Stories about Latin America from July, 2011
Chile: Starbucks Employees on Hunger Strike
In Chile, a cup of coffee at Starbucks costs more than the baristas’ wages for one hour of work. This is what the 3 union leaders [es] on hunger strike in Chile state through a handwritten sign in this video [es]. They demand Starbucks to comply with only 4 out...
Blog Carnival: Mexico – Citizenry, Violence and Blogs
Global Voices in Spanish has the pleasure of announcing a new edition of its Blog Carnival, which will be focused on bloggers and Internet users from Mexico, along the topic "Mexico: Citizenry, violence and blogs." Find out how, when and where you can participate or get involved by reading this post.
Colombia: FIFA's U-20 World Cup
Colombia is hosting the U-20 FIFA World Cup. The opening ceremony [es] took place in Barranquilla on July 29. The country is in a happy mood and on Twitter netizens talk about the tournament with the hashtag #Colombiaesmundial.
El Salvador: National Assembly Repeals Decree 743 Requiring Unanimity on Constitutional Court
Decree 743 “the controversial law which attempted to impose a requirement of unanimity on the Constitutional Court” was repealed this week by El Salvador's National Assembly, as Tim reports in his blog. The blog Voices from El Salvador describes the repeal as an “important indication that civil society and public...
Mexico: Improvements in Education Decreasing Emigration Rates
The second post on a series about immigration throughout the Americas on the Council on Hemispheric Affairs Blog focuses on “Mexico's Improving Education and Declining Emigration”.
Colombia: ‘Padding Journalism’
In the wake of the death of singer Joe Arroyo, Colombian news channel NTN24 featured reactions with actresses, models, and former beauty queens in English on its website. The video featuring model and presenter Carolina Cruz was heavily mocked on blogs and social media. Journalist Carolina Ruiz questions [es] the...
Global Voices Bloggers to Mentor Youth Activists from 10 Countries
Today we announce the names of 10 Global Voices bloggers and 11 activists who will be working together virtually over the next months as part of a new mentoring initiative developed by Global Voices and Activista, the youth network of international development organization, ActionAid.
Cuba: MSM Paying Attention
Pedazos de La Isla takes heart in the fact that “various English-language news sources have been brave enough to publish the truth about the Caribbean island”, saying: “In Cuba, there is much to report, whether it is through blogs, digital magazines, newspapers, television, radio, etc. On a daily basis, dissidents...
Cuba: Internet Restrictions
Uncommon Sense says that despite the arrival of “an underwater cable reached Cuba from Venezuela” designed to improve Internet access to the island, ” the regime has intensified its control of the Internet, restricting government employees’ access to Facebook and on networks that provide ‘illegal’ e-mail accounts.”
Puerto Rico: Blogger's Research on Femicides
Feminist activist and blogger Verónica RT continues her project of updating the national statistics of femicides in Puerto Rico, which do not necessarily coincide with the numbers provided by the Police. According to her research, 22 women have been murdered this year, and three more cases are under investigation [es].
Dominican Republic: Bohemian Nights
Dino Bonao writes about the Dominican bohemian nights [es].
Puerto Rico: Science and Ethics
Miguel Adrover discusses and contextualizes [es] governor Luis Fortuño's recent comments about the need to develop more engineers, scientists and mathematicians. The blogger, a science teacher himself, stresses that what needs support is a scientific culture with a profound ethical commitment within an interdisciplinary curriculum.
Puerto Rico: PR Indie's LAMC Coverage
Redod, the editor of the alternative music blog Puerto Rico Indie [es], reflects on the amazing and intense coverage [es] they offered of the Latin American Music Conference (LAMC) in New York City. Check it out!
Puerto Rico: Violence Against Children
Blogger Rima Brusi writes a post full of emotion [es] on the recent case of a man who murdered his four-year old daughter in yet another incident related to domestic violence.
Puerto Rico: Bicycle Hang Out
The blogs Bicijangueo [es] and PR Fixed [es] are posting texts, videos, and audio on everything and anything related to the new urban cycling trend in Puerto Rico.
Peru: Reactions to Ollanta Humala's Swearing-In Ceremony
July 28 is Independence in Peru, and this year it is also the day Ollanta Humala was sworn in as the new President of Peru. In his blog Globalizado [es] Juan Arellano, Global Voices Spanish Translation Manager and author, adds a Storify post with pictures and Twitter reactions to the...
Puerto Rico: Libraries and Reading
Gil the Jenius puts forward a theory about why “there are no decent libraries on the island”, adding that with the current levels of Internet penetration, “We don't have any excuses anymore.”
Cuba: Call for Justice in Death of Teen
Laritza's Laws posts an update about the shooting death of a teen by a retired police officer: “Relatives and neighbors of the victim suspect the police are looking for excuses not to prosecute him, and they are demanding justice for the death of Angel Izquierdo Medina, that it not go...
Cuba: Differences of Opinion are Healthy
“‘The People's Path‘ is…a vision statement of what the movement for a free Cuba should be striving for,” writes Uncommon Sense, who, along with Babalu, thinks that despite Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet's lack of support, “the debate that the document, and Biscet's disapproval have sparked, are nothing but healthy for...
Colombia: Indigenous Peoples Seek to Restore Peace After FARC Attacks
As previously noted on Global Voices, Colombia's armed conflict is threatening indigenous peoples. Ahni in Intercontinental Cry reports that “The oldest and strongest grassroots indigenous organization in Colombia, The Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC),” has called for “a ‘Minga of resistance’ [“a traditional gathering or activity for the collective...
Mexico: A Mother's Struggle to Find Her Missing Daughter
Judith Torrea in her blog Ciudad Juárez, En la Sombra del Narcotráfico (Ciudad Juárez, In the Shadow of Drug Trafficking), tells the story [es] of Lucy, a mother who has been looking for her missing 18-year-old daughter, Nancy Navarro, for two weeks. Nancy disappeared in downtown Ciudad Juárez, and is...
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.
