· March, 2008

Stories about Latin America from March, 2008

Brazil: March for the end of the Gaza Strip

“It is said that each Palestinian expelled from their land – and not just since 1948, when it the state of Israel was created – keep a key which they always carry with them. This is not the key for their car, office or a shed lost somewhere between Jordan,...

Brazil: First blogger celebrates 10 years of Lusosphere

  31 March 2008

“Ten years ago, exactly on March 31, 1998, I was publishing my first blog, the modest Diário da Megalópole [Megalopolis Diary, pt], which was possibly the first blog ever in Portuguese”, remembers Nemo Nox, who still goes strong.

Cuba: Can You Hear me Now?

  31 March 2008

News that Cubans will now be allowed to buy cell phones has been met with differing reactions by Cuban bloggers…El Cafe Cubano: “Cubans on average earn about $20 a month and cell phones in Cuba are selling for $260 and above. Do the math…”; Uncommon Sense: “I do not begrude...

Jorge Gobbi: Travel Blogs and Experiences From the Road

  30 March 2008

The grand city of Buenos Aires, Argentina is a favorite destination for many tourists. It is also the home of Global Voices' author for Argentina, Jorge Gobbi, who has been able to combine his love for traveling with blogging about the subject, both personally and professionally. In continuation of the series of Global Voices Online author profiles, Jorge also describes some of his favorite, as well as most unusual experiences while on the road.

Brazil: Blogs banned from the 2008 elections

  30 March 2008

Brazil is warming up for local elections later this year, but the Supreme Electoral Court has just passed regulations that have raised eye-brows throughout the blogosphere: only candidates' purpose-built web pages will be allowed. Blogs and 'social web' facilities have not been subjected to a more comprehensive legislation and as a result these are now left in limbo. Will the netizen be silenced?

Mexico: Water News

  30 March 2008

Noticias del Agua [es] is a blog that links to various news articles related to the use and conservation of water, especially in Mexico.

Peru: Two Earthquakes Shake Lima

  29 March 2008

Juan Arellano of Globalizado [es] reports on this morning's earthquakes in Lima and provides links to what bloggers and users of twitters have been saying.

Peru: Puno Leader Seeking Greater Autonomy for Region

  28 March 2008

The Regional President of Puno, Hernán Fuentes, has called for increased financial, administrative and political autonomy for one of the poorest regions of Peru. Some local bloggers agree that Puno needs more help in order to combat its high rates of poverty, but wonder whether Fuentes is just following from Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez' playbook, but also note that seeking autonomy is not new within Peru's history.

Cuba, Venezuela: Safety of Journalists

  28 March 2008

Both Uncommon Sense and Child of the Revolution share their opinions on the President of the Cuban Union of Journalists telling a conference “of left-wing ‘media workers’ in Caracas that there is ‘absolute respect’ for the personal safety of journalists under the Castro regime.”

Jamaica, Cuba: Poetry in Motion

  28 March 2008

Jamaican Geoffrey Philp blogs about MiPOesias Magazine's newly released issue, which he says “showcases the work of poets of Cuban descent who live in the U.S…no matter the subject, these poems blend the romance and sorrows of the past with a crisp view of daily life.”

Colombia: Contest brings forth multimedia citizen journalists

  28 March 2008

Contest open for anyone, regardless of nationality, to write, show and create content telling the world about a very special place in Colombia most people wouldn´t normally be aware of. Bloggers and vloggers are already responding, here are examples from the Chocó and Antioquia regions.

Cuba: Verifying Blocked Websites

  27 March 2008

Yoaní Sanchez of Generación Y [es] in Cuba details which blog and websites are currently being blocked within the island after verifying this fact at a local cybercafe.

Costa Rica: Government Program to Protect Water Resources

  27 March 2008

Out of Costa Rica [es] salutes the program Bandera Azul Ecológica, which has been in effect since 1996 to protect water resources throughout the country. Communities and beaches receive this accredition from the president after meeting certain standards.

Puerto Rico: Earth Hour

  27 March 2008

“The aim of the campaign is to express that individual action on a mass scale can help change our planet for the better. Furthermore, it cements the connection between energy usage and climate change, showing that we as broader community can address the biggest threat our planet has ever faced.”...

Brazil: When the justice doesn't get the Internet

  27 March 2008

Idelber [pt] is finding a new resolution by the Brazilian Superior Electoral Court hard to believe. It rules that any campaign for the 2008 local elections will only be allowed from July 6, even in the Internet. The blogger asks: “If someone decides to campaign for their candidate in his...

Brazil: Listen to Brazil v Sweden in the 1958 World Cup

  27 March 2008

If you didn't get excited by the Brazil v Sweden friendly match yesterday, Donizetti [pt] has found a link to a moving live radio narration (in Portuguese) of the same confrontation, but in the World Cup in 1958. “Playing were Gilmar, Nilton Santos, Orlando, Bellini, Djalma Santos, Didi, Zito, Zagalo,...

Cuba: Blocking Bloggers

  26 March 2008

Want to get the Cuban blogosphere talking? Block access to a popular blog. Ever since Cuban authorities did just that to several less-than-supportive Havana-based blogs earlier this week, the blogging diaspora have come out in full support of Cuban bloggers – especially Yoani Sanchez and her popular Generacion Y blog,...

Brazil: Let us be courteous in the blogosphere

  26 March 2008

Pedro Dória [pt] is aghast with the increasingly aggressive comments in his blog and with no time to moderate them, he proposes the readers help him keeping courteous. “We're not barbarians, we are civilized. This is a democracy. Everyone is welcome no matter their creed, colour, belief, age, sex. In...

About our Latin America coverage

Gabriela Mesones Rojo
Gabriela Mesones Rojo is the Latin America Spanish-language editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Fernanda Canofre
Fernanda Canofre is the Brazil editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.