Stories about Latin America from January, 2010
Puerto Rico: Bloggers discuss Roe v. Wade
The 37th anniversary of the landmark United States Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade (January 22, 1973) spurred bloggers in Puerto Rico to express their opinions about a ruling that still sparks controversy. The decision made abortion legal in the United States, and it was extended to Puerto Rico due to the Island's political relationship with the US.
Haiti: Bloggers’ Reactions to Regional Interventions
For more than two weeks, the governance of Haiti after the earthquake has been seriously questioned by Haitian bloggers. They are now discussing the reactions in the neighboring countries and islands of the Caribbean. Here is a review of the French-speaking posts dealing with this question.
Haiti: Wired Money May Help Rebuild Before Aid
With phone lines being restored in Haiti, money sent from families abroad “by wire” is again arriving, and helping reconstruction even where international aid has not arrived. Remittances from family members living abroad represented at least thirty percent of Haiti's Gross National Product before the January 12 earthquake.
Peru: Video of Stranded tourists near Machu Picchu
Periodismo en Línea points us to a two day old video by NicoRios, a Chilean tourist stranded in Aguas Calientes. In the video he shows how they wait for the helicopters to arrive and explains how they were running out of food and stores have drastically increased prices for food...
Uruguay: President-Elect Mujica Tackles Botnia Issue Before Taking Office
Uruguayan president-elect Mujica is trying to negotiate a deal to end the blockade of the bridge between Argentina and Uruguay, which has been blocked over a pulp mill plant that environmentalists and local residents say cause contamination.
China: Threatened by American Internet censorship
Reactions from Chinese programmers to SourceForge.net's decision to follow American law and block users from several countries include suggestions for how to work around American censorship of the global Internet.
Video: Call for Aid in the Peruvian South due to Flooding
The state of emergency the city of Cusco and surrounding areas has moved many locals to make videos and upload them to the web, trying to get mass media to pay attention to the drama lived by villagers throughout the area who are now homeless, isolated and without food, water or electricity.
Brazil: The National Program for Human Rights – Part 1
Controversy has erupted following the proposal of a legislative reform package that decriminalises abortion and criminalises homophobia, bans religious symbols from public spaces and calls for a truth commission.
Peru: Heavy Rains and Mudslides in Cusco
Heavy rains and flooding have been affecting the region of Cusco, Peru, leaving thousands of local residents affected. The tragedy has left unanswered questions about the region's preparedness for these types of natural disasters.
Peru: The Loss of Local Rock Radio Stations
Peruvian radio stations catering to fans of rock music are being taken off the air, with business reasons often cited as the reason. However, many bloggers say there is still a market for the music.
Haiti: Youth Step It Up for Earthquake Relief
As Haiti's government raised the confirmed earthquake death toll to 150,000 earlier this week, there is particular concern for the well-being of the country's most vulnerable - its young people. But youth within and outside of Haiti are contributing to efforts to raise aid and awareness.
Graffiti and Urban Art: Voices from Latin American Streets III
Graffiti and urban art on the streets of Latin America is celebrated on the Internet by artists and fans alike. This is the third in a 3-part series on this movement across the region.
Costa Rica: Charges of Plagiarism in Presidential Campaign
With the Costa Rican presidential campaign well underway, many bloggers are noticing that some of the candidates' campaign ads and campaign proposals appear to be too familiar.
Chile: Modern Day Human Rights for the Mapuche
The Museum of Memory in Chile documents human rights abuses during the Pinochet dictatorship. During its inauguration, 2 Mapuche women interrupted President Bachelet's speech, reminding the country that there are still present-day concerns for human rights in their indigenous community.
Guatemala: United for Haiti After Earthquake
In 1976, an earthquake killed nearly 23,000 people in Guatemala. Now, 34 years later, Guatemalans are united to help Haitians with their own earthquake tragedy, through a wide variety of fundraising efforts and other signs of solidarity.
Chile: Piñera's Victory Raises Questions About Pinochet's Influence
When Sebastián Piñera was elected Chile's next president on January 17, 2010, many bloggers commented on the relationship between the president-elect and deceased dictator Augusto Pinochet because of public support showed to Pinochet after Piñera’s victory.
Video: Drug legalization and life post-prohibition
There are groups of people advocating for the legalization of drugs, but what would that actually mean? From Hungary to Colombia, from youth to teachers, from cops and clergy, individuals and groups are taking to citizen media to put forth their arguments regarding this potentially controversial subject.
Peru: Metallica Rocked in Lima
Internationally-known rock bands do not play in Lima, Peru very often. When do they do, as the case of Metallica, interest and profits reach high levels. However, not all are pleased to see the band in the country.
Haiti: Restoring Communications and Local Media Networks
Haiti's communication infrastructure was seriously damaged after being devastated by a 7.0 earthquake on January 12. It can be very empowering for people in Haiti to be able to narrate their stories in their own words. With this is in mind, Feminist International Radio Endeavour (FIRE) and the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters have launched projects to help restore local media projects.
Colombia: Hard to Tell the Good Guys from the Bad
Through citizen videos, different Colombian organizations share their unique perspectives on crime, violence and armed conflict, where it's hard to tell apart the good guys from the bad.
Announcing the Technology for Transparency Network
Rising Voices, the outreach and citizen media training initiative of Global Voices Online, has launched a new interactive website and global network of researchers to map online technology projects that aim to promote transparency, political accountability, and civic engagement.
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.
