Patent Rights in South America? Not so much.

The U.S. Trade Representative just released a report listing countries that have shaky IP regimes.  The list includes, among others: 

Argentina
Chile
Venezuela
Bolivia
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
Peru

Let's compare that to a map of South America:
 
Wow.

Maybe more interesting, under the circumstances: the South American countries that didn't make the list:

Guayana
Suriname
French Guiana
Paraguay
Uruguay.

Would not have predicted that.  Anyone making a lot of patent filings in French Guiana?

BTW, also on the list of problem countries for IP:

Canada.

Go figure.