Stories about Latin America from July, 2012
Colombia: The Environmental Heritage of the Country is Threatened by Mining
Through her Facebook profile, Carla Bajonero shares her concern regarding mining in Colombia [es]. In her opinion, mining only leaves behind “pollution and laughable earnings.” She then asks: “What happens to the environmental and cultural heritage of Colombia if mining continues in this boom?” Carla also writes about this issue...
London Olympics: Ambush Marketers Be Warned!
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has taken stringent measures to try to ensure no ‘ambush marketing’ tactics are used during the London 2012 Olympics. A common feature at modern major sporting events, ambush marketers try to sneak in promotions of their brands and companies in front of the crowd and, most importantly, the TV cameras. Sports law bloggers and marketers posted their opinions on ambush marketing and the London Olympics.
Brazil: Deported Activist Returns to Denounce Mining Company Vale
Jeremias Vunjanhe, a Mozambican journalist and activist, was prevented from entering Brazil during Rio+20. After civil society movements and organisations mobilised, Jeremias returned to the country to denounce the actions of the Brazilian company Vale.
Puerto Rico: It's a Bird… It's a Plane… It's Aslan!
Aslan is one of Puerto Rico's most innovative street artists. Using an iPhone and the photo application Instagram, his series of airplane photographs, #parriba (upwards), is perhaps his most ambitious & engaging project yet.
Venezuela: Filmmakers Explore Urban Realities
On Caracas' 445th birthday, Laura Vidal shares the work of three filmmakers who give netizens inside and outside Venezuela a different perspective of the Venezuelan capital.
Argentina: A Tour Through Rosario and its Architecture
The city of Rosario, located 300 km from the city of Buenos Aires in Argentina, offers lovers of architecture a tour of history through its buildings, which mark the era of opulence that characterized the city. On the Internet, those who visited or are living in Rosario share photos and information on this iconic architecture.
Paraguay: Citizens Reject Rio Tinto's Aluminium Smelter Project
The blog Interparaguay [es] shares several videos on a project headed by Río Tinto Alcan to build an aluminium smelter in Paraguay. In the last video, Mercedes Canese, Vice Minister of Mining and Energy during Fernando Lugo's government, answers some questions about the project and its impact on the environment.
Peru: President Humala ‘Reshuffles’ Cabinet
Bloggings by Boz comments on President Ollanta Humala's “cabinet shuffle”: “Oscar Valdes is out; Juan Jimenez is in as Peru's new prime minister. Humala also named new ministers for Interior, Defense, Health, Agriculture and Justice.” He adds that this cabinet shuffle comes in response to anti-mining protests.
Cuba: Pro-Democracy Leader Oswaldo Payá Dies in Car Crash
"Money from the United States is not going to drive change in Cuba. […] The problem is in Cuba, and the solution is in Cuba, between Cubans" - Oswaldo Payá in an interview before his death.
Colombia: Locals Concerned Over Media's Slant on Cauca Conflict
The indigenous people of the Cauca department, in southwestern Colombia, are concerned that the media is misrepresenting their struggle to expel legal and illegal armed groups from their territory. Netizens weigh in on the media's coverage of this current conflict.
Mexico: Tijuana's Unexpected Cinema Movement
Mexican border city Tijuana has an international reputation as both a dangerous town and a temptingly thrilling spring break destination. However, it is now in the international spotlight for a whole different reason: its local cinema movement.
Colombia: “Are We Truly Independent?”
On Colombia's Independence Day, bloggers and Twitter users expressed all sorts of opinions on the Internet. While some commemorated the day by showing their pride for being Colombian, others commented on the situation regarding the indigenous people of Cauca, the presence of multinational corporations, and other current topics.
Paraguay: Tweets for Federico Franco on his Birthday
E'a [es] aggregates tweets dedicated to Federico Franco on his birthday. Federico Franco is the new President of Paraguay after Fernando Lugo was removed from office on June 22, 2012. You can read more tweets under the hashtag #EnTuDiaFrancoGolpista [es].
Peru: Gearing Up for the London 2012 Olympics
Just a few days before the London 2012 Olympic Games kick off, Peruvian netizens share their views and thoughts about this important sports event.
Colombia: Scientific Community Concerned Over Resignation of Top Official
The resignation of Jaime Restrepo Cuartas, director of the Administrative Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Colciencias, has raised concern among the scientific community about the future of Colciencias (the main source of funding for most Colombian scientists) and the future of research in general in the country.
Brazil/Portugal: Homophobia and the “Apparent Invisibility” of LGBT
On the blog No que tange, Maycon Lopes shares [pt] his experiences of being a homosexual in Brazil, where homophobia “motivates terrible killings”, and compares to situations he faced while living in Portugal for a year: “Portuguese society isn't violent […] however gays aren't so on sight”. He felt an...
Mexico: Combating Water Crisis by Climbing Mountains
The Challenge is to raise awareness about the water and sanitation crisis all over the world and raise money to ensure safe water for people. The founder of Challenge 21, Jake Norton, means to do this by climbing the top of the 3 highest peaks in each continent. A couple of videos allow us to look into how he's doing, including the climb up Mexico's Pico de Orizaba.
Colombia: A Lab for Social Sciences
Blogger Luis Ángel Pérez writes about wanting to create a lab for Social Sciences, just like there are labs for chemistry or physics. He imagines the lab [es] with many sofas and good music. “Social Sciences are about our home and its history,” he concludes.
Peru: Court Reduces Sentence for Members of Death Squad
On Friday, July 20, the Peruvian Supreme Court announced its decision to shorten from 25 to 20 years the imprisonment sentence for top members of the Colina Group, a death squad involved in human rights violations. They were also acquitted of having committed crimes against humanity.
Colombia: #Yodigoaquiestoy, a Tool for Denouncing Child Labor
"Yo Digo Aquí Estoy" ("I say I am here") is the title of an interesting project by Fundación Telefónica which aims to put an end to child labor in Colombia, counting on citizen participation. We hereby reproduce an article by Paula Gonzalo, published in Periodismo Ciudadano, where she tells us more about this tool.
Peru: Graffiti Overshadows Coverage of Anti-Mining Protests
During a recent protest march in Lima against the Conga mining project, the monument to the liberator Jose de San Martin was defaced with slogans against the government and the mining project. The media attention, and even in the blogosphere, was more focused on this "graffiti", obscuring the message of the protests.
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