduras' Ousted Prez Returning to Office

Deal lets Manuel Zelaya serve remaining 3 months

(Newser) - Honduras' 4-month political standoff appears to be over. After intense lobbying from US diplomats, the coup-installed interim president, Roberto Micheletti, has agreed to allow ousted President Manuel Zelaya to return to office to serve his remaining 3 months. Congress, which backed the June coup that sent Zelaya packing, is expected...

OAS Boots Honduras Over Prez's Ouster

New gov't blows off Saturday deadline to reinstate Zelaya

(Newser) - Honduras has been suspended from the Organization of American States for refusing to reinstate its ousted president, CNN reports. The OAS had given the country’s new leaders until yesterday to hand power back to Jose Manuel Zelaya. Meanwhile, thousands held an airport demonstration to support Zelaya, who says he’...

Honduras Quits OAS
 Honduras Quits OAS 
Jul 4, 2009 1:04 PM CDT

Honduras Quits OAS

(Newser) - Honduras beat the Organization of American States to the punch by quitting the organization today before its membership could be suspended, the New York Times reports. The OAS has been critical of what it calls an illegal coup in Honduras and was to meet today to consider expulsion. Honduras’ perhaps-President...

Honduras Refuses OAS Order to Reinstate Prez Zelaya

'Now the OAS has to decide what it will do' says supreme court leader

(Newser) - Honduras' Supreme Court today rejected an ultimatum to restore ousted President Manuel Zelaya to power. Court spokesman Danilo Izaguirre says the head of the Organization of American States asked the president of the court to reinstate Zelaya, but he said no. Izaguirre said today: "Now the OAS has to...

Honduras' Ousted Prez Vows to Return This Weekend

(Newser) - Honduras' dicey political situation could come to a head this weekend. Ousted President Manuel Zelaya tells Bloomberg he will return to the country in the next few days, and he expects US support when he does. “Their words are strong,” he said. “We’re going to see...

Pentagon Cuts Ties With Honduras

Central American nation isolated as OAS sets ultimatum

(Newser) - As thousands of Hondurans protested yesterday in dueling rallies backing both ousted President Manuel Zelaya and the military-backed government that came to power last weekend, the Central American nation grows further isolated, reports the AP. The Pentagon yesterday suspended joint US-Honduran military operations and the World Bank said it was...

OAS Issues Ultimatum to Honduras
OAS Issues Ultimatum
to Honduras
Jul 1, 2009 7:32 AM CDT

OAS Issues Ultimatum to Honduras

President installed by coup says only invasion will depose him

(Newser) - If its deposed president isn’t reinstated within 72 hours, Honduras will be kicked out of the Organization of American States, the group’s secretary-general said today, in the latest sign of Manuel Zelaya’s overwhelming international support. Zelaya spoke before the UN yesterday, and the General Assembly voted by...

Ousted Honduran Leader Plans Return

(Newser) - Honduras' ousted president, bolstered by international support, said he will return home to regain control and urged soldiers to stop cracking down on thousands of supporters who have protested his overthrow. Flanked by Latin American leaders who have vowed to help him regain power, Manuel Zelaya said yesterday he would...

Cuba Rejects OAS Membership

Cuba calls decision to revoke suspension 'a major victory' but won't rejoin

(Newser) - Cuba has decided not to rejoin the Organization of American States despite the group lifting the country's 47-year suspension, the Voice of America reports. Cuba's parliament leader called the decision to lift the ban "a major victory," but said Cuba hasn't changed its thinking on the group and...

OAS Votes to Readmit Cuba

Castro blasts group as a tool of the US

(Newser) - The Organization of American States voted today to revoke a 1962 measure expelling communist Cuba, reversing a landmark of the Cold War in the hemisphere. It was not immediately clear if the ministers set democratic reform or human-rights conditions on Cuba's return to full participation in the organization, as Secretary...

Chavez Hints at Ditching OAS to Form Cuba Partnership

Nations eye alternative regional group

(Newser) - Venezuela would jump at the chance to join Cuba as an Organization of American States outcast, reports the AP. The never-shy Hugo Chavez claims the OAS, which suspended Cuba in 1962, serves US interests and says the two countries could form an alternative regional group. Cuba's foreign minister agreed, calling...

Obama Reopens Migration Talks With Cuba

(Newser) - Reaching out to an old foe and risking political turbulence at home, the Obama administration today scheduled meetings with Cuba on migration between the two nations, the New York Times reports. Officials made the move as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton resisted pressure from Latin American countries seeking a stronger...

Obama to Push for Treaty on Arms Trafficking

(Newser) - President Obama wants to add muscle to America’s promise to curb the flow of weapons to Mexico’s drug cartels. After meeting with Mexican leader Felipe Calderon today, Obama said he would push the Senate to ratify a decade-old treaty on the matter, the Washington Post reports. President Clinton...

Lugar to Obama: Reach Out and Touch Cuba

Senator slams embargo, calls for policy shift, new envoy

(Newser) - As members of Congress move to rethink US-Cuban relations, Sen. Richard Lugar is urging President Obama to take firm action, including initiating direct talks, the Washington Post reports. The Indiana Republican says the US embargo on the country “undermines our broader security and political interests in the Western Hemisphere,...

South American Crisis Ends With Handshakes

After spat over raid, Colombia, Ecuador make nice with promises for future

(Newser) - The threat of war involving Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela was diffused today with a bevy of handshakes televised all over Latin America, Reuters reports. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his opposite number, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, reached an agreement on combating insurgents in the future; the Colombian military's killing of...

Nicaragua Latest to Sever Ties Over Colombia Raid

Ortega, citing 'political terrorism,' follows lead of Ecuador, Venezuela

(Newser) - Nicaragua cut diplomatic ties with Bogota today, ratcheting up the political tension in the wake of Colombia's raid into Ecuador to kill rebels, the BBC reports. Calling Sunday's incursion an act of "political terrorism," President Daniel Ortega followed the lead of Ecuador and Venezuela, which have already severed...

Ecuador Wants Apology on FARC; US Backs Bogota

Bush to Colombia: We're with you

(Newser) - Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, is in Brazil today, pushing for an apology from Colombia for its incursion into Ecuador to attack FARC guerrillas Saturday. While most Latin American nations, including Brazil, have condemned the cross-border attack, the White House yesterday unequivocally backed Colombia in the rapidly escalating crisis. Correa heads...

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