Stories about Mexico from September, 2011
Mexico: #ReformaPoliticaYA (‘Political Reform Now’), Reactions on Twitter
It has been several months since citizen organizations and activists tried to attain the approval of a political reform that includes, among other points, reelection for mayors and legislators. The reform has caused passionate reactions on Twitter and revived fears from the past.
Mexico: Baja California Anti-Abortion Law Upheld by Supreme Court
The Mexican Supreme Court failed by one vote to overturn a Baja California law that declares that life begins at conception. Aguachile calls this “tragic news” and argues that in “In other states, PRI and PAN local legislators will feel emboldened by the Supreme Court decision to press similar legislation.”
Video: Water Bottle Lights and Other Eco-Friendly Inventions
Solar lights and hot water heaters from plastic water bottles, houses made from trash and a way to do without plastic bags are some of the projects making reducing, reusing and recycling not only fun and affordable but also vital in improving the quality of life of people all around the world.
Mexico: Uproar Over Twitter Law Proposed by Veracruz Governor
A controversial law in Mexico could imprison those who spread rumors through social networks on the charge of "disturbing public order". Mexicans are speaking out against the law, which has been labeled #LeyJavierDuarte on Twitter after the name of Veracruz governor, Javier Duarte.
Mexico: Twitter Users Accused of “Terrorism” are Released
Two Twitter users who faced jail over “terrorism and sabotage” for spreading rumors of narco-related violence on social networks have been released. Bloggings by boz explains: “The local government created a new regulation against ‘disturbing the peace’ that might be used for future cases, but said the two released Twitter...
Mexico: ‘Peace Caravan to the South’ Arrives in Mexico City
Fred Rosen –from the blog Mexico, Bewildered and Contested at NACLA– reports that The ‘Peace Caravan to the South’, organized by the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, “arrived in Mexico City’s central plaza, the Zócalo, ending its eleven-day, round-trip journey to and through southern Mexico, where it documented...
Global: Online Dialogue on Technology for Transparency
The Technology for Transparency Initiative, together with New Tactics in Human Rights, invites you to join an online dialogue on 'Using Technology to Promote Transparency'. Join us to discuss new ideas, challenges, risks, and opportunities.
Global: Reflections on Peace Day 2011
To mark the International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21, female bloggers from The SunFlower Post share their perspectives on world peace by reflecting on the realities of their lives in Mexico, China, Turkey, Russia and Latvia.
Mexico, USA: Triqui Indigenous Migrants Defenseless Against Crime and Police Questioning
The Triqui indigenous people of Mexico living in the United States as undocumented immigrants are easy targets for robberies and police questioning because they often don't speak Spanish or English –Ismael Flores in Vivir México [es] reports.
Mexico: Protest Calls Attention to Slain Journalists [Video]
Erwin from The Latin Americanist posts a video by Periodismo IDN of a protest held on Sunday, September 11, where around “250 protesters marched in Mexico City to call attention to the eighty journalists slain in Mexico since 2000.”
Mexico: Mexico City Mayor and His Online Interaction with Citizens
Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubon is the mayor of the Federal District (Mexico City), headquarters of the union powers and capital city of the United Mexican States. He is becoming known for his interactions online with netizens about their claims and doubts.
Mexico: The Importance of Literacy
Ismael Flores at Vivir México [es] blogs about the importance of literacy. He provides some historical background and looks at current challenges related to literacy in Mexico.
9/11 Retrospective: The Birth of a Generation
Ten years have passed since the coordinated 9/11 attacks on the USA by al-Qaeda, an event that changed the world in many ways. All this is discussed through short videos by young people from around the world who came of age in the post 9/11 era.
Mexico: What are Mexicans Saying About Their President's Annual State of the Union?
Mexicans have reacted to the message given by Felipe Calderon as part of his "Fifth State of the Union", delivered while the "war" against drug cartels and the election process of 2012 continue. The majority strongly criticized him, but the president also received some congratulations.
Mexico: Twitter Hashtags as Source of Citizen-Driven News due to ‘Narco Censorship’
Andrés Monroy-Hernandez at ReadWriteWeb explains that in Mexico “some newspapers have officially announced a policy of self-censorship when it comes to reporting drug war-related news”, and that, “Twitter in particular, with its unidirectional follower model and its hashtags, has become one of the main sources of citizen-driven news in Mexico.”
Latin America: Tragic Times for Journalists
The Latin Americanist lists recent incidents that validate the claim made by Robert Rivard -head of an Inter American Press Association (IAPA) commission- that “2011 is the ‘most tragic year in the last two decades’ for Latin American journalists.”
Mexico: Hero Reports, Mapping Acts of Kindness
Heroreports is a non-profit project dedicated to crowdsourcing and mapping reports of citizen courage and positive social behavior. It started in Ciudad Juárez, México as an initiative of the MIT Center for Civic Media. Ernesto Priego reports.
Blog Carnival: Mexico – Is There a Solution to This Violence?
Our final summary of the 'Blog Carnival: Mexico - Citizenry, Violence and Blogs', focuses on what bloggers think about the solutions the government and citizens are presenting to try to put an end to this violence.
Mexico: Fighting Drug Trafficking With ‘Magic Wands’
Blogger Juan Antonio [es] uses reliable sources to report on the situation of the GT200 in Mexico, a drug and explosive detector recognized as ineffective by several countries. Despite warnings from the British government, Mexico has spent more than 250 million pesos ($20 million USD) in these devices.
Mexico: ‘Twitter Terrorists’ Face up to 30 Years in Jail
“Gilberto Martínez Vera (@gilius_22) and María de Jesús Bravo Pagola (@maruchibravo) face up to 30-year jail terms for ‘terrorism and sabotage'”, Tim Johnson reports in his blog Mexico Unmasked, and explains: “The prosecutor accused the two of sowing panic last week […] by suggesting in tweets that gangsters were attacking...
Blog Carnival: Mexico – The United States and Violence in Mexico
This fourth summary of the 2011 Blog Carnival: Mexico - Citizenry, Violence and Blogs, looks at what bloggers wrote regarding the relationship between Mexico and the United States on issues of violence.
