· November, 2012

Stories about Latin America from November, 2012

Ecuadorian Blogger Paúl Moreno Detained

  30 November 2012

Ecuadorian blogger Paúl Moreno (@paulcoyote) [es] was detained [es] on charges of fraudulent access to computer systems and databases, after publishing a post [es] where he explains how he accessed the information of President Rafael Correa to show the vulnerability of the site www.www.datoseguro.gob.ec [es]. Twitter users have set up...

Peruvian Junior Volleyball Team Wins South American Cup

  30 November 2012

On Monday November 26, 2012, the Peruvian junior volleyball team won the South American Female Volleyball Championship. This is a historic result, after 32 years without getting any titles in that sports category. Bloggers have joined the celebration, and Twitter is buzzing with comments with the hashtag #matadorcitas (the team's nickname).

Why Have Honduras Expats Stopped Blogging?

  29 November 2012

Laurie Matherne from Honduras Gumbo shares three theories about why expatriates in Honduras have stopped blogging: it's too dangerous, the economic crisis has forced many to leave, and those who stay “are forced to live in near chaos.”

Developing Latin America Hackathon Draws Near!

  29 November 2012

We are only 2 days short of commencing the regional hackathon Developing Latin America 2012. Anca Matioc, who is in charge of organising the event, spoke with us about the preparations. She also answered some questions relating to the development of a hackathon like Developing Latin America.

Worldwide Protests for Brazil's Indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá

  28 November 2012

Threatened with expulsion from their land, with their waters poisoned, and ready to resist to the death, the Guarani-Kaiowá indigenous community of Pyelito Kue / Mbarakay, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, finds on social media and on the streets worldwide support from activists.

Candidates Gear up for Ecuador's 2013 Presidential Election

  27 November 2012

While the reelection of [President] Rafael Correa may seem to be a foregone conclusion, the eight candidates competing for the office point to the ongoing fragmented and volatile nature of Ecuadorian politics. Marc Becker writes about Ecuador's upcoming presidential elections scheduled for February 17, 2013. Read more of his analysis...

“8 out of 10 Earthquakes Prefer Chile”

  26 November 2012

Whenever I feel a quake in Chile, one of the first things I do is go on twitter … mainly to laugh. Yes, that is how used to them we are. Rob from the blog South America writes about the recent “swarm of quakes” in Chile and how netizens react...

Indigenous Organization Denounces Brazil at the UN

  26 November 2012

The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) denounces [pt] human rights abuses against the indigenous populations in an open-letter [pt] to the United Nations. Among several issues, APIB calls the attention to the Guarani-Kaiowa genocide, the mining projects on indigenous lands and the illegal constructions in the Amazon rainforest...

Brazil: More Dialogue Needed to Solve the Conflict of the Guarani-Kaiowá

  25 November 2012

The Youtube account A Luta Guarani released a video interview [pt] with the Guarani-Kaiowá anthropologist Tonico Benites. He comments on the attacks by farmers of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and calls for more dialogue to solve the conflicts. In April 2012, an open letter [pt] written by Benites...

The Voices of Sex Workers in El Salvador

  23 November 2012

Sex workers in the city of San Salvador face ongoing discrimination, as well as potential health hazards from HIV and STDs. Others search for alternative forms of income, such as making piñatas, so that they can eventually leave this work behind.

Crowdmapping Water Contamination in Peruvian Indigenous Communities

  23 November 2012

How can individuals hold the extractive industries accountable for the impacts – poisoned water, food, and heightened conflict are a few examples – of its activities? One project, called La Cuidadora, provides an information sharing network to assist indigenous communities in better protecting themselves from these impacts.

Afro-Brazilian Women, Tight Curly Hair and Black Consciousness

  23 November 2012

On November 20, Brazil celebrated Black Awareness Day; in honor of the day, we invite you to watch the documentary Raíz Forte (Strong Roots), "start a discussion about hair in terms of belonging to and explaining our African ancestry." The film depicts social prejudices and how black women in Brazil have historically dealt with their hair.

Hackathons in Droves: How is a Hackathon Organised?

  23 November 2012

In the following guest article, J.J. Merelo, Doctor in Physics and Professor at the University of Granada, Spain, tells us of his experience organising educational hackathons in light of the regional Hackathon, "Developing Latin America 2012 "which will take place next December.

Honduras’ Presidential Candidates for 2013

  22 November 2012

On Sunday, November 18, 2012, three Honduran political parties (Liberal, National, and Libre) chose their presidential candidates for next year's election. Blogger David Moran from El Catracho [es] writes about Sunday's elections and the country's electoral system: For common Hondurans it's about choosing between a known evil and the evil...

Brazil: Northeastern audience moved by musical biopic

  21 November 2012

After much anticipation, Brazilian film “Gonzaga: De Pai Para Filho” about legendary musician Luiz Gonzaga has been moving audiences, and nowhere more than in the country's northeast where forró music is a part of life. Brazilian film blogger Chico Fireman shares his personal experience [pt] watching the film.

Brazilian Guarani Community Denounces ‘Poisoned’ River

  21 November 2012

A video showing the contamination of the Ypo'i river, near the settlement of an indigenous Guarani community, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, has been circulating on the web. The Guarani, struggling for their land, “believe it was deliberate and ‘not an accident’”, Survival International reports.

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.