LA Quick Hits: Castro & Cancer, Deportation Evo Style, Colombia/Ecuador (Again), FARC Strikes, Stuff on Chile, President Priest and More

• Spanish health officials have been helping Fidel since June. By the way the cancer specialist who flew all the way from Spain with special equipment said that Fidel does not have cancer. I believe him as much as I believe Fidel.
• More on the Cuban dissident awaiting deportation in Bolivia. He has helped over 100 Cuban doctors defect in Bolivia.
• Colombian police found coca growing being done in Ecuador. In case you were wondering tensions are not ebbing yet - if anything they are still getting worse. (en esp.)
• In Colombia FARC ambushed gov't forces killing 14. Uribe appears to be prepping for an offensive and FARC seems to be trying to blunt it.
• HoustonChron notices the difference between Calderon and Fox. Fox didn't like to strong arm afraid of tainting his democratic credentials, Calderon has no such qualms.
• Argentina's recovery is exacerbating income disparity creating some Argentine angst.
• NYT recaps the Evo/Santa Cruz fight. In the end observers think that things are going too well in Bolivia for there to be a civil war.
• Bachelet wants to drastically reform Chile's unique private pension system and move closer to one that is going to eventually bankrupt Western Europe and the US. I wonder what Jose Pinera has to say about all this? He was instrumental in creating and running Chile's system and has been a persistent defender.
• Chileans are tired of being swindled by foreign companies seeking land for minerals.
• Paper mill war update - Angry Argentines are still blocking access to Uruguay. (en esp.)
• I neglected to mention in a previous post that the prez candidate of Paraguay's lefty Tekojoja Popular Movement, Fernando Lugo, is a bishop. (en esp.) He officially resigned from the clergy to focus on his political aspirations. Incidentally he says he is not from the left nor right - in his mind there are only thieves and victims.
• Just because Fidel is on his deathbed does not mean that the Cuban Gov't isn't going to try to micromanage people's lives. Now Cuba doesn't want citizen's to rock climb.
• In case you were curious what life as a drag queen in Havana was like the WaPost does you a favor.