Stories about Spanish from September, 2012
Spain: Should the Church Pay (All) its Taxes?
In May of this year, Zamora became the first city in Spain to enforce that the Catholic Church pay Property Tax (IBI). Social networks have captured information and a variety of comments on the topic.
Dominican Republic: Mobilization Against Teen Pregnancy
Different civil organizations and state institutions facilitated spaces for dialogue about the issue of teen pregnancy and supported various demonstrations in favor of measures to reduce the incidence of the problem.
Panama: Controversial 510 Copyright Bill Approved
The 510 Bill that would regulate copyrights in Panamá was approved on September 26, 2012, by the National Assembly. The outrage against this bill is coming to a boiling point on social networks and Panamá's mainstream media since, among other things, it establishes unprecedented liberties to the legislative body charged with enforcing it.
Mexico: Missing Activist Aleph Jiménez Found Alive
Missing Mexican activist Aleph Jiménez was found alive and claims to have gone in hiding due to safety concerns. Netizens have mixed reactions to the news.
Mexicans Mourn the Death of Senator Alonso Lujambio
Mexicans from the political sphere and from the public in general mourn the passing of Senator Alonso Lujambio due to illness. Some of the tributes that have been shared on Twitter are collected here.
Spain: Creative Alternatives to an Economy in Crisis
Since the start of the crisis that continues to embroil Spain's economy, many Spaniards have opted out of that economic model and instead created viable alternatives to their economy in crisis, such as networks for sharing goods and services or new systems and currencies that promote responsible consumption.
The Gloomy Years of Colombian Television
Since last May [es], ‘pink sauce’ from popular gossip website La Fiscalía has been posting a series on “the gloomy years of Colombian television” [es], where he reviews, tongue-in-cheek and...
Spain: Proposed Changes for Abortion Law
The 28th of September is the celebration of the Campaign for the Legalization of Abortion, which has taken place for years in Latin America and the Caribbean and this year...
Puerto Rico: Plagiarism Revealed Through the Net
Janet Marilyn Hernández, a Venezuelan blogger and public relations professional, discovered that her thesis was plagiarized in a newspaper article and blog post written by professor Ivan Ríos of the University of Puerto Rico. Using email, posts, Twitter and Facebook she brought the situation to the attention of the University and the mainstream press. The professor has since resigned.
Mexico: Writing from Jail
Enrique Aranda Ochoa writes literature from jail. Convicted of kidnapping in 1997 with a sentence of 50 years in prison, Enrique has used his time in jail to write six novels and earn various literature awards. His latest book, available for purchase in an electronic format, focuses on the mysteries of the Mayans.
Colombians Cautiously Optimistic About Peace Talks with FARC
The Colombian government is planning its first set of negotiations with FARC in a decade. While many Colombian bloggers welcome this decision, others do not see the negotiations leading to the end of decades of violence and criminal activities.
Spain: Two Journalists on Trial for Revealing Corruption in Catalonia
On September 27, Albano Dante and Marta Sibina, editors of the magazine Cafè amb Llet, will appear in court in Catalonia, Spain. The journalists are being sued for libel by an advisor to the Catalan president after alleging that senior officials are involved in corruption of the health care system.
Peru: Activists Begin “Civic Crusade” in Defense of the Nanay River
In our first post in this tree-part series we briefly introduced some water-related issues in Iquitos, and later presented the controversy generated by the transnational Conoco Phillips and their exploration and search for hydrocarbons in the Nanay River basin. In this post we continue addressing the issue and discuss how organizations like the Water Committee are fighting this problem.
Uruguay: Legislators Move Forward Bill to Depenalize Abortion
After 14 hours of intense debate, Uruguay’s Chamber of Deputies voted 50 to 49 in favor of depenalizing abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Twitter was abuzz during the whole day as Uruguayans shared their opinions on abortion and the bill under debate.
Documentary on Salvadoran ‘Guerrilleras’ Turns to Crowdfunding
Photographers Rebecka Bíró (Sweden/Spain) and Victoria Montero (Argentina) have teamed up to create 'Guerrilleras' a documentary and photography project about the experience of women in the guerrilla during the Salvadoran Civil War (1980-1992).
Peru: Young Woman Killed After Participating in Reality Show
Peruvian netizens were shocked by the murder of 19-year-old Ruth Thalia Sayas Sanchez, a young Peruvian woman who participated in the newly launched reality show 'The value of truth' (El valor de la verdad). Her ex-boyfriend and two others kidnapped and later killed her for money after she had won 15,000 Peruvian soles (about US$5,700) on the show.
Colombia: Chronicling a Mugging
Santiago Ardila Reyes blogs [es] about the mugging he suffered in front of his house for his smartphone, describes how he feels about it, and wonders about the causes of...
Venezuela: Electoral TwitCam
Journalist and Global Voices contributor Luis Carlos Díaz [es] is streaming “Electoral TwitCams” to discuss the upcoming Venezuelan elections. You can watch the first video stream [es] and tune in...
Mexico: Scientist and Activist Disappears, Family Fears Authorities’ Involvement
Aleph Jiménez, an activist and scientist, has gone missing in México after denouncing police repression following his arrest for participating in a political protest. Two of his colleagues have appeared dead. Family fears authorities are involved.
Internet Activa: A Course on Digital Rights and Civil Liberties
With the sponsorship of Google and the support of the organization Red Pa Todos, the Karisma foundation has launched Internet Activa, "an open, [free], and digital online course aimed at supporting those who want to actively participate in defending the open, participatory, and free Internet that we know."
Twitter Manifesto Against Violence Targeting Mexican Netizens
After Aleph Jiménez [es] -a member of the #YoSoy132 movement- disappeared in Ensenada, Mexico on September 21, 2012, the website Pulso Ciudadano (Citizen Pulse) republished a Twitter Manifesto [es] against violence targeting netizens to remind us...
