In a significant setback for Chilean prosecutors, judges in Cañete in the central province of Arauco voted on Feb. 22 not to convict 17 indigenous Mapuche activists on "terrorism" charges relating to a fire and an attack on a prosecutor, Mario Elgueta, in Tirúa in October 2008. The judges acquitted most of the defendants of all charges, but they found four of the activists—Héctor Llaitul, Ramón Llenaquileo, José Huenuche and Jonathan Huillical—guilty of attempted homicide, a common crime, in the attack on Elgueta.

Peru's security forces cracked down on illegal gold mining operations in the Amazon region of Madre de Dios in late February, with army troops putting several dredges on the region's rivers to the torch. According to the Environment Ministry, some 20,000 hectares of rainforest are destroyed and 45 tons of mercury dumped into local rivers each year due to the dredging operations. (Reuters, Feb. 20)

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, the Peruvian former secretary general of the United Nations, publicly lamented Feb. 28 that the hundreds of US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks have become an issue the presidential campaign underway in his country. "It is embarrassing that information from WikiLeaks has become part of the campaign, because it contains foreign opinions, not from Peruvians," he said. "Candidates should debate with ideas and not verbal attacks. We hope that candidates will calm themselves during this month." (Living in Peru, Feb. 28)

On Feb. 25, Bolivia was partially paralyzed in a national strike by independent bus and taxi operators to demand the government permit a fare hike to keep up with the cost of living. Confederación de Chóferes leaders noted that fares have been frozen for five years, and that concerns over the cost of living had sparked the recent "gasolinazo"—a protest wave that led to the cancellaiton of government plans to lift fuel subsidies. Some 40% of inter-city bus service was shut by the strike, with near total compliance in the twin cities of La Paz and El Alto. (EFE, Feb. 25)

A Brazilian judge ruled in favor of local indigenous groups Feb. 28, blocking President Dilma Rousseff's plans to move ahead with construction of the controversial Belo Monte dam in the Amazon rainforest. Federal Judge Ronaldo Desterro in Para state also ordered the national development bank, BNDES, not to fund the project. In his ruling, Judge Desterro found that the project had received insufficient review from IBAMA, Brazil's environmental agency, with many potential impacts ignored.

Some 25,000 people in Honduras' second city of San Pedro Sula joined a march against rising criminal violence Feb. 27. Dressed in white, the protesters marched in silence to press their demand that the government do more to improve public security, with banners reading "We want peace" and "respect life." The march was organized by the conservative National Democratic Alliance (ADN). One incident that sparked the march was the slaying of the president-elect of the Association of Evangelical Pastors while walking his pet schnauzers Feb. 21. He was apparently shot by thieves who attempted to steal the dogs. It was the second slaying of an evangelical pastor in Honduras this year. (Worthy Christian News, Feb. 28; BBC News, EFE, La Prensa, San Pedro Sula, Feb. 27)

Mexican federal police on Feb. 28 announced the capture of Victor Torres Garcáa AKA Édgar Mauricia Barrera Corrales AKA "El Papirrin"—alleged leader of a drug network that calls itself "The Resistance." "El Papirrin" was detained in Uruapan, Michoacán, along with two alleged associates, several guns and bags of drugs. La Resistencia was so-named because it was formed as an alliance of various cartels to resist the drive by Los Zetas to dominate Mexico's narco networks. "El Papirrin" was said to be a veteran of the Beltran Leyva cartel.

Tunisia's Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi resigned Feb. 27, as security forces again clashed with protesters. "I am not ready to be the person who takes decisions that would end up causing casualties," Ghannouchi said. "This resignation will serve Tunisia, and the revolution and the future of Tunisia." (Middle East Online, Feb. 27) Three protesters were killed in street clashes with security forces in Tunis the previous day. (Middle East Online, Feb. 27)