John Otis

John Otis appears in the following:

Venezuela Struggles To Contain Zika Outbreak Amid Economic Crisis

Monday, March 07, 2016

For pregnant women in Venezuela, the possibility of getting the Zika virus is scary. The country's economy has collapsed, doctors are leaving in droves, and there's no medicine on the...

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Is Venezuela's Collapsing Health System Ill-Equipped To Handle Zika?

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The scale of the Zika virus outbreak in Venezuela is unclear. The government is reporting more than 5,000 cases with three related deaths. But independent Venezuelan physicians fear i...

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As Venezuelan Crisis Deepens, U.S. Baseball Teams Close Academies

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Venezuela is a key supplier of baseball talent to the U.S. major leagues. Players come up through baseball academies run by the teams. But now, many academies are being shut down.

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Facing Severe Food Shortages, Venezuela Pushes Urban Gardens

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

In Venezuela, bread, meat, milk and other staples are scarce these days. So Venezuela's government is urging urban slum dwellers to grow and raise their own food. But it's a challenge.

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Opposition In Venezuelan Legislature Drives New Direction – And Resistance

Saturday, February 13, 2016

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Winning Big, Venezuela's Opposition Now Plans Push For Prisoner Release

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Venezuela's opposition won a landslide victory in legislative elections on Sunday that's seen as a political turning point, because the Socialist Party has controlled all branches of government for the past 16 years.

Under former president Hugo Chavez and current leader Nicolas Maduro, the government has imprisoned dozens of opponents. ...

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Venezuela's University Professors Vote With Their Feet

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Millions of Venezuelans voiced their displeasure with President Nicolas Maduro's Socialist Party by giving opposition parties an overwhelming victory in congressional elections Sunday. But over the past few years, a flood of disgruntled Venezuelans have been voting with their feet, and college professors are among them.

Amid soaring ...

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Venezuela's Opposition Wins Control Of The National Assembly

Monday, December 07, 2015

The opposition in Venezuela overwhelmingly won parliamentary elections on Sunday. The victory brings an end to almost 17 years of socialist rule.

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Macri's Ties To Soccer Boost His Chances In Argentina's Presidential Runoff

Friday, November 20, 2015

The mayor of Buenos Aires is expected to win Sunday's presidential runoff. In that soccer-mad country, front-runner Mauricio Macri gets points for having been team president for the Boca Juniors.

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Will Colombia Honor A Beloved Musician Who Was Also A Convicted Killer?

Saturday, November 07, 2015

The music of Diomedes Diaz blasts from a cantina in La Junta, a village of dirt streets and cactus on the edge of a desert where the late singer grew up. His songs celebrate country living, all-night partying and falling in love.

This style of music is called vallenato. Diaz ...

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The Nightmare Of Grocery Shopping In Venezuela

Thursday, October 29, 2015

For Caracas housewife Anny Valero, today is grocery day — whether she likes it or not. Here's why: It's Monday, and if Valero doesn't go now, she'll have to wait four more days to buy food.

In Venezuela, government supermarkets sell price-controlled food, making them far cheaper than private stores. ...

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In Remote Colombia, Prospects For Peace Are Clouded By Corruption

Sunday, October 04, 2015

Saul Mindiola is running for mayor of Pueblo Bello — a farm town of 16,000 residents tucked in Colombia's snow-capped Sierra Nevada. The view makes it clear how the place got its its name, which means "beautiful village" in Spanish.

Mindiola, who grew up in these mountains, is a member ...

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Colombian Government, FARC Announce Outlines Of Peace Deal

Thursday, September 24, 2015

The Marxist revolutionary group known as FARC has been fighting the Colombian government for over 50 years. Thanks to peace talks in Havana, Cuba, the fighting may finally come to an end in six months.

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Mass Deportations Fuel Tension Along Venezuela-Colombia Border

Monday, September 07, 2015

The deportation of thousands of Colombians from Venezuela and the sealing of the border is provoking chaos. Throngs of deportees are crowding into shelters, families have been separat...

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Pope Francis Delights Crowds In Ecuador, Moves On To Boliva

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

The pope wrapped up the first leg of his South American mission which is focused on aiding the poor. Over the last 3 days, he was a crowd pleaser in Ecuador. He next visits Bolivia and then Paraguay.

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Pope Francis Begins South America Tour With Mass In Ecuador

Monday, July 06, 2015

Pope Francis kicks off a three-nation South America tour with a mass in Ecuador on Monday. Aiding the poor is at the center of his mission, which will include stops in Bolivia and Par...

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Ecuador Is The First Stop On Pope Francis' South America Trip

Monday, July 06, 2015

The Argentine pontiff has embarked on a nine-day swing through Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay, some of the region's poorest countries. Francis is focusing on issues that affect the downtrodden.

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The Cycling World May Soon Bow Down Before Nairo Quintana

Thursday, June 25, 2015

In 2013, a newcomer from Colombia passed almost everyone else and came in second in the Tour de France. This year, many think he'll take home the winning yellow jersey.

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Colombia Will End Coca Crop-Dusting, Citing Health Concerns

Friday, May 15, 2015

It's harvest time in the coca fields of southern Colombia. Using his bare hands, Franklin Canacuan expertly strips the bright green leaves from his 5-foot-tall coca bushes.

Over the years, Colombian police planes have sprayed his fields with a powerful weed killer.

It's part of a government program to destroy ...

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Venezuela Faces Crime Epidemic

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

With 16,000 homicides last year, Venezuela became the world's second deadliest country. But even as crime climbs, the number of police battling criminals is falling.

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