· March, 2011

Stories about Mexico from March, 2011

Mexico: New (Dis)Agreement on Reporting Violence

On March 24, most of the biggest Mexican media outlets signed the "Agreement to Cover Violence in Mexico," an agreement that unifies the editorial criteria to cover and report news related to "the drug war." Many support and defend the document, but the text has also sparked strong disagreement and criticism.

29 March 2011

Mexico: Femicide Law Passed in State of Mexico

Erwin in The Latinamericanist reports that “legislators in Mexico State unanimously passed a law last week that legally recognizes femicides [es] as an independent crime category.” However, Erwin adds that...

24 March 2011

Mexico: U.S. Drones Gather Intelligence on Drug Cartels

A story first reported on March 15 by The New York Times has garnered strong responses from Mexican netizens based at home and abroad. Citing American and Mexican officials, the paper reported that "the Obama administration has begun sending drones deep into Mexican territory to gather intelligence that helps locate major traffickers and follow their networks."

21 March 2011

Mexico: Telecom and Entertainment Industries Testify on ACTA

As reported earlier, the Mexican Senate is holding public hearings with citizens, academics, lobbyists, and Internet service providers on the Anti-Counterfeit Commercial Agreement –widely known as ACTA. On March 2, lobbyists from the creative, telecommunications and entertainment industries had the opportunity to present their positions to the senators. Here is a summary of the session.

18 March 2011

Mexico and Afghanistan Border Conflicts Juxtaposed

Netizens are responding to several reports that juxtapose the violence in the Mexico/US border with the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and its border with Pakistan. Though uncoordinated and apparently disparate, the reports have served to crystalize problematic aspects of American policy.

9 March 2011

Hollaback! Mobile Technology Against Street Harassment

Based on the premise that "the explosion of mobile technology has given us an unprecedented opportunity to end street harassment," Hollaback! is encouraging women around the world to use the tools available to them to share their stories and geo-locate incidents and reports.

8 March 2011

Mexico: Remembering the Women of Ciudad Juárez

Ciudad Juárez is considered the most violent city in Mexico with more than 3,100 murders recorded in 2010, with an average of 9 homicides per day. Women are not immune to this violence, and cases of femicides committed years ago are still unresolved. On this International Woman's Day, we are remembering the women of Ciudad Juárez.

8 March 2011

Mexico: Possible Documentary Censorship Causes Commotion

A Mexican judge ordered theaters to temporarily halt screenings of the popular Mexican documentary Presunto Culpable (Presumed Guilty). The filmmakers, in an announcement posted on their website, state that the documentary will continue to be shown until they receive a government or judicial order. Still, the Mexican blogosphere has been actively discussing the issue, mostly focusing on censorship and freedom of expression.

6 March 2011

Mexico: ACTA Public Hearings Kick Off

The controversial Anti-Counterfeit Commercial Agreement --widely known as ACTA-- is currently under discussion in the Mexican Senate in response to opposition from civil society to the way the treaty's negotiation process is being conducted. Here is a summary of results and reactions to the public hearings held up to date.

2 March 2011

Video: Impressive Urban Downhill Bike Races

Downhill mountain bike races usually take place in the countryside, with cyclists dodging trees and other obstacles on a gravity assisted trail. These videos show downhill races in a very different light: right in the middle of a city or town.

2 March 2011