Stories about Latin America from March, 2006
From Charango to Sea Controversy
Wikipedia Map Chile and Bolivia have different controversies issues. Last week it was the origin of Charango, a musical instrument that can be found through Central and South America. Bolivian president Evo Morales give it as a present to Condolleza Rice, while ex-president Lagos give it as a present to...
Mexico: Free software? or elite software?
Mexican blogger Leon Felipe Sanchez asks if free and open source software is, paradoxically, also elitist software.
Cuba: Inner tube
Pac Mclaurin posts a lovely photo of a Cuban fisherman, his girlfriend, and the “pneumático” or inner tube which is his fishing vessel.
Cuba: US foreign policy and internet access
US blogger Boz disagrees with US policy as regards Cuba, but isn't in favour either of the internet access restrictions Cuba places on its citizens.
El Salvador: “Some final election coverage”
Tim Muth has one last rundown of El Salvador election analysis.
Colombia: Fifty FARC Leaders Indicted
Adam Isacson gives his assessment of last week’s indictment of fifty FARC leaders for drug trafficking.
Colombia: Gay Marriage Debate in Colombia
After highlighting the attention on gay rights in Colombia's presidential campaigning, Andrés Duque says that presidential candidate Antanas Mockus backs marriage for gays.
Caribbean: Books for birders
“It's many years now–I might even say decades–since I've considered myself a real birder, and I stopped keeping a lifelist ages ago, but birds continue to have a special fascination for me–their colours, their songs, the effortlessness of their flight,” writes Nicholas Laughlin in the prelude to his overview of...
Peru: Anti-gay Comments by Presidential Candidate's Mother
Andrés Duque, noting the recent changes in the presidential polls, says that Peru's LGBT community is worried about what a Humala victory would mean for them. Humala's mother was recently quotes as saying “I bet you that if you execute two rapists by shooting, there won't be any additional rapes,...
Colombia: “Alleged Former Paramilitary Named Military Commander”
Sean Donahue lists several reasons why he is concerned that General Mario Montoya was appointed by President Uribe to head Colombia’s armed forces.
Brazil: Podcast Removed
Carlos Lobo of Blog.bossanova.fm has taken down all of his podcasts after receiving an email supposedly from “the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act)”. Lobo clarifies, “I don’t earn money with this, I only share brazilian culture.”
Chile: Seeking Public Transportation Proposals
Teo Veloso is using the group blog Atina Chile to solicit a community-wide urban transportation proposal (ES) which will be submitted to the Bachelet administration.
Bolivia: Unfettered Coastal Access
On the recent anniversary of the War of the Pacific Jim Schultz sees little chance of Chile granting Bolivia sovereign coastline, but does see an alternative solution.
The Charango Controversy
This article was written by Miguel Esquirol and originally appeared in the Bolivian blog community site Blogs de Bolivia. The original Spanish version can be found here (ES). Lately, many charangos have been given as presents. Evo Morales presented one to Condoleeza Rice, the Chilean President gave one to Bono...
Venezuela: Jorge Rodriguez Ends Bid to CNE
Miguel Octavio's blog, The Devil's Excrement has once again been loaned to ghost blogger, Jorge Arena who tries to understand why Jorge Rodriguez has stepped down in his bid as head of the National Electoral Council (CNE).
The Magic of Food: A Global Edible Review
#1: From the UK, Blog Jam The traditional pickled pig's feet dish is one of our favorites. Of course you may have at least a dozen good excuses why you "think" you don't like them. Just forget for a moment where they come from, send to the back burner of...
Panama: Panela
Melissa De Leon is dizzy with anger that you have been lied to about the so-called dangerous impurities of panela. But then, just what is panela?
Costa Rica: Constitutional Court Kills New Tax Plan
Libertarian expat Jacqueline Passey is gleeful that Costa Rica's high court rejected a proposed, new tax plan.
Argentina: Pablo Dacal
Enjoy the tango-influenced melody of Fantasía, a downloadable track by Argentine bilingual musician, Pablo Dacal.
Peru: Humala in the Lead
Boz has posted his weekly poll numbers from across Latin America with three new polls that have Peruvian leftist, Ollanta Humala in the lead. Peru Election 2006 has graphics illustrating the poll data. Andres Oppenheimer offers two explanations of why a leftist is leading despite Peru's recent economic growth.
Cuba: Castro's quirks?
Does Fidel Castro really incinerate his underwear? And exactly how partial is he to pata negra Serrano ham? Pondblog comments on a Miami Herald article in which a former aide to “El Lider Maximo” spills the beans on Castro's alleged personal habits and other matters.
About our Latin America coverage
