Stories about Latin America from April, 2010
Latin America: Free Software Installation Festival 2010
The 2010 edition of the Latin American Free Software Installation Festival (FLISOL) took place and was organized simultaneously in 20 countries and 250 cities all across the region.
Puerto Rico: Amidst protests, students speak up for themselves online
Amidst protests over budget cuts students of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) have a found an additional space to express themselves: the Internet.
Cuba: It's the Economy
“You can count on one hand the number of foreign investors who have kept their businesses in Cuba”: Iván's File Cabinet thinks that the Cuban economy is sinking.
Brazil: Arrest of Indigenous leader increases tension in Bahia
On March 10th, unidentified armed police invaded Serra do Padeiro, a Tupinambá indigenous village, and arrested their leader and later his brother. They are still in prison and their detentions have increased the tension in the region.
Paraguay: Journalist Santiago Leguizamón Murdered 19 Years Ago
Paraguay recently celebrated its annual Day of the Journalist on April 26, which is also a dark day for the profession because Santiago Leguizamón was murdered by hitmen in the border town of Pedro Juan Caballero.
Video: Three Latin American Viral Sensations Unite for Israel
Through the Latin American social networks there is a new video spreading like wildfire: it unites three of the most recent viral video sensations in one. Peruvian La Tigresa del Oriente, Wendy Sulca and Ecuadorian Delfin Quishpe virtually united to sing "I'll dance in your lands", a song about Israel. None of them have visited Israel, but that didn't stop them from singing about the beauty of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Honduras: Journalists Using Bullet-Proof Vests and Prayer
The Knight Center's Journalism in the Americas blog writes that Honduran journalists have been using bullet-proof vests and their faith in prayer [es] in light of the number of their colleagues that have been murdered in 2010.
Ecuador: Latest Unemployment Figures
The National Institute of Statistics and Census released its quarterly report about unemployment in Ecuador. Some are investigating the causes for the increase in unemployment and how the government plans to address the situation.
Cuba: On Elections
Repeating Islands focuses on the Cuban elections here and here, while Generation Y explains why she has adopted “abstention as a form of protest.”
Ecuador: New Technology Blog Editor Milton Ramírez
GeeksRoom [es], a technology blog in Spanish, welcomes Ecuadorian blogger and Global Voices author, Milton Ramírez as one of its newest editors.
Ecuador: Don Bosco in Manta
The relic of the Roman Catholic Saint “Don” Bosco has been making its way around Latin American, and Joselias Sánchez Ramos writes about the stop of the “guest of honor” in Manta, Ecuador [es], which attracted large crowd of the faithful.
Ecuador: The Price of Milk
Even though government subsidies to Ecuadorian milk producers have increased, the savings are not passed along to consumers, where the price has gone up, notes the blog La Voz de Guamote [es].
Costa Rica: User Recovers Mobile Phone Thanks to GPS
Mauricio Valerio posted on his blog El Alumbrado Público [es] about his adventures recovering a mobile phone he left in a taxi in Costa Rica, which was recovered thanks to a GPS application.
Cuba: Journalist Reportedly Detained
Human Rights Cuba says that “Dania Virgen García, independent journalist and member of the group who march in support of the Ladies in White, was detained and taken to the Police Station in Guanabacoa, accused of an arbitrary offense without probable cause.”
Brazil: The Fragility of the Electronic Voting System
Maria Frô republishes [pt] news about a University of Brasília's report uncovering flaws in the electronic voting system: “Let's be aware of this election as they promise unpleasant surprises considering the suspicion of different electoral research institutes.”
Uruguay: International Court Rules in Paper Mill Conflict with Argentina
The International Court of Justice in the Hague ruled on the conflict between Argentina and Uruguay about the latter's construction of a paper mill on the Uruguay River shared by both countries. Bloggers in Uruguay react to the court's ruling.
Cuba: Reporting via Twitter
“It is true that we broadcast blindly and that we cannot read our readers’ replies or references, but at least we are reporting on the Island in 140 character fragments”: Generation Y says that the Cuban authorities “haven’t noticed that the technologies have turned every citizen into his or her...
Argentina: International Court Rules in Paper Mill Conflict with Uruguay
The International Court of Justice in the Hague ruled on the conflict between Argentina and Uruguay about the latter's construction of a paper mill on the Uruguay River shared by both countries. Bloggers and Twitter users in Argentina react to the court's ruling.
Guatemala: Live Streaming Video of Central American Conference
The citizen media site HablaGuate [es] is currently live streaming the Conference Post Conflict: Social and Economic Challenges in Central America currently being held in Guatemala City.
Colombia: Video remixing and Presidential Elections
Remixes: From Hitler, to Chris Crocker and Pinky and the Brain, Colombian fans show their Presidential candidates support by remixing videos to help their campaigns and mock the oposition's candidates.
Paraguay: Spreading the Guaraní Language Through Blogging
In Paraguay, where 88% of the population speaks the indigenous language of Guaraní, there were no blogs in this native tongue, until blogger and journalist Mirta Martínez decided to begin writing in Guaraní as a way to promote the use of the language.
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.
