· March, 2011

Stories about Politics from March, 2011

Honduras: Teacher Protests Continue

  29 March 2011

Hemispheric Brief reports: “Teacher protests continued in Honduras Monday, despite a threat from President Pepe Lobo that his government would begin suspending, without pay, those who did not return to their classrooms this week. […] The protests, triggered by six months of unpaid wages to Honduran teachers, are now entering...

Côte d'Ivoire: Where is Gbagbo's General, Philippe Magou?

  29 March 2011

Monday March 14, 2011, was a busy day in Côte d'Ivoire. After violence this past weekend in the Abobo district of southerly economic capital Abidjan, Ivorians in the city were woken up by Kalashnikovs and heavy artillery. For a few days now, the rumors in Abidjan have been growing as to Ivorian army General Philippe Mangou's responsibility in this crisis.

Syria: Complexity Behind the Protests

Unrest in Syria enters its second week, as anti-government protests continue in their bid to oust President Bashar al-Assad. Whilst it may seem that the unrest in Syria is a natural progression of the Arab revolution spreading throughout the region, there are unique dynamics in Syria that distinguish it from other Arab states.

Colombia: Controversy Over Photos of Minors Published by Adult Magazine

  28 March 2011

An article, titled "Let the children come to me" (referencing Mark 10:14), which includes photos from an exhibition by photographer Mauricio Vélez depicting staged scenes of nude underage boys (or models pretending to be minors) being watched by actors dressed as Catholic priests has caused controversy both offline and online.

Jamaica: Passing the Buck

  28 March 2011

“To date, the Enquiry has been fascinating and compelling TV”: Jamaica and the World reports on the latest developments in the Manatt Dudus Enquiry, which “involved politicians placing the blame on public servants/civil service employees.”

Bermuda: Development vs. Conservation

  28 March 2011

“Can we please stop pretending that that the Tucker’s Point SDO is about saving tourism? It’s about developing real estate”: Vexed Bermoothes says that “there has been a drought of information to justify abandoning the various conservation protections on the land.”

Swaziland: Anger at revolution snub

  28 March 2011

The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) has criticized the reporting of the proposed ‘uprising’ against the government on 12 April 2011 by the Times of Swaziland: “In particular, it takes issue with comments attributed to Dr Judy Smith Hohn of the Institute for Security Studies, in South Africa.”

Peru: 2 Weeks Before the General Election

  28 March 2011

Carlos A. Quiroz in Peruanista writes a thorough post on the political climate in Peru two weeks before the general elections. He includes a short review of the use of social media during the campaign.

El Salvador: Online and Street Protests During Obama's Visit

  28 March 2011

Tim in Tim's El Salvador Blog reports that, “not everyone was happy to see Barack Obama on Salvadoran soil. Protesters in the streets of San Salvador and in cyberspace raised their voices against a variety of aspects of US policy impacting this tiny country in Central America.”

Cuba: Implications of the Alan Gross trial

  28 March 2011

In half-wired, blogger Ellery Biddle analyzes the Alan Gross case and the potential of ICT's in Cuba: “First, who decides what constitutes a crime? While Cuban courts say that Gross committed “acts against the independence or territorial integrity of the state,” Hillary Clinton,  Phillip Crowley and other State Department officials say that...

Panama: Saying Goodbye to Guillermo Ford

  28 March 2011

Politician and businessman Guillermo "Billy" Ford died on March 19. Panamanians said goodbye with respect, remembering his role in the search for democracy during the eighties. This was an opportunity to reflect on the current state of values in the country and the legacy we leave behind.

Madagascar: Reactions to the New Members of the Government

  27 March 2011

Blogger Thierry Andriamirado listed the names of all the members of the newly formed government in Madagascar [fr] as it was announced on national radio.  Political blogger Ndimby provides an analysis of the composition of this alleged government of national unity and the potential acceptation of the Malagasy administration by the international community[fr].