Stories about Latin America from April, 2012
Accused of Molesting Children, Iranian Diplomat Leaves Brazil
An Iranian diplomat based in the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, was accused of molesting underage girls at a swimming pool on April 14, 2012. While Iran's embassy denied the allegations, and said they were the result of a "cultural misunderstanding", netizens both from Iran and Brazil didn't take long to react.
Chile: Erasing Graffiti from Historic Valparaíso
In online citizen newspaper El Martutino [es], Paula Pérez reports that every Saturday until May 26 citizens and various institutions will come together to clean graffiti from the walls of the historic quarter of Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ecuador: Refugee Women and Girls Turning to Sex Work
A video documentary examines the situation with Colombian women who had to migrate across the border into Ecuador due to violence. In many cases, without being able to gain legal employment, the women and their underage daughters find themselves turning to sex-work to make a living.
Ecuador: Local Creative Commons Chapter to Hold Event on World Intellectual Property Day
Creative Commons Ecuador [es] is holding a free event on April 26 to discuss the impact of technology on copyright. Participants will also talk about other related topics, like free culture and open access to government information. You can follow the event on Twitter through the hashtag #ccSalonQuito [es].
Mexico: Journalists Speak Up in Documentary ‘Forced Silence’
Artículo 19, an organization that defends the right to freedom of expression, launched the documentary "Forced Silence, the State Accomplice to Violence against Journalists." The documentary recounts testimonies from journalists, as well as relatives of journalists who have been assassinated or have disappeared.
Brazil: Journalist and Blogger Executed in São Luís, Maranhão
On the night of April 23, Brazilian journalist and blogger Décio Sá was shot dead in a bar in the most crowded avenue of the city of São Luis, in the northeastern state of Maranhão. He had ties with political figures of Maranhão and his blog was the most accessed in the state.
Panama: Poor But Not Forgotten Thanks to Online Videos
Coco Solo was once a United States Navy submarine base on the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama. Today, Coco Solo is the home of some of the poorest, most marginalized Panamanians. Online videos are a few of the available online media that show life in this community.
Peru: Report on Conga Mining Project Released
After months of conflict, the technical report commissioned by the Peruvian government to survey the Environmental Impact Study of the Conga mining project in Cajamarca was finally delivered. The media and bloggers have been sharing their opinion for and against this controversial project, as well as the mistakes made by the government and those that oppose the mining project.
Mexico: Human Rights Abuses and the Presidential Elections
The documentary A Schizophrenic State by Charlotte King follows the stories of San Salvador Atenco and Oaxaca, two places in Mexico who suffered human rights abuses by the ruling political parties, including a Governor who now would like to become President.
Mexico: Netizens Speak Out Against Geo-Location Law
Mexicans used the blogosphere and Twitter to comment on the reforms recently published and identified as the “Geo-Location Law”, which allows authorities to access real time reports on the location of mobile communication devices.
Chile: The Role of Municipalities in Promoting Reading
Enzo Abbagliati in his blog Cadaunadas [es] asks, “What is the relationship between promoting reading in Chile and municipal elections?” He says that two main tools that impact what and how much Chileans read depend on Municipalities: public libraries and municipal schools. Enzo asked three candidates for mayor of Providencia...
Brazil: Passer by Injured and Arrested by Police in Demonstration
Brazilian blogger Conceição Oliveira reproduces [pt] a Facebook note [pt] from Pedro Urizzi (an actor from São Paulo), who denounces that he was injured and arrested by the Military Police when he was passing by a demonstration against corruption on April 21, 2012, on his way for dinner. The detention...
Panama: President Martinelli's Confrontation with Journalist Generates Controversy
President Ricardo Martinelli called a press conference to clear up the matter of the scandal connecting him with the Italian businessman Lavitola, but he ended up in a confrontation with a journalist, making reference to a past drug problem. Social networks immediately reverberated with shows of contempt for and condemnation of the President's words.
Cuba: The “Gap” within the Cuban Exile Community
Penúltimos Días author Ernesto Hernández Busto, who lives in Barcelona, describes the “gap” or divide between Cubans living off the island, when it comes to their desires for Cuba's future; Regina Coyula, a blogger who resides in Cuba, responds. Hernández writes that there is a “deep gap between Cubans with...
Cuba: Omni Zona Franca in New Orleans
El Yuma writes about the visit of Cuban experimental art group Omni Zona Franca to New Orleans. Omni is on tour in the US this spring, performing various works, and showing a documentary about their work. They describe the documentary as follows: “Their lives are marked by the actual performance...
Colombia: “Lleras Law2.0 ” Taken Before Constitutional Court
The “Lleras Law 2.0”, which was hastily approved to fit requirements for a Free Trade Agreement with the United States, was taken before the Constitutional Court on April 18 by Senator Camilo Romero [es], who argued it contains parts that threaten rights enshrined in the Constitution. Netizens [es] are invited [es]...
Costa Rica: Climbing up Chirripó, the Country's Tallest Peak
The tallest peak in Costa Rica is the Chirripó, at 3820 meters (12,533 feet) above sea level. Throughout the years, it has drawn many locals and foreigners to climb up to the summit: these next few videos bring us two very different experiences. One of the first expeditions back in 1960, and a modern day hike to the top.
Colombia: What Did the VI Summit of the Americas Leave Behind?
Netizens commented on various events, some serious and some lighter ones, related to the Sixth Summit of the Americas. They also shared their opinion on the agreements that were reached (like the free trade agreement between Colombia and the U.S.) and on those that did not meet consensus.
This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere
In last week's summary of the regional blogosphere, a young comtemporary artist from Barbados made the observation that the region is “more than the beach and coconuts.” Here's a round-up of what Caribbean netizens were talking about this week, with not one mention of beaches or coconuts...
Uruguayan Journalism in the Age of Twitter
In the blog El informante [es] (“The informant”), journalist Leonardo Haberkorn looks at how his colleagues are using Twitter and other social networks to report and present their investigations. He looks at a couple of specific examples where Uruguayan journalists failed to cover an investigation in depth and instead focused...
El Salvador: Is Drop in Homicides a Result of a Deal with Gangs?
Bloggings by boz looks at a drop in homicides after last month's news of a truce between the government and gangs to reduce crime: “Murders are down about 50% since the unannounced truce took hold in early March […] One side of this debate now has real results. No matter...
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