· June, 2010

Stories about Latin America from June, 2010

Chile: From California to Chile on Biodiesel

Maria Jose Calderon and Carlos Herrera embarked on a 6-month road trip from California, USA to Chile in a biodiesel truck. The couple traveled Latin America in search of grassroots initiatives to help the environment, and they documented their findings and their journey through videos, photos and blogging.

30 June 2010

Cuba: On Journalism

Iván's File Cabinet says that “being a journalist in Cuba is like performing black magic. Investigating a story or getting reliable data is like trying to catch hold of a...

29 June 2010

Cuba: Spotlight on Fariñas

“In the wake of the death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, Cuban independent journalist Guillermo Fariñas started a hunger strike to demand the release of some two dozen seriously...

29 June 2010

Peru: Experiment for Social Networks

Ernesto Cárdenas from the blog Consultor Internet proposes [es] an interesting experiment in social networks:  “How feasible is it to have/simulate ‘the experience of living’ (virtually) the things that happen...

29 June 2010

Peru: A Bill on Obscene Content

A few days ago the news broke of a bill that had been approved by the Justice Comission in Congress, proposing an amendment to section 183-B of the Penal Code, which sanctions the media publication of obscene and pornographic displays. As a result, opponents of the bill raised the banners of "Freedom of the Press" and "Freedom of Speech." Bloggers and internet media users are debating whether this bill really gets rid of these freedoms, or if it serves as a protection for minors and others who don't want to see that content.

28 June 2010

Chile: Students Arrested After Protesting Against University Reform

A week ago the government of Sebastian Piñera announced a major reform to the higher education system. At the inauguration ceremony of the president of Universidad de Chile (University of Chile) Víctor Pérez, students were arrested while protesting against a reform which they fear will get rid of public higher education.

27 June 2010

Brazil: Standing Against Mining in Gandarela

Local communities and netcitizens who care for the biodiverse Serra da Gandarela in Minas Gerais, Brazil, are taking a stand against Vale S.A. - a major mining multinational whose record is not one of the best at the eyes of environmental groups.

27 June 2010

Worldwide: The oil spills that don't make the news

The tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the world's attention on the devastation that badly managed oil extraction can bring. However, in some places around the world, people live with toxic spills such as these and through videos people try to bring the world's attention to their plight.

26 June 2010

Peru: Chess World Champions Visit Lima

For two days, Lima hosted the two chess champions, Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. They both came for an exhibition game, where they played against 25 children. Although football is the king of all sports in Peru, and in spite of Peruvian chess being banned from international competitions, the news didn't go unnoticed for some bloggers.

24 June 2010

About our Latin America coverage

Melissa Vida
Melissa Vida is the Latin America and 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.