Stories about Latin America from June, 2008
Puerto Rico: Sacred Journey
The Voice of the Taino People Online reports on the progress of the Peace and Dignity Journey, being run from New York to Panama, in honour of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean region.
Cuba: Developing Hackers
André Deak is a Brazilian blogger who has recently visited Cuba, and in ‘Cuban Hackers‘ [PT] he tells about the ‘Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas‘ (Informatic Sciences University), where local developers are learning to create code in one of the most precarious technological environments, caused by the US embargo. Deak...
Cuba: Waiting in Miami
Ninety miles away….in another country points readers to an article about the cultural milieu of Miami's Little Havana, where old men eat Cuban sandwiches and dream of regime change in the island of their birth.
Cuba: The Church and Gay Rights
The Cuban government's growing support for gay rights is drawing criticism from the island's Roman Catholic Church. Protest is good, says Uncommon Sense, but the Church has it all wrong on this issue.
Bolivia: The Unveiling of Bolivia OS
Hugo Miranda saw firsthand the unveiling of Bolivia OS, the open software operating system and features ABI Word in the indigenous languages Quechua and Aymara.
Cuba: Above average
The Cuban Triangle comments on the astonishing results of a UNESCO education study on third and sixth graders, in which Cuban students did so much better than the rest of Latin America.
Ecuador: Constituent Assembly President Steps Down
The president of the Ecuadoran Constituent Assembly, Alberto Acosta, recently stepped down. Many local bloggers are wondering the role that President Rafael Correa and his political party had in this resignation. Others wonder about the future of the new Constitution and whether articles will be passed through without much discussion, now that a person considered to be fair is no longer presiding over the debate.
Uruguay: International Airport Website Tools
The international airport Carrasco in Montevideo, Uruguay has several tools on its website making life easier for travelers and paying more attention to customer service writes Tan Conectados [es].
Cuba: Exploring Oil
The Cuban Triangle is puzzled by a Florida Congressional delegation's idea that Cuba should be blocked from drilling for oil in its own Gulf waters. He says comments by Senator Mel Martinez, reported in El Nuevo Herald, must sound to Cuban readers, “as if he thinks he is in charge...
Kazakhstan: Highway to prosperity
Ben reports on the World Bank’s president, Bob Zoellick, visit to Kazakhstan, which has resulted in a $2.5 billion infrastructure project.
Colombia: Conclusions from Blogger Gathering
Campus Comunicativo [es] writes about the recent Colombian blogger gathering and provides some conclusions from the event, such as the need to find ways to make blogs profitable through e-marketing and third-party financing.
Bolivia: Autonomy Referendum in Tarija
Miguel Centellas and Miguel Buitrago both write about the recent autonomy referendum in Tarija, Bolivia, which passed with approximately 80% in support.
Cuba: EU sanctions
Ninety miles away….in another country posts two updates on the European Union's lifting of sanctions against Cuba. One is a comment on a CNN reporter's use of the word “blockade“, and the other a note on the arrest of an activist.
Mexico: Food Products Price Fixed
Diego from Blog.com.mx [es] lists the 150 food products that were price-fixed by the Mexican government. He notes that many of these products are not necessarily consumed by many people.
Mexico: 12 Die at Nightclub Raid
During a nightclub raid in Mexico City, 12 people were killed by the stampede, including several policemen. Mexico Reporter writes that the police had gone to investigate whether drugs and alcohol were being sold to minors.
El Salvador: Bus Fare Hikes Cause Protests
Due to rising fuel prices, some bus operators in El Salvador have illegally raised fare prices to cover these costs. As a result, there have been critiques against the government for not enforcing these laws. The rising fares have also led to protests writes Tim Muth.
Costa Rica: The Active Arenal Volcano
The Arenal Volcano near the Costa Rican town of La Fortuna de San Carlos has been especially active in recent weeks writes The Real Costa Rica Blog.
Venezuela: Government Halts Proposed Education and Intelligence Policy Changes
In 2007, when President Hugo Chávez announced that he was going to begin the “5 engines for the construction of socialism in Venezuela,” he did not know that one year later that he would be changing speeds or in some cases, going in reverse. This is part 1 in a series of articles about some of these changes in education and intelligence policies.
Cuba: Election Summer
Circles Robinson Online on Cubans’ interest in November's US presidential election, and what the possible election of Barack Obama may mean for relations between the two countries.
Cuba: Europe to Lift Sanctions
The Cuban Triangle takes note of the European Union's decision to lift sanctions imposed in 2003, while Ninety Miles Away….in another country quotes Oswaldo Yañez to provide a “frame of reference” for this development.
Paraguay: First Week Back Home
Muna Annahas reflects on her first week back in Paraguay and notes that the famous Hotel Guaraní in Asuncion has now reopened its doors after many years of abandonment. She also visits a local hospital and acts to help the patients in need.
About our Latin America coverage
Melissa Vida is the Latin America Spanish-language editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
Fernanda Canofre is the Brazil editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
