Skimm #1
Skimm for April 16th
Skimmed while munching on matzah.
The Story: 10% of votes in Ecuadorian elections to be recount in light of fraud claims
What happened: The results from April 2nd’s election saw conservative opposition leader, and former banker, Guillermo Lasso lose by less than 3 percentage points to Lenín Moreno, Rafael Correa’s handpicked successor. Lasso’s campaign asserts their was fraud and point to technical errors and voting irregularities that unfairly gave the election to Moreno. The OAS closely monitored the election and saw nothing suspicious about the voting process. However, in response to these allegations there will be a recount on Tuesday in the capital city of Quito.
What this means: This election has served as a test for Correa’s legacy and whether Ecuador would see the same conservative tide that has swept other Latin American states, so there is a lot riding on the results. Tensions are high coming into the recount. Lasso’s camp says they won’t allow Correa to rig the election. In response, Correa tweeted that this election was one thing “the banker could not buy.”
Hello Nicaragua! It’s good to be back!
Russia is once again flexing its foreign policy muscles in Nicaragua, the location of intense proxy-conflict during the Cold War between the US-backed Contras and the Soviet-sponsored Sandinistas. The re-election of current leader Daniel Ortega in 2016, who heads the Sandinista National Liberation Front – now a political party, has brought Nicaragua back into Russia’s sphere of interest. Russia already sells weapons to many Latin America countries, including Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, and Ecuador. With Venezuela in crisis and Cuba warming up to the US, Nicaragua is Russia’s staunchest ally in the region, which may explain why Russia is getting back together with its old friend. Juan Gonzalez, who was deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs during the Obama administration says, “The United States and countries of the region should be concerned. Nicaragua offers a beachhead for Russia to expand its intel capabilities and election meddling close to the United States.” While the US is keeping a watchful eye on the Managua-Moscow relationship, so are Nicaraguans, who are split on how they feel about Russia’s renewed presence in their country. Some see Russia as a loyal ally, others are concerned Ortega could use Russian technology to spy on his detractors.
Anyone up for a little game of Ullamaliztli?
In Mexico, Ullamaliztli, an ancient game outlawed by the conquistadors is being revived. The game involves hitting a solid rubber ball through a hoop using only your hips and was widely played throughout Central America before the European conquest. Organizers in Mexico are putting together an Ullamaliztli tournament where the 3000 year old game can be played once again. Traditionally, the losers of the game are sacrificed to the gods. Safe to say that rule will not be reinstated.
Links:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39612317