LA Quick Hits:

• In case you didn't already know Castro's Spanish doctor said he's a-ok. Of course he neglected to specify what was wrong with Fidel. He did say that Fidel could run the country again, which is more than what Raul has been willing to say. In Spain the opposition is upset that public funds are being used to help pay for Castro's care. On a somewhat related matter CSM has uncharacteristically weak piece on possible post-Castro leaders touching on Raul's daughter's campaign to protect gays, transexuals and transgenders and another official who has made it acceptable to listen to the Beatles. Who cares?
  
• Ecuador is a tad peeved with Colombia (en esp.) over Uribe's insistance on continuing to spray and the statement that Colombian police had found 15 hectacres of coca in the Ecuadoran side of the border. Despite this Ecuador's current gov't has also made it clear that it does not intend to break relations with Colombia over this.
• Venezuela is upset that Colombian would insinuate that Hugo had talked Correa out of visiting Bogota. (en esp.) The Venezuelan gov't has demanded a clarification.
  
• Evo is getting ripped for trying to send back the dissident doctor.
  
• The FARC says that it will talk with Uribe , if and when he pulls troops out. Needless to say it is the EUnuchs that are pushing for these peace talks. As the article notes this was done before and all it did was make the FARC stronger and more powerful. This disastorous attempt at peace led to Uribe winning the election in a landslide. Meanwhile the ELN, the other guerilla group in Colombia, announced that it would release two cops held for over a month. (en esp.)
  
• A Colombian senator traveling to the US was turned away in Miami due to his ties with the AUC.
• A soccer star from Ecuador tries to make a difference by helping the economy.
  
• Pinochet supporters are waging a PR battle to rehabilitate his image in Chile.
• The building bust in DC is sending immigrants scampering out of the region or even back home.
  
• Oaxacan women are trying to improve their lot by bottling cactus and sending the product to el norte.