International

‘Black gold’ for Guyana and Suriname, a blessing or curse?

Photo: Patrick Fort / AFP

AFP | Patrick Fort

Emerging as potential oil powers while the world seeks to wean itself off planet-warming fossil fuels, poverty-stricken South American neighbors Guyana and Suriname say they have to cash in while they can.

The former Dutch colonies are among the world’s most tree-covered countries, hosts to the so-called forest “lungs” that sequester massive amounts of planet-warming carbon dioxide.

Their economies and populations small, the countries have traditionally emitted little CO2 or other greenhouse gasses from fossil fuel use — in fact Suriname is one of only three carbon-negative countries in the world and Guyana claims carbon neutrality.

But some fear this could change with the recent discovery of rich offshore oil deposits in an area known as the Guyana-Suriname Basin.

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Guyana, a country of 800,000 people, was recently found to have proven reserves of at least 10 billion barrels of oil, likely much more according to experts.

This makes it the country with the highest reserves per capita in the world — which consumes 99.4 million barrels of oil per day.

Early assessments suggest the reserves of Suriname, a country of 600,000 people, may not be far behind.

“It will be hard to remain carbon neutral as a country (involved in the) petroleum sector,” economist Steven Debipersad of the Anton de Kom University in Suriname’s capital Paramaribo, told AFP.

The projected $10 billion Suriname stands to make in the next 10 to 20 years, will likely bring economic growth at the cost of the environment, he said.

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The country’s GDP today is about $3 billion.

Hungry ‘every day’

Their presidents insist Guyana and Suriname cannot be expected to turn their backs on a chance to fill their countries’ coffers and raise the quality of life for their people.

The countries are among the poorest in South America, with vast swathes of their populations living without electricity, clean water or access to adequate health services.

In a Paramaribo ghetto named Texas, dirty sewer water flows among dilapidated wooden homes.

Resident Edison Poekitie, a 23-year-old musician, scrapes by on no more than $50 a week. Does he go hungry?

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“Every day!” he told AFP. “It’s hard out here, really hard.”

The community, he added, needs “water pipes, cables, new roads without potholes, schools, better houses, playgrounds…”

Poekitie said he hoped the government would spend the oil money “wisely,” a sentiment echoed by 45-year-old food truck owner Brian Braithwaite in a poor neighborhood of the Guyanese capital Georgetown.

“Hopefully they do something so that… people (who) live on the street can do better,” Braithwaite said.

‘Oil curse’

Both presidents have vowed to make judicious use of their windfall petroleum profits, though some are worried that will undercut the sovereign wealth funds set up to guard some money for future generations.

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“We are quite aware of the oil curse,” Suriname President Chan Santokhi told AFP, alluding to neighbor Venezuela and other resource-rich countries such as Angola and Algeria that were unable to turn oil wealth into social and economic progress.

“We… should also get the opportunity to benefit from the production of oil and gas and its income” to address a biting economic crisis “and help our people to have better lives,” he insisted.

For his part, Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali wants to use the oil income to “create wealth for now, and future generations.”

Both speak of using the money to diversify their economies with investments in agriculture, tourism, housing, education and health care.

Eventually, “the oil and gas will be gone, but the food security should be guaranteed,” said Santokhi.

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Oil money for green energy

Oil extraction and refining are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

Though they have historically emitted little, Suriname and Guyana are both deeply affected by global warming — in the crosshairs of worsening tropical storms and of flooding from rising sea levels.

Presidents Santokhi and Irfaan Ali believe they can maintain their countries’ carbon balances by using oil money to protect their forests and invest in green energy.

Defending the forests that cover about 87 percent of Guyana and 93 percent of Suriname is also economically sage: both countries can sell so-called carbon credits to polluters who need to offset emissions.

For Guyana, carbon credits are worth about $190 million per year, said Irfaan Ali.

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Monique Pool, director of the Green Heritage Fund of Suriname, is not convinced by the two-pronged approach.

“Carbon credit will give us more money faster than oil and gas and for longer because it will be sustainable,” she told AFP.

In Georgetown, activist Christopher Ram agreed the oil should be left in the ground, expressing fear of exploitation by ruthless companies in the absence of “good governance.”

Instead, “I would go to the international community and say: ‘We are a small country, we’ve always been good to the environment, we want to stay that way… help us get the benefits we would have got with oil’.”

