News of illegal

Illegal mining booms in Brazilian Amazon 'promised land'

09-05-2023 16:15 Illegal mines, pulling resources from protected lands in the Amazon, make around US$800 per metric ton of copper they sell on the black market, incentivising the risky trade.

SUBMARINE TRAGEDY

ARA San Juan: Five years on, a look at investigation into submarine's sinking

16-11-2022 08:31 Five years after the tragic loss of the 'ARA San Juan,' forensic studies of images of the sunken submarine are still pending. The case probing the tragedy is relatively advanced, but doubts as to what caused it are far from resolved. A look at the key points of the investigation underway in Santa Cruz and Chubut.

Colombia New Presidency

Colombia to divert criminals' assets to social good: president

19-08-2022 15:38 Colombia's new president Gustavo Petro has vowed to transfer assets seized from drug traffickers and other criminals to needy communities in the violence- and inequality-plagued country.

FARC

Colombian forces kill FARC dissident leader

18-07-2022 14:19 Death of rebel leader Nestor Vera described by Colombian government as “final blow” to FARC.

Amazon Rainforest

Brazilian Amazon lost 18 trees per second in 2021

18-07-2022 13:18 18 trees lost per second from Brazilian Amazon in 2021, according to new report. Deforestation is up 20 percent.

COURTS

Chile's top court overturns ruling freeing Mapuche leader Facundo Jones Huala

16-02-2022 10:57 Supreme Court in Chile overturns ruling granting parole to controversial indigenous leader, who has been behind bars since 2018.

CRIME & THE COURTS

Mapuche leader Facundo Jones Huala freed by Chilean court

21-01-2022 23:49 A court in Chile on Friday freed Facundo Jones Huala, the leader of the Resistencia Ancestral Mapuche (RAM) indigenous Mapuche movement in Patagonia.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE CASE

Former president Mauricio Macri charged with illegal espionage

01-12-2021 17:11 Former president Mauricio Macri accused of ordering illegal surveillance on the families of the 44 dead crew-members of the ARA San Juan submarine tragedy.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE CASE

Macri denies illegal espionage claims in court hearing

05-11-2021 01:24 "I did not spy on anyone," declares former president in written statement presented before judge investigating illegal espionage claims related to the relatives of the late crew of the ARA San Juan submarine.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE CASE

Illegal espionage case: Judge sets new court date for Macri

29-10-2021 23:49 Media scrum set to descend on Dolores once again; Former president must attend hearing on November 3, rules judge; President lifts secrecy rules.

HEARING ADJOURNED WITHIN MINUTES

Mauricio Macri appears in court over illicit spying claims

28-10-2021 18:44 Former president briefly appears before a judge in a probe investigating claims his government illegally spied on relatives of 44 sailors who died in the tragic sinking of the ARA San Juan Navy submarine.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE SCANDAL

ARA San Juan espionage case: Judge orders Macri to appear on October 28

21-10-2021 10:31 Judge Martín Bava orders Mauricio Macri to appear before him on October 28 to answer questions regarding ARA San Juan illegal espionage probe, after former president skips initial summons.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE CASE

Macri back in Argentina, says he won't testify in ARA San Juan spying case

20-10-2021 11:28 Former president returns to Argentina – but says he will not give a statement in a probe about alleged spying on relatives of 44 crew-members who died in the sinking of the ARA San Juan submarine.

COURTS

New hearing date set after Macri misses illegal espionage hearing

07-10-2021 23:15 Former president Mauricio Macri skips court hearing related to alleged spying on relatives of 44 crew-members who died in the ARA San Juan submarine tragedy.

ALLEGED ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE

Bullrich: Macri will miss ARA San Juan illegal espionage hearing

06-10-2021 22:03 Former president will miss Thursday's hearing about alleged spying on relatives of the 44 crew-members who died in the sinking of the ARA San Juan submarine.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE CASE

Judge summons Macri in ARA San Juan espionage case

01-10-2021 17:16 Dolores Judge Martín Bava summons Macri to October 7 hearing under framework of case probing alleged espionage of relatives of deceased crew of ARA San Juan submarine. Former president barred from leaving the country.

ENVIRONMENT

Illegal mining on Brazil indigenous land up 500% in a decade

30-08-2021 21:53 Illegal mining expanded by nearly 500% on protected indigenous reservations in Brazil in a decade, and by more than 300% on protected park lands, according to a new study.

CONSERVATION

Fishing vessels illegally target marine mammals in South American waters

31-07-2021 12:00 Conservationists warn sea lions and elephant seals are being captured by foreign vessels in Argentine and Uruguayan waters. Experts call for urgent measures from authorities.

by Fermin Koop