The announcement followed the killing of three diplomats inside the Chilean Embassy in Costa Rica on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear said the host countries are responsible for security at the embassies, but in some specific cases security is reinforced with police personnel from Chile.

"Security measures in each of our embassies are under evaluation," she said.

Costa Rican policeman Jose Orlando Jimenez occupied the Chilean Embassy Tuesday and killed Consul Cristian Yussef, First Secretary Roberto Nieto and Cultural Attache Rocio Sariego.

The minister said Chile will pay for air tickets of relatives of the victims traveling to Costa Rica, as well as for the transport of the bodies.

The perpetrator, 54, was a policeman in charge of security at the embassy.

"This situation is so regrettable because of the fact that the policeman worked for the embassy's security for five years," the minister said.

Costa Rica declared three days of mourning for the victims while Chile declared two days of mourning.

According to Costa Rican media, Jimenez was to be moved to a position guarding the house of an ex-president, which he apparently saw as a demotion.
 

Kerry calls on Colombia to abide by UNHCHR recommendation
US Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry and 22 senators this week called on Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to follow the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) in dealing with violence in his country.

Kerry and the senators send a letter to Uribe dated July 26, saying they appreciate Uribe's efforts in establishing a secure future for Colombians. But they affirmed that the level of violence was escalating in this country.

The most urgent UNHCHR recommendation is to cut ties between the army and paramilitary forces engaged in abuses, by suspending, investigating and vigorously prosecuting officials engaged in such collaboration, said the letter.

The letter was also signed by Kerry's running mate John Edwards.

There was a direct link between the illegal paramilitary forces and the Colombian army. The right-wing paramilitaries, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), had acted in collaboration with and with the support of "diverse military authorities" in perpetrating the massacre.

The paramilitaries, or the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), mainly funded by landowners and drug dealers, was set up in April 1997 to fight left-wing guerrillas who also tried to control plantations and sales of coca leaves, the raw material for cocaine.
 

Arrest warrant issued for former Argentinian president
Argentina has issued an international arrest warrant for former president Carlos Menem, who has been charged with corruption and money laundering.

Menem was president of Argentina from 1989 until 1999. CRIENGLISH.com reported Thursday.

Menem lives in Chile, which has repeatedly refused to extradite him. His Chilean wife is a former Miss Universe.
 

People's "tribunal" to judge US crimes against Cuba
A people's tribunal, formed by citizens from different countries, announced Wednesday that it will "judge" the US crimes against Cuba over the past 45 years.

The court will judge Washington's criminal conduct against the Caribbean island on October 4-5 in Mexico, a former Mexican federal congressman Gilberto Lopez said.

Lopez said the tribunal will be formed in accordance with the Mexican legal proceedings, and prosecution specialists, a group of judges and a defendant will participate in the trial.

The tribunal will soon, through the diplomatic channel, ask the US government to appoint a defendant. Should no defendant be presented as requested, the defendant would be appointed by the tribunal, he added.

The establishment of the people's tribunal has received responses from citizens of 14 countries, including the United States, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Mexico.