Stories about Latin America from August, 2008
Americas: Celebrating BlogDay
August 31 is BlogDay around the world, which is an event where bloggers recommend 5 blogs to be discovered by others. The Latin American team from Global Voices Online is participating by collectively recommending 5 blogs from across the region.
Ecuador: Abortion a Controversial Topic in New Constitution
In a deeply religious country like Ecuador, the topic of a woman's right to choose an abortion is of concern and may determine some voters' decision in the upcoming Constitutional Referendum. Bloggers provide some views about how this controversial topic is seen by the country.
Peru: Views Towards the Indigenous Protests
The protests by indigenous groups in Northern Peru are not always understood in other parts of the country. Some bloggers examine attitudes and views by others, who often look down upon the indigenous groups saying that they are protesting for the wrong reasons or incapable of organizing themselves.
Guatemala: Pizza and Blogs 2008
Javier Aroche invites Guatemalan bloggers to gather at Pizza and Blogs 2008 [es] on August 30.
Dominican Republic: Visit by Junot Díaz to Santo Domingo
Junot Díaz is a Dominican-American writer, who recently won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Joan Guerrero writes about the recent visit to Santo Domingo by the author [es].
Chile: Trolley Bus in Valparaíso
Contenidos Locales [es] covers the recent publication by Jacqueline Gonzalez from the Chilean city of Valparaíso, who writes about the trolley bus that has been running since the 1950s.
Costa Rica: President Arias Asks Dalai Lama to Postpone Visit
Costa Rican president Oscar Arias asked Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama to postpone a private visit to the country, citing that Arias won't be in the country to receive him. However, many bloggers believe that the request coincided with a planned official visit from Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Brazil: Digital TV with Digital Rights Managements
Sérgio Amadeu [pt] has just learned that the Brazilian National Standards Organization is considering to have Digital TV setup boxes with DRM (Digital Rights Managements). “It is unfortunate that such...
Brazil: I want to live in Second Life
Wanderley Filho [pt] compares, ironically, Brazilian politicians achievements to life on Second Life: a parallel world. “The election air time on TV is a balm to comfort those citizens who...
Venezuela: Yukpa Indians, Chávez and land disputes
Citizen media videos have been uploaded informing of the situation arising in Venezuela between the Yukpa Indians of the Perijá Mountains, landowners and President Chávez. This dispute over land limits is 30 years in the making, when military forces displaced the Indigenous communities of the Yukpa by force and established landowners who have cattle ranches and have been working the lands ever since.
Guatemala: Protection of La Danta
Many Guatemalans and foreign journalists are concerned about the plight of the region around La Danta, one of the world's largest pyramids. A group from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting recently visited Petén to document the environmental threats to the region. La Danta is also the name for the tapir, which also requires conservation attention.
Brazil: Rights of bloggers, rights of blog readers
Brazilian blogger Alex Castro [pt] posts the Terms of Use of his blog, among them the rights of bloggers and of blog readers. “Blog readers should remember that reading and...
Brazil: The rice war on indigenous land
Brazil's Supreme Court decides today about the future of Raposa Serra do Sol's Indigenous land. Observatório da Imprensa [Press Observatory, pt] have published two texts about the media coverage of...
Cuba: Punk Rocker Arrested
As several bloggers voice their outrage at the arrest of Cuban punk rocker Gorki Aguila, Havana-based Generation Y claims: “They took him because nothing destabilizes the intransigents more than a...
Barbados, Cuba: Broadcasting Meeting
Bajan Global Report reports on the Prime Minister's trip to Cuba to attend the 39th General Assembly of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, an organization which supports and promotes high quality...
Peru: Work on Lima Streets Taking Too Long
Luis Ramos of Vivir Lima [es] complains about the time that it is taking for the work on some Lima streets. He also republishes the results from a recent survey...
Peru: Blogger Inducted to Academy of Spanish Language
Daniel Salas from Gran Combo Club [es] salutes the induction of Camilo Fernádez Cozman to the Peruvian Academy of Spanish language. Camilo, besides an academist is also a blogger. His...
Brazil: Church demands justice do ban sexy pic on Playboy
Milton Ribeiro [pt] reports that the Brazilian Justice has banned a photo in August edition of Playboy, after complains from the Catholic Church because the model was holding a crucifix....
Brazil: Independent newspaper arrives to the web
Jornal Pessoal [Personal Newspaper, pt], an independent newspaper that goes out every other week since 1987 in the outskirt of Amazon, Belém do Pará city in Brazil, has finally arrived...
Paraguay: President Lugo to Forgo Salary
Fernando Lugo's presidency started with an announcement that he would forgo his monthly salary. "I don't need that salary, which belongs to the poor," said Lugo. Different local bloggers see things differently, as one applauds the decision and another wonders how Lugo will pay for his own expenses.
Brazil: An Olympic balance
For a country whose best record was its 15th place in Athens last time, Brazil's 23th medal table position in the Beijing Olympics, with only 3 gold medals was not an extraordinary defeat - however, from newspapers to blogs, the general feeling is that of disappointment. Here are some reactions from the blogosphere.
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