Stories about Spanish from November, 2007
Costa Rica: The Arrival of China
Costa Rica recently established formal political and economic relations with global power China, which led to the dropping of ties with Taiwan. As a result, investment and trade between the two nations have begun and has been impulsed after the passed Free Trade Agreement with US. National and international bloggers report on the progress.
Chile: Piñera and His Facebook Page
Luis Ramirez discovers the Facebook page of Sebastian Piñera [es], a candidate for president in the next Chilean elections. On his wall, the candidate writes,”I invite you to write your...
Argentina: Lack of Handlebars in Roca Train Line
Daniel of Usuarios del Ferrocarril Roca [es] shows pictures of the deteriorated condition of some of the handlebars in the local train line in greater Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Argentina: Corruption in Government Spending
Louis Cyphre of El Opinador Compulsivo [es] writes about the lack of oversight in government spending in Argentina.
Ecuador: Each Delegate to Constituent Assembly to Have Own Blog
Christian Espinosa of Cobertura Digital [es] writes about the announcement that the 130 delegates to the Constituent Assembly in Ecuador will each have their own blog to update the public...
HiperBarrio: Changing Perceptions with Creativity
Rising Voices grantee, the HiperBarrio project, is a great example of how underrepresented communities are increasingly able to tell their stories to the world from distant and remote places. Their success lies in the use of new media tools like blogs, videoblogs, and photoblogs to enable communities to to portray their thoughts and creativity.
Colombia: Pictures of Senator with FARC Leaders
Colombian bloggers react to pictures posted by a press agency featuring a beret-wearing Senator Piedad Cordoba smiling and holding a bouquet of flowers while embracing FARC leaders during a recent meeting in Venezuela where the humanitarian exchange was to be discussed. Some wonder whether this sends an inappropriate message, while others try to see the photo with optimism.
Uruguay: Children Involved with OLPC Laptops Show What They Have Learned
Hanía Villanueva, a teacher involved with the pilot project where One Laptop Per Child computers were distributed in Villa Cardal, Uruguay writes about about the Milk Festival [es]. At this...
Peru: Blogs from El Comercio
Blogs from the Lima newspaper El Comercio have been looked at differently by bloggers in Peru. Perhaps it is due to the fact that these bloggers are given more attention because of their link with the large newspaper or because they are paid to blog. Nevertheless, these bloggers from El Comercio write about diverse topics such as Peruvian rock music, gastronomy, and looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Chile: User Generated Content in Earthquake Coverage
Fayer Wayer [es] takes a look at user generated content used in the coverage and the rights to that content during the recent earthquake in Northern Chile.
Uruguay: The Smells from the Paper Mill
In regards to the paper mill controversy between Uruguay and Argentina, ¡Montevideo me mata! [es] writes about the latest topic of journalistic coverage in the paper mill controversy: the smells...
Peru: Education Among the Shawi Indians
Nila Vigil of Instituto Linguístico de Invierno [es] writes about her experiences during a recent trip in the area of the River Paranapura in the Peruvian Amazon, where she found...
Puerto Rico: Environmental Activist Turns Himself In
Puerto Rican environmental activist "Tito Kayak" turned himself in to police on November 14 after a spectacular televised escape, following a week-long protest atop a 200-foot construction crane in San Juan. He was protesting a disputed luxury development that environmentalists warn will cause serious damage to public beaches. Some Puerto Rican bloggers aren't impressed, while others look at the underlying causes that led to the protest.
Nicaragua: Software Freedom Day Group Wins Award
Organizers of the Software Freedom Day in Managua, Nicaragua received some good news. Their event is similar to other events held around the world designed to introduce and discuss the use of Free and Open Source software. They were one of the top three places worldwide to receive a recognition for their collaborative work from the Software Freedom Day organization and the activists hope to continue the activities in Nicaragua.
Peru: Global Voices Translation Manager Interview
Global Voices Translation Manager Juan Arellano is interviewed by Mi Blog de Blogs [es] about his work.
Guatemala: Local Self-Determination on Mining Lands
The mining industry has increased in importance in Guatemala, where given the market prices of some metals and minerals, the lands that many communities are situated are in high demand. Often these communities, especially indigenous peoples, demand a say in how their lands are used. The questions that bloggers have been asking are where is the development and what will happen when these companies leave
Guatemala: Tourist Circuit of Colonial Churches
Blog de Chiquimula [es] writes about a new tourist route sponsored by the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture, which highlights colonial churches in the eastern part of the country.
Guatemala: Elimination of Fuel Tax
Luis Figueroa of Carpe Diem [es] thinks president-elect Alvaro Colom's proposal to eliminate taxes on fuels is an excellent idea and will help Guatemalans, especially if it is coupled with...
Bolivia: Hard to Find Addresses in El Alto
Cristina Quisbert of Bolivia Indigena [es] explains how street addresses are nearly impossible to find because of the way street names and house addresses follow no recognizable pattern and that...
Nicaragua: Community Site Announces Its End
Nicaragua y Su Blog [es], a community site for Nicaraguan blogs, which has consistently featured new Nica blogs, announces that it stop updating its sitem much to the disappointment of...
Chile: Earthquake in Northern Chile
Gerardo Espíndola provides up to the minute coverage at El Morrocotudo [es] of an earthquake in Arica, Chile..