But 53-year-old Cynthia Neel, who sent her daughter from Suriname to the Netherlands at the age of six for education and a chance at a better life, is hopeful of positive change.

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“I hope that with the oil the children will no longer have to leave,” she told AFP.

Economist Steven Debipersad poses for a picture at the Istitute of Graduate Studies in the Anton de Kom University in Paramaribo, on September 14, 2022. - Emerging as potential oil powers while the world seeks to wean itself off planet-warming fossil fuels, poverty-striken South American neighbors Guyana and Suriname say they have no choice but to cash in while they can. (Photo by Patrick FORT / AFP)

International

Colombia to Send High-Level Delegation to Ecuador to Ease Trade Tensions

Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that, at the instruction of President Gustavo Petro, a high-level delegation will travel to Ecuador in an effort to normalize bilateral relations, which have deteriorated following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs.

“In line with Colombia’s policy of good neighborliness and the spirit of cooperation and integration that guides its foreign policy,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez.

“Following instructions from the Presidency of the Republic, and as has been publicly reiterated, the Colombian delegation expects to reaffirm Colombia’s offer of support to the Republic of Ecuador to strengthen control over phenomena stemming from transnational organized crime,” the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry noted that the delegation will attend the meeting with a full willingness to engage in dialogue and to seek concrete solutions to the unilateral measures that have affected the longstanding relationship between the two neighboring countries.

Trade tensions between Ecuador and Colombia escalated on January 21, when Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboaimposed a 30% tariff on Colombian products, citing a lack of cooperation in anti-drug efforts. Colombia responded with similar measures and the suspension of energy exports, while Ecuador increased transportation costs for Colombian crude oil.

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Business associations in both countries have warned that the dispute is harming both economies and have called on the governments to resolve their differences through dialogue.

International

Super Bowl Halftime Show Puts Bad Bunny—and Immigration Politics—Back in the Spotlight

The long-standing argument that sports and politics should not mix may be put to the test on Sunday during the Super Bowl halftime show, which will be headlined by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, a choice that has sparked backlash from segments of the U.S. right wing.

Just one week after his headline-making appearance at the Grammy Awards—where he sharply criticized the United States’ anti-immigration policies—Bad Bunny will once again take center stage on the global spotlight with his performance at the NFL final in Santa Clara, California.

Beyond the expectations surrounding the show itself, speculation has grown over whether the artist could again use the platform to protest policies associated with the administration of former President Donald Trump, in front of an audience expected to exceed 120 million viewers in the United States alone.

In fact, one of the most popular Super Bowl prop bets this year revolves around whether the Puerto Rican singer will deliver a direct message against ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), similar to the one he delivered at the Grammys last Sunday.

While few expect Bad Bunny to repeat such a pointed statement, the mere speculation highlights the delicate balance the NFL must manage during the most-watched broadcast of the year.

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The world’s most powerful sports league has drawn criticism from the MAGA movement since announcing in September that Bad Bunny would headline a halftime show largely performed in Spanish.

Trump himself declined to attend the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, despite having made history last year as the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl. He described the musical lineup—which also includes outspoken critics such as Green Day—as “a terrible choice” that would “sow hatred.” In response, his supporters have organized an alternative event dubbed the “All-American Halftime Show,” featuring like-minded artists such as Kid Rock.

International

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The proposed legislation, titled the “Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence,” was introduced by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power following the capture of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation.

The legislative session was convened for Thursday afternoon, with lawmakers holding an initial discussion focused on the general principles of the bill. This phase precedes a consultation process with civil society, after which the proposal will move to a final debate examining each article individually.

According to a draft of the bill obtained by AFP, the amnesty would apply to individuals accused of crimes such as “treason,” “terrorism,” and “incitement to hatred,” charges that were frequently brought against political prisoners over the past decades. The scope also includes offenses ranging from acts of rebellion to punishments imposed for social media posts or messages sent through private messaging services.

The bill’s explanatory text emphasizes reconciliation, stating that it seeks to move away from “vengeance, retaliation, and hatred” in favor of “opening a path toward reconciliation.”

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However, the proposal explicitly excludes from its benefits crimes such as “serious human rights violations, crimes against humanity, war crimes, intentional homicide, corruption, and drug trafficking.”

These exclusions, the text notes, are based on strict compliance with the Venezuelan Constitution, which already prohibits granting amnesties or pardons for such offenses.