Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 18 december 2019
Brazil's role questioned after UN global warming meeting

By MAURICIO SAVARESE servatório do Clima, said
Associated Press the Brazilian delegation left
SAO PAULO (AP) — With the journalists and activists in
failure of the U.N. climate the dark about its positions
conference to produce an during the negotiations in
agreement, some Brazilians Madrid. "Diplomats and
who participated in previ- nonprofits often have dis-
ous climate meetings say agreements, but that nev-
their country is now part er stopped conversations
of the problem in efforts to during meetings, some of
forge an international ap- them very frank. But that
proach to global warming. didn't happen this time,"
Others, taking a cue from Angelo said. Two Brazilian
Brazil's Environment Minister diplomats who took part
Ricardo Salles, are blaming in the climate conference
the world's wealthy nations. did not respond to a re-
Salles demanded money quest for comment on their
from industrialized countries handling of negotiations.
to help with protecting the Salles said rich countries
Amazon, accused those were the cause of the fail-
countries of being hypo- ure to reach agreement in
critical about addressing Madrid. "They want mea-
climate change. sures and point their fingers
Salles also took a jab at en- In this photo taken on Saturday Dec. 7, 2019, Brazilian environment Ricardo Salles stands outside at the rest of the world, but
vironmentalists who wring the Brazil delegation room at the COP25 U.N. climate talks in Madrid, Spain. Associated Press when they have to put their
their hands over what they hands into their pockets
consider damage caused fiscal constraints. Where to hinder Brazil's develop- ing discussions started gain- they don't want to," he said
by beef consumption. He previous Brazilian admin- ment. He has presented no ing traction. on Twitter.
tweeted a photo of his istrations sought to join in evidence for either claim. "Brazil's administration has Conservative pundit Ro-
enormous beef meal "to multinational approaches Rubens Ricupero, a former moderated on a few top- drigo Constantino agreed
offset carbon emissions" at to dealing with problems, Brazilian environment min- ics, such as bringing Chi- with Salles' assessment.
the Madrid conference. Bolsonaro takes a more ister and head of the U.N. nese investment in, which "They are trying to kick the
Activists questioned what Brazil-centered view along trade and development they refused until not long ladder out from under de-
Brazil's role will be in climate with a combative, far-right organization, said the gov- ago. But there has been veloping countries. One
conferences, noting that political approach. ernment's approach in Ma- no moderation in environ- thing is for a rich country to
the two-week conference He has questioned whether drid "had no pragmatism at mental discussions, (or) in talk about much more ex-
held in Madrid originally activists were behind some all" and could hurt Brazil's anything that has a relation pensive alternative energy.
was supposed to be put on of the fires that raged in the trade and efforts to attract with human rights," Ricupe- Another is for developing
by Brazil, before Jair Bolson- Amazon region this year investment. He said he at- ro said. countries like Brazil to re-
aro took office as president and accuses nonprofit tended the U.N.'s historic Claudio Angelo, commu- place their energy sources,"
last Jan. 1. His government groups of working on be- 1992 meeting in Rio de Ja- nications coordinator for Constantino said on Jovem
declined to do so, citing half of international powers neiro, where global warm- the nonprofit group Ob- Pan radio.q

Independent women’s groups say 2019 year of progress in Cuba

By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ co-workers. For example, a Independent women's
Associated Press singer known as the God- activists say women re-
HAVANA (AP) — For 60 dess of Cuba said she suf- main underrepresented in
years, Cuba's communist fered long-term abuse at high-ranking jobs and suf-
government has monopo- the hands of a partner and fer street harassment and
lized virtually every aspect fellow performer. domestic abuse without
of life on the island, includ- They are small advances sufficient public resources
ing dozens of state-con- compared to the high-pro- dedicated to the problem.
trolled organizations that file women's rights move- "In the first years of the
serve as official advocates ments in other Latin Ameri- revolution, Cuba passed
for groups ranging from can countries. But Cuban laws that favored women,
LGBT people to animal lov- women say any indepen- but left untouched many
ers.This year, one aspect of dent action is important things that persist as part
that state monopoly has in a country that has long of the patriarchal culture,"
begun to loosen, with the claimed that its socialist said activist Marta María
growth of tiny but active revolution eliminated most Ramírez. "They're achieve-
independent civil society In this Dec. 9, 2019 photo, a billboard reads in Spanish "Evolve. institutionalized prejudice ments that we have to
groups pressuring the gov- Campaign against violence against women. and other social problems. update." Ramírez and hun-
ernment for better protec- Associated Press After the victory of Fidel dreds of other women sent
tions. Castro's rebel army in 1959, a petition demanding a
As 2019 comes to a close, bile internet have pushed for the first time. An online Cuba made abortion free law against gender vio-
one of the most important the government for new campaign brought inter- and legal, granted a year lence to the National As-
of those new civil society protections against do- national attention to the of paid maternity leave, sembly last month. It bore
causes is women's rights. mestic abuse, and are cases of Cuban women created free universal the signatures of 700 peo-
Women loosely organizing publishing statistics on claiming assault and ha- childcare and mandated ple, including singer/song-
over Cuba's year-old mo- gender-motivated killings rassment by partners and equal pay for all. writer Haydée Milanés. q