Click here for newscast for Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Colombia's Indigenous March to Congress
More than
10,000 indigenous people are marching into Colombia's capitol today,
demanding land reform. Demonstrators have walked hundreds of miles
through Colombia's countryside to make their voices and their demands
known to President Alvaro Uribe.  Manuel Rueda reports from Bogota.

Iraq Moratorium #15

Venezuelans went to
the polls yesterday to choose state governors and city mayors in
elections seen as a test of President Hugo Chavez’s socialist
revolution -- his party won in 17 of 23 states.  But opposition
candidates took the most populated and industrialized regions. Manuel
Rueda reports.
For the past few months, Chavez campaigned intensely on behalf of his candidates around the country. After a long election day, he reflected on the results.
"Esta
gran victoria socialista, es una señal muy fuerte, para mi como
presidente y lider del proyecto socialista venezolano, el pueblo me
esta indicando chavez sigue por el mismo camino."
"This great
socialist victory sends me a strong message. As President, and leader
of the Venezuelan Socialist Project, the people are telling, Chavez,
keep on following the same path!"
But it was a bitter sweet
victory.  Opposition candidates won governorships in Venezuela’s most
developed and urban states, including the oil rich Zulia region, and
the industrialized Carabobo state. Antonio Ledezma became the mayor of
Venezuela’s capital, Caracas:
"Al presidente de la republica un
mensaje, usted y yo tenemos muchas diferencias. Lo invito presidente de
la republica a trabajar juntos para rescatar a caracas del caos"
"I
have a message for the president of the republic. We have many
differences. But I invite you, President, to work with me to rescue
Caracas from chaos"
Venezuela´s opposition candidates said they
would reduce rampant crime rates and generate more jobs. The opposition
is still a minority. But it gained popularity over the past year, after
defeating a referendum to change Venezuela’s constitution. In 2007
Chavez had asked voters to eliminate presidential term limits AND
expand Presidential powers over the economy and regional governments. 
His proposal was defeated by a narrow margin.

Twenty more people were
killed in Baghdad this morning. A suicide bomber killed her self and
seven others near the entry to the US protected Green Zone. The blast
followed the bombing of a minibus carrying Trade Ministry employees –
most of the victims of that attack were women. The bombing come just
days before the Iraqi Parliament is set to vote on a security pact with
the US. But the schedule remains uncertain – as does a projected
outcome for the pact that would keep US forces in Iraq for up to three

President Bush wrapped up a two-day visit to South Korea today. His meeting with President Lee Myung Bak was originally scheduled for last month, but pushed back because of massive protests against US beef imports. Although demonstrations continue, the two leaders focused their talks on passing a free trade agreement, and addressed North Korea's nuclear program. FSRN's Jason Strother has the story from Seoul.