Stories about Latin America from March, 2010
USA: In Census, Only Some Races Count
Census forms are being delivered to all U.S. households this month, but some citizens complain that the question on race does not offer enough answers to give an accurate picture of their ethnicity.
Venezuela: Concerns About Controls on the Internet
Debate is heating up in Venezuela after decrees and statements from President Hugo Chávez, who questioned how the Internet is being used in the country. Many are interpreting these statements and policy proposals that the government wants control the Internet in Venezuela.
Chile: Changes in Government Websites with Arrival of New Administration
Many Chileans noticed that some government websites no longer contain photos or information from the previous administration, and they are wondering whether it was a deliberate message sent from the administration of new President Sebastián Piñera
Cuba: Feeling the Tremors
Cuban bloggers report on the earthquake tremors that hit the island two days ago.
Haiti: Reconstruction for Haitians or with Haitians
Haitian Alterpresse republishes a letter [Creole] from Haitian social organisations which openly criticise the Donor's Conference which took place in the Dominican Republic on March 17th. According to them, it will not lead to a long-term development project nor include the population in the reconstruction scheme. Here is the French...
“Damas de Blanco:” A Week of Protest in Cuba
Cuba's Damas de Blanco protests come on the heels of a flutter of international condemnation incited by the hunger striker Orlando Zapata Tamayo's death last month. Wednesday's crackdown by Cuban police was the first in two years on the political group, which is made up of the daughters, wives and mothers of imprisoned political dissidents.
Guatemala: Adoption Bureaucracy
Luis Figueroa of the blog Carpe Diem [es] writes about the amount of bureaucracy involved to approve adoptions in Guatemala.
Cuba: Peace Prize Nominee
Uncommon Sense confirms that Cuban dissident leader Oswaldo Payá has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, saying, “There should be little doubt that if he were to be named this year's recipient, it would elevate his status and that of the entire dissident movement on the island. And it...
Chile: Tu Sunami jabs at President, quakes and aftershocks
From Chile, a video mashup by tintoweno mixes McHammer, Storm Troopers and the Chilean president Sebastián Piñera as comic relief: adding humor to the tense situation lived in Chile as they still experience very strong aftershocks after the February 27th 8.8 earthquake. The video's name, Tu Sunami refers the President's ...
Blogging about the Caribbean's Repeating Islands
An interview with Ivette Romero-Cesareo and Lisa Paravisini-Gebert, the scholar-bloggers behind Repeating Islands, a blog that covers Caribbean literature, art, and culture and cuts across the region's language barriers.
Peru: The Pardon of José Enrique Crousillat
Former Peruvian television businessman José Enrique Crousillat had been serving a jail sentence for accepting bribes, when he was granted a pardon by President Alan García for humanitarian reasons, and which backfired resulting in an embarrassing situation.
Colombia: Results from March 14 Elections
On Sunday March 14, Colombians went to the polls to elect legislative representatives. It was also viewed as a barometer of what could happen in the May 30 presidential elections.
Ecuador: The Yasuni-ITT Initiative
In 2007, the Ecuadorian government unveiled the Yasuni-ITT Initiative, which would call for the oil reserves found in the Yasuni National Park to remain underground in exchange for compensation from the international community.
Colombia: Confusing Ballots on Election Day
During the Colombian elections held on March 14, one complaint became common: the ballots were confusing because of its format, which frustrated many voters.
Cuba: Surviving the Deluge
“A deluge of events is falling on Cuba”: Generation Y explains.
Belarus diversifies oil deliveries
Belarus Digest reports that Belarus plans to start importing oil from Venezuela to substitute for the country's oil dependency on Russia, which recently has caused strained relations between Minsk and Moscow.
Honduras: The Murder of Journalist David Meza
Honduran blogger “El Buscador” writes about the murdered journalist David Meza [es], and how he had received death threats for reporting on narcotrafficking. Meza is the 2nd Honduran journalist to be killed in 2010.
Costa Rica: Bicycles, Birthdays and Teachers
Julio Cordoba on his birthday post brings us a glimpse of everyday life: he recalls his triumphant feeling when his dad taught him how to ride a bicycle when he was 12. Years later, he discovered his father was a better teacher than he had thought: his father had never...
Costa Rica: New Traffic Law Takes Effect
The new Traffic Law in Costa Rica recently went into effect, which raised the amount of fines and allowed for a higher blood-alcohol level for drunk drivers, of which Costa Rican bloggers express their opinions.
Colombian: March 13 Elections
Sebastian Chaskel of the Americas Quarterly Blog provides his thoughts on how Colombians will vote in the March 13th legislative elections.
Global Voices Authors Speak Out Against Censorship
Today marks the World Day Against Cyber Censorship, an initiative promoted by global NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in support of a single Internet that is unrestricted and accessible to all. The day will hopefully inspire Internet users to increase their own awareness of online censorship, which is something that many Global Voices authors know all too well. In this post, GV Authors speak out.
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