· April, 2009

Stories about Latin America from April, 2009

Honduras: Commercial Activity in the 1950s

  30 April 2009

Mario Perez of Honduras Hoy [es] takes us back in time to the capital city of Tegucigalpa of the 1950s, with photographs and names of businesses that flourished more than a half of century ago.

Cuba: Path to the Future

  29 April 2009

“This little accessory hanging from the hip could well come to be all the newspapers we lack at the kiosks”: Cuba's Generation Y has faith in the potential of SMS to be a reliable source of information.

Ecuador: President Correa Wins Reelection

  29 April 2009

With the majority of votes counted, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa appears to be headed towards re-election without the necessity of a run-off. His party, PAIS Alliance, also captured the majority of seats in the National Assembly giving it increased power in the country. However, there are a lot of still unresolved problems facing the nation, and Correa hopes his "21st Century Socialism" will help address these issues.

Cuba: Right to Travel

  28 April 2009

“Hasn’t it been said already—by enough voices—that the requirement for permission to leave and enter Cuba has to be repealed?”: Generation Y wants to know “What more has to happen to stop them from hijacking this right from us?”

Venezuela: How Children Show Their Community Through Photography II

  28 April 2009

Children can often be the most vulnerable members of refugee communities. The group Ancla2 is working to provide more opportunities to these children through a photography and creative writing workshop in a community called El Nula along the Venezuelan-Colombian border teaching them how to appreciate the details of daily life and to communicate that through images and text.

Peru: Newspaper Mocks Indigenous Congresswoman's Spanish Language Proficiency

  28 April 2009

Isabel Guerra writing at Living in Peru provides an overview of a recent case of discrimination and racism by the local newspaper “Correo” for mocking the the indigenous congresswomen Hilaria Supa for her poor proficiency of Spanish. When in fact, she never attended school and Spanish is her second language. Others...

Honduras: No Cases of Swine Flu Yet

  28 April 2009

No cases of the swine flu have been reported in Honduras, but with suspected illnesses in neighboring Guatemala, Leonidas Mejia of Janpedrano Blog [es] writes that it may be a matter of time that it reaches his country.

Ecuador: Reminiscing About Guayaquil

  28 April 2009

Raul Farias of Al Lado del Camino [es] takes some friends on a tour of the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador and reminisces about his days as a child in the neighborhood of Las Peñas.

Brazil: Fly me to the moon with public money

  27 April 2009

Another scandal has taken the Brazilian blogosphere by storm – it has come to light that public money is being used to fund holidays abroad for parliament members and their family, friends and acquaintances. As bloggers report, it seems that an even bigger scheme to resell unused air ticket is to be exposed.

Cuba: Strike of the Period?

  27 April 2009

Cuba's ration market for feminine hygiene products is not always reliable, prompting Generation Y to envision “a ‘Strike of the Period,’ a massive protest marked by the ovulation cycle.”

Mexico: Trying to Lighten the Mood About Swine Flu

  27 April 2009

Even with the international concern over the health emergency of the swine flu, a Mexican band called Agrupación Cariño is trying to lighten the mood with a song called “The Flu Cumbia” as mentioned by Panamérika Blog [es].

Global Health: Swine Flu Threat Spreads Worldwide

  27 April 2009

Confirmed or suspected cases of swine flu, which was detected in Mexico earlier this month, have now been found in at least seven other countries around the world. The World Health Organization says that this outbreak constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern."

Ecuador: The Departure of a Television Anchor

  25 April 2009

In the middle of a tense election season in Ecuador and with the general elections scheduled for April 26, a popular television journalist was fired by the Ecuavisa [es] station. The decision to fire Carlos Vera has opened the debate whether journalist can indeed by partisan and favor one side...

Mexico: Concern Over Swine Flu Outbreak

  25 April 2009

Mexican health officials have become concerned with an outbreak of swine flu, which has caused the deaths of 68 in Mexico City, and another 1,000 have fallen ill. The outbreak prompted the closure of schools and the cancellation of many cultural events. On the streets of the capital, residents are taking precautions to avoid the virus and others are waiting to see if it spreads.

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.