Weekly Roundup: Chile's Anti-Terrorism Legislation, Colombia's Peace Talks, LatAm's Tallest Skyscraper

Brazil Presidential Polls Show Rousseff in Narrow Lead

Four polls this week gave Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff a slight lead over second-place contender Marina Silva going into the final month of the presidential campaign. A Vox Populi/Carta Capital poll gave Rousseff an eight-point advantage over Silva, but the poll also predicted a statistical tie between the two in a runoff. An CNT/MDA poll released September 9 gave Rousseff a narrower lead in the first round of less than 5 points, and also predicted a statistical tie in the second round. A September 10 Datafolha poll put Rousseff in first at 36 percent with Silva in second at 33 percent. Finally, a September 12 Ibope survey gave Rousseff an eight-point lead over Silva, though earlier in the month the same poll put them in a statistical tie.

Read about Silva’s previous rise in the polls from AS/COA Online’s election blog.

Chilean President Announces Anti-Terrorism Measures Following Explosion

A September 8 explosion outside a Santiago subway station injured at least seven people and prompted President Michelle Bachelet to announce a series of reforms to the country's anti-terrorism law to thwart future attacks by vesting greater powers in the police force and the district attorney’s office. The measures also include an overhaul to Chile’s National Intelligence Agency, expanding the agency’s staff and responsibilities. The first weeks in September are traditionally a period of protest and unrest in Chile, as September 11 marks the anniversary of the 1973 military coup. On this date, Bachelet said she would introduce a bill to annul the country’s Amnesty Law, opening the door to prosecute dictatorship-era human rights abusers.

Read an Americas Quarterly web exclusive on citizen concerns about terrorism in the Americas.

FARC Proposes Restitution Fund for Conflict Victims

The latest round of peace talks between Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) began September 8 in Havana, Cuba with a focus on reparation for victims, some of whom were present for the talks. During meetings, the rebel group proposed the creation of a compensation fund for the conflict’s victims. The fund would be valued at 3 percent of the country’s GDP, or approximately $11.3 billion.

See AS/COA Online’s guide on how the peace process began.

U.S. Attorney General Heads to Mexico to Discuss Child Migrant Crisis

On September 9, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder traveled to Mexico City to meet with his counterparts from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. The group discussed security strategies to address the child migrant crisis, and agreed to create a working group. Justice officials from each country will meet in the coming weeks to expand on this week’s discussions. On September 6, the White House revealed that U.S. President Barack Obama will delay executive action on immigration reform until after the November midterm elections.

Read about some of the causes of the child migrant crisis from AS/COA’s Christopher Sabatini in U.S. News and World Report.

Imprisoned Venezuelan Opposition Figure to Appeal to Supreme Court

Leopoldo López, co-founder of Venezuela’s opposition Popular Will party, appeared in a Caracas court on September 10 for his fifth hearing on charges of instigating violence during February’s protests. López’s defense announced its intention to appeal to the Supreme Court in light of a judge’s August decision to prohibit the defense from presenting evidence and witnesses. The opposition leader has been imprisoned since February, when he handed himself in to authorities. López’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 22, his wife announced on his Twitter page. The U.S. State Department released a statement expressing concern about the lack of due process in Venezuela, addressing López’s case and that of other imprisoned politicians and protesters.

Read AS/COA Online’s 2008 interview with López on politics in Venezuela.

Argentina to Construct Latin America’s Tallest Building

On September 10, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced plans to build a 1,165-foot tower, set to be tallest in Latin America. Expected to be completed in five years, the building will be constructed with a mix of private and public funds on state-owned land on an island just south of Buenos Aires’ Puerto Madero district. The development will act as a headquarters for Argentina’s film and TV industries and will include a public park and stadium.