Montreal
Aux armes, citoyens: A militant Quebec separatist group has opened a recruitment center in Montreal, raising fears that violence could return to the province. The center for the Milice Patriotique Québécoise sells balaclavas, camouflage gear, and T-shirts with the slogan, “Now it’s your turn to be scared.” It has applied for a license to sell guns. The 200-strong militia’s leader, Serge Provost, says he offers combat training for Quebecers for “defensive” purposes, in case they are attacked by the Canadian army. In the 1960s and ’70s, Quebec separatist groups carried out dozens of bombings and one high-profile murder.
Caracas, Venezuela
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U.S. ties worsen: The U.S. and Venezuela began the year in diplomatic crisis after kicking out each other’s ambassadors. Venezuela started the spat by refusing to accept the credentials of Larry Palmer, the Obama administration’s choice as envoy. President Hugo Chávez said Palmer had “disqualified himself” by making disparaging remarks about the Venezuelan military during his congressional confirmation hearing. In retaliation, the U.S. last week revoked the visa of the Venezuelan ambassador. Neither side shows signs of budging. “If the rhetoric becomes more shrill,” said Larry Birns of the think tank Council on Hemispheric Affairs, “the situation can deteriorate faster than either side originally intended.”
Brasília, Brazil
Italian terrorist stays: On his last day in office, outgoing Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rejected the extradition of convicted murderer Cesare Battisti to Italy, outraging that country. Battisti, a former leftist rebel, was jailed in Italy in 1979 for belonging to an armed group but escaped in 1981. While on the run, Battisti was convicted in absentia of four murders, based on the testimony of a former fellow rebel, but he maintained his innocence and became something of an international celebrity, living openly in Mexico and France and writing novels. He was arrested in 2007 in Brazil on an Interpol warrant, but now that Lula has refused to extradite him, he could go free. Italy recalled its ambassador and threatened to take Brazil to the International Criminal Court.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Spectacular bank heist: A gang of thieves tunneled into an Argentine bank vault and spent New Year’s weekend looting the safety-deposit boxes. Police said the 100-foot tunnel, which sported ventilation, lighting, and even carpeting, must have taken months to build. Banco Provincia said there’s no way to know how much money, jewels, or other valuables the gang made off with, since the bank doesn’t require customers to declare the contents of their boxes. After Argentina’s 2001 banking sector collapse, many people began stashing their life savings in deposit boxes rather than in bank accounts. According to security cameras, three thieves were involved, but no one has been arrested.
