Stories by Benjamin Dangl

Benjamin Dangl is the author of The Price of Fire: Resource Wars and Social Movements in Bolivia (AK Press, 2007). He is also the editor of TowardFreedom.com, a progressive perspective on world events, and UpsideDownWorld.org, which covers activism and politics in Latin America. Email BenDangl(at)gmail(dot)com. subscribe to Benjamin Dangl's feed

Backyard Resistance: How Latin America is Battling the U.S. Empire's Surveillance State

Posted on: Jul 19, 2013, Source: Toward Freedom

Latin American countries show no fear when confronting the U.S. empire.

What Hugo Chavez Left Behind: A Renewed Continent And A Revolution of Everyday Life

Posted on: Mar 11, 2013, Source: AlterNet

Hugo Chávez’s greatest legacies are not in the presidential palace, but in the factories and neighborhoods of Venezuela--where the Bolivarian Revolution was built from the bottom up.

In the Shadow of Paraguay's Coup, Social Movements Mobilize for Democracy

Posted on: Aug 7, 2012, Source: AlterNet

Resistance to the coup takes the form of small urban protests, art and the use of social networking tools.

Paraguay’s Bitter Harvest: Multinational Corporations Reap Benefits from Coup Government

Posted on: Jul 26, 2012, Source: AlterNet

The new Paraguayan government, which came to power through a coup, has a strategy to open up the country to multinational corporate exploitation.

A Coup Over Land: The Resource War Behind Paraguay’s Crisis

Posted on: Jul 18, 2012, Source: AlterNet

What lies behind today’s headlines, political fights and struggles for justice in Paraguay is a conflict over access to land.

In South America, the Left and Indigenous Movements Are Searching for a Way to Co-Exist

Posted on: Sep 1, 2010, Source: AlterNet

At the heart of these conflicts is a question the Latin American left is grappling with: what should this "other world that is possible" look like?

Beer Battles: Workers in Belgium Take on Brewing Giant

Posted on: Feb 4, 2010, Source: AlterNet

Employees of Anheuser-Busch InBev blocked roads, kidnapped managers and handed out free beer in an effort to make their voices heard.

US Corporations, Private Mercenaries and the IMF Rush in to Profit from Haiti's Crisis

Posted on: Jan 19, 2010, Source: Toward Freedom

In the midst of a colossal human disaster, Washington is promoting unpopular economic policies and extending military and economic control over the Haitian people.

Why I'll Never Buy a Kindle

Posted on: Nov 16, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Fancy new book readers save lots of trees, yes, but I'll pass.

Former Boss of Occupied Chicago Factory Jailed

Posted on: Sep 14, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Republic workers captured the attention of the world when they occupied their plant on December 5, 2008 calling for the severance and vacation pay they were due.

Throwing Bullets at Failed Policies: U.S. Plans for New Bases in Colombia

Posted on: Sep 13, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Will Washington continue its disastrous policies in the war on drugs?

Dissecting Utopia: New Book Assesses Latin American Left

Posted on: Aug 17, 2009, Source: AlterNet

The rise of the Latin American left is a product of years of social movements and dramatic leadership.

Put Down That Coors: Why We Should Be Boycoting Big Beer

Posted on: Aug 14, 2009, Source: CounterPunch

One reason to boycott large breweries is the union busting, right wing culture that dominates some of the biggest breweries in America.

Honduran Leader's Populism Is What Provoked Military Violence

Posted on: Jun 30, 2009, Source: AlterNet

Contrary to most media accounts, President Manuel Zelaya wasn't seeking to abolish term limits.

Next on the Endangered Species List: Your Hometown Newspaper

Posted on: Jun 18, 2009, Source: AlterNet

They ground us in a globalized world, and help define who and where we are.

Compañero Obama? Obama Mends Fences with Latin America

Posted on: May 5, 2009, Source: AlterNet

The last time George W. Bush went to Latin America, protesters flooded the streets. Things have changed quite a bit since then.

Latin America Changes: Hunger Strikes in Bolivia, Summits in the Caribbean

Posted on: Apr 16, 2009, Source: AlterNet

This weekend's summit, where Obama and Chavez will shake hands for the first time, might offer some glimpses into the region's future.

This Law's for You: Home Brewers Score a Victory in Utah

Posted on: Mar 5, 2009, Source: AlterNet

The home brewers' victory in Utah is one step to enabling the beer drinkers of the world to take back their brew from corporations.

