lourdes (left), susana (right): there can be only one
Venezuela promises to fight "illegal groups" passing over from Colombia to its borders. That's fair news, but perhaps the best part is how President Chávez phoned President Santos to tell him the plans personally and how Santos thanked him for the gesture. This follows on from Santos thanking Venezuela publically last week for capturing one of its most-wanted narcos on Venezuelan soil. It's good to talk, guys. Keep talking.
Peru, and Susana Villarán now leads in the polls for the October 3rd Lima mayorial election by handy margins of between 7% and 14%, depending on which newspaper you read in the morning. Lourdes Flores' implosion continues.
In Bolivia, VP García Linera estimates that narcotrafficking accounts for between 1.5% and 3% of country GDP. Sounds about right.
The UK bars a Colombian journalist from entering the country by denying her a visa in rather dubious circumstances. Truth? You can't handle the truth.
On the Colombia/Ecuador border 22 (some reports say 24) FARC rebels killed by gov't troops. Good. The day the FARC renounces its armed struggle will be a great day for South America. Let it come sooner rather than later.