Brazil announces end to Amazon mega-dam building policy
The Temer government claims the decision is a response to intense resistance from environmentalists and indigenous groups
South America
Millions of Venezuelans join the Mother of All Marches
The Mother of All Marches, also known as the Mother of All Protests, was a day of protests held on April 19, 2017 in Venezuela against the Chavista government of president Nicolás Maduro.
Private land gift drives vast expansion of Chile’s national parks
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and American conservationist Kristine Tompkins on Wednesday pledged to grow Chile’s national park lands by roughly 11 million acres, an area more than four times the size of Yellowstone National Park.
Chile to build massive 450 MW solar thermal power plant
This week, the Chilean government gave the green light to development of SolarReserve’s 450 megawatt (MW) Tamarugal concentrated solar power project.
Lesotho legalizes homosexuality
Before the current Penal Code Act, homosexuality was illegal for men in the Southern African nation as it is in many African nations, often punishable by prison or even death. However, in 2012, Lesotho became one of the first African nations to legalize homosexuality and in 2013 hosted its first Pride event.
Brazilian government launches $1.2 billion Amazon Fund to protect country’s rainforests
The Amazon Fund, made by possible from financial support from Norway and Germany, supports projects aimed at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of the Brazilian Amazon.
12 nations sign the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty
The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty officially established the Union of South American Nations, an intergovernmental continental union of twelve South American nations.
Paraguay formalizes a new constitution establishing a democratic system of government
The constitution instituted the first meaningful system of checks and balances the country had ever seen.
Colombia establishes Chiribiquete National Park
Chiribiquete National Park is the largest national park in Colombia and the largest tropical rainforest national park in the world. It covers about 17,000 square miles and hosts important archaeological evidence in the form of rock art. More than 600,000 traces of around 20,000 petroglyphs and pictographs have been discovered in the mountain chain, the oldest of which may date to 20,000 years BP.
Eduardo Galeano completes Memoria Del Fuego trilogy
The Uruguayan author’s famous work has been described as “the most powerful literary indictment of colonialism in the Americas.”