HidroAysén hopes to construct two huge dams along the Baker (above)
Photo by Benjamin Witte

Dam Opponents Say Ruling Sets A “Horrible Precedent”

The Comptroller’s office, a government supervisory body, has decided environmental authorities acted appropriately last November when they ignored the recommendations of various government agencies and opted not to reject HidroAysén dam project’s much criticized Environmental Impact Study (EIS).

Red-hot Chile pepper: national hero Fernando "Speedy" González
Photo courtesy of Chile Deportes/Max Montecinos

Chilean tennis fans received a big surprise Thursday when it was announced that Fernando “Speedy” Gonzalez’ first-round opponent in the upcoming U.S. Open will be none other than his good friend and countryman Nicolas Massú.

Overcrowding A Persistent Problem In Chile’s Prison System

A group suicide attempt in a Rancagua prison resulted in one death late Monday night. The incident, currently under investigation by corrections authorities, is the latest in a string of fatal occurrences within the country’s grossly overcrowded prison system.

Protests to be held Saturday throughout Chile
Photo by Kyle Weaver

Environmental and citizens groups around the country are preparing for nationwide protests against the construction of large-scale hydroelectric projects. The coordinated “Por un Chile sin + Represas” (Chile without more Dams) events are set to take place Saturday, Aug. 29.

A group of union leaders and other critics of the farmed salmon industry whose homes were raided by police earlier this month are calling on Chilean authorities to stop treating them – and anyone else with dissenting views – as “terrorists.”