The Monroe Doctrine is Dead, as Latin America Breaks Free

Posted on: Feb 3, 2009, Source: The Progressive

A group of left-leaning South American leaders is effectively replacing Washington's presence in the region.

Firing the Boss: The Man Who Organized Chicago's Factory Takeover Speaks Out

Posted on: Jan 22, 2009, Source: AlterNet

"Because there have been very few plant occupations in the U.S. since the 1930s, we needed to look to workers' struggles in other countries."

What We Can Learn from Social Struggle in South America

Posted on: Dec 23, 2008, Source: AlterNet

South American social movements are potential blueprints for change in the U.S.

Activists Confront the Military Industrial Complex

Posted on: Nov 24, 2008, Source: AlterNet

The diverse group of activists rallied in support of building a peace economy and movement beyond election day.

Massive Political Upheaval in Bolivia Signals the Decline of U.S. Influence in Latin America

Posted on: Oct 23, 2008, Source: AlterNet

After months of street battles, the Bolivian Congress ratified a new draft of the country's constitution.

Is a U.S.-Approved Coup Under Way in Bolivia?

Posted on: Sep 22, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Bolivian President Evo Morales announces that a coup d'etat by right-wing regional governors is under way.

Communication Breakdown: How Cell Phones Hurt Communities

Posted on: Aug 21, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Have cell phone kept us better connected or driven us into our own little worlds?

Total Recall in Bolivia: Divided Nation Faces Historic Vote

Posted on: Jul 29, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Bolivia's president, vice president and eight of nine departmental governors are the subject of an upcoming recall vote.

Peace Activists Occupy General Dynamics Weapons Plant

Posted on: May 5, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Vermont activists entered General Dynamics and locked themselves together in the firm's lobby to protest the company's war profiteering.

Brewing Trouble: How to Drink Beer and Save the World

Posted on: Mar 31, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Can corporate "globeerization" be fought through "beeroregionalism"?

Bush Spending U.S. Tax Dollars to Foment Unrest in Bolivia

Posted on: Mar 9, 2008, Source: The Progressive

Documents show that Washington is backing Right-wing opposition to Bolivia's democratic reforms.

Fear and Loathing in Bolivia: New Constitution, Polarization

Posted on: Jan 7, 2008, Source: AlterNet

Tensions run high as Bolivia's elite refuse to give up power peacefully.

Is George Bush Restarting Latin America's 'Dirty Wars'?

Posted on: Aug 30, 2007, Source: AlterNet

Signs are emerging of a new wave of U.S.-backed militarism in Latin America.

The U.S. 'War on Drugs' Is an Assault on South America’s Poorest

Posted on: Apr 11, 2007, Source: AKPress

Cocaine may be considered a scourge in America's cities, but in the Andes, the plant from which it's derived is a way of life that provides food, shelter, healthcare and education.

Rapping in Aymara

Posted on: Sep 20, 2006, Source: Upside Down World

In Bolivia, hip-hop music and culture are becoming key parts of a larger liberation struggle.

The U.S. Descends on Paraguay

Posted on: Jul 20, 2006, Source: The Nation

How a city in a small South American country became one of the centers for U.S. military and anti-terrorism funding.

A Tightly Closed Door

Posted on: Mar 2, 2006, Source: Upside Down World

The Patriot Act is keeping a Bolivian farmer from entering the United States.

It's Still Chavez's Venezuela

Posted on: May 11, 2005, Source: AlterNet

Despite strong U.S. opposition, Hugo Chavez continues to gain support in Venezuela and is building stronger ties with other Latin American governments.

Samba and Revolution: Dispatches from the International Youth Camp

Posted on: Feb 3, 2005, Source: WireTap

"In this 24-hour fiesta of ideas and networking, anyone who might have tried to catch some shut-eye would have had trouble blocking out the hip hop music, campfire concerts, nightly parades and – after about 8 a.m. – the scorching Brazilian sun.

Personal Voices: Swinging the Vote, One Door at a Time

Posted on: Oct 5, 2004, Source: WireTap

While canvassing, the plan is to change voters’ minds, one by one. Such a strategy translates into long, hot hours spent making as much face-to-face contact with undecided voters as possible.

Unwelcoming the G8

Posted on: Jun 6, 2004, Source: AlterNet

As leaders of the world convene at the G8 summit to discuss the global situation as they see it, protesters outside the summit present the world as they'd like to see it.

Just Say No?

Posted on: Apr 4, 2004, Source: WireTap

The March 20 anti-war demonstration demand to “Bring the Troops Home Now” raised serious questions among activists.

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