Public Schools students coordinate Strike by fotoblogs

More than 40,000 public school students (and now some private (ES) as well) have participated in mobilizations all over Chile in the last weeks. They are asking for free public transportation, free entrance exams, a revision of full time school classes, and the detraction of the Organic Law of Education....

Bolivia: “Reelection is not an Official Position”

Responding to the pervasive worry that Evo Morales is trying to change the constitution in order to stay in power, Eduardo Ávila responds that while “some of the social movements and other MAS congressmen have publicly come out in favor of changing the Constitution so that a president can be...

El Salvador: Violence, Economics

The blog of “El Salvador/CNY Companion Diocese” reports that there were twenty two murders in El Salvador just on Sunday and Monday of this week. “The government claims to have deterred violence in many different locations. The numbers don't support their assertion.” Tim Muth posts an excerpt of the IMF's...

Venezuela: Raiding ULA and Featuring Bolivarian University

Oil Wars recommends an article in the Washington Post about Venezuela's new, free Bolivarian University. Both Daniel Duquenal and Miguel Octavio say that the Venezuelan National Guard illegally raided University of Los Andes.

Argentina: “Northern soul, boobs, and comics”

Liz Henry introduces the Argentine feminist blog Pescado Rabioso [ES].

Colombia: Revolutionary Baby Delivered by Military

Chile, Argentina, and Latin America's Two Lefts

After years in the shadows – and only referenced for its Cold War legacy – Latin America is back in the limelight. The world over, economic liberalization has been the call of the day. But recent elections throughout Latin America have inspired commentators to call the region a notable ideological...

Argentina: Music and Misinformation

This week, Argentinean newspapers informed readers that some Internet users had reached an agreement with CAPIF, the company that represents record companies in Argentina, to pay an amount of money as a compensation for the songs they had illegally downloaded from the Internet. The news coverage shows clear differences between...

Puerto Rico: Independence cretinism

Gil the Jenius defends his right to describe as “cretins” those who consider “El Grito de Lares”, a revolt which took place in 1868, as an important event in the Puerto Rico's movement towards independence.

Brazil: Manifesto of the PCC

David Lee Wilson has translated the manifesto of the PCC, which reads more like a Marxist declaration than a street gang handbook. Indeed, Wilson wonders who the manifesto was written for.

The Week That Was – Bolivian Blogs

Este artículo también está disponible en español en el sitio Blogs de Bolivia. Much of Bolivia’s most fertile land lies in the eastern part or Orient of the country. Without a doubt, most of the economic growth has centered around this part of the country, especially in the agricultural sector...

Bolivia: Morales Wants the Possibility of Reelection

Miguel Centallas, Briegel Busch, and Alvaro Ruiz-Navajas are all concerned by the announcement that Evo Morales will seek a new constitution that allows for reelection of the president and vice-president. Centallas reminds readers that “historically, other Latin American executives have used constitutional changes to stay in power beyond their original...

Honduras: Blog of Juan Almendares

Dr Juan Almendares Bonilla, executive director of the Centre for the Prevention, Rehabilitation and Treatment of Victims of Torture in Honduras now has his own weblog [ES]. Several months ago, Bolivia-based blogger Jim Shultz described “serious threats being launched against” Almendares.

Colombia: “Friendly fire or foul play?”

Adam Isacson has a thorough review of the controversial incident on Monday, which has been officially described as “friendly fire” and mistaken identity between units of Colombia's army and police.

Chile: Demanding Better Cell Phone Service

Following a campaign for universal broadband internet access, the web community Atina Chile is now demanding better cell phone service from Chilean service providers.

Chile: New RSS Aggregator

Rsschile.com is a new aggregator of all things Chilean. There is also an English-language section.

Argentina: More on Borges

The 20th anniversary of the death of Jorge Luis Borges continues to leave its mark in Argentina-based weblogs. Roberto Bobrow cites an allusion made to Borges by Italian intellectual Umberto Eco. Jeff Barry, meanwhile, is already on day five of an ambitious series called “30 Days with Borges.” It seems...

Peru: Debate, Human Rights, and Food

Alvaro Ruiz-Navajas has a helpful collection of links about last weekend's presidential debate. Jorge Bazo Escudero writes [ES] that Amnesty International “has condemned the blatant ignorance of both presidential candidates with respect to human rights issues.” And, away from politics, Peru Food has fresh content with a translation of an...

Cuba: Accomodating Cuba

What approach should nations adopt in relation to Cuba? Pondblog crafts an argument from the following ingredients: an article by the director of the Council for Hemispheric Relations (COHA), a US State Department report on state sponsors of terrorism, and a quotation from former Czech leader Vaclav Havel.

The Global Voices Show #1

Global Voices is pleased to announce the first of our new magazine-style podcasts, which aim to do for online audio what the Global Voices web site does for text blogs — introduce listeners to some of the exciting offerings from podcasters around the world. In this episode we feature the...

Bahamas: Diplomatic ties with Cuba

It is “irresponsible politics” for Bahamas opposition leader Hubert Ingraham to say that if his party came to power he would downgrade the Bahamian embassy in Havana to a consular office, says Andrew Allen at Bahama Pundit. “Myriad Bahamian interests deserve representation above the consular level.”