Local human rights groups report that more than 300 families have been displaced from their lands by the Peruvian armed forces' Plan "Excelencia 777," launched earlier this month to take control of Vizcatán zone, considered a stronghold of narco-trafficking and "terrorist" organizations in the Valley of the Apurímac and Ene Rivers (VRAE).

In a move apparently aimed at appeasing US Congressional opposition to the free trade agreement, Bogotá has ordered nine palm oil companies to return thousands of acres to displaced Afro-Colombian peasants in Chocó department. The Prosecutor General's office is investigating the firms' operators on accusations of homicide, land theft and forced displacement.

Venezuela's military has taken control of key airports and seaports under the terms of a move approved by the National Assembly a week ago. President Hugo Chávez called the move an effort at "reunifying the motherland, which was in pieces." Critics call it a power grab aimed at undercutting state and local leaders who oppose Chávez's rule.

Lev L. Dassin, acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and John P. Gilbride, special agent-in-charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the arrests March 19 of José Joaquin Montes-Ovalles and Maria Lilian Castellanos-Poveda, accused cocaine brokers for the 10th Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), on charges of conspiring to import ton-quantities of cocaine into the US.

Colombia's Supreme Court approved a request by the Fiscalía (attorney general's office) to reopen the investigation of former army general Rito Alejo del Rio, who is suspected of having collaborated with illegal paramilitaries. The Fiscalía asked for the reopening after testimony by several demobilized paramilitaries linked the retired general to the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). Hebert Velosa, Salvatore Mancuso, Jorge Ivan Laverde and Elkin Casarrubia are among those who testified on del Rio's ties to the AUC.

The Bolivian government has applied for approval from the US State Department to purchase six L-159 light warplanes from the Czech Republic. Defense Minister Walker San Miguel told the daily La Prensa the planes, to be bought for $58 million, contain electronic parts made in the US, and their sale to a third party therefore requires US authorization. San Miguel said the planes would be used for drug enforcement. (AFP, March 11)

Bolivia's Vice-Ministry of Lands issued a decree March 11 against US rancher Ronald Larsen for illegally allowing the French oil major Total to explore for hydrocarbons on his sprawling property in Santa Cruz department. The decree nullifies Larsen's 2004 contract with Total allowing an exploration well on his Caraparicito hacienda, finding it had not received approval from the national government. Last year, Total announced that the well, Incahuasi X1, was producing 1 million cubic meter a day. (UPI, March 11)

Bolivian President Evo Morales, empowered by his country's new constitution, began redistributing land to indigenous peasants March 15. In a ceremony on part of the land seized by the government from large owners, Morales turned over about 94,000 acres to Guaraní indigenous communities in the Chaco region of southern Santa Cruz department. Morales harshly criticized the treatment of workers on large farms and called upon rich landowners to embrace equality by voluntarily giving up some of their holdings.