Sue Branford

LAB's Sue Branford witnessed the failure of successive Venezuelan governments to use the country's resource wealth wisely to invest in skills and diversify from dependency on a single commodity -- oil.

Following its action in removing Maduro, who will the Trump administration attack next? Colombia, Mexico, Cuba? US actions now follow the course outlined in its new National Security Strategy, crudely dubbed 'The Donroe Doctrine' by the man himself. Latin America risks being left isolated.

Sue Branford reviews an astonishing book by Eliane Brum, one of Brazil's most famous journalists, who says that only by 'reforesting' our world can we learn how to halt the wholesale destruction of our planet and our species

Lula acted decisively to halt the Bolsonarist insurgents who invaded the centre of government in Brasilia on 8 January. But coup-mongers are numerous and active, not least within the armed forces, while the right retains control of Congress.

The 2 October first-round in Brazil's presidential election was a political victory for Bolonaristas, although their man still faces Lula in the second round on 30 October. The left underestimated the dangers. If Lula is elected, he will face a much more hostile senate and a country polarised.

The brutal murders of journalist Dom Phillips and indigenist Bruno Pereira took place in a region, the Javari Valley, beset by a profitable vortex of clandestine economies, resource plunder and land grabbing which the present government does almost nothing to discourage or suppress.

In Mexico, a university-educated, small-scale peasant farmer came up with an untried innovative solution that not only restores degraded land to productivity, but also greatly enhances soil carbon storage, provides a valuable new crop, and even offers a hopeful diet for diabetics.

Now aged 90, photographer Claudia Andujar remains deeply concerned for the Yanomami people with whom she says she “totally identified,” noting that the present threat of illegal mining in Indigenous territories is doing far more harm than the government-driven road projects of the 1970s. Andujar’s years of work and life with the Yanomami are now chronicled in a major photo exhibition at London’s Barbican Centre through Aug. 29.

At the climate summit convened by President Biden for Earth Day on 22 April, no deal was announced with the Bolsonaro government in Brazil - to the relief of environmental campaigners.. Talks had been taking place involving an injection of US aid in return for protection of the Amazon, but now appear stalemated.

Scientists, academics and officials of environmental agencies are being attacked with insults, death threats, gag orders, theft and kidnapping -- organised or encouraged by the Bolsonaro government