· March, 2012

Stories about Latin America from March, 2012

Bolivia: The Wandering Hands of the Santa Cruz Mayor

  31 March 2012

Santa Cruz Mayor Percy Fernández is in hot water because of his apparent inappropriate touching of city council member Desirée Bravo, which was caught on tape by the media during a public event. The behavior may be a repeated pattern of bizarre actions by the controversial mayor.

Chile: Open Letter to Daniel Zamudio Goes Viral

  31 March 2012

Chilean netizens were deeply moved by an open letter to Daniel Zamudio, a young gay man who died after a brutal beating, written by Felipe E. Mercado and published on Tumblr [es]. The letter, with more than one thousand notes on Tumblr, became a local Trending Topic on Twitter.

Brazil: Irregularities Denounced in the Council of Representatives of Emigrants

  30 March 2012

Founded at the end of 2012, the Conselho de Representantes de Brasileiros no Exterior [Council of Representatives of Brazilians Abroad], or the CRBE, linked to the Ministry of External Affairs, has provoked the indignation of expatriate Brazilians owing to allegations of irregularities in the election process for its representatives.

Peru: Focusing on Technology for Social and Economic Development

  30 March 2012

What if Peru were more committed to supporting and developing technology? This is what Oscar Montezuma asks in the blog Blawyer [es]. He looks at the current cabinet of ministries and suggests changes to give technology a leading role in the government's strategy for social and economic development.

This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere

  29 March 2012

Again this week, the regional blogosphere was dominated by talk of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Cuba. With reports of repression at an all-time high, Cuban bloggers were dismayed by the outcome of the trip.

The Cuba the Pope Leaves Behind

  29 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Cuba has come to an end, a visit bookended by the Castro brothers: President Raul Castro greeting the pontiff at the airport and Fidel Castro meeting with him before his departure. But bloggers are suggesting that despite the Pope's message of change and hope for the future, it looks like business as usual on the island.

Chile: Blogging About Government Transparency in ‘El Vaso’

  28 March 2012

Ciudadano Inteligente, an organization that aims to make Chilean politics more transparent, has created a blog titled ‘El Vaso’ [es] to inform and promote a discussion about technology and government transparency. Readers are invited to contribute [es] content.

Argentinians Ask to #Freethebooks

  28 March 2012

The coming into force of a resolution that restricts the importation of books has caused a new controversy. Here we bring together reactions that Argentinians have been sharing in recent days on their blogs and on Twitter with the hashtag #liberenloslibros (#freethebooks).

Cuba: Who will the Pope Support?

  28 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Santiago de Cuba on Monday, the second visit by a Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church to the island in 14 years. The web, especially Twitter, has become a battleground for dissidents and government supporters.

Brazil: Thoughts on Access to Science on Document Freedom Day

  28 March 2012

In the Document Freedom Day, March 28, Brazilian blogger and professor Ladislau Dowbor writes [pt] about open access to science, and questions the price of information. He also shares his views on the role of professors in the face of intelectual property, and an article about an online boycott by...

Nicaragua: Film on Consequences of Leaked Sex Videos Seeks Crowdfunding

  28 March 2012

An award-winning team of producers and actors is coming together in rural Nicaragua to make a movie on the consequences of teenagers making an intimate video which then becomes public by mistake. They are looking for extra funding to cover costs on location in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, and all the money raised will be spent locally.

About our Latin America coverage

Gabriela Mesones Rojo
Gabriela Mesones Rojo is the Latin America 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.