John Otis

John Otis appears in the following:

It's No Joke: Venezuela Cracks Down On Comedians

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Venezuela's economic woes provide plenty of fodder for comedians. But the government doesn't seem to have a sense of humor: Comics say they are being targeted and prevented from performing.

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Army Reviewing Rape Charges Against U.S. Troops In Colombia

Saturday, April 11, 2015

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The 33 Venezuelan Mayors Who Face Charges (And Oppose The President)

Wednesday, April 08, 2015

President Nicolas Maduro's government hasn't solved food shortages or ended high inflation. It's been more effective in cracking down on the opposition, filing legal charges against many mayors.

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The Second Most Dangerous Country For Land Mines Begins To De-Mine

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

As the 51-year-old civil war in Colombia winds down, efforts to find and destroy the many mines are underway.

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Nicaragua's Renewable Energy Revolution Picks Up Steam

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

A few years ago, Nicaragua was almost totally dependent on imported fuel. Now the country's fierce winds, sun and volcanoes generate nearly half the country's electricity, and perhaps 80 percent soon.

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U.S. Hits Venezuela With Sanctions Over Crackdown On Protesters

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

President Obama declared Venezuela a national security threat. That prompted Venezuela's socialist government to warn its citizens of an impending U.S. military attack.

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Venezuela's Maduro Sees Only Plots As His Economy Crumbles

Sunday, March 08, 2015

As the U.S. prepares to reopen its embassy in communist Cuba, relations with another Latin American nation — oil-rich Venezuela — are crumbling.

President Nicolas Maduro accuses the U.S. of plotting a coup against him, and is expelling most U.S. diplomats from Venezuela. He is also demanding that Americans secure ...

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Opposition Grows To Nicaragua Canal Connecting Atlantic And Pacific

Thursday, February 26, 2015

The canal would allow passage for the largest ships on the water, but cut through wetlands, forests and the region's largest freshwater lake — and environmentalists worry about the consequences.

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Rich In Oil, Venezuela Is Now Poor In Most Everything Else

Saturday, February 07, 2015

Simon Nobile, 72, runs the Capri pasta factory in the capital Caracus, which was founded by his Italian-born father in 1940. Capri's two plants crank out 11 million pounds of pasta per month.

They could produce nearly twice that much. However, Nobile says a government policy designed to help the ...

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Socialist Venezuelan Government Clashes With Labor Unions

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

President Maduro is a former bus driver and union leader while his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, promised to lead a revolution on behalf of the workers. But now many independent labor uni...

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Singing The Blues, A U.S. Envoy Hopes To Boost Ties With Ecuador

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

In South America, left-wing governments hostile to the U.S. are tossing out diplomats or shunning them entirely. In Ecuador, U.S. Ambassador Adam Namm is using music to do something about it.

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Venezuela Braces For A Tough Year Ahead

Sunday, January 04, 2015

Times are tough in Venezuela and likely to get even tougher this year.

Before oil prices started crashing last summer, cutting revenue for the oil-rich country, President Nicolas Maduro was already presiding over a country plagued by food shortages, soaring inflation and rising discontent.

All this has made the president ...

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For Venezuela, Drop In Global Oil Prices Could Be Catastrophic

Thursday, December 25, 2014

The South American nation is home to the world's largest oil reserves and earns most of its foreign reserves from oil. It faced a deep economic crisis even before petroleum prices began their plunge.

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In Latin America, Not Everyone Is Thrilled With The U.S.-Cuba Thaw

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Cuba and Venezuela are close allies that often seemed to speak with a single voice when it came to bashing the U.S. But now they may be out of sync.

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In Bolivia, A Child's Place Is In The Market And The Mines

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Other countries have moved away from child labor, but not Bolivia, which has lowered the legal working age to as young as 10. Advocates say the move brings the law in line with harsh reality.

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The Place Where Rutherford B. Hayes Is A Really Big Deal

Thursday, October 30, 2014

The 19th U.S. president didn't leave much of a legacy at home. But in Paraguay, he's a hero, credited with helping save the nation after a disastrous war with its South American neighbors.

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Glow-In-The-Dark Treats To Light Up Your Halloween

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Two entrepreneurs have developed new tricks to make food that's literally illuminating, using ingredients that are as natural and unprocessed as possible. It's just basic food chemistry, folks.

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High In The Andes, Bolivia's Gondolas In The Sky Ease Congestion

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

One of Latin America's poorest countries is building the world's longest urban cable car system. The aim is to transform the lives of commuters who battle chronic traffic problems.

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Morales Is The Favorite In Bolivia Elections

Sunday, October 12, 2014

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Ecuador Seeks To Build A Silicon Valley Of Its Own

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Ecuador is trying to build a high-tech city, which it hopes will spur a more diverse economy. The tiny South American country is concerned about possibly running out of the natural re...

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