Weekly Roundup: Venezuela's Vote, Dilma's U.S. Visit, Colombia's Startups

Venezuelans to Elect Chávez’s Successor on Sunday

Presidential candidates wrapped up campaigns on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s election in Venezuela. Acting President Nicolás Maduro leads in the polls against opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, who called for a government of unity while the interim leader recalled late President Hugo Chávez on the campaign trail. On April 11, Maduro warned against alleged plans by the opposition to disrupt the elections and to fail to recognize the results. The government did not invite official election observers, but rather an “accompaniment mission” from the Union of South American Nations on April 14. Carlos Álvarez, head of the delegation, said he was confident both sides would respect the results on Sunday. An AQ web exclusive contends that the planned election monitoring is “sub-standard” and explores what it will mean to not have an OAS electoral observation mission present. 

Get an overview of important dates, candidates, key institutions, and more from an AS/COA explainer and access updates on the election from AQ’s in-depth guide. Also, five experts weigh in on the challenges facing the next president in this AS/COA viewpoint. 

Brazil’s President to Make First Official State Visit to Washington

Reuters reported this week that Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will make her first official state visit to the United States this year, likely in October. State visits tend to involve leaders from countries considered strategic allies; the last state visit by a Brazilian president to Washington took place in 1995. The trip is a “diplomatic breakthrough for an emerging power that has clashed with Washington but is hungry for closer ties and recognition of its growing prestige,” reports Reuters.

Growing Interest in Defense on Display in Brazil

The biennial LAAD Defense and Security International Exhibition took place in Rio de Janeiro this week, attracting over 720 companies from all over the world to sell guns, ammunition, and security and aerospace technology. These businesses use the show to connect with military and police leaders from Latin America. The Brazilian media reported this week that Brazil will sign a contract in the next week to order 34 anti-aircraft tanks from Germany to boost security ahead of the Pope’s visit in July and upcoming mega-events. 

Government Funding Provides Jumpstart for Colombian Entrepreneurs

Though Chile, Brazil, and Mexico may be some of Latin America’s best-known countries for start-up investment, the Colombian government is making strides in the field with several national initiatives, says The Atlantic. Publicly funded programs like iNNpulsa, which is housed under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, and apps.co, which is more tech-focused, aim to help Colombian entrepreneurs through grants, seed funding, training, and mentorship. This type of assistance has helped Juan Diego Calle, CEO of Colombian-based start-up .co, who said his company is “starting to see venture capital firms, private equity investors…Three years ago, that was non-existent.”

Cash Smuggling on the Rise in Ecuador

From 2008 through 2012, Ecuadoran authorities seized $10 million in dollars and 4 million euros illegally smuggled across the border. The amount of dollars seized more than doubled during that period, reports InSight Crime. Because of increasing crackdowns on money laundering, criminal networks—such as Mexican drug cartels—are turning to cash smuggling in other countries. With smugglers using land and sea routes, police believe that for every smuggler caught, another 5 get away.

Guatemala Formally Recognizes Palestinian Statehood

President Otto Pérez Molina’s office announced Tuesday that Guatemala would recognize Palestinian statehood, reports The Jerusalem Post. The official statement notes the government made a decision to “exercise their powers and in accordance with international standards on the recognition of States,” but added that the decision would not change Guatemala’s “long tradition of friendship and cooperation with the State of Israel.” Guatemala joins several other Latin American countries that have also recognized Palestine’s sovereignty, including Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Guyana.

Uruguay’s House of Representatives Passes Same-Sex Marriage Law

A bill allowing same-sex marriage garnered 71 supporting votes out of 92 total in Uruguay’s House this week. The decision follows last week’s approval in the Senate, with President José Mujica expected to ratify the bill within 10 days. Gay couples can expect to start getting legally married in July, according to deadlines outlined in the legislation. Uruguay is one of only 12 nations worldwide to adopt marriage equality, and is second in Latin America after Argentina. The law will also permit either spouse to unilaterally request a divorce—previously, only women were allowed to do so—and it will increase the marriage age to 16 for both genders.

In Numbers: Uruguay’s One-Laptop-Per-Child

The Next Web published an overview of Uruguay’s Plan Ceibal, started in 2007 to provide free laptops to every primary school student in the country. By 2009, Uruguay became the first country worldwide to achieve this goal. Since the program began, the government provided over half a million free laptops to students and teachers. It also managed to install internet access in nearly all of the country’s schools, which are gradually being replaced by fiber-optic connections. Thus far, the total cost of the program is estimated at around $100 per child.

Peru: Measuring the Impact of Melting Glaciers

Melting glaciers in Peru lead to a host of problems, from flooding affecting local communities to crop damage. In a slideshow, the Guardian explores the destruction caused by this type of climate change in Peru, as well as tools being developed to counteract the negative effects. 

Jamaica: Bailed Out

On April 8, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank finalized a $2 billion rescue package for Jamaica, which has one of the world’s highest rates of debt. The IMF required the Jamaican government to restructure the country’s debt over three years in order to receive the bail-out. In a statement, the IMF said: “The success of this program crucially depends on full and timely policy implementation by Jamaica of a coordinated set of reforms, to strengthen the public finances, restore debt sustainability, enhance growth, and bolster the resilience of the financial sector.

Mexico’s Youth Programs Earn Poor Grades

If Mexican youth programs could earn a grade, a majority would score an “F,” according to a report by Fundación IDEA, Mexico’s Institute of Youth, and the UN Population Fund. The publication evaluated 106 federal programs and found that only 17 could be considered to use good practices, saying that the “policies, laws, and programs for [Mexican] youth are designed from an adult-centric perspective.” 

Not Just for War: Mexican Firm Builds Drones for Commercial Use

While drones are often associated with defense, one Mexican company is working to develop “drones for peace,” explains IPS News. Startup 3D Robotics builds unmanned aerial vehicles for commercial use, such as monitoring weather and surveying archeological sites. The company receives up to 150 daily orders from international clients, and made $10 million in sales since its founding in 2008.

Hold the Salt! Taking It off the Table in Mexico City

Mexicans eat roughly three times the recommended intake of salt, and Mexico’s capital is taking steps to do something about it. City officials and the restaurant association signed an agreement to keep salt shakers off the table and only provide additional salt to customers upon request. The effectiveness of the measure remains to be seen, given that compliance is voluntary.