El Salvador: The New Anti-Gang Law Explained

Voices from El Salvador explains the new Anti-Gang law in El Salvador. The post concludes with these questions: “does imprisoning gang members really treat the root of the problem?  Will the harsher penalties imposed under the new law be enough to deter individuals from joining gangs?”

Mexico: State of Human Rights of Indigenous Women

In an interview for Vivir México [es], Pepe Flores asked Yalí Noriega –from Amnesty International Mexico [es]– about the state of human rights of indigenous women.

Guatemala: Tuk Tuk Taxis Revolt in Antigua

Photography blog Antigua Daily Photo shares images of a Tuk Tuk Taxi protest in Antigua: “It turns out, the tuk tuk taxi drivers were protesting the high number of traffic citations they are given by the Antigua Guatemala transit police. They felt they are being targeted unfairly by the transit...

Peru: Superficial Solutions As District Elections Approach

Gabriela García Calderón shares photos [es] of a recently fixed street in the Miraflores district in Lima, coinciding with mayoral and district elections. But the images that follow prove that only a few meters away the streets have holes that make it dangerous for anyone to pass through, especially those...

In half-wired [EN], blogger and researcher Ellery Roberts Biddle interviews Cuban blogger Elaine Díaz: “…my conversation with her may have been one of the most enlightening exchanges I’ve ever had about Cuba.”

Colombia: First Reactions to the Death of FARC Leader ‘Mono Jojoy’

Víctor Julio Suárez, better known as Jorge Briceño or Mono Jojoy, one of the top leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was killed in the so-called "Operation Sodom." Colombian Twitter users immediately reacted to the news.

Italy: Social Media Week in Milan and Worldwide

Social Media Week is an eclectic, multi-city event (Sept 20-24) aimed at connecting people, content, and conversations about emerging trends in social and mobile media.

Mexico: Government Announces Plan to Protect Journalists

Gancho writes about the government's new plan to protect journalists, concluding that, “What's missing is a genuine recognition from the government that journalists being killed is a substantial problem for the nation at large. I'm skeptical that Calderón's plan can will that element into existence.”

Peru: Hydroelectric Project Raises Concerns

The blog Warmiboa [es] shares its concern about hydroelectric project Corina, which would divert water from two rivers (Huallaga and Marañón) to the coast in order to irrigate the desert, causing “unpredictable consequences.” The blogger explains that this project would affect the people of Loreto, who suffer from a lack...

Chile: Alternative Transportation for ‘World Carfree Day’

September 22 was “World Carfree day” and Daniel Arellano shared five alternatives to using a car in Chile [es].

Paraguay: Interpreting the Constitution

José Maria Costa analyzes [es] how the Paraguayan constitution is interpreted to fit different political agendas. For example: “For some, freedom of speech is a relative right: it works in relation to who and what is being expressed. For others, freedom of speech is absolute and allows them to violate...

Global Voices Bloggers at UN Millennium Development Goals Summit

Four Global Voices bloggers are currently attending the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals in New York City (September 20-22). In their personal blogs and on Twitter, they are sharing their initial reactions from the Summit.

El Salvador: Is the Anti-Gang Law the Right Solution?

Hunnapuh [es] writes about the Anti-Gang law, saying that it has been presented to the public as a magical solution for crime and violence. But this blogger things that the law does not address the main problem: poverty, exclusion and lack of opportunities for the young men that join gangs...

Mexico: Indigenous Community San Juan Copala Ordered to Evacuate

Kristin Bricker explains that, “Authorities of the autonomous municipality of San Juan Copala, Oaxaca, have ordered the total evacuation of the town, which has been under siege since February of this year. The authorities issued the order when alleged paramilitaries raided San Juan Copala and said that they would massacre...

Panama: Proposed Legislation to Prevent Discrimination due to Sexual Orientation

The Panamanian National Assembly started to discuss a new law that would protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The proposal has caused controversy within Panamanian society and the subject has been approached by bloggers before and after this proposal was presented.

Venezuela: Web Videos Encouraging Citizens to Vote

Venezuelans will be voting on September 26th to renew the whole body of the National Assembly, the unicameral legislative body which substituted the Congress, and online, dozens of people are making and remixing videos urging citizens to vote.

Argentina: Citizen Journalism in La Plata

Letra Compartida [es] is an online citizen news website from La Plata. Citizen journalists can register on the site for free and upload text, photos, audio and videos.

Venezuela: Blogging About Colonial Art

In the blog Arte Colonial en Venezuela [es], Art Historian Janeth Rodríguez writes about Colonial Art in Venezuela.

Colombia: Virtual Gifts for Medellín on its 335 Birthday

On November 2 the city of Medellín will celebrate 335 years of its founding. The account @cumplemedellin was created on Twitter so that its citizens can tweet the symbolic present they want to give their city on this occasion. What would you give your city on its "birthday"? Find out what citizens of Medellín are tweeting almost a month before the date.

Chile: Police Break up Display of Mapuche Flag During Bicentennial Celebrations

Montserrat Nicolas shares a citizen video of an incident during the bicentennial celebrations; the video shows police breaking up a display of a Mapuche flag and apprehending those involved.

Honduras: Video of September 15 Protests in San Pedro Sula

Hibueras [es] shares a video of the September 15 protests led by the Resistance Front, showing how police responded to what the narrator in the video calls a peaceful protest.