Yellow fever spreads

The WHO has sent 2m vaccines to Paraguay to combat the first yellow fever outbreak in 34 years.

Thus far 12 people in Brazil and nine people in Paraguay are believed to have contracted the disease. Authorities in Paraguay say eight people have died, in addition to three in Brazil.

Health officials recommend that travellers to northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil receive a vaccine ten days before travelling.

Colombian rebels free four hostages

After six years in captivity, Colombian rebels released four hostages in a deal brokered by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.

The rebels are using the hostages as collateral to force the government to remove their name from a list of terrorist organisations. The militia is also keeping hostages to convince the government to release imprisoned guerrilla fighters.

The former hostages have pressured president Chávez to secure the release of Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, who has gained publicity after a disturbing video of her condition was released last year.

Gloria Polanco one of the former captives said of Betancourt, “she is very ill…she has recurrent hepatitis B and is near the end.”

Ecuadorian government promises further protection

The Ecuadorian government has sent a taskforce to the east of the country in an effort to protect the isolated, indigenous tribes that reside in the Amazon.

The local Taromenane and Tagaeri tribes have often complained of abuses and deforestation, and recent reports of the killing of several indigenous people by illegal loggers received worldwide attention.

Initially the government had said the region was too remote for their personnel to investigate, however it has now been announced that a group consisting of 24 soldiers, twelve police officers and a technical team designated by the Ministry of the Environment will be sent to the area.

They will be charged with preventing illegal exploitation of the rainforest and abuses against indigenous tribes, and will be able to call on the back up of the armed forces and the national police.

Air and boat disasters leave 72 dead in Brazil, Venezuela, Chile

A passenger ship sank on the Amazon river during the night of 20th February, leaving 16 people dead. The Almirante Monteiro, which was heading for Brazilian city of Manaus, struck a commercial barge travelling in the opposite direction.

The next day, a Venezuelan aeroplane crashed near the city of Mérida, 500km southwest of Caracas, leaving all 46 passengers and crew dead.

A light aircraft belonging to the Chilean police crashed 27th February, leaving ten people dead and five seriously injured. The plane crashed into a Santiago park where families were practising gymnastics, resulting in the deaths of the six passengers, and three women and a child on the ground.

Guatemalan hostages released

A rebellion of farmers released 29 police officers 32 hours after they had been taken hostage in the Caribbean costal town of Livingston.

The mob sought the release of farm leader Ramiro Choc, who was incarcerated on 14th February for illegal land invasion, robbery and illegally holding people against their will.

The mob surrounded the police station and disarmed the officers on 21st February before taking the captives to the remote village of Maya Creek, threatening to kill the officers if Choc was not freed.

The leader had allegedly incited community residents to invade land including protected nature reserves, however, the group claims they have occupied the land for over a decade.

The group released the officers after the government consented to negotiate a legalised land agreement and discuss Choc’s liberation. The government has promised to fly three representatives to Guatemala City to begin the negotiations.