Stories about Latin America from October, 2009
Ecuador: BarCamp Loxa 09
BarCamp Loxa 09 is scheduled for the end of November in Loja, Ecuador [es]. The event will culminate a series technology-related events at the Technical University in the city, which will include the Latin American Creative Commons gathering and iSummit Loxa 09.
Honduras: The Beginning of the End of the Crisis?
An agreement that would reinstate deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya back into a power-sharing government is now in the hands of Congress, which could approve the deal and which could mean the beginning of the end of this crisis.
Paraguay: Addressing the Growing Security Concerns
The recent kidnapping of a cattle rancher has stirred up debate about who is ultimately responsible for the security concerns and whether the blame placed on President Fernando Lugo is justified or merely a political maneuver.
Nicaragua: Protests in Managua Show Divisions Within Student Movements
In Nicaragua, divisions within student groups have been evident during recent protests in Managua about the university budget and recent comments by the US Ambassador about a Supreme Court decision.
Uruguay: Two Plebiscites Fail to Pass
On the same day as the Presidential elections in Uruguay, voters did not pass two plebiscites that would have given Uruguayans abroad the right to vote and the annulment of the Law of Expiration.
Peru: A Different Look at San Martín Statue in Lima
Juan Arellano of the blog Globalizado [es] has an up-close look at the Statue of General José de San Martín in Central Lima, Peru. As part of the events of Lima Week, visitors were given the opportunity to climb up temporary stairs to see the statue from a different vantage...
Argentina: Victims’ Testimony Against Members of Military Dictatorship
The La Plata branch of the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (APDH of its initials in Spanish) recently opened a blog to translate and share the testimonies of victims and their families who are testifying at the trials against members of the military dictatorship in Argentina.
Video: Winners of UN Contest became Citizen Ambassadors
We bring you the 5 winning videos for the UN contest where participants sent in a video stating what they would tell world leaders if they had the chance. The 5 video bloggers had the opportunity to give their message in person at the UN Day celebration in New York City.
Cuba: Contemplating Change
“I think that for Cuba to transition to an open society from a society ‘with some emergency exits’, some of the people now occupying positions of power in the government could take a long vacation…”: Octavo Cerco contemplates what's needed for meaningful change in Cuba.
Videos on how Maternal Mortality Affects Communities
When a woman dies during pregnancy, childbirth or due to complications after delivery, it affects not only the family, but also the whole community.
Uruguay: Presidential Election Heads for Runoff
The Uruguayan President election is heading to a runoff to take place on November 29, as no candidate reached the needed 50% + 1 mark during the first round held on October 25.
Dominican Republic: Cancer Awareness Campaigns
Cancer prevention campaigns in the Dominican Republic have been raising awareness for prevention and treatment, as well as providing support to those families that have been afflicted with the disease.
Haiti, D.R.: Escalating Tensions
Repeating Islands reports on the murder of four Haitians in the Dominican Republic.
Cuba: Feeling the Disconnect
Cuba's Generation Y feels like a nomad in cyberspace, but is confident that “one day my blog will be found on a server on this Island and, believe me, it will not be because it has performed an ideological pirouette.”
Peru: The Abortion Debate
The abortion debate in Peru has reemerged due to a bill that has been approved in the Special Committee of the Penal Code in the Peruvian Congress, which would decriminalize abortion in cases of rape or congenital disorders in the fetus.
Caribbean: Rethinking Online Publishing
Caribbean bloggers imagine an online writing and publishing community using participatory media to overcome the difficulties of book publishing in the region.
Guatemala: The Giant Kites of Santiago and Sumpango
Rudy Girón of Antigua Daily Photo recommends not to miss the giant kites that can be seen in the Guatemalan communities of Santiago and Sumpango.
Pregnancy and Prisons: Women's Health and Rights Behind Bars
It is still a struggle to ensure human rights for pregnant women worldwide, and it seems that in the process, pregnant women in prison are many times overlooked. What have been some of the steps made to ensure that they are also treated humanely, with respect to the life they carry?
Colombia: Solidarity With Hiperbarrio After Library Robbery
After a robbery of the La Loma Library in Medellín, Colombia, the home of the Hiperbarrio citizen media project, an outpouring of support and solidarity was sent from around the world.
Puerto Rico: Massive Oil Refinery Explosion
At around 12:30 am on Friday, October 23, the Gulf Oil Refinery (Caribbean Petroleum Company-CAPECO) in Bayamón (in the metropolitan area), Puerto Rico, exploded massively. Bloggers react to the disaster.
Brazil: Between democracy and doubt
The country awaits its first National Conference of Communication that will signal a very first step in democratising Brazil’s communications system.
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.
