Fears of a renewed global recession, coupled with concerns about public debt in Europe, forced down Latin American markets on Aug. 18. The most important market in the region, Brazil's BM&FBOVESPA (Bolsa de Valores, Mercadorias & Futuros de São Paulo), fell 3.52 % for the day, while in Argentina the MERVAL index plunged 4.11%. In Mexico City the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) was down 2.36%; the IGBC index in Colombia fell by 3.15% and Chile's IPSA by 1.89%.

The government of Peru's newly elected President Ollanta Humala announced this week that it is suspending the US-backed coca eradication program in the Upper Huallaga Valley, the only ongoing eradication campaign in the country. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Peru has surpassed Colombia as the world's top coca producer, although Colombia maintains a slight lead in cocaine production.

Bolivia signed an agreement with the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) Aug. 10 to conduct lithium exploration in the Andean country's Coipasa salt flats. The deal comes as Bolivia's President Evo Morales is visiting Beijing. Morales said that his government is "looking for allies from countries that aren't just interested in our natural resources, but rather have a political and ideological affinity," the official Bolivian Information Agency reported. (Dow Jones, Aug. 10) Morales has in the past refered to China as an "ideological ally."

The arrest last month of Robin Rosales Agreda, an accused narco-trafficker considered the "big fish" (pez gordo) of Bolivia's cocaine trade, has left a trail of intrigue in its wake. Rosales was apprehended by National Police on July 14 in the community of El Tuná de San Matías, Santa Cruz department. Already sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison in Bolivia, he is also wanted by Brazilian authorities. He is said to be boss of the Rosales family, one of the most powerful in the oligarchy of Santa Cruz, a right-wing opposition stronghold. Authorities hope his arrest will be a final blow to what is believed to be an extensive criminal machine in the region. Five days after Rosales' arrest, the family's attorney, Denver Pedraza, was shot at twelve times outside the Ministry of Justice building in Santa Cruz. He was hit five times, and only survived because a bullet hit his cell phone in his breast pocket. The National Police Special Anti-Crime Struggle Force (FELCC) has opened an investigation into the attempted slaying, and the Rosales family's network of informants and collaborators.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos will speak with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez about the presence of the Colombian guerilla groups FARC and ELN in Venezuela, reported Caracol Radio Aug. 3. The move follows Colombian armed forces commander Adm. Edgar Cely's July 31 remarks that the FARC and ELN are still using Venezuela as a staging ground—a charge that was repeatedly made by former president Alvaro Uribe. Cely's comments were quickly disavowed by Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera. Chávez nonetheless said, "We are awaiting clarification regarding strange statements that came from Colombia's senior military chief." (Colombia Reports, Aug. 3)

Bolivia and South Korea have agreed to a joint venture to exploit the lithium battery business sector, the state-run Korea Resources Corp (KORES) announced July 31. KORES has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bolivia's state-owned mining corporation COMIBOL to form a consortium that will also include the private Korean firms POSCO, SK Innovation Co. and LG Chem, Ltd. The signing took place in La Paz.

Gen. Francisco Contreras, chief of staff of Peru's armed forces until his retirement earlier this year, told the Jerusalem Post July 25 that he believes Iran's growing presence in Latin America poses a threat to regional stability. "It appears that Iranian organizations provide support to other terrorist organizations," he said. "We definitely need to be concerned with the growing presence of Iran in South America. It appears that Iranian organizations provide support to other terrorist organizations, and that there is cooperation between them."

Venezuelan Minister for Prisons Iris Varela announced July 31 that she plans to release up to 40% of the country's prisoners in an effort to reduce prison overcrowding. Varela, who was appointed to the position by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez last week, said roughly 20,000 inmates who had committed minor crimes and who posed no danger to society would be conditionally released. Prison authorities will begin determining which inmates could be eligible for release starting this week. Varela's appointment, as well as the latest measures to reduce prison overcrowding, come in response to a deadly uprising at El Rodeo prison in Guatire, Venezuela. Over 25 people died during the June riot and stand-off when armed prisoners clashed with National Guard troops. Chávez has set aside nearly $100 million for reforming the Venezuelan prison system, which is notoriously overcrowded.