Stories about Latin America from May, 2011
“Shame for Brazil” Forest Defender Couple Murdered
Six months after he predicted his own murder in TEDx Amazônia, the environmentalist José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva was assassinated together with his wife in an ambush possibly articulated by loggers of the region. Bloggers mourn the loss on the eve of the approval of the new Forestry Code.
Bolivia: Do Massive Religious Images Promote Tourism?
Luis Ramos in Citizen of La Paz [es] writes about two projects in Bolivia to build “the largest religious statue in the world” and asks: “can religious images alone promote...
Chile: 5 Great Moments of Chilean Hip-Hop
Music blogger Roberto Carreño lists “5 great moments of Chilean hip-hop” [es]. He includes a brief description and a video of each song.
Mexico: Blogger Interviews Teacher Who Sang to Students During Shooting
Martha Rivera Alanis, the teacher who sang to her students during a shooting in Monterrey, México was given an award for her bravery. In an interview with Regioblogs [es], Martha...
Mexico: ‘Información Cívica’ Summarizes Week in Civil Society
David Sasaki in Información Cívica explains they will “begin publishing weekly summaries of what Open Society Foundation partners in various countries around Latin America are sharing via their websites, blogs,...
Uruguay Implements Argentinean Initiative ‘I read this book’
In Pires Mios [es], Macarena announces that the initiative ‘I read this book’ (in Spanish: “yo leí este libro”) that began in Argentina is now being implemented in Uruguay. On...
Mexico: Blood Fountains
During the last weekend of May 2011, activists from the movement "Let's stop the bullets, let's paint the fountains" stained the water of a famous statue in Mexico City blood red. Participants walked around the monument shouting slogans like "Not one more dead!" and "Out Calderón!"
Cuba: On Emails and Blogs
Due to limited acces to the Internet in Cuba, blogger Yasmín Portales Machado has decided to publish on her blog En 2310 y 8225 [es] the comments on her posts...
Cuba: Reflections on the Conference Against Homophobia
Blogger and gay activist Francisco Rodríguez Cruz reflects on the most recent Cuban Conference Against Homophobia [es].
Cuba: Five Intellectuals Analyze the 15-M
The blog La Pupila Insomne [es] has convened five intellectuals [es] to discuss and analyze the social movement 15-M (May 15) that has developed in Spain in recent weeks.
Puerto Rico: Fractal is Looking for an Intern
The art blog The Fractal [es] is looking for an intern [es] to work on their project “Be Kind, Digitalize” [es].
Puerto Rico: Book by Julieta Munoz
The digital magazine 80 Grados [es] publishes a fragment of Julieta Muñoz Alvarado's most recent book [es] “Tarareando en clave el son de los 70.”
Puerto Rico: Debate on Media and Politics
Journalist Sandra Rodríguez Cotto analyzes the recent debate [es] on the alleged donations of the largest and most influential newspaper in the Island, El Nuevo Día [es], to the politician...
Puerto Rico: Video on the Gas Pipeline Route
Historian and blogger Ivonne Acosta posts the video of a reportage on the beautiful route [es] through which a proposed gas pipeline will run through. Environmentalists and community activists are...
Honduras: Former President Manuel Zelaya Returns
Ousted president Manuel Zelaya returned to Honduras from exile nearly two years after he was removed from office through a coup. Bloggers report on the atmosphere before and after his arrival, and analyze what his return means for the country.
Costa Rica: Sex Abuse Prison Sentence Raises Concerns About Justice System
The sentencing of a 39 year old cabinet-maker to four and a half years of prison for sexually assaulting a woman during the daytime by touching her genitals in public has divided Costa Rica: while some applaud this decision, others believe this points to a failed justice system and a third group considers it excessive.
Mexico: Teacher Sings with Students During Shooting
The YouTube video showing a kindergarten teacher singing with her students to keep them calm during a shooting in Monterrey, Mexico has spread almost virally through the Spanish speaking countries.
Peru: Growing Debate Regarding Genetically Modified Farming
The official signing of Decree 003, which permits the import of genetically modified seeds into the country, continues to generate debate between those in favor of the widespread use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and those who fear it would be harmful to the country's biodiversity and the health of its people.
Peru: Protests Against Mining Projects in Puno
Juan Arellano, Global Voices author and Spanish Translation Manager, blogs [es] about an indefinite strike the Aymara community began 20 days ago against mining projects in Puno.
El Salvador: Problems After Change in Propane Gas Subsidy
El Salvador from the Inside explains the controversy over a change in the propane gas subsidy which was meant to help the poor. The subsidy is now “tied to your...
Mexico: Gun Trafficking in the Southern Border
In Vivir México [es], Ximena Vega blogs about gun trafficking in Mexico's southern border, an issue that has been shadowed by the problems in the northern border with the United...
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