In a surprise move on March 13, agents of Peru's National Police arrested three leaders of the struggle against the controversial Conga gold mining project in the northern region of Cajamarca, while charges were announced against some 40 others. Wilfredo Saavedra Marreros, leader of Cajamarca's Environmental Defense Front, was detained in the southern city of Tacna, where he had been invited to speak by student groups. Nearly simultaneoulsy in Cajamarca, police agents arrested Lucio Díaz Chávez, former regional president of the teachers union SUTEP, and César Tafur Tacilla, secretary general of the local construction workers union. Saavedra was taken in police custody to Cajamarca, where he was freed the next morning along with Díaz and Tafur. All three are charged with obstruction of public transport in connection with last year's protest mobilization against the Conga mine, and await orders to appear before a judge. The next day, the Cajamarca branch of the Fiscalía, Peru's attorney general, released a list of 41 activists facing identical charges—including virtually all the prominent leaders of the Cajamarca protest movement.

Thousands of demonstrators led by Paúl Carrasco, prefect of Azuay province, filled the streets of Cuenca, Ecuador, on March 11, to launch the regional feeder march of the cross-country Walk in Defense of Water, Life and Dignity, which is to coverge on Quito from several points around the country later this month. Carrasco, addressing the crowd of protesters, aimed his comments at President Rafael Correa, demanding that plans for be dropped for massive new mineral development in the region. "Señor Correa, the mineral project in Cuenca will not go ahead," he said. Although the march was peaceful, many protesters wore masks, saying they feared retribution from the authorities. (Hoy, Quito, March 11, El Comercio, Quito, March 10).

Led by the National Confederation of Artisenal Miners (CONAMI), small-scale independent gold miners led strikes and protests across several regions of Peru last week. The southern rainforest region of Madre de Dios was most affected, with regional capital Puerto Maldonado virtually shut down for several days following initiation of the paro (civil strike) on March 5. Thousands of miners filled the streets, wearing helmets and plastic ponchos color-coordinated to represent their geographic zone. Other social movements observed the paro in solidarity, and most businesses shut down. The region's estimated 18,000 artisenal miners—the vast majority of them "informal"—are demanding the aborgation of recent presidential decrees mandating that only legally recognized mining activity will be permitted. Some 3,000 miners are currently camped out in Puerto Maldonado as they await the arrival of a cabinet-level commission led by Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar Vidal and Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Merino to establish a dialogue on "formalization" of the artisenal miners. Luis Otzuka, leader of the Madre de Dios Regional Artisenal Mining Federation (FEDEMIN), said the strike will be maintained until a solution is reached.

On March 5, a special intelligence unit of Peru's National Police announced the arrest of Walter Díaz Vega AKA "Freddy" or "Percy"—said to be the successor of the Shining Path leader "Comrade Artemio," himself captured weeks earlier. Comrade Freddy was apprehended in the hamlet of Alto Alianza, José Crespo y Castillo district, Leoncio Prado province, Huánuco region. The hamlet is in the Magdalena Valley, an arm of the Upper Huallaga Valley, one of two zones of the country where a state of emergency remains in effect due to Shining Path activity. Comrade Freddy, apparently betrayed by infiltrators, was transfered to the National Anti-Terrorism Directorate (DIRCOTE) in Lima for interrogation. The National Police hailed the arrest as a "mortal blow" against the Shining Path.

On Feb. 29 the Superior Court of Colombia's Cundinamarca department upheld a lower court's conviction of journalist Luis Agustín González for "injurias" ("abuse" or "insults") against former governor and senator María Leonor Serrano de Camargo. The court threw out the lower court's conviction of González for libel. The journalist faces a sentence of 18 months in prison and fine of 9.5 million pesos (about $5,450).

The UN representative to Colombia said Feb. 27 the country's victims law has "holes" because threats and violence against displaced campesinos seeking to reclaim land are impeding successful implementation. The law, officially know as Law 1448, allows victims of violence committed by guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and state security forces after 1985 to claim financial compensation. It also allows for displaced people to reclaim land that was stolen or obtained through intimidation and force by illegal armed groups. Todd Howland said, "the risk and vulnerability of leaders in the process of land restitution are extremely high, given the criminal interests in properties subject to restitution."

Colombia's FARC guerilla army announced Feb. 26 its intention to release all 10 captive members of the security forces, and to abandon kidnapping of civilians for extortion purposes. The announcement was made in a statement published on the website of ANNCOL, a news organization with alleged ties to the rebel group. The FARC announced "our decision to add the remaining four to the announced decision to release six prisoners of war" and that "from today on we ban the practice" of "the retention of people...in order to finance our struggle." The guerrilla group announced that it will continue its armed struggle, but to "resort to other forms of funding and political pressure."

After traveling 100 days cross-country, Bolivia's "Wheelchair Caravan for Integration" arrived in La Paz Feb. 24, demanding measures to accommodate social inclusion of the disabled, as well as an annual state subsidy of 3,000 bolivianos, or about $400—up from the current $120. Some 250 in wheelchairs and on crutches covered more than 1,500 kilometers from the city of Trinidad, living off aid provided by communities along the way. Arriving at the capital's central Plaza Murillo, they attempted to push past riot police who barred their way—and were met with truncheons and pepper-spray. The protesters were able to establish an encampment a block away from the plaza, where the local press reported two "crucified" themselves. March organizer Camilo Bianchi said from his wheelchair that they would not move until their demands are met. "We don't want to use radical methods, but they are forcing us to," he said. (Opinión, Opinión, Cochabamba, Feb. 25; EFE, BBC News, Televisa, La Gran Epóca, Feb. 24)