Stories about Spanish from April, 2009
Cuba: Open Letter About the Relationship with the United States
Bloggers Cuba [es] writes an open letter regarding the differences between Cuba and the United States and hopes that change can happen now with the hope that both countries’ leaders...
Cuba: National Football Team to Skip Gold Cup
Even though it qualified, the Cuban national football team will not participate in the Gold Cup to be held in the United States in July because of “technical and organizational”...
Honduras: Does the Country Need a New Constitution?
Honduran President Manuel Zelaya recently announced that he will ask the people whether or not the country needs a new Constitution. He says yes, but will let the people decide. Some critics believe that Zelaya wants to scrap the current version in order to remain in power indefinitely.
Peru: Recent Paleontological Discoveries
El Pensieve de Dinorider [es] posts links to various articles about recent paleontological discoveries across Peru.
Ecuador: Social Web Conference in Quito
A conference called “Setting and Culture of the Social Web + 10 Suggestions for the Media that Wants to Change” was held in Quito, Ecuador with the participation of many...
Guatemala: The Manatee Under Threat of Extinction
The manatee, which draws tourists to Guatemala, is in danger of extinction writes Jorge Morales of Guate Zona [es] .
Costa Rica: Internet Cost Structure
Mirando en Marcelo [es] has a two-part series on the fee structure for internet in Costa Rica and how the costs will be lowered through a partnership with cable providers.
Mexico: Theater Documentary Recounts Testimonies of Relatives of Women Killed
Women of Sand is a theater documentary that chronicles the testimonies of relatives of victims of the feminicides of Juarez, Mexico and has been performed by more than 30 groups...
Colombia: Transfer of US Military Base from Ecuador
The US military base currently located in Manta, Ecuador is being transferred to Colombia. “This is a violation of national sovereignty with the aim to maintain a certain level of...
Bolivia: Piecing Together the Life of an Accused Terrorist
Bolivian police killed three foreign nationals in a Santa Cruz hotel. What is not entirely clear is the connection between the men, who national authorities say were a part of a terrorist cell that had been planning to assassinate President Evo Morales, as well as others from the opposition. One man has emerged as the ringleader of the group, Eduardo Rózsa-Flores, a Bolivian-Hungarian citizen with a long history. The media, as well as bloggers, have been trying to piece together his background to draw conclusions.
Bolivia: Raising Ticket Prices on Transportation During the Holidays
During Easter Week, drivers of public mini-buses to the Bolivian Altiplano raise ticket prices much to the helplessness of residents that have no other choice than to pay in order...
Global Recession: The world is talking. Are we listening?
There is no lack of online articles about the various aspects of the global economic crisis. Many of them are written by economic experts and policymakers. What about the perspectives of ordinary bloggers? This global roundup of blogs gathers stories of people around the world who are struggling to survive the economic downturn.
Argentina: Cleaning Up the Riachuelo
La Matanza River, better known as El Riachuelo, flows through one of the most colorful tourist attractions in Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, the contamination from nearby industrial plants has left the waterway heavily polluted. Despite promises from local authorities, little progress has been made to clean up the river. A Greenpeace icebreaker is arriving to take part in a campaign to raise awareness and to push for results.
Peru: Recovering Memories of the Amazon
Historical records and memories of the Peruvian Amazon are often locked up in the archives of governmental offices or other non-governmental organizations, and often never seen by the general public. Now through the use of the internet, many of these publications, photos and videos are being shared with the world, which allows those living in the present to see how things have changed.
Bolivia: Community Wireless Network in El Alto
Mario Durán of Palabras Libres [es] unveils the free and community wireless internet connection in the Rio Seco neighborhood of El Alto, Bolivia.
Paraguay: President Lugo Admits Fathering a Child as Bishop
Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo recently admitted that he fathered a child when he was still a Roman Catholic bishop. This news is causing quite a stir amongst politicians, the media, and bloggers who write about the disappointment in their current leader, but also how there are much more serious problems to worry about and the comparison to acts committed by other politicians.
Peru: Mass Sterilizations During Fujimori Term
After the sentencing of Peruvian ex-president Alberto Fujimori for crimes against humanity, Silvio Rendón of Gran Combo Club [es] summarizes the events behind the mass sterilizations of indigenous women without...
Costa Rica: Recommendations on How Politicians Should Use the Internet
In light of the campaign “spam” being distributed by politician Laura Chinchilla [es], Marcial Cambronero has recommendations on how politicians should take advantage of the web 2.0 tools to reach...
Bolivia: Journalist Rojas Resigns Due to Threats
Andrés Rojas, the Bolivian journalist who was threatened with expulsion from working in the city of El Alto by the Regional Worker's Union for what they perceived to be negative...
Cuba, U.S.A.: Extending an Olive Branch?
The Obama administration yesterday announced some key changes to U.S. policy designed to "reach out to the Cuban people in support of their desire to freely determine their country’s future." While the policy shift allows for a lift on travel and remittance restrictions and paves the way for greater telecommunications links with the island, some bloggers are concerned that the measure has not gone far enough...
Cuba: Blogger Yoani Sánchez Introduces Voces Cubanas
In this interview with Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez, she presents the new project called Voces Cubanas that will providing hosting for anyone wanting to learn to create his or her own personal blog. She also comments on the term "blogostróika" often used to describe this new wave of Cuban blogs and their role in the democratization process.
