· December, 2010

Stories about Politics from December, 2010

Cuba: Change of vote on LGBT Rights

  25 December 2010

The LGBT activist and blogger Paquito commends [es] the Cuban government for changing its vote at the United Nations after having previously supported an amendment to remove the explicit reference to sexual orientation from the periodic resolution condemning extrajudicial, arbitrary or summary executions.

Dominican Republic: Demanding 4% of National Budget for Education

  24 December 2010

In the Dominican Republic there is a heated debate about the quality of education that focuses on the fact that the General Law of Education establishes that annual public funding on education must reach at least 4% of the GDP. Actually, only around 2% is destined to education. The Internet and social media networks have become important spaces for grassroots campaigns and communication.

Caribbean: Defining Moments of 2010

  24 December 2010

Many landmark events happened in the Caribbean this year, prompting reactions from the regional blogosphere. Here's a look back at some of the most important stories of 2010...

Peru: Book About Social Conflicts in Peru

  24 December 2010

Silvio Rendón from GranComboClub analyzed [es] the book “Between economic growth and social dissatisfaction. Social protests in contemporary Peru” [es] by Romeo Grompone and Martin Tanaka. Aside from reviewing the interesting material on the case studies presented, Silvio thinks the conclusions the book reaches try to distort the social conflicts...

Venezuela: Police Repression During Protest Over University Law

  24 December 2010

Miguel Octavio in The Devil's Excrement says that students faced severe police repression during a protest against a new law that gives the government more control over universities. Furthermore, in Venezuela News and Views Daniel Duquenal reports that an AFP journalist was hurt while taking pictures of the protest.

Trinidad & Tobago: A Vote vs. Human Rights

  24 December 2010

Trinidad and Tobago bloggers are upset about their country's abstention on a UN vote regarding an amendment to a resolution “condemning extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions” which “restores a reference to sexual orientation in the list of groups of people particularly targeted in extrajudicial killings.”

Cuba: A Cuban Christmas

  24 December 2010

Iván's File Cabinet says that “although the city does not have a Christmas atmosphere…in their way, Cubans celebrate Christmas.”

Brazil: Act in support of WikiLeaks

  24 December 2010

The video of a debate in support of WikiLeaks, with the participation of its Brazilian representative, Natália Viana, and many cyberactivists, is available at the blog Maria Frô [pt]. The event was promoted by Intervozes [pt] – an organization advocating for freedom of expression and the democratization of communication.

Laos: New Prime Minister

  24 December 2010

After accepting the resignation of Bouasone Bouphavanh, the National Assembly of Laos unanimously voted Thongsing Thammavong as the country's new Prime Minister

Korea: Preferential Treatment to Kim Il-Sung Univ. Graduates

  24 December 2010

Giving preferential treatment to prestigious school graduates is South Korea's chronic disease. @Heoyeonism tweeted a North Korean defector's comment that North Korean defectors who went Kim Il-Sung University, one of the top universities in N.Korea is more likely to get a job in South than other defectors.

Caucasus: The Year in Review

  23 December 2010

With 2011 nearly upon us, the year in new and social media in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia during 2010 was surprisingly positive. So, what did the past year hold in store for the South Caucasus? Read on.

Tunisia: Unemployed Man's Suicide Attempt Sparks Riots

  23 December 2010

An unemployed Tunisian set himself on fire in protest against his joblessness, sparking a wave of riots on the ground and solidarity and support on social networking platforms. While the fate of Mohamed Bouazizi, aged 26, from Sidi Bouzid, in southern Tunisia, remains unclear, Tunisian netizens ceased the incident to complain about the lack of jobs, corruption and deteriorating human rights conditions in their country.

Kenya: Of Drug Barons, Rogue Envoy and Poisoned ICC

  23 December 2010

Of Drug Barons, Rogue Envoy and Poisoned ICC in Kenya: “Only in Kenya do you find the title Honourable before the name of a drug baron. And the Kenyan voter love them while the Diaspora applaud the bling bling MPs as hard working. Woe unto you envious, lazy mortals for...

Cote d'Ivoire: Electoral Fiction

  23 December 2010

Koranteng writes about what he calls “electoral fiction”: I write this of course after watching events in Côte D'Ivoire over the past few weeks. The initial emotion was bemusement and indeed laughter – how can one not laugh at the spectacle of someone literally tearing up election results to prevent...

Zambia: 1964 Independence Agreement Threatens to Split Nation

  23 December 2010

Zambia has in recent weeks been faced with clamours of secession by one of its regions with which it merged at independence from Britain in October 1964 to form a unitary state. The region now known as Western Province (formerly Barotseland) was an autonomous region before independence headed by the Litunga, king of the Lozi people.