Stories about Latin America from May, 2010
Peru: The Return of the Indigenous Leader Alberto Pizango
After more than 11 months in exile in Nicaragua following the events and conflicts in the region of Bagua, indigenous leader Alberto Pizango returned to Peru on May 26, sparking different responses from Twitter users and bloggers supporting or criticizing him.
Guatemala: State of Emergency Due to Tropical Storm Agatha
Guatemala is in a state of emergency. In addition to the active Pacaya volcano that has caused evacuations and damages, Tropical Storm Agatha has hit the country, causing many disappearances and deaths in the poorest regions.
Mexico: Community Journalism in the Gulf of California
A community journalism project called Su Mar (Your Ocean) aims to give citizens the tools to report on conservation and environmental development issues in the Gulf of California region in Mexico.
Ecuador: Tungurahua Volcano Erupts and Spreads Ash
In Ecuador, the Mama Tungurahua volcano erupted on Friday, May 28 canceling school classes, closing the international airport, forcing some residents to evacuate their towns, and spreading ash all across the region.
Colombia: Tweeting the May 30 Presidential Elections
Twitter activity about the May 30 Colombian Presidential elections is at an all-time high. Topics include the missteps by some of the candidates, their performance in the debates, as well as the chances of minor candidates.
Mexico: 165 Mexicans Die Each Day Due to Smoking
The blog Vivir México [es] notes that 165 Mexicans die each day due to smoking-related illnesses and reflects on that statistic as the World Day Without Tobacco is upcoming on May 31.
Guatemala: Cleaning Up the Ash from Pacaya Volcano
Gustavo Reyes posts this Twitpic of workers cleaning the ash from the Pacaya volcano eruption in Guatemala.
Brazil: Rapper assaulted by Police Peacemaker Unit
MC Fiell, who recently launched a booklet about police approach at ‘favela‘ (slum) Santa Marta, was the target of a violent assault by members of the Police Peacemaker Unit (UPP). In his blog [pt], he describes the event and claims having been beaten when he tried to dialogue besides being...
Guatemala: Pacaya Volcano Causes State of National Calamity
Regions in Guatemala have been declared by President Colom in "state of calamity" after the Pacaya volcano increased its activity: the airport is closed, villages have been evacuated, people are missing and injured and one camera man is dead.
Brazil: Bloggers React to Iran-Brazil-Turkey Nuclear Deal
Brazilian bloggers react to the deal reached between Brazil, Turkey and Iran concerning the uranium enrichment of the latter: from optimism to skepticism, here are some thoughts on the role of Brazil in such an international turnaround.
Brazil: Exchange Student Victim of Racism at the University
Kadija Tu, an exchange student from Guinea-Bissau, was severely beaten inside the campus of UFPB [Federal University of the State of Paraíba] on May 24th, reports Eugenio Cruz from the blog Quase nada sobre quase tudo [Almost nothing about almost everything, pt]. Witnesses say she was called ‘dog-nigger‘ (Negra-Cão) by...
Peru: Bribes, Cops and Video
The following video published by inkawalk shows a pair of policemen apparently receiving a bribe in an undisclosed location in Peru.
Colombia: Presidential Election and Campaigning in Citizen Media
The Colombian Presidential election is scheduled for May 30, in which Juan Manuel Santos and Antanas Mockus are considered the frontrunners. The contest is actively being discussed in citizen media by supporters, opponents, and those indifferent of the candidates.
Peru: Film “Octubre” Wins at Cannes Film Festival
Following the success of the Peruvian film “La Teta Asustada,” another film called “Octubre” won a Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival notes the blog Marcamasi [es].
Chile: Suggestions from Tourists
In the city of Arica, Chile, blogger Tomás Bradanovic says “we should listen to the tourist [es],” because he has been receiving emails from tourists visiting and who have plenty of suggestions on how to improve visitor services, including providing vegetarian options, improved web presence for the hotels in the...
Bolivia: Autonomy Transition
Miguel Centellas of the blog Pronto* writes about some of the issues behind the transition to departmental autonomies and the conflict that some of the new governors are having with the central government.
Costa Rica: Salary Increase for Congressional Deputies
Dean Córnito in his blog Switzerland in Central America [es] does not, like many other Costa Ricans, expresses his outrage for the 100% salary increase for incoming Congressional deputies. Instead, he tells his readers why they should vote for him during the next elections so that he, too, can have...
Peru: Schoolgirl Questions US First Lady About Immigration Reform
During a recent visit to a Maryland school, US First Lady Michelle Obama received a question from a schoolgirl of Peruvian descent, who asked why people without immigration papers were being taken away and who disclosed information about the status of her parents.
Argentina: Celebrating the Bicentennial on the Web
Argentina has been celebrating 200th anniversary of the beginning of the process of independence from Spain. A group of local bloggers have created a site called Your Bicentennial that will provide realtime coverage of the festivities.
Peru: The Preference for Afro-Peruvians at Funeral Services
The funeral industry in Peru appears to be cornered by Afro-Peruvians, where clients specifically request and prefer their services. Many are wondering whether this might be reverse-discrimination against other ethnicities.
Latin America: Internet Day Festivities Across Region
Internet Day is an event that started in Spain in 2005 and has been spreading throughout the world thanks to the United Nations, which designated May 17 as the World Information Society Day. This year, in many countries across Latin American, there were events that were promoted and organized through blogs and Twitter.
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.
