Stories about Mexico from February, 2011
Mexico: Photos of Tlacotalpan, “the most colourful place in the globe”
Catherine from Small Fish in the Big Taco shares colour coded images of “a very sleepy town in the state of Veracruz….namely Tlacotalpan.” She calls Tlacotalpan, “the most colourful place in the globe!!”
Mexico: Kidnapping Case Affects Diplomatic Relations with France
Relations between Mexico and France have been strained due to the kidnapping conviction of French national Florence Cassez in Mexico City. Cassez was arrested in 2006, accused of kidnapping charges and sentenced to 60 years in prison.
Mexico: Reports of Growing Violence Against Human Rights Activists in Chihuahua
Hemispheric Brief reports that, “A recent uptick in violence against human rights defenders in the state of Chihuahua continues to be met with impunity and silence by the Mexican government.”
Mexico: Achievements and Challenges for Artisan Women
Adele Hammond writes about artisan women in a village outside Oaxaca: “[…] the women we work with are committed to creating better lives for themselves and their children, despite the challenges of sometimes not having enough to eat or sufficient money to pay for their children’s needs. The BEST part...
Mexico: Video Game “Call of Juarez: The Cartel” Draws Mixed Reactions
A new video game, "Call of Juarez: The Cartel" by game developer Ubisoft, has drawn criticism from Mexican officials due to its allusions to the ongoing drug and gang violence in the country. But netizens are at odds about the game and the local politician's efforts to ban it.
Mexico: Activist's House Set on Fire in Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez, en la sombra del narcotráfico [es] (“Ciudad Juárez, in the shadow of drug trafficking”) reports that on February 16, Malú García Andrade's house was set on fire. Malú is an activist against femicides and human trafficking. Her mother, Norma Andrade, is a co-founder of the non-profit “May our...
Mexico: Journalist Carmen Aristegui to Return to MVS Radio
Aguachile reports: “In a joint communique, MVS Radio and Carmen Aristegui announced that the journalist will be back at the radio station the coming Jan. 21″ and wonders “if we'll ever know more about what led to her dismissal: Was any pressure coming from the presidential office of Felipe Calderón,...
Mexico: Social Media Reacts After Influential Journalist Carmen Aristegui is Fired
Mexican Twitter users have been very active debating the news that influential anchorwoman Carmen Aristegui was dismissed from her MVS Noticias radio show 72 hours after she asked on air if President Felipe Calderón should "give a clear, pristine, formal answer" to whether he suffered from a drinking problem.
Mexico: Journalist Carmen Aristegui Fired
Twitter is abuzz with the news that journalist Carmen Aristegui was fired from MVS Noticias [es]. Clases de Periodismo [es] reports netizens speculate she was fired for asking if President Felipe Calderón has a problem with alcohol. Journalist Lydia Cacho reports on Twitter [es] that Aristegui's staff say she refused...
Global: Thoughts on interfaith harmony and world peace
In this, the first, World Interfaith Harmony Week, people from all faiths have been getting together to forget about differences and promote religious tolerance and dialogue based on the mantras "Love of God and love of one's neighbour" or "love of the good and love of one's neighbour". Worldwide bloggers share views on why this dialogue is so important – and why it is not impossible to achieve it.
Mexico: Reactions to “Racist” Remarks on BBC's Top Gear
Comments on the BBC's popular car show Top Gear calling Mexicans, "lazy, feckless, flatulent," and "overweight" have caused mixed reactions among Mexican bloggers.
Mexico: Día de la Candelaria and Tamales
Lesley Téllez in The Mija Chronicles writes about Día de la Candelaria, “a Catholic holiday that honors the purification of the Virgin Mary. It’s also an important day for eating tamales. The holiday is a follow-up to Three Kings Day on Jan. 6.” She includes a recipe for strawberry tamales.
Latin America: Drawing Parallels with Egypt
As protests in Egypt continue, Latin American bloggers are drawing historical parallels with similar uprisings in the region and some are wondering: “Could it happen here now?”
Blogger asks: “Could instability spread to Latin America?”
Considering the recent and ongoing events in Tunisia and Egypt, Bloggings by boz asks: “If it is a crisis year, what would it mean for Latin America?”. Boz goes over several points to answer this question and opens up a thread to discuss Latin American stability with readers.
Mexican Ambassador in London Demands Apology From BBC
In Mexico Unmasked, Tim Johnson reports: “[…]‘outrageous,’ ‘vulgar,’ ‘inexcusable,’ ‘offensive,’ ‘xenophobic’ and ‘humiliating.’ Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora used those words in a public letter demanding that the BBC apologize for what he said was highly offensive commentary on the Top Gear program seen Sunday night, built around a supposed Mexican...
