Colombian prison authorities waited more than 48 hours before securing laptop computers and cell phones belonging to 14 right-wing paramilitary leaders who were suddenly extradited to the US on May 13. Eventually the prison authorities turned 10 laptops over to prosecutors, along with seven cell phones, one Blackberry wireless messaging device, six or more USB memory sticks, and 72 CDs belonging to Diego Fernando Murillo ("Don Berna"); the CDs were said to be "labeled with [mass] graves by region." Paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso's laptop was sent to a repair shop on May 10, two days before the extradition, and hadn't been recovered as of May 27. SIM memory cards from cell phones belonging to Mancuso, Ramiro Vanoy and Juan Carlos Sierra were also missing.

Santa Cruz Votes for Autonomy

by Ben Dangl, Upside Down World

A group of some 50 indigenous mayors, town councillors and community leaders, gathered in Sucre, Bolivia, for an appearance by President Evo Morales May 25, were subjected to public humiliation by a right-wing mob—forcing cancellation of the public ceremony called to deliver 50 ambulances and other aid for rural communities. Organized groups opposed to Morales surrounded the stadium where he was to appear, confronting police and soldiers with sticks, stones and dynamite. Morales cancelled his visit, and the security forces were withdrawn to avoid bloodshed.

At a May 13-16 People's Summit in Lima, Peru's indigenous organizations launched a a new alliance to defend their collective rights—and win power in the 2011 presidential elections. "We want a political instrument that is different from conventional parties. We are seeking a plurinational state that will include us," indigenous leader Miguel Palacín, the chief organizer of the summit, told IPS.

The founder and chief commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Manuel "Tirofijo" (Sureshot) Marulanda, has died, the Colombian government announced May 24."Through military intelligence, we learned Pedro Antonio Marin, alias Manuel Marulanda or Sureshot, the principal chief of the FARC, is dead," the Defense Ministry said in a statement. "The cause of death is still to be confirmed." (Reuters, May 24) Carlos Lozano, editor of Bogotá's leftist weekly Voz, said Marulanda's death, "if this is what has occurred," will leave a serious gap in the FARC's command structure. But he was confident the FARC would survive, and that Alfonso Cano (nom de guerre of Guillermo Sàenz Vargas) will take over as top commander. (El Tiempo, Bogotá, May 25)

We recently asked if the folks at the Council on Foreign Relations who want to remake US policy on Latin America have Barack Obama's ear. Here's a sign that they do. After a too-long period of annoying vagueness, he finally spells out some ideas. We'll have to oppose that "regional security initiative" of course, and that "Energy Partnership for the Americas" is likely to mask some unpleasant development proposals. But this is tentatively salubrious—and speaking truth to the Cuban American National Foundation earns him a big C for cojones. Foon Rhee writes for the Boston Globe, May 23:

In what the Colombian press is explicitly portraying as a "farcpolítica" scandal to rival the "parapolítica" outrage, chief prosecutor Mario Iguarán asked the Supreme Court to investigate three opposition legislators for alleged links to the FARC guerillas. The investigations were reportedly prompted by data from laptop computers seized in the March 1 cross-border raid into Ecuador. Under suspicion is Sen. Piedad Cordoba (Liberal Party), who helped mediate the recent release of six FARC-held hostages. She maintains her links with FARC were only to help free the hostages. Only the high court can bring charges against sitting legislators.

On May 15 the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders—a program sponsored jointly by the World Organization Against Torture and the International Federation of Human Rights—issued an urgent call for the Colombian government to ensure the safety of Colombian human rights activist Ivan Cepeda Castro, his family and other members of the National Movement of Victims of Crimes of the State (MOVICE).